Evenings At The Shore: Coming Together to Celebrate

On September 30, 2019September 30, 2019 By 18cinemalane2 Comments

Season finales are usually known as a sad time. Your favorite show is about to end, for now, and you have to wait a whole year for it to return. But season finales can also be a good thing. Creating any season of a television show is very time, energy, and financially consuming. There are risks involved with adding another chapter, as the future can be uncertain. However, with those things come rewards. Some of these are a season renewal, a new movie, or critical acclaim. Season finales can also stir up reflection. It causes one to look back on the current state of the show, as well as how far it has come. This is a time for celebration, when achievements and triumphs can get recognized. It’s also a time when we can tell our favorite and new characters “See you later” instead of “good-bye”.

Just a reminder: If you did not see the season finale of Chesapeake Shores, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Season: 4

Episode: 6

Name: Watercolors, Wishes, and Weddings

Abby’s story: At the beginning of the episode, Mick approaches Abby with an offer to work at his construction firm. She tells him that she will think about it. The first person she tells about the business deal is Jay, with her sharing this news with Jess and Bree later in the episode. After discussing this piece of information with Jay, he invites her on a lunch date. She agrees to go by joining him at Sally’s Café. While Jay and Abby are there, they cross paths with Trace and Emma. Because of the awkwardness of the situation, Jay and Abby leave the restaurant. Instead, they go to a nearby shore. Abby shares with Jay how difficult it is to avoid Trace. He tells her that just because she has history with Trace doesn’t mean that she has to have a future with him. The next day, Abby, once again, crosses paths with Trace. He shares with her that he will finally build that recording studio he’s always dreamed of. Even though she’s happy for him, Abby still chooses to spend her time with Jay. At Kevin and Sarah’s wedding reception dinner, Abby reveals that Derrick, the CEO of the financing management who was introduced at the beginning of the season, has officially been indicted. She also shares that she isn’t going to lose her job at her current business firm. Despite this, Abby is still contemplating Mick’s offer. At the end of the episode, Abby goes to the same beach that Trace is at. Their interaction causes them to share a kiss.

Trace’s story: As Emma performs at The Bridge, Mark Hall arrives to watch the show. But that’s not the only reason why he’s in Chesapeake Shores. Mark approaches Trace with a proposal to help Trace record a song with Emma within the small town. Because Trace has no intention to make new music and because Chesapeake Shores doesn’t have any recording studios, Trace agrees to produce a single for Emma. He researches different venues for Emma to perform at and he contacts some of his friends in Nashville. Emma doesn’t feel ready to start a musical career, but Trace reassures her that she’ll never know if she’s ready until she takes that first step. Trace also makes the decision to build his recording studio. Later in the episode, he tells Abby about his plan. Trace also interacts with Abby when she and Jay went to lunch at the same time he and Emma are at Sally’s Café. Before the episode ends, Trace and Abby interact one last time. During their interaction, they share a kiss.

Mick and Megan’s story: Because of Abby helping Mick with his business situation, he asks her if she’d like to work at his construction firm. Abby tells him that she’ll think about it. Mick lets his brother, Thomas, know about his relationship with Megan. Even though Mick shares his concerns about the relationship’s longevity, Thomas ends up supporting his brother’s decision. When he spends time with Megan, Mick reveals that his former business partner has publicly announced Mick’s association. Meanwhile, Megan is buying art supplies and taking up sketching. She shares with Mick that she hasn’t painted since she was pregnant with Bree. Throughout the episode, they both attend Kevin and Sarah’s wedding reception and Bree’s play.

Kevin and Sarah’s story: In this episode, Kevin and Sarah continue their discussion on the size of their family. When they figure out the math, they both come to an agreement about having two or three children. Sarah’s family also pays them a visit. Because of their arrival, this makes Sarah tell Kevin how her family used to take road trips when she was younger. She also shares how she, sometimes, misses her family. This causes Kevin to agree to spend Christmas with her family and to go to Hawaii for their honeymoon. The episode ends with them attending their wedding reception and Bree’s play.

Theater seats image created by weatherbox at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/weatherbox.”

Bree’s story: Before a presentation of her play, Bree meets a literary agent named Brian. He’s impressed by everything she’s been able to accomplish on her own. However, Brian wants to help Bree make the most of her career. With a lunch invitation, he encourages her to discuss her literary goals. Bree agrees to meet with him the next day. At this meeting, Brian informs her that he’s not going to lead her in any direction she’s not comfortable with. At the same time, he tries to get Bree to think about her career with a long-term mindset. Despite this, she has no idea where her career will be that far down the road. When the night of the play arrives, the show is a success! Not only does the play receive a standing ovation, but both Hannah and Bree are presented with flower bouquets. After the show, Brian shares that he wants to bring her play to London. This causes Bree to become excited about her future.

Jess’s story: During the official grand opening of The Inn at Eagle Point, Jess finds a ring in a small box. This makes her assume that David will propose to her. Shortly after their bed and breakfast’s grand opening, they receive a fine because of their unofficial grand opening in the previous episode. This causes David to attempt to solve this issue throughout the episode. Because this dilemma prolongs David’s proposal, it also causes Jess to become impatient . When the man who gave David and Jess the fine visit them, Jess convinces him to lift the fine. This plan ends up being successful, as they are able to run their bed and breakfast with no further issues. After this situation is resolved, Jess reveals that she knew about the proposal all along. Because of this, David finally asks Jess to marry him, which she immediately says yes.

Connor’s story: Connor tries to find a solution to the case that he was assigned in the previous episode. As Nell meets up with Connor at Sally’s Cafe, he expresses how he misses Danielle. When Nell mentions that her driver’s license has expired, this gives Connor an idea relating to the case. When he presents his findings to Linda, the lawyer from the previous episode, she’s impressed by his work. This causes her to give Connor a job at her firm. When he shares this news with Thomas, he reveals that Connor was to receive an even bigger assignment at his firm that was to take place in New York. Before their conversation ends, Thomas tries telling Connor that Linda may not be as friendly as she seems.

Jewels sparkle in the golden wedding rings lying on the leather — Fancy jewelry image created by Freepic.diller at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/wedding”>Wedding photo created by freepic.diller – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Some thoughts to consider:

Like the third season, this season of Chesapeake Shores was just fine. But I was hoping that the show’s quality would improve by this point. I was told by Ruth, from My Devotional Thoughts, that there will be a fifth season! Hopefully, the creative team behind this program will learn from their creative mistakes and find a healthy balance between being character and story-driven.

As happy as I am that Jess and David got engaged, I was disappointed by how the dialogue spoiled the surprise. With Jess saying things like “till death do us part” and “happily ever after”, a moment that could have been surprising and memorable ended up being predictable. Hopefully, the audience can witness their wedding in the show. I also hope that the wedding ceremony can be more memorable than the engagement.

Even though I’ve mentioned that the Chesapeake Shores movie will premiere next year, I wonder if it will air before or after the next season starts? Since the film will just feature the three O’Brien sisters, I also wonder how their story will effect the rest of the show?

Starry night landscape with reeds — Evening view from the shore image created by 0melapics at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/landscape-in-a-swamp-at-night_1042860.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by 0melapics – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What are your thoughts on this season as a whole? Do you have any predictions for season five? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun in Chesapeake Shores!

Sally Silverscreen

Evenings At The Shore: A Kite in the Storm

On September 24, 2019 By 18cinemalane4 Comments

For those of you who follow my re-caps for Chesapeake Shores, I apologize for publishing this post later than usual. As I was writing my review of The Sky’s the Limit, I realized that I needed a short break from blogging. So that’s what I did on the Monday after this episode aired. So, now that this explanation is out of the way, it’s time to start this re-cap! In this episode, Abby tells Jay that she is like a kite in the storm after he shares that two of his students thought that Benjamin Franklin invented the kite. What Abby said could also relate to the other characters on this show. Everyone is just trying to get through the storms in their lives, whether it’s Mick trying to overcome his legal troubles or Bree wanting to face her writing struggles. But kites are controlled by the wind, an element that is beyond anyone’s control. Like kites, the characters on Chesapeake Shores are controlled by life itself. Sometimes, the characters catch a lucky break, such a Kevin and Sarah getting married. But there are times when things don’t go according to plan. A good example of this is when Bree and Simon broke up. But, at the one point or another, every character finds a resolution and survives the storm.

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of Chesapeake Shores, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Season: 4

Episode: 5

Name: All the Time in the World

Abby’s story: Because of an upcoming deposition and because Carrie and Caitlyn have a scheduled day off from school, Abby needs one of her siblings to babysit her daughters. Kevin and Connor, along with Sarah, volunteer to look after Carrie and Caitlyn at different times of the day. At Sally’s Café, Abby receives free legal advice from Connor. Before he leaves, Jay pays Abby a visit. He asks if he can spend time with her after her deposition, in which she accepts his invitation. He also shares with her why he became a teacher, as the people in his life are what matters the most. At her deposition, Abby makes it difficult for the opposing side to get any answers from her. Because of this, they offer her a vice president position at their business firm if she turns her back on her current firm. Before she leaves the deposition, Abby shares that what she teaches her children is more important than her career. After the deposition, Abby and Jay share a picnic. When she shares the opposing side’s job offer, he reminds her that no one’s road in life is a straight one, as it does have twists and turns. She contemplates Jay’s advice for the rest of the episode. When Mick discovers her notes about her deposition, she gives him an idea that could help him in his legal situation. He recruits her to find a solution to his problems, with Abby agreeing to help. She also briefly interacts with Trace backstage at Carrie and Caitlyn’s play.

Trace’s story: Trace is still bothered by what Emma told him in the previous episode. When Emma apologized, she shared that she didn’t know that Mark’s offer could include trying to get Trace back on tour. Trace accepts her apology and reveals that, because of the music business, he’s become skeptical of people. He then invites her to lunch at Sally’s Café, which Emma accepts. During this episode, Trace tells Emma how his family doesn’t always express their emotions and feelings. He also talks about his experiences while on tour. Another situation that Trace deals with is Mick cancelling on their business meetings. Because of Mick’s legal situation, he hasn’t had time to participate in various activities. This makes Trace frustrated by Mick’s lack of attention toward The Bridge. In an attempt to find a solution, Trace offers to buy Mick’s half of the restaurant. When Mick hears Trace’s offer, he tells Trace that he’ll think about it. Trace also crosses paths with Abby backstage at Carrie and Caitlyn’s play. During this brief interaction, he shares that he learned about Abby’s legal situation from Connor.

Mick and Megan’s story: One morning, Mick is shocked to learn that Megan wants to take up painting again. Even though he’s taken off guard, he’s supportive of her choice. Throughout the episode, Megan is creating plans for her new studio. When she shares these plans with Nell, Nell tells her that she should recruit Mick’s help in this endeavor. Speaking of Mick, he is so caught up in his legal worries, that he has little to no time for anything else. This starts to affect other people, including Trace and Connor. When Connor asks if there is anything he can do to help, Mick tells him no. Trace starts getting frustrated by Mick cancelling meetings related to The Bridge. To help take some weight off Mick’s shoulders, Trace offers to purchase Mick’s half of The Bridge. Mick tells Trace that he’ll think about the offer. When he arrives at his house, Mick discovers Abby’s notes about her deposition. When he expresses to Abby how impressed he is by this discovery, she gives him an idea that could help him with his problems. Because of this, Mick encourages Abby to use her unique insight to help him.

Kevin and Sarah’s story: When Abby is looking for someone within her family to look after Carrie and Caitlyn, Kevin and Sarah volunteer. After an exciting game of badminton, Kevin and Sarah bring up the question of how many children they’d like to have. When they realize that they each have a different idea for the size of their family, they come to the conclusion that they need to take the time to discuss several important topics. When looking after Word Play, Kevin talks to Bree about how rushed his relationship feels. Bree reminds him to appreciate what he has and shares that she feels that everything is how it should be. Later in the episode, Sarah comes by to visit Kevin at Word Play. While they are sharing embarrassing childhood stories, they get alerted on a recent emergency. After the emergency has been taken care of, Kevin and Sarah talk about how their relationship has moved so fast. They also agree to have a larger family.

38860-O1P610 — Paint palette image created by Freepik at freepik.com <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/hand-drawn-artsy-tools_836777.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a> <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/hand”>Hand vector created by Freepik</a> Image found at freepik.com

Bree’s story: Bree’s book has placed in the top ten on a bestseller list and her play has been presented in front of test audiences. Hannah has been with Bree every step of the way, from helping her avoid awkward questions during Q & A segments to suggesting small but essential changes to the script. When it’s time to write a message about herself for the play’s program, she experiences a bad case of writer’s block. At Word Play, she realizes that she and Kevin have something in common; they feel that their lives are moving too fast. However, Bree feels that everything is the way it should be and that they both need to appreciate what they have. On another day, at Word Play, Bree confides to Megan that the version of herself in the play represented who she was. She wants to write about who she is now, which she’s having a difficult time trying to figure out.

Jess’s story: Jess and David start to settle into their new bed & breakfast. When Carrie, Caitlyn, and Connor surprise them with the sign from their original bed & breakfast, Jess and David decide to name their new place “The Inn at Eagle Point”. While preparing for the grand opening, the facility loses electricity. Despite David scheduling an electrician to show up the following week, guests have arrived early than expected. Without food, mattresses, or electricity, David and Jess try to figure out how to make their unofficial grand opening a success. When Jess asks Mick for assistance, he politely refuses. Meanwhile, David and Jess put all their refrigerated food in the sink filled with ice cubes. Toward the end of the episode, Nell volunteers to cook meals for the guests. The bed & breakfast also gets its electricity back. When Jess is not around, David hides a stuffed animal horse and a small bag in a drawer.

Connor’s story: At the beginning of the episode, Carrie, Caitlyn, and Connor surprise Jess and David with the original sign from their previous bed & breakfast. He also helps Carrie and Caitlyn practice their lines for their play. For the majority of this episode, Connor continues to do research for his uncle’s law firm. He uses his research skills to help Abby create notes for her deposition. He also asks Mick if he can help him with his legal issues, but Mick politely turns Connor’s offer down. When doing research work at The Bridge, he reveals to Trace that he broke up with Danielle. He also tells Trace about Abby’s legal situation. Later in the episode, Connor learns that Abby will be helping Mick with his legal situation. Feeling hurt after learning this news, he approaches the lawyer who lost the case from this season’s second episode. He wants to work at her firm because he wants to be a litigator. She gives him a chance to prove himself by giving him a case that they might lose.

Kite in the sky background created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/pattern”>Pattern vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Some thoughts to consider:

The conflict associated with Jess’s story doesn’t make any sense. How can someone make a reservation when there is no realistic way to do so? If the bed & breakfast isn’t open for business yet, that means that an official website wouldn’t be available for reservations to be accepted. Also, if the electricity is out, then that means an official phone number wouldn’t be working for people to call for reservations. It seems like the screenwriters cared so much about Jess and David’s relationship that the plot ended up suffering.

Is it just me or did it seem like Nell’s health issues were completely glossed over? I was surprised to see Nell with an oxygen tank, as I’m used to seeing her as an independent woman who usually doesn’t rely on anyone or anything for help. I’m not sure if Diane Ladd, the actress who portrays Nell, or just the character is dealing with a medical situation. Whatever the case, I hope that things work out for the better.

Back in February, at the Winter TCA Event, Hallmark announced that a Chesapeake Shores movie was greenlit. Because this season of the show only received six episodes, it was speculated that the movie would make up for the limited number of episodes. But I’ve heard that this movie won’t premiere until next year. So, this makes the idea of the fourth season having less than the usual ten episodes seem meaningless.

Are you looking forward to the season finale? What do you think will happen? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun in Chesapeake Shores!

Sally Silverscreen

Evenings At The Shore: Steering the Ship

On September 16, 2019 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

At the beginning of this episode of Chesapeake Shores, the U.S.S. Kelsey, an important prop in Carrie and Caitlyn’s school play, has been destroyed due to a water leak. This prop has been used in this particular play for fifty-three years, even recording the signatures of former cast members. Abby, Bree, and Jess are obviously heart-broken about the U.S.S. Kelsey’s fate, as Abby and Bree clean up what remains of their school-time memento. On this show, it seems like everyone is trying to steer their ship. In some episodes, the characters’ journeys are smooth sailing. At other times, they end up facing stormy seas. While not as broken as the U.S.S. Kelsey, each character does have flaws in their ship’s foundation. As long as they have an anchor to keep them grounded and a compass to guide them, each character will eventually find their way.

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of Chesapeake Shores, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Season: 4

Episode: 4

Name: Breaking Hearts and Playing Parts

Abby’s story: Abby, once again, volunteers at her daughters’ school. This time, she agrees to help with school play preparations. Luckily, Jay is the play’s director, so she has a friend to spend time with. As mentioned in this re-cap’s introduction, the U.S.S. Kelsey ends up becoming destroyed. When Jay asks her if she knows anyone who can help re-build this prop, she asks Mick for his assistance the next day. Unfortunately, he turns down her offer. One day, during play rehearsal, she discovers that Trace has volunteered to re-build the U.S.S. Kelsey. She carries on small talk with him, but that’s the extent of their interaction. Later in the episode, Abby and Jay talk about her relationship with Trace. She tells him that she and Trace used to date, but are now just friends. Jay and Abby also agree with share lunch together. When their lunch outing arrives, they also invite members of Abby’s family. They end up having a good time, with Jay even sharing his fries with Bree. At the end of the episode, Abby and Jay marvel at Trace’s handiwork as they take one final look at the new U.S.S. Kelsey. During their observation, Abby notices that Trace preserved all of the signatures from the old ship.

Trace’s story: When Mark Hall makes one final offer to make Emma a singing sensation, Emma politely turns him down. This decision pleases Trace, as he has rarely seen people tell Mark no. One day, at The Bridge, Trace meets Jay for the first time. The purpose of this meeting was for Jay to convince Trace to re-build the U.S.S. Kelsey. When Trace learns that Carrie and Caitlyn told Jay about his handiwork, Trace agrees to volunteer. Trace shows up to play rehearsal one day, which happens to be on the same day that Abby is helping with the play. Abby and Trace share small talk, but that’s about it. After getting to know Jay a little bit better, Trace realizes that Abby may be starting a new relationship. For the majority of this episode, he has been torn between wanting to get back together with Abby and potentially beginning a new relationship of his own. At The Bridge, one night, Trace helps Emma with an original song. During this song-writing session, Emma kisses Trace. After Trace kisses Emma back, he shares that he probably shouldn’t have done that. The next day, Trace apologizes for the unplanned kiss. During this interaction with Emma, he learns that one of Mark’s offers to Emma involved her trying to recruit Trace back on tour. This discovery makes Trace lose trust in Emma.

Mick’s story: Mick’s legal situation just became more complicated. His former business partner is trying to make a deal where Mick is named co-conspirator. Mick’s lawyer also suggests that he hire a PR firm to help him establish a presence on social media. Because of everything that going on in his work-life, Mick’s personal life has been affected. One day, he ends up cancelling plans with Megan because of a meeting with his lawyer. He apologizes to her by giving her a red rose and explaining what’s been happening. Mick shares that he’s overwhelmed by the changes that are taking place around him. Megan forgives him and accepts the rose.Megan’s story: At the beginning of this episode, Megan is busy planning Kevin and Sarah’s wedding, as well as creating a vision board for herself. When discussing her progress with Nell, Megan is told that she should focus less on the past and more on the present. During lunch with the O’Brien family, Kevin and Sarah announce that they recently eloped. This shocks the family, especially Megan. Not only that, but she’s also heart-broken that her chances of planning their wedding are now gone. When they ask her if everything’s ok, she tells them that she’s fine. But, in reality, she’s trying her best to hide her true feelings. Throughout the episode, Megan processes what has just happened. She also realizes that Mick has been trying to process what’s been going on in his life. At the end of the episode, Kevin and Sarah reveal that, even though they eloped, they want to organize a wedding reception. This pleases Megan and makes Mick happy for her. Mick and Megan share a gesture that indicates that they are growing closer in their relationship.

112444-OO5FAM-333 — Rose illustration image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Bree’s story: Bree is dealing with the aftermath of her break-up with Simon. She changes the end of her play, which pleases Hannah and is a better fit for the story. But, no matter what she does, she still feels upset about Simon leaving her life. The people around her have been understanding of her situation, from Abby inviting her to help clean up the U.S.S. Kelsey’s remains to Jay sharing his fries with her. Trying to take her mind off of her dilemma, she helps David and Jess with a personal problem. But, when she helps them solve their issues, she realizes that she’s the only sibling in the O’Brien family that isn’t in a relationship or starting a new relationship. This causes Jess, David, and Connor to comfort Bree.

Jess’s story: Jess and David are trying to choose an overarching style for their bed & breakfast. Jess wants the bed & breakfast to have a traditional look, complete with a couch from their previous bed & breakfast. David thinks the facility should adopt a modern style, using a day bed that he cherishes. When they ask Connor for advice, he is unable to help them make this decision. For the majority of the episode, David and Jess are finding it difficult to come up with a solution. When Danielle, Connor, and Bree hang out at the new bed & breakfast one day, Bree suggests that Jess and David try to look at the problem from the other person’s perspective. This technique helps them realize the importance of their beloved piece of furniture. They both come to an agreement where they not only get to incorporate both of their styles into the bed & breakfast, but they also get to create a new, shared style for the main sitting area.

Connor’s story: Connor is figuring out where his relationship with Danielle stands. He feels that Danielle telling him “I Love You” complicates things. He turns to various family members for advice, including Nell. She tells him that it’s important to “like who you love”. While helping Kevin move his belongings to Sarah’s house, Connor tells Danielle that he loves her. But, Connor still feels like something isn’t right in his and Danielle’s relationship. When he is comforting Bree at David and Jess’s bed & breakfast, Danielle doesn’t approach Bree to console her. The next day, at dinner, Connor addresses Danielle’s dislike toward her family. She doesn’t provide an answer, but instead talks about how she doesn’t like to spend time with his family. This makes him realize that he and Danielle want very different things in life. He shares this thought with her.

Ship steering wheel pattern background — Ship steering wheel pattern image created by Jemastock at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by jemastock – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Some thoughts to consider:

In this episode, I found some of the wardrobe choices to be very interesting. In the very first scene, I noticed that all of the O’Brien sisters are wearing a white shirt. In another scene, Hannah and Bree wear outfits that are color coordinated. Hannah’s shirt is black and her jacket is maroon. Meanwhile, Bree’s jacket is black and her shirt is maroon.

In the scene where Connor and Danielle realize that they want different things in life, Andrew Francis and Britt Irvin gave one of the best performances in any Hallmark project they’ve ever appeared in! It was both emotional and powerful, things that are needed for a scene like this. It makes me wish that Andrew and Britt would receive a lead role in a Hallmark film.

Ever since the third season, it feels like Chesapeake Shores has plateaued. In the first two seasons, the show had a healthy balance between being story-driven and character-driven. From season three on, the series has become so character-driven, that it comes at the plot’s expense. Every time an interesting subplot is about to be introduced or an overarching plot can be revisited, the screenwriters don’t take advantage of those creative opportunities. What also doesn’t help is how this season is only six episodes long.

How do you feel about this episode? Do you think that Kevin and Sarah made the right decision? Please state your thoughts in the comment section!

Have fun in Chesapeake Shores!

Sally Silverscreen

Evenings At The Shore: A Word from Nell

On September 9, 2019 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Nell returned to Chesapeake Shores, even though she played a small role in this week’s episode. It seems like she’s the glue that keeps the O’Brien family together. When advice is needed, she has wisdom ready to share. She can instantly create a brighter day with a joke or a smile. Nell is also one of the first people to give condolences or well-wishes. Without Nell, this show would not be the same. Episodes where Nell is absent makes it feel like something is missing. This can also go for any of the other characters on Chesapeake Shores. They all play an integral role within the overall narrative. Whether they only appear in a few episodes, like Carrie and Caitlyn, or show up in every episode, like Trace, each and every character matters. Both the acting and the writing make this idea a reality.

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of Chesapeake Shores, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Season: 4

Episode: 3

Name: A Sonnet for Caroline

Abby’s story: Abby is finding it difficult to mandatorily stay home from work. She plans on using her newfound free time to take her daughters to school and volunteer in their cafeteria. After taking Mick’s advice, Abby plans on getting an éclair at a local bakery. When she arrives at the bakery, after taking her daughters to school, Abby discovers that all of the eclairs have been sold out. However, one of the employees has taken the last one. He offers to share his éclair with Abby, but she refuses. Later that day, Abby volunteers at Carrie and Caitlyn’s school by cleaning up the cafeteria. While there, she finds out that the bakery employee she met earlier is also a teacher and playground supervisor at the school. His name is Jay and Abby confides to him that she has a lot going on in her life. He tries to make her feel better by offering her a juice box, which she accepts. While visiting Kevin and Connor at Sally’s Café, Abby gets served with legal papers. The contents of these papers are kept a secret.

Trace’s story: Trace is happy to have complete control of The Bridge again. To get back on track, he tries to organize a new musical line-up. Unfortunately, the restaurant’s usual acts are scheduled for other shows. He then gets the idea to have Emma perform one of her songs. When he asks her to sing live, she refuses. The next day, during a slow day at The Bridge, Trace encourages Emma at sing in front of the guests. At first, Emma says no. But, after he introduces her on stage, she accepts his offer. When Trace notices Emma struggling with nervousness, he helps her out by providing guitar music for her song. During the performance, Mark Hall, the manager from past seasons, arrives just in time to hear Emma sing. Trace introduces Mark to Emma, who immediately recognizes him. He wants to make her music star, but Trace doesn’t feel she’s ready for the spotlight. Later in the episode, Trace learns that Mark tried to convince Emma to start a professional music career. She says she turned down the offer because she didn’t want to get stuck in a bad relationship. This is a reference to what Emma told Trace earlier in the episode, how a break-up with a rock-star led her to Chesapeake Shores.

Mick and Megan’s story: Mick is still dealing with his legal troubles. Despite this, he agrees with join Megan on her trip to a potential wedding venue. During this trip, Megan shares how she needs to find something to do with her time. They also talk about their wedding. This leads to them sharing a heart-felt kiss. The next day, Mick and Megan agree not to talk about the kiss ever again. At Sally’s Café, Megan consults with Nell on what she should do about the situation. Nell shares that it’s better to live with mistakes than regrets. Toward the end of the episode, Mick and Megan share a toast by the shore. Megan conducts the toast, by saying that she will bury the past and see where her relationship with Mick will go. Mick agrees to Megan’s plan.

2471533 — Bakery image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/pattern”>Pattern photo created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Kevin and Sarah’s story: It seems like Kevin and Sarah can’t have a moment for themselves. The members of the O’Brien family volunteer to help organize the wedding. While Kevin and Sarah appreciate their thoughtfulness, they end up feeling overwhelmed. While spending time at the fire station, Kevin and Sarah discuss what they want for their wedding. They both agree that the most important thing is how they want to spend the rest of their lives with each other.

Jess’s story: Jess and David are trying to purchase the house where they attended its open house in the previous episode. While placing a bid, they discover that a wealthier couple also wants to purchase the house. Refusing to give up on her dream, Jess comes up with a plan to show up at the same restaurant as the real estate agent. She and David invite Danielle, Connor, Simon, and Bree to have dinner with them at this restaurant. Unfortunately, Jess’s plan backfires as the real estate agent realizes what she’s up to. Later in the episode, Jess and David come up with a new plan to purchase their future bed & breakfast. They visit their competitors and Jess pretends to be David’s secretary. Jess and David encourage their competitors to purchase another property because the Peck family is interested in owning the house. Their plan works and they are able to move in to their new bed & breakfast at the end of the episode.

Bree’s story: Bree still feels like something is wrong with her and Simon’s relationship. She keeps giving hints to Simon about the state of their relationship, but Simon doesn’t seem to catch on. At the restaurant where Jess and David invite them, Bree finally shares her feelings with Simon. She tells him that she feels their relationship isn’t the perfect fit for them. He tells her that they shouldn’t try so hard to be perfect. The next day, Bree contemplates her relationship with Simon. She realizes that Simon is not the right significant other for her. Simon ends up visiting Word Play toward the end of the episode. He reveals, through a well-written speech, that their relationship isn’t working out and that it’s better if they went their separate ways. Both Bree and Simon agree to end their relationship on mutual terms. After Simon leaves Word Play, Bree picks up the paper that Simon’s speech was written on. When she unfolds it, she sees that the paper is blank.

Connor’s story: Despite his recent demotion at work, Connor is trying to keep his spirits up. He offers to help Kevin and Sarah plan their wedding and support Jess in her home purchasing efforts. Over the course of the episode, Connor learns that Danielle doesn’t like the idea of family. When he asks her the meaning behind her statement, she shares that she has some issues with her family. This causes Connor to contemplate his relationship with Danielle. Even though it seems like he and Danielle aren’t on the same page, he isn’t giving up on their relationship. One day, at the shore, Connor encourages Danielle to work things out with her family. Danielle doesn’t feel this is possible because her family is different from Connor’s. At the end of their conversation, she tells him that she loves him.

Happy Valentines day and heart. Card with Happy Valentines day a — Heart image created by Dashu83 at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Backgroundimage created by Dashu83 – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/happy-valentines-day-and-heart-card-with-happy-valentines-day-and-heart_1747001.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Some thoughts to consider:

After Emma says that she recognized Mark Hall, I wondered if she was truly the person she claimed to be. To me, she seemed a little too eager to see Mark. This kind of contradicts what she shared with Trace about why she came to Chesapeake Shores. Maybe Trace will cross paths with Emma’s ex-boyfriend and his story will be different from what she told Trace?

In some of their projects, Hallmark has cleverly hidden “Easter eggs” that relate to their products. This episode of Chesapeake Shores is a perfect example of this. At the bakery, when Abby holds the door open for Jay, a sign saying “Hallmark Cards for Sale” can be seen on a shelf at the right-hand side of the room. Another “Easter egg” can be found in Mark’s name. His full name is Mark Hall and if you put his last name first, his name is Hall Mark.

I think this episode was falsely advertised. One of the biggest topics of the trailer was Abby being served with legal papers. In the episode, however, this event is barely referenced in the overall narrative. Hopefully, this will be covered in upcoming episodes.

When Danielle talked about how her family has issues, I wondered if we would ever see members of her family appear on Chesapeake Shores? If so, which actors would portray these members?

What are your thoughts on this re-cap? Which actors would you like to see portray the members of Danielle’s family? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun in Chesapeake Shores!

Sally Silverscreen

Evenings At The Shore: Stupidly Beautiful

On September 2, 2019September 8, 2019 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

In this episode of Chesapeake Shores, Jess asks if something can be “stupidly beautiful”. This question made me contemplate the meaning behind her phrase. What does it mean to be “stupidly beautiful”? Maybe it means receiving wise advice that could be tough to hear, but needs to be heard. This can be making time more useful for yourself, even when it means making up for lost time. Going over necessary decisions that may not be easy to make could also fit this definition. Because Jess’s phrase was not given an official definition, the meaning behind it is up for interpretation. There are other aspects of this season of Chesapeake Shores that can also be left for interpretation. What’s different about things like Mick’s legal woes or Trace’s relationship problems is how they’re going to be resolved sooner or later. Let’s see how these and other situations are explored in this week’s re-cap of Chesapeake Shores!

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of Chesapeake Shores, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Season: 4

Episode: 2

Name: Leap of Faith

Abby’s story: During a business meeting, Abby confronts the CEO of the financing management that was introduced in the previous episode. When she’s questioning him about the lack of documents in the company’s file, her boss interrupts the meeting. In a private conversation, Abby shares that she thinks the financing management is participating in a ponzi scheme because of how the company structure allows more money to come in through new clients. Her boss tells her that she shouldn’t say anything about the situation until they have more information. Abby becomes conflicted about what she should do. At Sally’s Café, she asks Trace for advice on what actions to take. He tells her that no matter what decision she makes, even if it’s a difficult one, it needs to be made. This encourages Abby to email the financing management’s CEO about sending her business firm the rest of the requested files. The next day, Abby’s boss tells her that she was been taken off the assignment because the financing management went to a different business firm. She defends her decision to email the CEO by stating that she doesn’t want people to be financially hurt. While attending an open house with her sisters, Abby reveals to Bree that she plans on reporting the financing management to the authorities. Bree encourages her to do what she feels is right. Abby ends up filing a report on the financing management. The following day, at work, Abby’s boss tells her that not only is the financing management being investigated, but that Abby is being suspended during this time period. Despite being upset about the situation, her boss is proud of her for following her instincts.

Trace’s story: Donovan, the famous country singer from Season 3, pays Trace a visit in Chesapeake Shores. During his stay, he tries to convince Trace to go back on tour. Trace stands by his decision to stay home, telling him that he has more important priorities to tend to. In an effort to change Trace’s mind, Donovan invites him to sing a duet at The Bridge. After he leaves, Donovan gives Trace a guitar as a gift. Also, at The Bridge, Trace helps Emma by taking the blame for her mistake, which involved not putting away cleaning supplies where they belong. Chris, the financial advisor from Season 3, tells Trace that he will be handing over his control of The Bridge back to Trace. This is because Mick thought it’d be a good idea and because Chris is managing waffle houses in another state. Also, in this episode, Trace gives Abby advice about her situation at work.

Mick’s story: Mick visits his business partner again, in an attempt to find the truth. During their meeting, the business partner admits to not seeing eye-to-eye with Mick when it came to business ethics. He even threatens Mick, telling him that he will be accused of being a co-conspirator if he says anything about the situation. Later in the episode, Mick learns that his business partner has officially been indicted and how there’s a chance that Mick could also take the fall for his business partner’s wrong-doing. When he consults with his brother, Thomas, about the situation, he is met with good and bad news. The good news is that there’s a way to prove that he had no knowledge of his business partner’s whereabouts. The bad news is this situation will cause Mick’s reputation to be tarnished to a certain extent. Also, in this episode, Mick helps Jess save her bed and breakfast. Unfortunately, this building is unsalvageable, so there’s not much that Mick or Jess can do. Mick also gives Connor advice about respecting the wishes of his employer.

Megan’s story: Megan is enthusiastic about Sarah and Kevin’s engagement. She volunteers to help Sarah plan the wedding. Megan goes dress shopping with Sarah and coordinates other details for the celebration. When Mick confronts Megan about her involvement in the wedding planning process, she shares that her participation allows her to make up for her absence when it came to planning other family functions. Mick reminds her that because the children are all grown up, she has more time to do the things she wants to do. This makes her feel better about her situation.

dress_01 — Wedding dress image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Kevin’s story: During an emergency call with his EMT team, Kevin saves the life of his former coach. When he asks him if he has any family to contact, his coach reveals that he’s all alone now. Throughout the episode, Kevin reflects on his memories involving his former coach as well as regrets about not keeping in better contact with him. He talks to Sarah about how his coach affected him at a critical time in his life. He also shares memories with Connor and Trace. At the end of the episode, Kevin surprises his former coach with a mini pep-rally in his honor, inviting former team-mates to the event.

Bree’s story: At one of the rehearsals for her play, Simon comes to surprise her. With him returning from a book tour, Bree is thrilled to have him back in her life. He’s even happy for her when her book surpasses his on a bestseller list. But the more time they spend together, the more she realizes that Simon has, somehow, changed. Throughout the episode, Bree tries to figure out what’s going on. Despite the fact that she can not find an answer, she still feels like something is wrong. When Simon and Bree read through a scene from her play, Bree expects to be kissed by him. This is because a kiss was written into the scene. After Simon kisses her, Bree continues to feel like something isn’t right.

Jess’s story: When David and Jess visit the Inn, they discover that the building is in worse shape than they thought. She asks Mick to help save her Inn. After contemplating every possibility, Mick reveals to Jess that there’s no way that the Inn could be salvaged. Jess is upset by this because she feels that the Inn was the first thing that she could call her own. While still feeling bad about losing the Inn, David suggests looking for a new bed and breakfast through a real agent agency. Jess and David attend an open house later in the episode. At first, Jess doesn’t like the way the house looks. But after she enters the house and goes through some of the rooms, she changes her mind about purchasing a new bed and breakfast. When Jess and David visit the Inn one last time, David surprises her with a sprinkler from the grounds. This is to remind Jess that no matter where they go, they’ll always have a piece of the past with them.

Connor’s story: While Connor is thrilled to take his environmental case to court, Thomas is not. He expresses his frustrations toward Connor and tells him not to take the case to court. Connor asks Mick for advice about what to do. Mick tells him he needs to respect Thomas as his employer. Later in the episode, Connor and Thomas tell the opposing side of the environmental case that they don’t want to take the case to court. The opposing side agrees, giving both of them a settlement to sign. When Connor reads the fine print, he discovers that he and Thomas won the case. After the meeting, Thomas tells Connor that even though the case worked in his favor, he shouldn’t have taken matters into his own hands. As a result, Connor is assigned to research work.

water grass. — Sprinkler image created by Whatwolf at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/water”>Water photo created by whatwolf – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Some thoughts to consider:
• While it’s great to see Megan helping Sarah plan her wedding, I was wondering why Sarah’s mom wasn’t participating in wedding festivity preparations. She, as well as Sarah’s dad and brothers, was introduced last season and Sarah’s family doesn’t live that far away from Chesapeake Shores. I’m hoping that Sarah’s mom appears in upcoming episodes to assist Sarah in planning her wedding.

• Looking back on this episode, I think that Kevin’s story should have been fleshed out more. It seemed like that narrative was glossed over, not exploring the themes of regret and mentorship as fully as they could have. What I think would make up for this is Kevin and Sarah inviting Kevin’s former coach to their wedding.

• In my last Evenings At The Shore post, I predicted that Trace and Emma would become a couple, even if the relationship is temporary. After seeing the way Trace interacted with Emma in this episode, I’m starting to change my prediction. I’m predicting that Emma will think Trace likes her, but he will still try to win over Abby’s heart again. When Emma confronts Trace about her feelings for him, he will reject the idea for starting a relationship with her. This will not only make Emma upset, but she will frame Abby by making her look more jealous than she really is.

What did you think of this episode? Which story was your favorite? Tell me in the comment section!

Have fun in Chesapeake Shores!
Sally Silverscreen

Evenings At The Shore: A Spoonful of Ice Cream

On August 26, 2019September 2, 2019 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Another year, another season of Chesapeake Shores! After a very eventful week on 18 Cinema Lane, it’s nice to write a post that’s different from the usual movie review. Like last year, I will continue to re-cap Chesapeake Shores and share my thoughts on certain aspects of each episode. What’s interesting is how this show is receiving only six episodes. While shorter seasons for Hallmark Channel shows is nothing new, it seems rather late in the game for this particular series to get fewer episodes in their fourth season. However, Chesapeake Shores is receiving a movie, so maybe that is a reason for this decision. In the season finale re-cap post from last season, I shared that Season 3 of Chesapeake Shores was fine, but not as good as the first two seasons. My hope for Season 4 is for this show is get back on track and continue to tell stories that are engaging and intriguing. Now, let the re-capping of Chesapeake Shores’ fourth season begin!

Just a reminder: If you did not see the season premiere of Chesapeake Shores, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Season: 4

Episode: 1

Name: The End is Where We Begin

Abby’s story: It seems like Abby has moved forward from her relationship with Trace. At work, she attempts to recruit a new client to her business firm. When she meets the potential new client, the CEO of a financing management, everything seems fine. That is, until she checks in on their numbers. The more she looks at it, the more she feels they don’t add up. She tells Mick and Connor about her situation, where Connor suggests that the financing management’s CEO could be taking part in a ponzi scheme. Later in the episode, Abby crosses paths with Trace during her morning jog. When he apologizes and tries to convince her to start their relationship over, Abby refuses and continues with her jog.

Trace’s story: Trace returns home from his band tour. He tries to call Abby, but she won’t answer his calls. When he goes to Abby’s house to deliver flowers, Mick answers the door instead. The next day, when Mick pays him a visit, Trace tells him that he’s staying home for good this time. Mick, however, is not convinced. At The Bridge, Trace meets Emma Rogers, a bartender who also happens to be a songwriter. He tries to persuade her to sing in front of The Bridge’s audience. Emma ends up turning down the opportunity, saying that she doesn’t sing in front of people. Later that day, Connor visits Trace at The Bridge. When Trace tells Connor about his issues, Connor tells Trace where Abby is going to be so he can meet up with her. At the end of the episode, Trace and Abby cross paths on Abby’s jogging trail. Trace attempts to patch up his relationship with Abby, but Abby wants no part of it.

Mick’s story: One morning, Mick receives word that one of his business partners is being investigated. This was caused by the business partner laying down the foundation of a property. Mick visits his business partner, who claims that he’s innocent. He also visits Trace, who says that he’s staying in Chesapeake Shores for good this time. Mick and Megan spend more time together, reminiscing about the past and reflecting on family traditions.

Bree’s story: Bree’s career is reaching a bright spot. Her book has not only climbed up one place on a bestseller list, but she’s looking for a producer for her new play. Throughout the episode, she meets several producers who like the script. However, Bree feels that none of them understand her work. One day, Hannah Urso, a famous writer who now works with a prestigious theater in Baltimore, visits Word Play. Bree is so excited when she finds out that Hannah wants to help her bring her story to life. When Hannah shares her thoughts on the script, Bree feels that she has finally found a producer who understands her writing.

Kevin’s story: At the beginning of the episode, Kevin reveals to his siblings that he plans on proposing to Sarah. He hopes that he can propose to her while they are at Jess and David’s new bed & breakfast. Every time Kevin is about to propose to Sarah, he gets interrupted. One evening, he expresses his frustrations about the situation to Jess. She tells him that he shouldn’t be so focused on creating the perfect proposal. Kevin takes his sister’s advice and finally proposes to Sarah while they stop to change a tire on the side of the road. Sarah found a place where they could see the sunset over a large body of water. When Kevin asks Sarah to marry him, she, of course, says yes.

Jess’s story: Jess takes a trip to visit David at their new bed & breakfast. She invites Kevin and Sarah to join her on her trip. When Jess first arrives at the bed & breakfast, she’s excited about spending time with David and having her own business again. But the more time she spends at the bed & breakfast, the more she hates it. At first, she doesn’t want to tell David how she feels, especially since his parents purchased the facility for them. After she gives Kevin advice about his wedding proposal, he encourages her to be honest with David. After Kevin and Sarah leave, Jess tells David how she feels about the bed & breakfast. She learns that David feels the exact same way about the facility. They plan to own a bed & breakfast in Chesapeake Shores instead.

Connor’s story: One day, after work, Connor learns from Danielle that she just received a promotion. Not only that, she reveals that she now has a new car. Connor expresses his happiness for his girlfriend. At work, Connor negotiates with the opposing side of an environmental case. This assignment causes Connor to start reflecting on his career. When he meets up with Danielle and a friend, they remind him of how, in law school, he said he wanted to be a litigator. This makes him think about his future even more. At Sally’s Café, Connor talks to Abby about the future of his career. Abby shares her business situation with Connor. The next day, Connor makes the decision to take his environmental case to court, which shocks the opposing side. He also helps Trace meet up with Abby again.

182361-OWOO51-765 — Breakfast tray image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/composed-healthy-fruit-and-coffee-on-tray_1441643.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background image created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Some thoughts to consider:

Something that Jess said in this episode really concerned me. When she was talking about the bed & breakfast with Kevin, she tells him that it reminds her of David’s parents, but in a negative way. Whenever the subject of David’s parents is brought up, David seems to have a negative opinion toward them. If Jess and David are dating seriously enough to ever consider marriage, they’re going to have to deal with David’s family for a very long time. Besides, it’s been said that if you marry a significant other, you’re also marrying their family. Hopefully, Jess and David revolve this issue in the near future.

While I’m happy that Kevin and Sarah got engaged, I really hope this show doesn’t adopt the “planning-a-wedding-in-an-unrealistic-time-period” cliché. I’ve said on more than one occasion that I am not a fan of it. After this year’s “June Weddings” line-up, it seems like Hallmark is trying to move away from this cliché. So, I would really like to see them continue to do so.

Here’s a prediction I have for Season 4: Trace and Emma become a couple. This causes Abby to get jealous, leading her to find a new male significant other. Despite these choices, Trace and Abby still have feelings for one another. So, they end their temporary relationships and get back together.

I thought this episode was just fine. It felt like overarching stories were beginning, instead of focusing on episodic subplots. If the rest of the season takes this story-telling approach, it would be very different from the other series on Hallmark Channel.

What are your thoughts on the season premiere? Do you have any predictions for Season 4? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun in Chesapeake Shores!

Sally Silverscreen

When Creativity is Squandered: The Wasted Potential on Hallmark’s Good Witch

On June 26, 2019September 23, 2019 By 18cinemalane7 Comments

If you’ve read my list of the Top 10 Worst Hallmark Movies of All Time, you would know that Good Witch: Spellbound is in the Top 3. I disliked this movie so much, that I chose to stop watching the Good Witch television show. But something caused me to tune in to the most recent episode. What was this, you ask? Well, it was the inclusion of a royal character. This was the first time when a royal character has ever been featured on any of Hallmark’s television shows, so I was curious to see who would portray this character and what kind of subplot they would be given. However, I was hesitant about getting my hopes up. The third season of Good Witch and Good Witch: Spellbound left a bad taste in my mouth, due to the screen-writing that, in my opinion, was terrible. Still, I gave this episode a fair chance and hoped that the creative team behind this show would do something special with this particular “first” in Hallmark history. There were even factors leading up to this episode that led me to believe that this aspect of the episode would be handled with special attention. As you’re reading this, you’re probably wondering why I would talk about this, despite the fact that I no longer watch Good Witch. I feel that my experience is one that can be relatable among my readers and followers. We’ve all felt disappointed, at least once in our lives, about “wasted potential” within a creative project. This post is about just that; me being disappointed about the creative decisions found in this episode of Good Witch. Because this is not an episode re-cap, I will only talk about the subplot involving the royal character, which will include spoilers. I will also document the factors that made me believe that this specific story would be handled better than it was. Now, let’s discuss this episode and the royal disappointment it was.

Screenshot_20190621-173612_IMDb[1] — In this screenshot that I took on my cellphone, there were only four cast members listed on the official cast list for *Good Witch’s* episode “The Prince”. The cast list was featured on IMDB. This screenshot was taken on June 21st, two days prior to the episode’s release date. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

Recently, when I was visiting Hallmark Channel’s website, I saw an advertisement for the latest episode of Good Witch on their main page. My level of excitement came to fruition when I saw that this episode was called “The Prince”. As I’ve already stated, this was the first time a royal character had ever been featured in any television show from Hallmark. So, I was looking forward to watching Hallmark Channel history in the making. In the commercial for this episode, the actor who was to portray the prince was nowhere to be found. I figured this was because of one of two reasons: a.) because the story would be an afterthought compared to the other stories within the episode or b.) the actor portraying the prince was such a big deal, that the creative team behind Good Witch wanted to keep his identity a secret in an attempt to surprise their audience and fans with their choice of casting. I chalked this decision up to the latter, especially considering the factors that I’m about to share. Leading up to the episode, the actor portraying Henry, who is the titular prince, was not listed on Good Witch’s IMDB cast list. This actor’s name was also not mentioned in the episode’s official synopsis that was featured on Crown Media Family Networks’ website. Speaking of the synopsis, whenever Henry was mentioned in the episode description, the statement was always brief. Here are a few examples of what I’m talking about:

From the official Good Witch episode guide on Hallmark Channel’s website: “Cassie plays host to Henry, a dashing stranger…”

From the Crown Media Family Networks’ website: “Cassie hosts a guest with a surprising secret”

“When shocking news emerges about the visiting royal, though, he risks hurting someone he’s grown to care for”

Based on everything I’ve just said, I predicted that Henry’s “secret” was that he was Cassie or Abigail’s long-lost brother. That way, the show could have introduced a male family member to the Merriwick family and Grace could have had a new uncle become a part of her life. If this was where the story went, it, possibly, would have encouraged me to give Good Witch a second chance. But, if you remember what I said in the introduction, I was disappointed by the “wasted potential” that was actually featured in this episode.

In this screenshot that I took with my cellphone, the official synopsis that is featured on Crown Media Family Networks’ website discusses the various subplots within this episode. As you can see, the actor portraying the prince was not mentioned in this synopsis. Meanwhile, other actors featured in this episode have their names listed next to their character names. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

Because of the screen-writing associated with Good Witch’s third season and Good Witch: Spellbound, I had a feeling that the screen-writing in “The Prince” would probably be less-than-stellar. I also predicted what would likely happen on the episode. However, I was hoping that the creative team behind this show would prove me wrong. I watched this entire episode with an open mind and I gave it the fairest of chances. When Henry and his story were introduced on-screen, however, I was, unfortunately, proven right. Everything about this story was a blatant rehash of every single royal themed movie that Hallmark has ever made up until this point. You had the same generic British guy from the same generic, fictional European country that has a name ending with the letter “a”. You also had the same generic, romantic relationship between generic British guy and small-town, American woman. As for Henry’s “secret”, it was the same kind of secret that has been included in almost every Hallmark royal themed film: he’s a prince who didn’t want to be treated differently because of his royal title. There was even a part of the subplot about Henry wanting to go against tradition because he fell in love with a woman that’s not from a royal family. As disappointed as I was by this lack of creativity, I honestly can’t say that I’m surprised. This story felt lazily crafted, like the creative team behind Good Witch didn’t even try to apply any amount of creativity or imagination to this story. The entire execution of this concept was very poor, especially considering that this was a “first” in Hallmark television history.

20190623_215955[1] — In this screenshot from my cellphone, the official episode synopsis is featured on *Good Witch*‘s official page on Crown Media Family Networks’ website. From the first line, it’s clear that this sentence about the prince’s subplot is very brief. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

I love Hallmark, hence the reason why I talk about it on 18 Cinema Lane. I want their movies and shows to be the best that they can be. However, when a Hallmark project doesn’t reach its full potential, I will be honest about my feelings and opinions related to that project. This was my intention for bringing up my experience of watching this episode of Good Witch. Henry and his story could have been really good, with the potential for this story to be revisited in future episodes. Unfortunately, all of the potential this particular story had was wasted on a script that was poorly written. It also doesn’t help that it was also competing with about five other subplots. This example of “wasted potential” represents a pattern that has been common among Hallmark’s various projects. It’s understandable that Hallmark has an image that they’d like to uphold. But it feels like Hallmark puts so much focus on upholding this image, that they’re afraid of taking creative risks and thinking outside the box. I’m hoping that the disappointing results of this subplot from “The Prince” encourages the various creative teams at Hallmark to go out of their way to go against the grain and move out of their comfort zone. This doesn’t have to be frequently done, but enough to keep stories on Hallmark interesting and engaging.

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Sunset Over Hope Valley: Everybody, Celebrate

On June 3, 2019April 6, 2020 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Well, this is it. The final episode of Season 6. I have to admit that this has been one of the most memorable seasons in the show’s history. There was enough content for Hearties to talk about, whether these things happened on or off screen. But, nine episodes later, I’d say that this season was a success! When the seventh season was announced, it proved this season’s, as well as this show’s, success. It showed that When Calls the Heart has the endurance to live on as long as it wants to. If the creative team focuses on making this show the best that it can be and if they fans continue to support it, then this dream can come true. Now, the moment you’ve been waiting for. My re-cap of Season Six’s finale of When Calls the Heart!

Just a reminder: If you did not see the season finale of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Season: 6

Episode: 9

Name: Two of Hearts

Major Stories:

At the beginning of the episode, Elizabeth’s sister, Julie, arrives in Hope Valley. She and Elizabeth are so excited for Jack’s Baptism ceremony. Before the event, Julie presents her sister with the Christening Gown that all of the Thatcher daughters had worn on their Baptism. The day of this event goes according to plan. Not only does the library officially open, but the Baptism and Baptism party end up being wonderful. At the Founders Day Festival, Elizabeth spends some time with Ally and Nathan. A fishing pole prize at the Strength Test game catches Ally’s eye. Nathan tries to win the prize for her, but fails. Lucas, who approaches the group shortly after, tries to win the fishing pole for Ally. Unfortunately, his attempt fails as well. Finally, Carson, who also approaches the group, tries his luck at the game. He finds success and wins the fishing pole for Ally. Later in the episode, Elizabeth overhears Bill and Henry’s confrontation about Hope Valley’s mining tragedy. When she discusses this with Henry, he reveals that everything in the letter was true and that he felt guilty about the situation ever since. Elizabeth suggests that Henry try moving forward from the past, even though he feels he doesn’t know how. At the Founders Day Dance, when it’s time for the Ladies’ Choice dance, Elizabeth chooses to dance with Lucas instead of Nathan.

Before the Founders’ Day Festival, Bill is recruited as the judge of the Pie Baking Contest. He also fulfills his responsibilities as Jack’s Godfather. The first order of business is attending the Baptism ceremony. At the Festival, he and Lee bond over their duties as Jack’s Godfather and Guardian. Later in the episode, Bill is searching for something in the Mayor’s office. Rosemary soon enters the office to inform him that some of the pies have already been eaten due to a misunderstanding. After agreeing to help Rosemary with the situation, Bill finds a piece of paper at the back of a desk drawer. He discovers that the piece of paper is a letter from the Northwestern Mining Company to Henry Gowen. In this letter, it reveals that Henry had concerns about the overall safety of Hope Valley’s mine. The Mining Company, however, told him that he had nothing to worry about. Shortly after making this discovery, Bill confronts Henry about the letter. Henry admits that everything in the letter was true and that he feels guilty about the situation. The next day, Elizabeth talks to Henry about his confrontation with Bill. Henry shares with her that he has been haunted by the tragedy at the mine. Elizabeth suggests that he move forward from the past. Henry says that he does not know how to do that.

After Spencer and Grace receive the iron pills from Carson, the three of them spend some time at the Founders Day Festival. Spencer is still upset, so Grace takes him to various attractions to help lift his spirits. A few things make him smile for a little while, such as winning a Sheriff pin and petting a rabbit at the Petting Zoo. But, no matter what, Spencer returns to his state of unhappiness. When he sees other children with their parents, he decides to run away when Grace isn’t looking. When she discovers that Spencer is missing, she immediately tells Carson what happened. Grace, Carson, and other citizens from Hope Valley join in the search for Spencer. Carson ends up finding Spencer hiding in his office. Spencer tells Carson that he misses his parents. After the Festival, Grace tries to convince Spencer to come to the orphanage that she and her sister are going to own. As she’s sharing her story of what it was like to be an orphan, Grace also shares all the fun things that the orphans and care-givers will be doing at this orphanage. Spencer ultimately decides to go to this orphanage with Grace.

After the contract gets approved, Lee promotes Jesse to the Manager of the lumberyard. Jesse goes straight to Dottie’s Dress Shop to tell Clara the exciting news. During the Founders Day Festival, Clara volunteers to host a hair-dressing booth. Even though she learned how to create the hairstyle the night before, her execution of the hairstyle at the festival doesn’t go according to plan. She ends up asking Fiona for some assistance. Meanwhile, Jesse asks for Lee’s help in planning a surprise for Clara. At the Founders Day Dance, Jesse surprises Clara with a marriage proposal. With much excitement and happiness, Clara says yes.

Minor Stories:

Because all of the stories surrounded the Founders Day Festival, there were no minor stories in this episode.

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Some thoughts to consider:

I was honestly surprised when Elizabeth decided to dance with Lucas at the Founders Day Dance. After her talk with Henry, I thought that Elizabeth would pick him as her dance partner. I understand that the screen-writers of this show want to draw this guessing game of who Elizabeth will fall in love with for as long as possible. But, I think having Elizabeth choose between Lucas and Nathan in this episode was a little too soon.

I was also surprised that Lee and Rosemary didn’t adopt Spencer. I realize that this creative decision was probably made to a.) provide When Hope Calls with some familiar faces and b.) not overshadow Jesse and Clara’s engagement. However, it just felt like the emotionality of Lee and Rosemary’s talk about the possibly of not having children didn’t have a satisfying pay-off.

Since we now know that When Calls the Heart will receive a seventh season, I wonder when a Christmas movie will be announced? These movies have acted as a “bridge” between the previous season and the next season. Maybe it’ll be announced at Hallmark’s Summer TCA Event? What would be shocking is if this show didn’t receive a Christmas movie.

Overall, I thought this season finale was, at best, fine. I understand that after last season’s finale, the creative team behind this show would choose not to include a lot of shocking/surprising moments. The only thing that came the closest to being surprising was Jesse and Clara’s engagement. But even that wasn’t really surprising because it was hinted at in the preview commercial for this episode. To me, there weren’t as many surprises as I had hoped.

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Now that this season is over, what are your overall thoughts on it? Do you think this show will receive a Christmas movie? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen

Announcing my new blogathon called ‘Siskel and Ebert at the Blogathon’!

On May 30, 2019August 26, 2019 By 18cinemalane50 Comments

One day, while I was on the internet, I came across some episodes of Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert’s show, At the Movies, on Youtube. As I was watching these episodes, I wondered why there wasn’t a show like this on television anymore. But, when I asked this question, I realized that there kind of is. Though not on television, I can think of several channels on Youtube dedicated to talking about film. There’s also lots of blogs related to movie criticism, especially on WordPress. As a movie blogger myself, I know that the growth of the movie review community might not have been possible without Siskel and Ebert. So, in honor of the Grandfathers of Movie Criticism, I have decided to dedicate my very first blogathon to them! Siskel and Ebert at the Blogathon will take place from September 20^th to the 24^th. If you would like to participate, you can sign up in one of the following categories:

A. Siskel and Ebert Themselves – This category is for blog entries about Gene Siskel and/or Roger Ebert. Articles about their life, legacy, or career are most certainly welcome. If Siskel and/or Ebert have written any books, editorials, or articles, blog entries about that can be submitted to this category. If you do write an entry for this specific category, all I ask is that you please be respectful when writing about Siskel and/or Ebert. If your post is about how you disagree with their opinion, that’s fine. But please don’t be disrespectful or negative toward anybody.

B. Movies that Siskel and/or Ebert have reviewed or talked about: This category is pretty straight forward. Any movie that Siskel and/or Ebert have reviewed/talked about or that was covered on any of their shows is fair game. To find out which movies would be allowed for this category, you can find episodes of At the Movies on Youtube or search “At the Movies” or “Sneak Previews” on IMDB and look through the listed episodes section.

C. The Show Itself: For this category, you can write about anything related to Siskel and Ebert’s shows. Do you have a favorite episode of Sneak Previews or any version of At the Movies? Share it in your post! Was there a particular host that you were fond of? Feel free to talk about them in your article! Did the show play an important role in your life? Tell your story on your blog! Other topics that would be allowed in this category are trivia about the show, specific segments, and the show’s history, just to name to few.

D. Something movie related that has to do with Chicago: Because Siskel and Ebert were film critics in Chicago, this category is a creative way to honor the Grandfathers of Movie Criticism. For this category, you can talk about movies that either take place or were filmed in Chicago. You may also write about film festivals or movie related events that have been hosted in the Windy City. If you’ve had a movie-going experience in the city of Chicago, feel free to share your story!

The Official Blogathon Rules

As I’ve already mentioned, please be respectful not only when writing about Siskel and Ebert, but also to other bloggers.
If you plan on publishing your post(s) earlier or later than the allotted time-frame (September 20^th to the 24^th), please let me know in advance.
Only new posts will be allowed for this blogathon.
Three participants at a time are allowed to write about a singular topic. For example, if four people wanted to talk about Roger Ebert’s book, I Hated, Hated, Hated This Movie, only the first three participants would be able to write about the book.
Each participant is allowed to publish a maximum of three entries.
All entries must be original work.
If your interested in participating, please share your idea(s) in the comment section below.
Creativity is encouraged.
Pick one of the five banners and spread the word about Siskel and Ebert at the Blogathon!

Created by me, Sally Silverscreen, on Adobe Spark.

Siskel and Ebert Movie Theater banner — Created by me, Sally Silverscreen, on Adobe Spark.

Siskel and Ebert At the Movies banner — Created by me, Sally Silverscreen, on Adobe Spark.

Siskel and Ebert Film Reel banner — Created by me, Sally Silverscreen, on Adobe Spark.

Siskel and Ebert Newspaper banner — Created by me, Sally Silverscreen, on Adobe Spark.

The List of Participants

Category A

Sally from 18 Cinema Lane – (Editorial) Roger Ebert’s Movie Yearbooks: How Relevant are they Anyway?

Ruth from Silver Screenings — (Review) Roger Ebert’s book, The Great Movies

Edirin from Retro Movie Buff — (Editorial) Roger Ebert’s book, Your Movie Sucks

UpOnTheShelf from The Movie Shelf Reviews — (Discussion piece) Siskel and Ebert’s appearance on “The Critic”

Category B

Le from Critica Retro — (Review) Z (1969)

Gill from Realweegiemidget Reviews — (Review) Prizzi’s Honor (1985)

J-Dub from Dubsism — (Review) Casino (1995)

Quiggy from The Midnite Drive-In — (Review) The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Rebecca from Taking Up Room — (Review) Straight Talk (1992)

Tiffany and Rebekah from Pure Entertainment Preservation Society — (Review) A Star is Born (1954)

Category D

Rob from MovieRob — (Review) About Last Night… (1986), Opportunity Knocks (1990), and Rookie of the Year (1993)

Have fun at the Blogathon!

Sally Silverscreen

Sunset Over Hope Valley: All About Lucas

On May 28, 2019June 3, 2019 By 18cinemalane1 Comment

Ever since Lucas Bouchard came to Hope Valley earlier this season, his story has been a mystery. Hearties have speculated if he was a villain or just a troubled soul. I’ve even wondered what his story could be about. Several episodes later, we finally got answers to all of our questions relating to this character. Even though this episode has focused most of its attention on Lucas, the show as a whole has never been about just one character. The creative team behind this show have done a good job at focusing on the town of Hope Valley, giving their characters an equal amount of story-telling opportunities. This aspect helped When Calls the Heart become as successful as it has. Speaking of story-telling, let’s talk about this episode of When Calls the Heart!

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Season: 6

Episode: 8

Name: A Call from the Past

Major Stories:

One day, while at the Mercantile, Lucas receives a personal phone call. During this call, a woman tells him that someone is after them and that this person knows he’s in Hope Valley. Lucas tells her that he’ll figure out what to do. The next day, he decides to close the Queen of Hearts Saloon and leave Hope Valley. When Elizabeth passes by the Saloon, she asks Lucas why he’s closing the Saloon. While Lucas is answering her question, Elizabeth notices that he has a pistol in his possession. After this conversation, she goes straight to the Mountie Office to tell Bill and Nathan everything Lucas told her. Because Lucas is on his way to Cape Fullerton, Nathan chooses to follow him. Before Lucas can reach his destination, Nathan tracks him down. He not only successfully encourages Lucas to come back to Hope Valley, but Lucas reveals what’s really going on. He shares that, in New Orleans, his friend had a struggling business. She borrowed money from a man named Amos Dixon. When she couldn’t pay Amos back, he started threatening to shut down her business and put her in harms way. In an attempt to help his friend, Lucas entered a poker game in order to win her money back. When he discovered that Amos, who was also participating in this game, cheated, Lucas decided to cheat as well. Amos discovered what he had done, causing him to hold a grudge against Lucas. After listening to his story, Nathan promises Lucas that he will contact the Mounties in Cape Fullerton to keep his friend safe. Meanwhile, in Hope Valley, Amos and his accomplice arrive in Hope Valley. They break into the Saloon, waiting for Lucas to arrive. Instead, Elizabeth shows up because she had a feeling that someone was in the Saloon. Amos and his accomplice hold her as their hostage. When Lucas finally arrives, Amos orders him to hand over all the money from his safe. While this is happening, Bill and Nathan figure out that Elizabeth hasn’t come home when she said she would, causing them to suspect that something is wrong. They both go to the Saloon, where Bill ends up catching Amos’s accomplice behind the building. Meanwhile, Nathan had to sneak into the building, due to feeling suspicious about his encounter with Lucas at the Saloon’s front door. Despite a struggle during his encounter with Amos, Nathan successfully arrests him. After the ordeal is over, everyone appears to be uncomfortable around Lucas, including Elizabeth.

Grace, one of the orphanage care-givers from When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing, arrives in Hope Valley with an orphan named Spencer. This young boy barely speaks, so Grace is doing everything she can to help him. Grace and Spencer stay at Lee and Rosemary’s house during their visit. Rosemary is organizing the Founders Day Festival, which is not only around the corner, but also encourages Grace and Spencer to stay in town a little longer than expected. When Rosemary tells Elizabeth about all of her Founders Day responsibilities. Elizabeth suggests that she split these responsibilities with someone else. While at the Mercantile, Rosemary tells Fiona about the things has to do in order for the Founders Day Festival to be successful. After doing this, Rosemary asks Fiona if she would like to help her plan the Festival, with Fiona agreeing. Meanwhile, Spencer and Grace take a visit to Carson’s office. Carson finds out that Spencer is anemic and that he hasn’t eaten much in recent days. This is the result of Spencer’s trauma and grief that Grace shares with Rosemary later in the episode. She reveals that Spencer’s parents died in a flood a few months prior, leaving Spencer as the only survivor. Since then, Grace, as well as the orphanage where Spencer was previously staying, have to doing anything they could to help him. While Rosemary and Fiona discuss ideas for the Founders Day Festival, Grace comes up with the solution of having pancakes for dinner. This ends up being successful, as Spencer not only eats the pancakes, but also seems to enjoy them.

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Minor Story:

Because of Henry’s new petroleum oil business, Lee has been losing employees at his lumberyard. When Mike Hickam decides to work for Henry instead, Lee is disappointed but respectful toward this decision. One day, Jesse crosses paths with Henry. He is upset that Henry has been “stealing” employees from Lee. Henry, however, tells Jesse that all he wants to do is move on from their feud. The next day, Jesse talks with Mike about his new job. Mike shares with Jesse how much money he’s now making. This causes Jesse to contemplate the idea of working for Henry. Jesse not only shares this idea with Lee, but also with Clara. When Clara asks him why he would want to trade his job, Jesse says that his reason would be to make her happy. Clara tells him that what makes her happy is when he’s happy. Later that evening, Jesse visits Lee at his home. He tells Lee that he has decided to keep his job at the lumberyard. Jesse also shares his reason why, as his loyalty to Lee as well as Lee’s kindness to him were the things that made him keep his job. This moment makes Lee realize that everything is going to be ok.

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Some thoughts to consider:

At the beginning of this episode, it was revealed that Julie would be the Godmother of Elizabeth’s son, Jack. This has led me to believe that Julie might make an appearance in the season finale. While I’m happy to see that Julie could appear on the show again, I do find it concerning that Elizabeth hasn’t reached out to her in-laws. As a fan of Tom Thornton, I feel that he should have, at least, been mentioned in one of the previous episodes. That way, it shows the audience that Jack’s side of family still plays an important part of Elizabeth’s life.

While the cast of When Calls the Heart has been great this season, the actress who stole the show in this episode was Jocelyn Hudon! Her performance was so captivating to watch, helping her character seem as interesting as possible. I also like how her story provided a nice bridge between When Calls the Heart and When Hope Calls. Hopefully, Jocelyn will continue to find good luck on her new show as she has in the When Calls the Heart community!

In the sneak peek commercial for the season finale, it seems like Jesse may propose to Clara! I really hope so because it’s been about two seasons since we last saw a marriage proposal in Hope Valley. Can you imagine if Jesse and Clara’s wedding took place during When Calls the Heart’s Christmas movie? Now that would be a great gift to give to the Hearties!

Even though Lucas’ story was fine, I kind of felt like it was underwhelming. Personally, I was expecting something more intriguing, especially since Lucas himself seems like an interesting character. I also think the conflict between Lucas and Amos was handled a little too quickly. While there was build-up to it, the conflict itself seemed to last for only a few minutes.

What are your thoughts on this episode? Are you excited for the season finale? Please tell me in the comment section!

Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen