As I said in this season’s first episode re-cap, I’m always inspired by things said by the characters, an episode’s theme, or an observation I’ve made while watching the show. In this episode of When Calls the Heart, I discovered the overarching theme was the idea of taking time for yourself. It’s surprising how long it took the show’s creative team to incorporate this theme into one of their episodes. However, it’s for the best this theme was featured at all in this particular story. Hope Valley’s residents show viewers there are many ways you can take time for yourself. From simply knowing when to say “no” to stepping away from a daily routine for a little while, the emphasis is to look out for your needs and well-being. In a town where each character has so much to give, it’s important to give yourself a gift every so often. Now, let’s start this re-cap of When Calls the Heart!
Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there will be spoilers within this re-cap.
When Calls the Heartseason ten poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel
Season: 10
Episode: 5
Name: Life is But a Dream
Major stories:
It’s been three weeks since the birth of Lee and Rosemary’s daughter. While adjusting to their new life as parents, they still haven’t come up with a first name for their baby girl. Rosemary and Lee’s friends have been very gracious toward them, delivering food and offering to help in any way they can. Lucas and Elizabeth even encourage the Coulters to go on a date to the saloon, agreeing to babysit baby Coulter. Rosemary appreciates the offer, but insists Elizabeth and Lucas go on a date instead, volunteering to watch Jack Jr. Both the date and the babysitting are a success! Wanting to return the favor, Elizabeth not only does Rosemary and Lee’s laundry, she also babysits their daughter. This is a pleasant surprise for the Coulters, as they were taking a nap while Elizabeth was helping out. Later that day, Elizabeth invites Rosemary for tea. The tea ends up becoming a dinner for both Rosemary and Lee, with Lucas and Elizabeth as their hosts.
Lucas is planning a big surprise for Elizabeth. The surprise in question is a brand-new house. When Lucas shares his plan with Mike and Bill, they don’t think Elizabeth will accept the offer. But Lucas still wants to ask Elizabeth anyways. During their date at the saloon, Lucas shows Elizabeth a picture Jack Jr. drew of a purple castle. That picture segues into Lucas’ surprise for Elizabeth. Lucas encourages Elizabeth to take some time to think things over, which Elizabeth agrees to do. But later in the episode, Elizabeth tells Lucas she’d rather stay in the home she and her son are currently living in. Her main reason is she doesn’t want to leave the community behind, appreciating how the Coulters live right next door. With that reasoning, Lucas agrees not to build a new house for Elizabeth.
Madeleine is still trying to persuade Bill to sell her the town’s land from the previous episode. Bill is still putting his foot down, standing by the fact that land is owned by the town. Though Madeleine is determined to purchase Hope Valley land, she now has a deadline for when she can make a purchase. At the Mercantile, Madeleine receives a phone call from an unknown caller. She tells this caller she needs a little more time, her face telling the viewer she wasn’t given more time. When Madeleine tells Bill she wants a piece of land with a stream, she explains Jamie and his father used to fly-fish. Having a stream on the property would bring back some happier memories. Toward the end of the episode, Madeleine and Jamie plan on leaving Hope Valley, as she couldn’t find a piece of land she liked. Bill offers his land to Madeleine, with Madeleine agreeing to purchase it. Bill tells her he’ll make the sale official with his lawyer in Union City.
Henry has begun to take up woodworking. One day, Elizabeth shares with Henry how her class needs plant boxes to plant their vegetables. Even though Henry agrees to build these boxes, Elizabeth confesses her students will build the boxes alongside Henry. The next day, Elizabeth’s students are eager to learn about woodworking. Henry instructs them how to properly use a hammer, with the students quickly absorbing the lesson. The students also begin planting their vegetables. But because these activities took most of the day, Elizabeth tells her students they’ll have to finish their project another day. But the students want to continue their project, all of them agreeing to meet on a Saturday to finish planting their vegetables. That Saturday, Elizabeth, her students, and Henry work to plant the vegetables. One of Elizabeth’s students, Sarah, is concerned about her pumpkin being lonely. Henry reassures her that pumpkins grow best when they’re together. With that, he and Sarah create a special spot in one of the plant boxes for Sarah’s pumpkin to grow.
One day, after school, Nathan tells Elizabeth he and Ally are going camping. Ally asks Nathan if Angela can join their trip, with Nathan agreeing. But Nathan tells Angela she’ll have to get her parents’ permission first. At the café, Angela asks her parents if she can go on the camping trip. Though they have their understandable concerns, Joseph and Minnie give Angela permission, as long as she finishes her homework before the trip and respects Nathan’s rules. At the last minute, though, Joseph joins Nathan, Ally, and Angela on the camping trip. Nathan and Joseph appreciate the time given to spend with their daughters. Meanwhile, Angela and Ally agree to step out of their comfort zones. Angela agrees to sing a song while playing the ukelele, which she performs “This Little Light of Mine” around the campfire. Ally agrees to submit a poem to the upcoming Union City poetry contest. After returning to Hope Valley, Nathan tells Elizabeth about the camping trip. He tells her the experience was beneficial for everyone involved.
Mei, Fiona, and Faith are trying out different mud mask formulas, using Mei’s grandmother’s journal as a guide. When a potential customer comes into the barber shop, she is curious about the mud mask. She asks who created the formula, with Mei taking credit for her grandmother’s ideas. At the café, Fiona asks Mei why she wasn’t honest about the mud mask formulas. Mei confesses how she feels connected to her culture when she reads her grandmother’s journal. However, she doesn’t think tourists would be as understanding. Fiona is supportive of her friend, telling Mei how she should never apologize for who she is. Later, at the ice cream parlor, Mei, Faith, and Fiona agree to sell the mud masks and name their product after Mei’s grandmother.
In my previous re-cap, I stated how I recognized the show’s creative team trying to keep the “Hearties” invested in the story. While I still acknowledge this recognition, I think it’s kind of ridiculous how we still don’t know the first name of Rosemary and Lee’s daughter. They had nine months and three weeks to come up with a name, yet they are still empty-handed. I really hope the baby will finally receive a first name in the next episode, especially since it seems like Rosemary might name her daughter after her mother.
Looking back on the later seasons of When Calls the Heart, Henry’s socialization hasn’t been strong. Sure, he has interacted with the other characters. But these interactions have been brief. Henry’s socialization improved when he reconnected with his son, Christopher. However, that storyline only lasted one season. With all this said, I think it was smart on Elizabeth’s part to have Henry working with her students on their plant box project. Working with others to reach a shared goal is what Henry needs, an opportunity to open up to others and step out of his shell. This is a great step in the right direction for Henry and his story!
Last season, I found Mei’s story to be the most disappointing one, as her story was drawn out for so long. Because of how drawn out her story was, I feel like I, as a viewer, didn’t truly get to know Mei as a character. Therefore, I appreciated seeing Mei receive more character development in this episode! Mei’s desire to connect with her culture, as well as her grandmother, added more depth to Mei’s story. With Mei starting a business with her friends, that will help her story expand in the long run. I hope the viewers get to learn more about Mei as the season continues!
Hope Valley is one of the safest towns in television history. Yes, there was the tragedy at the mines. However, that event took place prior to the events on the show. Even when Jack Thornton died, his death happened off-screen, away from Hope Valley. In the town itself, none of the characters are ever in danger. While there have been fires, bandits, and suspicious characters, these conflicts have been resolved with little to no damage or trauma. More often than not, the show chronicles Hope Valley’s residents simply going about their day. Hallmark’s little Canadian town has become a place where families have chosen to raise their children. The safety of Hope Valley seems to play a contributing factor. With the arrival of Rosemary and Lee’s child, a gift is in store: the gift of a safe and peaceful upbringing. Now, let’s start this re-cap of When Calls the Heart!
Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there will be spoilers within this re-cap.
When Calls the Heartseason ten poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel
Season: 10
Episode: 4
Name: Great Expectations
Major story:
Lee and Rosemary’s baby is a week overdue. Even though the Coulters are worried, Faith reassures them of a complication-free pregnancy. While walking through Hope Valley, Rosemary finally goes into labor. The Coulters’ friends rally around them to help them get home as quickly and safely as possible. At the Coulters’ house, Rosemary is in active labor. But the experience is causing the mother-to-be to feel stressed, making her blood pressure rise. Fearing for Rosemary and the baby, Elizabeth gets Lee, who is staying at her house until the baby’s arrival. Many hours later, Lee and Rosemary welcome a baby girl. When Elizabeth meets the baby, she learns she is not only the girl’s Godmother, the girl’s middle name is ‘Elizabeth’. The Coulters’ have not chosen a first name for their daughter yet.
A mysterious young man has come to Hope Valley. Whenever Bill or Nathan is present, the young man tries to stay out of their way. But in doing so, he trips on the steps of the mercantile. As Faith notices the young man’s hand is injured, Scout starts barking at him. This causes Nathan to become suspicious of the young man. At the infirmary, Faith discovers she ran out of gauze to dress the young man’s injury. So, she fetches more gauze, leaving the young man alone in the infirmary. Instead of staying put, the young man tries to run away. He is stopped by Nathan, who discovers the young man has stolen two cans of lard from the mercantile. After the young man is arrested and placed in jail, Nathan and Faith learn the young man is the bandit they encountered in this season’s second episode. They also learn his family has a farm that recently experienced a bad crop. Though Nathan is still suspicious of the young man, he makes the young man apologize to Florence and Ned. The Yosts make the young man work in the mercantile in order to pay for the cans he stole.
Henry is trying to make sense of everything that has recently happened to him. He even confesses to Joseph how he feels tired. Joseph is able to read between the lines and sense how troubled Henry is. During a conversation with Bill, Joseph confesses how guilty Henry still seems, telling Bill how Henry probably still thinks about all the lives the mines took. In an effort to help Henry, Joseph and Bill come up with a lie; that the judge changed his mind about dropping the charges. They tell Henry the judge is requiring him to do community service. Henry says he can tell they are lying, but agrees to Bill and Joseph’s plan.
Madeleine is planning to tour Hope Valley. She recruits Mike to show her around town. On the tour, they drive through a field with a lake. Madeleine immediately adores this piece of land and would like to buy it. Mike tries to burst her bubble by confessing how the land is owned by the town, meaning it’s not for sale. Unshaken by this news, Madeleine goes to Bill and asks him about the land. Bill tells Madeleine the same thing Mike told her. But she is still determined to persuade Bill.
I’m torn about this episode; on the one hand, I recognize the show’s creative team is trying to keep the “Hearties” invested in the story. Hence the reason why Rosemary and Lee’s daughter’s first name was not revealed in this episode. But on the other hand, there are parts of the story that could have been given. While touring Hope Valley, Madeleine could have revealed a little bit of her backstory. This is the tenth season’s fourth episode and the viewers still know barely any information about her. Besides the birth of Lee and Rosemary’s daughter, this was a borderline “filler” episode.
In this episode, I was not expecting Jack Thornton to be brought up as many times as he was, especially by his son. It does make me wonder if When Calls the Heart’s creative team might try to bring Jack back, with his absence excused by memory loss or him being in a coma. Jack’s return would be a very surprising plot twist, as well as a memorable way to end season ten. But since we’re not halfway through the season yet, only time will tell.
I am so curious about the young bandit! His arrival brings up so many questions, such as
What is his name?
Why does Scout become attached to the bandit once he’s in jail?
Is he telling the truth about his backstory?
Does he work with a group of bandits or does he work by himself?
I haven’t asked this many questions about a character since Tom Thornton showed up back in season two. I’m glad the young bandit is staying in town for a while, so “Hearties” can learn more about him!
“Will Rosemary and Lee’s child be a boy or girl”? “How much longer do we have to wait for Elizabeth and Lucas’ wedding”? Did they really have swim goggles in the 1920s”? These are questions some Hearties might be asking themselves while watching this episode of When Calls the Heart. During the third episode of the tenth season, I even found myself asking questions about the story, such as why Henry is so reluctant to accept redemption. Asking questions is a necessary component to good story-telling. It can help resolve conflicts, like how Hope Valley will acquire financial stability. Questions can build anticipation to upcoming events, from the arrival of Lee and Rosemary’s baby to Elizabeth getting re-married. The direction a story goes can also be determined by asking questions. If a viewer can ask questions, that shows they are invested in the story. And if a show’s creative team can continue asking questions, their story has material to keep moving forward.
Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there will be spoilers within this re-cap.
When Calls the Heartseason ten poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel
Season: 10
Episode: 3
Name: Oh, Baby
Major stories:
Rosemary is excited and nervous for her upcoming baby shower. She’s looking forward to how much fun she and her guests will have, but worries about the party planning process. Little does Rosemary know, Elizabeth is planning a surprise baby shower for her friend. Recruiting other women from Hope Valley, like Mei, Florence, and Fiona, they work together to create a baby shower fit for Rosemary. On the day of the shower, Elizabeth distracts Rosemary by taking Rosemary to the barber shop for a spa day. Coming closer to the time of the event, Elizabeth lies by telling Rosemary her guests will be playing a game called “Don’t Say Baby”. Unhappy with this news, Rosemary rushes to the café in order to voice her concerns. When she gets there, Rosemary is surprised and pleased with the baby shower’s reveal. All of the guests are supportive of Rosemary’s journey into motherhood. Minnie even introduces a tradition of lighting a candle to mark the baby’s arrival. After the shower, Lee surprises Rosemary with a basinet and matching rocking chair.
For a class assignment, Ally, Toby, and Cooper have teamed up to learn more about the creation of the hot springs. Since the assignment requires an expert on the chosen subject, the children have recruited Bill for their project. As the group is about to embark on their way to the springs, Bill brings Jamie St. John along. Jamie and his mother, Madeleine, are guests of Hope Valley, with the springs being the reason for their arrival. While studying the hot springs, Jamie speculates a crack in the earth could be the reason for the hot springs’ creation. After their trip to the springs, Cooper, Ally, and Toby discover Jamie’s speculation was correct. They also learn the hot springs were born due to Henry’s destruction of the mines. When Ally tells Henry the good news, he’s pleased, but not excited by this revelation.
Jerome is still in town for Henry’s pre-trial. In an attempt to help Henry, Lucas shares with Jerome how there was a safety report written about the mines. This safety report could be used as evidence in the pre-trial. But Jerome claims that report was retracted before its author passed away. Finding a trick up his sleeve, Lucas reveals he has a signed testimony from the safety report’s author, given to Lucas by the author’s widow. Lucas tells Jerome if he doesn’t drop the charges against Henry, he will hand over the testimony to the judge. After Jerome agrees with this plan, Mike discovers the testimony doesn’t exist. When Henry learns of the charges being dropped, he feels Lucas shouldn’t have gotten involved. Henry also seems hesitant to ask for help.
Faith still feels she does not need Nathan to protect her while she makes her medical rounds. With the bandits still at large, Nathan believes it’s necessary to protect Faith. One day, during Faith’s medical rounds, Nathan tags along, bringing Scout on the trip. While on their way, Scout runs after what Nathan thinks is a bandit. However, it turns out Scout was chasing a squirrel. With the bandits still on the loose and patients to take care of, Faith, Nathan, and Scout continue on their journey.
While clearing out a room for their baby’s nursery, Lee discovers a chest. After Lee asks about the chest, Rosemary says something along the lines of “it’s in the past”. In the previous episode, Rosemary shares how her mother left her family when she was younger. Perhaps the chest is connected to Rosemary’s mom? Maybe Rosemary’s mom will visit her daughter in Hope Valley in an effort to receive forgiveness?
In this episode of When Calls the Heart, Nathan claims the bandits are still at large. However, in the previous episode, there was a headline in a newspaper claiming the aforementioned bandits were “busted in Jamison”. Now, I’m confused; were the bandits captured or not? I really hope this part of the story is clarified in an upcoming episode.
There have been a few occasions on When Calls the Heart where Lucas has talked about his childhood. From what I remember, he mentioned traveling the world and spending time with his mom. With the arrival of Jamie and Madeleine, I am reminded of Lucas’ recollection of his past, as Jamie’s statements in this episode sounded so similar to what Lucas has said. Because of their similar upbringings, I hope Jamie sees Lucas as a role model and someone to aspire to be someday.
What are your thoughts on this episode of When Calls the Heart? How do you feel about the St. Johns coming to Hope Valley? Let me know in the comment section!
As I was coming up with a theme for my next blogathon, I first reflected on late Autumn to early Winter, the time when the event will take place. Several holidays where family gathers together take place during this time of year. This common theme inspired my new blogathon, which is called “Familyathon”! November 16th to 20th is when the event will take place. Since the subject of ‘family’ is so broad, I’ll list some ideas on potential topics:
Themes relating to the subject of ‘family’ (ex: how of the theme of ‘family’ is woven into the Fast & Furious franchise)
Stories revolving around a family (ex: I Remember Mama, The Middle, etc.)
Characters joining a family (ex: birth, marriage, adoption, etc.)
Characters departing from a family (ex: someone going to college, someone moving out of the neighborhood, etc.)
Families losing a family member (ex: a family member passing away, a family member going missing, etc.)
Stories about siblings (ex: What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, etc.)
Stories of “found family” (a group of unrelated people forming their own family)
The subject of ‘family’ from a pet’s perspective (ex: Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey, etc.)
Familyathon blogathon banner created by Sally Silverscreen of 18 Cinema Lane
If you’re interested in joining Familyathon and have an idea in mind, here are the official rules every participant must follow:
Please be respectful toward other participants and the subject(s) you’re writing about
Please let me know in advance if you plan on publishing your post(s) earlier or later than the allotted time-frame (November 16th to 20th).
Only new posts will be eligible for the event.
Duplicate entries will not be allowed, as the subject of ‘family’ is broad.
Each participant can only submit a total of three entries.
All entries must be original work.
Subjects from any genre, year, or country are allowed.
If you’re interested in participating, please share your idea(s) in the comment section below.
Choose one of the four banners and let others know about Familyathon!
Participants of Familyathon
Sally from 18 Cinema Lane – Review of …and Your Name Is Jonah (1979)
Gill from Realweegiemidget Reviews — A list article of the theme of family from the Fast and Furious franchise
Rebecca from Taking Up Room — Review for Life Begins for Andy Hardy (1941)
Hamlette from Hamlette’s Soliloquy — Review of Mr. Mom (1983)
Ruth from Silver Screenings — Review of Old Yeller (1957)
Quiggy from Midnite Drive-In — Review of The Godfather(1972)
Erica from Poppity Talks Classic Film — Review of Sabrina (1954)
Grace Avender — A list of Grace’s top five favorite families
Katherine — An article about Katherine’s three favorite film families
Familyathon blogathon banner created by Sally Silverscreen of 18 Cinema Lane
Familyathon blogathon banner created by Sally Silverscreen of 18 Cinema Lane
Familyathon blogathon banner created by Sally Silverscreen of 18 Cinema Lane
While visiting Elizabeth in Hope Valley, Julie tells Aunt Agatha how the town is “a magical place”. Meanwhile, as she’s talking to Bill about the medical benefits of the newly found hot springs, Faith cautions claiming the springs contain “magical powers”. Until seeing this episode of When Calls the Heart, I didn’t realize just how magical Hope Valley was. Yes, I’ve been watching the show since the very beginning. However, this particular chapter of this season showcased how the idea of “magic” can come in different forms. In the case of When Calls the Heart, “magic” means finding a solution to complicated, drawn-out problems, receiving second chances, and carving out new paths. It can be found in the little things that might be taken for granted. Every smile and every greeting includes a hint of “magic”. This “magic” is what keeps Hope Valley surviving and thriving. Now, let’s start this re-cap of When Calls the Heart!
Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there will be spoilers within this re-cap.
When Calls the Heartseason ten poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel
Season: 10
Episode: 2
Name: Hope Springs
Major stories:
Aunt Agatha and Julie pay Elizabeth, Jack Jr., and Lucas a visit in Hope Valley. During this visit, Julie and Aunt Agatha provide their input on Elizabeth and Luca’s upcoming wedding, promoting wedding dress sketches fit for a princess. As Elizabeth looks flustered over these ideas, Rosemary saves the day by sharing Elizabeth’s vision of a rustic, other worldly ceremony. The wedding plans are not the only way Elizabeth’s family tries to intervene. Julie confesses to Elizabeth how their father hopes Lucas will take a job in Hamilton, in order for Lucas, Jack Jr., and Elizabeth to move to the city. Aunt Agatha even brings up this idea while she and Lucas play poker at the saloon. Elizabeth is upset over this discovery, as she’s concerned Lucas might be persuaded by her family’s offer. But when she tries talking to Lucas about this idea, they are interrupted by a saloon related matter. While discussing the farewell luncheon for Aunt Agatha and Julie with Rosemary, Elizabeth comes up with the idea of hosting a community wide picnic near the hot springs. At the picnic, Aunt Agatha and Julie learn about the community dinners the town frequently hosts. This is one way Aunt Agatha realizes the Thatcher family’s efforts are fruitless. Lucas also reveals to both Elizabeth and Aunt Agatha how he’d love to visit Hamilton in the near future, but has no plans to move there.
Despite placing a “no swimming” sign near the hot springs, Bill makes frequent swimming trips there. Yet, he’s keeping his trips a secret. Mei, Faith, and Fiona discover Bill’s secret during their picnic to the springs. Faith is quick to note how the springs seem to be helping Bill’s medical ailments. After their picnic, Faith and Mei do some research about the medical benefits hot springs have to offer. Fiona suggests turning the hot springs into a tourist destination, recognizing how the hot springs could help other people. But when he overhears this suggestion, Bill is hesitant about the idea. At the farewell luncheon picnic for Aunt Agatha and Julie, Rosemary and Lee discover Fiona’s idea for the hot springs. They feel it’s a great idea, as the tourists could bring in more income. Plus, Cooper comes up with an official name for the springs; Hope Springs.
Lee has an upcoming meeting with a potential client; Laurence Barnaby. He is a big project in mind, so Lee is hoping Laurence accepts his lumbermill for the job. On the day of the meeting, Lee confesses to Rosemary how he’s unsure how the meeting will go, as he discovered how much the competition was offering Laurence. Unknown to Lee, Rosemary decides to eavesdrop on this meeting, taking Elizabeth with her. During the meeting, Laurence shares with Lee how he’s paying for his project with his own money. After turning down Lee’s lumbermill, Rosemary crashes the meeting, remembering Laurence from a convention several years ago. Her friendly encounter seems to have done the trick, as Laurence ends up giving Lee and his lumbermill a two-year contract. Toward the end of the episode, Rosemary tells Elizabeth about her concerns relating to motherhood. Rosemary’s mother left the family when she was a little girl. However, Rosemary claims her father was an excellent parent. Despite these aforementioned concerns, Elizabeth reassures Rosemary she’ll make a great mother.
Nathan visits the pharmacy for a refill on his painkiller prescription. He explains to Mei how he received the prescription from a doctor in Benson Hills. Mei thinks it is odd how Nathan didn’t get a prescription from Faith in Hope Valley, also thinking he is intentionally avoiding Faith. Meanwhile, Faith is making medical rounds to Jamison and Rock City, as those towns don’t have a doctor. Mike is concerned for Faith’s safety, as there has been bandits on the loose. During her trip, Faith is stopped by one of these bandits. However, she doesn’t seem afraid, as she tries to persuade the bandit to turn himself in. Nathan confronts both Faith and the bandit, as he’s making safety rounds in Hope Valley’s surrounding area. But just as everything seems to be under control, Faith starts her wagon, causing the bandit to fall off and run away. Nathan catches Faith as she’s about to fall out of her wagon. After returning to Hope Valley, things seem awkward between Faith and Nathan. Nathan wants to talk about everything that’s happened between them so far. Faith, however, thinks there’s not much to talk about. At the farewell luncheon picnic, Mike mentions the aforementioned bandits, emphasizing how Faith shouldn’t travel alone. Ned and Florence agree with Mike’s sentiment, but they believe Faith should travel with Nathan.
Bill informs Henry how his pre-trial hearing is the next day. The purpose of the hearing is to determine if Henry’s charges are legitimate. Henry feels the whole situation is out of his hands, accepting whatever fate he receives. At a meeting for the pre-trial hearing, Bill is frustrated because Henry is late. He later finds Henry mucking out the stalls at Hope Valley’s stables. When confronted about his tardiness, Henry confesses he isn’t enthusiastic about reliving some of the worst moments of his life. The next day, at the pre-trial hearing, Jerome shows up with his lawyer. When the judge asks Henry how he’ll plead, Henry declares “guilty”. Shocked by his answer, Bill explains to the judge how Henry isn’t in the right headspace. So, the judge gives Henry a week to make up his mind. At the saloon, Lucas begs Jerome to have mercy on Henry. But Jerome digs his heels into Hope Valley’s dirt, believing Henry deserves to be behind bars.
Toward the end of this episode, Bill is seen reading a newspaper at the saloon. One of the headlines on the front page read “Bandits Busted in Jamison”. I was disappointed this conflict was not only resolved, but also resolved in such an unceremonious way. That conflict could have served as an over-arching story for this season. But since season ten just started, I’m guessing the show’s creative team has a different idea for an over-arching story.
In this episode, it was revealed that Julie is currently attending art school in London. But her father wants her to become a lawyer, as he claims she has “a mind for strategy”. With that said, why didn’t Julie consider becoming a lawyer for the art world? If the movie, Woman in Gold, has taught me anything, it’s that artists, museum directors, and collectors need lawyers to help them navigate art related legalities. Were Julie to choose this career path, she would be making herself and her father happy.
I know it’s only the beginning of season ten. However, I really hope Henry’s “redemption arc” is coming to an end. He has been on a quest for redemption since either season three or four. At this point, Henry should be moving forward with his life and finding peace with himself. In season eight, when he reconnected with his son, Christopher, I thought Henry had taken a step in a better direction. But in season nine, his story was, primarily, a repeat of past seasons. Henry has come such a long way since When Calls the Heart began. I just wish his story was a better reflection of that.
After over a year of waiting, When Calls the Heart is back! With that, comes the return of my Sunset Over Hope Valley re-cap posts! For my article titles and introductions, I’m always inspired by things said by the characters, an episode’s theme, or an observation I’ve made while watching the show. In the case of the season ten premiere, I was inspired by Lee reminding Joseph how “the good Lord will provide”. This season starts with Hope Valley lacking money. Yet, none of the characters seem that concerned with their current circumstance. Maybe it’s because of Lee’s quote that helps Hope Valley’s residents get through their situation in stride. If that’s the case, it would explain how Hope Valley has been able to endure so much over the course of this show. Now, let’s start season ten’s Sunset Over Hope Valley re-caps!
Just a reminder: If you did not see the season premiere of When Calls the Heart, there will be spoilers within this re-cap.
When Calls the Heartseason ten poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel
Season: 10
Episode: 1
Name: Carpe Diem
Major stories:
Due to the destruction of the coal mine and the foundry going out of business, Hope Valley is strapped for cash. In response, a community swap has been organized, providing supplies to residents in need. This inspires Elizabeth to donate her maternity clothes to Rosemary, after learning Rosemary’s clothes order never arrived. Though gracious to accept Elizabeth’s offer, Rosemary isn’t thrilled by the styles of the maternity dresses. So, she makes the dresses her own, such as dying a “dusty pink” dress purple. Meanwhile, Lucas receives an excess order of beets. To put these beets to good use, he comes up with a surprise. Because the surprise is big, Lucas recruits other residents, such as Minnie. Throughout the episode, Lucas doesn’t reveal much information about his plan. But toward the end of the episode, he invites everyone to a community wide dinner. The surprise is a success; an evening of good food, laughter, and joy shared by friends and family.
With the foundry going under, Lee hires many of the men who were laid off. A potential new client could allow Lee to hire more employees. One of the men who lost their job was Richard, Robert’s father. He considers selling the family’s farm and moving out of Hope Valley, in an effort to seek employment. Richard was offered a job by Lee, but turned it down, as he doesn’t want to receive “hand-outs”. Later in the episode, Lee asks Richard again if he’d like to work at the saw mill. Again, Richard politely refuses the offer. At the community wide dinner, hosted by Lucas, Joseph reminds the guests how everyone should be humble. This message resonates with Richard. During the event, Richard apologizes to Lee for his stubbornness. He also accepts Lee’s job offer.
One day, Cooper and his friend, Todd, show up to class in wet clothes. Elizabeth doesn’t think much of this occurrence. The next school day, more students, including Ally, arrive in wet clothes. Now, Elizabeth becomes suspicious. After class, Ally asks Elizabeth if she could proofread her poem. Elizabeth promises to read the poem if Ally confesses why her clothes are wet. Ally shares she, as well as other students, found a watering hole. Curious by this discovery, Elizabeth recruits Bill to inspect this new location. When they arrive, they learn the “watering hole” is a hot spring. While Elizabeth is open-minded about Hope Valley having its own hot spring, Bill is more reluctant about it. However, Bill falls in the hot spring at the end of episode, due to Elizabeth’s insistence to “seize the day”.
Nathan receives a dog from the Canadian Mounted Police. Because the dog, Scout, failed his Mountie training, he had nowhere else to go. Nathan reluctantly accepts Scout, but plans on finding someone to adopt him. The dog seems to have a mind of his own, staying put in the jail whenever Nathan calls his name. But when Ally and Elizabeth pay Nathan a visit, Scout comes to them. Both Elizabeth and Ally adore Scout, even reminding Elizabeth of Jack’s dog, Rip. Despite the newfound adoration, Nathan is still not impressed with the dog.
Bill was able to arrange a trial for Henry, which is in two weeks. Henry is happy about this news. Meanwhile, Bill is still dealing with his medical issues from season nine. When he comes back from Union City, Faith finds out Bill didn’t show up to his doctor’s appointment. She confronts Bill about this, but Bill tells Faith how none of the doctors know what’s wrong with him. He even shares this frustration with Elizabeth, claiming there’s something wrong with his lungs. On the night of the community wide dinner, Bill and Henry discuss the meaning of “carpe diem”. Henry encourages Bill to take Elizabeth’s advice to “seize the day”, as he claims Elizabeth is “a smart lady”.
In all my years of watching and re-capping When Calls the Heart, I’d say season ten’s premiere is one of the show’s strongest! While there was an abundance of stories in this episode, it never felt like there was too much going on. Plus, the episode was funnier than I expected. “Carpe Diem” definitely did a good job laying the foundation for the rest of the season!
In the past, I’ve stated how I didn’t like Elizabeth’s self-centered personality. On my wish-list of the top ten things I wanted to see in season nine, one of my requests was an attitude change for Elizabeth. The previous season showed Elizabeth becoming less self-centered. But in season ten’s premiere, Elizabeth was more selfless than she’s been in a while! This is not the only pleasant surprise I discovered in this episode. Henry appeared happier than he was last season! These are changes I can definitely get used it!
During the community wide dinner, Lucas mentions how times like this one should be a time to give thanks. His statement made me think about Thanksgiving. For Americans, Thanksgiving takes place in November, while Canadians celebrate the holiday in October. But shouldn’t we celebrate thanks every day of the year? I know the significance of the Thanksgiving holiday. However, I never would have gained this new perspective if it wasn’t for Lucas.
Last season, it seemed like When Calls the Heart’s creative team was considering adding another love triangle to the show. In season ten’s premiere, however, that speculation was denied. Nathan admitted he worked things out with Mei, with Mei claiming she and Nathan are just friends. Meanwhile, Faith is still thinking about Carson. Based on this episode, I’m wondering if Fiona and Nathan will end up becoming a couple?
Imagine: you’re re-watching your favorite season of a popular tv show. As you’re watching, one of your favorite characters appears on the screen. But upon this re-watch, you notice something different about this character. It’s a small detail that never crossed your mind before. Because the character in question is your favorite, you’re familiar with their story. This leads you to realize the aforementioned small detail doesn’t make sense with what you know about your favorite character. There are no clarifications included in the season you’re watching. You search the internet for answers, but walk away empty handed. You know this detail was given to your favorite character for a reason. And yet you don’t know what it is.
This is Sally Solves a Mystery, my new series where I will explore television-related topics. Through these editorials, my goal is to solve mysteries that may have been overlooked. I can’t promise I’ll always find the answers by the end of an editorial. But if my writing raises awareness on a given topic, that will be a step in the right direction! To start this series, I will cover a mystery I haven’t seen or heard fans of Lost bring up. Ana Lucia Cortez is a character who was officially introduced in the second season of Lost. Throughout her time on the show, she consistently wears a ring on her wedding ring finger. Yet she admits she isn’t married, and there’s no evidence she was ever engaged. Lost is a television program that is known for piling mysteries onto its plate. However, the mystery of Ana Lucia’s ring has been buried by the show’s other unsolved mysteries. With the help of quotes, screenshots, and examples from Lost, I will address the mystery surrounding this small detail, bringing up theories and questions along the way!
Lost title card image created by Bad Robot, Touchstone Television, and ABC Signature. ‘Ana Lucia’s Ring: A Lost Mystery’ image created by Sally Silverscreen
The Ring in Question
Before getting into any questions or theories related to this mystery, we need to discuss the ring itself. Ana’s ring is a thick, silver band that she consistently wears on her wedding ring finger. Despite its placement, the ring does not appear to be a typical engagement ring, as it doesn’t bear any stones. Upon closer inspection, though, the ring seems to boast different designs in different scenes. In the episode, “Two for the Road”, Ana’s ring is visible as she is cleaning a small cut on her head. The ring looks like it has a flat, clear surface, with an etched butterfly design on the side. In “The Other 48 Days”, as some of the dead Tailie passengers are being buried, Ana’s ring continues to present an etched design. But this time, it looks as if it could be a flower or gun’s revolver. The ring showcases a simpler design in “Collision”, while Ana is holding Sayid hostage in the jungle. This design is a curved line, almost looking like the letter V in cursive. Going back to the episode, “Two for the Road”, Ana’s ring can, once again, be seen as she is preparing fruit for Ben/Henry. In this scene, the ring bears a more complicated design, featuring an oval surrounded by deep grooves. Two deep lines are visible on the ring’s side, giving the impression raised triangles are included in the overall design. With this said, could the ring bearing different designs simply be a production error or could these differences be intentional?
Screenshot of Ana’s ring taken by Sally Silverscreen. Image from “Two for the Road”
Screenshot of Ana’s ring taken by Sally Silverscreen. Image from “The Other 48 Days”
Screenshot of Ana’s ring taken by Sally Silverscreen. Image from “Collision”
Screenshot of Ana’s ring taken by Sally Silverscreen. Image from “Two for the Road”
Theory #1: A Flipped Image
Creating a television show is not only a business, it’s a complicated equation involving many different avenues and possibilities. Because television is a visual medium, various film-making techniques need to be considered. One of these techniques is Reverse Motion, where, according to Beverly Boy Productions, “action of the film is shown backwards in a reverse motion scene”. This means a filmed image will be flipped and presented in the opposite direction. Reverse Motion is what led me to believe Ana’s ring was originally filmed on her right hand, with the images flipped to appear the ring was on Ana’s left hand. However, evidence reveals this theory is debunked. The Director of Photography for Lost, Larry Fong, admitted Reverse Motion was utilized on the show. But this technique was specifically used whenever characters were driving in Australia. In the book, Lost: Messages From The Island, Larry talks about filming Australian scenes in Hawaii, saying “That’s not such a big deal on the set but we couldn’t get any cars that had steering wheels on the wrong side for certain scenes so we shot everything and reversed the film”. When discussing filming the show’s pilot episode, specifically the scene where Kate, portrayed by Evangeline Lilly, drives a truck in Australia, Larry says “We had to put jewelry on the other side of her; for the guy who had a fake arm we had to put the fake arm on the other arm. Everybody was so confused but all I did on the video monitor, was flip a switch and it reverses it. It wasn’t that hard and it is funny how the simplest solutions come out”.
While Reverse Motion presented the illusion of characters driving in Australia, this illusion can be broken if an actor or actress has a visible facial marking, tattoo, or birthmark. Michelle Rodriguez, the actress who portrays Ana, broke this illusion in the episode “Two for the Road”. Michelle has what I will call a “freckle”, for the sake of this editorial. This “freckle” can consistently be seen on the left side of Michelle’s face. But in “Two for the Road”, as Ana is driving Christian Shephard to an Australian bar, the “freckle” is on the right side of Michelle’s face. The use of close-ups prevented Ana’s ring from being visible in that scene. Because of the “freckle” and because of Larry admitting to using Reverse Motion, this proves Ana’s ring was always meant to be on her wedding ring finger. Question is, why?
This screenshot serves as just one example of how Michelle’s “freckle” can be consistently seen on the left side of her face. Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
In this screenshot, Ana is in Australia, parked outside a bar. Because of Reverse Motion, Michelle’s “freckle” is on the right side of her face. Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
Theory #2: A Peek into the Past
One of the trademarks of Lost is the use of flashbacks. These flashbacks have explored the backstories of the main characters from the island. On a few occasions, an accessory has opened the door to a specific character’s backstory. Two examples are Jack’s tattoo in the episode, “Stranger in a Strange Land”, and Mr. Eko’s cross necklace in “The 23rd Psalm”. These facts lead me to believe Ana’s ring may have been intended to explore a part of her past. Unclarified quotes said by Ana herself fuel this theory as well. In the episode, “The Whole Truth”, Ana tells Sayid:
“People don’t like me. I tried to get them to most of my life. I guess I just gave up a while back. I mean, I am what I am.”
This quote leaves me with several questions. Who are these “people”, and why don’t they like Ana? What exactly caused her to give up? What does she mean when she says “I am what I am”? While in the Hatch with Ben/Henry in the episode, “Two for the Road”, Ana tells him:
“I’ve been around a lot of killers in my life. You know what surprises me the most about them? How much they love to talk”.
Upon first hearing Ana’s quote, one would assume she’s referring to the criminals she’s arrested in her police career. But notice how she says “I’ve been around a lot of killers”, not “I’ve arrested a lot of killers”. Could any of these “killers” be the reason why Ana knows so much information about the Army knife she and Goodwin encounter in the episode, “The Other 48 Days”? In that episode, Ana wonders how the Army knife in Goodwin’s possession got on the island. While she and Goodwin are examining the knife, Ana is able to correctly identify the knife’s connection to the U.S. Military. She is also able to locate the knife’s tank stamp, as well as estimate how old the knife is. One might automatically assume Ana came across one of these knives while being a police officer in Los Angeles. But if this were the case, why wouldn’t she have mentioned this during her assessment of the knife?
With Ana’s unclarified quotes, knowledge about the Army knife, and police career, I’m speculating Ana’s ring may have revealed she did some undercover police work she might be ashamed of. This would explain why she’s “been around a lot of killers” and why she feels people don’t like her. Her knowledge about the Army knife might be explained if this theory were true. If she did undercover police work, she would have effectively used her experiences to successfully trick characters like Sawyer into giving her what she wants.
This screenshot presents the Army knife Ana knew several important facts about, including where the knife’s tank stamp is located. Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
Theory #3: A Connection Between Ana and Sawyer
Sawyer is one of Lost’s main characters, consistently appearing in all six seasons of the show. One of his “quirks” is making pop cultural references, especially those from the Western genre. In season two, Sawyer made some pop cultural references to Ana. In fact, out of the six pop cultural references made to Ana throughout the second season, Sawyer gave her four of them. In the episode, “…And Found”, Sawyer asked Ana if she was married, which she responded by saying “No”. It needs to be noted that Sawyer is the only character to ever question Ana’s relationship status. What should also be noted is Sawyer is the first main character Ana crosses paths with before arriving on the island, crashing into Christian’s car door in “Two for the Road”.
As I previously stated, Sawyer makes pop cultural references, including those from the Western genre. Some of these references have related to programs such as Howdy Doody, Mister Ed, and Little House on the Prairie. But what if one of those references was meant to come from The Lone Ranger? In the 1981 movie, The Legend of The Lone Ranger, Tonto explains the importance of silver bullets to The Lone Ranger. During this explanation, Tonto says;
“Silver is pure. It’s been a symbol of justice and purity since The Year of the Sun”.
Now, you’re probably wondering, “What does The Lone Ranger have to do with Ana”? The answer lies in her ring. As already mentioned in this editorial, Ana is a police officer. Throughout her time on Lost’s second season, she has tried to seek out justice to varying degrees, such as when, in “The Other 48 Days”, Ana digs a pit and places Nathan in it, believing he kidnapped the children in their Tailie group. Plus, Ana’s ring just so happens to be silver. Could Sawyer have planned on calling Ana “Lone Ranger” or “Silver Bullet”? If “Lone Ranger” was Sawyer’s nickname for Ana, her statements about being alone in the episode, “Collision”, would make sense.
In the episode, “The Long Con”, a series of flashbacks reveal Sawyer sold fake jewelry in an attempt to pull off a con. During one of these flashbacks, he tries to sell chain necklaces to unsuspecting customers. But what if he sold rings at one point? If this were the case, perhaps someone gave Ana her silver ring, purchased from Sawyer. But if Ana knew the ring was fake, why would she keep it, let alone continue to wear it? And if Sawyer did sell that ring, why didn’t he notice it or comment on it? Maybe the ring was purchased from Sawyer as part of an undercover investigation, with Ana keeping the ring as a memento. Perhaps Sawyer didn’t mention the ring because he didn’t realize Ana may have played a role in the investigation.
In a screenshot from “The Long Con”, Sawyer creates prices for fake chain necklaces. Could he have sold rings at one point? Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
Ana and the Number Three
4 8 15 16 23 42. This set of numbers has become a staple on Lost. The show’s creative team has incorporated these numbers into the story, from Hurley’s winning lottery ticket to some of the characters’ plane seats. During my investigation, there is one number that kept frequently popping up; the number three. Not one of the aforementioned numbers, the number three has been associated with Ana throughout her time on the show. In fact, I’ve compiled a list of all the times the number three has appeared in Ana’s story.
“Exodus Part 1”
During Jack and Ana’s first interaction together, Jack asks Ana three questions: who Ana is, what her name is, and why she’s drinking Tequila and Tonics at ten to noon
Ana’s ring can be clearly seen three times
Ana’s full name is Ana Lucia Cortez, three names. Ana’s first name not only contains three letters, her first and middle name contains a total of three As
Ana’s first appearance on Lost was in the first season’s twenty third episode
Ana’s seat on Oceanic Flight 815 is 42F. The letter F is comprised of three lines
“Orientation”
Ana’s ring can be clearly seen three times
When Ana enters the pit, three guys from the main camp are stuck there: Sawyer, Michael, and Jin
Ana appears in three scenes total
Ana’s first appearance in season two is the third episode
“Orientation” and “Everybody Hates Hugo”
Ana hurts Sawyer three times: she punches Sawyer in the pit (“Orientation”), she throws a rock at his head (“Everybody Hates Hugo”), and Ana punched Sawyer again after he refused to put down a rock (“Everybody Hates Hugo”)
“Everybody Hates Hugo”
Ana tells Sawyer he has three seconds to drop the rock in his hand
Ana touches the DHARMA shelter door three times; two knocks, one scratch. This action was shown on screen three times
“…And Found”
When splitting into groups to find food, Ana caught fish with Bernard and Jin, a group of three
Ana asks Jin three questions: “You want to help us out over here”?, “You want to eat”?, “Does it look like I speak Korean”?
“Abandoned”
Ana tells Michael “The Others” first took three tail section passengers. This detail was also brought up in “The Other 48 Days”
“The Other 48 Days”
Ana is told three tail end passengers are missing
Ana asks Goodwin three questions as they’re walking up to higher ground: “Why do you think they’re doing this”?, “Don’t you ever wonder why they attack us”?, “Why do you think they take some of us and not the others”?
When answering Ana’s third aforementioned question, Goodwin explains the three qualities that caused the first three Tailie passengers to be kidnapped: athletic, tough, and poses a threat to “The Others”
While investigating the Army knife, Ana brings up three facts about the knife; its U.S. Military connection, its tank stamp location, and its likely age
“Collision”
On Ana’s police badge, the number three is in the six number digits
On the door of Ana’s mom’s office, the number 315 can be seen
While Ana and Mike are riding in the police car, Mike asks Ana three questions; “So that shrink give you any good drugs”?, “D’ya miss me”?, “You want me to go kick his ass for you”?
Ana said on the police dispatch she and Mike were three blocks away for the domestic disturbance call
On Ana and Mike’s domestic disturbance call, they encounter a family of three; a man, woman, and baby
While keeping an eye on Sayid, Ana pops the magazine into her gun three times
When Ana crosses paths with Jason in a parking lot, she told him three things; “Hey”, “Jason”, “I was pregnant”. The third statement consists of three words.
When Ana is holding Sayid hostage in the jungle, she tells Libby “I’m already alone”. During her conversation with Sayid, Ana tells him “I feel dead”. These statements contain three words
“What Kate Did”
Ana asks Jack three questions; “Where’s the tonic”?, “You sure you want to waste that on me”?, “You gonna try to convince me that everyone here doesn’t hate me”?
“The 23rd Psalm”
Ana makes only one appearance in this episode, where the number twenty-three is in the title
“Fire + Water”
Ana’s ring can be clearly seen three times
When Sawyer and Kate spot Ana and Jack leaving the jungle, Sawyer tells Kate “That’s the third time I’ve seen them walking out of the jungle”
“One of Them”
Ana speaks to Sayid three times: “Where’s Jack”?, “There. See”?, “What”?
“The Whole Truth”
Locke tells Ana the man in the Hatch (Ben/Henry) has been down in the Hatch for three days
Ana, Sayid, and Charlie (a group of three) go on a trip to locate Ben’s/Henry’s hot air balloon
“Lockdown”
Ana made three appearances in this episode
During their search for Ben’s/Henry’s hot air balloon, Sayid tells Ana they’ve been searching for the balloon for three hours
“Dave”
When Ana and Sayid are interrogating Ben/Henry, Sayid tells Ben/Henry he has three seconds to answer his question
“S.O.S.”
“Ana spoke to Locke three times; “Hey”, “I pressed your button”, “Where’d you go”? Ana’s question contains three words.
This episode name contains three letters and three periods
“Two for the Road”
Ana was told by her mom Jason’s body was found a little after three in the morning
In Ana’s Australian hotel room, her clock reads 3:51
While Jack is cleaning his medical tools in the Hatch, Ana speaks to him three times; “Hey”!, “You’re back”, “So, The Others. They didn’t show up”?
When Michael is sharing information about The Others, Ana asks him three questions; “What about everyone else they took”?, “Cindy”?, “Did you see any other kids”?
“Dave”, “S.O.S.”, and “Two for the Road”
Ana sits on the Hatch’s couch a total of three times; once in “Dave”, once in “S.O.S.”, and once in “Two for the Road”
As this very long and detailed list shows, Ana is often associated with the number three. In fact, this association doesn’t feel like a coincidence. In the special feature segment, “Mysteries, Theories, and Conspiracies” from the Lost season two DVD, Michelle Rodriguez said the following:
“You know, numbers are interesting. Alchemy could have something to do with it too. I think they use a lot of alchemy in this show too. They hint at it. They hint, you know, stars and signs and masonry. A lot of that symbolism is in there”.
If there truly is symbolism behind Ana’s ring and her connection to the number three, could the ring itself and the number three be linked in some way?
The number three is circled in this screenshot of Ana’s police badge is emphasize its existence. Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
The number three is circled in this screenshot of Ana’s mom’s office door to emphasize the number’s existence. Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
Each character in this screenshot is given a number to emphasize how they make up a group of three. Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
Different Versions of Ana
Time is an element experimented on in Lost. Not only were flashbacks used to explore characters’ backstories, “flashforwards” predicted how some characters’ futures would turn out and “flashsideways” broke different time barriers. Despite Ana only consistently appearing in the show’s second season, she did appear in an episode from seasons five and six. Based on where the ring is placed on her hand, it seems like there are different versions of Ana. In the episode, “Exodus Part 1”, and throughout the second season, the ring is on Ana’s wedding ring finger. But in the season five episode, “The Lie”, when Ana stops Hurley on the side of the road, she’s not wearing the ring at all. Ana also acknowledges the fact she’s deceased, telling Hurley “What if I were real” and “Oh yeah, Libby says hi”. The season six episode, “What They Died For”, shows the ring back on Ana’s left hand. But this time, it’s on her middle finger. The scene she appears in is part of an alternate universe, showing the characters as if the pilot episode’s plane crash had never happened. These versions of the same character make me wonder if the ring’s purpose evolved from its original intent, showing the differentiation between each version? The fact there seems to be three different versions of Ana highlights the possible connection between the ring and the number three I mentioned in the previous statement.
This is a screenshot from “Exodus Part 1”. Ana’s ring is circled to emphasize its presence. Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
Throughout season two, Ana consistently wore the ring on her wedding ring finger. This screenshot from “…And Found” serves as one example. Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
This screenshot from “The Lie” shows Ana not wearing the ring at all. Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
In this screenshot from “What They Died For”, Ana’s ring is now on her middle finger. The number three is also featured on her police badge. Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
Lost is one of the most ambitious shows of our time. In fact, some people might argue the show was too ambitious. The mysteries surrounding the island are what intrigued viewers to watch Lost. But limited answers left the audience frustrated and confused. Because the mystery of Ana Lucia’s ring has been overlooked, there hasn’t been a demand for an explanation. Before the publication of this editorial, there was no speculation around the ring itself. With everything said in this article, my current speculation is how Ana’s ring was originally intended to serve as a peek into a part of Ana’s past. In this part, Ana did some undercover police work involving stolen or fake jewelry, with Sawyer a part of the equation. Something happened during the investigation, causing Ana to feel ashamed of the experience. Since Ana died toward the end of the second season, the ring’s purpose evolved to showing the differentiation between different versions of Ana. However, as of this editorial’s publication, this mystery is currently unsolved.
To read the full description of Reverse Motion, you can visit Beverly Boy Productions’ website at this link:
It feels like every two years, I talk about an episode of Touched by an Angel. First, I reviewed “The Sky Is Falling” in 2019. Then, in 2021, I wrote about the two-part episode, “The Spirit of Liberty Moon”. Now, for The 9th Annual Favourite TV Show Episode Blogathon, I’m going to cover another Touched by an Angel episode! This time, I’ll be talking about 1998’s “Perfect Little Angel”. Based on its synopsis on IMDB, the episode’s story doesn’t seem like it revolves around heavier topics, like “The Sky Is Falling” and “The Spirit of Liberty Moon”. However, the inclusion of a pageant in “Perfect Little Angel” is what intrigued me to want to watch this episode. When a pageant is featured in a scripted movie or television show, it is typically depicted in one of two lights; negatively or as a joke. With Touched by an Angel having something important to say every now and then, I was curious to see what themes and messages would arise from this story. So, let’s get into my review of “Perfect Little Angel” to see if it will win the crown!
In the introduction of this review, I mentioned how pageants in scripted movies or shows are typically depicted in one of two lights; negatively or as a joke. But in “Perfect Little Angel”, the Miss Colorado State Pageant felt like it was taken seriously within the story! The staging of the pageant itself looked very high budget, appearing as if the event was produced by a professional organization. Every actress portraying a contestant was styled beautifully, mirroring the image of real life contestants of the late ‘90s. Even the way the actresses moved across the stage or performed their talent gave the audience the impression they cared about their outcome in the competition. As I’ll mention more in the segment about the episode’s story, the episode was about more than just the pageant, which actually works in the favor of the Miss Colorado State Pageant!
What I didn’t like about this episode:
I know Tess is a head-strong, motherly figure among the angels on the show. But toward the beginning of “Perfect Little Angel”, she came across as pushy. When she first meets Tracy, Tess insists she seek out guidance from a local women’s shelter. She evens looks down on Tracy’s desire to enter the Miss Colorado State Pageant, in an attempt to steer Tracy toward the shelter. After meeting Tracy for the first time, Tess talks with Monica about Tracy’s decision to join the pageant. Tess says Tracy is making things harder for herself. What she said about Tracy kind of sounded like victim-blaming. Fortunately, as the story progresses, Tess becomes more supportive toward Tracy’s ambitions.
Remember when I said the story of “Perfect Little Angel” was about more than just the pageant? Well, that’s because the script prioritized Tracy’s journey to the pageant. At the beginning of the episode, Tracy is down on her luck. Her self-esteem and personal morale are so low, she’s desperate to find an immediate solution. Through her pageant preparations, Tracy learns about honesty, perfection, and having the courage to reach her potential. Because the script focuses on Tracy’s story and the messages and themes that grew from it, the show’s creative team avoided several cliches and tropes associated with on-screen pageants or competitions. As Tracy’s story progresses, there are some surprises, even though I did suspect a few twists and turns along the way. These surprises added depth to the story, giving Tracy opportunities to apply the episode’s lessons to her life.
The other factors from this episode:
At the beginning of the episode, Tracy tells her co-worker, Don, how she has been accepted into a design school in Rhode Island. Because of this acceptance, Tracy claims she needs $20,000 as soon as possible. I’m honestly surprised Don didn’t suggest Tracy seek out scholarships or financial assistance. In fact, that was my first thought when Tracy mentioned the design school acceptance. From what I know about pageants, some pageant organizations offer scholarships or educational opportunities for their finalists. So, I’m also surprised this detail wasn’t included during the Miss Colorado State Pageant.
As Tracy is preparing for the Miss Colorado State Pageant, Tess, Monica, Raphael, and Andrew are given roles in order to help Tracy. Andrew is tasked with finding Tracy’s talent, while Tess assists Tracy with walking on stage and on-stage posture. I know Andrew needed something to do in this episode, even though his true role on this mission is revealed later in the story. But not having Tess find Tracy’s talent, especially since Della Reese is a real-life singer, is, in my opinion, an unusual creative choice. This is because, on some occasions, the show’s creative team has incorporated Della’s musical talents into the show.
When attempting to apply for the pageant, Tracy is told she will need an official sponsor. When the angels agree to help Tracy, they become her official sponsors by giving her the title, “Unauthorized Property #579”. Because the property itself is still under development, it has the potential to house any business, venue, or living space. The angels use this piece of land to represent Tracy herself, how she has so much potential that hasn’t been reached yet. I thought this was a wonderful analogy that emphasized one of the episode’s key themes. It made me think about the idea of reaching potential in a different way!
Since “Perfect Little Angel” was released in the same season as “The Spirit of Liberty Moon”, I’ll post my photo of the season four DVD cover in this review. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
My overall thoughts:
Touched by an Angel is a show I’ve talked about so infrequently on 18 Cinema Lane. As I’ve said in the introduction, it feels like I write about an episode every two years. Despite this infrequency, I have lucked out, reviewing two episodes I actually liked. For a third time, I have come across another good episode of Touched by an Angel! The primary focus on Tracy’s story allowed the episode’s messages and themes to organically grow within the script. The story had an intriguing progression, providing surprises every so often. Even the pageant itself felt like it was taken seriously, which is much different from how pageants are typically portrayed in scripted movies and tv shows. If I were introducing someone to Touched by an Angel, “Perfect Little Angel” is an episode that would serve as a good starting point. It isn’t as emotionally heavy as episodes like “The Spirit of Liberty Moon”. But it does contain the strengths I’ve come to expect from this show!
For three years, I have participated in blogathons hosted by Hamlette, from Hamlette’s Soliloquy. This is because the themes of these events have been, in my opinion, creative. When Hamlette announced the We Love L. M. Montgomery Week Blogathon, I, at first, had no idea what to write about. The only story by L. M. Montgomery I was familiar with was Anne of Green Gables. But I knew that story was not the “end all, be all” when it came to L. M. Montgomery’s work. So, I wanted to select a story I had never read or seen before. In the past, I have reviewed tv shows that were new to me. These reviews have consisted of one to four episodes per article. With everything considered, I chose to review the first season of Emily of New Moon! Since I’m writing about more than a few episodes of this show, my review will be longer than my other posts about television shows. I will discuss three aspects of Emily of New Moon I like and don’t like. Then, I will share some of my thoughts on the show, similar to my “Some thoughts to consider” section of my tv show re-caps. Finally, I will provide my overall impression on the show’s first season. Since I’m talking about a whole season of Emily of New Moon, there will be spoilers in this review.
Emily of New Moon season one poster created by CINAR, Emily III Productions, Salter Street Films International, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), and Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
What I liked about this show:
Emily, Perry, and Cousin Jimmy: As I watched Emily of New Moon, Emily, Perry, and Cousin Jimmy became my favorite characters for different reasons! When it comes to storytelling, creating a younger, precocious character can be hit or miss. This is because writers can run the risk of inventing a character that is greater than who they really are. Even though Emily has a gift for writing, she is never presented as a “genius”. Instead, Emily is simply a child who is passionate about creating stories and poems. While attempting to figure out how to break the curse in “The Disappointed House”, Ilse, Emily’s friend, suggests writing about the deceased couple as a way of immortalizing them. Despite how much Emily likes this idea, she doesn’t feel her writing is good enough to bring this idea to fruition. Within Emily of New Moon, Emily is allowed to make mistakes and learn from them. In the episode, “The Ghost of Whyther Grange”, Emily cuts her hair, as she thinks she needs a new hair-do to impress Great Aunt Nancy and Great Aunt Caroline. The hair-do turns out terrible, leaving Emily with an embarrassing result. Along with a photograph of herself with the hair-cut, she sends a portrait drawn by her friend, Teddy, and a letter explaining the situation to her Great Aunts. Through this experience, Emily learns the importance of being your authentic self as well as honesty.
While watching Emily of New Moon, Perry reminded me of Tom Thornton from When Calls the Heart. What I mean by this is Perry is more willing to work toward his goals and dreams. Perry reveals to Ilse, in “A Child Shall Lead Them”, how his father died and his mother is in prison. When he is first introduced toward the beginning of season one, the audience is given the impression Perry is running away from home. But with his backstory and how determined he is to improve his life, Perry is instead running toward his future. His desire to learn and refusal to give up are admirable qualities. Each little victory, such as choosing to attend school, feel like earned stepping stones in Perry’s journey of success!
In some stories, there is a character who serves as the “voice of reason”. This character can help others make better choices and steer them in the right direction. In Emily of New Moon, the “voice of reason” is Cousin Jimmy. He is not afraid to speak his mind. At the same time, he always has a piece of wisdom to share with those around him. One day, after school, Miss Brownell pays the Murray family a visit. During this visit, she shares with Aunt Elizabeth how Emily “misbehaved” in class. Aunt Elizabeth orders Emily to get on her knees and beg Miss Brownell for forgiveness. Cousin Jimmy, who just so happened to be in the same room, tells Aunt Elizabeth how you should only get on your knees for God. Not only did Cousin Jimmy stand up to Aunt Elizabeth, he also reminded her how there are things in this world that are greater than ourselves.
A smaller cast: I said in my review of A Room with a View how I find myself gravitating toward historical fiction/period drama stories with smaller casts. This creative decision prevents storylines from competing for attention, as there are less characters to keep track of. Emily of New Moon adopts this model of storytelling, with Emily, Aunt Elizabeth, and Aunt Laura as the main characters of the show who consistently appear in each episode. The rest of the characters are secondary, meaning their appearances are rotated in a cycle. Because the episode“The Tale of Duncan McHugh” features a character around Emily’s age, Perry makes more appearances, as he and Emily attend the same school. While Perry does appear in the next episode, “The Wild Rover”, more emphasis is given to Uncle Jimmy, as he is providing guidance to Mr. Carpenter, Blair Water School’s new teacher. Because of the smaller cast, each character’s story is told to a satisfying extent. It gives the audience a chance to truly get to know the characters!
Emily’s monologues: Because Emily is passionate about writing, each episode contains a short monologue from Emily’s perspective. These monologues are eloquently written and spoken, in the imaginative style that is consistent with Emily’s part of the story. They also relate to events that took place within a given episode. A baby is born in “Falling Angels”. This makes Emily contemplate how fragile life can be. After meeting Mr. Carpenter in “The Wild Rover”, Emily realizes how some people can come into our lives at the right place and time. Because these monologues usually take place toward the end of an episode, they add depth to the episode’s story, as well as provide departing pieces of wisdom to the audience.
Aunt Elizabeth: I recognize not every character is meant to be likable. A character’s unlikability can be the result of various factors. While I liked Susan Clark’s performance on Emily of New Moon, I was not a fan of her character, Aunt Elizabeth. The way she treated her family was horrid. In the very first episode, “Eye of Heaven”, Aunt Elizabeth expressed no empathy toward Emily after her father passed away. She dictates what Emily is and isn’t allowed to bring to New Moon. Aunt Elizabeth even throws Emily’s cat, Pandora, out of their carriage and leaves the cat on the side of the road to fend for herself. As the story progresses, Aunt Elizabeth does change some of her rigid ways. However, it seems like she wants to have her cake and eat it too. What I mean by this is, Aunt Elizabeth wants to continue controlling her household in a strict manner, yet is surprised when her family and even people not related to the Murray family turn on her as well as stand up to her. By the end of the first season, Aunt Elizabeth appears to be trying to turn over a new leaf. If I had to be honest, though, I’m not getting my hopes up.
Inclusion of ghosts and the supernatural: In the second episode, “Storms of the Heart”, Uncle Jimmy shares with Emily how her great-great grandmother had “the second sight”. This means she, as well as Emily, are able to see and communicate with spirits from the afterlife. The inclusion of ghosts and the supernatural provided a unique aspect to Emily of New Moon’s story, compared to L. M. Montgomery’s series, Anne of Green Gables. But the way this aspect was incorporated into the show was inconsistent and, as a result, confusing. The episode, “The Disappointed House”, included a curse on the titular location, an abandoned house built for a man and his fiancé. Due to a misunderstanding involving Aunt Laura, Emily’s second aunt, the man and his fiancé separate before ultimately passing away. After Emily finds a letter addressed to Aunt Laura and gives it to her, the couple is reunited in the afterlife, which lifts the curse. Three episodes later, in “Falling Angels”, Emily sees the spirit of a child wearing a red snowsuit. No explanations about who this child is or why Emily sees the child are provided.
Inconsistent storytelling: When I discussed the inclusion of ghosts and the supernatural on Emily of New Moon, I brought up how the delivery of this aspect was inconsistent. That’s not the only inconsistent part of the story, in my opinion. There are times when a secondary character is introduced in an episode, then disappears after that episode and isn’t heard from again. Duncan, a peer of Emily’s, goes to school for the first time in the episode, “The Tale of Duncan McHugh”. The very next episode, “The Wild Rover”, primarily takes place at Blair Water School. Yet, Duncan is nowhere to be found. At the end of “The Tale of Duncan McHugh”, Aunt Elizabeth agrees to make amends with Duncan’s mother, as they were friends in the past. Similar to Duncan, Duncan’s mother is never brought up again.
Why did Emily’s dad and Aunt Elizabeth not want Emily to read novels? I feel like the closest thing to an explanation provided in this season was Aunt Elizabeth believing novels were “fantastical”. To me, this wasn’t a satisfying answer. However, I did find the dissuasion of novels from both Emily’s dad and Aunt Elizabeth an interesting coincidence.
Out of all the episodes in season one, “Paradise Lost” was my least favorite. From a creative perspective, I can see what the show’s creative team was trying to accomplish; showcasing how some people are not who they seem. Compared to other stories with a similar concept, “Paradise Lost” was underwhelming. Personally, I didn’t feel like a conflict was resolved, especially in a way that felt satisfying. The inclusion of Lofty John’s mother’s spirit added to the inconsistency of ghosts and the supernatural.
In the 1990s, it seems like almost every scripted television show created at least one Christmas episode. So, I was surprised to discover Emily of New Moon didn’t acknowledge Christmas. Granted, I’ve only seen the first season of this show. Maybe a Christmas episode was created in another season?
I’d like to take the time to thank Hamlette for hosting the We Love L. M. Montgomery Week Blogathon. Because of this event, I was given the opportunity to check out Emily of New Moon! This is the first time I reviewed a full season of any television show, so this event also allowed me to have a new blogging experience! Looking back on Emily of New Moon, I am impressed with what I saw! Even though the show does have its flaws, I believe the overall production is solid! Each acting performance was strong, bringing to life characters the audience could become acquainted with as each episode carried to the next. The show’s historical accuracy gave viewers the illusion traveling back to a different time was possible. Having a smaller cast worked in the show’s favor, as it allowed each story to be told to a satisfying extent. Since I enjoyed watching season one, I do plan on checking out season two! Who knows? Maybe I’ll read L. M. Montgomery’s Emily trilogy someday?
Last March, Jillian from The Classic Film Connection tagged me for The “Flaming Hot…5 Reasons Why” Tag! For this tag, participants must choose five characters from film and/or television they think is “swoon-worthy”. It has been a while since my last tag post, so I thought writing this article now would be a good way to start the new year! Thank you, Jillian, for your thoughtfulness. Before I start my list, I need to share the tag’s official rules, which are the following:
You must add the name of the blog that tagged you AND those of the Thoughts All Sorts and Realweegiemidget Reviews with links to ALL these sites.. and use the natty cat themed picture promoting this post. (*See below.*)
List 5 of your all-time swoon-worthy characters from TV or Film ie crushes/objects of your affection. And also do mention the actor or actress who plays them, as you might like James Bond as played by Timothy Dalton and no one else.. etc etc
Link to 5 other bloggers.
Add lovely pictures, gifs or videos of those you selected.
If you don’t have a blog (or don’t have time to write a post) join in with your choices on Twitter with this #5TheFlamingHot5ReasonsWhy Tag and tag @realweegiemidge and @Thoughtsallsort and the person who tagged you in your tweet.
Image of Kili created by New Line Cinema, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, WingNut Films, and Warner Bros. Pictures
When I saw The Hobbit trilogy for the first time, Kili quickly became my favorite character! While being photogenic certainly helps his case, Kili has such a great personality as well. One of these attributes is his humbleness. Throughout The Hobbit trilogy, Kili never boasts about his royal status. In fact, I didn’t even know he was a prince until Thorin, in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, said Kili and his brother, Fili, were “his sister’s sons”. This choice is one reason why Kili is, in my opinion, the MVP of Middle-Earth!
Anyone who has followed my blog would not be surprised by this selection. I’ve stated in the past that Bucky is my favorite superhero in the MCU. At 18 Cinema Lane, he has been brought up on more than one occasion; from being a main subject of one of my first editorials to wishing Bucky and his fans would stop getting treated like afterthoughts. In this film series, Bucky has been through a lot of heartbreak. Despite that, he has never used his heartbreak to treat others badly. If anything, Bucky has tried to make the world a better place than how it was given to him. I haven’t seen The Falcon & the Winter Soldier, so I don’t know how Bucky’s story continues after Avengers: Endgame. Out of the entries I’ve seen in the MCU, Bucky’s inclusion has been a highlight!
Apollodorus
from Caesar and Cleopatra (1946)
Portrayed by Stewart Granger
In case you haven’t seen Caesar and Cleopatra, Apollodorus’ picture is in the top right-hand corner of the poster. Caesar and Cleopatracreated by Gabriel Pascal Productions, Eagle-Lion Films, and United Artists.
Apollodorus is my favorite character from 1946’s Caesar and Cleopatra! Even though it’s been years since I’ve seen the film, I rememberApollodorus’ charisma and likable personality. He was such a stand-out, I, honestly, wish Cleopatra had formed a relationship with him instead of Caesar. As I said in my review of Caesar and Cleopatra back in 2019, Stewart’s performance was such a joy to watch!
Tom Thornton
from When Calls the Heart
Portrayed byMax Lloyd-Jones
If you have not watched When Calls the Heart, Tom is the gentleman standing on the left in this photo. Image created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel.
Tom Thornton is another character I’ve brought up before on 18 Cinema Lane. However, I haven’t taken the time to explain why he is my favorite character from When Calls the Heart. Tom has been through a series of trials in his life. Similar to Bucky, hedoesn’t use those trials as a reason to treat others poorly. By the end of season two, Tom took the initiative to turn his life around. In the season five episode featuring Jack and Elizabeth’s wedding, it seems Tom’s initiative paid off, as he became a businessman. At the publication of this tag, I have no idea which characters from past seasons could make an appearance in When Calls the Heart’s tenth season. If any of them do show up in the upcoming season, I hope Tom is one of them!
Darryl Harding
from Murder, She Wrote
(Season 11, Episode 16 – “Film Flam”)
Portrayed by Jim Caviezel
For those who haven’t seen “Film Flam”, Darryl is the second character to the left. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
To this day, “Film Flam” is still the best episode of Murder, She Wrote I’ve seen! Darryl’s inclusion is one reason why. While Jessica was attempting to solve the episode’s mystery, Darryl got to know a woman named Elaine. Their interactions were a highlight of the story, as Jim and Stacy had strong on-screen chemistry. I haven’t seen every episode of Murder, She Wrote. I have never even seen the four made-for-tv movies that were released after the show ended. But I hope Darryl, as well as Elaine, are acknowledged again.
18 Cinema Lane 