PicoBlog

We are offically halfway through Season 10 Hearties! Time has really flown by! Part of my is glad that we are halfway through, since we’ve been promised in various interviews that things really start to pick up in the back half of the season.

The other part of me however, is scared. We’re halfway through already, and while the first six episodes have been lovely and very feel-good, not much has actually happened or progressed. We’re off to a slow start, which I hope will lead to strong ending. Good things come to those who hope, right? Anyway, let’s discuss Episode 6!

Rosemary and Lee's baby brings up memories of Rosemary's own mother and questions about her past. Meanwhile, the kids feel left out of the hot springs with all the tourists.

Well, I guess we’ve moved past the housing issue… As most of you know from Episode 5, Lucas and Elizabeth had some difficulty figuring out whether or not they would be staying in Elizabeth’s row house post wedding. This week however, it wasn’t mentioned at all, so I’m guessing that was the end of the discussion.

I am a little disappointed that we didn’t get to see the two of them grapple a bit more with the problem. I think it would have helped them to grow as a couple, and practice effectively communicating with each other. But who knows? Maybe we haven’t seen the end of that storyline just yet.

Overall, Lucas and Elizabeth were fun together in this episode. They worked together as couple, and helped the kids to find a solution to the problem of the tourists “hogging” the hot springs. Elizabeth encouraged Lucas that he is a natural with children, which was sweet. Later, she also surprises him with her skill at cornhole. It reminded me of when Abigail surprised Frank with her hidden talent at darts.

I was hoping that the “house” storyline was the beginning of a beefier storyline for them. However, there really hasn’t been much romance for anyone this season, so seeing Elizabeth and Lucas happy and flirty in this episode was kind of a welcome change of pace.

It seems like Nathan’s storyline is finally starting to move forward. I loved seeing him taking the young bandit, Harry, under his wing in this episode. He has a lot of compassion for Harry’s situation, and can definitely sense that something isn’t adding up regarding the massive drought in Eagle Creek.

It was nice to finally see Nathan doing some Mountie work and investigating the problem. According to Harry, some city folks from Union City Holdings went around Eagle Creek looking for land, and their appearance was soon followed by the untimely drought. Sound familiar?

It was interesting too that Madeline was listening in on Nathan and Harry’s conversation. I think she is part of Union City Holdings, and that her arrival in Hope Valley is more than what it seems. But more on that later…

For now, I’m glad that “Mountie Stuff” finally appears to be kicking off for my guy Nathan! I’m excited to see this storyline play out!

Despite Bill’s flustered and suspicious attitude towards Madeline, Nathan could see right through it all, and observed that Bill is falling for her. He tells Bill to take a chance, since he knows from experience that missing out is “the worst feeling of all.” I’m not going to lie Hearties, this scene absolutely broke my heart.

Nathan hasn’t really been allowed/gotten to express how he feels after being rejected by Elizabeth. It was implied through some sarcastic comments here and there throughout Season 9, but we haven’t really got anything this raw or blatant from him on this particular subject.

This scene definitely pulled at my heart and got me thinking. After hearing Nathan talk about “missing out” I think that he is still trying to move on from his feelings for Elizabeth. He is still mourning the life that he could have had with her, and hasn’t been able to fill that void since she rejected him.

It was really sad, but also kind of cathartic to actually hear Nathan say out loud what his feelings have been in the aftermath of the infamous triangle. There’s regret, grief, and loneliness in his advice to Bill, which Bill clearly picks up on. I think that’s why Bill went out of his way to encourage Nathan to ask Faith to dance. He wants to help Nathan move past those regrets.

Speaking of Nathan and Faith… Once again we didn’t get very much of them together this week. In fact, I would dare to say that their one and only scene together lasted approximately 30 seconds or less.

For that reason, I didn’t see Nathan asking Faith to dance as a huge, romantic gesture on his part. I think it would have been given a bit more focus if it had been. In view of Nathan’s conversation with Bill earlier about “missing out” I see this scene more as a visual representation of Nathan trying to put himself back out there again (regardless of with whom) and move past his regrets.

I also have a theory that the rift between Nathan and Faith actually coincides with Nathan’s struggle to move on from his feelings for Elizabeth. Perhaps, his past romantic history is preventing Nathan from emotionally committing to a serious relationship. He did want to marry Elizabeth after all…

There’s nothing harder than having to start over again at square one, especially with someone you do not feel as deeply for. I mean, let’s be real; whatever Nathan feels for Faith is not nearly as strong as what he felt for Elizabeth. It’s almost as if he is trying to “make things work” with Faith, even though his heart’s not really in it.

I don’t know if things are going to change between them, or if, eventually, Nathan and Faith are actually going to fall in love with each other. But for now, all I can see is that Nathan is actively trying to move on, but the sparks just aren’t there. Until we find out more, that’s where I’m at with these two.

The Coulter baby finally has a name! Marigold Elizabeth Coulter (Goldie for short). It’s a cute name, and is also Rosemary’s mother’s name, so it has a special relevance for Rosemary. Still, I was hoping for a name that was a little more meaningful to the rest of the show. We never got to meet Rosemary’s mother and have only known about her for the last two episodes, so the emotional impact of Rosemary choosing that name isn’t as great as it could have been for a name like “Hope” or “Abigail” etc. Still, Goldie is a sweet name, and perfect for a beautiful baby girl.

This episode centered around Rosemary, but in a way that wasn’t typical of the character. Rosemary is grieving her mother, and feeling the pain of rejection as a result of her departure.

Over the course of the series, I would say that Rosemary has probably experienced the least amount of grief out of anyone in Hope Valley. That is why it makes sense for her to struggle to understand what her emotions really are until Faith explains them to her.

I absolutely LOVED the scene between Faith and Rosemary, and their discussion about what it seems to be a “motherless mother.” We haven’t really seen Faith open up to anyone about her past except Carson and Jack, so it was nice to see her sharing some of her own experiences with Rosemary. It was definitely a witty nod from the writer’s to Faith’s history. Also, seeing the two of them connect in the way that they did was very special!

Despite loving many of the one-on-one moments between Rosemary and various other characters (there were some great scenes and conversations) there were a few things about this storyline that I didn’t really like.

Firstly, I felt like Rosemary’s “healing” from her grief was a little too rushed. True, I didn’t want to see Rosemary sad for too long. But still, I would have liked to see a much more gradual shift in her mood, as opposed to the sadness of one scene contrasted with the happiness of the very next. It was a little jarring, and I would have liked to see a bit of a transition in between.

As much as I love Joseph, and am glad that he is quickly becoming a pillar for the community, I didn’t love how Elizabeth brought he and Minnie into the situation. Rosemary deserves respectful privacy in her grief, and I just feel like her struggle was way too publicized. It just felt like too many people knew about it and were actively involved. It should have been something that Lee and Rosemary (and Elizabeth) worked through together in private.

Finally, I would have liked a little more explanation as to why Rosemary’s parents separated in the first place. Who’s fault was it? Who was right, and who was wrong? What was the catalyst for their separation? If I were in Rosemary’s place, I would want to know exactly what happened. That was a question that I feel like should have been answered.

I have to say, seeing Bill playing football with Jamie was one of my favorite moments of the episode. I shows just how close Jamie and Bill have become. On a deeper note though, it also shows us just how much Bill has recovered from whatever illness he had during Season 9. To me, seeing him well enough to play something as strenuous as football was so gratifying.

As for Madeline… She is still giving me “regretful backstabber” vibes, so I don’t trust her. We all know she’s going to trick Bill and hand the land she bought over to Union City Holdings. And just like in Eagle Creek, Union City Holdings will attempt to wipe Hope Valley out via their water supply. That’s probably why it’s so hard to like Madeline right now.

Still, it’s nice to see Bill opening his heart to someone new. He never really did that with Molly, even though she was hoping he would. So if nothing else, I’m glad Bill is putting himself out there, and encouraging Nathan to do the same. They’ve both been through a lot in the last few seasons, and deserve to finally find some happiness.

But I still don’t trust Madeline…

Before I finish this review, I do want to point out that I loved the barbeque competition between Joseph and Minnie. It was absolutely adorable, and a lovely glimpse into their southern roots. I enjoyed seeing them as pillars of the community. They have really come into their own this season, and I am so much more invested in their story!

Also, I thought it was sweet that Henry came to the barbeque. He has a habit of missing out on whatever community event seems to be going on, and I’m glad he actually came of his own accord this time. It was a fun, little moment of character development for him.

Looking ahead to next week’s episode, I am actually really excited to see the Henry/Rosaleen storyline. Anytime the source material from Season 1 is referenced, I think we are all the better for it. It’ll be interesting to reopen some of those old wounds, and really see Henry heal from them once and for all.

Before closing, here are a few questions/comments I have as we move ahead to the second half of the season:

• Will we see Lucas as Mayor this season? Personally, I think that could be a really good role for him, so I kind of hope so!

• Why is Mr. Mitchell so bent on being in the Hot Springs 24/7? Does he have an ailment like Bill?

• I’m excited to see Hickam teach calisthenics classes. That’s going to be lots of fun!

• I’m concerned about Nathan’s shoulder. In Episode 2, he was in a lot of pain, and in Episode 6, he couldn’t tug-a-war because of it. That’s not normal. He needs to get that looked at and treated.

What were your thoughts on this episode of When Calls the Heart? Are you enjoying the season so far? Share you thoughts in the comments below!

ncG1vNJzZmismJq1pq3RraCep5KosrPCxKtlrK2SqMGir8pnmqilX6V8tLHArKanZWFleqa8yKymnZ1da3q1tMRmn56Zoql6sLI%3D