WCTH S8 Episode Review: From the Ashes

 

    Well..... I may have found the BOOM Brian Bird was talking about. Lol! Hello Hearties, and welcome to today's blog post! I hope you're all doing wonderfully this Wednesday! Well, we're really getting into this new season, as we're now three episodes in. And the drama just keeps coming, people!

    What an explosive episode! (Yeah... I kinda had to do that... Lol!) Once again we had a fun combination of tension, drama, yet some really funny and heart-melting scenes! Like for the last episode, I didn't find this one to be perfect, and some things seemed quite random, but nothing is ever perfect, right?

    I'm also trying to find the best way to format these episode reviews, as there has been just so much to talk about and share. This time around I'm going a bit more plot based than character based, and seeing how that works.

    Also I was going to talk about that ending in this post, but the section got a bit... long. Lol! And so I will be putting out my thoughts on that and Elizabeth in general this Friday instead. Stay tuned!

 

Notes: Joseph Canfield disappeared this episode, but he was probably moving his family to Hope Valley.

     Let's get to the review!

 

The Explosion

 

    BOOM! Lol! I mean...wow! I love drama like this! Like LOVE it! That explosion was huge!

    So due to the BTS pic Jack Wagner had posted awhile back, and a pic I had seen of Nathan helping Lucas stand up I knew that there was going to be an explosion or fire of some kind. (A fact I regret knowing as it was quite the spoiler.) But I had no idea that it was going to happen like this! Oh my goodness!

    First off, I'm enjoying watching Lucas run the oil company. It's a fun storyline, even if the poor man has no idea how to run it. Lol! Second I love just how animated he was when the well started shooting oil. He was SO relieved to see the oil and then shouting for joy. I have never seen him so excited. And then... it all went terribly wrong.

    Something sparked and kablooey! The whole geyser of oil erupted into flames! Honestly, I think this is one of the biggest, most dangerous situations we've had on the show. The explosion blasted Lucas and Hickam back onto the ground (Singeing poor Hickam's face! Sniff!) and caught the wooden tower on fire. 

    We then had some touching moments as Henry rushed to help, and.... Nathan helped Lucas up! Now of course he was just being kind, but there was such concern and sincerity in his voice as he asked Lucas if he was alright. (Point for the Mountie!)

    Luckily Henry knew how to put out the fire, as poor Lucas had no idea. (He's really not an oil man.) And of course it involved dynamite.... I have no idea how these things work and so I can't really comment. All I'll say is, leave it to a bunch of men to bring out explosives to put out a fire. Lol!

    Soon most of the men (And Fiona) showed up to bravely shove the cart of dynamite as close as they could to the fire. (But just how close did they have to get? Oh, poor Ned...Lol!) And it worked! The fire was put out! And then.... and then.... Henry hugged Lucas!!!!!!!! (Excuse me while I squeal. Eeeeeek!) I mean, how sweet was that? Henry never, NEVER hugs anyone. But he hugged Lucas! And it was so touching to see! Everyone just cheered and hugged each other in victory! And relief. 

    Side note: Lucas did not hug Fiona. He "side-hugged" Bill. That is all. (Not that I'm looking at anyone in particular.... 😂😉)

    I'm very curious to see where things go from here. Is that oil well still usable? Is all lost, and Lucas will be in a pickle? Will Hickam have a red face forever? Oh, you poor brave soul, Mike! That's right. You just eat all the pancakes you want! You earned them! (Bill, you are just a sweetheart!)

 

Henry

    AUGH!!!! Henry! You can't do this to me!!! I mean, come on! First he's apologizing to Ned, (Henry Gowen. Apologizing!) and then... (Places hand to heart) he gave Florence a bouquet of flowers! Oh, my heart! That was one of the sweetest things Henry has ever done. Ever. Period.

    Then he sped off without hesitation to help with the fire, and ended up saving the day. AND gave Lucas a hug!!! (Yes, I will not let that go. Lol!) But now... (Sniff...) Things don't look good at all...

    So it appears that Henry finally got a letter back! He was so happy yet maybe a bit anxious. Then the next time we saw him... oh boy... He was way down in the dumps. Something in that letter hit him hard. So hard he doesn't even seem as eager to work with Lucas at the oil company again. And I may have some ideas about what was in that letter.

   So I went back to when he got the letter, and looked closely at the address. It would appear that a "Christopher Hughes" (Or something like that. It was a little hard to read.) sent him the letter. Now was this the person Henry had been trying to mail? I'm not really sure. If his first letter was sent back opened, I'm led to wonder if that letter was to someone else. But the one he got in this episode was from some guy named Christopher, and came from Cape Fullerton.

    Now who this guy is I really don't know. Could be an old acquaintance, potential investor, co-worker... the list goes on. But my biggest fear is this.... What if that letter came from another doctor? Another doctor who Henry went to see at some point in Cape Fullerton. And what if... that letter contained Henry's results? (Shivers at the thought.) Now this is just a wild guess and I have no facts at all to back me up. All I know is that Henry's health seems to be his main storyline this season. (Along with whoever he's mailing.) So I really could be jumping the gun here, but it's worth mentioning. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

 

"Does it have to be a man?"

 

    Look out Hope Valley! Boy, Fiona sure is one bold, and independent woman! I have to admit this was not my favorite episode for her, and I'll explain why in a moment. For now let me start at the beginning.

    Yay.... A Lucas and Fiona scene.... (Can you hear how enthused I am? ;) Now there was nothing wrong with this scene. In fact it was fun, and sweet. Fiona has finally done away with that big beard of Lucas' and asks does he want to shave it all away. (Note to Lucas: PLEASE don't! I like your beard!) Lucas then says he'll think about it, and pays Fiona way more than he had to, claiming he may need a free haircut one day. And Fiona's response is appropriate... "He's so nice." (I agree 100%. Lol!) 

    Now I'm sure that some people are looking at this scene and maybe thinking this is is the start of a Lucas and Fiona romance. I can't say anything for certain as I don't know the future, but I do believe this scene was much too brief to bet on anything yet.  I also believe that Lucas is still in love with Elizabeth (Which largely has to do with that sucker-punch of an ending) and so I don't know that Lucas is even considering Fiona in a romantic light right now. They're both just nice people, being kind to each other. That's all I can say for now.

    So then we move onto that crazy explosion where Fiona rolled up her sleeves and showed how capable she is. She was quite brave and in turn helped save the day. I didn't totally like how she did it, as I wasn't a fan of how snarky she was. But that's just me personally.

    And of course we had that humorous scene of Clara and Faith both coming to her for help.... and then ended up walking away without Fiona being able to get a word in. Lol! (You better save her some cake, ladies! :D )

    Fiona's story didn't really move much this episode, but we did get some fun scenes. I'm interested to see what future episodes bring for her character.

 

 

Team FloYo & Team Bolly

    Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes!!! Team FloYo is a go, go! Aren't Florence and Ned just perfect for each other? I had started rooting for them after Season 6's finale, after Florence had chosen him during the Ladies' Choice dance. However after Season 7 I wasn't sure if they would ever become a thing or not. And now they have! Yay! They're like the nice version of Mr. and Mrs. Oleson from Little House on the Prairie.

    As for the other potential couple... Wow Molly. Talk about bold! Now if you saw my last review you'll know that I am far from a fan of a Bill and Molly pairing. Maybe my mind will change if I see them together, as they do have a sort of humorous dynamic. But for now....(Sigh...)

Midlife Crisis

    Yep. You read that right. I believe Mr. and Mrs. Coulter are having a midlife crisis. Both of them seem to be searching for a deeper meaning in life, and I think I know why. All these two wonderful people wanted was to have a child, but it just doesn't seem to be a possibility. Now both of them want to find a deeper purpose in life than just selling dresses and shipping lumber. They want to make a difference. 

    Rosemary is actually talking about leaving the dress shop! She loves to work there, but suddenly she's decided she wants something more than that.

    Lee has been doing the same thing for... well... ever since he first showed up in Season 2. He chops down trees, cuts them up, and sells them off. But now he wants to do more. He wants to work with his hands and make something from that wood. This then led to Rosemary's beautiful and selfless act of giving Lee her outside space for a wood shop! (Awww!)

    Now, I'm left to wonder what this has to do with their over all storyline. A lot of their stories this season seem to be a bit random, and just there for comedy relief, or a touching tender moment. Just like this chair storyline. I mean it was funny for sure. At first I was like, "Oh no you don't Rosemary Coulter! You can't sit in his chair!" But.... now I think she may have done Lee a favor, and maybe even saved his back. Because if that chair couldn't hold Rosemary, it never would have held Lee. But while this whole storyline was funny, and ended with a sweet moment, it seemed... random. Almost pointless.

    But I wonder if all this is leading to a bigger plotline. Something deeper. I'm still holding out hope that they'll adopt or even better get pregnant. So I think I need to watch a few more episodes before I comment too much yet. Maybe something bigger will come of Lee's wood working, or Rosemary wanting to leave the dress shop. I'll just have to wait and see.

    SPOILER ALERT: I saw in the description for next week's episode that Lee's sister and niece are coming to town. This should be very interesting!

Motorcycling Jesse

    Lee's motorcycle has returned!!!! (Trumpets sound in triumph) However, as for the man who bought it....

    Jesse....What do you think you're doing?!? He's just like, "Clara wants me to be happy." And since buying the motorcycle would make him happy..... he did. Lol!

    Honestly this man has a LOT to learn about being a married man. He can't just go buy a motorcycle if he wants to! Well, technically he can.... he just may get a cold spot on the couch when he gets home. Lol! It's very interesting how things have turned out this season for Jesse and Clara. I mean, they've always had their issues, and little spats, but most of the time they were happy and in La La Land. Now all they seem to do is bicker. Not that it isn't humorous. Because it is. Lol! They've sort of turned into the comedy relief this season, and I have to say I'm enjoying it. But I do think the writers need to show us that they really are still in love. Nothing huge. Just a sweet little comment from one of them, or a romantic gesture. That's all.

    But boy did Jesse learn his lesson the hard way. Lol! And now I'm left to wait until the next episode to see if he gets home or not.... (Ah...he'll be fine... ;)

 

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

 

    Oh...Carson! No! Come on, man? What's wrong with you? Something is really off with him and Faith. All the time apart and Faith's new role as a doctor has really thrown him for a loop. Which is sad considering he's the one who encouraged her dream.

    I do have to say I'm a bit confused, as I thought Faith had to be mentored by Carson first before she could officially become a doctor. But it seems she may already be licensed and working as one. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

    Anyhow, while this couple didn't have very much screen time, the time they did have was quite....intense. Faith was just doing her job and helping Ned with his twisted ankle. She diagnosed him, and was getting him all fixed up when along comes Carson. He asks a few questions, gives a brand new diagnosis, and tells Faith to wrap him up..... In front of everyone.

    Now before I rant on Carson, I do have to mention the fact that he is the more knowledgeable one here. He's been a doctor a lot longer than Faith and knows what he's talking about. I believe together him and Faith are quite the force to be reckoned with, and that they both have things they can teach each other. But the way Carson handled things was NOT okay.

    He undermined her in front of her patient, making her appear inept and unknowledgeable. And in turn made her feel embarrassed, and like he didn't respect her. Something she had to deal with a lot apparently while in school. Now it's not that Carson was wrong to step in and correct her, but he should have pulled her aside and explained things to her. Not take over and say she was wrong straight to her patient's face.

    Carson is obviously really struggling with Faith's new role, and maybe even how different Faith is in general. Distance seems to have made the heart more...well...distant in this case. I think both of them really just need to sit down and talk everything through. Figure out where each other stands.

    Now regardless of how things are now, I don' think a break up is in their future. At least not a permanent one anyway. Things may get rough, but I think in the end love will win. As it always does. :)

 

Helen Bouchard

 

    Aww, Helen! You poor, soul! Helen Bouchard is quite the character. She has a lot of spunk, and determination, but inside... Inside she's just a sweet, and caring woman who doesn't know how to just let go and be herself. Including around her husband. I now am under the impression that perhaps things don't sound as bleak as they did before.

    Perhaps Helen actually played a part in this whole separation, and now has gone to make it right. All I can say about that is.... Mr. Bouchard better redeem himself.

    Anyhow, backing things up a bit, Helen sure doesn't mince words. She can clearly see that Elizabeth has some sort of feelings for Nathan. She even called Elizabeth out on it saying she must have an idea of her feelings for both men. And of course Elizabeth didn't answer... (Sigh...)

    I also was a bit disappointed that we didn't get to see Helen and Elizabeth's response to finding how Lucas was after the explosion. More Elizabeth's than Helen's. However I found it very sweet when Helen and Lucas were sitting in the cafe and Lucas told his mother he loves her. (Aww!)

    Helen showed such emotion this episode, mainly during that tender scene with Elizabeth about fighting for love. Helen's eyes glossed over with tears, and she was so open and honest. I can tell she really does love her husband. She just doesn't know how to drop the "proper editor facade" and just be vulnerable. And that hug she gave Little Jack? Oh my heart! What do you think, WCTH Writers? That you can just tug on all of the Hearties heartstrings? That was such a sweet, and emotional hug. (And Little Jack is perfect!)

    The episode ended with Helen catching the last stage out.... so she can try and reconcile with her husband. I truly hope she does, and while it's sad she's gone, I definitely see a lot of hope in her future.

 

Nathan & Mountie Trouble

 

 

    Boy.... As if Nathan needed more trouble right now. He's already had his heart kicked and thrown to the curb, but now he has to deal with that grump of a Mountie. And now is the perfect moment to say I don't like Superintendent Hargraves. That guy is fishy. Straight up suspicious. I don't know who put a bee in that guy's Stetson, but I am on to him!

    Nathan and Andrew clearly have a less than happy past of "crossing paths." There was no need to rehash the whole shooting incident, and it wasn't even Nathan's fault. He had the whole thing under control, until that other Mountie decided to stick his rifle where it wasn't needed. It was that guy's own fault he got shot. But.... I can't help but think his death is the real issue here. I'm actually wondering if that Mountie was Andrew's son. Or at least someone important to him. It would make a lot of sense, considering how personal he's making this.

    Otherwise this guy must just have a bone to pick with Nathan, and saw this incident as a golden opportunity. Honestly I'm not sure, but what I am sure of is that something is wrong here. And I look forward to finding out what.

    The other thing I have to mention is the fact that Nathan has very much pulled back this episode. From the idea of buying Bill's land and Elizabeth. He's obviously taken Elizabeth's rejection quite hard, and as a result has given up it seems. Both on her and his dream of building a life for himself and Allie on Bill's land.

    This shows me just how confident he was that Elizabeth had feelings for him, as he was no longer interested in the land since she rejected him. Now, I totally blame Elizabeth for this, and I will explain why in this Friday's post. But for now all I can say is....Poor Nathan.

 

Lucas' Ruined Fairytale

    Oh Lucas.... You're hurting so much on the inside it finally showed on the outside. Wow... Where to start?

    It seems that nothing good can happen for this guy right now. He saw the hug, Elizabeth & Nathan walking to dinner with the kids, his oil well was dry, then sparked a huge fire, and now he's learned the devastating truth that his father has left his mother..... As well as the fact that the woman he loves knew about it and didn't tell him. But I don't think that's what's got his goat.

    He's pretty much based his life philosophy on love off of his parent's love story. He treated it like this magical fairytale and strove to be patient like his father was... (I personally hope you find a new role model, Mr. Bouchard.) Now finally all his internal turmoil has come spilling to the surface. (And much like his oil well, it was quite fiery.)

    First off.... Come on, Elizabeth and Rosemary. You see Lucas carrying a stack of books up to his chin, and not one of you offers to help him? Now I do believe the books were supposed to be hiding the fact that his beard had already been cut shorter, as this scene comes before he went to Fiona for a trim. But I could clearly tell his beard was short, so...yeah.

    I also found it really fun just watching him joke around with his friends. It's a minor thing but it was just fun to see him asking Faith should he shave his beard off, and joking with Lee about the oil well.

    We then had a first in WCTH history... Lucas actually got mad at Elizabeth!!! Whoa! And rightfully so. That was a really hard blow. Now of course I do believe Elizabeth did the right thing by not telling him, and it really wasn't her fault. Helen put her in a pretty terrible spot. But as I said before, the fact that she didn't tell him was not what he was mad about. Well, maybe at first it was, but there's a much deeper issue here.

    Lucas no longer knows what to believe when it comes to love. How could two people who he thought he knew, his own parents, lose the love they had for each other? And what does that mean about love in general? Specifically in his own life.

  I could say more but that's for Friday's post. ;) I'll just end here like I did for Nathan... Poor Lucas!😢

    So all in all I definitely enjoyed this episode! Once again everything wasn't perfect. There are a few storylines that I'm failing to see the point of, and that appear a bit random. I also was disappointed in how little the triangle was dealt with. But even with all that considered I still very much enjoyed it!

    Thank you so much for reading! Come back this Friday to hear my thoughts on that sucker-punch ending! Feel free to share your thoughts on this episode below or on my Twitter page! (But please don't tell me any spoilers. Thank you!) Have a wonderful day! God Bless!