Road to Avonlea Review: Hearth and Home

Episode Summary: Janet’s Aunt Eliza unexpectedly comes to Avonlea for a visit (maybe a month. Maybe 2). However, her controlling and stuck-up ways start to get under Janet’s skin. One night, when Aunt Eliza overhears Janet talk to Alec about this, Eliza decides to leave, despite it being a very cold winter. When Janet finds her, the two forgive each other and begin anew. Meanwhile, Sara and Felix use light bulbs they find in Jasper’s mail, in order to warm the barn to save a few newborn lambs.

Directed by Otta Hanus, Written by Deborah Nathan, Music by John Welsman

My Grade: Although I think “Home Movie” would have made a stronger statement as a season finale, “Hearth and Home” is still a very nice episode in its own right. The last scene is especially nice, seeing new technology (light bulbs) not only save lives of animals, but also heat up the family is great. I’m sure I could come up with some really thoughtful, profound metaphor or something but…you get the idea. Light indicates new hope. Light bulbs indicate new insight and understanding. And that last scene is a symbol of light, warmth, hope, and further understanding. See? I did it, sortof. Anyway, I think the problem with this episode is that it’s a bit plotless and lacks focus. But as a showcase for the Great Aunt Eliza character, it works, since she has a meaningful scene with at least every member of the King family (except Cecily…#poorCecily). (A-)

Spotlight Performance: Speaking of showcase, this is of course a nice showcase for Kay Tremblay, who plays the role of Eliza. She’s played the role since the beginning of season two and will continue to play the role in a recurring status until the Christmas reunion movie. Although she was born in Scotland, she’s pretty much mostly had a career in Canadian television and film. She died in 2005. She’s mostly remembered for her role on Avonlea, but she also received recognition for a recurring role on Night Heat. And guest starred on many youth television programs, including Are You Afraid of the Dark, Goosebumps, X-Men, Santa Who?, and a very crucial guest role in Kevin Sullivan’s other series Wind at My Back (which I hope I’ll get to before I turn 30!)

Favorite Scene: So, this episode was scored by John Welsman. I’ve obviously written at length about Welsman’s music and his contribution to this show. It goes without saying that some of the best motifs for this show was composed by Welsman (which is why it’s frustrating that there isn’t really an effective, appropriate soundtrack for this show. I mean, there are a couple but…they’re unsatisfying, one is only available if you purchase the season 6 DVD). However, after season 4, although we hear Welsman’s music until literally the final episode of the series, there’s sort a shift. The other major scorer for the series Don Gillis starts to have a significantly larger presence. That means this season 4 finale is the last time the ending credits are scored with “The King Family” motif. It was probably the show’s most prominent motif for the first four seasons. It’s springy, it’s royal, it’s lively, it’s fancy, it’s sprightly. It’s the kind of score that reminds you of home, but could have probably been played during a fancy dinner on the Titanic. It was first using in “Felicity’s Challenge” in season 1. And then it was used again for the season one finale. And then it almost became the standard closing score for the two seasons afterwards. So, what I’m trying to get at, the very last scene, where Mr. Pettibone and Alec are carrying a now warm Aunt Eliza out of the barn, with Hetty and Janet happily following to the end credits score we’ll never hear again after this…is my favorite scene of the episode.

Final Thoughts: So, this is the end of season 4. It took me over a year to finish this season but…I finally got it done! And I’m definitely going to continue on…it’s just going to take a while. Thank you to everyone who has been subscribing and reading these posts. Doing something like this is actually kind of difficult. Writing a review can take a chunk of time, believe it or not. The guys at AV Club make it look so easy (although that is their full time job.. I have another full time job that pays the bills so I don’t always have a lot of time to blog).

Is there anything more to say about the season as a whole? Season four is a season that doesn’t have any “bad” episodes. No episode received lower than a B-. But…there are a lot of mediocre “hotel episodes.” But for every hotel episode, there’s a quality episode that shows Felicity, Sara, Gus, and Felix growing up. And I think that’s what makes season four so memorable. It’s a linking season. The first three seasons show the wonder and excitement of childhood. However, the next three seasons after season 4 are more dramatic, and have the characters going their separate ways (Sara to France. Felicity to school. Gus to a sailing expedition. Cecily to a sanitorium.) The show will not be the same after this season. Sara will have a much smaller role (and that will certainly be discussed at length during my reviews of season 5). New characters will come into play (after a season long absence, Davey will sort of come in like a wrecking ball). Older characters will confront their imminent mortality. Some fans do not like these changes. Some fans even claim the show “jumps the shark” after “Memento Mori.” Hogwash, I say! The show is just changing (I mean, I would have preferred Sara staying but, she is literally one of a dozen interesting main characters on the show). The times are changing. And I think the next few seasons, for the most part, do a nice job of showcasing that.