Season 12 Ep4 Recap – Happy Birthday, Allie!
BY: Rach Kayrooz for GOOD.
Bill is playing Mediator from Relationships Australia, whilst Lee and Lucas squabble and whinge like The Odd Couple. It’s all ‘picnics with cow dung’ and ‘wanting space’.
The girls are planning a birthday dance party for Allie. Elizabeth wants in, so she can do the Macarena.
Florence also wants to join the festivities. But Allie and Emily are committed to keep this a secret – both the party, and Florence’s dance history.
Rosie and Bill are performing a one-act play with Nathan as the audience. Or, rather, relaying information as to the Great Train Robbery, how to pin it on the Garrison Gang, and finding out what happened to the other 19,999 gold coins.
Joseph and Minnie have been struck by Footloose Fever, but who is the better dancer?
The girls head to the Saloon, apparently for the sandwiches, and not to see bad boy Wyatt.
Opal invites him to the party, which is now the talk of the town. Allie invites Oliver, but only to help hang the Kmart decorations. Did she just ‘friend zone’ him?
Rosie and Bill are hot on the trail of finding who spent the rare gold coin at The Mercantile, apparently for a bag of hazelnuts! Though Ned isn’t happy with Bill perusing his ledger.
Angela is seeking solace in the library, and discloses to Elizabeth how much she loves Hope Valley, but that she yearns to find someone who understands how isolating her disability can be. (Thank you, writers, this is so relatable).
Lee lets the cat out of the bag on Allie’s birthday dance party and Nathan is not pleased.
Elizabeth is practising her steps with the Nintendo Wii Just Dance Vol 4. She can’t recall whether it’s the Charleston, the Shinny, or the Nutbush, that the youth want to learn.
Angela is worried about the dance, as she’s never danced with a partner before. It’s dad Joseph to the rescue, as he guides his daughter through some steps. He reminds her that dancing is not about how one looks, but about how they feel.
Nathan is upset that Allie kept a secret from him, and is worried how she would supervise all her friends. Elizabeth arrives and offers a compromise – to chaperone from a distance.
Rosie and Elizabeth enlist the help of Mei to show them the latest dance craze, the Locomotion.
Elizabeth loans Angela the story of Hellen Keller’s life, then heads off to teach the students bush dancing and the ‘shinny’. It’s even screened online for the students who skipped PE.
Lucas is surveying the land, upon his trusty steed, when he notices a fair maiden – the engaged Edie Martell. She takes him to McGinty’s Meadow, the only usable pasture, which requires access through the National Park.
Nathan has come to terms with Allie growing up, focusing instead on showing Elizabeth his Patrick Swayze dance moves.
Molly is questioning the lack of adult supervision at the dance, while Bill is wondering why she won’t share her bag of hazelnuts. Jed is suspiciously overhearing their conversation. Molly is convinced she has better ideas of how to spend a gold coin.
Henry is enjoying the silence of the Nutella Farm, with Joseph visiting to share that he feels he’s let Angela down. Henry gives warm advice to his dear friend.
Dance fever has spread across HV; the townsfolk greeting one another with shimmies and quicksteps. Molly finds this scandalous and demands a town meeting. Poor Allie! But Opal comes up with a plan to call Kevin Bacon and ask what he would do.
Elizabeth and Nathan stand up for Ally, with Joseph and Minnie, and Molly and Jed, joining as chaperones.
Joseph apologises to Angela for not listening. His daughter shares that although she is part of the HV community, she still feels different, and longs to know others who share her vision impairment. Her goal is to attend a College for the Blind, and Joseph beams proudly, though we all know he and Minnie will miss her dearly!
Edie had a tough morning with a calf escaping, and Lucas offers to give her a hand. Or another cow.
Allie is struggling with the latest hair tutorials on YouTube, until Elizabeth’s timely arrival. She gifts Allie a brooch and tames her wild curls, whilst enjoying some girl talk. But who is the boy Allie has a crush on?
Lucas is out rounding up a lost calf, as Edie asks what we’re all thinking:
Edie confesses she isn’t engaged anymore, so Lucas celebrates by lassoing the calf and carrying it back home.
Allie’s awaiting the DJ and her guests, as Molly has a flashback to Pretty in Pink. Sharing her own experience of being ghosted by a boy she liked, explains her desire to protect the girls from heartbreak.
Jed is still eavesdropping in the background, as the guests begin to arrive. Oliver steals the show and gets everyone on the dance floor. They’re doing the Charleston, though the Cadet looks to be Flossing?!
The proud chaperones come to terms with the changing times.
Jed convinces Molly she’s no ‘fuddy duddy’, and as they dance, he confesses a hazelnut addiction, admitting he bought them with the gold coin.
In a scene to reminisce every 80s movie, Wyatt turns up with some weeds he picked from Florence’s garden, just as Oliver was approaching Allie with a beautifully wrapped birthday gift.
Allie jumps the gun, asking Wyatt to dance, leaving Oliver forlorn. But Elizabeth saw it all. Will she intervene? Will Oliver fight for Allie’s affections?
And why is Lucas looking like he’s on a men’s aftershave ad? Swoon!
Memorable Quotes:
Bill to Nathan: “Get with the times!”
Rosie to Elizabeth: “No need to be so dramatic!” (really, Rosie?!)
Elizabeth to Angela (about Helen Keller’s book): “It may not be the same as knowing someone, but hopefully her words can help.”
Elizabeth (about the girls): “I learn something from your girls every day.” Joseph (in reply): “They’re growing, but we’re the ones learning.”
Watch When Calls the Heart season 12 on Friday nights at 7:30pm AEST on GOOD. or stream from the free GOOD app. Watch this episode now. CLICK HERE.
About the Author: Rach is an AACTA Award-winning writer, director, producer, and tv/film content creator, with a background in human rights advocacy. A mum, music manager, animal lover, and fan of 80s power ballads, she spends her ‘spare’ time cooking allergy-friendly food, and adding to her dream list of places to travel. An advocate for disability, and an award-winning speaker, Rach is currently working on post-production of her reality TV show Facing the Fear, and pre-production for her documentary, FND: Not My Story.
Socials: @rachkayrooz
Feature Image: When Calls the Heart promotional content from GOOD.