Season 12 Ep8 Recap – The show must go on!
BY: Rach Kayrooz for GOOD.
After Jed’s interview on the history of alfalfa, Rosie has upped her game, inviting Elizabeth to share her curriculum and some of Nathan’s favourite recipes on the airwaves. However, our radio diva has invited a Superintendent from the Department of Education to the segment. Will this spell disaster?
Rosie hesitates in offering Ava a role in her production, instead asking her to play Go Fish.
Superintendent Bennett is quizzing Elizabeth on how many students have done NAPLAN, and what butterflies have to do with math. While Elizabeth is on a mission to enable students to grow with curiosity, Benett is all about measurable results and building Rome.
A stranger arrives in town with a penchant for ringing the check-in bell, just to annoy Hickam.
Elizabeth seeks solace in Nathan and confirmation she isn’t fuzzy. He suggests she handle Bennett a little more like her alter ego, Dianne De Marco.
Roland Rockwell of Benson Hills Broadcasting interrupts Fiona and Rosie’s radio production meeting, to tell them the show is boring. Somebody get Lee, I think Rosie’s about to explode!
According to the listener emails and socials, Farmer Dave with The Moo Minute has made the number one position. It must be free manure season.
Rosie springs into action, suggesting a radio production of the play. Roland wants it to air tomorrow. Can Rosie and Fiona pull this together last minute?
Nathan updates Bill that Toddie had been getting the coins from a rancher in Benson Hills. After the rancher died, Toddie sold the coins to someone in Amsterdam. There is a link to someone currently in HV. Could the remaining coins be hidden in the Monopoly game at The Mercantile?
Lucas holds a meeting with the Cattlemen’s Association and Edie Martell, to discuss the ecological preservation and farmer access through the National Park. Allie and Oliver attend, with Allie picking up on McGinty being the one who dragged trees along the path to block access to the other pasture.
Rosie breaks the news to the cast they’ll now be on the radio, with a bigger audience. Hickam, however, is sounding rather hoarse, or like a horse, Mei’s not too sure.
Allie and Oliver drown their sorrows with a couple of grilled cheeses and sarsaparilla at the Saloon, seeking advice from Henry.
They keep looking over the map for another possible solution, much to the interest of the stranger-with-no-name at the bar.
Fiona announces to Faith that she needs to get back to San Fran and plan her wedding to Harold.
Fiona thinks that marrying a kind lawyer with friends in high places will enable her to make more of a difference, neglecting to see the difference she is already making in Hope Valley and across the airwaves. She invites Faith to be her Maid of Honour, who graciously agrees.
Nathan and Bill bring Edie in for questioning about her late Uncle, Ernest. It seems he left her the ranch and a pile of debt, but no gold coins.
The stranger-without-a-name is Woody, calling his mate Buzz Lightyear from the Telstra phone box at The Mercantile. Molly puts her snooping to good use and overhears the conversation.
Little Jack is wondering why everyone is so quiet at dinner. Elizabeth explains she and Allie had some disappointments, but they’ll be okay, and Nathan’s cooking has nothing to do with it. Allie encourages Elizabeth with her curriculum, as she’s never loved school more, whilst Jack gives them some perspective.
Molly and Faith break the news to Rosemary that her male cast members have caught Hickam’s cold… and his bad taste in swimwear.
The women gather at Minnie’s to eat muffins… and help Rosemary get the show back on track.
As they do their best British impersonations, Fiona points out that men have been playing women’s roles in theatre for centuries, so why not the other way around?
Rosie finally asks Ava to play Gwendolyn, with Ned losing his hearing from Ava’s screams of excitement across the road.
Minnie is having stage fright, so Joseph points out all she is capable of doing, except for one thing. Apparently, his wife is a punctual, plant-killer.
The town gathers at the Saloon for the first radio play.
Except for Lee, Hickam, and Bill, who are nursing their man flu in solidarity, listening from the confines of home quarantine.
Ned is impressing Florence by practicing his kisses on the microphone.
And Fiona may be having a moment of realisation, that she is of great service to the town of Hope Valley.
Nathan and Elizabeth are doing some kissing of their own, before he gives her the fan mail that arrived at The Mercantile.
Elizabeth soon realises there are many teachers following her ‘curiosity curriculum’, without the backing of the Department of Education.
Instead of writing them all back, Nathan wisely suggests she thank them all on the radio.
Lucas is pulling another all-nighter at his Saloon office, only to have Edie wander in. She explains there was a mudslide some years ago that blocked access to the old pasture. McGinty offered his meadow for free for the first year, but the ranchers didn’t read the fine print. The price has gone up every year since, and McGinty is able to hold them to the loan, plus interest, any time he wants to. Hence, he warned every rancher not to vote against him, or he would call in that loan. But he didn’t count on the gambler in Lucas.
Elizabeth visits Fiona with her fan mail, to show her friend that the radio show has a powerful impact and reach for social issues. Fiona has accepted the marriage proposal, but Elizabeth shares her lived experience to help her friend see she still has options.
Like many single women, Fiona is worried about her financial future, whilst yearning to make a difference. Will she stay in Hope Valley?
Rosie and Fiona take the listeners’ letters to Rockwell, demonstrating one very important fact.
Rockwell’s family also listened to the play and have since adopted non-stop British accents.
He declares that the ladies – and their Daily Dialogue show – are a hit! He has just acquired a licence for a new station in Port Townsend, that can reach as far as Seattle. Will Frasier be a guest on their next episode?
He wants the pair to travel there and be program directors. Rosie won’t leave HV, but Fiona agrees to go, seeing this as her next big adventure.
Fiona’s friends gather to bid her farewell, with Hickam insisting Mei’s pound cake was also from him. Faith gives her bestie a locket, “for whatever fills your heart next.” Cue the tears!
Elizabeth reminds us that “Galileo changed the way we understand the world, and our place in it, simply by seeing what no one had been able to see before. There can be a cost to opening our eyes, and challenging our beliefs. We must always protect the trailblazers and seekers, the wanderers and explorers.”
Rosie and Elizabeth are on air, thanking the adventurous teachers who wrote in, and sharing their letters on the show. Elizabeth trademarks Dina-stories as the next GOOD. kids’ show. And Nathan is incredibly proud.
Memorable Quotes:
Rosie (to Elizabeth): “Surprise is the spice of life!”
Rosie (to Rockwell): “It’s Oscar Wilde. It’s funnier than livestock!”
Elizabeth (to Fiona): “I knew, on paper, we made sense together, but my heart was telling me something wasn’t right.”
Elizabeth (to Fiona): “If you spread your wings, you’re very likely to fly. And we’ll all be here in Hope Valley, watching you soar.”
Elizabeth (on radio): “There truly is no limit when we inspire one another.”
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, tv/film content creator, director, and producer, with a background in human rights advocacy. A proud mum, and a lover of animals and music (especially 80s power ballads), she spends her ‘spare’ time writing children’s books, watching GOOD., and adding to her dream list of places to travel.
Rach is currently working on her reality TV show pitch, 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.