Without a doubt, When Calls the Heart Season 10 Episode 4 is the best episode of the season so far, and it might go down as one of the series’ best.
Rosemary and Leland have waited so long for a child. They’d nearly given up, and when they stopped wishing, their little miracle arrived.
With “Great Expectations,” the town rallies around Rosemary, allaying her fears and reinforcing what the town does best — caring for one another.
Rosemary Coulter has an unbelievable flair for the dramatic, and she’s brought Lee around to her way of thinking.
As her due date came and went, they could think of nothing else but the baby and everything they might have done wrong to ward off the little one from making their debut, healthy and happy.
In other words, they were normal parents-to-be.
This is the first time we’ve experienced a birth in Hope Valley without extenuating circumstances, and how Elizabeth brought Little Jack into the world was on everyone’s minds.
Every step of Baby Coulter’s birth brought to light how different it was for Elizabeth, who gave birth without a doctor or husband in a cabin in the woods. It was so nice hearing Elizabeth and Rosemary reminisce and recall Abigail’s importance to the town.
By contrast, Rosemary had Faith and, more importantly, Lee by her side to ensure that everything went smoothly during her pregnancy and while giving birth.
But times haven’t changed all that much in the four years since Elizabeth Thornton gave birth to Jack. Fathers still stand aside while the women do their work ushering in the new life.
With a couple as close as Rosemary and Lee, that made little sense, and Elizabeth and Lee were astute enough to realize that the missing piece of the birthing puzzle, and why Rosemary was having such a difficult time, was because her beloved husband wasn’t by her side.
Their marriage is to be envied. To push aside barriers like that in a time when men kept their distance was quite a feat. I’d like to think that it helps usher in a cultural revolution, but well into the middle of the 20th century, men were still left out, and women were alone in the birthing room.
When you witness childbirth, you realize how strong women really are.
Faith
Like Faith said, you witness women’s strength when they give birth. But that strength shouldn’t come with such a heavy price. Having your partner there to hold your hand makes all the sense in the world.
You know, I have, um, I have felt a lot of things in my time with Rosemary. I really have. Love, um, joy, heartbreak, excitement, even a little confusion and impatience, but I have never, I have never felt this hopeless.
Lee
It was no easier on Lee. Men are as important to the process as women, and he felt it in his gut. Why on earth would anyone want to feel hopeless on such a significant day, and why would anyone else want to let them?
Rosemary’s entire demeanor changed when Lee arrived, and in no time, she had allowed herself to give birth to Baby Girl Elizabeth Coulter.
Elizabeth: Hi you two. You three.
Lee: Elizabeth, come meet your goddaughter.
Perhaps she was waiting until everyone came to their senses for the final push. Rosemary knew bringing their child into the world wouldn’t be the same without the man she loves and the father to her child to be there with her to say hello.
It was such a magnificent story to tell, and I can’t think of a couple better than Rosemary and Lee to tell it.
Rosemary: We’d waited so long for this moment. We’d almost given up hope.
Lee: Yeah. She’s our little miracle.
Rosemary: Why does the world look so different all of a sudden?
Lee: Because it is.
Elizabeth: Because she’s in it.
All of the talk of mummies and daddies confused Little Jack, who has never had a daddy.
Jack: Mummy?
Elizabeth: Yes, honey bear?
Jack: If Uncle Lee’s going to a daddy, when can I see my daddy?
Elizabeth: Oh, sweetheart, don’t you remember what we talked about? Your daddy is in heaven.
Jack: But where’s heaven?
Elizabeth: Well, heaven is up above us, and I know that may seem far away, but your daddy is also in our hearts. Here, and right here, and that’s where he’ll always be.
Elizabeth hasn’t kept anything from Jack, but she might not have been as open as others, either, and she questioned how to know when to explain more to her son.
Nathan Grant has experienced something similar with Allie, and his advice was excellent. Your child will let you know when the time is right. It sure seemed like that time was fast approaching with Jack.
Heaven is intangible, and Jack needed something tangible to show that he had a daddy. Elizabeth gave him his father’s Mountie hat, which he accepted with some awe.
Elizabeth: Jack, I have a surprise for you. It’s something very special.
Jack: A surprise?!
Elizabeth: Um hm.
Jack: A Mountie hat. Wow!
Elizabeth: This is your daddy’s Mountie hat.
Jack: Can I wear it if I’m very, very careful?
Elizabeth: Of course you can. You can wear it any time you like. [places the hat on his head]
Jack: How do I look?
Elizabeth: You look… you look just like your daddy.
Erin Krakow’s face said everything as Elizabeth saw her son in Jack’s hat. If you felt a little water welling up in your eyes, you wouldn’t have been alone.
Elizabeth has had a lot of support raising Jack, but as we witnessed with Rosemary and her need for Lee, having a partner by your side to share in the joys and disappointments of life is different than support.
She’s found another man to love in Lucas, and Little Jack is building a relationship with him, too. Every time they call each other Buddy, I can’t help but imagine the first time those words change. There will no doubt come a time when Lucas calls Jack son, and Jack calls Lucas Dad.
It will not in any way fracture the connection Jack has with his birth father, but that relationship has never been tangible, either. What he shares with Lucas is.
As Jack watches Lee with Baby Girl Elizabeth Coulter, it will be natural for him to have more questions and, as his sponge of a mind grows and absorbs life experiences, to realize that Lucas is emerging as a man he can count on like a father.
While those two stories were the essence of the episode, there were a few other things to discuss, as well.
Joseph continues to care about Henry Gowen‘s well-being, and he and Bill came up with a plan to help Henry get over his guilt for his inaction, which led to the mining disaster.
Saving lives by destroying the latest mining endeavor wasn’t enough to assuage Henry’s guilt, but Joseph figured if they sentenced him nonetheless for the latter, perhaps that would do the trick.
Henry is far too intelligent to fall for it, and I giggled when he called them terrible liars but said he’d do it anyway. Henry has always been his own worst enemy, but the more support he gets from others, perhaps the more grace he’ll allow himself. Time will tell.
Nathan and Faith found the bandit. As it turns out, Scout isn’t such a bad guard dog after all, and how he barked at the young man and his shady actions in town gave Nathan pause.
The kid almost bolted when he saw the look on Nathan’s face, but he fell up the stairs of the mercantile, injuring his hand. Faith swooped in, and as the story unfolded, the discovery was made.
Nathan: You know, in my experience, a thief is good at two things, stealing a lying, and this one only seems good at the latter.
Thief: I’m pretty bad at both, and you’re right. If I’d known you two were from around here, I wouldn’t have shown my face.
Nathan: Yeah, you would have just robbed another mercantile.
Faith: People make mistakes, and we can give them a second chance. Sometimes they’ll surprise you.
Nathan and Faith chose to give him a second chance, and in doing so, the conversation naturally brought up the fact that they, too, were giving each other a second chance. Is romance on the horizon? It sure seems like it.
If you watch When Calls the Heart online, you know people are moving into Hope Valley left and right, and now that the young man will be working off his theft with Ned and Florence, it’s possible his family won’t be far behind.
Well, a little word of advice, Jamie. If you want the other kids to like you, you’ve got to show that you like them.
Bill
Speaking of newcomers, Bill is still nurturing Jamie, urging him to find friends. He’s coaching him in basketball and offering great advice.
Well, a little word of advice, Jamie. If you want the other kids to like you, you’ve got to show that you like them.
Bill
Madeline St. John is still acting better than the Hope Valley residents, but part of it is her way of flirting with Bill. It appears to be working, as Bill’s demeanor changes the longer he talks with her.
She wants to buy land, and Bill has land he’s been wishing to sell, so it’s a match made in heaven. There’s still the pesky phone call she made, but the longer it goes without mention (outside of the previously on segment), the less likely it is to be significant.
Now it’s your turn. Did you get emotional with the amazing storytelling during “Great Expectations”? The show has so much history behind it, and there were many opportunities to revisit beloved characters of the past. Share your thoughts below!
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Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on Twitter and email her here at TV Fanatic.
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