Season 12 Episode 2: You Get What You Give

Recapping Season 12 Episode 2 of When Calls the Heart

Happy Monday! Last night’s episode left me wanting more…in a good way! Let’s break down some of the main storylines in this episode.

Disclaimer: Photos and Media in this blog are the property of Hallmark Media, LLC.

Overall Thoughts

Often Episode 2 falls short because of the excellent premieres. As expected, this episode was underwhelming but that is not a bad thing per se. There were certainly high and low points to this episode but overall it was a solid set-up for future episodes. (Thanks for that reminder LadyofLetters26!) The set-up episodes are important because they set the scene for the coming episodes. Based on what we see in this episode I think it’s safe to say it will be a wildly fun ride with lots of ups and downs.

Nathan & Elizabeth

I have seen some rumblings online about the lack of Nathan & Elizabeth and romantic moments. I will never complain about Nathan & Elizabeth being on my screen but I disagree with the “not enough” statements. Would I have liked Nathan & Elizabeth to have more scenes? Sure, I won’t say “no” to more of my favorite couple on my TV screen! But I digress. I appreciate seeing a more domestic side of Nathan & Elizabeth because it is more realistic. Seeing them come together as pillars of the community to serve the community in different ways sets a great example for their children. It also shows Nathan & Elizabeth as a unified front and further strengthens their relationship. I am a hopeless romantic, but romance is more than kissing and one-on-one dates. At least in my opinion!

Nathan & Allie individually seek advice from Elizabeth early in the episode. Elizabeth gives Allie some sage advice when she feels left out of the conversation with Angela and Emily. It seems Allie is searching for a purpose. Elizabeth says, “Journeys don’t always start with a destination.” That is profound advice! Allie doesn’t have to know what she wants to do now. I felt like Elizabeth was telling her to enjoy the journey and that the destination would come. Then Nathan asks Elizabeth about Cadet Oliver and she suspects he needs more confidence and suggests giving him a win. Elizabeth was right again! Oliver needed a win and Nathan provided many “wins” throughout the episode.

The Grant-Thornton Family dinner is a scene I will have on replay forever. Forgive me for rambling about the domestic feel of this episode! I loved the domestic feeling of this episode and this scene only added to that feeling! Nathan & Elizabeth’s only kiss in this episode takes place at the end of the episode during this scene. The kiss felt natural and perfectly placed. I cannot think of another part in the episode where a kiss would have been appropriate. The pose at the end (pictured above) is my favorite. All I can say is LOVE LOOKS GOOD ON THEM! I have never seen two fictional characters so in tune and over the moon in love with one another. Nathan & Elizabeth are taking in life and not rushing which is exactly what I wanted for this season.

Is it just me, or did it feel like “Mom and Dad” were watching the children play after a holiday meal? It felt PERFECT, and I am so thankful it was not rushed or chopped up! My imagination is going wild because I can SEE Nathan and Elizabeth married, with another little one playing outside with Allie and Little Jack while they watch from the kitchen window.

A Mountie Win

Cadet Oliver is quick to offer a “loss” but Nathan gives him a “win.” My Most Memorable Moment for Episode 2 is Nathan telling Cadet Oliver to “take the win.” The following is from my Instagram post this morning:

“I thought this moment with Nathan & Cadet Oliver was memorable in many ways. What I loved the most is how open and caring Nathan was towards Oliver. Nathan said “take the win” and that really struck a chord with me. Sometimes we get in our own way of success and I suspect Oliver tends to do that in his Mountie training. It’s fine to “take the win” and enjoy each moment of happiness and success. I’m glad Oliver took the win and experienced a Grant-Thornton & Mountie Dinner.”

Expanding on what I wrote above, I appreciated Nathan highlighting Oliver's strengths. I predict Oliver’s diligence with the case files will be beneficial in solving the Modern Mystery promoted this season!

Another theory of mine is that Hargraves is not that bad. I admit it does appear he has a vendetta or bias against Nathan. However, it is no secret Nathan was not welcomed to Hope Valley with open arms. I imagine that left him feeling like an outcast or unable to live up to Jack’s memory. I think Hargraves knows this about Nathan and even suggested that with his comment about replacing Jack in the last episode. I would guess Oliver is likely an outcast among the other Mountie recruits. Which is why I feel that Nathan is the perfect fit to train him. Instead of kicking Oliver out of the Mountie training program, I suspect Hargraves gives him to Nathan to train. Nathan’s relatability to Oliver gives him compassion yet sternness when needed to steer him in the right direction. Again, despite Hargraves’s continued dislike for Nathan, I cannot help but wonder if he is not as bad as we think. I predict that by the end of the season, Oliver will graduate from the Mounties 

Marriage Troubles

I love Mike & Mei but I wish their “bickering” was not sprinkled throughout the episode. I hoped to see more tension and satisfactory resolution versus a ping-pong game of “I’m sorry.” Their honeymoon did not go as planned adding to unnecessary drama, unfortunately. I do not have a problem with the conflict being the leaky pipes and soaking furniture in the house. But the main conflict was “who left the window open.” It was silly and the levity was unnecessary since Rosemary had that covered. I would have liked to see the main conflict revolve around moving in together and adjusting to life as a married couple. Also, perhaps having that carry over to another episode. I am not saying to go the distance Jesse and Clara did with their marital fight because that was too much. Anyway, I hope for deeper storylines with them instead of superficial ones. Their relationship is more than a plot device for levity when other characters experience significantly deeper storylines.

Notable Happenings in Episode 2

• Rosemary’s radio show launches and interviews Hope Valley Citizens

• The kids are still obsessed with the comic books

• Elizabeth takes the class outside to learn about nature

• Henry recruits the kids to help with the hazelnuts and pays them in comic books

• Henry and Joseph go into the hazelnut business together

• Emily is quite the budding businesswoman

• Edie Martel is introduced as the new attorney and poses a difficult problem for Lucas.

• Problems in politics is how I would describe Lucas’s storyline.

Coming later this week: I have many thoughts on the bullet points above but that will be a separate blog post later this week.

Here is my Episode 1 Recap if you missed it!

Season 12 Episode 1: The Mountie Way

Thank you for reading my brief Episode 2 recap! I will post more later in the week on the notable happenings I listed previously.

SHARE your thoughts and predictions in the comments below! Let me know if there is anything in particular YOU want me to cover in detail that I missed here.