Critic’s Rating: 4.4 / 5.0
4.4
Many new mysteries began in Hope Valley, including discerning a suspicious heiress’s motives.
When Calls the Heart, Season 12 Episode 5 was fun and mysterious because several characters tried to play personas that weren’t themselves.
This worked for Nathan, who looked handsome and confident as a high-roller poker player. It didn’t work either for Allie, who couldn’t fit in with a bad boy, or for Ava, who had difficulty fooling the locals with her poor me routine.
However, the storylines were entertaining as they explored the characters’ motivations and relationship dynamics.
When Calls the Heart Season 12 has still improved dramatically with better writing.
Nathan’s James Bond Scenario Added Humor and Intrigue to the Train Robbery
The great American train robbery has added humor to this season. We’ve never seen much of Jed, but watching Rosemary and Bill interrogate him was hilarious. Who knew Jed was a card shark?
It gave Nathan the idea of going undercover, but the problem was Nathan didn’t look like he would blend in at a High Roller’s club. He acted too much like a cop.
Rosemary’s fashion sense saved the day since she created a new character, Danny DeMarco, a rare coin collector with a nonchalant attitude for him.
You had to laugh at how Rosemary and Bill trained Nathan to walk and act. It reminded me of girls attending finishing school. He had to be frustrated, but Elizabeth thought he looked dashing before heading to Union City.
Nathan barely had to act since he had to play poker horribly so that Toddy would reveal some more antiques. He played close to the vest, and luckily, Toddy gave Nathan his business card.
We’re unsure if that poker game ended the undercover investigation or if Nathan and Bill have more tricks up their sleeves.
Elizabeth and Allie’s Relationship Shifted as Allie Experienced Her First Heartbreak
Elizabeth and Allie have always been close, but their relationship is a bit more complicated now that Nathan and Elizabeth are dating.
Allie has longed for a maternal figure for years, but Elizabeth doesn’t want to overstep since Allie had a mom, and Allie and Nathan have been a team for years.
Things became messier when Nathan expressed his displeasure about Allie dating Wyatt. Elizabeth didn’t want to get involved, but she discovered Wyatt didn’t return Allie’s feelings and tried to warn her.
Unfortunately, Elizabeth’s gut reaction was correct. Nothing made a teenage girl go straight to a bad faster than parental disapproval. Wyatt’s response to Allie reminded me of Almanzo’s of Laura on Little House on the Prairie when he thought of her as a lovely young friend.
Experiencing her first heartbreak was part of growing up, but it hurt. It helped that Allie had a home to run to, but she longed to call Elizabeth “mama” as Little Jack did. It was a step in the right direction that they dropped Mrs. Thornton at home.
Allie should hang out with Oliver instead since they are closer in age and get excited over similar subjects. Or would that be too incestuous since he’s like family now?
What Was the Heiress’s Real Motive for Visiting Hope Valley?
From the minute she arrived in Hope Valley, something was off about Ava, and naturally, everyone believed her sob story.
It seemed suspicious that Ava’s trunks were stolen from the train station, yet she agreed to stay at the saloon and charged a massive bill. Who orders steak and shrimp on someone else’s tab and then orders a round of drinks?
She had no problem with either, though Mike grew suspicious. So did Nathan when he learned her story matched Elizabeth’s origin story, but he wasn’t in town to do much.
It was challenging to decipher whether Ava was an avid fan of Elizabeth’s, a dangerous stalker, or merely wanted to take advantage of all of them and was connected to the robbery.
Nothing about her seemed sincere. She told Elizabeth she wanted to teach school but acted silly on an outdoor field trip, and the older girls were shocked.
We loved seeing Tiera Skovbye on screen again, and she’ll likely be back, as it didn’t feel like Ava’s journey was over yet. We’d like to know her true motives.
We Love How Fiona Encouraged the Men to Meddle in Their Friends’ Lives
Having Fiona (Kayla Wallace) back was so entertaining that I wished she could return in a larger capacity. It almost seemed like she was also settling or playing a persona when she agreed to get married.
Fiona has always been passionate about helping other women, so she believed she could do more as a married woman.
However, Fiona got plenty done on her own. She was the one who was horrified by the tension between Lucas and Lee and encouraged Joseph and Mike to meddle to reunite their friends.
Why couldn’t they have thought of that on their own? I’m unsure, but their idea was amusing, as they were leaving Lucas and Lee by the lake with no horses to return home.
The men were forced to communicate and hear why the other was hurt and upset.
Naturally, Lee felt betrayed that Lucas listened to Edwin and thought of announcing his plan to split the land without discussing it with him.
On the other hand, Lee hasn’t been very approachable, so he left Lucas in mind. Hopefully, now that they hashed things out, they can work together again for the better good.
Over to you, Hearties. Did you enjoy Nathan’s undercover mission? What do you think Ava’s true intentions are?
We would love to know your thoughts, so please share them with us in the comments.
Watch When Calls the Heart Online
