Road to Avonlea (1990)
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Heather Conkie — Writer
Episodes 17
The Story Girl Earns Her Name
Content to stay on at Rose Cottage, with her Aunt's Hetty & Olivia, Sara makes friends with Jasper Dale, 'The Awkward Man' of Avonlea. In the meantime, the school board has decided to hold a 'magic lantern' show and use the proceeds for the school library fund. The man they hire to do this show is in actuality a confidence man, who Sara inadvertently helps skip town with the money. Sara wants to put on a show to replace the missing funds and asks the help of the shy Jasper, who is an inventor and owns a 'magic lantern'. Sara gives a heartfelt recitation of ""The Little Match Girl"", and she is forever known as ""The Story Girl"", in Avonlea.
Read MoreThe Quarantine at Alexander Abraham's
A mischevious Sara and Felix sneak into grumpy old Alexander Abraham's house, on a dare, not knowing that he is ill and about to be quarantined. Avonlea busy-body, Rachel Lynde enters his house looking for his farm boy who has been skipping her Sunday School Class. All are quarantined together. Alexander is a woman hater, Rachel a 'do-gooder', and the house is an unmitigated mess. Rachel nurses Alexander through his illness, Felix too, when he falls ill. Sara helps cleans his house, and learns that there is more to life than just reading books all the time. Through the help of the children and Rachel Lynde, Alexander is no-longer a cranky old man, and somewhat less of a woman-hater. Mrs. Rachel, however, remains a 'do-gooder'.
Read MoreThe Materializing of Duncan McTavish
Everyone in Avonlea knows everything about everyone. Exasperated, Marilla Cuthbert, ""creates"" a beau for the ladies of the sewing circle. To Marilla's distress, a traveling salesman with the same name she 'made up' shows up in town. Marilla faces Duncan McTavish and tells him the truth. Realizing the predicament she is in, Duncan helps Marilla stop all of the wagging tongues in Avonlea.
Read MoreAunt Abigail's Beau
Janet King's sister, Abigail (Aunt 'Crabigail') Ward, is a fussy old maid, who lives in a spotlessly clean house. When her old beau, Malcolm McEwan comes back, rich, from the Yukon; he sets about wooing Abigail. At first she accepts, but the big man leaves such a mess, is so demonstrative, and buys her so many gifts that Abigail panics and returns his ring. Sara and Felicity are in raptures over the romance, and when they find out Malcolm is leaving town, they tell Abigail. She covers herself with Malcolm's gifts, and with Sara and Felicity holding on for dear life, races after the stage and begs Malcolm to return.
Favourite quote: ""Let Mr. MacEwan drive the buggy home."" ~Sara to Abigail (after a wild buggy ride)
Read MoreThe Blue Chest of Arabella King
aka ""The Blue Chest of Arabella King""
Arabella King, a distant relative, was jilted at the altar, and left all of her wedding finery in a chest which sits in the King Farm kitchen for years. The curious Sara and her cousins Felix and Felicity try to persuade the adults to open the chest. Upon the notification of Arabella's death, they are free to open the chest.Aunt Olivia has begun working for the newspaper and finds a story in the contents of the chest. With the help of Sara and Jasper Dale, Olivia gets her story and solves an old mystery. Jasper and Olivia also discover they share a mutual interest in one another.
Read MoreNothing Endures But Change
Blair Stanley, Sara's father, has been acquitted of fraud and he wants Sara to come home to Montreal. He returns to the island and comes up against Hetty King, who refuses to let Sara go. Aunt Hetty resents Blair Stanley 'taking' her younger sister Ruth away from the family and then 'letting' her die, because of their fast city life-style. Sara in heartbroken, afraid of losing the family she has grown to love and losing her fathers love, because she wants to stay in Avonlea. Trying to reason with Hetty and Blair leaves her further frustrated, and so Sara runs away and hides, hoping to unite the families. Instead it sparks more antagonism. When she is finally found, Sara defiantly argues with Blair, and not paying attention to where she is walking, loses her footing and falls from the top loft of the barn. Hetty & Blair, frightened of almost losing Sara, decide to talk over their differences and call a truce to their fighting. Sara is allowed to stay on the island.
Read MoreSara's Homecoming
Sara returns to Montreal, to live with her father, but a tragic accident causes her return to the island. Once only motherless, Sara finds her self suddenly orphaned and searching for answers. A traveling circus is in Avonlea and Peter takes her, hoping to cheer her up. Instead, Sara decides to visit the fortune teller, who claims to communicate with the deceased. Sara's life is placed in danger and it is Uncle Alec who saves the day.
Read MoreDreamer of Dreams
Bored with everyday life, the King cousins decide to create their own newspaper. This helps to keep them entertained and goes quite well, until the children's ""made up"" advice column (Madame X) gets mixed up with the Avonlea Chronicles real news. Olivia, working as a reporter for the Chronicle, and temporarily acting as editor, is hard put to defend herself for the column mix-up. Then, the Chronicle office is robbed and it is up to Jasper Dale to catch the thief and exonerate Olivia.
Favourite quote: ""Snoring is boring."" ~Madame X
Read MoreMisfits and Miracles
Archie Gillis challenges Alec King, by refusing many who want to play ice hockey, a place on the Avonlea team. Alec starts a team of his own with the 'misfits' that Archie refused. With the help of Miss Stacy and Peg Bowen, after Alec sprains his back and can't play, the 'Misfits' show Archie Gillis and his 'Avengers' a thing or two. Back at King Farm, Janet is in need of help when the baby arrives sooner than expected, and Sara is there to help after the capable Felicity passes out.
Read MoreThe Ties That Bind (aka Sister of the Bride)
aka ""The Ties That Bind"" Hetty takes over the plans for Olivia and Jasper's wedding, changing the small intimate ceremony they planned into a three-ring-circus. Jasper & Olivia want to elope; Janet is forced to do all of the work; the wedding ring is lost; the wedding gown arrives three times too big; and Hetty and Olivia are not speaking to each other. Here comes the bride...
Read MoreFelix and Blackie
Alec wants to sell Blackie, an aging farm horse and somewhat of a pet of Felix, after he purchases a new horse. Felix won't hear of it and decides to start a delivery business, with Sara's help, to pay for Blackie's feed. Felix is teased by the local business men and makes a foolish wager. This causes heartbreak for young Felix, and then a new beginning.
Read MoreFriends and Relations
Sisters Janet and Abilgail, and Olivia and Hetty, spend the day at an auction, and the men, Jasper, Alec and Felix, all go ice fishing. Before the afternoon is over the women are not on speaking terms. Alec, Gus and Jasper try to deal with questions from Felix on ""life"" and ""women and men, together"". Gus talks to Jasper about what it feels like to be in love. The day ends with the women out looking for Abigail's son Lucky, whom they believe is out lost in a snow storm and the men go looking for the women. A joyous reunion takes place in the woods, before they all retire to the King Farm for warmth and renewed feeling for each other, and Jasper makes a toast, to friends...and relations.
Read MoreOld Friends, Old Wounds
It is heartbreak at Green Gables when Marilla Cuthbert dies suddenly, and leaves no will. The assumption is that Anne would always inherit Green Gables from the Cuthberts. When Gilbert Blythe arrives in Avonlea and tries to buy Green Gables it is too late, one of the neighbors has bought it. Rachel Lynde and the children are now homeless, unless Rachel can make friends with the new owner. A man who ""hates"" Rachel. Rachel has to learn to ""mind her tongue"" if she wants a to continue to live at Green Gables.
Read MoreThe Dinner (aka Felicity's Grand Design)
Now 16, Felicity, decides that a romantic evening with Gus is what their relationship needs. She schemes to empty the house so she and Gus can dine alone. Gus has no idea that they are to dine alone. Alec and Janet return home, from dinner at the White Sands, and although the situation that the two young lovebirds are caught in is totally innocent, Gus is banished. Sara tries to help, but it only makes matters worse. Gus faces Alec, man to man, and asks for permission to ""See, Felicity, in the open, and with your blessin'"". Alec agrees.
Read MoreFathers and Sons
Felix must decide where his future lies; the farm or the hotel. The choice is too difficult and Felix rebels. He is too tired to work well at either the farm or hotel; and gives up his job. Alec, seeing how unhappy Felix is, urges him to resume working at the hotel. Felix befriends a millionaire, who teaches him the importance of Fathers and Sons and how to ""talk"" to his father.
Read MoreMemento Mori
The family is planning a 50th birthday party for Hetty. Her publisher, no longer wants ""Romance"" novels from her. Muriel Stacey returns to town and takes over the general store. When Hetty succumbs to appendicitis, her out look on life changes. She decides to write about what she knows; her childhood and the beauty of the island.
This episode is Heather Conkie's shining moment as a writer for 'Avonlea', as we are given insight to the young Hetty King
Read MoreTotal Eclipse
The adults are away from King Farm when a solar eclipse is to take place. Cecily accidentally destroys money meant for charity and must replace it. Felix comes up with the scheme of renting out the farm house as a hotel; to replace the money and to show Simon Tremayne that he would make a good assistant manager at the hotel. Jasper's cousin Selina becomes infatuated with one of the guests, an Italian professor. When Janet arrives home, the place is in chaos.
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