Road to Avonlea Guide

Episode 1.6: Proof of the Pudding

Season 1

Hetty travels to the Governor's office to prevent an over-zealous lawyer from selling the King pond watering rights, leaving Sara under Felicity's authoritative command.

Writer: Suzette Couture
Director: Dick Benner
With: Paul Haddad as Theodore Simpkin and Doris Petrie as Agnes Leslie
Original CBC Airdate: February 11, 1990 
Original Disney Airdate: March 19, 1990
Run Time: 49 minutes
Time Frame: Summer 1903

Highlights / Analysis

Alec and Janet celebrate their anniversary in Charlottetown and leave Felicity in charge of the King children. Hetty travels to the Governor's office to prevent an over-zealous lawyer from selling the King pond watering rights, leaving Sara under Felicity's authoritative command.

The quarrel between Sara and Felicity that began in the first episode intensifies and produces some of the most hilarious moments in the series. Felicity's bossiness is greeted indifferently by a cherry pie in her face, courtesy of Sara Stanley.

Mishaps ensue, when Felicity mistakingly puts sawdust in her pudding, rather than cornmeal; and the Governess Agnes Leslie, is mistaken for the children's tone deaf Great Aunt Eliza. The conflict between Felicity and Sara is temporarily resolved when Felicity acknowledges her friendship with Sara.  

Memorable Quotes

"Felicity King is known throughout Avonlea for her cherry pies and sawdust pudding" -Felix King

Sap Meter: 0

Notes

(1) 'Proof of the Pudding' was the title of Chapter 17 of LMM's The Story Girl where the mistaken replacement of cornmeal for sawdust pudding was inspired. The exception was that in the Story Girl, Sara made the mistake, not Felicity. 

(2) Alec and Janet celebrate their 15th anniversary in this episode, which means they were married in 1888. 

(3) In a video segment called 'Prodigious Talent - The Kids of Avonlea,' Sullivan mentioned that 'Proof of the Pudding' was his favorite episode of Season One.  "My favorite episode of season one... I think it has to be Proof of the Pudding.  Because it's the first opportunity that the ensemble kid cast really had a chance to let loose and upstage the adult performers. It was a set with almost no adults where the kids really got to go crazy."  Zachary Bennet also mentioned in this early video that 'Proof of the Pudding' was his favorite episode.

(4) The Avonlea Chronicle discussion list held a tournament to decide the Best Avonlea Episode and ranked 'Proof of the Pudding' as the number one episode.

Grade: A+ 

Arguably the best Avonlea episode ever. No deep plot or significance. Only the simple, funny and wonderful moments that made Avonlea a truly beloved and memorable series.

 

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Comments (5)

  • Newbie

    After having now watched the later seasons, where Sara is reduced to passing notes among other characters and her own stories being dull and rehashed Felicity stories, THIS is the episode I remember. Dang Sara, what happened to you?

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  • Alanna

    Newbie

    I totally agree with you, Newbie. Sarah and her plotlines takes less and less centre stage in later seasons, compared to other characters and plotlines.

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  • Watching “Proof of the Pudding” makes me think how the lack of TV might have influenced what young people aspired to be. Felicity strives to emulate her mother, by excelling at baking, sewing, and parenting. It sounds quaint today. Back then, there was no mass media to show a different side of life to rural families. It’s no coincidence, that the Amish, who resist outside media influences, maintain a similar view of gender roles.

    Anybody else notice that Felix washes the window when it’s dark out, in the middle of the day? It was either shot at night or the back porch gets an awful lot of shade.

    Comment last edited on about 5 years ago by Timothy
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  • I suppose Felicity doesn't need TV when she's got the "Family Guide" to proper manners. I am amused how Felicity refers to various etiquette "family guide" books of the Victorian/Edwardian era in a futile effort to discipline her siblings and cousins. In this episode she uses the Canadian Homemakers Companion to criticize Felix for being a "glutton."

    That's a good observation about Felix cleaning the window. I must have just thought that it was a shaded area.

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  • Personen

    It is five times funnier when Felicity makes mistakes than if sara would, especially this Montreal Sara

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