Road to Avonlea Guide

Episode 6.4: Comings and Goings

Season 6
4.0204081632653 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 4.02 (245 Votes)
Episode 6.4: Comings and Goings - 5.0 out of 5 based on 2 votes

Hetty and Louisa suspect that Sara and Arthur are courting.

Writer: Deborah Nathan 
Director: Eleanor Lindo 
Special Guest Star: Sarah Polley as Sara Stanley and Frances Hyland as Louisa Banks, 
With: Albert Millaire as Pierre LaPierre, Zachary Ansley as Arthur Pettibone, Ian D. Clark as Simon Tremayne and Kay Tremblay as Eliza Ward 
Original CBC Airdate: February 5, 1995 
Time Frame: Summer-early fall 1909

Highlights/Analysis

Sara returns from her home in Montreal with her nanny, Louisa Banks. Hetty and Louisa begin yet another heated conflict over Sara's future. They both plan different vacations for Sara, and Sara is hesitent to tell them of her own plans for school in France.

She seeks advice from Arthur, telling him that she seeks independence. Arthur encourages her to confront her Aunt and nanny and tell them her plans. When Arthur and Sara are seen near the lighthouse together, Hetty and Louisa begin to suspect that they are courting.

Felix gets a crush on the new housing director of the White Sands hotel, Greta Steig. Izzy gets Sara to write her a 'secret admirer' letter for Felix. Felix misunderstands and believes that Greta Steig wrote the letter, and begins to pursue her. This type of story line harkens back to Sara mistaking Pat Frewen's love interest of her cousin Pigeon Plumbtree for Theodora Dixon in It's Just a Stage. 

To make matters worse, Greta mistakes Simon's complements and believes that he has romantic intentions. Felix makes a romantic rendevous to the lighthouse, expecting to see Greta but was instead shocked to find Izzy. With all the misunderstandings, it's beginning to sound a lot like a 'Threes Company' episode.

Steig is strict and conflicts with Pierre's methods of running his kitchen. When Pierre threatens to leave the hotel, Simon must fire Steig.

Sara eventually lets her intentions be known. Hetty and Louisa agree about Sara's education and Sara leaves with Louisa Banks.

Criticism

None

Rhetorical Questions

Is everybody bashing Felix or what?

Since when did Simon go from a 'lonely heart' to Casanova of the White Sands?

Memorable Quotes

"It is unseemy to be wandering about in the dark with a young man of dubious background." -Louisa Banks

"You have a secret admirer? Someone with idle wits and poor eyesight." -Felicity King (to Felix)

"Yes we know that. You behave like a jackass every time you see her." -Pierre LaPierre (to Felix)

Sap Meter: 4 

Sara and Izzy talking about romance and secret admirers.

Notes

(1) Sara had been at home in Montreal for six months, which explains her on screen absence.

(2) This marks the first time that Sarah Polley is featured as a special guest star. She makes one more appearance in the final episode So Dear To My Heart.

(3) Louisa Banks said that she wouldn't return to Rose Cottage until facilities such as the outhouse were updated in Sara's Homecoming. Apparently, she made an exception in this episode.

Grade: B

 

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Comments (6)

  • Ana

    Great episode! Rehashing the classical feud between Hetty and Nanny Louisa. Still, some great moments. RTA is not the same without Sarah Stanley.

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  • You're so right Ana. So many missed opportunities with Sara. What if Louisa and Hetty caught Arthur and Sara making out? Now that would have been something to talk about! :D

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  • Newbie

    There were exactly 286 times in this episode where Sara could have just freakin' told them that she decided to go to this French school. It's not like she was putting it off until she knew if she got in or not. She knows she's in and she knows she's going to go whatever the two elders have to say about it. Why the reluctance to just out with it? When she asks Arthur what to do he's even like.....Um, duh...tell them? But no, she frets and drama queens all over the episode and when she finally tells them they're like, Oh! That's great! Why didn't you say so!? Sigh. Told you so, Sara.

    Seriously though, I'm relieved Sara is really gone now. Which is sad as she was so dynamic in the beginning. She was so spunky and outgoing and she would satisfyingly wipe the floor with Felicity. Once the original kids turned adolescents, it's like the writers didn't know what to do with her. The usual girl growing up stories were done with Felicity and Sara had nothing to do but pass notes between characters. She became boring.

    And something is wrong with her teeth? It seems like, even as she grew up, her teeth remain child sized, like her adult teeth never came in. Maybe that's why I think she always looked like a girl playing dress up in momma's pretty clothes, intead of actually getting older. Maybe it's just me.

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  • Macy

    A great, emotional send-off for Sara. In this case, I liked that if rehashed a lot of familiar plot threads.

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  • Commenter

    In this episode we have a Scottish owner, French cook, German housekeeper, and a bunch of Islanders. Nice diversity.

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  • Sarah

    Commenter

    Just wait until Avonlea has to handle the Punjabi workers....

    1 Short URL: Reply

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