As more things unravel about the past, I become more curious about where that’ll take our present-day Landrys. Will the secrets slowly eat away at what they thought they knew, or will they embrace it? Only time will tell how everything will play out. When time travel is involved, there’s no telling what will happen.
The Way Home season 4 picked up right where season 3 left off, but somehow we ended up with even more questions. Along with the unknown, Jacob broke ours and Del’s hearts by leaving Port Haven to find himself. Meanwhile, Del is discovering things about Colton while also watching her daughter and granddaughter succeed in life and move off the farm.
Elliot and Fern’s storylines take center stage as we learn how the 1920s connect to Tessa’s whereabouts. Episode 2 led me to believe that Fern is hiding more than she’s telling Kat. Hopefully, as the season goes on, we’ll uncover Fern’s secrets and Tessa’s time-traveling trip details.
The end of an era
We pick up where we left off in episode 2 as Alice and Colton hurry up to the farmhouse to confront Griffin. While Alice is worried she’ll impose, Griffin walks outside to greet them. He mistakes Alice for Del as Fern comes outside raving about her beautiful boy being home, even though Colton is a far cry from happy. He's upset that Griffin missed his milestones and didn’t stay to help with the farm. But being the cool older brother, Griffin charms away his shortcomings, which bugs Colton even more.
Fern jokes about going way back with Alice (to earlier this morning) as the boys seem confused. Alice declines Fern’s offer to join the family reunion as she watches them walk into the farmhouse. Griffin walks back out to see Alice running towards the fields, smirking as if he knows something.
Alice returns to the 1970s, where she finds Colton, Del, and Evelyn having a picnic in the field. She watches from a distance with a sad look on her face as she sees Evelyn’s baby is far past the newborn stage. Fern comes up behind her, revealing she’s been gone far too long. Alice has been gone for 2 years (1978), while Griffin has been gone almost as long.
Alice visits Evelyn, who questions her whereabouts and why she’s revealed her son is still a baby. As she tries to apologize, Evelyn assures her she hasn’t been alone. Colton has been helping, and surprisingly, Del has grown on her due to her being really good with babies. Now that her mom is babysitting, she grabs Alice’s hand to go find some fun. To no surprise, they end up at Coyle’s.
When Alice finally confronts her about being real about her feelings, Evelyn reveals how alone she really was after her breakup. Yet Lewis, her son, filled that hole. She wants to prove she’s still her, and Alice reveals she’s still the coolest with motherhood suiting her well. The waitress introduces herself as Tessa, leaving both Alice and me shocked.
She uncovers that she did meet Tessa years ago at Coyle’s when she gave her the best advice. Port Haven holds a special place in her heart, so she returned and was hired on by Jay. I love that she quotes Alice in Wonderland about Alice’s traveling being unknown and all the best. Those books really do mean something throughout time.
Alice witnesses Vic finally asking Tessa on a date. Their interaction reveals that at one time, someone brought out his softer side. Honestly, it’s the sweetest thing ever. There really was a time before everything went bad. As Alice says goodbye to Colton with promises of a future jam session, she catches Tessa removing something from the cash register and putting it in her apron.
Alice watches from a distance as Del and Colton talk about trying for three years and worrying each month why it isn’t happening for them. Del’s struggling with being around Evelyn and Lewis when she’s struggling to have a baby of her own.
Alice returns to the present to tell Del about her travels to 1978. She lies and says she didn’t find anything out but instead spent time with Evelyn and Colton. Del sadly says that she guesses she wasn’t there. They wish she would have gotten to be friends in 1978. Alice confesses that she’s sad that she can’t grow up with the 1970s teens but is glad she got to see Del and Colton’s plans and Evelyn’s son.
Elliot learns the truth
Del tells Kat and Elliot that she wouldn’t be surprised if more family members could time-travel. Griffin was charismatic like Tessa, which is why they got along so well. Del suspected Tessa and Griffin were having an affair, which explained why her letter said she jumped for love. Del reveals that she saw Griffin many times after Tessa left. But whatever happened, Griffin probably holds some answers, so they need to find him.
Alice walks in, revealing that she met Griffin during his big return. She immediately jumps at the chance to go back to 1976 to find out more for Elliot's sake. Del tries to apologize, but Elliot isn’t hearing it. He’s over the number of secrets this family keeps and how they destroy them time and time again. He storms out as Kat tries to comfort her mom.
Elliot offers Kat a weekend away so they can relax and stop obsessing over the past. They enter the cabin to find it is anything but cozy, with all the fish on the walls. Plus, they are out of cell service. Elliot pulls out the ring box as Kat walks away, hoping all the fish and his contact for the cabin doesn't ruin this for him. Oh goodness, I hope not because Kat is getting tired of waiting, and this could finally be the moment.
Of course, Kat finds a history book about Grayson Goodwin and all he did for Port Haven. The fire is a bust, so they go for a walk, leaving the book and all its secrets in the cabin for now. That doesn’t last long because she can’t get over all the unanswered questions about Tessa. She questions why Elliot believes the lies because he can’t have two bad parents. Kat agrees to put the past talk to bed and focus on only them because that is all they need.
As Elliot tells Kat he isn’t worried about leaving for a couple of days, it’s obvious he should be, as Vic confronts Del and Sam about what they’ve been telling Elliot. He doesn’t seem happy at all. Vic demands to know what trash Del filled Elliot’s head with about his mother, but the truth doesn’t set him free. Instead, when Del reveals that she thought Tessa left Vic to be with Griffin, Vic goes silent and storms out. I’ve never seen his character so quiet; it’s unsettling.
Vic bonds with Elliot
As Kat and Elliot are finally having a moment with Elliot almost showing her the ring, their phones start dinging with cell service. Fifteen missed calls reveal that Vic is back in town.
Vic joins Del and Sam for dinner to say what they need to say. Even though it’s not an easy time to rehash. He still tries to remember the good times between him and Tessa despite how hard it was losing her. Despite everything, Vic thanks Del for dinner and he reveals they were friends because of Tessa keeping them together. They are sad they are the only ones left from that era of time. He regrets not sharing more; they can’t protect him any longer.
They laugh about Elliot not doing anything with that ring yet, which makes me smile. They are almost normal, and maybe it is the beginning of a fresh start, seeing how they both want the best for their kids. As they clink glasses, Elliot and Kat burst in, but Elliot isn’t happy about the reunion and storms back out.
Back at his house, Kat encourages Elliot to hear his dad out. Then she moves back to their conversation about expanding their family and that it’s not closed but to be continued. Vic confesses he felt like Tessa didn’t think he was fit to parent. He’s glad he knows why, or more so, who she left them for, explaining why Vic has never been a huge fan of the Landrys.
Sadly, Vic knows Tessa passed because she sent a letter to tell him she didn’t have long, and it felt like punishment for all she’d done. When Elliot questions how he knows it is from his mom, Vic tells him Tessa sent the Augustine ring back with that letter. It breaks my heart that he realizes she didn’t come back, even when she was dying. Sweetly, Vic wishes Tessa had stayed and wonders why it wasn't enough for her to stay. Elliot shows him the picture of him and her from when he was a baby, but Vic doesn’t remember the photo. Vic only knows he loves her so much, which breaks my heart even more for him and Elliot.
Vic hopes Elliot and Kat visit him and his wife sometime. He wishes Elliot luck on his future because it has all been leading to him ending up with Kat. The clock chimes at only 11:11 because Vic says Tessa told them to make a wish. As he leaves, he tells Elliot to make a wish. Meanwhile, Del wonders where Kat has disappeared to as her phone call goes to voicemail.
Alice’s friend group
Noah reveals his restaurant plans to Alice and Max. Although they are supportive, they are also worried about his long-term goals. Nevertheless, Alice wants to support her boyfriend even though they’ll be starting long-distance much sooner than before. As the season goes on, Elliot's thinking that Max resembles him as a teen makes much more sense. Max is definitely the third wheel who may also be falling for his best friend, but only time will tell as they are off to bigger and better things beyond Port Haven.
Max is also worried that his best friends can’t make their long-distance relationship work because he loves them and wants the best for them. Alice assures him that not everything has to change, even though that’s what happened to her parents and Elliot after high school. The unspoken worry is all over her face.
Max finds Alice at the pond as she worries about where her mom is. He apologizes to her for overstepping in her relationship. He pivots to ask about the swimming hole (the pond) and always being damp. He grabs her hand and jumps into the pond, wanting to have some summer fun. They emerge again and plan to go get some food, yet for a moment, it looks like Max wanted to confess some deep feeling.
Fern’s secrets
Kat takes the picture her mom gave her as she gives Vic and Elliot space to talk. Kat uncovers that Fern is wearing Tessa’s bracelet in her movie audition clip, revealing that she did know Tessa in 1925.
Fern is hiding some dry clothes when Kat emerges from the pond. She immediately confronts her about Tessa’s bracelet and the lies. But Fern holds steady to not knowing what Kat is talking about. Kat realizes it may not have happened yet, leaving her confused. Fern cuts the worrying off, throws her the duffel of clothes, and tells her they are late.
Kat witnesses the eccentric side of Fern as she sings and dances for a club full of people. She’s a marvel of a person and singer with all eyes on her. As her performance ends, Kat overhears the Augustines making whispered plans.
Fern reveals she knows they are related because she knows only Landrys can time-travel. She talks so openly about the pond because it has been passed down from her great-grandfather. Kat is living proof that the Landry line doesn’t end with Fern but goes generations beyond her.
Despite it all, Kat worries about Fern's safety as she tells her about the Augustines’ plans to get rid of someone. Cliff sneaks up behind them, making them throw their drinks. He’s doing them a favor since there’s a raid coming to clear out the illegal gathering Fern was just singing at. It makes her go back in to give the crown a grand finale.
Kat stops her, wondering how she knows a song that hasn't been written for more than 60 years, proving she does know someone from the future. But their conversation is cut short when Kat becomes woozy and the raid starts. As they come down, Kat faints as Fern says she doesn’t know what she’ll do with her. Kat wakes up in a 1920’s jail cell alone, calling for help, but receives nothing as we’re left with more questions.
The next episode of The Way Home airs on Hallmark Channel on May 10 at 9/8c.
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