Following in the excellence that was the S15 premiere episode, "Runaway" also has all the elements of a classic Heartland episode in all the right proportions: drama, humor, romance, and family togetherness.
A thread that will obviously run through this season is this mysterious rash of break-ins happening in Hudson. Disgraced ballplayer Sam Langston's place is the latest to be hit, and during the nighttime robbery, the wild black stallion gets loose and runs away. Far from writing off the wildie, Sam apparently has a soft spot for him and ropes Amy in to try to track him down. (One wonders if Sam has his own designs on widow Amy at this point. Hmm. Time will tell.)
Much of the episode revolves around the hunt-and-chase for this stallion, including a harrowing highway pursuit with Sam behind the wheel. The stallion was destined for an overseas meat market ("That's a thing?!" Sam's incredulous question was so great because it showed his shock and then disgust at what was going to happen to the stallion, and a few others unfortunately caught by the kill buyers.) Fortunately, Sam's notoriety/fame helped convince the star-struck horse-trailer driver to admit what was going on with the captured horses, and eventually led to the recovery of the stallion.
The other big plot was about Lisa taking a cue from Jack's recent acquisition of Mitch's herd. She's taken on a big investment in a horse—Platinum Bow—that apparently has legs that could win the Kentucky Derby. She outbids her nearest competitor to the tune of 800K. (The look on Jack's face was priceless as he watched the bidding process unfold.) Unfortunately, Bow almost immediately presents with some troubling medical problems, and OH MY GOSH is that SCOTT??!
Yes, ladies and gents, that's the good Dr. Cardinal gracing our screens again, looking better than ever. He checks Bow over, initially diagnosing mild colic, but also discovers inflamed hooves, which could indicate laminitis. Uh-oh. Is Lisa's big investment turning out to be a big dud?!
With all this going on in the lives of the Bartlett-Fleming clan, the problem of childcare for Lyndy is becoming a bone of contention. Lisa is starting to really feel taken for granted (and I'm surprised it's taken her this long to reach boiling point). Katie and tag-along pal Parker make a case for being allowed to baby-sit ("I know how to do baby CPR" Katie declares at one point), but busy Madame Mayor Lou isn't quite sold on the idea.
Thankfully, the girls have an ally in mayoral assistant Rick, who helps them put together a very polished proposal for Lou to peruse that highlights their (untested) babysitting skills. (LOL at the "TRAGIC" sticky note one of the girls taped to his back for all his efforts to help them. Silly girls.)
Other plots of note: Caleb has brought the rodeo school into the 21st century in Tim's six-month absence (more on that later), and Jessica Cook is feeling cooped up in the loft (we got a "previously on Heartland" scene showing her with Tim in the loft—a scene we actually did not previously see, thanks, editors of the Ep. 1501... grumble). She's also feeling a bit down, because her photography submissions to an art gallery in Calgary were rejected. Tim, however, encourages her to keep trying, even if it means starting small in little old Hudson.
Jessica convinces a skeptical and mildly jealous Lou to allow her to display and sell her photos in Maggie's. After selling a few, Jessica decides she wants more exposure and puts up a booth outside the diner. People flock to it, but she's soon shut down by a bylaw officer. Now, I admit I initially thought Madame Mayor Lou had sabotaged Jessica's booth, but she had nothing to do with this one. In fact, Lou even feels sorry for Jessica, and suggests her new stepmother take her booth to the Dude Ranch and sell to the guests there. Jessica isn't keen at first, but by the end of the episode, she's run with the idea and turns it into an art market, inviting other local artists to display their wares. When it attracts tourists from Hudson, Lou graciously accepts it was a good idea that Jessica overstepped her bounds, and admits she's kicking herself for not thinking of doing an art market herself.
Caleb and the Rodeo School. The students love the easy-going cowboy, but his nice-guy schtick has led the students to be a bit lazy and their performances in competition have suffered for it. Seeing this, Tim decides it's not time to hang up his spurs quite yet. He wants to keep going with the school, and will play bad-cop to Caleb's good-cop to make the students the best they can be. Oh, and Tim even THANKS Caleb for his good work (even though he initially hated the change from paper forms to an online system, and his new "holistic" approach to rodeoing).
Side note: Marriage seems to agree with Tim. I haven't seen him this mellow and emotionally balanced since, well, ever. He's still got a bit of brashness to him (see how he handled Sam and the truck driver hauling the horses as proof), but he's also not nearly as insufferable as he used to be.
By the close of the episode, Jack has read his granddaughters the riot act over how they've been treating Lisa, and they come to fully realise just how much they've disregarded Lisa's own busy life and issues. It's a talk that's been a long time coming, in my opinion, and Lou and Amy thankfully take it to heart. The girls pay a visit to Fairfield to check in on Lisa and Platinum Bow, express their gratitude for all Lisa has done for them over the years, and that things will be different from now on (they've agreed to let Katie and Parker try this babysitting thing). It's a lovely little scene between these three characters I think a lot of us have been hoping to see ever since Lisa married Jack and moved in to Heartland.
It turns out Bow has Potomac Horse Fever, something that at his young age he should be able to recover from. In any case Amy has brought along a gift (or peace-offering, whichever way you wish to look at it) of some immune-boosting herbs for his feed.
Despite this less-than-auspicious start, Jack wants to toast Lisa's new horse. They share a little champagne on the back of Goldie 2.0 in the afternoon sun, and it's just a lovely relaxing scene between the two. Nope, they're not going to be retiring until they're MUCH, MUCH older, they pledge. 🙂 Love it, and I hope this dream is fulfilled.
Final thoughts: warm welcome to the Heartland family to Baye McPherson. It can't be easy stepping into a role that's been occupied by four kids prior to you, but you're doing a fine job as the "new" Katie. And to all those who think you're looking too grown up for the role, all I have to say is this: Have they even seen your on-screen "parents"? 🤣 I look forward to seeing more of your shenanigans with Ava Tran's Parker and the Spencer twins' Lyndy.
So YAY for another beautiful episode, and I eagerly anticipate next week's show.
