The Way Home Season 3, Episode 5 Review: ‘Reeling in the Years’

The Way Home Season 3, Episode 5, “Reeling in the Years” Spoilers Ahead

It’s been a (mostly) cozy season so far. So we should’ve known the drama was coming — though maybe not this much? The Way Home‘s “Reeling in the Years” digs up pretty much everyone’s past in uncomfortable ways. Some of it is fantastic character work. Some of it deepens the lore. And some of it, well, some of it just gives me a headache!

Here’s where the pond takes us for The Way Home Season 3, Episode 5, “Reeling in the Years.”

Elliot and the No Good Very Bad Episode

Everything has been pretty rosy for Elliot throughout the first four episodes. So it’s time to stress him out again in The Way Home Season 3, Episode 5, “Reeling in the Years!” Kat and Elliot are, once again, making up for those lost teenage years (aka: making out on the couch in the middle of the day) when an unexpected visitor arrives. Or rather, unexpected for Elliot but totally expected for us. Yep, Emma is here! She’s a professional violinist and dropped by to check on Elliot after Vic hassled her over the ring. Everyone is very polite and extremely uncomfortable. And it gets even weirder when a totally-fine-with-it Kat invites Emma to join Del’s birthday party.

There, Elliot gets trapped in one of my least favorite narrative devices: selective overhearing. Kat and Brady are discussing Kat’s move, and Kat assures Brady that if Alice needs her, she can always move back. Unfortunately, Elliot only catches the end of the conversation where Kat says her move can be “just temporary.” And by the end of the episode, he’s left at home again while Kat goes pond-hopping.

Elliot doesn’t directly confront Kat about what he overheard, but he does ask to have a conversation about all the “weirdness” since Emma’s arrival. He finally reveals the truth behind their short-lived marriage. Deep down, he always knew where he would end up and loved Kat. But one day, he saw Kat and Brady, seemingly happy, at a restaurant. The sight drove him to try to make the most of what he could, and he impulsively proposed. The marriage didn’t last, but he and Emma stayed amicable. He even invites her in for tea later while the Landrys pond-jump.

The contrast between the nervous, self-loathing Elliot of the past and the stable, wiser Elliot of the present is huge. Past El wouldn’t have opened up this conversation or told Kat that he understands why she feels compelled to keep time-traveling; he’d have repressed it and sulked. Yay for growth!

A Perfect Love Story… Or Maybe Not?

We’re spending a lot of time deconstructing the “fairytale” of Del and Colton. Last week, Del started questioning if Colton had been hiding things (that is, time travel) from her for decades. The Way Home Season’s “Reeling in the Years” keeps us on that path. In 1974, Alice explores Lingermore with Evelyn. Among other things, Evie reveals that family lore says a Goodwin ancestor kept his wife locked in the attic. Also, Cassandra (awfully similar to Casey?) is a Goodwin name!

Colton and, later, Del soon join them, and they break out the Ouija board. Things get weird when Evie asks the ghost of “Cassandra” to join them. Instead, they get spooky messages like “Fire” and “Blame” — and it’s definitely implied to be Rick’s ghost instead. This is far more supernatural than The Way Home has gotten so far. Evelyn and Alice also find Susanna’s “My Katherine” painting in the attic, although Evie (obviously) doesn’t know the significance.

In the present, Del argues with Alice when Alice brings up Evelyn. Del insists she didn’t know about Evelyn’s feelings for Colton, and she snaps at Alice to “stay out of my memories.” Sam overhears the end of the conversation, and Del opens up to him (except for the time travel). She reveals that she hates her birthday because of the memories. After leaving Port Haven in 1974, she was lonely and miserable. So, she made a “selfish choice — a choice that left other people no choice at all.” Now, Del fears that Alice will think less of her when she learns the truth. It’s a neat parallel to last season, where Kat (and Elliot) dreaded Alice’s discovery of the Lingermore party. And it also suggests we’ll finally get the backstory behind that tense Season 2 scene between Evelyn and Del in the ’90s.

Music Tells the Real Story

In the 1970s, Kat hears young Colton sing an old folk song about a doomed almost-love affair. The lyrics raise her suspicions for sounding oddly specific about her and Thomas. The discovery has Kat doing what she does best (or worst): dwelling on the past — even to the point of having a fairly intense dream about Thomas.

It’s not the only song affecting our characters in The Way Home Season 3 Episode 5, “Reeling in the Years,” though. During Del’s birthday party, Emma and Alice (with an assist from Elliot) perform out of the old songbook. Kat and Jacob quickly notice the lyrics: a town under a curse, a witch getting the blame, and said witch vanishing when the town attempts to hang her for her crimes. The party pretty much screeches to a halt as Kat, Jacob, and Elliot try to figure out the truth.

Rita mentions a bit of her town tour trivia about the “year without a summer,” when a far-off volcanic eruption polluted the skies and led to supernatural rumors. Referencing the 1816 date on both songs, Elliot realizes Susanna’s journals completely skip that year. Kat and Jacob fear that Susanna is the “witch,” and they decide to try to jump back to help her. With “I love yous” to Alice and Elliot, Kat heads off with Jacob, and the pond lets them through.

When they arrive, the skies are apocalyptic-red, and the Landry farm is abandoned. Heading into town, they see Cyrus Goodwin emerging from church with his bride. And kudos to everyone who theorized that Susanna would be forced to marry Cyrus after all — you win! Susanna spots the Landry siblings watching her from afar… and the camera shifts view to show us that Thomas, too, is watching.

Reopening Past Chapters

I’m gonna be honest with you, friends: I’m having very mixed feelings about reopening the 1800s storyline. On the one hand, it’s wonderful to see the extremely talented cast back again! I’m also intrigued by how it’s weaving in with the 1970s. We’re clearly meant to assume (for now, at least) that Susanna was the tragic wife locked in the Lingermore attic. And I think we can guess that either Susanna or, more likely, Kat is the vanishing witch in the song.

But on the other hand, I’m not sure how to parse what it means for our present-day storylines — Kat’s in particular. Her two love interests represent two different possibilities: the rock-solid warmth of the everyday and the excitement and danger of the unknown.

In last week’s episode, she seemed to gain an appreciation for the power of the small joys that make for a long-lasting relationship once the honeymoon stage is over. Her response to Elliot’s story — that she wishes she’d seen him back in Toronto because she would have run straight to him and not let go — suggests she does see him as that reliable, lasting, potentially forever love. But now she’s tempted again by the lure of the forbidden adventure and what-could-have-beens. And I don’t know what we’re supposed to take away from that. But I suppose that’s what the rest of the season is for!

I do think it needs to get settled soon, though. Drawing out love triangles too long tends to make all three characters weaker. And frankly — there are more interesting sources of narrative conflict. I’m far more interested in what the jump means for Jacob. He’s been experiencing PTSD all season long, and now it seems likely he’ll have to face his tormentor in the flesh again. It could lead to closure — or it could make his suffering worse.

What I’m Pondering

• Jasper’s home movie catching Alice and Kat — a throwaway moment or significant?
• Let’s keep a running list of mysterious items that seem very important and then get intentionally sidelined. We’ve got the clock on the wall, the Augustine ring, Casey’s ring, Colton’s jacket, and Del’s letters. Which one will reappear first?
• Elliot plays piano! Who knew!
• Jane Eyre, Ouija boards, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir — Evelyn is a delightfully gothic character, isn’t she?
• Elliot texts Nick about Emma, which is a great reminder that El’s other BFF exists! Also, apparently, Nick is a) someone who thrives on gossip and b) a multi-texter. Both of which are hilarious and very on-brand.
• Jacob admits that he would like to have a family of his own. Awww! It’s also sweet to see Brady’s apology for that day at the carnival. Everyone on this show carries so much guilt.
• Evelyn tells Alice about how Colton saved her from drowning when they were kids. But then the Goodwins tried to keep them apart — and when Alice asks why, Evelyn doesn’t answer.
• Max Goodwin thinks Alice is “wife material” and ewwwww. Alice’s horrified expression when she realizes one possible future is that she does marry Max (and give birth to Casey)? Priceless.
• “In my time, men would duel for less.” Jacob’s deadpan response to Brady and Elliot’s attempts at one-upmanship might be my favorite line of the episode.
• Brady meets Noah, and it goes about how you’d expect. Alice and Noah are official now, though, and he very sweetly comforts her after the blowup with Del.
• Kat points out that the “My Katherine” portrait was framed by the time of the present-day estate sale, whereas Evelyn and Alice found it rolled up beneath a board. How did it get displayed, and by who?
• I never thought I’d say “poor Brady,” but when Kat’s talking about “the one before the one,” wouldn’t Brady be “her Emma,” not Thomas?

Now streaming on Hallmark+: What are your thoughts on The Way Home Season 3, Episode 5, “Reeling in the Years?” Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: ©2024 Hallmark Media/Photographer: Peter Stranks