Hope Valley: 1874 is still trying to find its footing and establish important relationships.
The first few episodes showcased the mother-daughter bonds, while we’re now returning to Rebecca and Tom’s relationship.
It deserves to be highlighted because they’re both strong and opinionated, and neither likes to lose.
Throughout television history, we’ve watched hilarious battles of the sexes where men and women think their tasks are more difficult.
Ordinarily, I would have thought that repairing a boarding house and plowing a field were both physical labor. However, Rebecca got more than she bargained for in her deal with Tom on Hope Valley: 1874 Season 1 Episode 4.
Watching her and Tom build a greater respect for each other was the best part of the episode.
While I disliked that Nash broke his leg, I loved how everyone rushed to help him, showing the community’s strength.
Rebecca Saved the Day When Nash Got Hurt
Have I mentioned that I’m terrified of snakes? I almost took a step too far while hiking with my husband and fell off a bank.
I can relate to that poor house, and I felt awful for Nash. He was in pain, but he tried not to show it because his family and Tom depended on him.
The town wasn’t developed at all, yet. No school, no doctor. Rebecca’s skills came in handy again, but she felt nervous since she wasn’t a doctor.
I’ve watched many medical dramas, and seeing paramedics and other doctors reset a broken bone always looks excruciatingly painful.
I understood why Nash and Peggy wanted the kids out of the way, so he didn’t have to hide his screams.
I loved that Rebecca improvised with plaster, wood, and fabric to create a cast because she’d come to care about Nash, but she knew he was part of Tom’s family and vital to him.
The McCabes have become an essential part of Hope Valley; 1874, and I love them. They’re so in love and appreciative of each other, and are such a fabric of the town that no one could imagine it without them.
Impressions and Deals Got Rebecca More Than She Bargained For
Rebecca got herself into this massive mess because she and Tom had preconceived notions about each other.
No matter how much they respect each other, these two get under one another’s skin, and Rebecca loved goading him.
I never thought Tom would be happy about the boarding house having a hole in it. He’d never want either her or Sarah exposed to danger.
I love that this episode focused more on their relationship, because we finally learned that Tom used to date a city girl, which is why he’s wary of them.
However, Rebecca shouldn’t have assumed that plowing a field was easy or that she could adapt to it.
While I’ve watched several women do it on the frontier, they grew up working on a farm. It wasn’t something they magically learned.
It probably sounded like a good bargain because she got her lumber, but Tom knew his way around both farming and splitting logs.
Or he had connections.
Rebecca was too stubborn to even ask for instructions because she didn’t want him to see her struggle. It was still physical labor, but the horse did more of the work.
Tom Has Always Been a Fair Man
Tom is tough, but he’s always fair, so I appreciated that he helped Rebecca finish plowing the field and supply the wood.
He tried to stop her several times, but she’s more stubborn than he, believing that the deal was ironclad.
He could only get her to relent if he helped her finish the job together, rather than taking over.
I think the city girl gained some respect for how hard ranch life really was, whereas Tom gained new respect, realizing that Rebecca never quit.
While Tom and Rebecca both liked to think they could do everything, they couldn’t.
I loved that Tom admitted that while he could break down wood to build a fence, he couldn’t craft furniture.
He was humble enough to admit it and recommend Clayton to Rebecca, allowing Clayton and Olivia another chance to develop their art together while the love triangle simmered.
I can’t wait to see these designs.
Pride Sometimes Gets in the Way
While many men strive to be the main provider today, they have been so for almost 150 years.
That’s why Lars Yost hesitated to let his wife worry about their financial problems, even though she seemed so excited to move from the camp into a more stable environment.
He worried about the issues at the boarding house, even though Rebecca had paid him to fix them all.
He felt responsible for providing the rotten wood, but without it, Rebecca wouldn’t have had any wood. Talk about a double-edged sword.
Lars has his pride, and sometimes that could get in the way.
He wanted to earn his way and not take a discounted rate just because he worked for her.
Almost every young family has struggled to find work and provide for itself, so I loved that Hattie has become the mother hen.
I’m anxious to see the Yosts fill that boarding house with cheer, but Lars needs to ask for assistance.
Hope: Valley: 1874 Season 1 Episode 4 Felt Way Too Busy
While I understand that the series is developing characters, Hope Valley: 1874 Season 1 Episode 4 felt overcrowded and was my least favorite episode so far.
I enjoyed the scenes of the children playing on the farm, since that’s what happened back then, and they added levity, but they felt choppy and didn’t add much value.
We didn’t need to follow Alexander on his adventures the entire time, and the scenes felt choppy as they alternated between him, the other Mountie, and the kids helping out on the farm.
Alexander’s side mission felt disconnected from the rest of the heartwarming drama and was disjointed.
I get it. He needs more adventure. Since we didn’t see what he and his friend talked about, I worry that he learned some dirt on Rebecca.
He seemed awfully interested in staying at her boarding house. Was that out of convenience, or was he gathering information?
This almost seemed like a filler episode except for the meaty Tom and Rebecca scenes. I’m unsure if the series can afford that so early in the season.
Over to you, Hearties. Were you glad to see more of Rebecca and Tom? Is Rebecca stubborn, or can she do anything?
Did you think “Trading Places” jumped around too much?
Let us know in the comments.
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