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Avonlea Season 1 Episodes
Season 1 Episode Guide
13 Episodes 1990 - 1990
Episode 1
The Journey Begins
Mon, Mar 5, 199060 mins
In the early 20th century, the Stanleys, widower Blair and his adolescent daughter Sara, live a life of privilege in Montréal. Things change when Blair is accused of embezzling money from his own company, the money having actually been taken by his long time accountant who has disappeared. To protect Sara from the scandal, Blair sends her to live with the family of his deceased wife, Ruth. The Kings live in Avonlea, Prince Edward Island, a small farming community. Sara has never met her mother's relations. Blair's only stipulation is that Sara not live with spinster Hetty King, Ruth's overbearing eldest sibling. Sara is accompanied to Avonlea with her long time nanny, Louisa J. Banks. Upon Sara and Nanny Louisa's arrival in Avonlea, things end up not being quite as Blair had wanted. Instead of living with Ruth's brother, Alec, and his family, Sara is sent to live with Hetty and her younger meek spinster sister, Olivia, at Rose Cottage, the house at the far end of the King property. And Hetty gets into an immediate feud with Nanny Louisa, the two who do not see eye to eye. Sara does not like the situation between Aunt Hetty and Nanny Louisa and as an extension does not like her Aunt Hetty. Sara is feeling even more unhappy when her first cousins, stuck up Felicity and mischievous Felix play a trick on her and Andrew King, their other first cousin who also recently arrived in Avionlea. With the help of Peg Bowen (the local mystic) and Peter Craig (the Rose Cottage farmhand), Sara and Andrew exact their revenge on Felicity and Felix. In the end, this mischief brings all the cousins closer together. Sara's fate is left in her own hands when she receives news from Blair in Montréal.
Episode 2
The Story Girl Earns Her Name
Mon, Mar 12, 199060 mins
After inadvertently helping a con-man skip town with the proceeds raised for new books for the school library, Sara launches a number of money raising schemes to recoup the funds. Jasper Dale, the town recluse who is painfully shy, comes to the rescue and puts on a memorable magic lantern show.
Episode 3
The Quarantine at Alexander Abraham's
Mon, Mar 26, 199060 mins
Circumstances throw Rachel Lynde, the most disagreeable woman in Avonlea, and Alexander Abraham, the most disagreeable man in Avonlea, along with Sara and Felix, in close quarters while waiting out a Small Pox outbreak. Everyone learns not to take things on face value, and Sara shows everyone about making friends.
Episode 4
The Materializing of Duncan McTavish
Mon, Sep 10, 199060 mins
Fans of 'Anne of Green Gables' will remember Marilla getting on Anne's case for her wild imagination. Now the shoe is on Mirilla's foot - during a gossip section at the town's Sewing Circle where Sara is trying to learn simple stitches despite the less than helpful remarks from Hettie and Felicity. Marilla makes up a tale which ends up coming true, to her chagrin, for now the gossips will have much more to say about the tarnish on her honest reputation.
Episode 5
Old Lady Lloyd
Wed, Oct 17, 199060 mins
When Felix throws a rock through the window of the Old Lloyd house, Sara soon discovers that the reclusive old woman is more than she seems and that she might have a startling connection to Olivia's good friend, aspiring concert singer Sylvia Gray, who has come to Avonlea for a visit.
Episode 6
Proof of the Pudding
Mon, Mar 19, 199060 mins
For their anniversary, Alec and Janet decide to take a weekend vacation, leaving Felicity in charge of the house and the other children. Hetty is available to provide adult supervision if required. However when Hetty is called away unexpectedly and Olivia already away, Felicity is placed in ultimate charge to her delight, she who feels she can do no wrong. Because of Felicity's superior attitude, Felix, Andrew, Cecily and Sara decide to make the weekend difficult for her. Both Felix and Sara are already feuding with Felicity even before Hetty's departure, the two who refuse to abide by anything Felicity says. The five children may kill each other before the arrival back of any of the adults. Thrown into the mix is Agnes Rushton-Lesley, the Governor's wife, who drops by for a visit. All the children mistakenly believe she is their not oft seen and deaf Great Aunt Eliza, Mrs. Lesley who does not correct them. As such, Mrs. Lesley cannot resist the opportunity to have a little fun of her own while there.
Episode 7
Aunt Abigail's Beau
Mon, Apr 2, 199060 mins
Instead of taking care of a husband, Janet's spinster sister, Abigail Ward, has funneled her energies into being a meticulous homemaker despite not really enjoying it. Things may change when into her life returns Malcolm McEwan, an old beau who has been away from Avonlea for seven years. He has returned to make good on a promise: Abigail's father would not allow the two to marry until Malcolm made a fortune, which he has now done in Yukon gold. He now wants to marry Abby as he calls her. Abby is in a quandary. She likes having the attention of a man, but realizes that she and Malcolm are extremes in personality (he loud and brash, she overly meticulous). But mostly, she fears two things: that she will lose her independence, and if she truly does fall in love with him all over again that he may run off much like he did seven years ago. Malcolm's return not only affects Abby, but also Alec, who is feeling restless about the choices he's made in life.
Episode 8
Malcolm and the Baby
Mon, Apr 9, 199060 mins
A former student teacher of Hettie's and her husband die leaving no will, but plenty of property and a small baby. Hettie and Rachael Lynde battle over who will care for the child, but Sara and Felicity have a better idea they have found the perfect couple to be the child's parents. However the law has other ideas.
Episode 9
Conversions
Mon, Apr 30, 199060 mins
It doesn't sit well with Hetty when Sara convinces Peter Craig that not only should he attend church with the family, but that he should also spend sometime playing with the other kids in an effort to get them to stop teasing him about his father who is in jail. Meanwhile, Peg Bowan, the Witch of Avonlea has also been convinced to go to church much to the chagrin of the townspeople.
Episode 10
The Witch of Avonlea
Mon, May 7, 199060 mins
Felix has been having nightmares of late about a witch. As the children ran into Peg Bowen in the woods, she who many in Avonlea consider a bona fide witch, most of the Kings believe Felix's nightmares are about her. But his nightmares are really about Hetty. Avonlea is hosting this year's provincial spelling bee. Hetty wants the children to really try hard to win because of it. On one end, Andrew is seen as the student to beat to represent Avonlea. On the other end, Hetty is making the worst student wear a dunce cap, which Felix fears. He is trying hard and spells correctly at home, but freezes when in front of the tough school teacher. Because of Felix's nightmares, Janet and Hetty confront Peg, who in return places a curse on the King's cat. However Peg and the Kings have to work together when Felix doesn't make it home from school during a snowstorm, he who was running away so that he would never have to return to school. Peg in particular thinks she knows what Felix needs to solve all his problems.
Episode 11
Felicity's Challenge
Mon, Apr 2, 199060 mins
Judson Parker is passing through Avonlea, he a candidate for the provincial election being held the following week. He is trying to buy his way to an election win. Some of the Avonlea voters see through his tricks, however some out of circumstance get caught up in his manipulation. Meanwhile, it's Harvest Festival time, and the children in particular are looking forward to the party. Felicity is sure she will win best costume as she does every year. Clemmie, who does like harvest time, doesn't seem to allow herself to enjoy the party due to her shyness. Sally and Jane have been talking negatively about Clemmie behind her back to Felicity and Sara, Felicity who doesn't stand up for her friend just to stay in Sally and Jane's good books. Thinking she's doing Clemmie a favor, Felicity takes up a bet from Sally about transforming Clemmie into the belle of the party. Despite Sara's vows that Felicity's plan will ultimately end up hurting Clemmie, Felicity goes ahead with her transformation without letting Clemmie know its real purpose.
Episode 12
The Blue Chest of Arabella King
Mon, May 14, 199060 mins
The King's Aunt Arabella has just passed away. For fifty years in the King's attic sat her blue chest, which she asked to be opened only after her death. She left it there when she left Avonlea for good shortly after her fiancé committed suicide the day before their planned wedding. There is great anticipation amongst the family of treasures in the chest, but they find primarily moth eaten wedding mementos. Sara is certain that there is more - why would Arabella forbid the chest to be opened otherwise - and she indeed does find something hidden in the chest, something that most would not consider a treasure except someone like romantic Sara. Meanwhile, Olivia, who has been badmouthed by Hetty for frittering away her life, applies for a job writing for the Avonlea District Chronicle newspaper. The newspaper is in financial straits, but Mr. Tyler, the newspaper's owner, hires her on a trial basis on the condition that she make good on her promise to find exciting local stories and find an in-kind photographer to take photographs to accompany her stories, photographs missing from the newspaper in its current version. Sara can see the interest that Jasper Dale is showing in Olivia and is certain he will do Olivia the favor of being her photographer despite his shyness. Indeed, he does agree. Jasper thinks that Sara's find in the blue chest is newsworthy, but Olivia and Sara will have to do some more investigative work to uncover the full story. Mr. Tyler, however, seems to have a problem with this specific story, the reason he is reluctant to divulge.
Episode 13
Nothing Endures But Change
Mon, May 21, 199060 mins
Blair Stanley makes an unexpected visit to Avonlea. He brings good news: the trial has concluded, and he has been acquitted. However, the business has to be rebuilt so he has much work to do. His plan is to take Sara back to Montréal tomorrow morning, his haste due to his strained relationship with Hetty. Upon meeting again, time has not healed any wounds between the two. Sara is happy to see her papa, but is saddened to leave Avonlea, especially that she will be missing the skating festival. But what's worse is that if she and Blair leave with Blair still on strained terms with Hetty, Sara will never return to Avonlea and never see her King relations ever again. Sara decides that she should have some say into what happens to her own life. Meanwhile, a bond seems to be forming between Olivia and Jasper beyond their professional collaboration at the newspaper. Hetty is afraid that she will lose both Olivia and Sara in one fell swoop.