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15 Episodes 2000 - 2001
Episode 1
60 mins
Fat is feeling grown up, yet no one is treating him as such. To show himself he is, he gets into a gambling ring of older youth and quickly gets swindled not only of some of his mother's pocket change, but his hat and his new pair of shoes. Not able to tell his parents, he refuses help from Hub in getting his things back. Fat ends up getting some unexpected and anonymous help. Honey is feeling alienated as some people are still treating her like a leper because of her past tuberculosis. She wants to reopen her hairdressing business but Callie refuses to rent the old hairdressing space back out to her. Max decides to employ a little psychology to get the Cramps to rent the space back to Honey. And Grace is feeling abandoned. It's been two months since she and Jim had their first tender kiss at the Valentine's Follies, but he has not approached her since. He later admits to her that he isn't ready to start dating yet as he still thinks about his deceased wife, Kathleen. Just at that moment, wealthy, suave and handsome Vanaver Mainwairing is passing through New Bedford, and upon his first sighting of Grace mutters the word "perfect" to describe her. He confesses to Grace that it is love at first sight as he sweeps her off her feet. May is suspicious of Van's intentions, and is even more suspicious after she meets him. After five days of their initial meeting, Van asks Grace to marry him. She is somewhat cautious before she gives him her answer, her answer regardless of her mother's feelings.
Episode 2
60 mins
Hub receives a reward for a past good deed. Enjoying the feeling that he significantly altered the life of a total stranger in a positive way, he continues to do good deeds, helping out a stranded adolescent transient girl, Fiona McCaul. This good deed in turn results in another windfall for Hub. Although not doing it for "rewards", Hub ponders how he can continue to do good in his life. His mother has reopened her hairdressing salon, but business is non-existent due in part to her competition, Pearl Disher, undercutting her prices. The Suttons believe advertising will help matters. Max makes Fat wear a sandwich board advertisement, but Honey thinks the best advertising is a woman with a beautifully set head of hair. And a strain has come between May and Grace over Grace's letter stating that she is going to marry Van regardless of if May provides her blessing. May, not wanting to be on bad terms with her only daughter, does eventually give her blessing. However, May is still wary of Van, she not being the only one in town. Pritchard is angry with Grace for abandoning him and Jim. And Jim is sombre about Grace's news, but is also suspicious about the mysterious stranger. Although May and Grace settle their differences about Grace getting married, they can't agree on anything about the wedding itself. Feeling like she's being treated like a little child by May, Grace decides to elope. Brought on in part by the stress of the situation, May has a few "spells" and ends up suffering a stroke while Grace is away at the Justice of the Peace's office.
Episode 3
60 mins
Grace and Van come back to New Bedford early from their honeymoon on news that May is ill. Initially thinking that May is just being dramatic, Grace is heartbroken to see that her mother had a stroke, is paralyzed on the left side of her body and can barely speak. The question now remains is who will take care of May during her recovery period, May who needs around the clock supervision. Bob, the only surviving son, refuses to even come back to New Bedford unless his mother is on her deathbed. Honey, the martyr, wants to take primary responsibility as she feels she owes May, who paid for all her hospital bills. Max agrees that Honey should do her fair share, but also feels that she has a responsibility to take care of her own family and what priorities that entails. Grace feels responsible as May's daughter, but no one wants her to sacrifice herself in this, the early stage of her marriage, especially since she and Van were supposed to live in Toronto. Maisey wants to do her share as she wants to show everyone that she is responsible enough to take care of herself despite she being a minor; she's concerned that if May is not well enough to take care of her, that the authorities will send her away. The one person who feels trapped to take care of May as the independent one without others to take care of is Toppy. She feels like life is now closing in on her and that others will think her selfish if she refuses to take any responsibility. She decides to go see a psychiatrist, psychiatry which Dr. Barlow calls "trick cycling", to talk about her feelings. Because of these secretive trips, Archie thinks she's seeing another man romantically. Finally, Max thinks it a good idea to convene all the players and map out a strategy for May's care. May beats them all to the punch as, well enough to write a letter through Hub, states that she will hire a full-time live-in nurse.
Episode 4
60 mins
While one female leaves town, two arrive. The departure is Grace, who has moved with Van to his summer house outside of Toronto. Jim is still grieving his loss of Grace and vows to be more assertive in his life by seizing opportunities. The first arrival is Rebecca 'Becca' Graham, a precocious new girl in Fat and Pritchard's class. For both boys, it's love at first sight, and they battle for Rebecca's affections. As she is attracted in part to intelligence, Pritchard has the initial upper hand. However, Fat, who now wants to be called Henry in front of Rebecca to seem more mature, vows to turn over a new leaf in his life by pursuing intellectual activities. He has a natural aptitude for chess, which Max fosters. After Henry and Pritchard have a physical altercation - Henry punches Pritchard since Pritchard won't stop calling him Fat - Pritchard thinks the only manly way to settle their battle is a game of chess. The second new arrival is Juanita 'Nita' Bascombe, May's new private nurse. Nita's arrival is timely as Lorna MacFarlane, who is currently looking after May, shows her anger toward the Baileys because of the mine accident which blinded Eugene and thus changed the MacFarlane's lives. But Nita catches all of New Bedford by surprise as the town's first Negro resident. Nita is also progressive in her nursing, employing restorative physical therapy on May despite it not being on Dr. Barlow's written instructions. May is a difficult patient as she finds the therapy difficult and tiring without any sign of improvement. And Maisey is initially suspect of Nita, the stranger in the house, but Nita eventually gets Maisey on her side. Although Dr. Barlow wants to replace Nita with a nurse who will follow his orders, May and Maisey follow Nita's instructions as May has a breakthrough.
Episode 5
60 mins
Grace and Van arrive at Lakeview, Van's grand summer house on the shores of Lake Ontario. There, Grace meets for the first time a collection of servants and house guests: Paloma, the Spanish cook/housekeeper; Frederick, the mute chauffeur and butler; Nigel Moss, the proper English gentleman friend; and Enzo, an Italian operatic baritone. Enzo is only his stage name and persona to the outside world, as he is really Stewart McGregor, a Scottish Haligonian who he thinks would not be able to sell tickets to an Italian opera audience. One of Van's friends, Harry Turnbull, plays an elaborate practical joke on Van, which if successful would have seen Van spend a couple of days in jail. Van discovers the ruse and he and his house guests thinks it would be great fun to play an equally elaborate joke back on Turnbull. The plan they ultimately devise is based around the fact that Grace bears a striking resemblance to exiled Spanish Princess Eboli; Nigel has a painting of the Princess, and even Grace thinks the resemblance is uncanny. Grace is to act the part of the Princess, despite she not knowing any Spanish, to a third party, namely Jane and Willie Easterbrook who are friends and business acquaintances of Turnbull. The plan is to bilk the Easterbrooks out of a sizable amount of money, only temporarily (however Van and Nigel plan to use some of the moneys to help Paloma's imprisoned brother get out of jail). Turnbull, based on a pledge, will have to pay the Easterbrooks back for their losses. Grace is a nervous but willing participant. Despite a few bumps in the road of the ploy, they pull it off successfully, and manage to get even more money from the Easterbrooks than they originally devised. Unbeknownst to Grace, her band of pranksters, including Van, are not exactly who and what they seem. But Van admits to Nigel that a fortunate or unfortunate consequence of what started out solely as a convenience is that he wants to start a new life with his wife, for whom he is falling deeper in love.
Episode 6
60 mins
The men in the Sutton household are facing problems with the respective women in their lives. Henry likes Rebecca and anonymously has been writing her romantic, poetic letters, which she loves. She not only loves the letters themselves but also the mystery. But when she mentions that she'd like to find out who her secret admirer is, Pritchard pipes up that the letters are from him. Fuming, Henry decides that he needs to get back at Pritchard, which he manages to do with a little help from Hub. In the natural evolution of Hub and Laura's relationship, she is waiting for him to give her his newly acquired athletics letter, but that is the farthest thing from his mind. Not that he doesn't like Laura in that way or wants to give the letter to anyone else, but he's been preoccupied about what he wants to do with his life, namely joining the priesthood, an idea he has yet to tell to anyone. But with a little advice from Max, Hub decides what to do with respect to Laura at least during this stage of his life. And Max and Honey hit a bump in their relationship when one of Honey's doctors at the sanatorium, Dr. Thomas Asher - or "Tommy" as Honey refers to him - comes to New Bedford on extended business. Honey is excited to see her old friend, whom she credits for keeping her sane during her hospitalization. After Tommy comes to the Sutton house for dinner - a dinner with conversation dominated between Tommy and Honey - Max and Honey have an argument about Tommy's role in Honey's life, which she admits is not perfect with Max. She also admits that Tommy talks to her about things that Max never does. This argument threatens Max's surprise anniversary dinner with his wife. Tommy later admits to Honey that he does have feelings for her, which catches her by surprise. But with help from Toppy, Max and Honey come to a new understanding in their loving relationship. Meanwhile, Toppy hires Rebecca, the banker's daughter, to do her books at the store, Rebecca who at her early age wants to save money to go to Hollywood to be an actress. Toppy needs the help as she has been secretly writing a book in her spare time about how she sees life.
Episode 7
60 mins
Jim is trying a new looser attitude and with it comes a new looser look in his attire. Toppy has finished her book and has sent it unsolicited to a publisher. Henry is looking for new chess challenges. And Callie wants to win and influence friends, at least that's what the title of the book she's reading infers. After meddling in one private conversation after another in an effort to make and influence friends, Callie does manage to have a meaningful discussion, this one with Hub, who tells her that he is thinking about becoming a priest. Beyond Father Fitzroy at the local Catholic church, Callie is the first person he's told. Another person who wants to influence people is Max. Mayor Johnson has passed away, and Archie, representing the town council and on advice from May, asks Max if he would be interested in running for mayor. After thinking about it, Max agrees. It looks as if he may not need his influencing skills to win the election since he looks to run uncontested. However after a political argument with Alden, Alden decides that he too will run for mayor. After their political debate at which Max seems to have the upper hand in terms of popular support, Alden feels Max's primary political strength is the backing of the town's strongest voice, that being May. In an effort to help her husband in the election, Callie takes advantage of her newfound friendship with Hub and tells May of Hub's life plans. May, the devout Presbyterian, confronts Hub, Honey and Max about Hub's plans; May ultimately decides to disinherit Hub not so much for not wanting to take his rightful place as the head of the mine, but because he wants to devote his life to Catholicism. Honey - who was born Catholic - and Max stand by their son, which makes May withdraw her support for Max's mayoral candidacy. Callie thinks she has her wish but ends up losing her newfound friend in the process. But Callie's end goal may not be achieved based on a discussion about honesty, love and kindness between May and Juanita.
Episode 8
60 mins
Grace returns to New Bedford. She is suspect of Juanita's method of rehabilitation for her mother. Grace feels that such work will give May false hope about recuperation. However, May's determination convinces Grace that Juanita may be right. Jim, with his new outlook on life, strikes up a friendship with Audrey Collins, the chess coach for nearby North Bridge. Jim is happily surprised that Audrey is as attracted to him as he is to her. Jack Miller makes a short stopover in New Bedford on his way to Halifax to catch a boat to Europe. He is running the marathon for the Canadian Olympic team at the upcoming games in Berlin. Hub strikes a friendship with Jack, who confides to Hub that his real name is Jacob Milski and is Jewish. Hub doesn't understand why Jack is so secretive of his heritage, especially since Jack is proud to be Jewish. Despite the Nazi uprising in Germany, Jack is not afraid for his safety, but rather wants to prove to Hitler that Jews are not inferior to Aryans, namely his two German competitors. But Hub wonders how much Jack can prove, win or lose the race, if he doesn't declare his Jewish heritage. Henry is continuing his love of chess. He is still undefeated until he loses to a competitor from North Bridge. He is devastated but is determined to get better, and ultimately win the upcoming provincials at the beginning of the school year. He needs some coaching, but he is already better than everyone else in New Bedford, until... Enter Eddie Jackson. Eddie initially feigns ignorance of chess but eventually admits to Maisey that he actually does know the game and knows it quite well. He learned the game in prison and winning was a matter of survival. Max is suspect of how good one can learn a game such as chess in prison, until Eddie simultaneously beats in order Max, Pritchard, Jim and Henry in four concurrent games. But Eddie initially declines the offer to mentor Henry since chess is a reminder of a time in his life he'd rather forget. Henry's persistence does win over Eddie. Eddie proves to be a tough teacher, but that in combination with the lure of his friends having fun in the summer sun makes Henry rebel against chess altogether. But a move by Jack, now known to Hitler and the world as Jacob, shows Henry that he needs to persevere if he wants to achieve his goals.
Episode 9
60 mins
Toppy hears from the publisher that they have accepted her book for publication. Hub is away working at a logging camp at Alawanda for the summer. Jim is also looking for a summer job, and Grace urges Callie to offer him a position at the radio station as the news announcer. Jim is grateful for the job, but when he finds out Grace was the one who recommended him, he is angry as he feels this recommendation is his consolation prize for letting her go as his girlfriend. But he comes around to the fact that Grace did it purely as a friend helping a friend. The entire town of New Bedford is excited as the annual bass fishing tournament, sponsored by Silver Dome Mine, and the associated picnic, sponsored by the bank, is upcoming. Combined, they are the biggest economic event of the year for New Bedford as it draws tourists to the area. On a more serious note, infantile paralysis is slowly spreading through the region, but public health officials are uncertain of the source of the infections. The closest case is in Pinebury, 30 miles away. The current heatwave does not help the matter, the heat which exacerbates the rate of infection. On advice from Dr. Barlow, Max, as Mayor, wants to issue a public health warning, with cautions of children being in large crowds or near bodies of water, two seeming causes of infection outbreaks. The merchants association in general is angry that Max would issue such a warning as the infection has not yet hit New Bedford and they know such a warning would negatively affect attendance at the tournament and picnic. Honey takes the warning to heart and orders both Henry and Violet to stay indoors until further notice. Henry disobeys orders, and with Violet and Zach in tow, goes outside for a brief period. With information that affected children vacationed at Bass Lake and without Dr. Barlow who is away and out of contact, Juanita suggests in front of the merchants association that the tournament be canceled. Matters gets worse when Zach comes down with symptoms of the infection. In private, Max chastises Henry for putting 'his only son' at risk despite medical evidence stating that Zach could not have come down with symptoms so quickly after exposure. With help from May, Max and Honey quarantine Zach at the hospital in North Bridge. But in public, Max the mayor needs to act. Without Dr. Barlow or any public health official to offer advice, Max decides to persuade May and Otto Graham, the bank manager, to cancel their respective events. Both are wary of doing so, especially without conclusive evidence from medical health. And the militant merchants association, the opposition led by Archie, Callie, Myrt Dumphry and Sam Wilamot, does whatever it can to keep both events going, with some individuals taking drastic measures. Finally, both May and Otto issue their official cancellation/postponement of the events, and Jim, in his new capacity, manages to take the health warning to the masses, much to Callie's consternation. In the end, Zach ends up not being infected and Dr. Barlow, upon his return, applauds both Juanita and Max's actions despite the differences he has had with Juanita in the past.
Episode 10
60 mins
The annual Bell Award ceremony is taking place in New Bedford this year. Toppy is the Mistress of Ceremonies and entertainment coordinator, the latter task she is finding difficult due to lack of talent. She has Rebecca doing a Shakespearean reading, and that's about all. Maisey, the daughter of a saloon singer, wants to audition, but Toppy is skeptical of Maisey's talent or lack thereof. Toppy does eventually allow Maisey to audition but one setback after another prevents the audition from happening until it's too close to the actual event to hold auditions. Toppy just has to hope that Maisey's as good as she says she is. As the mayor's wife, Honey is supposed to present the Bell Award to the recipient. Honey, not a natural public speaker, wants to do a good job, that is until she finds out who this year's recipient of the award is. And Hub comes back from his month long work stint at the lumber mill at Alawanda. Laura is angry with him since he did not write as he promised he would. Along with Hub is Travis Hampton, who worked and bunked with Hub at the lumber mill. On Hub's recommendation, Travis got a temporary job at the the Silver Dome Mine. Hub looks up to Travis since Travis managed to get better conditions for the workers at the mill. However, when Travis starts to rally the workers against management at Silver Dome, he and Hub become on opposing sides as Hub is a shareholder of the mine. Travis leads the workers in what seems to be unreasonable demands, but the workers believe that Travis can get them what he states. There are some on the Board of Silver Dome, especially Lawrence Bridgeman, who want to take a firm stance against the workers. May, however, realizes that some of the workers' demands are valid. The Board approves some of demands but not all. Travis convinces the workers to decline the offer and go on strike. Tensions rise when the standoff seems unresolvable without the use of police force and without the use of scab workers. Travis further goes one step too far in Hub's mind when he goes after Laura, who accepts Travis' advances to get back at Hub. Finally, all is settled when May exposes Travis for who he really is and after Hub suggests an innovative solution. These acts combined help to heal the rift between May, Hub and the Suttons and makes Honey's presentation speech at the award ceremony all the more meaningful.
Episode 11
60 mins
Showdown in Durango, the latest adventures of Saturday serial character the Masked Rider, is showing at the local theater. Buck Howard aka the Masked Rider, is in New Bedford promoting the latest installment, his promotional activities including a radio interview with Jim, and a public appearance in character at the theater. Jim is excited as he, along with many of the kids of New Bedford, is a big fan of the serial. He quickly loses his idolatry of Buck Howard as Buck is a boorish drunk. When Buck is found drunk just before his scheduled interview, Callie talks Jim, who has a talent for mimicry of the Masked Rider, into interviewing himself as both interviewer and the Masked Rider. The ruse works. When the scheduled public appearance at the theater is supposed to happen, Buck once again is found drunk. It's going to be a little more difficult for Jim to appear as the Masked Rider in person, but he manages to pull it off hidden behind the costume and mask. But Jim's second ruse may be compromised when Buck awakens from his drunken stupor and stumbles out to the theater. Rebecca, usually a fan of any movie, has other things on her mind. She increasingly needs to take care of her mother, who suffers from agoraphobia and as such is housebound. Rebecca is ashamed of her mother, but when Honey and Toppy find out about Mrs. Graham's situation, they offer Rebecca and her mother their support. And Grace and Van are passing through the area. Van is checking out investment opportunities at the Alawanda Lumber Mill, while Grace visits in New Bedford with family and friends. While Van is away, Grace receives a reply from Mr. and Mrs. Mainwairing to May's invitation, the response being that there must be an error since their son, Vanaver, died five years earlier. Confused, Grace thinks that Paloma can clear up the misunderstanding. As Grace telephones Lakeview, Xavier, not knowing that he is speaking to Grace, answers the phone stating that Lakeview is the Porter household. Further confused, Grace feels that she needs to go to Lakeview. There, she finds "Paloma" out of character. Paloma, as Mildred Quintero, confesses to Grace the entire truth: that Harry Turnbull does not exist, that the people she met at Lakeview, including Van, are a group of grifters, and that they really did swindle the Easterbrooks of all the money. But Mildred also tells Grace that Van, or whatever his real name is, wants to leave grifting as he really does love Grace and he wants to live a straight life with her. When Grace next sees Van, she hasn't decided yet what to do.
Episode 12
60 mins
It seems as if secrets are running rampant in New Bedford. Toppy has just received copies of her just published book, but besides Honey and Grace, she does not want anyone to know that she is Lucinda Fairchild - the nom de plume she's used - until the book is well received. Grace discovers Van's secrets, which she confronts him about. Since Grace obviously knows the truth, he does not deny it. Toppy and by accident Rebecca are the only ones to whom Grace has confided about Van's real identity and the associated end of her marriage. Grace definitely does not want anyone else to know, including May, who, if she found out, would probably decline in health. But Grace may not be able to keep this a secret in the town as she has kicked Van out of the house and the only place he can go in town is the New Bedford Hotel, owned and managed by the town gossip, Callie, who will suspect something if Van checks in by himself. Despite Van's declaration of love for her, Grace convinces Van to leave New Bedford, saying that he will do so if he loves her. But a story from Rebecca about another of her movie plots may make Grace change her mind. The latest health issue facing May - an elevated blood pressure - is due to the fact that the mine is facing some competition and can only compete with an influx of money into the company. May wants to keep the news of the company's problems from its workers. With the company facing low and declining stock prices, it is not issued a loan from the bank. However a surprise buy up of stock from an unknown purchaser - which pushes up the stock price - keeps the mine afloat for at least the time being; the company still needs an influx of cash. Meanwhile, Jim continues his courtship with Audrey. Pritchard doesn't much like her, but he comes to the realization that it's not because of her as a person, but because she's not Grace.
Episode 13
60 mins
A chain letter is circulating around New Bedford. Some of the recipients are taking it seriously, some not so much so. There are some serious decisions taking place in the Sutton household. Hub is still thinking about becoming a priest, and his parents want to make sure he knows what that entails - especially with regards to female romantic relationships - and they want him to experience some of what life has to offer a young man before making a decision. Father Fitzroy is convinced Hub has the calling, and Laura is more relieved that it is Hub's thoughts about his life rather than her that has caused him to be as distant as he has been of late. Honey and Max each want to make major career changes but realistically only one can be achieved at this time; Max unilaterally makes the decision in favor of his wife's wants. Grace knows what she wants, and that is Van out of her life, despite she telling him that she wanted to work things out. Silver Dome Mine is still facing its financial crisis, but May, George and Grace think they have a plan to weather them through the rough financial times. Grace uses the mine's troubles as a front to give Van a taste of his own medicine. With a little help from Jim, Grace successfully carries out her scheme. However, Van knows more about what Grace is doing than he lets on. When Grace confesses to Van what she's done to him, Van in turn exposes the greed of those he has past swindled. Van still loves Grace but doesn't like what he's done to her. As such, he decides to choose a new worthwhile life path without his love. But Van is not totally out of Grace's life. And when Grace finally tells her mother the truth about Van and her marriage, Grace does not receive the reaction she was expecting.
Episode 14
Sun, Dec 23, 200143 mins
Christmas season has come to New Bedford and it's nothing like what anyone wanted. Grace and May Bailey are stuck in Europe to Van's remains as he has passed in Spanish War.
Episode 15
Sun, Dec 23, 200160 mins