Upamanyu Biswas
After the cliffhanger ending in episode 1, season 3 of Hallmark’s ‘The Way Home’ continues the journey of the Landrys as they juggle their present-day commitments with a new past timeline to explore. Episode 2 introduces a host of characters and some genuine twists that throw even more doubt on Colton Landry’s exploits before his death. Alice finds herself in the 1970s after the unknown figure pushed her into the pond at the end of the first episode. A worried Kat has to juggle her worries for her daughter alongside an upcoming celebration for the launch of Susanna Augustine’s edition of ‘The Founding of Port Haven.’ Del has to figure out whether Jacob is still the same child who disappeared or a different man entirely. Meanwhile, Elliot gets a surprise visit from his father, Vic.
Alice Surfaces Out of the Pond in 1974
Episode 2 kicks straight into gear after the events of the first episode. Kat has a discussion with Jacob about Colton, with the latter explaining that their father must have known about the pond and was time-traveling himself. Subsequently, Kat heads to Elliot’s home, where she listens to the voice message left behind by Alice. She rushes to the pond with Elliot tagging along. He asks her to calm down, but Kat is too distressed to listen. She follows her daughter by jumping into the pond. Meanwhile, Alice resurfaces out of the pond in 1974. She walks over to the house owned by the Augustine family, where she meets with a younger version of Victor Augustine, Elliot’s dad, and young Rick, Vic’s brother. The pair ask Alice to come along with them as they drive to Coyle’s Eats N’ Beats, the local diner/record store.
At the store, Alice meets with young Evelyn Goodwin, a chirpy, social girl who is always up for making new friends. She becomes close with Alice within a few minutes, inviting her to a farewell party happening out on the beach. Kat arrives not long after and watches her daughter from afar. The duo are stunned when they see a young Colton make his appearance. He and Evelyn have a close friendship, but Rick tells Alice that everyone in the town expects the pair to become a couple any day. Subsequently, Alice has a brief conversation with Kat, where she tells her mother she wants to attend the farewell party as she feels she is missing out on such events in the present. Kat allows her to leave while learning from the owner of Coyle’s Eats N’ Beats, Jasper, that he is a descendant of Thomas Coyle.
Nick Gets a Surprise Visit From His Father While Del Struggles With Parenting Jacob
While the 1974 storyline and young Colton steal the spotlight in episode 2, Del and Elliot face their own challenges with family. After Kat and Alice disappear into the pond, Elliot receives numerous phone calls from his father, Vic. Although he ignores it, he is surprised when Vic makes an appearance at his home not long after. Owing to their complicated history, Elliot questions the reasons behind Vic’s arrival. His father remains tight-lipped about his motives. With time, Elliot eventually learns that Vic has found a new lover named Laura, who he plans on marrying. He asks Elliot to be his best man at the wedding. His son isn’t quite sure what to make of the news but accepts it nonetheless. However, he returns home to find his whole place turned upside down while a disheveled Vic asks him to hand over his mother’s ring to him.
Meanwhile, Del has difficulties reconciling her image of young Jacob with his adult version. Despite telling him that she is willing to give him space, Del is disappointed to learn that Jacob still misses his family from 1814, particularly his adopted father, Elijah Landry. He also reveals to her that his reasons for coming back to the present were not rooted in his desire to see her but rather because he is a wanted man back in the past. Del is devastated to learn that her son is no longer the same innocent child that he used to be. However, during Susanna’s book launch event, she is proud to witness Jacob defend Kat against the heckles of a Goodwin family supporter. Later, they have a heartfelt conversation back at the farm, where Del sees a younger Jacob merge into his adult self, thereby affirming that the two versions of him are the same and she should not worry incessantly.
A Surprise Visitor Through the Pond Confirms the Suspicions of Kat and Alice
At the farewell party on the beach, Alice and Colton perform a sublime duet, which makes Kat emotional as she watches from afar. Kat leaves, and Alice continues to mingle with the crowd at the party. Around late evening, Colton is blown off his feet after seeing a young Del make her entrance. Young Evelyn states that Del is her summer house guest at the Lingermore. She describes Del as having a party-killer attitude, which is why she did not invite her to the party. However, Colton is smitten by her and tries flirting with her after getting encouragement from Rick. It ends after Colton reveals himself to be a hater of disco music. Subsequently, he accompanies Alice and Evelyn on their walk back home while Rick drives away with his brother Vic. Back in the present, Alice is shocked to learn that Rick passed away after having a car accident that same night.
Kat and Elliot show Alice the song she recorded with Colton in the 1970s. When they suggest the theory that Colton was aware of the pond, Del shoots down those notions. However, Alice, now distraught after learning about Rick’s passing and her song with Colton, rushes off to the pond. Del tries to hold her back, but Kat tells her mom to let Alice go as her involvement in the past is already set in stone, and there is nothing to be done to change it. When Alice arrives at the pond, deep in thought, she hears a splashing sound that distracts her. She turns around and tries to spy where the sound came from. However, it does not take her long to spot young Colton emerging from the water and locking eyes with her. His arrival confirms that Colton always knew about the pond’s power, and it will be intriguing to see how Del, Kat, and Alice deal with this information.
Read More: The Way Home Season 3 Episode 1 Recap: You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet
