Season 2 Episode 1 of The Way Home premiered on Sunday, January 21, and it was well worth the wait. The episode launched a series of new mysteries and even ended with a big twist that fans did not see coming. (Check out all the reactions in our public Facebook group!) In terms of season premieres, this really had everything you’d want in a cozy mystery series. This review will also provide a recap of all the major mysteries we’re presented with as Season 2 kicks off.
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**WARNING: SPOILERS FOR THE PREMIERE BELOW**
Elliot & Kat Are Back to ‘Will They/Won’t They?’
The episode began just before a seven-month time jump, when Kat learned that Elliot had not only ended things with her, but he had left town without saying goodbye to her or Alice. All he left was a note on the door.
Elliot spent most of his life knowing what was going to happen and preparing for it. He also spent most of his life in love with Kat. But once he finally reached the point where he knew what was coming, he decided to break up with Kat and strike out on his own for awhile.
I can understand both sides of this argument, though I lean personally more toward siding with Kat and Alice. Elliot is being a bit unreasonable in insisting they never go back to the pond and time travel again, considering that Jacob is still missing. But he also firmly believes that you cannot change the past and they are only endangering themselves, so from that perspective, I get it.
However, he broke up with Kat right after she witnessed her dad die and was going through the roughest time of her life. To me, that’s not a character you’d want in a partner. At this point, even though I assume she and Elliot will eventually get back together, I personally think they’d both be better off with other people.
The fact that this is being debated so hotly is a testament to how well-written their story is.
Kat Is Seen in an 1814 Portrait
Despite their struggles, both Kat and Alice are doing well seven months after Season 1 ended. Kat is running the local newspaper and thriving compared to where Season 1 started. She’s amicable with Alice’s dad, and she has a great relationship with her daughter. I love seeing her doing well.
Alice is doing well too and is bonding with her friends (and potential future love interest!)
And Del, just like her daughter and granddaughter, is also thriving.
All three characters have made great strides in character development since Season 1, which is really nice to see. Yes, they have struggles. But they’re rebuilding their relationships and moving forward. They’re not stuck making the same mistakes over and over again. Really, the only complaint I have right
Which also opens their characters up to some compelling new experiences and mysteries.
Evelyn, whose family founded the town, has died and left a treasure trove of archives to Kat’s newspaper. And this leads to an intriguing new mystery.
I didn’t recognize Kat in the portrait, so I’m glad they spelled it out to the viewers that it’s her. 😂 It looks like she’s going to be traveling back in time to 1814. Since I’m no longer “shipping” her and Elliot, I hope the caption (“My Katherine, 1814”) means that she will have an epic love story when she goes back in time. Something tells me that she won’t find Jacob there, but I imagine she will find something else of importance.
Jacob’s Mystery Continues, Along with a Shadowy Figure Watching the Family
The premiere makes it clear that the mystery of what happened to Jacob will continue to be an important part of the story.
We’re treated to a scene in the past that took place at the Landry farm just before Jacob disappeared. The whole family is there, plus Elliot. Colton gives Elliot a push to share his true feelings with Kat, and around the same time, Elliot hears something in the woods. No one investigates, but we later see the outline of a shadowy figure watching them.
Everyone’s debating who this is. I personally think it’s Colton. From behind, his hair and outline look just like the man he’s watching. And it would make sense that he would watch himself as he tries to determine where he is. In a discussion on a public Facebook group, many agree with me. But others think it might be Jacob as a grown man, or perhaps even Elliot.
Several More Mysteries Were Introduced
Several more minor mysteries were introduced in the new episode.
Del’s neighbor is selling his land and will no longer be leasing her farmland. I have a feeling this will develop into an issue where there’s a chance she will lose the land that the pond is on. I also think the mysterious buyer might play a role in the new season.
The mysterious wild, black horse that Del keeps seeing is also going to play some kind of important role. (Sorry for the blurry photo!) I imagine this horse perhaps traveled in time through the pond, just like their dog was doing. Maybe this is Jacob’s horse in the past?
Even though there’s no apparent mystery to the fireplace initials (Del knows exactly who made them), I think this is going to have more importance as the season progresses.
When Kat and Alice were separated after jumping back into the pond, Alice went back in time to find Elliot. But Kat went to another place in time, where she was immediately shot. I don’t think this part will be a mystery for long. We might even find out who shot her next week. I’m guessing she’s in 1814 and was shot by whoever ends up painting her portrait (or someone connected to the painter.)
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Gorgeous cinematography
- Authentic characters with real character growth and change
- A plot twist that was unexpected at the end
- New mysteries that aren’t easy to figure out
Cons:
- There’s only one con, and it’s that no one has opened up to Del yet and told her what’s going on.
My grade for The Way Home Season 2 Episode 1 is A+. It was the perfect way to kick off the new season, and I was never bored!
Stephanie Dwilson has been working in entertainment journalism for more than a decade. She's led teams of writers covering top TV show franchises like The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Rick and Morty, and more. She's a veteran Hallmark journalist and runs a 60,000-member Facebook group dedicated to the genre.
Stephanie is a licensed attorney and she has a master's in science in science and technology journalism. You can reach her at [email protected].
