Road to Avonlea

Clive and Muriel decide to be married, until Izzy's hostile behavior convinces Muriel to cancel the wedding plans. Davy is tricked out of the money his classmates saved to buy their teacher a wedding gift. Dora and Wiley Lester help him get the money back. Arthur convinces Izzy that having Muriel in their lives will make things better. Hetty has taken over Clive and Muriel's wedding plans; but they surprise all by taking the Pettibone children with them and having a quick ceremony in Carmody.

Felix goes into the fox raising business with Izzy; but when he needs to get a bank loan he trades Izzy for Nat Lester as his partner. Nat spends most of the money trying to impress people, Felix is in danger of loosing Izzy as his friend, and Felicity needs to learn to see life from other peoples perceptive. The foxes escape and Felix must find a way to repay the loan. Izzy accepts Felix's apology and they resume their friendship.

Davy finds that school is not to his liking, and decides not to go. Hetty thinks making him get a job will teach him to appreciate school. Jasper teaches Davy all about running the cannery. He and Jasper bond, and become friends. Hetty is worried that Davy will never return to school, until Jasper shows Davy how education will improve his life and his job. Davy goes back to school with a new attitude.

Rose Cottage is ""empty"" now, so when Rachel has a stroke Hetty agrees to take in Dora and Davy until she fully recovers. Rachel goes out west to live with her son. Once again, Dora and Davy have made a major change in their lives. Davy feels responsible for Rachel's stroke, and causes an unbelievable amount of trouble. Hetty finally gets to the root of Davy's guilt and she, Dora ,and Davy settle down to a new life at Rose Cottage.

Sara returns to Avonlea with Nanny Louisa ready to announce plans to go to Paris to study. Nanny and Aunt Hetty begin to squabble over Sara's future; they both have made plans for her with out consulting her. Sara loves them both, but is determined to go to France. Felix and Izzy are having romance problems and Sara nudges them in the right direction.

Janet has time on her hands for the first time in her life. Felicity, Daniel and Cecily are all away from home. Felix is busy at the hotel, Alec's time is taken up by the farm and his lodge. When she sees a chance to earn ""extra"" money, Janet jumps at the chance; but all of the money makers end up costing Janet more than she makes. Janet must find a way out of her problem without telling Alec; the owner of the company she is dealing with makes threats, and Alec comes to her rescue.

Cecily is in a sanitarium in New York, where she meets Louie, a street smart boy. Bored with their treatments the two get in to so much mischief, Cecily is in danger of being sent home. Janet and Alec arrive and try to smooth things over. Cecily tells them of Louie's sad life, and they plans a Christmas celebration for a poor boy who has never had one. Louie dies shortly thereafter; but Cecily settles down determined to get well.

The White Sands Hotel is the setting for a Bachelor Auction. Each bachelor makes up a picnic basket and a lady bids on it; the bachelor then shares the basket with the lady. Felix and Izzy's romance begins to blossom; Becky Lester has her eye on Davy; Hetty looses Clive Pettibone to Muriel Stacy; Simon Tremayne has his eye on Hetty but fears he has no hope; but the dance at the hotel, to end the day, finds Hetty is Simon's arms.

Felicity is at medical school, and Felix is visiting,when they spot Gus in the market place with a strange woman. Felicity mistakengly thinks he is engaged to this woman,Charlotte Ames, and returns Gus's ring. Gus finds Felicity at school and they decide they 'need to talk'. As Gus walks Felicity back to her rooming house they encounter a flower lady, wandering the streets, who thinks that Gus is Captain Crane. Together, Gus and Felicity decide to bring her back to Avonlea to solve a mystery. Gus thinks the flower lady may be Eliza Pike, his 'deceased' mother. A photograph of Eliza and Abe Pike together, makes Gus realize that she is indeed his mother. Hidden behind this wedding photo of Eliza and Abe is a photo of Captain Crane, whom Gus begins to believe is his real father. He and Eliza go to Jamaica to find the captain. Before he leaves, Gus implores Felicity ""...say you'll be mine."" ""I've always been yours, I'll be yours forever"", she assures him. Gus gives her his ring again

The King family finds out that Cecily has TB and the townsfolk try to avoid contact with the King family.

John Hodgeson, a candidate for Prime Minister, stays at the White Sands with his daughter. Adeline takes a liking to Felix. Alec considers a life in politics after John's encouragement.

The Kings find a man in thier barn and give him work, but is he all that he seems?

Felix wants to enter the steeplechase; but Janet is afraid he'll get hurt. He trains for the race without her knowledge and is injured. Janet and Felix, face their fears; and he enters the race. Clive Pettibone wants to prove to his son that he is still as good a rider as he used to be and also enters the race. Who will win???

Avonlea is hosting the annual drama competition and Hetty plans to win.She makes a wager with Eleanor McHugh,betting a secret family recipe.Asking Janet to play the lead role,She callously recasts the role when the opportunity arises,giving the part to Isabelle Carrington,famous stage actress.However it turns out that Isabelle's refusal to play the part as originally written (by Hetty of course)forces Hetty to fire her only one day before the competition is set to begin. So Hetty must beg Janet to retake the lead role in time to save the play.

Davey Keith is already in trouble after the first day of school. After getting caught fighting in the playground, Clive Pettibone assigns him one hundred lines to write as punishment. While this might be difficult enough under any circumstances, for Davey it is doubly severe because he cannot read or write. After he inadvertently lands Sarah in trouble she learns his awful secret. With her help, however, he begins to learn how to read.

Plans are on the way for the American millionaire (see Home Movie) to turn the old cannery into a distillery. An outraged Hetty persuades H.B. Dunn sells the cannery to her, but she doesn't know how to run it. Jasper and Olivia take over the day-to-day running of the cannery, and use Gus Pike's expertise in operations. Problems arise that must be solved. Gus and the King family pitch in, even Felicity, and all the lobsters are canned; so Hetty decides The Dales must buy the cannery from her.

The family is planning a 50th birthday party for Hetty. Her publisher, no longer wants ""Romance"" novels from her. Muriel Stacey returns to town and takes over the general store. When Hetty succumbs to appendicitis, her out look on life changes. She decides to write about what she knows; her childhood and the beauty of the island. This episode is Heather Conkie's shining moment as a writer for 'Avonlea', as we are given insight to the young Hetty King

Felix must decide where his future lies; the farm or the hotel. The choice is too difficult and Felix rebels. He is too tired to work well at either the farm or hotel; and gives up his job. Alec, seeing how unhappy Felix is, urges him to resume working at the hotel. Felix befriends a millionaire, who teaches him the importance of Fathers and Sons and how to ""talk"" to his father.

To make ends meet, Simon Tremayne takes Hetty as his ""silent"" partner in the hotel. Hetty thinks she can make money by holding a Valentine dance; but a health inspector almost closes the hotel down when he finds a 100 year old bird, dead, in the ice house. Arthur wants to dance with Felicity, who has agreed to go to the dance with Gus, who is being pursued by Chef Pierre's French niece, Suzette.

Gus gets Felix a job at the White Sands Hotel, as Simon Tremayne's assistant. The job goes to Felix's head, and causes a riff with Gus. He reveals that the new owner once worked for royalty; the same Duke who just happens to be visiting Carmody. Hetty is determined to get the Duke to come to the Founders Day Banquet and to have the King Family honoured as Avonlea's 'Founding Family'---of course, it isn't quite the Kings---

Now 16, Felicity, decides that a romantic evening with Gus is what their relationship needs. She schemes to empty the house so she and Gus can dine alone. Gus has no idea that they are to dine alone. Alec and Janet return home, from dinner at the White Sands, and although the situation that the two young lovebirds are caught in is totally innocent, Gus is banished. Sara tries to help, but it only makes matters worse. Gus faces Alec, man to man, and asks for permission to ""See, Felicity, in the open, and with your blessin'"". Alec agrees.

Alec's childhood friend, Emmett, returns to Avonlea with a new young bride and an infant. He asks Alec for help, as his farm has done poorly and he needs to fish for food for the winter. On a shipping expedition, their ship sinks and Emmett dies. Alec feeling responsible, tries to run Emmett's farm and his own. Evelyn, the clinging widow, causes problems between Janet and Alec and sets the whole town gossiping.

With the 'romance' of Felicity and Gus progressing, Sara is feeling left out. Then Zak Morgan, and his ""Wild West Show"" come to town and Sara loses her heart. Hetty and Olivia are very concerned that Sara is getting into a dangerous situation. Sara rodeo rides to impress Zak, and asks if she can join his show. Zak agrees, but when the time comes and the show leaves town Sara is left behind.

When the town decides it needs a Volunteer Fire Department, after a mishap nearly burns down the stable, the choice of chief is between Alec and Clive. It is Hetty who casts the deciding vote, for Clive! The fire department is unruly and disorganized, until Felix's science experiment goes awry, almost burning down the school and they all work together as a team to save it.

For his 14th birthday, Felix wants a rifle, but receives a telescope instead. He borrows his fathers rifle to go hunting, on another one of his 'get rich quick schemes', to provide venison for the White Sands Hotel. Gus hears the shot, and finds Felix bending over a wounded Digger. Arthur Pettibone, is a veterinarian student, the oldest son of Clive, who his eye on Felicity. He treats Digger, knowing he is making an impression. Gus is not pleased at Felicity's reaction to Arthur, and realizes that he has competition for her affections.

Aunt Hetty's plans to help Olivia with the new baby change when Olivia challenges Hetty to be creative. Hetty has written a romance novel, and with out her knowledge, Olivia publishes it in the Chronicle, under the nom de plume, H.E. LeRoi. Clive Pettibone, the new school master, also has a creative streak. Hetty and Clive are antagonists, until they share their secrets. (setting us up for a possible romance between the two characters)

Olivia is about to deliver her first child, and Jasper's family descends on them intending to aid at the birth. Their Bohemian life style clashes with the traditional life style of the King Family, causing major problems. Montgomery King Dale's entrance to the world, almost didn't happen. Jasper is the one who saves the day!

aka ""Vows of Silence"" The new minister in town, gives a 'hell-fire-and-brimstone' sermon which convinces the children that the world is coming to an end. The adults have no idea that the children have taken the sermon so seriously. The children go to the lighthouse, prepared to confess their sins, and hope this will save the world. A lunar eclipse convinces them the end is nigh...and Felix's confession almost makes Felicity put an end to him.

Sisters Janet and Abilgail, and Olivia and Hetty, spend the day at an auction, and the men, Jasper, Alec and Felix, all go ice fishing. Before the afternoon is over the women are not on speaking terms. Alec, Gus and Jasper try to deal with questions from Felix on ""life"" and ""women and men, together"". Gus talks to Jasper about what it feels like to be in love. The day ends with the women out looking for Abigail's son Lucky, whom they believe is out lost in a snow storm and the men go looking for the women. A joyous reunion takes place in the woods, before they all retire to the King Farm for warmth and renewed feeling for each other, and Jasper makes a toast, to friends...and relations.

It is a dark and stormy night when Gus falls under the spell of beautiful Amanda Stone, much to Felicity's chagrin. Robert Rutherford arrives in Avonlea, on Amanda's very heels, and claims the gems Amanda left in safe keeping with Gus are stolen. Gus, smitten with Amanda, refuses to believe Rutherford's claims, however Felicity smells a rat in fine french perfume. The town's people hear about Gus's gems and begin to treat him differently. Then a series of events causes Gus and Felix to be thrown in jail and Gus sets out to find the truth.

The Womens Suffrage Movement comes to Avonlea, and after hearing a suffragette speak, Janet decides to get a petition signed asking for women to have the right to vote. Her zeal causes problems at home and problems at the McCorkindale cannery when she tries to get them better wages. When her efforts finally land her in jail, Alec regrets not helping Janet with her petition and gets Hetty and many others in town to sign. The cannery workers are then given a pay raise, because of Janet's efforts and Mrs. McCorkindale's practicality.

Back in Avonlea, Jo Pitts is wreaking havoc with Hetty, who believes that ""Sara"" has become deranged. When Jo decides she has had enough of Hetty, she decides to drown her. Sara and Gus escape the gang of theives, who are run by Abe Pike, and sail back to Avonlea just in time to stop Jo from robbing the town blind. Gus offers the King women some advice on how to handle Jo, and she is offered a home with Sara and Hetty at Rose Cottage. However, Jo decides to take her fate into her own hands and leaves town.

Sara is suffering growing pains, and Hetty refuses to recognize that the 'Story Girl' is growing up. Gus has news of Captain Crane in Halifax, and plans to travel there to meet him. Sara meets a look alike named, Jo Pitts. When Sara finds living with Hetty unbearable, she forces Gus to take her to Halifax with him. Jo Pitts pretends to be Sara, with the help of Felix. Gus has been tricked by Abe Pike, not Captain Crane who sent the message and Abe wants Gus to take him to Captain Crane & the treasure, so he holds his captive until Gus captiulates, and in the meantime, nasty thieves believe that Sara is Jo Pitts, who is one of their own, and take her captive....

aka ""Another Point of View"" Alec is elected to the school board, and Hetty feels that she is being unfairly criticized so she quits her job as schoolmistress in Avonlea. Her replacement is Alistair Dimple, an impoverished actor, pretending to be a teacher. Alistair inspires the students to learn by doing role-playing and, in turn, inspires Hefty to write a book about the island. Alec finds out Dimples ""identity"", but keeps quiet as Avonlea school battles it out for the History Championship competition against rival Carmody.

Alec wants to sell Blackie, an aging farm horse and somewhat of a pet of Felix, after he purchases a new horse. Felix won't hear of it and decides to start a delivery business, with Sara's help, to pay for Blackie's feed. Felix is teased by the local business men and makes a foolish wager. This causes heartbreak for young Felix, and then a new beginning.

aka ""The Ties That Bind"" Hetty takes over the plans for Olivia and Jasper's wedding, changing the small intimate ceremony they planned into a three-ring-circus. Jasper & Olivia want to elope; Janet is forced to do all of the work; the wedding ring is lost; the wedding gown arrives three times too big; and Hetty and Olivia are not speaking to each other. Here comes the bride...

Sara finds an old gold coin while helping Gus and Captain Crane gather fire wood. Captain Crane informs her that the island is a burial ground of pirates treasure and that her coin very likely came from a treasure. Rachel Lynde, Janet King and Aunt Hetty all go looking in different places for treasure. Gus, Sara and Felicity are put in danger when Captain Borden, a former shipmate and friend of Captain Crane's, arrives in Avonlea. Borden believes that Ezekiel has knowledge of the location of a lost Spanish treasure. Captain Crane leaves the Avonlea after tricking Borden and giving Gus the lighthouse, as a home, and a ruby and gold ring.

Gus Pike is working hard at school and taking odd jobs around town when Captain Ezekiel Crane, the reclusive lighthouse keeper, offers him a job and a place to stay. Rachel Lynde is convinced that the island is being over run by bootleggers. The children believe they see a Ghost Ship near the lighthouse. Abe Pike, former first mate for Captain Crane, arrives in Avonlea, having escaped from prison and claims Gus as his son. Abe fights with Ezekiel and falls into the ocean, as the towns people storm the light house looking for bootleggers.

Andrew King's father, Roger, returns from the jungles of Brazil and a doting Hetty heaps praise on him. She even plans a reception in his honour, at King Farm and placing Janet in charge. Alec, the elder brother and heir to the family farm, is put in a bad light, when he loans money from the family trust to a neighbor in need. This not only puts a strain on Alec and Roger's relationship, but their sons, Felix and Andrew are also affected, as they argue over Grandfather King's fishing basket. Fists fly, lessons are learned and fences are mended between the siblings.

Edwin Clark, an old beau of Olivia's has returned to Avonlea, intent on winning her hand. Hetty had chased him off years before, but as he returns wealthy and successful, Hetty no longer objects. Sara thinks Olivia is better suited to shy and awkward Jasper Dale, and encourages him to pay court to her. Olivia is torn between a former love and a new love, however her decision on who would be the best man to wed becomes quite clear, when she sees how the two men react to the emergency that occurs when a small boy falls down an abandoned well. My favourite quote: ""Ain't that the pistol""~Jasper Dale

Hetty King runs in to her old beau, Romney Penhallow, at a wedding and refuses to speak to him, because of an age old quarrel between the two. Romney pursues Hetty and makes her speak to him and they enjoy some quiet time together. Romney has a sad secret, which is finally shared with Hetty. Their friendship becomes more important to both of them, and they are able to make peace with each other. Also, because of Romney, Hetty and Rachel Lynde are finally able to bury the hatchet and become friends once again.

Dora and Davy Keith come to live at Green Gables, with Marilla, a distant relative, after their parents die. Only a temporary arrangement, until a uncle could be located, Marilla is faced with the prospect of turning two children over to an orphanage or losing the friendship of Rachel Lynde, because Davy has proven to be a handful. Rachel makes matters worse beacause she is suffering from a tooth ache, but refuses to go to the doctor...and then there is that naughty pig.

Muriel Stacey, is returning home to Avonlea to see her old school house and her school chum Hetty King. Feeling threatened by her perceived former-rival, Hetty goes out looking for new students. Gus Pike is now working at the cannery, and wants to learn...reading, writing and how to be a gentleman....Hetty is delighted with his enthusiasm. After an accident at home, Hetty is temporarily replaced at school by Muriel, who not only does not want to replace Hetty, but organizes the children to do a ""tribute"" to her. Gus plays a fiddle solo to express his gratitude to Hetty.

Janet King's Great-Aunt Eliza comes for a visit, and sets the King household on it's ear, as Janet tries to please her guest, while she herself is feeling quite unwell. Alec finds out that playing cricket, is not as easy as it used to be when he was a younger man. Felicity decides that she is now ""grown up"" at age 12 1/2 and develops a crush on a visiting rival cricket player. Mooning over David Hawes, Felicity longs to receive her ""first kiss"". Sara and Felix make a new friend, Gus Pike, a young sailor, recently arrived in Avonlea and looking for work. Alec offers his barn for Gus to stay in, and also some work until the cannery begins hiring. It is wise Great Aunt Eliza who realizes why Janet is feeling unwell, it is announced that the family will soon have a new baby. Felicity finally gets her kiss and the family is never the same after Gus Pike enters their lives.

Sara returns to Montreal, to live with her father, but a tragic accident causes her return to the island. Once only motherless, Sara finds her self suddenly orphaned and searching for answers. A traveling circus is in Avonlea and Peter takes her, hoping to cheer her up. Instead, Sara decides to visit the fortune teller, who claims to communicate with the deceased. Sara's life is placed in danger and it is Uncle Alec who saves the day.

Back from their honeymoon, Malcolm suggests starting a family; Abigail says that she is too old for children, and they fuss quite a bit. Sara and Felicity find a newly orphaned baby and leave him on the McEwan's door step, hoping to smooth rough waters between the couple and give them something that they need. Enemies Rachel Lynde and Aunt Hetty both decide that they have a greater claim to the baby and both want him. In the end it is decided that the baby is better off with Malcolm and Abigail.

Janet King's sister, Abigail (Aunt 'Crabigail') Ward, is a fussy old maid, who lives in a spotlessly clean house. When her old beau, Malcolm McEwan comes back, rich, from the Yukon; he sets about wooing Abigail. At first she accepts, but the big man leaves such a mess, is so demonstrative, and buys her so many gifts that Abigail panics and returns his ring. Sara and Felicity are in raptures over the romance, and when they find out Malcolm is leaving town, they tell Abigail. She covers herself with Malcolm's gifts, and with Sara and Felicity holding on for dear life, races after the stage and begs Malcolm to return. Favourite quote: ""Let Mr. MacEwan drive the buggy home."" ~Sara to Abigail (after a wild buggy ride)

The children are enthralled went a missionary visits Avonlea. Sara is distressed that Peter, the hired boy, has ""no religion"" and sets about getting him to go to church. Peter comes down with influenza and the children come to realize how precious life is. Hetty and Olivia start to treat him less like hired help and more like family; Peter goes to school with the King children.

Bossy cousin Felicity is left in charge of all the children when Aunt Janet and Uncle Alec go away to celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary, and then Aunt Hetty decides she must go to Charlottetown to protect the farms "water rights". Felicity soon antagonizes the other children into misbehaving. Felix eats ""poison berries"", Sara smears Felicity's cherry pie all over Felicity's dress and even cuts off some of her ""perfect"" hair. A visit by the Governor's wife makes for confusion as to her identity. By the story's end, the children have all ""learned lessons"" and Sara become friends with the formerly unfriendly Felix and Felicity. My favourite quote: ""Felicity King is known throughout Avonlea for her cherry pies and sawdust pudding"" ~ Felix King

"Old Lady Lloyd" is believed to be a very wealthy woman, but she is actually living in poverty in her mansion. Sara befriends Miss Lloyd and wants to help her. Sylvia Gray, a friend of Olivia's visiting Avonlea, is the daughter of Miss Lloyd's former beau, who Miss Lloyd has never forgiven. Young Miss Gray has a magnificent singing voice, and Miss Lloyd, after a long conversation with Peg Bowen, walks through a thunder storm to get her cousin, with whom she has not spoken in years, to finance the young woman's career. The lesson is about forgiveness.

Everyone in Avonlea knows everything about everyone. Exasperated, Marilla Cuthbert, ""creates"" a beau for the ladies of the sewing circle. To Marilla's distress, a traveling salesman with the same name she 'made up' shows up in town. Marilla faces Duncan McTavish and tells him the truth. Realizing the predicament she is in, Duncan helps Marilla stop all of the wagging tongues in Avonlea.

A mischevious Sara and Felix sneak into grumpy old Alexander Abraham's house, on a dare, not knowing that he is ill and about to be quarantined. Avonlea busy-body, Rachel Lynde enters his house looking for his farm boy who has been skipping her Sunday School Class. All are quarantined together. Alexander is a woman hater, Rachel a 'do-gooder', and the house is an unmitigated mess. Rachel nurses Alexander through his illness, Felix too, when he falls ill. Sara helps cleans his house, and learns that there is more to life than just reading books all the time. Through the help of the children and Rachel Lynde, Alexander is no-longer a cranky old man, and somewhat less of a woman-hater. Mrs. Rachel, however, remains a 'do-gooder'.

Content to stay on at Rose Cottage, with her Aunt's Hetty & Olivia, Sara makes friends with Jasper Dale, 'The Awkward Man' of Avonlea. In the meantime, the school board has decided to hold a 'magic lantern' show and use the proceeds for the school library fund. The man they hire to do this show is in actuality a confidence man, who Sara inadvertently helps skip town with the money. Sara wants to put on a show to replace the missing funds and asks the help of the shy Jasper, who is an inventor and owns a 'magic lantern'. Sara gives a heartfelt recitation of ""The Little Match Girl"", and she is forever known as ""The Story Girl"", in Avonlea.

Sara Stanley is a wealthy child sent to stay with distant relatives on Prince Edward Island, when her father is accused of embezzlement. She finds the life on the small island a challenge, and getting to know her mother's family is not much easier. At first Sara resents being in Avonlea. Her mother's sister, Hetty King, resents Sara's Nanny Louisa and sends her back to Montreal. Sara is left to live with her Aunt's Hetty and Olivia in Rose Cottage. My favourite quote: ""As the eldest in the family, I'm used to making unpopular decisions."" ~ Hetty King.

A DVD special feature containing exclusive interviews with the cast and Kevin Sullivan at the end of the series. The actors reflect on the production which ran for seven years, and Kevin explains why he decided to finally conclude it.

The King family from the Road to Avonlea television series gather together during the first World War to celebrate the holidays. The season is a time of crisis for the family this year, however, as eldest son Felix who was fighting overseas has been listed as missing in action. Meanwhile, Aunt Hetty grapples with loneliness and a potentially fatal back injury; Felicity searches for a new career; and Olivia considers moving back to Avonlea.