Uh oh. Bias alert!
I’ve been sitting here trying to figure out why an episode about love didn’t sit well, and then it hit me.
Chesapeake Shores Season 6 Episode 5 disappointed me because my favorite couple hit a snag.
Try as I might to be opaque in my preference for storylines or characters, it’s hard to achieve.
So, let’s start with why I’m feeling a little less than optimistic before diving into stories that give “L-O-V-E” a closer definition of the word.
It all started with Luke poking around the storage areas at The Bridge. If he found the classic Mr. Mystic fortune-telling machine, who knows what else might be lurking in there? Maybe something that can repair his tattered relationship with Bree.
Admittedly, this story hit me hard because I see so much of myself in Bree. Outside of the writerly aspect, she falls in and out of relationships with a pattern similar to mine. Bree is always searching, but even when love grows close, she does something to mess it up.
When Chesapeake Shores Season 1 explored the family’s reaction when Megan returned, it was how her leaving affected Mick and Jess that I recall the most.
But watching Bree in action suggests that she was profoundly affected by how her parents’ marriage disintegrated.
Things have been going very well with Luke. She had a crush on him years ago, and getting the chance to revisit that as an adult is downright dreamy.
Of course, things have happened in both of their lives that have changed them significantly, but if they hadn’t, they might have still been on the periphery instead of taking a chance to get to know each other.
But while Luke is enjoying the direction they’ve been on and seems willing to see where it would take them next, Bree has started to overthink things for no apparent reason.
When Mr. Mystic spit out identical cards with fortunes suggesting that Bree and Luke were destined to be, Bree’s reaction wasn’t ideal.
And, OK. It might seem like Luke would push their relationship by rigging the machine and playing a little joke, but when he said he didn’t, Bree should have believed him.
Instead, it became an all-encompassing issue for her, one that she couldn’t let go. It was really awful when they had lunch (salads — have you ever seen such a big deal made of the salads this episode?), and Luke did make a joke that he might have to flop on her couch again.
With the idea that Luke was pushing them in a direction she may or may not want to go (that was never made clear), she then accused him of trying to move in with her before she lambasted him again for lying about manipulating the machine.
Rightfully, Luke walked off.
Jess couldn’t understand why Bree was overthinking it, either. She didn’t push Bree too hard, but I wish she had asked Bree why she was so eager to believe Luke was lying. That’s the key here, after all.
It’s not so much what she did but why she did it. Until she figures out what was driving that, she won’t be able to honestly approach Luke about a solution.
It’s going to have to be a significant overture at this point because her wishy-washy approach only made things worse.
Bree: I guess I have some trust issues, huh?
Luke: OK. You know, uh, I have trust issues, too.
Bree: OK. Well, maybe we can work on our issues together.
Luke: Yeah, I’m not so sure. See, my issues are with people who don’t trust me.
The pain on Luke’s face when he said that was too much. He has trusted Bree with so much of himself, and after what he’s experienced, that’s a big deal.
I do think that they’ll find their way back to each other, but not before Bree does some intense soul-searching into what is driving her trust issues.
It’s impossible not to root for her, though. I have driven away so many men because I couldn’t let go of waiting for what I considered the inevitable — lying, cheating, general disappointment. Before they got the chance to deliver, I had already closed the door in their faces.
On the other hand, we have Abby and Evan, who couldn’t be more different.
Oh, they have plenty in common, from strength of character to business ethics, but their approach to life is vastly different from one another. Instead of allowing that to get in the way of their enjoyment of each other, they embraced it.
Their desire to be there for each other was evident through their series of dates and the rules attached to them. Those dates and rules almost shut the door on their developing relationship.
Abby: I guess we’re the first ones here.
Evan: We’re the only ones here.
Abby: Pardon?
Evan: I booked the whole restaurant.
Abby: Just for us?
Evan: Just for us.
Abby: That’s very romantic.
Evan: Too romantic?
Abby: I’m going to have to think about that.
Evan is a man of extremes. He goes above and beyond in everything, with only Mandrake cooling his jets. He and Abby are capable of normal moments — dinners that don’t require an empty restaurant or a string quartet, crabbing, walking on the beach holding hands.
But somehow, it seems those close moments are the hardest for them, not because they don’t enjoy them but because they’ve been trying too hard to impress one another.
Twice, when they’ve let their guard down, they discover how much there is to enjoy each other’s company. The scavenger hunt led to their first unexpected kiss, and by allowing themselves some breathing room as individuals, they took another step closer.
Abby: I lied. I think I like romance.
Evan: So do I.
Abby: And I might love twinkly lights.
Evan: Yes! The twinklier, the better, right?
That showed that they were already on the same page, but they just had to keep flipping through the book to get there.
At this point, it seems there’s nothing to stop them.
Other romantic love on display finds Kevin and Sarah finally spending a little time together somewhere other than their bedroom, and Connor and Margaret continuing their journey as he’s introduced to the Keller family.
Honestly, I can’t even remember what was going on between Kevin and Sarah, so we’ll stick with Connor, who was quite assured he’d make a good impression on the Kellers.
Connor has had a lifetime within his own family, learning how to engage with family members of all ages by showing them the appropriate love and respect.
So, even though he was warned not to grasp for lame jokes as a last-ditch effort to salvage any withering conversation, doing so earned him points instead of disdain.
Other than their less-than-ideal work situation when they first met and Connor’s heart troubles, these two have had a swift courtship that built well on their business relationship.
It’s hard to imagine any further bumps in the road for them.
Mick’s been walking a bumpy road for a while. Are we finally going to see him embracing this next phase of his life?
As the hour began, Mick was still in denial about his addiction. It was hard to watch, but what I loved about it was how Megan could read the signs but didn’t push him to accept reality before he was ready.
She’s got her own cross to bear with Carter at the Getty Museum. That man is bad news, and it wouldn’t surprise me if she high-tailed it back to Chesapeake Shores, leaving the museum in the lurch. I hope she doesn’t since it would only validate Carter’s poor behavior, but it wouldn’t be a surprise.
Carter: Be honest. He didn’t want you to come out here, did he?
Megan: He had some issues with it at first, but we worked through them.
Carter: Issues with you following your dream.
Megan: Carter, will you just stop?
Carter: So, now what? The guy has a drug problem. Is that the kind of person you want to spend the rest of your life with?
Megan: Alright. You have now crossed the line here, Carter. I will forget this conversation and pretend it never happened if you stop talking right now.
She’s handling being away from Mick at such a tough time very well, and I think it serves him well to stand on his own no matter how painful it is for him to do so.
Hi. My name is Mick, and uh, I am an addict. I just realized that today. I’m a pilot, and I had a crash awhile back…
Mick
Mick finally took the first step to handle his problem, and I’m interested to see how standing on his own and fighting his addiction will inspire his family to confront their own demons.
Whether it’s Bree and her trust issues or Megan and her Carter problems, there are a lot of O’Briens that are still searching. Seeing their patriarch stand tall in the face of adversity should go a long way to show they can do the same.
But what do you think?
I’d love to hear what you think about the hour, so please click below and share your thoughts. And remember, you can watch Chesapeake Shores online right here via TV Fanatic!
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on Twitter and email her here at TV Fanatic.
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