Hallmark
The Way Home Recap Season 4 Episode 3 – We Have a Theory About Fern and Tessa
Kat and Alice had unfinished business in the 20s and the 70s, though, in true The Way Home fashion, it helped fans inch closer to the truth, while unlocking many new mysteries in the process.
On The Way Home Season 4 Episode 3, titled “Dust in the Wind,” the string that we continue to pull at, and that begins to unravel, is the mystery surrounding Tessa’s disappearance. Where did she end up? Who did she go with? Why did she leave? These are all answers we have only managed to drum up hypothetical answers to, which is frustrating, and we begin to understand why Elliott simply wants to know less about his biological mom at this point.
Was Tessa Augustine/Cooper a Time Traveler?
What Elliott is seemingly learning about his mother is far worse than the stories he’d tell himself to explain why she left him. At least, for now, with the limited pieces of information they’ve gotten and the jumbled way they are coming in.
Elliott’s bracing for the worst, as all signs point to Tessa jumping for love to live in a different timeline, and abandoning him with a father she didn’t ever believe was fit enough to be a parent. Heck, she didn’t even leave him in a place that guaranteed he’d be found.
Yet, plenty is pointing at Tessa also being a time traveler, and one who has crafted a life for herself in two very different eras. So, figuring out her story is much more complicated—she’s not the person operating in black and white; she exists in the gray areas.
Alice meets Tessa in 1978, as she works as a waitress at Coyle’s, who also steals from the till and shushes Alice to keep her secret. It’s weird, but the episode doesn’t fully get into it, so we’ll keep it in our back pocket for a later time.
This time, Tessa is no longer just a tourist passing through, and while she and Alice don’t exchange much, there’s a lot unsaid between them and a sense of familiarity, almost as if Tessa knows who Alice is. She even comments that she knows a wayward soul when she sees one, hinting at knowledge of time travel.
We also get our first glimpse at Griffin, who is seemingly also a pond time traveler. At this point, anyone who disappears for longer periods of time and becomes untraceable must be utilizing it. Not to mention, he clocked Alice heading in the direction of the pond during his brief visit to the Landry farm and seemingly knew what she was doing.
In the present, Del reveals she always assumed Tessa and Griffin had an affair and left together, though she’s never thought to mention it because she has no proof of it. Since we’re seeing them both in the same timeline, there has to be a deeper connection here.
Betrayal hits Elliot hard, especially from Del, as he points out that she, of all people, knows what secrets can do to a family. It’s a little unfair for Elliott to take it out on Del, but he’s going through a tough time and needs someone to blame, which just so happens to be the person who has always been on his side.
All this talk of Tessa and what happened to her reaches Vic, who blows back into town after his honeymoon to confront Del before making amends with her and Elliott. I’m now very suspicious of who Vic’s wife is. Is there a reason we haven’t met her yet? Why is she an off-screen character? Why wouldn’t he bring her to meet his son after the wedding?
Everyone Is Moving on Without Alice
Alice is more focused on how rapidly everything in her life is changing. In 1978, much like teen Kat and Elliott back in the 90s, Evelyn, Cole and Del are growing up without her. When she jumps back into the pond mere moments after meeting Griffin in 1976, she returns again, only for the timeline to jump two years. The realization that Evelyn has given birth to Louis and she’s missed this entire chapter of her life, unintentionally and through no fault of her own, despite promising to be there for her, is heartbreaking.
Evelyn isn’t one to hold grudges, but Alice feels the finality of their hang, fully knowing that she won’t ever be able to return and visit Evelyn and Louis again, as she can no longer explain not aging and the long periods between her returns. She can’t risk it, so she can’t be a part of their lives moving forward.
This moment serves as her final goodbye with Evelyn and Cole, and yep, I’m getting emotional. I’ve never been good at goodbyes.
The good news is that, in the present, she has finally found her tribe with Noah and Max, though everything is bound to change once Noah reveals his plans to open up a restaurant five hours away from Port Haven, which actually brings Max and Alice closer together.
At one point, he pushes her into the pond; thankfully, she doesnt time travel, but they nearly kiss, which may be the first moment that they’ve both realized there’s something there. Is the prophecy fulfilling itself? Whatever is meant to happen will happen, even if Casey isn’t their future child, though I kind of think they are.
Kat’s Speakeasy Experience Isn’t All That
Meanwhile, Kat tries to take a break from pond jumping, but honestly, her work isn’t finished yet, and Elliott is foolish to think she will rest without getting any answers. He may not want them, but Kat knows their puzzle is incomplete, and Tessa cannot be judged until they know the full story.
So while he presses his dad, Kat jumps again and ends up back in the 20s with Fern, at another prohibition-era party at a speakeasy.
But overhearing something concerning about “ending him” from the Augustine boys makes Kat uneasy. She’s not sure who they are referring to, but since they’ve worked with or for Grayson Goodwin in the past, she warns Fern about their intentions, just as Kane arrives to warn them of an upcoming raid. Fern doesn’t heed the warning, however, returning to give the crowd a grand finale, but the main reason seems to be so she can spike Kat’s drink.
Kat falls unconscious just as Temperance officer Kane raids the party, waking up behind bars, confused and betrayed. Is their trust too broken to be fixed?
I’d like to think Fern had her reasons, though I can’t fully figure them out just yet. Why would she do that to her own blood? How would this benefit her? Is she working for someone who knows about time travel?
Could the person be Tessa? Fern mentioned something along the lines of “it can’t be you, you’re a woman,” so maybe she’s waiting for Elliott?
Is Fern Connected to the Future?
There’s also undeniable proof that Fern has connections to the future.
First, Kat confronted Fern about knowing Tessa after seeing the two wear the same bracelet, so either she’s lying about now knowing a Tessa (which I think is the case) or the moment hasn’t happened yet. There’s also the fact that Fern performed a rendition of “Tainted Love,” a song recorded in 1964, way in the future, meaning she’d have to hear about it from someone in the ’60s, like Tessa, who possibly time-jumped with Griffin?
As for who the boss was and who the Augustine boys wanted to take out, it’s unclear, but Kat pieced together that Grayson Goodwin had a gun from photos found in a history book, later discovering the bullet shell that Alice picked up in the mines at Lingermore.
Is it possible that Griffin and Tessa were in the ’20s and got caught up in the violence?
Fern and Tessa Are Working Together… A Working Theory
All this leads me to my working theory… I’m starting to consider that Tessa meant to come back for Elliott, but something simply went wrong in one of the timelines. Maybe she’s stuck there? Maybe Griffin is the one who gets shot, and she can’t get back via the pond without a time traveler from the Landry bloodline. Fern can’t take her because the pond doesn’t allow anyone to travel to the future, so it would make sense as to why Fern drugged and had Kat locked up.
What do you think about the theory?
Elliott’s Heart-to-Heart With Vic
In the present, Elliott’s heart-to-heart with Vic may have finally allowed them to make some amends. It showed a softer side to the man who has endured his fair share of heartbreak and pain, likely forcing him to become cold-hearted and closed-off to everyone around him. He never intended to be a terrible father, but being abandoned by the love of ur life while you’re on a job can do that to you.
However, it also underscored that his father truly believed Tessa loved Elliott, so the reasons she chose to walk away from them are unclear even to him. Maybe it wasn’t willingly after all.
Vic is convinced she died after receiving a letter that her time is coming to an end, and though it included the family ring, it could have been from anyone, and honestly proves nothing. Also, someone sending letters?! He may want to compare the handwriting against the notes Del is getting.
Elsewhere in the episode, Elliott gets one more hint at his mother’s love when the clock only chimes at 11:11, as Vic tells him the specific time meant a lot to his mom. The clock clearly has to be some kind of message.
Kat Presses Pause on Her Future With Elliott
Elliott also tells Kat about his desire to have kids with her, which, frankly, takes her by surprise a bit, considering she’s sending her daughter off to college, but seeing how much it means to Elliott, she asks him if they can table the conversation rather than just flat out saying no. Could this be the thing that breaks Kat and Elliott for good?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
I didn’t have high expectations going into A Knight to Remember, and honestly, a big part of that came down to the promotional poster. It didn’t capture the charm you expect from a Hallmark movie, and it certainly didn’t do Julie Gonzalo and James Trevena any favors with those blank stares.
A statue of an English knight arrives in Chicago for an art exhibit. While cleaning the statue, museum conservator Emily impulsively kisses the statue, bringing him to life. Photo: James Trevena, Julie Gonzalo Credit: ©2026 Hallmark Media/Photographer: Allister Foster
Still, I gave it a shot. It’s set in my hometown, Chicago, so I felt like I had to support it; plus, I’m a sucker for a predictable, cheesy love story. Much to my surprise, I ended up genuinely enjoying it and liking it way more than I thought I would. It’s easy to be critical of these movies because, yes, they’re into all the Hallmark staples—with plenty of pumpkin spice latte references to emphasize that this is a fall film—but there’s also real heart and some solid comedic moments.
I wasn’t fully convinced by the premise of a medieval knight who’s turned to stone and accidentally comes back to life to find true love. But as I started my watch, my mind raced to remember where I saw a knight-turned-real-boy storyline before, eventually landing on one of the more enjoyable Christmas films of years prior— Vanessa Hudgens The Knight Before Christmas. Turns out, there is something captivating and heartwarming about time-traveling knights (with great manners and a big flirting game) finding their place in the modern world.
As for the plot, there was plenty to work with, starting in 1428, when marrying for love wasn’t the norm; Sir Griffin already knew he didn’t want the life laid out for him. Maybe he was more of a modern man than he ever even knew.
In fact, he’d rather be turned to stone than marry Princess Beatrice, which, frankly, says a lot. I do wish we got more of his past, or even a glimpse of Beatrice, but alas, the story fully focused on Griffin’s present-day adventures, navigating a world that was so deeply unfamiliar to his time.
As Griffin’s wish was granted centuries later, he woke up after Emily planted a kiss on his stone lips. And yes, I did spend a few minutes wondering why she committed to fully kissing a stone figure with such passion, but I guess we’re just rolling with it. Love (or loneliness) makes you do crazy things!
As the stone pieces keeping him trapped break away, Griffin is freed. And he’s been preserved in all his glory, apparently, without any bad breath! (I know, these are the things you just accept when diving into these rom-coms, but I couldn’t shake it.)
He navigates this big, new world with wide-eyed wonder.
The biggest thing to throw him off? Cars… or rather, rideshares.
From here on out, I will be referring to my shower as “indoor rain” because that’s much more logical. Thanks, Griffin.
Memory foam beds (“sleeping on clouds”) and bagels—all become part of his journey, as does a pumpkin spice latte, and it’s charming to see him enjoy one for the first time ever.
Meanwhile, Emily is dealing—very casually, I might add—with the whole “a statue went missing” fiasco at the museum.
“What, did it just get legs and walk away?” my mother would ask… And, well…
Personally, I would not be that calm, but she clearly doesn’t have the same debilitating anxiety that I do anytime my boss pings me asking if I have a minute to chat.
And she’s far more focused on helping Griffin complete his quest before he turns back to stone again, a fate he’d, understandably, like to avoid if at all possible.
Part of that mission involves Emily convincing herself and everyone around her that she’s not into him, despite being totally into him.
And there’s the aptly-timed Medieval Fayre hosted by her good friend Marcus, who was totally crushing on her work BFF, Ivy. Griffin picked up on it in mere seconds, but sadly, we never got to see anything pan out between them, which is a missed opportunity. There was no payoff to all those moments teasing the connection between Ivy and Marcus. Couldn’t we get a little kiss on the cheek during one of the fair moments?
There’s also Emily’s ex, Tom, who complicates everything.
He’s leading the investigation into the missing statue, clearly motivated by career ambition (which tells us all we need to know about what kind of husband he was), along with a smidge of little jealousy that Emily has a hunky new dude around.
A statue of an English knight arrives in Chicago for an art exhibit. While cleaning the statue, museum conservator Emily impulsively kisses the statue, bringing him to life. Photo: James Trevena, Julie Gonzalo Credit: ©2026 Hallmark Media/Photographer: Luka Cyprian
To be fair, his suspicion that Griffin could be a con artist isn’t entirely unreasonable given the armour with the residue matching the one found at the museum. But it’s the way he undermines Emily in the process, suggesting she’s so gullible, that makes it so extremely easy to root against him. When he tries to rekindle their relationship, playing the “I miss you” and “you were the best thing to happen to me” card, she shuts it down quickly—and rightfully so.
In the end, Tom gets what’s coming to him when his conflict of interest is exposed, as well as the fact that he broke into an apartment to obtain evidence.
He really thought he did something…
It’s a satisfying moment, just as it was to see Emily tell Tom the entire truth about Griffin, only for him to dismiss it as a joke. I wouldn’t have minded seeing Tom fully realize just how wrong he was about Griffin, and that he just lost the love of his life to a piece of stone!
The core of the story revolves around Griffin’s fate, as Emily has just three days to fall in love with him or he’ll turn to stone forever.
The catch is that her feelings have to be real, as Griffin refuses to tell Emily what’s at stake so that she doesn’t feel manipulated or forced into loving him.
No pressure or anything!
The deadline looms, but Emily continues to struggle to admit how she feels, her past with Tom clearly leaving its mark.
Even as Griffin’s fingers begin to turn gray, Emily can’t get the words out, which is frustrating.
Of course, this is Hallmark, so things work out. Emily realizes her life has been split into “before Griffin” and “after Griffin,” and she can’t imagine a life without him. The clarity helps her finally embrace her feelings, and it’s sealed with a kiss.
Griffin stays in the modern world to permanently enjoy the perks of indoor plumbing, and the two move forward together, bringing their story to life as part of the museum’s exhibit, which is such a hit that they’re embarking on a world tour.
It’s a happy ending, as expected—even if Emily had us in the first half.
As for the standout quote from the film, the award goes to Griffin, as he reflects on the world that no longer exists: “I do not ache for lost love, I ache for lost life.”
Slightly cheesy? Sure! But also surprisingly meaningful.
Did you enjoy A Knight to Remember as much as I did? What stood out most to you? Share your thoughts!
Hallmark
Julie Gonzalo Stars in Hallmark’s ‘A Knight to Remember’ — Everything We Know About the New Fall Fantasy Romance Movie
Hallmark is leaning into fantasy romance this fall with A Knight to Remember, a new original movie part of the “Fall Into Love” programming, starring fan-favorite Julie Gonzalo, and it’s already shaping up to be one viewers won’t want to miss.
Here’s everything to know about the upcoming film, from its cast to its story and when it premieres.
When Does A Knight to Remember Premiere?
A Knight to Remember is set to debut Oct. 3 as part of Hallmark’s seasonal lineup at 8/7c.
The movie arrives at the perfect time, slotted in during the network’s popular fall programming block, blending romance, cozy settings and light escapism ahead of the holiday season.
It will be available to stream on-demand on Hallmark+ the day after its television premiere.
Who Stars in A Knight to Remember?
The film stars Julie Gonzalo, a Hallmark regular known for her warm, relatable performances, along with James Trevena as the knight. Chris McNally, who also happens to be her real-life partner, also appears. The duo met in 2017 while filming the Hallmark movie The Sweetest Heart, beginning a romantic relationship shortly after.
Where Have We Seen Julie Gonzalo Before?
Gonzalo has been a familiar face to audiences for years, with roles in major films like A Cinderella Story (opposite Chad Michael Murray and Hilary Duff) and TV series including Dallas, Veronica Mars and Supergirl, in addition to her Hallmark work!
Does Julia Gonzalo Have Children?
Off-screen, she shares two children (daughters born in 2022 and 2026) with McNally, adding an extra layer of real-life chemistry to their on-screen pairing.
What Is A Knight to Remember About?
Per the description, A Knight to Remember centers on “a museum conservator named Emily,” who “cleans an imported English knight statue and impulsively kisses it, which magically brings the knight to life in modern-day Chicago.” The synopsis continues: “As Emily helps the chivalrous time-traveler navigate modern Chicago, pumpkin spice lattes, a Halloween Medieval Fayre, and an FBI investigation led by her ex-husband, she begins to rediscover the wonder and romance she thought she had left behind.”
Is A Knight to Remember Based on a Book?
Yes, the film is adapted from Bryn Donovan’s novel, Her Knight at the Museum, so if you enjoy the movie, you can dive into the book shortly after to keep the good times rolling.
A Knight to Remember Preview
Hallmark
Hallmark Unveils 2026 Countdown to Christmas Schedule—Including the Premiere Date for ‘Mistletoe Murders’ Season 3
So what that we haven’t even properly welcomed the fall season, and Christmas is 99 days away?
Hallmark is ready to kick off the holidays, revealing the highly anticipated 17th annual Countdown to Christmas schedule for 2026.
And it’s jam-packed with cozy and cuddly titles — 34 original premieres to be exact, which is 10 more than last year. What a holiday gift!
Yes, it includes Holiday Touchdown, bringing a touch of Hallmark magic to Chicago Bears fans, and a new season of Mistletoe Murders, arriving on Nov. 5, just in time to help us get our holiday sleuthing on.
Emily and Sam work to prove the wreathmaker’s innocence. Emily tries to remain unattached in the present while reflecting on the mistakes of her past and the obligations of her future. Photo: Peter Mooney, Sarah Drew Credit: ©2026 Hallmark Media/Photographer: Peter Stranks
The programming kicks off in exactly a month, on Oct. 16, and runs through Dec 20!
There will also be in-person experiences that bring the on-screen magic to a city near you as part of the three-city Jingle Stop Tour in Chicago, the location for Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story; Orlando, where Holiday Ever After: A Disney World Wish Come True was filmed; and Asheville, NC, home of the famed Biltmore Estate and the set of A Grand Biltmore Christmas.
As for the new films, they star all of the familiar faces you’ve come to love at Hallmark, including Lori Loughlin’s comeback, Nikki DeLoach, Tamera Mowry-Housley, Andrew Walker, Italia Ricci, Jessy Schram and, of course, Lacey Chabert!
Be there for every mistletoe moment—for grand romance and fairytale endings!
Here’s the entire 2026 Hallmark Countdown to Christmas Schedule
- Friday, October 16 — ‘Tis the Season for Setups (Amanda Schull, Victor Webster, Barbara Niven)
- Saturday, October 17 — Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story (Lyndsy Fonseca, Robert Buckley, Marsha Mason, Barbara Alyn Woods, Khary Payton)
- Sunday, October 18 — Mr. & Mrs. Christmas (Brendan Penny, Pascale Hutton)
- Friday, October 23 — Winter Wonderlanes (Ashley Newbrough, Franco Lo Presti)
- Saturday, October 24 — Forgotten Holiday (Janel Parrish, Daniel Lissing)
- Sunday, October 25 — What If Christmas (Lori Loughlin, Tom Cavanagh)
- Friday, October 30 — Who’s Coming for Christmas? (Rhiannon Fish, Jake Foy, Mila Morgan)
- Saturday, October 31 — Adopting St. Nick (Amy Groening, Michael Rady)
- Sunday, November 1 — A Danish Christmas (Emilie Ullerup, Corey Sevier)
- Thursday, November 5 — Mistletoe Murders Season 3 (Sarah Drew, Peter Mooney, Sierra Marilyn Riley)
- Friday, November 6 — Merry Memories (Lindura, Brendan Morgan)
- Saturday, November 7 — Holiday Unplugged (Nikki DeLoach, Juan Pablo Di Pace)
- Sunday, November 8 — A Season of Promises (Brooke D’Orsay, Ali Liebert, James Denton)
- Friday, November 13 — My Christmas Cowboy (Amy Acker, Luke Macfarlane, Sara Canning)
- Saturday, November 14 — The Nights Before Christmas (Tyler Hynes, Laci J Mailey)
- Sunday, November 15 — Mistletoe and Mimosas (Tamera Mowry-Housley, Kristoffer Polaha, Jennifer Robertson)
- Friday, November 20 — Our Holiday Playbook (Taylor Cole, Charles Michael Davis)
- Saturday, November 21 — Christmas in Blue Dog Valley (Erin Cahill, Andrew Walker)
- Sunday, November 22 — Double Booked for the Holidays (Rachael Leigh Cook, Owain Yeoman, Stephen Hagan)
- Thursday, November 26 — Christmas Delivered (Autumn Reeser, Wes Brown, Linda Darlow)
- Friday, November 27, 6 p.m. — The Christmas Eve Feast (Daniella Monet, Kevin McGarry, executive produced by Giada De Laurentiis)
- Friday, November 27, 8 p.m. — Return to Santa (Paul Campbell, Rachel Boston)
- Saturday, November 28, 6 p.m. — The Most Wonderful Secret (Tammin Sursok, Peter Porte)
- Saturday, November 28, 8 p.m. — Holiday Ever After: A Disney World Wish Come True (Lacey Chabert, Travis Van Winkle, Richard Kind, Christy Carlson Romano, Bryce Durfee, Asher Alexander, Taegen Burns)
- Sunday, November 29, 6 p.m. — Eight Nights for Love (Hunter King, Dan Jeannotte)
- Sunday, November 29, 8 p.m. — Miles to Christmas (Ashley Williams, Steve Lund, Alison Sweeney)
- Friday, December 4 — The Snowflake Effect (Heather Hemmens, Mark Ghanimé)
- Saturday, December 5 — A Grand Biltmore Christmas (Holland Roden, Niall Matter, Andie MacDowell, James Trevena, Jonathan Frakes, Rachel Boston, Wes Brown)
- Saturday, December 5, 10 p.m. — The Hallmark Christmas Experience: A Hometown Holiday, a special hosted by Jonathan Bennett and Melissa Peterman
- Sunday, December 6 — An Angel in My Stocking (Fiona Gubelmann, Marco Grazzini, Nancy Robertson)
- Friday, December 11 — Christmas in Canterbury (Jessy Schram, Will Kemp)
- Saturday, December 12 — Snow Globe Town (Kimberley Sustad, Scott Michael Foster)
- Sunday, December 13 — Noelle Nomads (Benjamin Ayres, Torrey DeVitto)
- Friday, December 18 — Hearts All Aglow (Mishael Morgan, B.J. Britt, Holly Robinson Peete)
- Saturday, December 19 — Barking All the Way (Ian Harding, Tori Anderson)
- Sunday, December 20 — Save the Date for Christmas (Jonathan Bennett, Italia Ricci)
What movie are you most excited for?
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