Hallmark
The Way Home Recap Season 4 Episode 8 – Time After Time
Time travel is emotional, disappointing, complex, and rewarding—sometimes all in the same breath—as we’ve seen through everyone’s various travels across The Way Home Season 4.
The Way Home Season 4 Episode 8, titled “Tainted Love,” was definitely one of the more forthcoming episodes when it comes to providing answers and wrapping up storylines, which makes sense considering that the end is near, whether we want to accept that reality or not.
You can feel the series finale looming over us, as we race against time (the few 50-minute episodes we have left) to pack in everything that will hopefully leave us, the audience, feeling like we got a proper conclusion. (I’m still crossing my fingers that Netflix will come to save the show, though! Many of you said it’s run its course, but I think there’s plenty of story left to tell—plenty they prepped for but couldn’t get to.)
As is the nature of this show, for every answer provided, there are plenty more questions on the horizon, which isn’t changing even as the finale draws near.
The episode picked up by addressing Elliot’s decision to stay behind in 1925 to learn more about his mother, thinking it was what the pond wanted of him. Considering he put in a time-off request at work before his travels to the ’20s, I figured this was a premeditated decision, but the show made it seem like he made it in the heat of the moment when he realized he might not get the answers about his family that he’s been searching for if he goes back to the present. And when Kat was gone, there was no going back—he had to live with the consequences of his actions, which meant creating a life for himself in the ’20s, at least temporarily, until the pond let her come back and bring him home again.
And honestly, there’s something so freeing and beautiful about that.
Kat and Alice’s travels back in time are always brief—they never stick around too long, not enough to actually live there, but Elliot was able to craft a little life for himself in an era a hundred years before his time. He bonded with the people, spent time with them, and worked with them; he became one of them.
We also see why his mother chose to make this timeline permanent, despite it not being her own, after being trapped here for longer than she was ever around in the ’70s. This is all she’s really ever known—the Tessa of the past is a distant memory.
Elliot may not have bonded with his mother the way he hoped, as Tessa was a much tougher cookie to crack, but he was able to connect with her enough to get some questions answered. She’d been through things—she was a survivor—without much of a maternal instinct, though she respected that Elliot wanted to help out the operation (even though he botched it in the first place).
She revealed that she jumped with Griffin Landry, and they made a life for themselves in 1882; however, when she fell ill, he jumped back to get her medication (though we know the pond doesn’t allow you to bring things with you). He never came back, so she sought out help from the Landry family, where she has stayed ever since. She may be an Augustine, but like Elliott, she’s an honorary Landry, so they have that in common. It was also sweet to see the connection between him singing Time After Time (who knew he had those pipes!) and his mother revealing she would sing it to him when he was a baby.
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As for what happened to Griffin, well, that’s unclear. Elliot brought up receiving the note and her wedding ring, detailing her illness and death, which she confirmed she never sent. As Elliot wonders who did, it’s clear Tessa isn’t telling him the whole truth about Griffin.
I think a lot of the outstanding mysteries have one common denominator—a Landry, either Colton or Griffin, or both. We don’t know much about Griffin, yet he’s mentioned quite a lot. And Colton continues to loom over the show years after his death.
In the present-day, Kat and Alice notice that someone erased them from the reel at Coyle’s that Monica plays at the coffeehouse, and Alice’s mind immediately goes to Evelyn. However, a quick (and heartbreaking) trip to the ’80s reveals that Evelyn wasn’t the one who edited the reels, which means she has no idea about the time travel, as Alice assumed. We also begin to see the demise of Evelyn’s relationship with Colton and Del, who is now pregnant with Kat, as she becomes more of a recluse like the Lady of Shallot.
But if Evelyn didn’t edit the videos… who did?
Again, my brain goes to one of the Landry boys.
They both knew about time travel. Griffin knew Alice was a time traveler the moment he met her, while we know Colton lied about not using the pond, as we saw him visiting a previous timeline.
There’s definitely something about the brothers that hasn’t been revealed and connected to the main storyline.
Questions Remain About the Landry Bros, Sam and KC
The same goes for Sam, who may be someone KC connects with in the future, but there’s got to be more to the story, as he didn’t seem too incredibly taken aback by all the pond stuff when they told him about it.
In fact, when he told Del that he knew of the pond’s time-traveling properties, suggesting that she go back to talk to Colton about how her children are happy now, he seemed very comfortable with the idea of time travel overall.
He obviously can’t be Griffin, but he could be a descendant of someone that they were once close to. I’ve seen a theory floating around that he might be a Coyle, who may have found Thomas Coyle’s journal where Port Haven and the Landry’s were mentioned, thus his decision to leave the big city (and we know Thomas settled down in NYC and had a big family) to move right next door.
I love the idea of Del time-traveling once more. It’s nice to see how understanding Sam is about everything when it comes to the hold Colton has on Del’s heart, plus, it would be nice to see Del get some closure by seeing Colton from the past one last time.
I don’t know if we’ll find out anything more about KC, or how far in the future they are from, but I do think they are either Abigail and Jacob’s child or their grandchild. There’s definitely a connection there, as KC was integral in getting them to look past the family feud between the Goodwins and the Landrys.
While Del may not be a fan of Abigail, Jacob is smitten, and there’s something about them that just feels so right. And oddly, Abigail’s energy kind of reminds me of a young Del, who left her life to live on the farm for the man she loved.
Plus, Abigail helped Jacob find his purpose in the present and future, so he’s no longer living in the past, which primes the series well for a dive into the future for everyone.
The Police Raid of the 1920s
A lot happens in the 1920s — and honestly, props to them for packing so much into an episode — as everyone gears up for a huge job to appease Capone (this is probably the funniest storyline to me). Moments before, Grayson Goodwin clocks that Cliff Kane isn’t going to accept some swanky award, as he lied about the hotel he’s staying at. The Regis has been closed for three years, which means it’s a cover, and he’s likely known about the job this whole time. Fern and Kat, who finally got the pond to reunite her with Elliot, book it to warn everyone, but they’re too late. An undercover cop blows the whole operation, and when Cliff arrives, he’s disappointed to see that everyone he’s grown close to (and developed feelings for) was involved. He was wrong about Grayson the whole time. Fern begs him to let her family go, so he obliges, which proves his love for Fern, but the next day, he explains that he’s leaving town, which forces Fern to finally confess her feelings for him.
It’s dramatic, just like you’d expect from a 1920s romantic film. As we all expected, Fern never loved Grayson, not fully. Her heart was always with Cliff, the one man she could be herself around.
Of course, in the future, Cliff isn’t around, and no one seems to know who Colton’s real grandfather is, meaning something happens to him/between them. Does he get in trouble for turning a blind eye to the bootlegging?
I initially feared that he was one of the five who didn’t make it out of the mines, but back in the present, as Kat and Elliot look for answers about Tessa and Elliot’s return to 1926 on NYE, they realize that they have the “key” to unlocking the note Fern left with Cliff, which was a cypher. She used her columns to communicate with the bootlegging ring, which allows them to solve the puzzle, which reveals that the NYE job was botched and that the person who doesn’t survive is actually Tessa.
Elliot expresses, “I think I just invited my mother to her own death,” as he told her to meet him on NYE since he knew he’d make it back and get arrested as the Big Fish, where it seems he sacrifices himself again to protect her.
If it’s true, hopefully, Tessa gives us all the answers we’ve all been seeking before her death.
And seeing how much was preserved from the past at The Harold, and how integral Fern’s columns were to everything, I’d hope that Kat would rethink shutting the paper down.
Many Questions That Need to Be Answered
In addition to all the ones mentioned before—how the Landry bros connect to everything, who Sam really is, and KC’s identity and future—one outstanding mystery includes the clock at Elliot’s, which Tessa expressed she had no idea about.
I don’t really have a theory on it, but I did see this one on Reddit that stuck with me: Elliot left the clock for himself to make sure he goes back. Everything that’s meant to happen will, but it would explain why he has no memory of it yet—he hasn’t done it yet, but it tracks with his building skills and the T.S. Elliot quote, which his mother always loved. A riddle for himself, guiding him to a moment he’s supposed to see or remember, and possibly, a way to travel to the future. I don’t think that including a scene from a future timeline of the Landry ladies was an accident; I think it was a clue that time traveling is possible both to the past and the future, just possibly through a different medium.
As for the final two episodes, they will likely spend time tackling the incident in the mines and taking us to the future, but there’s also a handful that I need addressed, even if briefly.
Whose wedding are they attending in that premiere scene? Is it Elliot and Kat’s? It didn’t feel like it.
Did Grayson Goodwin have any knowledge of the pond (I can’t shake the mention of his mural with the pond and the White Witch, along with his sister’s death)? And who did Del see—Colton or someone else time traveling—before she fell off the horse? And better yet, where did the horse come from?!
It would also be nice to see what happens to Alice, as things between her future, particularly Max and Noah, have been largely put on the back burner since she deferred.
What did you think of the episode? Share your thoughts, theories, and hopes for the final episodes 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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