After the emotional high that was Heartland’s 200th episode, this one felt like a punch in the feels. Because this episode propelled the series into what looks like the final three-episode arc and did it by using a lot of intense emotions as well as a few cliffhangers. Want to know what exactly I’m talking about? Then check out this Heartland season 12 episode 8 recap!
Warning, spoilers ahead!
Doped
One of this episode’s central storylines concerned Amy, Ty and their new business which might be in jeopardy. And it was all because of Fairfield’s new manager Laura, the woman we met in episode 6. But rather than just accusing her coworker of hurting her horse this time Laura was doping one of Fairfield’s racehorses Shooting Star.
At the beginning of the episode, we saw Amy, Georgie, Ty, and Jack watch a race which Star won. However, the win wasn’t as sweet as it should be for our favorite Heartland couple. Because knowing that the horse was still quite weak from her previous injury raised quite a few red flags for Ty and Amy. So they decided to investigate and what they found was unsettling.
It turns out that Star had a stress fracture in the newly-healed leg which means no racing for the horse for a while. And after further inspection, Ty also found painkillers in Star’s system which could only mean one thing. Laura doped Star before the race and let the horse run the race with a fractured leg. So Tamy confronted Laura about it, even told her that they are going to tell Lisa about what she did, but the manager’s response wasn’t what the couple expected.
Instead of admitting that she was wrong, Laura threatened to go to the press. And since the painkillers she used on Star was the same ones Ty gave her for the other horses, Ty, as well as Amy’s reputations, would be ruined if she did that. So, they were left in a really tough spot. Even telling Jack their problem didn’t solve anything. And the episode ended with Ty and Amy rushing to the race track to try and stop Laura from letting Star race again.
Heartbreak road trip
While Amy and Ty were dealing with Laura, Georgie was under a different kind of pressure. Not only might the event that was coming up for her be pivotal to her qualifying for the equestrian camp in Europe. But Georgie also overheard Lou tell Amy that she sold her shares in Maggie’s franchise, which was Lou’s dream, only to be able to send Georgie to the camp. Which in Georgie’s mind meant that she had no other option but to do whatever it took to qualify. Even if that meant blowing off Wyatt in favor of training.
Those closest to her saw how stressed out Georgie was. So, they tried their best to help Georgie relax a little. Amy took Georgie on a ride. Lou offered Georgie to come on the camping trip she was organizing. But in the end, Georgie opted to go with Wyatt and Adam to a concert in Calgary. After all, Olivia had just dumped Adam so he needs his friends right now.
However, the outing didn’t go as planned. Everything was fine until the trio got stuck in the stairwell of a parking garage that Wyatt’s friend’s dad let him park his car in for free. Georgie, of course, was less than pleased about this development since she had to get back home and rest before her big event the next day. And Adam made the situation even worse by voicing what he and Wyatt both were thinking – that Georgie didn’t have time for anyone but her training.
Luckily, after spending the night in the stairwell, they were let out of there by a security guard early in the morning, which meant that Georgie might just be able to make it to her event. But then Wyatt’s car broke down and all hope was lost.
Like pioneers
The third big storyline was all about Lou since she was back home for good having sold her Maggie’s shares to be able to afford to send Georgie to the Eurocamp. Yet at the start of Heartland season 12 episode 8 we learned that she was actually planning on sending Georgie to the camp all on her own. Which is why she was trying to revive the dude ranch by offering pioneer weekends aka a weekend of guests living like settlers, including sleeping under the stars and cooking by fire. And she roped Mitch into helping her set everything up.
The first step? Testing out her new attraction. But, as per usual, nothing went according to plan. The family she roped into going camping like pioneers with her bailed, so she ended up going camping with Peter, Jen, and Mitch. And since she hadn’t told Peter about paying for Georgie’s camp on her own and assumed that Mitch has broken up with Maya the trip promised to be extra interesting.
And it was. Peter was not happy to hear that Lou decided to pay for the camp on her own without consulting Peter. Mitch told Lou that he asked Maya to marry him which devastated Lou. And the final straw for Lou was Jen expressing her dissatisfaction with Lou’s lack of communication which caused Lou to blow up on everyone. And that ended their evening on a tense note.
Fortunately, the next morning brought a little clarity and Lou not only apologized to Peter but also finally realized that she should let go of a few things. Including Mitch and Peter being friends with Jen. So, in the final three episodes of Heartland, we might see a changed Lou.
Last thoughts on Heartland season 12 episode 8
The episode, after making a big deal out of Lisa coming home only to have her extend her stay in Istanbul due to aunt Evelyn’s worsening health, really got me wishing for a Jack and Lisa reunion.
We haven’t seen Lisa since episode 2. So, hopefully, she will make it home by the end of the season and we will see Jack and her finally enjoy that wine fridge he built for her this episode as a welcome home present. As well as her putting Laura in her place because I doubt Lisa would stand for doping her horses just to win the race.
And finally, this episode really felt like the show is setting up for a big season finale. Because it brought up new problems and conflicts from almost every Heartland character. And although it’s sad to see my beloved characters struggle, it only makes me want to see how these storylines end that much more. Big struggles like these ones often mean resolutions of the epic proportion. And what better way to end Heartland season 12 than with three amazing episodes that will, hopefully, resolve all of the problems that the characters are currently experiencing.
READ NEXT: Heartland Season 12 Episode 9 Review
Quotes of the episode:
Amy: “So, people will pay to be pioneers?”
Lou: “And spend the weekend living a simple, stress-free, pioneer life.”
Jack: “I’m pretty sure the pioneers had their fair share of stresses.”
Ty: “Yeah, like surviving.”
Adam: “The conclusion I’ve come to, the clichés are correct. Love does make you blind. I’m no fool. I did the math. There was a huge probability that I’d be dumped by someone like Olivia. But did I see it coming? No.”
A while later…
Adam: “I made a breakup playlist of songs in C minor. That’s the key that best epitomizes the lovesick soul. Spoiler alert, tears will be shed.”
What was the song playing when Lou and Mitch were having a moment by the fire and Mitch told Lou he’s marrying Maya