Heartland Season 11 Episode 8 Review

Wow! The only way how I can describe the latest Heartland episode is explosive, heart-wrenching and unexpected. There were twists that nobody saw coming. And implications to these twists, which might mean that big changes are coming to Heartland in the future. What am I talking about? Keep on reading this Heartland season 11 episode 8 recap to find out!

Warning, spoilers ahead!

The jumper who wants to be a bronco

The main horse-related storyline of Heartland season 11 episode 8 was Amy working with a horse that doesn’t quite want to be what the owner intended.

At the beginning of the episode, we saw Ty being back in Heartland and enjoying his time with Amy and Lyndy. However, the moment was interrupted by the arrival of Paula, Val Stanton’s friend who needed help with one of her horses. And, although Amy was planning to take the week off and spend it with Ty and their daughter, Paula insisted that Amy work with Holloway right away. And Amy agreed, not wanting Paula to take her business elsewhere.

So Amy got to work with an assist from Ty. However, it became clear pretty quickly that Holloway didn’t quite want to be a tame jumping horse. Luckily, Amy recognized it and with the help of Tim determined that Holloway was born to be a bronco. Yet, sharing this news with Paula, who had spent a small fortune on the horse and bought him specifically to be a jumper, did not go well. And Paula all but stormed out of Heartland not even properly listening what Amy had to say.

Though Amy didn’t give up on Holloway. Despite her dislike for the scene, she and Georgie went to Paula’s equestrian barbeque to try and convince Paula to at least hear her out. And Amy eventually succeeded. But it was only after Amy explained to Paula how much she could make with Holloway as a bucking horse. But nevertheless, Paula agreed to train Holloway as a saddle bronco. And Amy could see Ty off to Mongolia again with at least one less problem of her plate.

What am I talking about? Ty to Mongolia? Again? Well, let me explain!

Travel plans

Heartland season 11 episode 8 was a real treat for all Tamy fans. It gave us a lot of sweet Amy and Ty scenes. However, the peace didn’t last long because halfway through the episode Ty got a call from Mongolia. After the long flight to Mongolia Attila (remember the Mongolian horse from episode 4?) was experiencing some repertory problems, so Mr. Shore called Ty and even offered to fly Ty out there to help the horse.

But Ty quickly turned down the idea, especially since he just returned home from his trip to British Colombia. Meanwhile, Attila was getting worse in Mongolia, and the people caring for the horse were determined to do everything they can to help Attila. Even offering fly both Ty and Amy to Mongolia for a week, if that’s what it takes to make sure Attila is okay. And after Ty voiced the idea to Amy, she actually agreed.

An adventure in Mongolia with her husband sounded pretty good to Amy. And it’s not like Jack and Lisa couldn’t take care of Lyndy for a bit. They probably were thrilled to. However, by the time the details of their trip got finalized, it also became clear that Amy will have to join Ty in Mongolia later. What with her having to get an emergency renewal on her expired passport. So the episode ended with Ty saying goodbye to his girls once more.

Now I’m just wondering if Amy will actually make it to Mongolia. It would be amazing to see the couple together having an adventure in Mongolia. However, I am not quite sure how they would fit that in with the rest of the storylines. I guess we will just have to wait and see!

Tim’s health problems

The third main storyline of the episode had everything to do with Tim. Right from the start of Heartland season 11 episode 8 Tim was acting really strange. He was lashing out at everyone, including Casey, Jade and the rest of his rodeo school students. Which lead Jade and Casey to go to Jack and ask him to talk to Tim to make sure he isn’t drinking or taking pills again.

And as it turned out he wasn’t indeed. His mood swings and the vertigo, numb hands, sensitivity to light and headaches he was experiencing wasn’t from substance abuse. Rather it was something medical. At first, Tim thought that all the concussions he had gotten during his rodeo days had finally caught up with him and that he had Post-Concussion Syndrome. But as serious as that condition is, it wasn’t what was wrong with Tim.

As Doctor Virani later explained, the MIR that she made Tim get showed that he had a shadow on his brain, a tumor. Yet, when she suggested an operation, Tim flat out refused. And I have a feeling that this will be a storyline that Tim and the rest of the Heartland characters will be dealing with for the rest of the season. I just hope that next week’s Heartland mid-season finale won’t end with Tim collapsing or his surgery going wrong.

Relationship trouble

And the last big storyline of the episode was all about Georgie and her relationship with Wyatt.

The last episode ended with Wyatt kissing Georgie after being awkward around her. But, if you thought that Heartland season 11 episode 8 will be all about them being lovey-dovey with each other, then you thought wrong. Wyatt went back to being awkward around Georgie.

Wyatt basically pretended like the kiss never happened and like they were just friends. Even going as far as calling Georgie his buddy. And Georgie was really confused about his behavior. Especially, since Wyatt was the one who kissed her not the other way around. On top of that, when Georgie tried talking to him, he just changed the subject. And it took Georgie talking to Paula’s nephew Dylan at Paula’s barbeque and Wyatt getting jealous over that for Wyatt to finally tell Georgie what was really going on.

After Georgie confronted Wyatt about his strange behavior, he fessed up. The reason for it was that he has a girlfriend back in Calgary who he hadn’t broken up with yet. Which, understandably made Georgie furious. And even when Wyatt tried to talk to her later, she wasn’t having it.

So it appears that the Wyatt – Georgie shippers out there shouldn’t jump from glee just yet. Because it is not quite clear if there will actually be anything more between them beyond that kiss. Even more so because Georgie now also has other options. One being Paula’s nephew Dylan who was friendly to her and around whom she appeared to lose all speaking abilities. We might have a love triangle on our hands, folks. What’re your thoughts on this situation? Are you Team Wyatt or Team Dylan? Or maybe you’re still Team Adam? Let me know!

Last thoughts on Heartland season 11 episode 8

I loved that Heartland season 11 episode 8 featured the Jade – Avery friendship, and them working together as a team. Learning together. And succeeding. It again shows how good Heartland is at positive female friendship representation. Because, even if Jade and Avery had a rocky start, they seem to get along really well now.

Also, am I the only one who thinks that this season Heartland seems to really push the posh equestrian scene on us a bit? Don’t get me wrong. I am not mad about it because it is another part of the equestrian world that Heartland hasn’t explored that much. But by now it kind of starts to get pretty obvious.

Lastly, how cute was the scene with Ty and Lyndy at the end of the episode (from which this Heartland recap’s quote of the episode is also from)? It just proves how much Ty loves his daughter. And that even though he is going away for a bit, it’s extremely hard for him to leave Lyndy again. Heartland writers, we definitely need more of these in the future! Am I right or am I right?

Episode highlights:

• Jade and Avery making a great team and training together
• Ty and Amy cuteness
• Kate Drummond as Paula
• Georgie’s being adorable around Dylan
• Jade and Georgie friendship scenes
• Amy and Ty working on Holloway together
• Casey and Jade asking Jack to talk to Tim
• Amy trying (and eventually succeeding) to convince Paula that Holloway is a bronco, not a jumper
• Amy and Ty deciding to go to Mongolia together and being excited about it
• Tim confessing Jack about his health problems
• Georgie and Amy getting all dressed up for the BBQ
• the adorable scene with Ty and Lyndy at the end of Heartland season 11 episode 8

Episode low points:

• Tim blowing up at everyone
• Wyatt having a girlfriend in Calgary
• finding out that Tim has a tumor and him refusing the operation
• Ty leaving again

Quote of the episode:
Ty: “I’m going to miss you like I always do. But I got a trick this time, Lyndy. Every morning I’m going to watch the sun rising and I’m going to imagine it setting here at Heartland. And I’ll picture you, all cuddled up with your Lamy, drifting off to sleep. And when that same sun goes down at night, I’ll picture your smiling face waking up to start the new day. Okay? I love you, sweetheart!”

Heartland season 11 episode 9 promo: