Felicity must choose between Gus and Arthur, as the rivalry between her two suitors intensifies.

Writer: Therese Beaupre 
Director: Don McBrearty 
With: Michael Mahonen as Gus Pike, Zachary Ansley as Arthur Pettibone and David Fox as Clive Pettibone 
Original CBC Airdate: March 21, 1993 
Original Disney Airdate: May 10, 1993 
Run Time: 47 minutes 
Time Frame: Winter 1907

Highlights/Analysis

Felicity chases Felix yet again after he steals her copy of 'Every Girl's Calendar,' which featured an article on how to find a 'perfect beau.'

Felicity is impressed when Arthur saves the King farm pigs, which naturally makes Gus jealous. Arthur reveals a bizarre interest in mythological sea creatures, which only makes his somber character even stranger.

The rivalry between the two suitors reaches it's peak when Gus and Arthur fight in the barn. This is easily the best fight so far in the series.

Felicity spews out perhaps her most biting remark since the first season when she tells Gus that all he has of worth are a pair of fishing boots. Gus proposes to Felicity with his ruby red ring that he received from Captain Crane (2.9: All That Glitters); but she refuses his proposal, telling him to wait for two years.

When Arthur calls on Felicity, she promptly rejects him as a suitor.

In a weird final scene, Arthur is seen watching Gus and Felicity near the lighthouse in his dark coat and hat. He has a very perturbed and sinister expression on his face, which suggests that the possibility of a continued rivalry is still open for future episodes.

What's even stranger is that the closing credits that follow this somber scene is the Western style happy song that closed 'Moving On.'

Criticism

Felicity seems most out of character in this episode. She appears to lose her mind during the rivalry and rambles incoherently. Hetty for some reason is attempting to counsel Felicity on relationships, but this is a task her mother would most likely handle. After all, Hetty was the one telling Sara not to get bamboozled by any 'love business.'

Rhetorical Questions

Doesn't Arthur look like he's going to go off on someone at the end of this episode?

Memorable Quotes

"Gus Pike, your behaving like a wild savage!" -Felicity King

Sap Meter: 10

Arthur tells Felicity she's a kindred soul. Gus tells Felicity he loves her and proposes.

Notes

(1) Alec is in a meeting in Carmody.

Grade: B

 

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People in this conversation

  • Allyson Oplinger

    Why didn’t Arthur return in season 7 as a love interest instead of new character, Stuart? Would have made even more sense

  • Allyson, how long do you think it would take for Arthur to be on a train back to Avonlea once he heard Felicity was available? My guess is that it would be immediately.

    Comment last edited on about 4 years ago by Timothy
  • Lucy

    Felicity was so awful to Gus, here and in 'High Society' when she looks down her nose at him as a 'commoner'. Poor Gus (who is more desirable than any other male) just stays true to her through it all, and his tearing up when he keeps trying to get her to commit to him (after all it was Felicity that pursued Gus initially!) is just heartbreaking. Thank goodness she finally grows up, humbles herself, and finally does the right thing at the end of the series. But lord, I cannot believe how many fans still defend her behaviour initially. Even Sarah told her off a few times after all. It was painful to watch her treating Gus like dirt here. Yet HE was the one that ends up apologising. Gus never did anything wrong, he was right to be hurt and jealous, and Arthur trying to weasel his way in like that....not a gentleman at all. I'm glad they did not have Arthur continue to pursue Felicity, and just be friendly instead. and shame on Stuart for trying to pressure Felicity to get over Gus, and marry him, when she was in love with Gus still! Nice men don't do that.

  • Cya

    My god Felicity was just a plain selfish, self-entitled brat.
    Gus is just amazing putting up with her
    And Arthur just has always come off as a creepy, sinister undertaker to me. The vibe I got from him as that he’d turn out a obsessive, abusive tyrant to whoever he married. Basically a worse version of what he accused his father of being.