Chesapeake Shores Season 4 Episode 4 Review: Breaking Hearts and Playing Parts
Carissa Pavlica
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If only Trace and Abby had decided to move foward, Chesapeake Shores Season 4 Episode 4 could have been titled "Righting the Ship."
It sure seemed like everyone was going to great lengths to position themselves better for the future, and in doing so, relationships were steadied or ended.
It doesn't hurt that there was an actual ship that served three generations of O'Briens, either.
Chesapeake Shores Season 4 is going to great lengths to provide a relationship experience for just about everyone.
There is just about every kind of connection at play from solid couples getting through everyday turmoil to a divorced couple reuniting, and the issues are all over the map with family and history sharing the stage.
Connor and Bree have faced some very similar obstacles in their most recent relationships.
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Megan's writing career hinges a little too closely to her life, and her writer's mind can make or break her love life. She got a little too wrapped up in carrying her life over to her play and lost her connection with Simon.
Hannah: I'm not sure this is the direction you want to go.
Bree: But it, it's, it's real, right?
Hannah: Real as in real depressing.
Bree: Yeah!
Hannah: Think about it. I really liked what we had.
Bree: But change is good?
Hannah: Not always.
But what is working very well for the storyline and the audience is that she faces a great loss even while knowing she made the right decision breaking up with Simon.
We'll all have opportunities to experience love of all kinds, but lasting love doesn't have so many maybes and question marks attached to it.
Connor's relationship with Danielle wasn't given as much attention as some of the others, and that could be because just like on the show itself, Connor and Danielle were a series of moments instead of a cohesive partnership.
Stop overthinking it. You can't think "love," you just feel it. Not in the head, but in the heart.
Nell
That wasn't easy for Connor to recognize, and during one of those better moments, he returned Danielle's previous "I love you," even if he was unsure of the stability of their relationship.
But when Connor, Jess, and David all went in for a hug with Bree at the new inn, the look on Danielle's face said everything we needed to know.
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She wasn't just not into family, she wasn't into Connor's family and "all their problems."
Connor has worked hard to reconnect with his family, and the O'Brien family dynamic makes them as close as anyone could ever get. That doesn't mean it's not sometimes overwhelming, but to be an O'Brien, you have to be ready to accept the whole family.
Sarah was tossed right into the O'Brien fire with the impending wedding, but she had Kevin's support in how they handled the situation.
It seemed like eloping might have been an option during Chesapeake Shores Season 4 Episode 3, and that's just what the happy couple decided to do. And it tore apart their family a little bit.
But the O'Brien women with Megan leading the charge got a little too involved without considering what Sarah wanted. When she talked about the lack of excitement she felt when trying on wedding gowns, it should have been a major red flag for the family.
But instead of following her lead, they kept forging forward until the best decision for Sarah and Kevin was to eliminate the family entirely and get married on their own terms.
It left Megan feeling entirely out of sorts.
But it was interesting learning that Mick and Megan met in September and got married the next October. One year does go by very quickly, and Megan was likely remembering her distress at organizing the event when trying to help Sarah.
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Mick also revealed that they considered eloping. Even if they didn't go through with it, the stress of the event almost got the better of them, too.
It wasn't lost on me that Mick once upon a time wondered how long it would take Megan to call his parents mom and dad only for Sarah to call Mick and Megan mom and dad before the end of the episode.
It was such a beautiful moment when she was fully an O'Brien, and they had a peace offering, too, when they revealed they'd like a big reception -- and Meagan is in charge.
It's a big moment for any family, but Sarah and Kevin smoothed over the rough waters by offering a compromise that would involve everyone while keeping their stress at bay.
Honestly, with their jobs, the last thing they need is stress. Now they can sit back and enjoy the festivities knowing they've already made the greatest leap of their lives.
It's a pretty terrific way to move foward to their future full of happiness.
Even Jess and David were feeling some pressure about combining their lives.
They both worked together at Jess' first inn, but it was hers and not theirs. Their second attempt belonged to his parents, and getting their latest inn off the ground while reflecting both of them was quite the challenge.
Arguing over couches seems silly, but furniture sets the tone of the establishment, and they both had firm opinions on what would best suit their new endeavor.
Jess, this is our inn. It's supposed to be about making decisions together.
David
However, they were both attacking their shared problem from individual viewpoints even while knowing they needed to express themselves as a couple and not two separate individuals.
Bree's idea to have them switch places for a minute was not only inspired, but it was also highly entertaining.
They know each other very well, and David's impersonation of Jess was spot on. He spoke like her and understood exactly why her couch was so important to her.
It was her first adult purchase, it signified everything she wanted in her inn of the future, and darn it, it was just like the sofas from The Titanic even if that glamorous vessel had a tragic ending.
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David's day bed was his only relief from a family that seemed too strict in how his future would be shaped. He read all about being a chef on that couch, and he wanted others to have the same feeling when they lay down on it.
Once they established the most important aspects of their individual desires, it was easier for them to agree on their future purchases. And David proved his understanding and commitment by taking Jess above the rejuvenated Kelsey for her Rose and Jack moment.
Could the ship metaphor have possibly had any more meaning?
As Abby and Trace circle each other and their past, they focused on rebuilding the water damaged ship. But while she's growing closer to Jay and Trace kissed Emma, they're still destined to be together.
Nothing was more obvious when Trace ran to help at the request of her daughters, and Abby lovingly traced their names on what remained of the original Kelsey.
They're going to find that there is a way to rebuild what they had without losing what also made them essential to each other. What they have will be new and different, but it will still retain their most precious memories.
And nobody can better understand that than Mick and Megan.
Megan is anxious about what getting back together with Mick will mean. She's concerned about the past repeating itself, and it's making it difficult for her to move forward.
On the other hand, Mick is living in the moment, and he thinks it's just terrific spending time with her again.
Nell, masterfully cutting through the waters of each relationship with her deft skill, helped Megan to see that she had spent so much time erasing the slate of her past mistakes that she was having a difficult time writing a beautiful future.
There really was something for everyone on "Breaking Hearts and Playing Parts."
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.
