There was a point when I lived so close to Maryland that we visited quite often.

Imagine my surprise on Chesapeake to learn the state has its very own Nessie/Bigfoot with the Snallygaster. And guess what? They aren't kidding!

With Chesapeake Shores Season 5 Episode 4, we got a great blend of the fanciful and drama, which they do very well.

It was so nice to see the inn packed full of excited travelers.

David's excitement over meals and baked goods has been missed, and with every reference, the inn seemed like someplace that Hallmark should open and allow fans to visit. Hey, we can dream!

David and Jess are still learning about each other. He claimed not to be into fantasy and almost poo-pooed the idea of the Snallygaster. He admitted he did once hold tightly to belief in the tooth fairy, and he really enjoyed the $100 he got when he lost a tooth.

David and Jess live so normally that it's sometimes hard to remember he comes from so much money. Like Jess, everyone I knew got quarters, but as our teeth got larger, we got a buck for a molar or two.

And David's Snally disbelief didn't seem so strong with the screech of an owl. He hit the dirt, which was good for a chuckle.

With the wedding so near, they're finally nailing down preparations, and wedding cake vs. cupcakes had Jess concerned. She wanted the tradition, but David hoped that their guests could all have something they'd like with a rainbow of cupcake flavors.

Did anyone have any doubt how easily they'd solve that problem? Having both is perfect.

They weren't the only ones bumbling around in the woods.

Megan: I hope they'll be OK.
Abby: What? Mom, this was your idea. You said you wanted them to come out here work things out.
Megan: That's before I thought about two men in their sixties lost in the woods for the weekend.

• Permalink: That's before I thought about two men in their sixties lost in the woods for the weekend.

Mick and Thomas went on a hike to revisit a spot they both remembered fondly, hoping to recreate the magic of their youth.

Everything about their journey worked. Thomas is a single man without children, and he's feeling his age. Mick feels it, too, but as he's surrounded by family, he feels the passage of time much differently.

He was almost annoyed that Thomas kept bringing it up, but as age progresses, what they chatted about were thoughts that weigh heavily on your mind.

Thomas: Face it, Mick. We're old.
Mick: Ah, old is in your head. I feel like I'm 18 inside.
Thomas: Me too, but then I walk by a mirror and I see dad lookin' back at me.

• Permalink: Me too, but then I walk by a mirror and I see dad lookin' back at me.

When you're a kid, it's hard to believe that your body will change, but you won't feel any different on the inside. Surprise! That's exactly how it unfolds. Just one day, you can't get down on the floor and back up again, and it's like, whoa. When did that happen?!

It was kind of scary that they were on a trek like that when it could have had a terrible outcome. If they had fallen and broken something or hit their heads on a rock, their triumphant return with their boulder recreation wouldn't have happened.

And since Megan was already regretting letting them go? I don't even want to think about it.

Mick and Thomas have had their differences, but that hike allowed them to reconnect to the point that Mick was calling his brother Tommy again, something that even took Thomas by surprise.

Mick's got such a big heart, and not only with his family. Luke got really lucky working for him, and his angry outburst not long ago kept him out of jail since he told Mick he was on probation.

That storyline was so brief that it seemed strange tucked into this episode -- the same for Megan's further attempt to get under Driscoll's skin.

We got to see Kevin and Sarah again, though! Sarah was still on the lower end of their story, but at least she was there and a part of Carl's life. Oh, wait. He's not Carl!

Their captain is pretty clearly suffering from some sort of dementia. Whether it's from lack of sleep, aging, or something else is up for debate, but something is going on with him. And, frankly, since he's a fire captain, it's rather distressing.

Sarah wasn't all that concerned. She knew that Carl was his old partner who died in a fire, so maybe he sees something in Kevin that reminds him of his old friend.

Kevin sees the situation more clearly. Cooking with baking powder instead of salt and leaving his keys in the fridge are layers on top of calling him by the wrong name.

Connor's work situation took another turn. Bob and Linda are not to be trusted.

They both already promised Connor a firewall between him and the Dilphor case, and they lied right to his face. It felt like watching the Stepford Attorneys as they accosted Connor about Mick's business.

Bob's early "teasing" of Connor created a very uncomfortable situation. It felt like if they could have tortured him to get information, it wouldn't have been out of the realm of possibilities.

But after those drinks, Connor let it slide. He didn't grasp what the paralegal was trying to say to him.

She was warning him in a way that couldn't get either of them in trouble, but he couldn't bring himself to think that it was real.

After helping Abby and their discovery that Mick didn't sign a contract for subpar supplies, they've got a forgery on their hands, and Connor plans to take it directly to the courts.

That is not going to go over well with his firm, and if it's as easy to get Mick out of trouble as finding that document, I'll be shocked.

This is one of the most interesting stories they've ever done, so I hope it's not solved quickly.

What are your thoughts?

After you watch Chesapeake Shores online, make sure you leave a comment down below.

Chessies are still so silent, and I miss conversations like we had during When Calls the Heart!

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.