The episode opens with Joe Hardacare (Adam Little) and Betsy Temple (Sarah Agha) together in a barn. As he is getting dressed, she claims it was her first time and isn’t that time of girl. He says it was his first time too and assures her he knows she isn’t promiscuous. He suggests they keep it between the two of them. She asks if he is embarrassed of her. He says no but Lena Temple (Siobhan O’Kelly) doesn’t care much for him. She agrees to make it their secret. They kiss. Elsewhere, Sam Hardacre (Liam McMahon) and Mary Hardacre (Claire Cooper) slept in separate rooms. He admits it was wrong to lose his temper but Lady Emma Fitzherbert (Cathy Belton) was wrong in how she spoke to her. Mary defends Emma’s actions because Joe punched Lord Hugo Bathurst (Denis Grindel). They make up and kiss. At the docks, Callum Saunders (Taheen Madak) questions if they will have enough to pay off the steam crane within the month. Sam says Hugill (Nick Dunning) has left them with no other alternative and vows to do it if it kills him. He holds a meeting with his employees to try to convince them to join the effort to prove their worth. Albie (Paul Ward) refuses to work Sundays. Sam suggests they start working an hour earlier. Lena and the other women agree to cut their tea break in half. Thirty days later, Sam and his employees have raised enough money to pay off the crane.

Seeing a letter addressed to Mary, Mrs. Dryden (Ingrid Craigie) suggests Lady Fairfax is declining Mary’s afternoon tea invitation. Beesley (Mark Doherty) sarcastically asks if anything slips past her. Grabbing the letter, Mrs. Henderson (Paula Wolfenden) says that is Mary’s third rejection this month. Beesley snatches the letter out of hand. Dryden tells her that Mary should expect nothing differently after her “no-good son” hit Bathurst. During breakfast, Liza Hardacre (Shannon Lavelle) is in no mood to eat. Mary asks Ma Hardacre (Julie Graham to pass her the salt. Ma gives the salt shaker a shove, it goes sliding across the table and topples over. A cheerful Sam announces the crane has been paid in full. Mary compliments him when a servant arrives with Fairfax’s letter, declining her tea invitation. Reading the newspaper, Joe discovers a wedding announcement for Lady Adella Fitzherbert (Holly Sturton) and Bathurst. Mary insists Eliza accompany her to congratulate Adella in person. Joe questions why Adella would accept Bathurst’s proposal when she doesn’t even like him. Sam asks about him and Betsy. Joe admits to liking her but Adella is more exciting. Sam demands he be truthful to Betsy.

En route to the Fitzherbert estate, Mary explains the significance of purple hyacinths. Emma is entertaining Lady Beaumont and Lady Fairfax when they arrive. Mary congratulates Emma, apologizes for the soiree, and offers her the hyacinths. Looking at her guests, Emma sarcastically suggests she has been studying flowers. Adella thanks her for the hyacinths and insists Emma agree to let them stay for tea. Lady Beaumont (Michele Moran) apologizes for missing Mary’s tea last week. Adella starts to bite into a pastry. Emma warns her against it. At the docks, Joe tells Betsy that he is fond of her but their relationship stops here. Devastated, she accuses him of pretending to be someone he isn’t and storms out of the room. Sam gives the board members a tour of the operation. Hugill asks about the crane. Sam says it is paid in full before explaining his plan to decrease work hours, not pay. Betsy breaks down weeping and confesses to being intimate with Joe but claims it never went further than cuddling. Lena embraces her. Elsewhere, Liza tells Adella that she has been skipping breakfast after Bathurst criticized her size. Adella suggests a corset and Trilene, a cure for stoutness. Liza pops a tablet into her mouth. Mary offers Hardacre Hall flowers for Emma’s wedding. After declining her offer, Emma sarcastically says if they need fried herring, she will go with Hardacre’s. Mary takes her leave. At the docks, Hugill threatens to remove Sam from his position if he doesn’t lay off 10 employees.

Upon returning home, Mary goes for a walk. Liza tries on the corset but it is too small. She takes several Trilene tablets. At the docks, Sam announces layoffs. Little Pete (David O’Reilly) says they worked extremely hard over the last month. Lena urges him to convince the board members to change their minds. Sam tells her that there is no other alternative. Irate, Little Pete suggests they strike. The angry workers chant strike. Later, Sam informs Mary of what happened and blames himself. The next morning, Liza takes more trilene tablets. Sam blames himself for what is happening at Hardacre & Son. He wishes Fred Holdsworth (Conor Deane) was there to go through it with him. Later, Joe pays Fred a visit. Fred has no interest in what he has to say. Joe pleads with him to hear him out. Elsewhere, a hyped Liza convinces Ma to go for a walk. She speed walks through the woods. Ma falls to the ground. Liza helps her up and resumes her speedy walk. Joe confesses to Sam that he framed Fred out of jealousy and opens the door. Fred walks in. Irate, Sam scolds Joe for costing Fred his job. Joe admits to being ashamed and insists Fred take his position. Fred offers his assistance because the workers are his people. Joe leaves the room.

Victor Ward (Connor Byrne) confronts Ma about her absence at the poker games. She accuses him of getting her drunk. Tinny insists on staying with Victor. Ma calls him a traitor and walks away. Ma warns Mary that Liza is skipping meals. Mary assures her there is nothing wrong with Liza losing a few pounds. Maggie (Ella Maria Carmen) struggles to tighten Liza’s corset. Mary asks if she is okay. Liza tells her about Adella’s beauty secrets. Mary assures Ma that Liza is all right but she doesn’t buy it. Fred suggests throwing money at the problem because it is the only thing the board cares about. Callum is surprised to see Fred in Sam’s office. He says the workers are picketing. Sam explains his plan to impose a deal to buy out the board members. Callum offers to handle it. Liza hyperventilates and collapses to the ground. Victor takes her inside and races off to get the doctor. She comes to as Dr. Mason (Chris McHallem) arrives. She complains of being in pain and hot. Mason suggests her body is rejecting food or medicine. At the docks, Callum tells Sam that the board has rejected his offer because they now know the operation is profitable. Joe alerts them of Eliza’s condition.

Ma discovers the Trilene in Liza’s room. Mason says the tablets need to be flushed out before they reach her system. Joe and Sam arrive to find Liza vomiting. Mason explains how Trilene is utilized to lose weight and orders rest and fluid. Ma and Mary tuck Liza in. Mary questions how she didn’t see it. Ma regrets not doing things differently and asks Mary to forgive her for putting her in the workhouse. Weeping, Mary grasps her hand. Sam tells them about Joe framing Fred. Mary describes their wealth as a “bloody curse” and wishes they could go back to their old lives. Ma says the money only made them forget who they are and Hardacres never up. She thanks Victor for what he did for Liza. He invites her for tea. Mary apologizes to Sam for trying to fit in with the ladies. He apologizes for not being there for her. They discuss how the elites treat them poorly. He says, “Four idiots, a hundred workers,” meaning four board members and 100 of them. He tells her that he is going to take Ma’s advice and fight. The episode ends.

 

The Hardacres Review

Sam and his workers work hard to pay off the steam crane. He pitches his idea to reduce work hours to the board. Hugill and the other board members threaten to remove Sam if he doesn’t lay off 10 workers. When the workers get word of an impending layoff, they go on strike. Joe confesses to framing Fred and steps down to let him have his job.

Emma insists Adella keep her girly figure until after she is married. Liza has been skipping meals for a month. Adella gives her a bottle of Trilene, a weight-loss supplement. Not satisfied with her progress, she takes a large dose over a few days. Ma notices something odd about her behavior and warns Mary who believes it is nothing. Liza collapses a short time later. Dr. Mason flushes her system. The experience makes Mary and Sam realize they have been wrong all along. He decides to take on the board.

 

The story is a mixture of humor, charm, desperation, sadness, and worst of all exasperation. The show is set in a time when servants dared defy their employers for fear of being terminated and beaten. There would definitely be no need for Mary to tolerate Dryden’s bitterness and disrespect. I know it’s only a TV show but it’s quite frustrating to watch Mary do nothing while Dryden criticizes her and her family at every turn.

The episode deserves a 5.9 out of 10. Get more of The Hardacres recaps here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising with us here. See what others are saying here.