Tales From Avonlea: Season 01  (1990)

Theatrical Release Information:
Tales From Avonlea: Season 01

Season one of the phenomenally popular Canadian series Road to Avonlea (aka Tales From Avonlea) begins in the early 20th century, as Sara Stanley (Sarah Polley), the pampered and privileged daughter of a wealthy Montreal merchant, is sent to the Prince Edward Island town of Avonlea to avoid public scrutiny while her dad, Blair Stanley, suffers through an embezzlement scandal. Sara is to live with her late mother's relatives, the King family, with whom Blair has not gotten along in years. Since there is no room at the home of Sara's uncle Alec (Cedric Smith) and aunt Janet (Lally Cadeau), Sara must stay with her domineering aunt Hetty (Jackie Burroughs), Alec's sister and the town's schoolteacher. At first, Hetty and Sara clash, mainly over the subject of Sara's overprotective nanny, Louisa (Frances Hyland), whom Hetty dismisses out of hand. Gradually, Sara will win over the sharp-tongued but golden-hearted Hetty, and she will also become close friends with her cousins, Alec and Janet's children, Felicity (Gema Zamprogna), Felix (Zachary Bennett), and Cecily (Harmony Cramp). Cementing Sara's acceptance in the community is her newfound reputation as "The Story Girl," based on her skill at weaving imaginative variations of classic fairy tales. This season, Colleen Dewhurst makes her first appearance as Hetty's equal in stubbornness Marilla Cuthbert, who semi-adopts the orphaned Keith children, much to the dismay of her lifelong friend and companion Rachel (Patricia Hamilton). Zoe Caldwell is the first of the series' "special guest stars," playing the eccentric title character in the episode "Old Lady Lloyd." And Sara will perform the first of many good deeds when she saves a foundling, who will subsequently be adopted by Janet's sister Abigail (Rosemary Dunsmore). In another episode, Hetty takes in a young, trouble-prone handyman named Peter Craig (Miklos Perlus) -- one of the few actual "carryover" characters from the Lucy Maud Montgomery novels on which Road to Avonlea was based -- after the boy is pulled through a serious illness by Avonlea's resident "witch," Peg Bowen (Susan E. Cox). The 13th and final episode of the season finds Sara's dad cleared of all criminal charges, meaning that Sara can now return to Montreal...except that she doesn't want to. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide