Ep 1. Pilot

In the first episode of Cedar Cove, titled "Pilot," we are introduced to Olivia Lockhart, the judge and trusted community leader of Cedar Cove. The small town in Washington state serves as the backdrop for a deep dive into the lives of its inhabitants.

The episode starts with Olivia narrating an introduction to her hometown, as she goes through the streets and gives us glimpses into the daily lives of the people around her. We are taken through shops, cafes, and community spaces while getting a feel for the idyllic small-town life of Cedar Cove.

Once the narration ends, we see Olivia in her courtroom. She presides over a case where an individual is seeking a permit to construct a new building in Cedar Cove. But Olivia is not too keen on allowing the request since the proposed building would interfere with the view of one of Cedar Cove's most beloved landmarks. Mayor Lou (Charlotte Sullivan) also speaks up against it, and the permit gets denied.

As we come to know, Olivia lives with her mother, Charlotte (Anne Marie DeLuise), who's mostly bedridden and needs a lot of care. A caretaker named Justine Lockheart (Sarah Smyth) helps keep Charlotte comfortable and looks after her throughout the day. Justine also happens to be Olivia’s daughter, who came back to Cedar Cove after law school.

The episode introduces a few more characters, including Jack Griffith (Dylan Neal), a charming and mysterious man who's just stepped into Cedar Cove. He goes to see his sister, who's an old acquaintance of Olivia's. However, we soon learn that Jack is not the only one with a connection to Olivia. Warren Saget (Brennan Elliott), a handsome businessman, has been pining for Olivia for years.

Olivia is still coming to terms with the fact that her ex-husband, Stan (Andrew Francis), has remarried and moved to Cedar Cove with his new family. The two still have a lot of unresolved tension between them, made all the more complicated when Olivia sees how much Stan's daughter, Justine’s half-sister, needs attention and struggles in Cedar Cove.

The episode follows many of Cedar Cove's residents as they go about their daily lives and deal with their respective issues. But the most significant storyline centers around a married couple, Eric and Shelly Brennan (Tom Butler & Teryl Rothery), and their daughter, Heather (Adelaide Kane).

Eric is an alcoholic who struggles with addiction, and it's created a rift between him and his family. We see his wife, Shelly, dealing with the emotional toll of living with someone with an addiction and the privacy implications when her daughter's friends start making comments. Meanwhile, Heather is stuck in the middle, torn between her love for her father and her worry about him.

Amidst all of this, a tragedy strikes Cedar Cove, bringing the whole town together. The episode ends on an emotional note, with Olivia reflecting on the events of the day and how it's impacted the town.

Overall, the pilot episode does an excellent job of introducing us to the world of Cedar Cove and the many players involved. We get a sense of the dynamics between characters and the various storylines that will likely develop as the show progresses. It's clear that the show values its small-town setting, and we get to see how it shapes the lives of those living in Cedar Cove. The episode's ending gives us an indication of the emotional depth we can expect from the show and sets up the potential for a compelling storyline.