Ep 5. Paradise Lost

Emily of New Moon follows a young girl named Emily Starr who moves in with relatives on Prince Edward Island after her father's death. The show is based on the book series by Lucy Maud Montgomery, the same author as Anne of Green Gables. In season 1 episode 5, titled Paradise Lost, Emily's friend Ilse receives a disturbing letter from her mother which prompts her to run away from home.

The episode opens with Ilse's mother, Prissy, arriving in New Moon to take her daughter away with her. Ilse is not happy about this and tells Emily and their friend Perry that she doesn't want to leave. Prissy is overbearing and seems to care more about her social status than her daughter's happiness. Ilse tells Emily that her mother wants her to marry a wealthy man so they can climb the social ladder together.

Later that day, Ilse receives a letter from her mother which sends her into a panic. She tells Emily and Perry that she must leave right away and doesn't want to say goodbye to anyone. Emily tries to convince Ilse to stay and talk to her mother, but Ilse is too afraid and sets off on her own. Emily, Perry, and their friend Teddy decide to follow her and make sure she's okay.

As the group searches for Ilse, they come across an old abandoned house which they decide to explore. Inside, they find a statue of a woman which they deduce must be the Greek goddess Artemis. Emily finds a hidden room filled with art supplies and decides to make a painting of the goddess. While she's painting, Ilse's mother and her fiancé show up and demand that the children tell them where Ilse is.

The group refuses to tell them, and Emily's uncle Jimmy shows up just in time to diffuse the situation. He convinces Ilse's mother to let Ilse stay with her friends for a few days and gives her a piece of his mind about putting her social status above her daughter's happiness. Ilse's fiancé, who is appalled by her mother's behavior, agrees to wait for Ilse to return home before they make any decisions about their future together.

The episode concludes with Emily finishing her painting of Artemis and realizing that while she may have lost Paradise by leaving her old home, she has found a new kind of Paradise with her new friends and life on Prince Edward Island.

Overall, this episode focuses on the theme of family and the lengths we will go to protect those we love. It also highlights the importance of standing up for oneself and the idea that sometimes we must create our own Paradise in life. Emily of New Moon continues to explore these themes throughout the series, making it a heartwarming and insightful show for all ages.