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Ruby and the Well - I Wish He Were Still Here (S1E1)
Upon moving to a new town with her dad, Ruby discovers a magic well that shows her the wish of a woman in town. Ruby, with the help of her new friends Sam and Mina, works to help reunite the woman's family.
| Runtime (min) | 44 |
|---|---|
| Air Date | 2022-02-27 |
| Genres | Family, Sci-Fi & Fantasy |
| TV Rating | TV-G |
| Network(s) | Family Channel, BYU Television |
Storyline
Ruby arrives in a new town with her father and quickly discovers an old, mysterious well that reveals the heartfelt wishes of people in the community. When she peers into the well, Ruby sees a vision of a local woman wishing for a family reunion, longing to reconnect with loved ones she has been separated from. Intrigued and moved by what she witnesses, Ruby decides she must help make this wish come true.
With the assistance of two new friends, Sam and Mina, Ruby sets out to investigate the woman's situation and figure out how to bring her family back together. The trio works through clues and obstacles as they learn more about the woman's past and the circumstances that drove her family apart. Through their efforts, Ruby begins to understand both the power of the well and the importance of community connection in her new home.
What kids learn
This episode teaches children about empathy and the importance of helping others in need. Ruby doesn't know the woman personally, yet she feels compelled to act after witnessing her wish, demonstrating how recognizing someone else's pain or longing can motivate us to make a positive difference. Kids see that even as a newcomer to town, Ruby can have a meaningful impact by choosing to care about the struggles of people around her.
The episode also highlights the value of teamwork and friendship. Ruby doesn't attempt to solve the problem alone; instead, she enlists Sam and Mina, showing children that collaboration makes difficult tasks more manageable and more rewarding. Working together, the three friends combine their different strengths and perspectives to help reunite a family, illustrating how cooperation can achieve what one person cannot.
Additionally, children learn about the significance of family bonds and reconciliation. The woman's deep wish to reconnect with her family underscores how important these relationships are, even when time and distance have created separation. Ruby's efforts to facilitate this reunion teach kids that healing broken connections requires patience, understanding, and sometimes the willingness of others to help bridge the gap.
Parents' top 5 questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How does the magic well work in this episode? | The well reveals the wishes of people in Ruby's new town when she looks into it. In this episode, Ruby sees a vision of a local woman wishing to reunite with her family. The well serves as a catalyst for Ruby's mission, showing her who needs help and what they desire most. It's presented as a mysterious, benevolent force that guides Ruby toward acts of kindness rather than granting wishes directly. |
| Is the family separation handled in an age-appropriate way? | The episode addresses family separation through the lens of a wish for reunion rather than focusing on traumatic details. The story emphasizes hope and reconciliation, with Ruby and her friends working positively to bring people back together. The tone remains optimistic and solution-focused, making it suitable for the target audience while still acknowledging that families sometimes face difficult separations. |
| What kind of role models do Ruby and her friends provide? | Ruby demonstrates compassion, initiative, and determination by choosing to help a stranger fulfill her wish. Sam and Mina show loyalty and teamwork by joining Ruby's mission without hesitation. Together, the three friends model problem-solving, empathy, and the willingness to step outside their comfort zones to make a difference in their community. They show children that young people can be agents of positive change. |
| How does Ruby adjust to moving to a new town? | Ruby's adjustment involves both challenges and opportunities. Discovering the well gives her a sense of purpose in her new environment, and her mission to help the woman allows her to quickly form meaningful friendships with Sam and Mina. Rather than dwelling on what she left behind, Ruby engages actively with her new community, showing children that new beginnings can bring unexpected adventures and connections. |
| Are there any scary or intense moments in this episode? | The magical well might seem mysterious to younger viewers, but the episode maintains a gentle, family-friendly tone throughout. The focus remains on Ruby's positive mission to help reunite a family rather than on suspense or conflict. The emotional core involves longing and hope rather than fear, making it appropriate for elementary-aged children and older without concerning content that would require parental mediation. |
Writing
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Directing
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| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Upon moving to a new town with her dad, Ruby discovers a magic well that shows her the wish of a woman in town. Ruby, with the help of her new friends Sam and Mina, works to help reunite the woman's family. |
| 1 | 2 | Ruby, Sam, and Mina fulfill the wish of the town librarian, leading them on a treasure hunt to uncover a centuries-old mystery and Emerald’s best-kept secret. Meanwhile, Daniel attempts to fix his old home with help from a new friend. |
| 1 | 3 | Ruby, Sam, and Mina try to fulfill the wish of a local family to save a wedding, and in the process, they learn not to judge a book by its cover. Daniel discovers more revelations about Old Tom's property. |
| 1 | 4 | Trust is brought into question when Ruby wonders if she can tell her dad about the magical well. Daniel meets a military friend of his father's who sheds some light on the past. |
| 1 | 5 | Ruby, Sam, and Mina help a science camp teacher get the credit she deserves. Daniel investigates Ruby’s good deeds around town. |
| 1 | 6 | Ruby, Sam, and Mina learn the importance of telling the truth when they bring a long-kept secret to light. Meanwhile, Daniel and Paula try to win over a developer interested in Emerald who could potentially put the town back in business. |
| 1 | 7 | The Emerald Apple Festival is back and reveals a new, unusual wish for Ruby to fulfill. Daniel and Paula revive the festival’s apple cart race and a longstanding tradition of competition between the Prices and the O’Reillys. |
| 1 | 8 | Ruby wrestles with how to solve a wish that hits close to home, involving Sam's desire to meet his biological family. Ruby’s maternal grandparents come to town for a visit. |
| 1 | 9 | Development endangers Ruby's wishing well, while Daniel makes a wish of his own. Ruby and Sam learn about the consequences of seeking revenge when they discover a wish regarding two feuding actors. |
| 1 | 10 | Ruby discovers a wish from beyond the grave that needs to be fulfilled. Daniel fights for the preservation of the wishing well, but the development company has other ideas. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | After a wishless winter, Ruby struggles to save the well while granting the wish of an enemy of the town. Are these two tricky missions somehow intertwined? Meanwhile, Daniel and Paula plan to delay a construction crew poised to demolish the well. |
| 2 | 2 | Ruby’s latest wisher hopes to find someone, but figuring out who turns out to be the hardest part of the wish. Meanwhile, Daniel is bombarded by calls from his father who wants Daniel and Ruby to give up the orchard and leave Emerald for good. |
| 2 | 3 | As Ruby and her friends tackle a new wish, they run into a strange new problem: the wish appears to be granting itself. Meanwhile, Ruby worries her dad is lonely in Emerald and embarks on a mission to find him some new friends. |
| 2 | 4 | Ruby receives a musical wish that involves a local celebrity and a broken friendship, while Daniel and Paula organize a benefit concert. |
| 2 | 5 | As Ruby embarks on her newest wish, she rekindles the search for a long-missing Emerald resident. Meanwhile, Daniel’s efforts to bring back the O’Reilly apple tree uncover a brand new mystery. |
| 2 | 6 | After the well gives Ruby clues but no wish, Ruby must figure out what that means. Only then can she help a wisher enjoy their wish to travel. Meanwhile, Daniel’s efforts to solve a mystery set off a misunderstanding among Emerald’s residents. |
| 2 | 7 | Ruby and her friends struggle to grant the wish of a very intimidating and mysterious wisher. Meanwhile, Ruby and Daniel are both unsure how to handle an important date on the calendar: what would’ve been Summer’s birthday. |
| 2 | 8 | Ruby and her friends embark on a thrilling and unexpected adventure close to home as they try to recover something precious lost by a wisher. Meanwhile, Ava and Daniel bond over raising teenage daughters. |
| 2 | 9 | A confusing wish challenges Ruby with brokering peace after a longstanding family feud. Meanwhile, Daniel and Sam take a journey through the orchard and discover more about Ruby’s well-keeping ancestors. |
| 2 | 10 | Ruby receives her toughest wish yet from someone who knows all about the well’s magic. If the wisher is who she thinks it is, granting this wish could mean the end of the wishing well itself. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | A famous bank robbery in Emerald's past becomes the focus of Ruby's latest wish, but the wisher is the last person she would've suspected. After a lifetime of keeping a crushing secret, the wisher worries the past is about to catch up with them. |
| 3 | 2 | A wish expressed in barks instead of words leads Ruby to help a rural veterinarian struggling with a lot more than panicky pets. But she soon realizes the monster he's facing is scarier than she thought. |
| 3 | 3 | The well gives Ruby a wish from beyond the grave from Viole O’Reilly, the Victorian well keeper from her previous visions. This wish is part of All Souls Day, the Irish day of the dead, which means Ruby only has until midnight tomorrow to grant it. |
| 3 | 4 | Sam and his mom find themselves on opposite sides of a hot-button community issue. Meanwhile, Ruby receives a wish so vague that it's going to take all her and Mina's legwork even to make a dent in it. |
| 3 | 5 | After missing an important family event, Ruby is racked with guilt. Worse, she receives a wish too awful to grant! Mina and Sam are ready to take over for her and manage to supply Ruby and her dad with a much-needed bonding opportunity. |
| 3 | 6 | Ruby and Sam join forces to help someone who wants to “feel love again”. But after the wisher is discovered, a misunderstanding leads to a possibly disastrous revelation. Now, they must figure out what the wish really means before it’s too late. |
| 3 | 7 | Ruby believes that a wisher wants to get rid of rivals for Daniel's affections– including her mom's memory. Given the growing importance of family in Ruby’s life, that is a step too far! That is unless Ruby is wrong about the intent of the wish. |
| 3 | 8 | After struggling to balance wish granting with regular teen life, Ruby’s now ready to rock her next challenge. But when she gets the worst possible wish, will she find a way out? Meanwhile, Seb is onto Mina and the secret she’s keeping from him. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 1 | Ruby returns to Emerald from Ireland with fresh concerns about keeping the well alive. She receives three different visions of wishes to fulfill with the help of Mina and Sam. Meanwhile, Dan and Leah have an awkward reunion--and a new secret. |
| 4 | 2 | Ruby has her hands full with a particularly ambitious wish from powerhouse realtor Amanda "The Wolf" Wilczek, which includes working with the most haunted house in Emerald. Meanwhile, Dan helps out the local firehouse, sparking a dream of his own. |
| 4 | 3 | Ruby and her friends search for a wisher who wants to be a kid again. When they find that it's another kid, they dig deep to find an extra special answer. Dan starts his journey as a probationary volunteer fireman with an unlucky Emerald resident. |
| 4 | 4 | Ruby's fear of losing the well intensifies when she sees a vision of video footage at the well. She, Mina, and Sam launch an investigation into vintage items to find the videographer. Meanwhile, Dan helps Mrs. Martin look for a newer, safer home. |
| 4 | 5 | Ruby receives a garbled clue from the well that forces her, Mina, and Sam to think in a different direction. Dan runs interference between Amanda and her sudden interest in the magical well. |
| 4 | 6 | With more scrutiny than ever before, Ruby uses her wish to keep the well healthy and secret. Meanwhile, Emerald's Thanksgiving dinner could be ruined if the wish isn't fulfilled in time. Dan and Brea work together to get Wally to join the fun. |
| 4 | 7 | The well's clues are the most garbled and blurry yet. Ruby worries that she will lose the well forever. She, Mina, and Sam still work to fulfill the wish and get involved in the world of football. Dan continues to cope with the idea of Ruby leaving. |
| 4 | 8 | Ruby hopes that her wish is the next to come out of the well--but is shocked when it's Dan's that comes next. Time is running out for the well as Mrs. Rivers-Snyder asks more questions. A surprise visitor provides answers about the failing well. |
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