Heartwarming / The Hardy Boys (2020)

Frank: Joe, listen to me, [...] I care about you, okay? Look, whatever we choose to do, we'll do it together.
(Later)
Joe: Can't say no to you when you're emotional.

—"No Getting Out"

The deep bond of brothers between Frank and Joe Hardy and the close relationships among their True Companions form the emotional core of the show and provide many a heartwarming moment throughout.

As a Moments page, all spoilers are unmarked.

Season 1

Welcome to Your Life

• Laura doesn't get much screentime before her tragic death, but what little we do see makes it clear that she's a good, supportive, and loving mom, playfully holding Frank back to give Joe a chance to try to beat the video game despite his brother's objections, and being wholly enthusiastic about Frank's pitching for his baseball team, helping him practice and attending all of his games. It's no wonder her husband and both of her sons are absolutely crushed by her death.
• Despite Gloria having "overbearing rich old lady" vibes and some Passive-Aggressive Kombat with Trudy and Fenton, she's truly happy to have her grandsons now living nearby, making arrangements for fun activities for Joe like horseback riding and for Frank to start networking for college. She also throws a meet-and-greet barbecue for the boys at her home to welcome them and help them meet other kids in Bridgeport, and sincerely thanks Fenton for attending it, too.
• After Joe's held hostage by Ern and both boys are a bit shaken up by the whole ordeal, Fenton cheers them up by sharing a tub of Wilt's famous ice cream with them.

Where the Light Can't Find You

• Joe giving Fenton a comic to read on his long international flight, which makes him smile. When he calls the boys later, he confirms that he did indeed read it cover-to-cover and really liked it.
• Joe first bonding with JB, who's impressed with his wit and intelligence right out of the gate. When Joe admits during one conversation that his mom is dead, JB sincerely apologizes for his loss and is able to relate, as he lost his mom at a similar age and still misses her, too. Despite his initial (understandable) mistrust of him, this Commonality Connection is the moment where Joe visibly warms up to him.
  • He's also fairly generous with paying Biff and then Joe to help him, and with offering them more money for another job, haggling a bit but ultimately agreeing to their price. Even after Joe's delivery for him (seemingly) doesn't go as planned, JB still pays him in full.
  • JB refuses to divulge to Joe what he stole, saying the less he knows, the better. However, as he's leaving, he makes it a point to tell Joe he did a good job.

Of Freedom and Pleasure

• A few different budding friendships at the carnival:
  • Joe and Biff having an increasingly fun time with Joe's win streak on the carnival games, thanks to the piece of the Eye he's carrying with him. And rather than just keep everything for himself on the grounds that he's the one actually winning, he's more than happy to have her along for the ride and share his spoils with her, letting her choose and keep the giant stuffed animal he wins from one booth.
    Biff: The frog. Definitely the frog.
    Joe: The lady will have the frog.
  • Once Trudy and Jesse see their respective kids off to hang out, they decide to grab dinner together themselves. ("I'll buy you a corn dog." "I love corn dogs.")
  • As Frank and Callie ride the Ferris wheel together, she offers him comfort over the death of his mom, and reveals that she has a Missing Mom too (though it's Parental Abandonment in her case). Though this scene is sowing early seeds for them to eventually get together, at this point both of them are in relationships with other people, and it truly is just a sweet Friendship Moment where they bond over a Commonality Connection.
• Also, when Frank realizes that the play about Demon's Paw was portraying the death of Anya's father and that's why she didn't want to talk to him more earlier, he goes back to her booth and genuinely offers condolences about what happened to her dad, assuring her that he can understand with his very raw account of still missing his mom. Anya offers her sympathies for his loss in turn, and agrees to help him.
• Despite being terrified of the Tall Man and knowing that he'll try to murder him on sight, JB Cox still follows him to the carnival when he realizes with horror that this tall, hulking killer is going there to hunt down Joe. He finds them in the funhouse Just in Time to pull the man off of Joe, probably saving his life, and tells him to run, picking a fight he knows could very well get him killed to buy the kid time to get away. This kicks off a series-long trend of Joe Hardy being JB's consistent Morality Pet.
  • This is also even more Heartwarming in Hindsight as we see more of JB throughout the show and he demonstrates that he's largely self-motivated and Only in It for the Money, prioritizing getting paid over everything else. And yet, he establishes early on that he's a good-natured person underneath it all by going out of his way to save a kid who helped him out earlier, who he likes but still barely knows at this point, for no personal gain (and, in fact, at great risk to himself), just because JB got him mixed up in his problems by accident.
  • Before JB shows up, as soon as Joe realizes the Tall Man's looking for him, he promptly suggests that he and Biff split up to avoid him. It's partially so that the guy doesn't find them as easily as he would if they were together, but since Joe knows the man only wants him and not her, he also implicitly does it to keep Biff safe and Draw Aggro away from her.

Secrets and Lies

• Joe freaks out about the police having found his toolbox on the beach after he lent it JB (not knowing at the time that he's a criminal) and is worried about getting arrested as an accomplice. As Frank reassures him that he'll be fine, we get this line:
  Frank: Besides, I'd never let anything happen to you. I've always got your back. Right?
• During the melancholy scene where Callie tells Frank a bit about her background and confesses to sometimes missing her mom, Frank reaches out to take her hand in comfort without a word.

The Drop

• For all of Gloria's many, many flaws and unsavory actions and her frequent passive-aggressively snobbish behavior, her visit to Trudy to attempt to make amends for her past actions does seem sincere, and stems from having lost her daughter prematurely. While there's probably some aspect of bribery behind it, once Gloria discovers that Trudy is a painter for a living, she does make a genuine offer to have some gallery owners she knows in the city display and sell some of her art pieces for her, and follows through on it by getting her a gig.
  • It seems that, for however much they didn't get along, Laura's death has made Gloria more introspective. She candidly admits to Trudy sadly that she wasn't a good mom, but would like to be a better grandma, asking her to help her try for the boys' sakes. Trudy doesn't fully forgive her for everything, but she visibly softens and sympathizes, enough to reply:
    Trudy: I think it might be good for you, too.
  • There's also the implication that Trudy's ongoing dislike for Gloria and reluctance to forgive her doesn't stem so much from anything Gloria did to her personally as it does from her past unkindness to Trudy's brother and their parents, and her own protectiveness of them. Still, she's willing to at least try smoothing things over for her nephews' benefit, because Gloria's their family and they need that right now, and truly does open up to her a little bit as well when they have tea together.
• This is also the episode that cements the six main kids as True Companions:
  • Frank and Joe reveal that their mom was murdered, and though they know it's a big ask for their friends to help them trap the murderous Tall Man, Chet and Callie quickly agree, with the former even admitting he'd do the same for his mom, and Phil is also glad to help.
  • Biff initially refuses because the Hardys don't want to talk to any of the cops about it, including her mom, which upsets her. That night, though, she does still show up at Chet's farm to help after all.
    Biff: Y'know, you're dead wrong about my mom, and you'll eat that. But I wanted to help.
    Joe: Well, I'm glad you're back.
  • The next day, the boys thank the others for their help, and their new friends note that Bridgeport has gotten way more interesting since the Hardys moved there and reaffirm that they'll help them solve the case, whatever it takes.
    Joe: Our mom would've really liked you guys.
    Frank: What we know we know is that everyone we can trust is here, in this room.

In Plain Sight

• After discovering that someone on the Bridgeport PD is corrupt and then going to hide the piece of the Eye, Biff makes a bit of an Innocently Insensitive comment about how Joe's mom must have loved growing up in Bridgeport, notices him turn solemn, and apologizes. We then get:
  Biff: You're lucky you have Frank, your Aunt Trudy, and your dad...me....It's just me and my mom. If she was involved in any criminal activity, I don't—
  Joe: Hey. Look, I'm no cool cop mom, but, I'm here.
  Biff: Thanks, Joe.

A Figure in Hiding

• When Chet learns that his girlfriend Callie and Frank are planning to take the bus to Rosegrave for their visit, he immediately offers to give them a ride himself, despite it being implied to be an hour or so drive and him having no interest in the school himself, just to help them out.
• Even though Callie has every reason to want to make a great first impression because Rosegrave has always been her dream prep school, she doesn't hesitate to cause a distraction by breaking a vase, making herself look foolish and clumsy in front of the dean's secretary, to help Frank with his investigation so he can sneak into the dean's office.
• Dean McFarlane, previously revealed to be Laura's ex-boyfriend, admits to Frank that he never stopped loving her. While there is of course some awkwardness around this considering Frank is Laura's son with another man, McFarlane doesn't show any bitterness to him for it, or towards Laura for ending their relationship (rightly blaming himself instead), and willingly helps Frank's investigation at personal risk.

What Happened in Bridgeport

• In between the craziness of everything else going on, the True Companions happily share a famous Back-to-School Brownie sundae at Wilt's, and chat about the woes of school starting back up like normal kids.
• Frank leaving an encouraging note on Joe's bagged lunch on the first day of school, like their mom used to do for both of them.
• Biff buys a pair of walkie-talkies, one each for her and Joe, so they can call if they need each other for safety, and he gives her a sincere thank-you. Indeed, these walkies do come in handy several times throughout the whole series, including later in the same episode.
• Jesse reassuring Trudy that she's a good aunt, pointing out how the boys, whatever else they go through, always come back to their home with her at the end of every day for the safety she provides. Trudy's sincerely appreciative of her words.
• Frank checks in on Stacy, a fellow New Transfer Student who also previously saved him and Joe by hitting the Tall Man with her car, on the first day of school, wanting to make sure she's doing okay after her traumatic experience. They bond over the Commonality Connection of getting awkward looks and whispers from other students, and Frank assures her that it'll get better because "there are a lot of really nice people in Bridgeport," clearly thinking of his friends and the adults who've been kind to the boys. It's sweet to hear how much Bridgeport has grown on him since he was originally pretty against moving there.

The Key

• Though things are a bit tense between Gloria and the boys after the Hostage Situation is resolved thanks to having withheld vital info from each other, Gloria does gently ask Joe again if he's sure he's okay, and genuinely apologizes that the boys have become mixed up in "her problems" (the Circle), stating it's the last thing she wanted to happen. If there was any doubt before, it's also made completely clear that she was not the one who murdered her daughter Laura, since she didn't even know Laura's death was no accident until the boys tell her so and is truly shocked, horrified, and saddened to learn this, and is in Tranquil Fury Mama Bear mode when discussing it with Kanika later.
• As Frank and Joe prepare to try the key to George's Secret Room (which, if it's not correct, will cause an explosion destroying the whole room and possibly injuring them too), Joe expresses his concern about whether or not they should risk it, and as Frank inserts the key, he answers,
  Frank: I just asked myself what you would do.

The Secret Room

• Joe correctly deduces that Biff took the piece of the Eye from their hiding place, and she explains her motive: to protect him, because she was afraid JB was going to torture him to find out where it was. Unlike everybody else fighting over the Eye, who wants its power for their own selfish reasons, Biff's motivation was selfless, and rather than using the Eye for herself in any way, just hid again somewhere else.
• Frank, moody teenager that he is, often brushes aside his Aunt Trudy's concerns and keeps his distance from her. But they share a bowl of salt and vinegar chips together after she reveals that Jesse ditched the plans they'd made due to the tension between them, which Frank realizes he and Joe are the indirect source of and sincerely apologizes to her, while genuinely soliciting her relationship advice.

No Getting Out

• Once Frank is able to use Joe's walkie to contact him and Biff in the mines, Joe initially plans to find the exit to let Biff out, then continue trying to find a way to destroy the Eye. Frank convinces him otherwise:
  Frank: Joe, listen to me. I don't care about the Eye. I care about you, okay? Look, whatever we choose to do, we'll do it together.
  Joe: What if we don't want to do the same thing?
  Frank: Then we'll find another thing.
  • Once Joe does indeed emerge with Biff, he tells Frank what changed his mind:
    Frank: Thought you weren't coming out.
    Joe: Can't say no to you when you're emotional. (They grin at each other)
  • Also the whole band coming together to save Joe and Biff. Even though things are incredibly awkward between the three older kids after Chet's and Callie's breakup and Callie saw Frank and Stacy kiss, they both put all of it aside to help. Callie doesn't mention the kiss until the following episode, Phil becomes very no-nonsense and quickly agrees to go with Chet, and the latter sums it up to Frank with:
    Chet: C'mon, man. It's Joe.

Eye to Eye

• Fenton finally returns home, joyfully reuniting with his sons and sister. The cheerful mood quickly evaporates once the case heats up, but it's sweet while it lasts. Joe immediately shouts "Dad!" and glomps him, Frank is so overwhelmed he can't even say a word and gives him a bear hug, and despite Trudy freaking out over JB being in Joe's room, she still takes a second to give her brother a delighted hug.
• Frank discovers that JB did indeed steal the Eye piece for Gloria, and his angry reaction to both of them about it is entirely on his little brother's behalf. And it does actually have an impact on JB, prompting him to write a signed confession for the authorities that helps implicate Chief Collig and Gloria, as well as leave an apology message behind for Joe. (See below.)

While the Clock Ticked

• Trudy sticking up for her nephews to their father. She's clear that she does sympathize with Fenton's pain of losing Laura and understands where his actions are coming from, but makes him see his sons' perspective, and encourages him to trust and work with them instead of trying to do everything himself. And her words get through to him, as Fenton goes to meet up with the gang and, rather than sending the boys home like he would have before, teams up with them for the final confrontation.
  Trudy: You're grieving the love of your life. You had to go figure out what happened to her. But when you left, the boys also had to grieve you, too. And I know that you're Super Cop, and you work alone, but right now those boys are just as desperate to find out what happened to their mother as you are. So stop pushing everyone away...and help them.
• Wilt does his part to help the Hardy Gang save Callie by lying to the sergeant about not having seen Frank, then letting the kids use his closed-up shop as their hideout and staging grounds to plot the rescue, only asking in return that they don't drink all his soda.
• The Big Damn Hug between Joe and Biff once he and Phil are able to get her out of George's Secret Room where she's locked in. They exchange relieved smiles, she glomps him, and he almost-shyly hugs her back, followed by them both getting flustered.
• The first thing Biff does after the younger kids get back to Wilt's is delightedly say "You're okay!" and glomp Callie. And Callie thanks everyone for working together to save her, making sure to give Phil kudos for coming up with the smoke detector idea, while Frank nods emphatically.
• In the denouement, Frank gives the boys' True Companions a heartfelt thank-you for all their help on the case. And after the rest of them head to Wilt's, Callie stays behind a moment to bid Frank goodbye (thinking he'll be going back to Dixon City soon), only to learn that the Hardys have decided to stay in Bridgeport. Delighted, the two of them finally share The Big Damn Kiss.
• After putting Laura's childhood music box back together, Joe "took an old classic and updated it" to play a different tune.
  Frank: Mom loved this song.
  Joe: (smiling softly) I know.
• Fenton telling his sons how proud he is of them for solving the case, and how much Laura would be, too.
• As an apology to Joe for working against him, JB leaves him the radio that Joe repaired for him back when they first met, along with a note promising that he owes him a favor if Joe ever needs it in the future.
  Joey,
  Sorry I didn't stick around, but things got a little hairy there in Bridgeport. I'll be happy if I never see the Eye again for the rest of my life, and if I were you, I'd stay as far away from it as possible. And look, I'm not all that good at goodbyes, or apologies, so I'm just gonna say I owe you one, and leave you my radio. If the day ever comes when you need the services of a world-class thief who looks pretty good in a wig, you can use it to get in touch when you're ready to call in that favor.
  Your pal, JB Cox
  Oh yeah, and don't let Frank boss you around too much. He needs you more than you think.
• The final shot of the season is Frank and Joe once again riding their bikes side-by-side into downtown Bridgeport like they did in the first episode, but this time exchanging grins and feeling far more optimistic about what the future may hold.

Season 2

• In general, how willing the Hardy Gang is to try to help Dennis Gilroy when he becomes a Distressed Dude for most of the season. For Joe, there may be some aspect involved of wanting to impress Lucy, Dennis's sort-of-ex-girlfriend, but he and most of the others barely know him and seem to find him kind of obnoxious, while Phil is Dennis's rival in the AV Club who outright doesn't like him. They nonetheless all put themselves in highly risky and/or stressful situations throughout the season to try to keep him safe and find out what happened to him, simply because he's their classmate who needs help.

A Disappearance

• Frank's and Callie's relationship is shown to be very loving and mutually supportive. Frank is so proud of and confident in his girlfriend's skills that, when he asks her how her call with Woodson Academy went, he asks if they gave her a full scholarship. Callie worries about prep school not working out, and he is quick to reassure her that all her hard work will pay off and she's earned the success she'll have. It's very clear just how much time they've spent together during the Time Skip and how well they understand each other.
• Chet brings Belinda to Wilt's to introduce her to the gang, and Frank and Callie are both friendly and welcoming, but then the three of them need to go save the three younger kids from potentially being hurt in the mines. Belinda is completely understanding about being left behind (since Chet's truck only has room for 3) and urges them to go ahead—an early indication that despite being a "troublemaker", she's really a Good Bad Nice Girl.
• Once the older kids save the younger three from almost dying, Frank and Joe quickly apologize solemnly to each other for their fight earlier, obviously both hating when there's tension between them.
• After they find Dennis, Fenton apologizes for getting so angry and un-grounds his sons, just asking them to be careful because he can't lose them too. Both boys assure him he's got nothing to worry about. He also compliments their detective skills, and states that if they're going to investigate, they should do it together and protect each other, prompting Frank and Joe to exchange grins.

Conflicting Reports

• Biff steals Phil's wristwatch as collateral so he won't talk about her birth parents without her permission anymore. Phil is at first upset, but eventually promises her that he won't discuss it unless she does—"It's in the vault"—and offers to help her find her birth mom if she wants him to. When they leave the Hardy house, she returns the watch, saying "I'm trusting you," and Phil breaks into a grin. At the start of the next episode, she takes him to see her dad's grave, proving she means it.
• Mayor Krassner sees from a distance Chet and Belinda about to climb on the roof of the library at the latter's urging. Chet gets Krassner to chase after him, telling Belinda to hide and then meet him at Wilt's, so she won't get in trouble. She assures him when they meet back up that she lives for trouble, but is obviously touched that his first instinct is to look out for her and take the heat off her. And when they hear sirens going by (actually the fire truck heading up to the East Woods) and worry that it's the cops, they both quickly duck down, and look down with a smile to realize that they're Holding Hands.

The Missing Camera

• Belinda, who has hung out with Chet mostly separately from the rest of his friends, decides to join him in going to Elroy's place to help Frank (which also highlights Chet's loyalty to him). This marks the start of her being officially integrated into the True Companions.
  Belinda: Why are you always running off to help Frank Hardy?
  Chet: Because he's an idiot! Or I am. I...
  Belinda: Could be both things.
  (Chet closes up the back of his truck to prepare to leave, and Belinda joins him.)
  Chet: What are you doing?
  Belinda: I'm an idiot, too. Explain on the way.
• As soon as Biff fills Joe in about discovering that her birth dad is dead, he immediately apologizes for repeatedly picking at her about it, since he knows what it's like to have a dead parent. She assures him it's okay, and when she states she didn't tell him sooner because he was making it about himself when it's her private business that she needed to do on her own, she's quite gentle about it. Joe, in turn, is supportive of her search.
• After Frank, Chet, and Belinda resolve the misunderstanding with Tom Elroy and Belinda drives off the pranksters who came to his house, he gives them Dennis's tape he found, which turns out to have crucial info, and Frank offers help if he ever needs it on all their behalf, for which he genuinely thanks them. And two episodes later, Elroy is framed for a bombing plot, and they do indeed prove his innocence.
• Fenton comes up to the loft to find the boys talking about the case...and reminds them not to count out a suspect until the case is solved. He reaffirms they're not in trouble, and assures them that when they get in over their head, they can come talk to him.

A Clue on Film

• When JB is cornered by Mack and Angela and forced to admit at knifepoint that the Hardy Boys have the Eye, Angela tells Mack to go get it from them. Despite his own fear of Stratemeyer, JB promptly backtracks by saying that the boys don't have it on them in an attempt to keep Angela and Mack away from them. And despite implying that he'll be able to manipulate the boys into giving it to him, he actually just warns Frank that they're in danger, directly asking him once to give him the Eye only for their own safety, and when he still tries to play dumb about having it, just informs him that Stratemeyer is targeting the Hardys, then escapes and flees town rather than help Stratemeyer anymore.
• Frank, after receiving a warning from JB that the boys' use of the Eye is putting everyone they care about at risk, vents to Callie about his fear of being a danger to her and that, if she'd known from the start how trouble seems to follow him everywhere, she may not have wanted to be with him. She stops him before he finishes, and reassures him that she always knew this and it doesn't affect her love for him.
  Callie: I hate to break it to you, but "normal" isn't normal for us. (Long Beat) And I like us.
  Frank: I like us, too. (They kiss)
• As Frank and Callie cuddle in his car, he states that he doesn't think he could have made it through the previous year without her, and compliments how brave, smart, and relentless she is. Although it soon becomes a Tear Jerker after Callie confesses the secret she's been keeping from him.
• Joe explains to Lucy exactly why he sometimes acts like a total jerk when questioning suspects: he knows how much it sucks to lose someone and doesn't want anyone else to go through that, so he has to focus on everybody to ensure he doesn't miss anything, because otherwise someone will get hurt, and he can't abide by that.
  Joe: So, in a weird way, I'm doing this for you, too.
  • And after Lucy's disliked him for the entire season so far, this finally softens her up enough that she invites him to join her for the movie.
  • They accidentally touch hands while watching the movie together and exchange shy smiles, and she finally confesses to him everything she knows about the night of Dennis's disappearance. Joe reassures Lucy it'll be okay, and when he has to leave her to go analyze Dennis's film, he tells her he knows she's not the culprit. And indeed, at the start of the next episode, he defends her to the rest of the group and insists that she's no longer a suspect.

Heading for Destruction

• In a small moment amidst the Nightmare Fuel of the Hardy Boys being kidnapped: as soon as they see Malone's dark blue van drive up and realize what's about to happen, Frank's immediate response is to pull Joe behind him and try to shield his brother with his body, even if it is futile. And as the boys are pulled apart, have bags put over their heads, and are forced in the van, they both call out for each other.
• Combined with Tear Jerker: After the explosion at Wilt's, Callie's first instinct is to rush in and see if Jesse's okay. And as the latter is being brought out, unconscious, on a stretcher while Biff desperately begs her to Please Wake Up, Callie rushes over to Biff and holds her in her arms to comfort her.
• After their Almost Kiss in the previous episode, Chet and Belinda finally get to share a kiss for real, and after they talk about their feelings for each other in the next episode, it's implied that this results in a Relationship Upgrade.
• Frank and Callie making up after their fight. He admits he was wrong and apologizes, stating that he doesn't care that she secretly visited Gloria, because it doesn't matter at all in the grand scheme of things after both of them could easily have died and "lost each other" after the harrowing events of the day. He emphatically states he doesn't want to lose her, and they promise not to keep secrets from each other anymore, with it being clear that he plans to tell her about the Eye at last after he and Joe have hid it from everyone all season.

Hunting an Intruder

• The episode starts with Fenton reuniting with his sons. He arrives in downtown Bridgeport, sees all the ambulances there, and fears the worst. Then he sees Frank, runs to him, and they embrace. Frank then takes him to the hospital where Joe is sitting outside Jesse's room, and Fenton and Joe share a big hug as well. Trudy, despite sitting sadly at her bedside, shoots him a watery smile when she sees him.
• There's also the fact that Biff, also staying at Jesse's side, fell asleep on a pillow in Trudy's arms. And that Joe was keeping vigil outside of her room as a way of being there for both his aunt and his best friend.
• Immediately afterwards, we cut to the three male Hardys coming back to the Chamber of the Eye (only to find no one there), implying that as soon as Fenton learned that Stratemeyer kidnapped his sons, he immediately went into Papa Wolf mode and headed straight there to confront them about it, regardless of how badly outnumbered he may have been. He also asks why Stratemeyer's been coming after them about the Eye, and when Frank covers by claiming it's probably because they're just kids, Fenton responds, "Shows what they know." And as he leaves again a bit later when the boys urge him to go meet with Olivia, he entrusts them with the scroll McFarlane gave him.
• Belinda and Chet talk about their kiss, and he admits to having thought she was lesbian after finding out about Erica. When she informs him that she's bi, he affirms to her that he has zero problem with this. For a series that's chronologically set in The '80s, it's nice to see that the True Companions sincerely have no prejudice at all towards non-straight characters and are wholeheartedly supportive of them—not just Belinda, but Trudy and Jesse as well.
• Despite the Hardy Boys having every reason to be terrified of Stratemeyer after their kidnapping in the previous episode, when they have Phil cornered at Gloria's house, the boys purposely put themselves in more danger to make sure their friends can get away: they quickly tell the others to get to Chet's truck, and then Draw Aggro from Angela and Mack to lead them away from the house so Phil can escape as well. And when Frank triggers a vision to accomplish this, he has Joe start running ahead of him right away.

The Doctor's Orders

• A bit twisted considering it's Gloria (who's rather twisted herself), but she gets a couple when Frank and Callie reluctantly come to visit her in prison to ask about the Crystal:
  • When she sees Frank, she's overcome with delight and gives him a big hug (which he does return, despite looking rather uncomfortable), and tells him that she hoped every day that he would visit.
  • Getting Frank to come see her was Gloria's deal that she offered Callie in exchange for helping her get into prep school, and even though Callie furiously turned her down and things ended on a very sour note between them during her previous visit, Gloria does indeed offer to still uphold her end of the bargain and make a call to Rosegrave if Callie is still interested.
• Joe's scene with Trudy in her van in the hospital parking lot before she goes back inside to visit Jesse again. He has ulterior motives for being there and offering to "clean up" the van—planning to use it once she's gone as the base of operations for him and his friends—but is also just making sure she's doing okay, and tells her how lucky they all are to have her. She assumes this is also to butter her up, and is probably said with the intention of building up to his offer to clean her van, but he still truly means it.
  Joe: You know, Jesse's lucky to have you. I mean, we all are. Dad, Frank, me. Biff. It's just, you take care of everyone. Don't know what we'd do without you.
  • She also reveals that she's been reading to Jesse, even though she's not sure if it helps or not.
  • Before she leaves, she thanks Joe for checking in on her, and he responds with a smile, "You got it."
• Once the Hardys learn Dr. Burelli is probably shady and realize Dennis is in danger, the younger kids—including Lucy—decide to "heist" him from the hospital to keep him safe and away from the Shadow Man. As they finish their preparations for the heist:
  Biff: We really doing this?
  Joe: (To Lucy) You know Dennis best. What would he say?
  Lucy: Dennis loves heist movies. He'd say, "Thanks for having my back." (They all exchange smiles and nods.)
• Belinda's first appearance established that one of her hobbies is creating a zine. Brian supports her in this, and is apparently so familiar with her stories and characters that he's able to make a reference to one of them in front of Angela that he knows only Belinda will catch onto so he can clue her in to the fact that he's The Mole.
• Lucy's naked relief at finding Dennis after he disappeared during their heist. He wasn't kidnapped this time; he's recovered enough to walk on his own, having wandered into a room to watch TV, and responds slightly when she talks to him by glancing at her. She gives him a big hug.
• Chet's talk with Frank and Callie about the lingering-but-deeply-buried issues between them is mostly a necessary-but-uncomfortable Tear Jerker. Ultimately, though, him coming clean serves as major In-Universe Catharsis and lets him put to rest any remaining hard feelings he still had toward either of them and move past it for good, never causing problems again for the rest of the series.
  • There's also the fact that, all season, it was left ambiguous whether or not Chet was jealous of them, especially considering his own budding romance with Belinda. He confirms that he's not jealous or hung up, and is glad that they're happy together; his main point of contention was that "it just all felt unfinished" between the three of them, and now that's no longer the case.
  • On Frank's and Callie's end, neither of them try to make excuses or deflect blame, just listening to Chet seriously and taking his words to heart. Callie tells him he's right, Frank admits he screwed up, and both of them wholeheartedly apologize to him. Unfortunate situation that it may be, it's clear they both really do value Chet as their friend, never meant to hurt him, and want to make things right with him.
  • And it's likewise obvious that he values their friendship too. Chet initiates the conversation because Angela is trying to use his buried resentment against him to convince him to work against his friends, and Chet, with his Undying Loyalty, doesn't want to feel that way anymore and have that as ammunition she can take advantage of. Getting it off his chest, and hearing his friends' genuine apologies, erases his doubts and reaffirms that, whatever bumps they've had along the way, his friendship with Frank and Callie is real and worth going up against Angela for, preventing her from manipulating him any further.
  • The whole scene contains a great lesson about how, as hard as it may be to have these conversations, and while it is awkward to initiate them, it's better than bottling up all your feelings and letting bitterness fester instead, and you will feel better once you've gotten it over with.

A Midnight Scare

• It looks at first like Chet's still holding a grudge when he calls Angela and agrees to sell Frank out to her provided no one gets hurt. Then he hangs up and we get a Bait-and-Switch to see that his friends are right there with him and in on the whole thing, grinning when they hear Angela fell for it, which reaffirms Chet's Undying Loyalty to them and that things really are okay now between him and Frank.
• Frank and Callie visit Rosegrave to find the Sleep Room. After the fight they had midway through the season, Frank—who's now aware that Callie refused an offer from Gloria on his behalf—wants to make sure she knows:
  Frank: Hey, you know that I would've gone and seen my grandma if it meant you getting into prep school. You know that, right?
  Callie: (smiling) Yeah. I do now. (They chuckle)
• Lucy, having heard that Joe was sick that day (actually just his excuse for skipping school), brings soup over to his house. She also gives him a small kiss on the cheek in gratitude for him saving Dennis's life in the last episode, stating she'll never forget it and she owes him one.

Captured!

• Jesse wakes up from her coma, and the two people she loves most arrive to see her: she first exchanges a huge hug with her daughter Biff, and then a kiss and a hug with her girlfriend Trudy.
  • The Hardy Boys come to the hospital as soon as they hear, and the second Joe and Biff see each other, they exchange big hugs too as Joe tells her how happy he is for her, which she appreciates.
  • Later, Biff confesses to Jesse that she's been looking for her birth mom, but promises her it's nothing she did and states that she plans to stop looking because she's her mom and the rest doesn't matter. But Jesse gently replies that it does matter, reveals that she kept all of Biff's old adoption files for whenever she was ready, and gives her blessing, and assures Biff that she is indeed her mom and she loves her, and that won't ever change.
• Though Frank's and Joe's huge fight is a major Tear Jerker, their subsequent talk where they patch things up has some of this:
  • Joe reiterates to Frank that they don't need the Eye and can "just be good detectives" who figure it out together. He also points out that their dad trusted and believed in them to solve the case without even knowing about Frank having the power. All of this gets through to Frank, who acknowledges that he's right and agrees to give up the Eye.
  • No matter how angry Frank may be with Joe, his Big Brother Instinct is so hard-wired into him that, after following him down to the docks and seeing JB shoving a clearly-reluctant Joe into a storage container (without having any context), Frank charges right in, pins JB against the door, and angrily tells him to take his hands off Joe. And during their fight, the second Frank physically lays hands on his brother, his remorse is written all over his face and immediately snaps him out of the Eye's corruption enough to finally listen to Joe for real.
• Biff finally takes the plunge and calls her birth mom, and almost reflexively grips Phil's arm for support as she does. Since Phil has a crush on her, he looks delighted, and once she hangs up after leaving the message, he compliments how brave she was to do that.
• After several episodes of romantic tension, Lucy finally kisses Joe at the school dance, and he gets a huge grin as his whole face lights up.

An Unexpected Return

• Though the flashback to the night Aaron was lost in Project Midnight is mostly a Tear Jerker, there is a small moment when Dr. Burelli, seeming truly apologetic over what happened, tells Adrian when he asks why she doesn't just kill him that she's a doctor and would never intentionally cause someone harm, and urges him to accept Stratemeyer's payoff and leave Rosegrave so he'll be safe.
• In a rather dark way, considering it leads up to The Reveal that George was Evil All Along: the Flashback from the first season that seemingly led to him abandoning Gloria and her betraying him in response is fleshed out more and reveals that's not actually what happened. George trusted Gloria on at least some level to help him with what was, granted, his Evil Plan, and gave her a warmer final goodbye, calling her "my darling daughter." He repeats this to her when visiting her in the hospital in Frank's body and letting her know the plan worked.
• Most of the denouement, at least until the breakup and the big reveal:
  • Lucy doesn't have hard feelings about Joe having to abandon her at the school dance a couple days ago to go save Frank, telling him not to apologize and that he can call her when he doesn't have a case, and he grins happily.
  • Dennis has made an amazing recovery and is almost fully back to normal. He and Phil bicker once again, but it's far more friendly banter than it was in the season premiere, complete with Phil calling Dennis a "heinous spaz" right after saying he's glad he feels better.
  • Chet and Belinda finally share those milkshakes they didn't get to have back in the season premiere. She tells him he "got lucky" about them actually being as good as they were hyped up to be, and he replies "Yes, I did," referring to her, while putting his arm around her, making it pretty clear they're officially dating now if they weren't already. Chet asks her if she thinks she'll like living in Bridgeport, and she says, "I think I'm going to love it" and puts her head on his shoulder.

Season 3

• After Brian previously accepted that he may have to face punishment for his prior involvement with Stratemeyer and was willing to do this if it meant bringing them down, it's made clear that that's not the case, as he's back to being a DSA agent full time. Furthermore, far from being a Boyfriend-Blocking Dad to Chet like he was at first, they seem to have become Fire-Forged Friends after the ending of the previous season; not only is Brian fully supportive of Chet's relationship with his daughter, but Belinda and Chet always appear at the DSA together, both working with Driscoll and Brian, and he refers to the pair of them as "my kids".

A Strange Inheritance

• If there was any doubt, Callie's talk with Joe before leaving for Rosegrave makes it explicitly clear that they see each other as more than just "Frank's brother/girlfriend" and are genuinely friends in their own regard, and that he is very much a Shipper on Deck for her and his brother despite his occasional exasperation with their PDA. Joe is the only one Callie tells directly about going to Rosegrave for the summer, he doesn't want her to go in case they need her help again, and their conversation ends with them sharing a big hug as he says he'll miss her.
  Joe: Breaking up with you is the worst mistake he's ever made.
  Callie: (smiles, touched) I'm gonna miss you too, Joe. (...) Just because I'm not with Frank doesn't mean I'm not here for you.
• JB tells Joe that the real reason he took the (actually-fake-duplicate) relic from him during the heist-gone-wrong in "Captured!" wasn't for his own selfish gain like Joe originally assumed, but instead to try to protect him so "bad people won't come and kill you for it." Joe is understandably skeptical, but JB's consistent protectiveness toward him throughout this season implies he's being honest about this.

A Vanishing Act

• Callie's budding friendship with her new roommate, Drew, is pretty sweet. They clearly appreciate each other greatly as fellow whip-smart, driven young women who are willing to bend the rules when needed for a good cause.
  • When the dean is about to catch the two of them in the chapel near the Sleep Room entrance, Drew has Callie hide and pretends to be there by herself so she's the only one who'll potentially get in trouble, which really seems to be the moment that solidifies them as friends.
  • Drew helps Callie break into the Sleep Room, and once they're there, becomes the first person she tells about her hunch that "Frank" isn't the real deal, admitting she hasn't confided in anyone else because she's worried about being thought crazy. Drew is supportive of her and scoffs at how quick people are to use the word "crazy" about things women do, but not men.
  • During the conversation, Callie shows how much she still believes in her and Frank's love for each other even after all this, as well as making her love for her friends very explicit.
    Drew: Yeah, I hope that your boy Frank is worth all of this trouble.
    Callie: If the tables were turned, he'd come for me.
    Drew: True love, huh? Gross.
    Callie: It's not just that. Things changed when the Hardy Boys came to Bridgeport. I've never had friends like the ones I have now. I'd do anything for them.
• As Joe leaves to run home and get the Eye, he recommends one of the others call Callie to tell her the "good news" that Frank didn't really break up with her, again proving himself to be a Shipper on Deck.
• Biff gets to meet her bio sister, Tess. The latter mentions that their dad, who's now passed away, was a really great father to her and talked about Biff a lot, showing that he loved her even if they didn't ever know each other. Though Abigail wasn't really a present mom, Tess doesn't seem to harbor major resentment, acknowledging that she did try in her own way and some people aren't cut out to be parents. The two of them decide to talk longer and have pie together, with Tess wanting to learn more about Biff and her life.
  • When Trudy comes in looking for Biff to find out where the boys are and realizes what she's accidentally interrupted, she takes the time to politely introduce herself to Tess as "Biff's mom's girlfriend". And after she leaves, Tess notes that Biff has "two cool moms", and Biff agrees, which acknowledges that Trudy has practically become her stepmom at this point.
  • In between Jesse questioning "Frank" after finding him in the mines, she goes over to Biff (who's waiting in her office) to apologize for keeping her waiting, and warmly states that she can't wait to hear the whole story about how things went with Biff meeting her sister.
• While George outing Phil's love for Biff is quite cruel and a Tear Jerker, his friends' support of him is pretty sweet.
  • Phil apologizes to Biff later that she found out like that, but she assures him he doesn't have anything to be sorry for. And while she doesn't reciprocate those feelings, she does her best to let him down easy and reaffirm with him that she does like him as her friend.
  • As Phil angrily says that it "wasn't cool" of George to tell Biff about his feelings, Belinda firmly nods and says "Mm-hm" in support of him.

A Promise of Trouble

• Joe continues to prove that his Little Brother Instinct is no less strong than Frank's Big Brother Instinct. He tells his friends that, if the Midnight Machine fries and they're only able to get one of them out of the Crystal, it'll be Frank, and he's willing to "wait it out" in there until they can fix the machine to bring him back too. He doesn't know if there's some kind of terrible fate awaiting him in there, but is willing to subject himself to it for who-knows-how-long to get Frank out. Munder also admits that he's impressed with Joe's willingness to risk his life to save his brother.
• Even though Drew is obviously annoyed with Joe's abrasive and, frankly, rude behavior to her and gives him a scathing reply, she doesn't hold it against Callie at all and is still willing to help her with the repairs to the Midnight Machine, getting her the parts she needs and, despite having previously called their "true love" "gross", encourages her, "Go get your boyfriend!"
• Callie and Joe get a Friendship Moment before he goes into the Crystal. When she admits George got into her head and worries it'll go wrong, Joe reassures her, they decide to come up with a Trust Password, and she reassures him in turn when he's about to enter the Crystal and is visibly nervous:
  Joe: Frank would trust you with his life. So do I. (...)
  Callie: You've got this. We've got you.
• Frank and Joe being reunited at long last in the Crystal. Frank at first reacts with dismay that he's there, but then gives Joe a HUGE glomp of delight, complete with burying his face in his shoulder for a moment, and Joe wholly returns it, thoroughly relieved to find him okay.
  • And in terms of his dismay, it's certainly not that Frank is unhappy to see Joe—quite the opposite—but still more of that Big Brother Instinct. He seemed to think Callie was going to rescue him from the outside after seeing her take the Crystal in his vision, so when Joe actually shows up inside of it instead, Frank is worried that his brother is now trapped there with him.
  • There's also a quick moment where, when the brothers see that Munder has joined them there, Frank moves his body partly in front of Joe.
• Another reunion of brothers: Adrian enters the Crystal to find Aaron, and Frank realizes he is locked in there and is able to create a key to get him out. Even though Aaron still looks the same as he did when he was loaded in (a teenager) while Adrian is 10 years older, the former still recognizes the latter and says "You came for me" as the two embrace.
  • Despite everything Munder's done, the Hardy Boys are truly happy for them, smiling at witnessing the scene. Frank's also visibly reluctant to leave them both behind in the Crystal, hesitating for several seconds before accepting that he has no choice and going with Joe.
  • There's also just the fact that, in the end, Adrian was telling the truth that he just wanted his brother back. He has no spite or hard feelings against the Hardys, doesn't betray them, and has no desire to stop them from leaving the Crystal. Now that he has Aaron back, he's just fine with being Together in Death with him there, and tells the boys to go.
• The Hardys returning to their bodies. Callie takes the time to check Joe first (rather than just immediately running to her boyfriend), and he gives her the Trust Password to prove he's okay. Then Frank opens his eyes, looks at her...and she sees the love there that she didn't see with George, starts crying Tears of Joy, and they share a kiss and a Headbutt of Love as all of their friends celebrate and embrace each other in delight at having succeeded.
  Callie: I knew I'd find you.
• After waking up in Callie's room, before they leave to go meet their friends, Frank sincerely thanks Joe for coming to save him. Which leads to some playful, brotherly banter, including Joe stating he would have done the same and Frank pretending to be doubtful.

The Crash

• JB tells his buyer that he now has all four scrolls and wants more money for them, with his usual swagger, until they imply that him having stolen the map from the Hardys is going to put their lives at risk. JB's Big Brother Instinct for Joe and the others immediately kicks in, and he threatens to burn the map, his payday, on the spot if the Hardy Gang is in any danger, despite knowing this would put him on the hit list too.
• When Chet, feeling that the Eye is safer in his possession than the government's, lies to Brian about not being able to get it back, Belinda—despite being surprised for a brief second and scolding Chet in private afterwards for not discussing it with her first—immediately goes along with the claim, even to her own dad, rather than contradicting him and outing the lie. Belinda's not happy about Chet going rogue on her for a sec, but she trusts him enough to know in the moment that he has a good reason and doesn't hesitate to have his back.
• As the group is leaving JB's apartment after Frank figured out how to read the map, the latter catches Joe smiling at him and asks what's up. Joe says that it's good to have him back "taking charge, solving stuff," and Frank gives him a meaningful smile in return as he says it's good to be back again.
• Callie tells Frank how she spent a lot of time hoping her mom would return someday, and was crushed to realize it wasn't gonna happen, but that she's truly hoping things work out better for him and Joe with Laura potentially being alive. He clearly appreciates it.
• JB decides to Draw Aggro from the Sparewell thugs to get them to follow him out of Bridgeport and make the gang's search easier, and Joe, not used to this level of altruism from him, asks half-jokingly (but still with a grin) if it's a setup. JB doesn't take offense to it, grins back, and finally tells Joe why he's always been fond of him, in the most warm and candid he's ever been with him that's sure to elicit a "D'aww":
  JB: You know why I like you, Joe? You question everything, and you trust your instincts. I'm the exact same way. But if your gut is telling you right now that I'm playing you, it's wrong. (pats his arm) I want the best for you. You can trust that. Okay?
  Joe: (finally convinced) Okay. (smiles) Don't get all mushy about it. (JB chuckles)
• And not long after, in what doubles as a massive Tear Jerker, JB proves he does mean every word of it. Right as the Hardys arrive in the bar to meet him, he sees the woman in the coat who killed Quill coming up behind them, raising the gun. Even though JB no doubt knows he's the one she's really after, his first instinct is still to rush forward to keep the boys from getting hurt too. He pushes Frank aside out of the line of fire, and then grabs and turns Joe so that JB is directly between him and the gun, and takes two shots In the Back while shielding him. However self-serving he may have been for much of the series, when the chips are really down, JB's willing to risk and even sacrifice his life to save Joe—his Morality Pet—and Frank, reaffirming that the better qualities Joe saw in him, and their friendship itself, were real.

Revelation

• As the Hardys' friends reel from Frank calling them with the news of JB's death, Biff wishes they could all be with Joe, because she knows he's not going to be in a good state of mind at all. And they're all glad the brothers at least have each other, and decide to help in a way they know they can: by continuing to investigate with more vigor than ever, from as many angles as they can, to help the boys get answers.
• Joe's reminiscing to Frank about JB, noting that however many times they may have double-crossed each other, he considers it to have been in a "fun", playful way, explaining why he was willing to continue working with JB repeatedly even after everything, and notes that he knew he could trust him in the ways that really mattered. He also doesn't mind potentially having to listen to dozens of tapes to find the one they're looking for from his most recent buyer, saying, "I want to hear his voice."
• One of the tapes the boys find is of a call from Fenton Hardy, who found offscreen the radio and note JB left for Joe at the end of Season 1:
  • When Fenton, a very well known private detective, identifies himself, JB greets him as "the world's greatest detectives' dad." This would have been between Seasons 1 and 2, and reaffirms that even though JB hadn't known the Hardy Boys very long at that point and didn't even get along very well with Frank, he has still always respected and greatly admired how smart and skilled they both are.
  • The call, despite not bearing any hostility, is still a Papa Wolf moment for Fenton. He states he gives his sons a lot of free reign because "I trust them to do the right thing," and wants to make sure JB isn't going to be a negative influence on them. When the latter just assures him that the boys don't really listen to him much anyway, Fenton just chuckles and states he can relate, and this seems to satisfy him that JB doesn't have any malicious intent toward his kids, as he doesn't actually threaten or even tell him to stay away from them.
• The Tear Jerker scene after the kids learn about the parents' kidnapping, where Joe laments that JB may have died for nothing and fears George was right about not being able to save everyone, becomes this when Frank, who found JB's wristwatch in the safe room earlier, gives to Joe as a Tragic Keepsake, feeling JB would want him to have it. Followed by this exchange:
  Joe: Part of me still doesn't even believe he's gone.
  Frank: He's not. He's still helping us. (...) He wants us to finish this.
  Joe: No one else gets hurt.
  Frank: No one.
  Joe: Hurd doesn't win.
  Frank: We win.

The Spider's Net

• When Agent Driscoll shows up at the old Hardy apartment, Belinda and Chet become very suspicious that he's working with the bad guys, to his increasing irritation. But then Olivia shows up, and Driscoll doesn't hesitate to herd the two teens ahead of him as they flee, has them go ahead without him and lock the door behind them while he stays behind to stall Olivia, and gets shot for his trouble, proving once and for all that, somewhat-uptight bureaucrat though he may be, he really is one of the good guys.

At the Old House

• Practically everything about the Hardy Boys being reunited with their mom, at least until the massive Tear Jerker reveal later that it's All Just a Dream and Laura isn't real. Starting with mother and sons having a huge Group Hug while crying Tears of Joy.
  • Once the Hardy family goes back to their old Dixon City house, they discover that it's Frank's birthday today, and ask him what he wants. Frank just suggests all cooking dinner together like they used to, and asks if that's silly, but Laura assures him it's perfect.
  • Laura tells Frank that she's so proud of what great detectives he and Joe have become, and that if she could go back in time and do things differently, she would let them in on her investigation into the Circle, avoid antagonizing Gloria, and go to his baseball game instead.
  • Joe happily describing some of their friends to Laura, saying Phil is "really weird, but really funny", and calling Callie "the smartest girl in all of Bridgeport" (and joking that she's too smart for Frank), showing once again how much he respects her despite their banter. And Frank good-naturedly agrees with this and states how cool his girlfriend is.
• Though it's also a major Tear Jerker, there's Joe seeing JB across the street while inside the Lotus-Eater Machine, shooting him a smile and a wave. The simulation is creating a place where the Hardys can get what they want the most, demonstrating that in addition to having his mom back, Joe's ideal world would also include his friend JB having survived somehow and still being out there somewhere, alive and well.
• As absolutely gut-wrenching as it is for Joe, Frank, and Fenton to have to say goodbye to the sim version of Laura as they leave her and the simulation behind, knowing they'll never see her again, it does at least give them the chance for some In-Universe Catharsis, considering they Never Got to Say Goodbye in real life.
  • Frank tells her, "You're always gonna be with me. Just not here." And when Sim-Laura says Joe could stay and "just let me be your mom," he admits he wants that very badly, but knows he can't, because his dad and friends need him in the real world. She answers, "You're such a good kid, Joe," says the same to Frank too, wipes away their tears, and tells them to win, which they promise to do. She backs it up by drawing them a heart on a piece of paper and repeating again: "It's our thing, right? If I don't give it to you, you lose."
  • As Simulation-Laura tells Fenton that he could just forget everything he's learned and stay there with her, he tells her he doesn't want to forget their sons; he already regrets leaving them behind after her death, and doesn't want to fail to protect them now like he did with her, because he needs them too much. In the real world, Frank and Joe hear him say all this, and each have a hand on one of his shoulders.
  • Really, Sim-Laura in general, who's as warm and loving as the real thing was since she's created based on the memories her family has of her. At first she tries to convince the boys to stay there, but once they tell her they can't, she gives them the above encouragement. And she likewise tries to tempt Fenton to stay even as he resists, but then when he starts to waver a bit, she's the one who gives him the final push to leave, telling him he needs to learn to forgive himself for her death and start moving forward, gives him a Last Kiss, and promises that she'll love him forever.

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