Word on the Street: Bob Iger discontinuing his CEO position at Disney, new Hallmark Movies & Mysteries films on the way, Chesapeake Shores coming back for another season

On February 26, 2020February 26, 2020 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Before I start this Word on the Street story, I want to remind everyone that Thursday, February 27^th, is the last day to cast vote in the third poll of the 2^nd Annual Gold Sally Awards! The forth poll will be posted on the 28th! Here is the link to the poll:

The third poll of the 2020 Gold Sally Awards has arrived!

Last month, in a Word on the Street story, I talked about Bill Abbott stepping down as CEO of Crown Media. It looks like he’s not the only business leader to make a monumental career choice. This week, Disney CEO, Bob Iger, has stepped down from his position. While this decision was “effective immediately”, according to several news sources, it seems like it was made by Bob Iger himself. Even Jeremy from Geeks + Gamers feels this is the case when he said in his video called “Bob Iger OUT As Disney CEO | Is Kathleen Kennedy Next?”, “it’s clear that Bob Iger was behind this decision 100%”. Frank Pallotta and Brian Stelter, from CNN Business, reports that Bob Iger felt “it was the right time to step down because he needs to spend more time on the “creative side” of the company”. Bob Iger himself said “I could not do that if I had to run the company on a day to day basis” if he continued as Disney’s CEO. Until late 2021, Bob Iger is now the executive chairman of the company. Bob Chapek has quickly taken the role as Disney’s new CEO. Before this decision was made, Bob Chapek was the “Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products since the segment’s creation in 2018, and prior to that he was Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts since 2015”. It’s also important to point out that Bob Chapek was “president of Distribution for The Walt Disney Studios” and “president of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment”, according to The Walt Disney Company’s official website. This means that he oversaw how and where films were distributed, as well as interacting with the movie division of Disney. Even though Bob Chapek just started his new position, there’s already been doubt about his leadership abilities. Geeks + Gamers’ Jeremy shared his feelings in his aforementioned video, saying “I just think it’s going to be more of the same”. Personally, I was not a fan of Bob Iger as a business leader, as he made several decisions that did not sit well with me. But Bob Chapek stepping in as Disney’s CEO makes me feel the same way that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier does: we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

Sources for this story:

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/25/disney-names-bob-chapek-next-ceo.html

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/25/media/bob-iger-bob-chapek-disney-ceo/index.html

https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/about/#leadership

Type “Bob Iger OUT As Disney CEO | Is Kathleen Kennedy Next?” into Youtube’s search bar (there is some language in this video)

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This month, there have been several mystery films from Hallmark Movies & Mysteries that were either announced or listed on production sites. All of these movies are continuations in already established series. Out of all these projects, the only one that has a synopsis and an easily accessible trailer as of late February 2020 is Mystery 101: An Education in Murder. According to Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ official website, this new chapter in the Mystery 101 series is about the following:

“A young writer’s research prompts the police to revisit a famous murder case that convicted Amy’s colleague at Elmstead, so Travis & Amy get a second chance at clearing the professor’s name”.

As a fan of this series, I’m looking forward to this film! Cold cases are rarely featured in movies on this network, so it’ll be interesting to see a different kind of story. Two movies that have trailers shown on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries as well as release dates are Ruby Herring Mysteries: Prediction Murder and Picture Perfect Mysteries: Exit, Stage Death. Featured during the premiere of Picture Perfect Mysteries: Dead Over Diamonds, the third film in this series is set to premiere on May 17^th. Based on the title alone, I’m wondering if the mystery will have anything to do with Allie’s friend, Maya? Anyone who is invested in this series would know that Maya is an actress. In Picture Perfect Mysteries: Dead Over Diamonds, Maya auditions for a local stage production. The third movie in the Ruby Herring Mysteries series, Ruby Herring Mysteries: Prediction Murder will air on April 5^th, with its trailer appearing during the premiere of Riddled with Deceit: A Martha’s Vineyard Mystery. The upcoming mystery films that are only listed on production websites, for now, are Matchmaker Mysteries II – The Poison Pen and Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Reunited and It Feels So Deadly. The second film in the Matchmaker Mysteries series is currently in production, with the final day of filming on March 2^nd. The next Aurora Teagarden Mysteries film will start production next month. Similar to Picture Perfect Mysteries: Exit, Stage Death, I’m trying to guess what the movie is about based on the title. I’m wondering if Yannick Bisson’s character, Martin, will return to the series?

Sources for this story:

https://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/mystery-101-an-education-in-murder

https://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/videos/preview-mystery-101-an-education-in-murder

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hallmark_Channel_Original_Movies

https://www.creativebc.com/crbc-services/provincial-film-commission-services/in-production (after March 2nd and March 27th, Matchmaker Mysteries II – The Poison Pen and Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Reunited and It Feels So Deadly will be removed from the “In Production” page)

Female detective with magnifying glass — Female detective image created by Brgfx at freepik.com. https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/female-detective-with-magnifying-glass_1250814.htm’>Designed by Freepik. https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Brgfx – Freepik.com. Image found at freepik.com.

A Canadian news source called Chek announced on February 25^th that Chesapeake Shores has officially been renewed for a fifth season! No production dates or number of episodes were reported as of late February 2020. Joan Miller, from the Vancouver Island North Film Commission, stated that “we are really excited about season 5 coming back to the island. It’s been a really great economic generator for our region”. An interesting tidbit to point out is how no further information has been provided about the Chesapeake Shores movie that Hallmark announced last February. Right now, it’s unclear if it will premiere before or after the season. Historically, Chesapeake Shores has held production during the Springtime, with the first episode premiering in late summer. With this announcement coming in late Winter, it’s likely this filming pattern will continue.

Sources for this story:

Hallmark’s Chesapeake Shores renewed for 5th season, good news for Island film industry

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hallmark_Channel_Original_Movies#cite_note-534

Starry night landscape with reeds — Evening view from the shore image created by 0melapics at freepik.com. https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/landscape-in-a-swamp-at-night_1042860.htm’>Designed by Freepik. https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by 0melapics – Freepik.com. Image found at freepik.com.

What are thoughts on these announcements? Are you looking forward to any of these mystery movies or the next season of Chesapeake Shores? Please let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Sunset Over Hope Valley: Written from the Heart

On February 24, 2020 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

In the season seven premiere of When Calls the Heart, Lucas says that stories should be written from the heart. As I contemplate those words, I wonder if that’s the reason why this show has lasted as long as it has? This is a program that takes place during a simpler time. Sure, there were difficulties back then. But because of that simplicity, people were given more opportunities to share what was in their heart. Through stories, letters, and face-to-face communication, people could use their words to solve problems or connect with other another. You might be thinking, “Can’t the internet do the same thing”? While this is true, the internet doesn’t always allow us to see someone’s reaction to a story or understand how someone is feeling about it. That is what When Calls the Heart strives to do: understanding the thoughts and feelings of the characters and the fans. The emphasis placed on those two things has helped this show become a place where people can connect with each other and even help one another in times of need. As season seven begins, it will be fascinating to see how the thoughts, words, and actions of Hope Valley’s citizens come from their hearts.

Just a reminder: If you did not see the season premiere of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Season: 7

Episode: 1

Name: A Moving Picture

Major Stories:

A journalist named Mary comes to Hope Valley to write a story about Henry Gowan. Henry believes that she’s interested in his business endeavors. However, Mary wants to know more about Henry’s past, including his convictions. Henry tells her that he tries not to dwell on the past. Not satisfied with Henry’s response, Mary turns to Bill for answers. On the subject of Henry’s past, all Bill will say is that Henry is “complicated”. Mary also approaches Lucas with questions about Henry, but Lucas refuses to speak about Henry’s life before he owned a petroleum business. Later, in the evening, Mary receives a phone call from her boss. She learns that her deadline is approaching sooner than she expected. Mary is stressed because she feels she hasn’t learned enough about Henry to write a compelling story. When she shares her dilemma with Fiona, Mary comes up with a brilliant idea. Toward the end of the episode, the citizens of Hope Valley discover that Mary decided to write a story about Fiona instead. Henry feels this decision was made because his story is not as reader-friendly as Fiona’s. Elizabeth confesses to him that every person who was questioned by Mary refused to talk about Henry’s past. Her confession effectively shows Henry that the town supports him.

While delivering books to the library, Lucas shares with Elizabeth that his mother was an editor. After she hears this, Elizabeth tells him of her unsuccessful attempts to get her book published. Lucas volunteers to proofread her book and offer her writing advice. She tells him that she’ll consider his help. A few days later, Elizabeth visits the saloon and gives Lucas her book. The next day, Lucas comes to the school after classes are over to share his thoughts on her writing. He tells Elizabeth that her stories are good, but that she should add depth to her characters. He also advises her to write from her heart. After receiving this advice, Elizabeth tries to rewrite her stories. However, she’s finding the experience more difficult than she expected. Because of this, she comes up with a new plan. At Rosemary and Lee’s anniversary party, Elizabeth thanks Lucas for his help and reveals to him that she is going to write a novel instead. At the end of the episode, Elizabeth begins writing her new book, this time titled “A Single Mother on the Frontier”.

169 — Hand-written letter image created by Veraholera at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Veraholera – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/love-letter-pattern_1292902.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Minor Stories:

Lee and Rosemary are preparing for a trip to Los Angeles in honor of their anniversary. The idea of traveling to the Golden State is especially exciting for Rosemary, as she makes her own preparations. These include designing swimsuits for her and Lee as well as purchasing a new pair of sunglasses. Meanwhile, Lee is looking forward to meeting with the owner of a paper plant. If all goes well, Lee feels they could be the lumber mill’s biggest client. One day, at work, Lee receives a phone call from the paper plant’s owner. They inform Lee that the only time they can meet with him is sometime the following week, the same week as Lee and Rosemary’s trip. When Lee tells Rosemary that their trip might have to be postponed, Rosemary agrees to push the trip to the week after the meeting. Feeling guilty about the situation, Lee decides to organize a surprise for his wife. On the night of their anniversary, Lee encourages Rosemary to wear the dress she had planned to wear in Los Angeles. After she agrees, Lee and Rosemary make a trip to the saloon. Rosemary is surprised to discover that Lee not only organized an anniversary party, but a movie screening as well. Rosemary is delighted by Lee’s attempt to make up for their changed plans.

Faith surprises Carson by returning home from Hamilton. She tells him that her father is in better health and has moved in with her brother. She also shares that a former colleague offered her the head nurse position at the local hospital in Hamilton. This news conflicts Carson. He missed Faith when she was away and enjoys her company in Hope Valley. But he doesn’t want to hold her back from a great occupational opportunity. At Rosemary and Lee’s party, Carson tells Faith that she should take the nursing job. When Faith feels that Carson is pushing her away so soon after returning home, she leaves the saloon. Carson follows her outside to tell her that he loves her and will support whatever decision she makes. Faith then tells Carson that she loves him.

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Some thoughts to consider:

I really liked the movie/acting related “Easter Eggs” that were included in this script! While talking to Lee, Rosemary mentions Gloria Swanson. Rosemary also says that she would like to take a walk with Lee on Sunset Boulevard. In a conversation with Elizabeth, Rosemary shares that she helped a struggling British actor by advising him to focus on comedy. Through Rosemary’s dialogue, the audience learns that this “struggling actor” was Charlie Chaplin. The way these “Easter Eggs” were woven into the story was so clever! It was nice to see historically relevant references told in a way that today’s audience would recognize!

Due to the movie screening’s positive response, Lucas announces that the saloon will host a movie night once every month. Because of this, I’m hoping this is the first step toward Rosemary finally receiving her theater! Rosemary, as well the fans, have been waiting for this for a long time. As they say, anything is possible.

When Mary is struggling to find information about Henry, I honestly thought the writers of the show would pull the “it’s not what you think” cliché. I was expecting Mary to unintentionally write an article that contained embarrassing information about Henry, causing the citizens of Hope Valley to be upset. Seeing Mary write about Fiona instead was a good subversion of expectations. It allowed the writers to be creative in their story-telling and not rely on over-used clichés. This makes me look forward to seeing how the writers go against my expectations!

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What are your thoughts on the season seven premiere? Is there anything you’re looking forward to seeing this season? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen

Word on the Street: News about Upcoming and Potential Hallmark movies!

On December 12, 2019 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

I am back with my first Word on the Street story for December! While Hallmark’s Christmas line-ups are winding down and the “Winterfest” line-up is on its way, I found several Hallmark related movie news stories that I had to share with my readers and followers. Some of these projects are currently in production, but others haven’t even started filming yet. Most of these stories come from the Twitter account, Hotline to Hallmark. Two of these movies can be found on the website, Creative B.C. For this post, I will be reporting on these pieces of movie news and share my sources within this article. Since there’s so many films to talk about and since most of the information is on the basic side, I won’t be sharing my insight this time.

Vector set of isometric illustrations making movies and watching a movie in the cinema. — Movie process chart created by Vectorpocket at freepik.com <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/vector-set-of-isometric-illustrations-making-movies-and-watching-a-movie-in-the-cinema_1215936.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a> <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/business”>Business vector created by Vectorpocket – Freepik.com</a> Image found at freepik.com

On December 10^th, the Twitter account, Hotline to Hallmark, released a tweet about a potential Hallmark project. In this post, it was announced that Hallmark actor, Clayton Chitty, will be starring in a film called “Blueprint to the Heart”. Also, the tweet mentioned that the movie’s network was unknown, as of December 2019. On the website, Creative B.C., this movie is listed on the “In Production” page. Apparently, this project will finish filming on December 13^th. Six days prior, on December 4^th, Cindy Busby, who is a regular star of Hallmark, tweeted that she was working on a movie in Australia. This tweet, that was re-tweeted by Hotline to Hallmark, shares a link to an article about the film. The article, found on if.com.au, revealed that the project is currently titled “Romance on the Menu”. Based on the synopsis, it sounds like a Hallmark movie. But, as of December 2019, it’s unknown where this film will premiere.

You can visit the Twitter account of Hotline to Hallmark by typing @HotlineHallmark into Twitter’s search bar.

The article about “Romance on the Menu”: https://www.if.com.au/first-time-feature-director-rosie-lourde-finds-romance-on-the-menu/

The link to Creative B.C.’s “In Production” page: https://www.creativebc.com/crbc-services/provincial-film-commission-services/in-production/films.php?type=tv_movie (after December 13th, “Blueprint to the Heart” will be removed from the page)

216982-P0L3YH-117 — String lights with hearts created by Freepik at freepik.com <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/valentine-s-day-background-with-string-lights_1476879.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a> <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Freepik</a> Image found at freepik.com

While the two aforementioned projects have no known fate, there are a few upcoming films that have been confirmed as Hallmark movies. Some of these confirmations have been announced from the stars of those films. One of them is a movie that will premiere in the 2020 Christmas season! In a tweet that was included in Hotline to Hallmark’s tweet, Brennan Elliott, a familiar face on both of Hallmark’s networks, revealed that he was working on a movie called “Christmas in Vienna”. In this same tweet, he also shared that the project would be filmed in Vienna, Austria and that the movie’s female lead will be Sarah Drew. Also, on Hotline to Hallmark, news about Taylor Cole’s Valentine’s Day movie was announced! In a Word on the Street story last month, I talked about how Taylor would be starring in a Hallmark Valentine’s Day movie alongside Ryan Paevey. This was one of the reasons why I speculated that One Winter Wedding could either be a “June Weddings” or Christmas movie. In Hotline to Hallmark’s tweet, it mentioned that Taylor herself confirmed that the third One Winter movie was still happening! This tweet says “that the script for Hallmark’s “One Winter Wedding” is being worked on”. As for the Valentine’s Day movie, it now has a working title called “Matching Hearts”. Two other cast members have been announced as well. They are Antonio Cayonne and Latonya Williams.

You can visit the Twitter account of Hotline to Hallmark and Brennan Elliott by typing @HotlineHallmark and @brennan_elliott into Twitter’s search bar.

8_Cupcakes1-01 — Cupcake with hearts image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/delicious-cupcakes-illustrations_779154.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/food”>Food vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Two other Hallmark movies have been announced outside of the Hotline to Hallmark twitter account. In an article from International Business Times, several Hallmark stars were interviewed during Christmas Con, a Christmas themed convention that took place in early November. The majority of questions that were asked were about future movie projects. While the answers consisted of wishful thinking and vagueness, only one was definitive. When asked about Hallmark’s Wedding March series, Jack Wagner, one of the stars of that series, said “We will be doing “Wedding March 6” in the spring”. This means that another Wedding March chapter will likely be seen in 2020’s “June Weddings” line-up! On the website, Creative B.C. another movie from the Mystery 101 series has been listed on the “In Production” page. Currently, the film is called Mystery 101: Educated Murders. The “In Production” page reveals that the movie will go into production from January 6^th to the 31^st. Based on this fact, I’m guessing that the film will premiere in either spring or summer of 2020.

The article from International Business Times: https://www.ibtimes.com/christmas-con-2019-recap-biggest-news-hallmark-lifetime-stars-revealed-during-panels-2879266

The link to Creative B.C.’s “In Production” page: https://www.creativebc.com/crbc-services/provincial-film-commission-services/in-production/films.php?type=tv_movie (after January 31st, Mystery 101: Educated Murders will be removed from the page)

What are thoughts on these upcoming films? Which one sounds the most interesting to you? Tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Sunset Over Hope Valley: All About Lucas

On May 28, 2019June 3, 2019 By 18cinemalane1 Comment

Ever since Lucas Bouchard came to Hope Valley earlier this season, his story has been a mystery. Hearties have speculated if he was a villain or just a troubled soul. I’ve even wondered what his story could be about. Several episodes later, we finally got answers to all of our questions relating to this character. Even though this episode has focused most of its attention on Lucas, the show as a whole has never been about just one character. The creative team behind this show have done a good job at focusing on the town of Hope Valley, giving their characters an equal amount of story-telling opportunities. This aspect helped When Calls the Heart become as successful as it has. Speaking of story-telling, let’s talk about this episode of When Calls the Heart!

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Season: 6

Episode: 8

Name: A Call from the Past

Major Stories:

One day, while at the Mercantile, Lucas receives a personal phone call. During this call, a woman tells him that someone is after them and that this person knows he’s in Hope Valley. Lucas tells her that he’ll figure out what to do. The next day, he decides to close the Queen of Hearts Saloon and leave Hope Valley. When Elizabeth passes by the Saloon, she asks Lucas why he’s closing the Saloon. While Lucas is answering her question, Elizabeth notices that he has a pistol in his possession. After this conversation, she goes straight to the Mountie Office to tell Bill and Nathan everything Lucas told her. Because Lucas is on his way to Cape Fullerton, Nathan chooses to follow him. Before Lucas can reach his destination, Nathan tracks him down. He not only successfully encourages Lucas to come back to Hope Valley, but Lucas reveals what’s really going on. He shares that, in New Orleans, his friend had a struggling business. She borrowed money from a man named Amos Dixon. When she couldn’t pay Amos back, he started threatening to shut down her business and put her in harms way. In an attempt to help his friend, Lucas entered a poker game in order to win her money back. When he discovered that Amos, who was also participating in this game, cheated, Lucas decided to cheat as well. Amos discovered what he had done, causing him to hold a grudge against Lucas. After listening to his story, Nathan promises Lucas that he will contact the Mounties in Cape Fullerton to keep his friend safe. Meanwhile, in Hope Valley, Amos and his accomplice arrive in Hope Valley. They break into the Saloon, waiting for Lucas to arrive. Instead, Elizabeth shows up because she had a feeling that someone was in the Saloon. Amos and his accomplice hold her as their hostage. When Lucas finally arrives, Amos orders him to hand over all the money from his safe. While this is happening, Bill and Nathan figure out that Elizabeth hasn’t come home when she said she would, causing them to suspect that something is wrong. They both go to the Saloon, where Bill ends up catching Amos’s accomplice behind the building. Meanwhile, Nathan had to sneak into the building, due to feeling suspicious about his encounter with Lucas at the Saloon’s front door. Despite a struggle during his encounter with Amos, Nathan successfully arrests him. After the ordeal is over, everyone appears to be uncomfortable around Lucas, including Elizabeth.

Grace, one of the orphanage care-givers from When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing, arrives in Hope Valley with an orphan named Spencer. This young boy barely speaks, so Grace is doing everything she can to help him. Grace and Spencer stay at Lee and Rosemary’s house during their visit. Rosemary is organizing the Founders Day Festival, which is not only around the corner, but also encourages Grace and Spencer to stay in town a little longer than expected. When Rosemary tells Elizabeth about all of her Founders Day responsibilities. Elizabeth suggests that she split these responsibilities with someone else. While at the Mercantile, Rosemary tells Fiona about the things has to do in order for the Founders Day Festival to be successful. After doing this, Rosemary asks Fiona if she would like to help her plan the Festival, with Fiona agreeing. Meanwhile, Spencer and Grace take a visit to Carson’s office. Carson finds out that Spencer is anemic and that he hasn’t eaten much in recent days. This is the result of Spencer’s trauma and grief that Grace shares with Rosemary later in the episode. She reveals that Spencer’s parents died in a flood a few months prior, leaving Spencer as the only survivor. Since then, Grace, as well as the orphanage where Spencer was previously staying, have to doing anything they could to help him. While Rosemary and Fiona discuss ideas for the Founders Day Festival, Grace comes up with the solution of having pancakes for dinner. This ends up being successful, as Spencer not only eats the pancakes, but also seems to enjoy them.

Premium quality restaurant breakfasts vintage style advertisement seamless pattern — Pancakes and Syrup image created by vextok at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/banner”>Banner vector created by vextok – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Minor Story:

Because of Henry’s new petroleum oil business, Lee has been losing employees at his lumberyard. When Mike Hickam decides to work for Henry instead, Lee is disappointed but respectful toward this decision. One day, Jesse crosses paths with Henry. He is upset that Henry has been “stealing” employees from Lee. Henry, however, tells Jesse that all he wants to do is move on from their feud. The next day, Jesse talks with Mike about his new job. Mike shares with Jesse how much money he’s now making. This causes Jesse to contemplate the idea of working for Henry. Jesse not only shares this idea with Lee, but also with Clara. When Clara asks him why he would want to trade his job, Jesse says that his reason would be to make her happy. Clara tells him that what makes her happy is when he’s happy. Later that evening, Jesse visits Lee at his home. He tells Lee that he has decided to keep his job at the lumberyard. Jesse also shares his reason why, as his loyalty to Lee as well as Lee’s kindness to him were the things that made him keep his job. This moment makes Lee realize that everything is going to be ok.

101994-OM0XMB-226 — Money image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/bills-and-coins-in-isometric-design_1065328.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/business”>Business vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Some thoughts to consider:

At the beginning of this episode, it was revealed that Julie would be the Godmother of Elizabeth’s son, Jack. This has led me to believe that Julie might make an appearance in the season finale. While I’m happy to see that Julie could appear on the show again, I do find it concerning that Elizabeth hasn’t reached out to her in-laws. As a fan of Tom Thornton, I feel that he should have, at least, been mentioned in one of the previous episodes. That way, it shows the audience that Jack’s side of family still plays an important part of Elizabeth’s life.

While the cast of When Calls the Heart has been great this season, the actress who stole the show in this episode was Jocelyn Hudon! Her performance was so captivating to watch, helping her character seem as interesting as possible. I also like how her story provided a nice bridge between When Calls the Heart and When Hope Calls. Hopefully, Jocelyn will continue to find good luck on her new show as she has in the When Calls the Heart community!

In the sneak peek commercial for the season finale, it seems like Jesse may propose to Clara! I really hope so because it’s been about two seasons since we last saw a marriage proposal in Hope Valley. Can you imagine if Jesse and Clara’s wedding took place during When Calls the Heart’s Christmas movie? Now that would be a great gift to give to the Hearties!

Even though Lucas’ story was fine, I kind of felt like it was underwhelming. Personally, I was expecting something more intriguing, especially since Lucas himself seems like an interesting character. I also think the conflict between Lucas and Amos was handled a little too quickly. While there was build-up to it, the conflict itself seemed to last for only a few minutes.

What are your thoughts on this episode? Are you excited for the season finale? Please tell me in the comment section!

Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen

Sunset Over Hope Valley: A Whole Lot of Drama

On May 13, 2019April 6, 2020 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

To anyone who watches When Calls the Heart, Hope Valley is known as a town where kindness, hospitality, and love can be found. It’s a town that some people probably wish existed in real life. When the events of this episode happen, however, those things kind of become tested. The people of Hope Valley have gone through a lot over these six seasons, showing the audience how strong they can really be. But where there’s triumphs, there are trials. Instead of running away, our favorite characters will have to face them sooner or later. I apologize if this sounds really random, but I’m going to be out of town this coming weekend. Because of this, I will be publishing the next Sunset Over Hope Valley post later than usual. If you see any posts get published this weekend, that is because I wrote and scheduled those posts in advance.

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Season: 6

Episode: 6

Name: Disputing Hearts

Major Story:

After purchasing Jesse’s land, Henry hires employees to help search for oil. He purchases other pieces of land as well, in the hopes that oil will be found. One day, Henry does find oil, a “geyser” to be exact. When the townspeople of Hope Valley hear about this news, a frenzy ensues. Not only do other people try to find oil on their land, but the prices at the Mercantile also rise. This newfound oil has caused tension between neighbors as well. Because Curt, a resident of Hope Valley, is upset that his neighbor was paid by Henry and not him, he has decided to close his gate to anyone outside of his family. This presents an obstacle for Lee, as Curt’s path is the only way that the lumberyard will be able to make a business deal with a potential client. After some negotiating, Curt decides to keep his gate open for 24 hours. Lee also finds out that his potential client has pushed their dateline to a few days sooner than expected. This causes Lee to feel a little overwhelmed. Meanwhile, Bill does some research about the legality of land purchases. He finds evidence that proves what Curt is doing is wrong. However, Curt is still upset and wants to express his frustrations toward Henry. This situation makes Lee remind Bill of how good of a judge Bill would be. While all this is happening, Henry resigns from his job at the lumberyard. He uses this opportunity to start his own petroleum business.

760343 — Oil rig image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/icon”>Icon vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Minor Stories:

One day in school, Elizabeth assigns a series of math problems that involve group work. However, Ally has other ideas. Toward the end of the assignment, Elizabeth finds out that Ally refused to work with her group. Ally surprises her teacher by showing that she correctly completed all of the math problems. Impressed by Ally’s intelligence but concerned by her choice to not work with others, Elizabeth invites Nathan to talk with her after school about Ally. During this meeting, Elizabeth learns more about her new student. According to Nathan, Ally’s mom died when she was very young and her dad left their family. Also, her grandma was unable to take care for her granddaughter. Ally’s backstory encourages Elizabeth to help Ally to the best of her abilities. At recess, one day, Elizabeth sees Ally sitting by herself, reading. When Elizabeth encourages Ally to join the other students, Ally says that she would rather stay by herself. During math class, however, Ally chooses to help Opal with a difficult math problem.

Throughout this episode, something concerning has been on Rosemary’s mind. Toward the beginning of the episode, she tries to take her mind off of this subject by volunteering to create a dress for Anna and her mother. Eventually, Rosemary does bring up her concern to Carson during a doctor’s appointment. When she says that something doesn’t feel right, Carson suggests that she talk to Lee about how she feels. Later in the episode, Rosemary plans a special dinner for her and Lee. She hopes to talk to her husband about her concern. However, life has different plans. When Lee comes home, he is so overwhelmed by everything that’s happening at the lumberyard. Because of this, Rosemary chooses to postpone her conversation.

At the Infirmary, Carson asks Faith if she has reached out to her father. She reveals that she has written and torn up a letter for her father on three separate occasions. This inspires Carson to search for Faith’s father. With a little help from Fiona, Carson eventually accomplishes his goal. One day, Carson invites Faith to join him at the Mercantile. When she arrives, he reveals his plan to her. As it’s time for the phone call to arrive, Faith accepts the message from her father. Her father tells her that he misses her.

As Fiona posts a message board in the Mercantile, she also posts a notice about a position as a telephone operator. With some coaxing, she convinces Florence to take the job. Things don’t run so smoothly for Florence at her new job. She has struggled to make the right connections to different phone lines, causing calls to come in longer than expected. After accidently damaging the operating board, Florence is embarrassed and runs out of the Mercantile. When Fiona runs after her, wanting to know what happened, Florence shares that she wants to quit her job. In an attempt to help Florence keep her job, Fiona tells Florence that this job is a good fit for her because she has great communication skills. Touched by this compliment, Florence reveals that this is the first time she has ever had a job.

OG26F10 — Old fashioned telephone image created by Kues1 at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/vintage”>Vintage photo created by kues1 – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Some thoughts to consider:

I would be disappointed if Henry Gowen becomes a villain again. The writers of When Calls the Heart have spent a good amount of time and effort to give Henry a redemption arc. If Henry turns into a villain, I would feel like that redemption arc was wasted. Hopefully, the issues relating to the oil can get resolved.

I think it’s very interesting how Ally ends up being an academically gifted student. This concept of gifted children has only been briefly brought up on the show. So, I hoping that this concept can be fully explored this time.

Is it just me or does Elizabeth’s desire to start a library seem very random? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t recall this idea for a library ever being mentioned in earlier seasons. Maybe this is the writers’ way of making up for Rosemary not receiving her theater?

What are your thoughts on this episode? Which story was your favorite? Share what’s on your mind in the comment section!

Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen

Sunset Over Hope Valley: Rocking and Rolling

On May 8, 2019April 6, 2020 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

For the first time in Hallmark television history, When Calls the Heart aired back to back episodes! As an attempt to get the fans excited about the show’s return, one of the episodes aired on its usual Sunday night, while the other premiered on a Monday. For someone who re-caps the episodes, this means that I had to write back to back posts. However, because these posts are meant to help people stay caught up on their favorite show, I was more than willing to write these articles. I have to admit that, so far, season six is one of the stronger seasons of When Calls the Heart! Despite the “Abigail situation”, this season has made some interesting choices when it comes to story-telling. Keep reading if you want to know more about what I’m talking about!

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Season: 6

Episode: 5

Name: Surprise

With the arrival of Nathan Grant comes the arrival of his niece, Ally. Not only does she meet Bill in his office, but she also decides to skip school. When she stumbles into the Queen of Hearts saloon, Lucas tries to encourage her to go to school by teaching her a card trick. Later that day, Nathan finds out about Ally skipping school. When she gets caught in her lies, Ally promises to go to school the next day. During her first day of school, she impresses some of the students with her new card trick. However, she uses this same card trick to take advantage of her peers. After Elizabeth finds out about Ally’s scheme, she also discovers who taught her the card trick. Elizabeth pays Lucas a visit at the saloon to share her feelings about his choices. Lucas explains to Elizabeth that he taught Ally that card trick to help make friends in school. The next day, after school, Elizabeth learns from Nathan that Ally’s living situation hasn’t been the most stable. She explains to him that, because of her past experiences, Ally doesn’t feel like she should put in an effort to make friends. So, when Ally joins Nathan and Elizabeth’s conversation, Elizabeth not only encourages her to give her peers a chance, she also tells her to give back all of the items that she “received” from her card trick. The next day, at school, Ally returns these items to her classmates.

While attempting to dig a well on his property, Jesse discovers that oil was hiding beneath the surface. When he shows Lee and Henry what he has found, Henry suggests that Jesse contact a geologist to study the oil and the ground surrounding it. When a geologist does inspect the area, he encourages Jesse to dig deeper into the soil, as more oil could be found. However, the geologist explains to Jesse that this process would be very costly. In an attempt to help Jesse, Henry approaches Lucas and asks him to invest in Jesse’s land. As a part of his plan, Henry talks to Jesse about buying his land for $1,200. Jesse tells him that he doesn’t want to make any plans until he talks with Clara first. One day, at the saloon, Clara and Jesse both agree to sell the land to Henry. When Henry collects the necessary paperwork in order to move forward with the oil dig project, Lucas expresses his concerns over how his money will be spent. Henry tells him that he has nothing to worry about.

One day, when Florence and Molly question Carson about his whereabouts, he tells them that he is visiting a nearby town to pick up a new medical machine. Faith also tells Florence and Molly that she will be joining him in order to pick up additional supplies. When Carson and Faith get to the nearby town, they pick up their supplies without any problems. However, when they try to return to Hope Valley, their path is blocked by a large tree. They decide to camp out until they can return home the next day. In the evening, Faith tells Carson about her troubled relationship with her father. When Carson and Faith are in Hope Valley the next day, Faith apologizes to Carson for bringing up so much personal information about herself. Carson tells her that he doesn’t have a problem with this. Tired about hiding their relationship, Carson and Faith decide to kiss in the middle of town one evening. This lets almost everyone know the state of their relationship.

Heartbeat image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/medical-logo_763775.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/logo”>Logo vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

The Governor’s Chief of Staff, Ronald, visits Bill at his office one day. The purpose of this visit is for Ronald to give Bill an offer for a Judgeship. At first, Bill expresses his frustrations about how judges can be easily taken advantage of. But Ronald reminds Bill that this is why he is perfect for the job, because he is strong and stands up for what he believes in. Throughout the episode, Bill contemplates accepting this new job offer. He even tells Lee about this opportunity, in which Lee encourages Bill to continue thinking about this Judgeship. Later in the episode, Bill helps Lee babysit Jack. During this event, Lee reminds Bill of how good of a judge he would be.

Rosemary feels like she and Elizabeth are growing apart as friends. This is because Elizabeth keeps cancelling plans to hang out with Rosemary. Determined to fix this, Rosemary plans a girls night in get-together. At first, Elizabeth wants to cancel these plans because she doesn’t have a babysitter for Jack. At the last minute, Lee steps in and chooses to babysit Jack. While Rosemary and Elizabeth enjoy each other’s company, Lee receives some assistance from Bill. Though they experience some challenges, Bill and Lee find success in their babysitting duties.

90242-OJM5E8-442 — Small, western town image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Some thoughts to consider:

I’m really glad that Jaeda Lily Miller has joined the When Calls the Heart family! She is one of the most talented young actresses in the Hallmark community and I believe this is the first time that a Hallmark Hall of Fame alumni has ever appeared on the show! Ally seems like an interesting character, so I can’t wait to see her story develop over the course of these next episodes!

During this episode, Faith talked about her relationship with her father. Could her father make an appearance this season? When Calls the Heart has, sometimes, incorporated stories of family reconnections into their narratives. So, the possibility of mending this relationship makes sense. I wonder if the medical machine that Carson picked up will have anything to do with Faith’s father?

There were a few things that Lucas said in this episode that caught my attention. When talking with Ally, Lucas tells her that he didn’t have friends growing up and that he was a “loner”. When confronted by Nathan at the saloon one evening, Lucas tells him that he’s only cheated once. After thinking about what Lucas said, I wonder if he cheated something and not someone? I speculate that Lucas was either bullied at a young age or has survived a major tragedy. When Calls the Heart hasn’t really explored themes like bullying or large-scale tragedies in their narrative before, so including these potential themes into Lucas’ story would be very interesting. It would explain some of Lucas’ behaviors and choices so far, such as sharing very little information about himself.

At the beginning of the episode, a tremor rocks Hope Valley. However, I thought this aspect of the episode was glossed over. This tremor could have been used to teach the children at school about how the earth works or helping one of the characters address fear. But, after looking back on this episode, I wonder why this tremor was included in the episode in the first place?

What did you think about this episode? Which predictions have you made for the next episodes? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen

Sunset Over Hope Valley: A New Face has come to Hope Valley

On May 6, 2019 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

For about a month and a half, Hearties everywhere have been patiently waiting for the return of When Calls the Heart. Many people have speculated about what Hallmark would do about the “Abigail situation”, whether she would be replaced or removed altogether. But we, as fans, knew, almost from the very beginning, that the show would return. Last month, in a Word on the Street story, I shared Erin Krakow’s announcement about When Calls the Heart’s return! I also talked about Erin’s second announcement about When Calls the Heart’s seventh season within my review of Bottled with Love. Now, When Calls the Heart is back! Because of this, Sunset Over Hope Valley has returned! With that, let this re-cap of When Calls the Heart begin!

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Season: 6

Episode: 4

Name: Heart of a Mountie

Major Story:

After an incident at the Queen of Hearts saloon, Bill ended up meeting Hope Valley’s new Mountie, Nathan Grant. Despite his good-natured demeanor and friendly personality, the residents find themselves avoiding Nathan at all costs. This is due to them feeling that Nathan is only there to replace Jack Thornton. When a carriage rolls into town and its carriage driver, Jeb, claims that Lee’s payroll has been stolen, Nathan and Bill are on the case. Lee also volunteers to help them in their quest for the truth. When Nathan and Lee visit the crime scene, they discover the money box and lock in the mud. However, the money is nowhere to be found. Later that day, when Nathan and Bill question Jeb, they discover mud on his boots. This encourages them to revisit the crime scene. As they re-investigate, Bill discovers several inconsistencies in the statements that Joyce and Sheila, Jeb’s travel guests, gave him. This causes Bill and Nathan to speculate that the carriage robbery was staged. When Jeb and Sheila try to run away with the money, Nathan and Bill arrest them. After the robbery ordeal, Elizabeth makes a conscious effort to welcome Nathan to Hope Valley.

Mountie face image created by Bakar015 at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/a-set-of-canada-icons_1050671.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/food”>Food vector created by Bakar015 – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Minor Stories:

As a class assignment, Elizabeth has the students engage in a mock debate. One pair, Anna and Emily, have been given the topic of what the better mode of transportation is. Emily’s argument is for cars, while Anna’s stance is for horses. At first, the debate runs smoothly. But, as the arguments continue, the debate becomes more bitter between Emily and Anna. When Elizabeth makes Emily and Anna stay after class, she explains to them what the purpose of a debate is. Unfortunately, this explanation does nothing to resolve Emily and Anna’s issues, because, the next day, they’re still upset about the debate. Elizabeth makes them stay after school again. But, this time, she asks Emily and Anna if this debate is worth ruining their friendship over. After giving Elizabeth’s question some thought, the two girls apologize to one another.

Even though Carson and Faith have decided to pursue a romantic relationship, they’ve decided to keep it a secret. This is because they don’t want the people of Hope Valley, including Rosemary, to make a big deal about their relationship. When Rosemary does find out about Carson and Faith’s relationship, they explain to her why they’re keeping their relationship a secret. When they ask her to not tell anyone about their relationship, Rosemary agrees to uphold her promise. Earlier in the episode, Lee discovers that Rosemary got a phone. Worried that she might spend too much time on the phone to gossip with her friends, Lee goes to the mercantile, one day, to cancel the household’s phone line. During this process, Lee receives a phone call from Rosemary. After she tells him how much she loves him, Lee decides to keep the household’s phone line. As the episode continues, Rosemary continues to keep her promise to Carson and Faith. She and Lee even coordinate a romantic dinner for Faith and Carson.

After he sees Lucas attempt to kiss Clara on the hand, Jesse proceeds to get into a fight with Lucas. When Clara and Jesse talk about the incident the next day, Clara expresses her frustrations about how Jesse doesn’t trust her. When Jesse goes to Henry about his issue, Henry supports Clara’s point of view instead of Jesse’s. In an attempt to get Clara away from Lucas, Jesse takes a second job at the blacksmith workshop. When he tells Clara this news, she refuses to quit her second job. She claims to love her job and says that Lucas is not as bad as Jesse thinks. Clara advises Jesse to stop being jealous of Lucas and start giving him a chance.

Some thoughts to consider:

I have to applaud the editors of When Calls the Heart for doing such a good job at re-editing the show! I, honestly, had my doubts about how it would look. But the episode ran smoothly, almost as if the show hadn’t missed a beat. I did think it was interesting how this show addressed the “Abigail situation” within the first five minutes of the episode, with Elizabeth explaining what happened to Abigail and Cody in a voice-over. How this explanation carries over into the Christmas movie will also be interesting. Will Hope Valley receive a new mayor? Is a new character going to be introduced to the series?

I have to say that I’m proud of Rosemary for choosing to keep her word! She has come a long way since her introduction in the first season, which has allowed her to grow as a character. The writers of When Calls the Heart have done such a great job at incorporating her into the overall story. Pascale Hutton has also done a fantastic job at bringing this character to life! I can’t wait to see Rosemary’s story unfold throughout the rest of the season!

As engaging as the main story was, I thought it was a little predictable. When Joyce and Sheila made their statements to Bill, I knew that they were lying. Sure enough, I was right about that. It would be totally cool if When Calls the Heart incorporated more mysteries into their plots, especially if the mystery took place over the course of several episodes. This would bring a sense of intrigue and audience engagement into the show.

Are you glad that When Calls the Heart has returned? What are you looking forward to seeing this season? Leave your thoughts in the comment section!

Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen

Sunset Over Hope Valley: Friends Lead to Opportunities

On March 11, 2019May 4, 2019 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Friendship has always played a huge role on When Calls the Heart. Sometimes, strangers and new individuals have gone on to become familiar faces and even favorite characters. While watching this episode, I noticed that friendship was an over-arching theme within this story. When Henry told Abigail about friends leading to opportunities, I realized that he had a good point. Without friends, there are so many experiences and memories that we would miss out on. Friends can also help us grow as individuals and become better people. In the show, the friends in Hope Valley have gone through a lot. But, in the end, they’ve acquired so many memories and opportunities along the way. Because of the friendships they gained over the course of the show, the characters on When Calls the Heart have evolved as time has gone by. Speaking of friends, let’s revisit our friends in Hope Valley in this week’s re-cap!

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Season: 6

Episode: 3

Name: A Vote of Confidence

Major Story:

After hearing complaints from her neighbors about the saloon’s noise, Abigail approaches Lucas about the issue. She explains that the reason why people are upset about the noise is because, in the past, the saloon closed at 10 o’clock. Lucas tells Abigail that he will keep an eye on his business, especially during non-busy business days. The next day, the noise at the saloon is so loud, that it wakes up Cody. This causes Abigail to visit Lucas at the saloon. When she asks him why he went back on his word, he says that he’s doing exactly what he told her he would do. Because business was busy that night, it caused Lucas to keep the saloon open late. Fed up with this problem, Abigail decides to use her power as mayor to organize a town council meeting regarding this issue. When the meeting finally arrives, the townspeople have a chance to vote for a new business plan that requires all businesses to close at 10 o’clock. However, the vote ends up in a tie. As Abigail’s turn to vote comes up, she chooses to create a compromise with Lucas. She suggests that the saloon stay open late for only two days a week. Not only does Lucas accept this compromise, but this decision makes everyone involved, including Lucas, very happy.

122210-OQDB6E-75 — Poker neon sign image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/poker-neon-lights-background_1137542.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Minor Stories:

Toward the beginning of this episode, Bill goes to Cape Fullerton to testify against two deadly gun-men. However, once he arrives in Cape Fullerton, Bill discovers from the prosecutor that both gun-men have been recently released due to a lack of evidence. When Bill visits the judge, he learns that the judge was threatened by the gun-men, which caused him to release both criminals. Bill’s course of action is to visit his friend, Jeremiah, and ask for help in catching these criminals. When he arrives at Jeremiah’s house, Bill is met with skepticism and doubt from his friend. But, after some convincing, Jeremiah finally agrees to help Bill. During their journey to search for the gun-men, Jeremiah leads Bill to a short-cut, even though he claims he has never seen it himself. But he feels that this short-cut is through an abandoned mine. While in the mine, Jeremiah and Bill’s path is blocked and they become lost. As they search for a way out of the mine, Jeremiah shares with Bill about how he has been haunted by a past mission gone wrong. Bill reassures his friend that the criminal that escaped in the aforementioned mission was caught four months later. This reassurance gives Jeremiah the confidence to find their way out of the mine. Once they leave the mine, Bill and Jeremiah spot the two gun-men they were looking for. Bill decides to confront the criminals by himself, while Jeremiah stays by the mine. This plan proves to be a bad idea as a third gun-man suddenly emerges from the forest. Fourtunately, Jeremiah arrives just in time, knocking out the third gun-man in order to protect Bill. After this eventful confrontation, Jeremiah returns home and Bill brings the gun-men to prison.

After learning about explorers in school, Cody, Robert, and Timmy become interested in pirates. At recess, Cody and Robert pretend to be pirates looking for treasure. Timmy wants to join in on the fun, but gets stuck creating “waves” by throwing water at their make-shift boat. A few days later, at recess, Timmy brings his spy-glass to school and shows it to Robert and Cody. This not only excites them, but this allows Timmy to join their game. After school, Timmy discovers that his spy-glass is missing. When he asks Robert and Cody about the whereabouts of his prized possession, they say that they probably left it by their boat. This causes Timmy to look for the spy-glass all by himself. While riding her horse, Elizabeth sees Timmy searching for his spy-glass. As Timmy tells her his situation, she says that Cody and Robert should be helping him look for his spy-glass. She also gives him the advice to be honest with his friends and tell them how he feels. The next day, at recess, Timmy tells Cody and Robert how upset he is that they wouldn’t help him look for his spy-glass. He also says that all he wants is to be their friend. Moments later, Cody and Robert encourage their entire class to help Timmy look for his spy-glass.

Days after the saloon re-opening, Faith tells Rosemary exactly what Carson told her. Rosemary tells her that because certain words can mean a variety of things, she needs to make her feelings toward Carson clearer when addressing this matter. Meanwhile, at the saw mill, Carson tells Lee exactly what Faith told him at the saloon re-opening. Lee tells Carson that he needs to be more honest about his feelings toward Faith. As the days go on, both Faith and Carson make it clear that they want to honest with each other, but are not yet ready to address their feelings. Finally, Carson tells Faith exactly how he feels. However, Faith is afraid of starting a relationship with Carson, especially after hearing from Rosemary that relationships between two co-workers don’t always work out. A few days later, Carson tells Faith that they have to visit a patient during a house call. While on their way to the patient’s house, Faith finally shares her feelings about Carson to him. She also says that she wants to start relationship with him. After they kiss, Carson reveals that they weren’t going on a house call, but on a picnic instead.

265038-P4TIN9-926 — Envelope with hearts image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/hearts-and-pink-envelope-for-mothers-day_1950691.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/love”>Love image created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Some thoughts to consider:

When Elizabeth mentioned that she’d like to start a library, it seemed like this facility was just another establishment on When Calls the Heart’s growing list of places that have never been built or never been seen on-screen. As much as I’d like to finally see the Ice Cream Parlor in a future episode and Rosemary finally receive her theater, I’m not sure if the show has room in their budget to make these places a reality. While there have been changes in Hope Valley, we haven’t seen any new buildings arrive in the town. Also, is it just me or does that railroad that was promised last season seem almost nonexistent?

Personally, I didn’t like how the episode ended with Elizabeth’s class still looking for Timmy’s spy-glass. Ambiguous endings are something that I’m not a fan of. So, I hope that the spy-glass is referenced in the next episode.

During this episode, when it’s time for the mail call, Fiona discovers that a trunk has been sent to Lucas from San Francisco. I’m wondering what is in that trunk and who could have sent it to him? Hopefully these questions get answered in an upcoming episode.

How did you feel about this episode? What was your favorite story-line? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen

Sunset Over Hope Valley: On Hope Valley’s Block, There’s a New Kid in Town

On March 4, 2019March 11, 2019 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

With six seasons and five years of screen-time, When Calls the Heart is bound to introduce a variety of characters on their show. Some of them have called Hope Valley their home, while others have gone their separate ways to broaden their Canadian horizons. Sometimes, characters from previous seasons return to the show, even if it’s just for a little while. When new characters arrive near the start of each season, and sometimes in the Christmas films, it’s always a treat for the show itself as well as for its audience. On When Calls the Heart this season, we’ve already been introduced to Fiona Miller. Now, we’ll be introduced to a new character, one that might shake up Hope Valley. Check out this Sunset Over Hope Valley re-cap post if you want to learn more about this character!

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Season: 6

Episode: 2

Name: The Queen of Hearts

Major Story:

The most talked about event in Hope Valley is the re-opening of the saloon. One of the reasons why is because of the new saloon owner himself. Lucas Bouchard has become Hope Valley’s newest resident. Some people in the town find him to be a charming gentleman. However, there are others who are very skeptical about Lucas’ intentions. One of them is Bill, who, almost immediately, does as much research as possible about Lucas’ past. This is because Lucas hasn’t shared his past with anyone. After calling the police in New Orleans, Bill finds out that Fiona listened in on his phone call. Because of this, Bill recruits her to help him learn more about Lucas. Not only is it revealed that the New Orleans police had never heard of Lucas, but that Lucas, while at Yost’s Mercantile, had called a female and spoke to her about Hope Valley in French. When Bill tried calling this mysterious female and told her he is one of Lucas’ friends, she hung up immediately. A few days later, as Lucas is preparing for the saloon’s re-opening, Bill sees him bringing in a mysterious looking package into Hope Valley. After Bill forces Lucas to open the package, it is revealed to be a box of fish, which Lucas plans on using to prepare a meal. At the saloon re-opening, where the saloon is renamed “Queen of Hearts”, Lucas invites the townspeople to the event. He makes it a point to remind everyone that the event is free. Despite all the things that Lucas has said and done, Bill still remains skeptical about him. Toward the end of the episode, Lucas goes into a back room during the re-opening to hide a box of money in a safe. This box of money was hiding in the box of fish that Bill had inspected days earlier.

Minor Stories:

After Timmy expresses his desire to learn how to ride a bike, Elizabeth volunteers to help Timmy learn this new skill. While borrowing Cody’s bike, Timmy shares his concerns about falling and embarrassing himself. So, every time Timmy practices riding, Elizabeth holds on to the bike until Timmy has enough confidence to ride the bike on his own. One day, Timmy becomes so frustrated by his concerns of falling, that he decides to quit. In order to help him change his mind, Elizabeth asks Timmy to help her play a piano duet. Elizabeth shares with Timmy that she doesn’t want to embarrass herself in front of her students due to her limited piano skills. But, after the piano duet, Elizabeth teaches Timmy how overcoming fears will help him experience the best that life has to offer. Several days later, Timmy not only continues to practice his bike riding skills, but he also learns to ride a bike with no assistance.

While working at Abigail’s Café, Abigail discovers that Henry has an interest in the stock market. After talking with Henry about this matter, Abigail considers investing her money. When she consults with Lee and Rosemary over what she should do, Abigail decides to invest her money with Henry. The next day, Abigail and Henry discuss the amount of money that she should place in the investment. After some negotiations, Abigail chooses to invest five dollars. Later in the episode, Henry tells Abigail that her investment doubled in value, allowing her to receive ten dollars. When Abigail shares this news with Lee, he reveals that the company Henry invested in actually lost money. Lee gives Abigail the advice to talk to Henry about the situation. At the saloon re-opening, Abigail approaches Henry about the investment situation. Henry shares that he wanted Abigail to trust him as well as take him seriously. Abigail tells him that all she wanted to do was give him a second chance, which she thinks he has earned. With that, Henry gives Abigail her five dollars back.

When Jesse and Clara learn that the saloon is looking for new employees, Clara decides to apply for a waitress job. After being interviewed by Lucas himself, Clara receives the job. When she shares this news with Jesse, he becomes skeptical about Clara possibly putting too many responsibilities on her plate. Clara tells him that she accepted this job in order to help Jesse with his financial goals. When she tells Abigail about her new job, Abigail becomes concerned about Clara’s well-being. Clara tells Abigail the exact same thing she told Jesse. Clara’s first assignment at her new job is serving drinks at the saloon re-opening. When Jesse sees Clara working at the event, he still maintains his skepticism.

One day, Faith tells Rosemary about what Carson told her as they were leaving Rosemary and Lee’s house a few days earlier. Rosemary tells Faith not to lose hope about Carson’s possible feelings for her. Several days later, Carson shares with Lee what he told Faith about the state of their relationship. Lee gives Carson the advice to tell Faith how he feels about her. However, when Carson picks up his dinner at Abigail’s Café, he sees Faith marveling over a magic trick that Lucas shows her and Cody. At the saloon re-opening, Carson gathers up enough courage to tell Faith how he feels about her, telling her that she’s special to him. Faith tells Carson that he is special to her as well. After this conversation, Carson and Faith share a dance together.

Happy Valentines day and heart. Card with Happy Valentines day a — Heart image created by Dashu83 at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Backgroundimage created by Dashu83 – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/happy-valentines-day-and-heart-card-with-happy-valentines-day-and-heart_1747001.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Some thoughts to consider:

Even though Lucas seems suspicious, I really hope that he’s not an antagonist or villain. Based on what I’ve seen and heard from articles, interviews, and fan reactions from the Heartie Family Reunion, it seems like Chris McNally fits in really well within the When Calls the Heart. Also, there have been several characters on When Calls the Heart that have come and gone over the seasons. It would be nice if any of the new characters from season six stayed on the show for, at least, a season and a half.

While this is only the second episode, it seems like the overall narrative of this season isn’t focusing on the children as much as in other seasons. In this episode, Opal was only on screen for a few seconds compared to the minutes upon minutes of screen-time she’s had in previous episodes. Maybe this is a new story-telling technique that the screen-writers are incorporating into the show, where almost every child in Elizabeth’s class is given a story in each episode.

Something that I’ve been noticing, so far, is how Elizabeth’s story is not as central to the overall narrative as in years past. In my Sunset Over Hope Valley re-cap posts last year, I wrote about how Elizabeth’s story was, sometimes, one of the major stories of a given episode. Since it’s only the second episode, we’ll have to wait and see if this trend continues.

What did you think about this episode? How do you feel about Lucas Bouchard? Leave your thoughts in the comment section!

Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen

Word on the Street: Production updates for several potential Hallmark movies!

On January 29, 2019 By 18cinemalane2 Comments

I haven’t made a Word on the Street post about production updates for confirmed or speculated Hallmark movies since last November. However, as I was writing my review of Mystery 101, I discovered that there are several movies in the works that either are upcoming Hallmark films or movies that could be Hallmark films. The reason why I talk about these production updates in Word on the Street posts is for two reasons; 1) because, to me, it’s considered movie news and 2) I want to tell any reader and/or follower of mine, who may also be a Hallmark fan, what might be in store from either network. When I’ve talked about these production updates, there have been times when the movie was already confirmed to be a Hallmark movie. The mystery films from Hallmark Movies & Mysteries are a good example. There are other times when the network of that specific film is unknown at the time of production, causing speculations to be made about its potential welcome onto one of the Hallmark networks. Sometimes, I have been right about a movie ending up as a Hallmark title, such as Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness being a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries film. But there have been times when I have been wrong, like when I thought that Christmas on Holly Lane was going to be a Hallmark movie. As more information is revealed about these films, that also happen to be listed in this post, it’ll be interesting to see how many of these films end up becoming Hallmark projects.

94406-OK8HUL-165 — Cute movie icons created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/camera”>Camera vector created by Freepik</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/set-of-cute-cartoon-movie-objects_1036379.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com

On the website, What’s Filming, there are several upcoming movie titles that are listed on both the “Upcoming” and “In Production” pages for the Vancouver and British Columbia area. Some of these movies are already confirmed as Hallmark releases. These movies, as well as when they will be in production, are the following:

Garage Sale Mystery: Search and Seized – Currently in production until February 15^th
Morning Show Mysteries: Murder by Design — Currently in production until February 15^th
Where There’s a Will k.a. Aurora Teagarden 11 – Starts production on February 4^th and ends on February 22^nd

However, many of these titles have not been confirmed as Hallmark films. In fact, these movie titles could end up on any network. Here is a list of these titles with their production dates:

“Flip That Romance” – Currently in production until February 6^th
“For You, With Love” – Currently in production until February 8^th
“Picture Perfect” – Currently in production until February 15^th
“Web of Dreams” – Currently in production until February 11^th
“Letter From My Mother” – Starts production on February 11^th and ends on February 27^th
“Puppy Party Romance” – Starts production on February 4^th and ends on February 21^st

Movie items image created by Macrovector at freepik.com <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/cinema-poster-sketch_1530892.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a> <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Macrovector – Freepik.com</a> Image found at freepik.com

On January 28^th, it was reported that a Hallmark Christmas movie is planning on filming in Stonington, Connecticut! In an article on The Day, a “Hallmark Channel Christmas romantic drama” is preparing to film in the area. Indulge Coffee Company, a Stonington eatery, made an announcement on their Instagram feed about “the Hallmark Movie Production team” coming to the Connecticut area. However, they referred to the movie as a “2019 Christmas Special”. As of January 2019, Hallmark has not yet made any announcements about the film.

P0YDNL0 — Christmas book image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-psd/christmas-mockup-with-open-book_1482296.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/mockup”>Mockup psd created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What are your thoughts about these movie titles? Which ones do you think could be Hallmark movies? Tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

If you want to check out the references that I made within this post, you can visit the Instagram feed of Indulge Coffee Company (@indulgecoffeeco) and these links:

https://www.theday.com/article/20190125/NWS01/190129571

http://www.whatsfilming.ca/upcoming/ (after February 21st, 22nd, and 27th, “Letter From My Mother”, “Puppy Party Romance”, and Where There’s a Will k.a. Aurora Teagarden 11 will be taken off the list)

http://www.whatsfilming.ca/inproduction/ (February 6th, 8th, 11th, and 15th, Garage Sale Mystery: Search and Seized, Morning Show Mysteries: Murder by Design, “Flip That Romance”, “For You, With Love”, “Picture Perfect”, and “Web of Dreams” will be taken off this list)

18 Cinema Lane

Tag: Canada

Word on the Street: Bob Iger discontinuing his CEO position at Disney, new Hallmark Movies & Mysteries films on the way, Chesapeake Shores coming back for another season

Sunset Over Hope Valley: Written from the Heart

Just a reminder: If you did not see the season premiere of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Word on the Street: News about Upcoming and Potential Hallmark movies!

Sunset Over Hope Valley: All About Lucas

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Sunset Over Hope Valley: A Whole Lot of Drama

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Sunset Over Hope Valley: Rocking and Rolling

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Sunset Over Hope Valley: A New Face has come to Hope Valley

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Sunset Over Hope Valley: Friends Lead to Opportunities

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Sunset Over Hope Valley: On Hope Valley’s Block, There’s a New Kid in Town

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Word on the Street: Production updates for several potential Hallmark movies!