Before I start this When Calls the Heart re-cap, I’d like to remind everyone that Thursday, April 16th, is the last day to cast your vote for the Best Movie and Story of the 2nd Annual Gold Sally Awards! The last award will be posted on the April 17th! Here is the link to the poll:
Sometimes, things happen beyond our control. Because we all have our own unique perspectives, we have different ways to reacting to these situations. Blame can sometimes be a choice that is made. Other people decide to take matters into their own hands, wanting to find a solution on their own. Coming together on common ground is another choice to come into the realm of possibilities. The windstorm in this episode of When Calls of Heart causes the characters to seek solutions in various ways. The answers may come quickly, but they may also take awhile to be discovered. In retrospect, these aspects reflect what is going on in the world’s current situation. The Coronavirus is beyond our control. There are people trying to find a solution to the current problem. But everyone has found their own way to react to the situation.
Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.
Elizabeth plans on taking the second half of her class on a field trip through the forest. Since she took the first half of her class on a field trip in the previous week, she has recruited Carson to be the substitute teacher on the day of the trip. The next day, Elizabeth and these aforementioned students head to the woods. While learning about nature, Emily finds an arrowhead. Elizabeth and her students also make use of a pair of binoculars they borrowed from Lucas. As they go deeper into the forest, Elizabeth discovers the wind picking up. Concerned about the safety of her students, Elizabeth ends the field trip early, in order to beat the oncoming windstorm. Unfortunately, they aren’t able to go home before the storm. So, they hide in a nearby hunting lodge until the storm subsides. When Elizabeth and her students arrive at the lodge, she discovers Emily is missing. She learns from Ally that Emily left the group to find her missing arrowhead. Elizabeth leaves Robert in charge of the students while she goes into the forest to look for Emily. Eventually, Elizabeth finds Emily in the forest. Nathan finds the both of them shortly after, then takes them back to the lodge. After the storm ends, Nathan gives Emily her arrowhead. He also criticizes Elizabeth for leaving her students during a windstorm, telling her how she could have put her students’ lives in danger.
During dinner, Jesse tells Clara he has received a lumber block. He also tells Clara that he has to leave early the next morning, in order to collect supplies from the lumber block. The next day, while Lee is fixing his car, he learns Jesse hasn’t returned from the lumber block. After hearing about the oncoming windstorm, Lee heads to the lumber block to retrieve Jesse. Several hours pass by and both men haven’t returned to Hope Valley. Several citizens from Hope Valley organize a search party, including Clara and Rosemary. During the search, Clara fears that Jesse faced a similar fate like Peter did years ago. Rosemary tells her not to worry. Shortly after she says this, they hear a noise that signifies Jesse and Lee have been found. When Rosemary and Clara arrive with the rest of the search party, they discover that Jesse is safe. However, they also discover that Lee has suffered from a bad head injury. At the end of the episode, Lee is unconscious. Rosemary asks Carson to do whatever he can to save Lee.
Forest in Georgia image created by Roger Kirby at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/Roger Kirby.”
Minor Story:
At the beginning of the episode, Lucas asks Henry if he can look at the oil plant’s financial records. Henry refuses to hand over the ledger. At the saloon, Mike reveals to Lucas he hasn’t received any payments from Henry. This causes Lucas to turn to Bill for help. He shares his concerns with Bill about Henry’s lack of cooperation. Bill tells Lucas that Henry has twenty-hours to hand over the records or else he’ll order a subpoena. Lucas delivers this news to Henry, which causes Henry to be conflicted over his next step.
In this episode, there was some really good cinematography! One good example is when Elizabeth discovers the growing strength of the wind. The shot was presented as if the audience is looking through Lucas’ binoculars. The landscape itself shows mist moving over the trees, creating an eerie and unsettling presence before the windstorm wreaks havoc.
While watching this episode, it was disappointing to see some poor decisions being made during the windstorm. I agree with Nathan about Elizabeth leaving her students in order to find Emily. Nathan told Elizabeth he was going to look for Emily. As the only adult in the group, Elizabeth had a responsibility to look after her students.
I’d like to think Lee is going to recover from his head injury. But because this episode ended on a cliffhanger (similar to the episode that aired before the season five finale) and because Lee’s situation was not addressed in the commercial for the next episode, I’m honestly not so sure. According to the description for an extended preview of the upcoming episode, it says “Rosemary learns a secret about Lee’s past”. At this point, I have no idea what that could mean.
Before I start this When Calls the Heart re-cap, I’d like to remind everyone that Thursday, April 9th, is the last day to cast your vote for the Best Supporting Actor of the 2nd Annual Gold Sally Awards! The next poll will be posted on the April 10th! Here is the link to the poll:
As I’ve mentioned before, When Calls the Heart is about a cast of characters. Over the course of seven seasons, many characters have been featured on the show. This creates a variety of people for the fans to choose as their favorite. For me, Tom Thornton is my favorite character, despite his limited presence on the show. Tom’s introduction is one of the reasons why I like the second season out of all seven of them. The more I watch When Calls the Heart, the more I notice there is something for everyone. With so many characters and stories, there is bound to be something that one gravitates to. When that happens, one could feel like the show is telling them, “hey, I made this just for you”. I wonder if this is another reason why When Calls the Heart has acquired the number of fans it has?
Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.
Before recess ends, Lucas asks Elizabeth if she’d like to go to a book reading for an up-and-coming author named Virginia Woolf. He has two tickets to the event, which takes place in Union City. As Opal interrupts their conversation, since recess is almost over, Elizabeth tells him she’ll think about his offer. After school, Elizabeth shares this news with Rosemary. When she explains her reservations about going with Lucas, Rosemary asks Elizabeth what she wants to do. With that, Elizabeth decides to go the book-reading. She then visits Lucas at the saloon, where she tells him that she’ll go to the event simply as a friend. After agreeing to this condition, he informs her that he’ll pick her up at seven the next morning and that they will be attending a fancy restaurant following the event. The next day, Lucas picks Elizabeth up at her house in Henry’s car. During their journey, they stop in a nearby field so they can have a picnic lunch. Over this meal, Elizabeth learns that Lucas got the event’s tickets from a mutual friend. When they arrive at their hotel, the concierge mistakes Elizabeth and Lucas for a married couple. After they clarify that error, they receive their room keys. In the evening, Lucas and Elizabeth attend the book-reading. Following the event, they have dinner at the aforementioned fancy restaurant. While waiting for their food, Elizabeth and Lucas learn more about one another. Elizabeth shares that she, sometimes, misses her life in Hamilton. Lucas confesses that he’d like to have a family one day. When they talk about the book-reading itself, Elizabeth learns the real reason for Lucas’ desire to attend the event. It was more about wanting to spend time with Elizabeth than experiencing Virginia’s work.
When Nathan visits Elizabeth during recess, he tells her that he’ll be in Cape Fullerton during the weekend because he’ll be a witness on an upcoming trial. He also says that Allie will be spending time with Opal’s family over the weekend. The next day, while at Opal’s house, Ally sees Elizabeth leaving Hope Valley with Lucas. Nathan also comes home earlier than expected. When she visits Nathan at his office, Ally tells him what she saw. For the rest of the episode, Nathan appears to be disappointed, but doesn’t let other people know how he’s feeling. He minds his own business by chopping wood and going fishing with Ally. When Elizabeth and Lucas do come home, both Ally and Nathan try their best not to make their interactions with Elizabeth seem awkward.
Because of Elizabeth’s weekend plans, Lee and Rosemary volunteer to take care of Jack. Since this is the first time Elizabeth and Jack have been apart for more than a few hours, Jack is more fussy than usual. Over the weekend, Lee and Rosemary misplace Jack’s favorite toy: a small, stuffed dog. They search everywhere for the toy, but have difficulty finding it. Until they can locate the dog, Lee purchases a stuffed toy duck for Jack as a replacement. Unfortunately, Jack isn’t impressed with the new toy. Lee and Rosemary try their best to make Jack happy, but most of their efforts fail to work. One day, while in town, they decide to pay Carson a visit. When they arrive, Carson is typing a document on his typewriter. During this visit, Lee and Rosemary notice how much calmer Jack is. This leads them to discover that Jack likes the sound of the typewriter, as it reminds him of his mom. When Elizabeth returns home, Lee and Rosemary are happy that Jack is reunited with his mother. Toward the end of the episode, Lee and Rosemary finally find Jack’s missing toy: it was located under the pillows on their sofa.
After Jesse and Clara arrive from their honeymoon, they immediately move into their new home: the house that’s connected to the café. When they bring their belongings into the house, Clara discovers Jesse only has one small box containing his things. When she asks where his favorite armchair is, he tells her he had to discard it, as he says it was broken. The next day, Clara sees Jesse giving some of his belongings to Kevin. One of these items is the aforementioned armchair. After she tells Bill about what she saw, Bill tries to figure out why Jesse has so few possessions. When Bill talks to Jesse about it, he doesn’t get an answer. Later in the episode, Clara tries to talk with Jesse over dinner. Unfortunately, Jesse doesn’t want to talk about his small number of belongings. The next day, Jesse comes home to find his possessions throughout the house. Clara confesses that she asked the people who received Jesse’s things to give them back to Jesse. Clara tells him that she wants their home to be a place where they both feel they belong.
At the beginning of the episode, Lucas notices he didn’t receive his check at the end of the previous month. When he confronts Henry at his office, Henry tells him there’s nothing to worry about. At the saloon, he asks Mike about the late payment. Mike reveals how he’s not in charge of the plant’s finances anymore, as Henry has now taken over that responsibility. Meanwhile, Henry goes to the Infirmary, telling Carson he has indigestion. During an examination, Carson discovers Henry has higher blood pressure. He tells Henry he’ll give him some medicine and advice to take a break from work. The next day, Carson finds Henry working in his office. Even though Carson is concerned about Henry’s well-being, he simply tells Henry that he can come to him if he wants to talk about anything.
I was disappointed that the book-reading wasn’t shown on screen. When Lucas tells Elizabeth it will be held in a theater, I was hoping to see this location. Since this show takes place in the 1910s, the theater would likely have a grand style that is usually found in big cities. Hopefully, a theater like that could be featured on the show in the future.
Personally, I think Lucas over-showed his hand on his first date with Elizabeth. Talking about the future and sharing family history is not a bad thing. However, I don’t think Lucas should have brought these ideas up this soon in his relationship with Elizabeth. Despite the fact they are on a date, they are not officially dating. Lucas’ choice could scare Elizabeth away from building a romantic relationship with him.
During Lucas and Elizabeth’s conversation about the book-reading, Elizabeth mentions how her sister, Viola, gave her a copy of Virginia’s short stories. Even though we haven’t seen Viola since the second season, it was nice to see a former character being referenced on the show. Now, if only Elizabeth could reference her brother-in-law and her son’s uncle, Tom Thornton…
Before I start this When Calls the Heart re-cap, I’d like to remind everyone that Thursday, April 2nd, is the last day to cast your vote for the Best Supporting Actress of the 2nd Annual Gold Sally Awards! The next poll will be posted on the April 3rd! Here is the link to the poll:
It’s hard to believe that Jesse and Clara’s wedding is the third one that has taken place on When Calls the Heart. So many milestones have happened on this show in the six years it has aired on Hallmark Channel. From being the longest running program in the network’s history to its consistent ratings, the show has found so much success in less than ten years. But, like any show, When Calls the Heart is not perfect. As I mentioned in last week’s re-cap post, the creative team behind the program experienced backlash after Jack’s death. They also had to deal with the “Abigail situation” last year, causing the show to experience a temporary delay. Despite these flaws, the show has survived each situation. The fanbase has stuck by When Calls the Heart’s side and cheered it on, which helped keep the show running. There are both positive and negative qualities to this show. But since it has left a special place in the hearts of their fans, it has become a program worth fighting for. These aspects make me wonder if When Calls the Heart is like a relationship?
Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.
For the majority of the episode, Clara and Jesse make last minute preparations for their wedding. But as the day of the wedding approaches, Clara becomes more reflective toward the past. At the café, Clara shares with Bill that she’s been thinking about her deceased parents. Bill tells her that they would have been proud of her and he would have wanted someone like her to be his daughter. The current wedding also makes Clara think about her first wedding. The night before the ceremony, Clara shares her fears with Elizabeth about losing Jesse, similar to how she lost Peter. Elizabeth reminds Clara not to worry about “what ifs” and that the time she spends with Jesse is the most valuable part of their relationship. On the day of the wedding, Clara and Jesse’s plans for an outdoor wedding don’t work out, as it ends up raining for the whole day. In an instant, Elizabeth decides to host the wedding and the reception at the saloon. During a two-hour time-frame, Elizabeth and several of Hope Valley’s citizens come together to set up the venue. The wedding and reception itself run smoothly, with Jesse and Clara receiving the ceremony of their dreams. At the end of the episode, Elizabeth ends up catching Clara’s bouquet.
At recess, Robert approaches Elizabeth. He reveals to her that he’s been thinking about becoming a Mountie. This conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Pastor Zeke. Later that day, Elizabeth continues the conversation she and Robert started at recess. While learning more about Robert’s reasons for choosing this profession, she discovers that he plans on abandoning his education in order to start his Mountie training. Elizabeth suggests that Robert should spend a day with Nathan, so he can see what it’s like to be a Mountie. After Nathan agrees, Robert visits Nathan to gain insight about his potential occupation. While there, Robert believes that the prisoner who is currently in jail could be a nice person. Nathan warns Robert not to become emotionally involved when it comes to any Mountie related situation. The next day, Nathan and some of his fellow Mounties are in the process of transferring the aforementioned prisoner. During this transfer, the prisoner tries to escape. However, Nathan catches the prisoner before the event can cause more fear for the citizens of Hope Valley. After this event, Robert tells Nathan that he’s not sure if he wants to be a Mountie anymore. This is because he doesn’t feel he is brave enough to be a hero like Nathan. Nathan confesses that he doesn’t always feel brave and that when he was Robert’s age, he didn’t feel ready to become a Mountie. At Jesse and Clara’s wedding, Elizabeth tells Nathan that Robert has decided not to become a Mountie. She shares with Nathan that Robert wants to focus on his education and be a kid.
Even though the saloon looked visually appealing, I think the main story’s conflict was more on the predictable side. When Calls the Heart has done a good job this season what it comes to subverting expectations. I would have liked to see this same story-telling approach applied to Jesse and Clara’s wedding. As I mentioned in last week’s re-cap post, I was disappointed by their wedding taking place indoors. It makes me wonder why Jesse and Clara didn’t just receive a Christmas wedding in the first place?
I liked Robert’s storyline, but I don’t think it should have been featured in this episode. Because Jesse and Clara’s wedding was an overarching event within the episode, the episode itself should have kept its focused on the wedding. Robert’s storyline in the context of the main story felt random.
I loved Clara’s wedding dress! It had a different style from Rosemary’s and Elizabeth’s dresses and it suited Eva well! Like the previous two dresses, I hope Hallmark hosts a contest where the winner receives Clara’s dress!
What are your thoughts on Jesse and Clara’s wedding? Do you have any predictions on who the next couple to get married will be? Let me know in the comment section!
Before I start this When Calls the Heart re-cap, I’d like to remind everyone that Thursday, March 26th, is the last day to cast your vote for the Best Actress of the 2nd Annual Gold Sally Awards! The next poll will be posted on the 27th! Here is the link to the poll:
Taking things at face value is something that we’ve all done at least once in our lives. We judge a book by its cover, believe something for what it is, or quickly take someone else’s word. However, not everything is what it seems. False information may be passed along, providing opportunities for research and facts to come into play. Gossip and rumors can spread from ear to ear, but, more often than not, truth will prevail. Upon a second glance, looks can be deceiving. This episode of When Calls the Heart perfectly exemplifies everything I’ve just said. Several situations occur in Hope Valley that are easy to observe at face value. However, as you’ll read in this re-cap, the situations are not as they seem.
Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.
At the beginning of the episode, Elizabeth discovers that a lot of Jack’s clothing doesn’t fit him anymore. When Rosemary comes by to collect the clothes for a fellow neighbor, she sees how disappointed Elizabeth is. In an effort to cheer her up, Rosemary decides to give Elizabeth a bouquet of flowers. The next day, when Rosemary arrives to give Elizabeth the flowers, she discovers that Elizabeth is not home. So, Rosemary places the flowers on the doorstep with no attached card. Elizabeth is pleasantly surprised to find the flowers. When Bill pays her a visit and notices the flowers, he suspects that Nathan or Lucas is the culprit. Elizabeth, however, doesn’t make a big deal about the gesture. In his spare time, Bill tells Nathan and Lucas about the flowers, hoping one of them will reveal their secret. Both Nathan and Lucas are caught off guard, as none of them gave Elizabeth the flowers. In town, where Molly and Elizabeth have a conversation about the flowers, Ally overhears what they are saying. She also wonders if Nathan truly gave the gift. At Clara’s Bachelorette party, Elizabeth spends time with both Nathan and Lucas. She tries to figure out which man is responsible for the flowers. To Elizabeth’s disappointment, none of them seem to have given the bouquet. After the party, Rosemary reveals the she was the one who gave Elizabeth the flowers in an attempt to make her feel better about Jack growing up. Elizabeth is relived by this because she’s afraid of the idea of Nathan or Lucas falling in love with her being real. Rosemary tells her that it’s ok to open up her heart again. At the end of the episode, both Nathan and Lucas give Elizabeth a bouquet of flowers.
Throughout the episode, Rosemary is busy planning Clara’s Bachelorette party and creating Clara’s wedding dress. Her to-do list causes Lee to rethink his ideas for Jesse’s Bachelor party. Later that day, he meets with the guests to determine what will work. During the meeting, Lucas shares that he let the guests of the Bachelorette party reserve half the saloon. He also says the saloon’s chef will make the food for the aforementioned party. Because of this, Bill volunteers to make the food, with the help of Nathan. On the day of the Bachelor party, Jesse reveals that he’s nervous about getting married. He says that he’s afraid he won’t be a good enough husband to Clara. Lee comforts Jesse by sharing his past insecurities and reminding Jesse that his love for Clara is all that matters. At the party, the men discover that they’re not having as good of a time as they thought. Mike suggests that both parties should combine to become one big party. Every guest ends up taking this suggestion. As a result, everyone has a better experience because they’re spending time together. Lee also admits that Rosemary is more talented when it comes to planning events.
Before she left for medical school, Faith hired Molly as the Infirmary’s secretary. This decision was made in an effort to help Carson with day-to-day duties. While Faith had good intentions, they lead to undesirable results. Molly creates appointment schedules without informing Carson, she diagnoses patients with no medical context, and she assumes the worst with her own health. All of this becomes too overwhelming for Carson. One day, he tells Molly not to diagnose patients without his knowledge. At first, it seems like Molly understands what Carson is saying. But, at Jesse and Clara’s party, Carson realizes that Mollie’s feelings are hurt. Florence tells Carson that Molly’s secretary job is the first full-time job she’s had in a long time. This fact makes Carson see how important this job is to Molly. When talking with Carson, at the party, Molly shares her medical concerns. Carson tells her that, sometimes, people can get carried away with certain medical terms and conditions. He also admits that he should have taken a gentler approach to the situation. As Molly continues to work at the Infirmary, it seems like she and Carson have gained a better understanding of each other.
Because she misses her ride to the city, Fiona asks Henry if she can borrow his car. She tells him she needs to go to Benson Hills to pick up parts for Bill’s phone. After getting his permission, Fiona is on her way to the city. Just as she’s about to leave, Rosemary asks her if they can carpool to Benson Hills. Rosemary says that she also has to go to the city so she can pick up material for Clara’s dress. After agreeing to take her, Fiona and Rosemary start their journey to Benson Hills. Later in the episode, Fiona and Rosemary are on their way back home. However, their trip is interrupted when they experience car trouble. While figuring out what to do, Rosemary recruits the help of a nearby neighbor. When the neighbor arrives, he helps Fiona take the car to Kevin, while Rosemary takes the dress material and heads to the dress shop. Back in Hope Valley, Kevin tries to help Fiona fix Henry’s car. However, his vehicle knowledge is very limited. Later that night, they arrive at Jesse and Clara’s party. While there, Henry asks Fiona where his car is. She tells him that it got dirty on the way home, so she wanted to clean it before giving it back to him. Henry tells her that he needs the car tomorrow in order to go to a meeting. The next day, when returning the car to Henry, Kevin and Fiona confess that the car is broken due to yesterday’s events. After dealing with the brakes, Henry reveals that the car isn’t broken, but sometimes experiences brake related issues.
In this episode, Clara’s dress isn’t revealed to the audience. Even in the commercial for the next episode, only a part of her dress is shown. I like how the show’s creative team is intentionally waiting until the wedding to show Clara’s dress. It creates a shared experience for the audience and the characters, as most of the characters are going to see the dress for the first time at the wedding. It also reminds me of Marrying Father Christmas, when Miranda’s dress wasn’t revealed until the wedding ceremony.
Speaking of the commercial for the next episode, the footage made it look like Jesse and Clara’s wedding will take place indoors. If this is the case, I would be disappointed. Hearties have never seen an outdoor wedding on the show before, so this would be When Calls the Heart history in the making. If the wedding takes place indoors and if the writers knew that was going to happen that far in advance, then why didn’t Jesse and Clara receive a Christmas wedding in the first place?
I know that a lot of fans are invested in the love triangle that is taking place on the show. However, I’m personally not a fan of it. In stories, I find love triangles to be a waste of time and creative energy. Nathan and Lucas trying to win over Elizabeth’s heart has gone on for too long, lasting a season and a half. Honestly, I hope this gets resolved soon so the writers can move on to a different story.
Before I start this When Calls the Heart re-cap, I’d like remind everyone that Thursday, March 19th, is the last day to cast your vote for the Best Actor of the 2nd Annual Gold Sally Awards! The Best Actress poll will be re-posted on the 20th! Here is the link to the poll:
As I mentioned in last week’s Word on the Street story, the Coronavirus has heavily impacted the world. This has caused several movies and television shows to be postponed or delayed, including upcoming projects from Hallmark. While When Calls the Heart’s seventh season went into production last year, I highly doubt Hallmark knew how timely this episode would become. As I was watching it, I couldn’t help noticing the parallels between Hope Valley’s chickenpox outbreak and the current Coronavirus outbreak. There are definitely differences between these events, such as the Mercantile not running out of supplies. But the same ideas were found in the script, such as cancelling school and keeping a safe distance from those infected. Whenever a television show responds to a national or international crisis, an episode will be dedicated to the event after it has occurred. One example is when the ‘80s sitcom, Punky Brewster, created an episode around the Challenger disaster. In When Calls the Heart’s case, it’s very rare when a show’s episode arrives at the exact time and place when a real-life situation is happening. While I don’t think this episode was meant to reflect the world’s current medical situation, it does provide the show with a sense of relatability.
Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.
At the beginning of the episode, it is revealed that Opal has contracted chickenpox. When Elizabeth asks her class who has had chickenpox before, she discovers only one student has: Ally. This causes Elizabeth to cancel school until Opal’s illness has been cured. Because of Opal’s chickenpox diagnosis, an outbreak of the sickness takes place in Hope Valley. Other people find themselves with the illness, including Rosemary, who claims to have never had chickenpox before. Nathan and Lucas volunteer to warn elderly citizens and neighboring towns about the outbreak. Meanwhile, Elizabeth delivers homework to her students and does whatever she can to help Rosemary. She also tries her best to keep her son away from anyone infected with chickenpox. One night, while delivering soup to Rosemary, Elizabeth discovers that Rosemary has a dangerously high fever. Lee and Elizabeth, as well as Carson and Faith, respond immediately in an effort to bring the fever down. After applying “submersion therapy” and using any trick they know of to combat the fever, Rosemary pulls through and beats the illness. Another piece of good news is Faith won’t have to miss medical school due to the chickenpox outbreak. When Carson and Faith are finished taking care of Rosemary, Carson shares with her that if she left for Chicago the following day, she would arrive just in time to start classes. The next day, as Rosemary recovers from her illness, Faith leaves Hope Valley in pursuit of her medical dreams.
A man named Sean comes to Hope Valley in an effort to sue Henry. He claims that Henry lied about the quality of the oil at his petroleum plant. Henry and his silent partner, Lucas, deny this allegation. As Bill starts the process to have this case go to trial, Lucas requests a jury be present. Bill not only agrees to recruit a jury, but he also tells Henry and Lucas they have twenty-four hours to gather evidence to support their claim. After this meeting, Henry approaches Nathan and asks him for help with the case. Nathan agrees and takes a trip to Sean’s oil Refinery. Later in the episode, Nathan meets Cornell, the person who oversees operations at the oil Refinery. Nathan learns that Cornell had his own petroleum plant, but he had to sell it to Sean around the time Henry started his petroleum plant. After this introduction, Nathan takes a look around the facility. He meets Cornell’s son, Danny, who is seen collecting oil. Danny explains to Nathan that the oil is tested in a lab, where its quality is determined. When all of this information is collected, Nathan confronts Cornell and Danny about the case. Cornell confesses that he tampered with the oil samples from Henry’s plant. As he’s talking with Cornell and Danny, Nathan discovers that Danny was the one who tampered with the samples. The next day, Nathan shares this information with Bill, Henry, and Sean. Sean vows to fire Cornell and apologizes with Henry. Henry forgives Sean and chooses not to press charges against him.
Because of Lucas’ request, Bill spends the majority of the episode recruiting people for the jury. When Mollie and Florence find out about the jury, they volunteer to play their part. Bill informs them that jury members don’t volunteer for this duty. Bill successfully recruits Clara for the case’s jury. When Jesse asks why he can’t be on the jury, Bill tells Jesse that he might not be unbiased toward the case because he sued Henry before. Ned becomes another successful recruit in Bill’s attempt to form a jury. Eventually, Bill finds enough people to be candidates for the jury. He asks these candidates a series of questions to determine the right people for the job. A select handful of these people are chosen for the jury and are told by Bill to arrive at 9:00 in the morning. When the day of the trial arrives, every member of the jury shows up at the scheduled time. As they get to Bill’s office, Bill tells them that there’s no need for a trial because the case had already been resolved. Disappointed, the members of the jury return home.
I understand that the story-line about Henry getting sued was meant to give the audience a break from the stressful nature of Hope Valley’s chickenpox outbreak. However, I wish the episode would have just focused on the chickenpox situation. When I first read the synopsis for this episode, I expected to see how an illness outbreak could affect various people, similar to how grief affected the people of Hope Valley in the season five finale. While I still think this was a very timely episode, some aspects felt rushed because the main plot had to share time with the subplots.
Even though the commercial for this episode made it seem like Rosemary’s situation contained uncertainty, I knew that Rosemary was going to be fine. Hallmark’s programming usually shows characters finding solutions to their problems. Also, the creative team behind When Calls the Heart experienced a lot of backlash after Jack’s death. Because of these facts and because Rosemary is one of the most popular characters on the show, I didn’t think that anything unfortunate was going to happen to her.
In the scene when Elizabeth discovers Opal has chickenpox, Ally’s reactions were hilarious! What made them work was the believability that Jaeda brought to her role. Even though she has only appeared on the show for about a season and a half, Ally’s incorporation into the overall story has been one of the best things to happen to When Calls the Heart!
What are your thoughts on this episode? Do you think the citizens of Hope Valley handled their medical situation well? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
Before I start this When Calls the Heart re-cap, I’d like remind everyone that Thursday, March 12th, is the last day to cast your vote for the Best Actress of the 2nd Annual Gold Sally Awards! The Best Actor poll will be posted on the 13th! Here is the link to the poll:
In her opening monologue, Elizabeth says that in life’s journey, the most important aspect is the company we, the travelers, keep. Similar to season seven’s first episode, I thought about how Elizabeth’s words connect with the show. What I love about When Calls the Heart is how the overall story doesn’t focus on just one character. Since 2014, the audience has been introduced to a variety of characters, each of them serving a specific purpose. Some of these characters have remained on the show, while others have left after a short period of time. But no matter what their status is, each character has held a great importance to someone. As I write this re-cap, I wonder if this is one of the reasons why When Calls the Heart has lasted this long on television?
Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.
At the beginning of the episode, Archie is still in jail and under suspicion of theft. One Sunday, after Mass, Nathan asks Bill if he’ll question Archie. He says that questioning his own father would be too difficult for him. After hearing this, Bill agrees. When he questions Archie, Bill learns that a debt was owed to Archie by a man named Donnie. Archie reveals that this debt was paid after he had gotten out of prison. After the interview, Bill tells Nathan what Archie told him. Not satisfied with what he heard, Nathan travels to Benson Hill to learn what his fellow Mounties had discovered. At a local hotel, a Mountie tells Nathan that a witness claims to have seen Archie leaving the room that contained the stolen necklace. But, when Nathan asks the concierge if Archie had checked in, the concierge tells him that his father was given a room on the second floor. The fellow Mountie shares that the robbery took place on the third floor. Remembering what Bill had told him, Nathan asks to look at Donnie’s file. As he’s reading it, he notices that Donny has a known alias. When Nathan questions the concierge if anyone with the alias’ name had checked into the hotel, the concierge reveals that a person with that name was given a room on the third floor. After this discovery, Nathan tries to track down Donnie’s whereabouts. He eventually finds Donnie in a nearby forest. As Nathan is searching his bag, he finds the stolen necklace. This information is able to put Donnie back in jail and clear Archie’s name.
Ally is upset about Archie’s recent arrest. Because of this, she decides to run away to Elizabeth’s house. While Ally leaves for Mass with the Coulters, Elizabeth visits Nathan at the Mountie office. She tells him that Ally has run away to her house. When Nathan says that Ally might be overreacting, Elizabeth reveals that Ally’s suitcase contained all her belongings, indicating that Ally’s decision was legitimate. After Mass, Nathan tells Ally that running away from home was a bad idea. Ally says that she’ll come back home when she’s allowed to see her grandfather. Nathan refuses, so Ally continues to stay with Elizabeth. In the evening, as Ally is drawing a picture of her former house, she tells Elizabeth that the reason why she wants to see her grandfather is to learn more about her mother. Elizabeth reminds her that Nathan does have her best interests in mind. The next day, at school, Elizabeth discovers that Ally has gone missing. When Opal refuses to share Ally’s whereabouts with Elizabeth, Elizabeth realizes where her student went. A trip to the Mountie office later, Elizabeth finds Ally having a conversation with her grandfather. Upset with Ally’s defiance, Elizabeth reminds her of the aforementioned rule that she and Nathan had put in place. Ally then shares her concerns about her small family, saying that her grandfather is one of the only family members she has left. Toward the end of the episode, after Archie is found innocent, Archie leaves Hope Valley to take advantage of a new job opportunity. Before he leaves, Archie gives Ally a letter containing stories about her mother. Archie promises to share more stories through a series of letters.
Jesse and Clara continue to plan their wedding. Before Mass, Jesse asks his friend, Kevin, if he’d like to be a groomsman. Because he has never stood up in a wedding before, Kevin agrees. After learning this news, Clara is disappointed that the wedding party will not be an even number. So, the next day, she and Rosemary ask Elizabeth if she’ll be a bridesmaid. After Elizabeth accepts the position, Clara feels that the wedding party is now an even number. Over the course of the episode, Clara and Jesse ask some of Hope Valley’s residents if they’d like to play a role in their wedding. In an effort to help, Fiona shares some bridal magazines with Clara and offers to give wedding advice. Fiona says that she has stood up in several weddings, so she feels that her knowledge could be of use to Clara. This causes Clara to ask Fiona if she’d like to be a bridesmaid. After Fiona accepts this role, Jesse and Clara talk about how the number of people that attend the wedding doesn’t matter, it’s the people themselves that matter. At the end of the episode, Clara tells Bill that he’ll be walking her down the aisle. This is a relief to Bill, especially since he was worried about being left out of the wedding ceremony.
Faith is still contemplating the idea of medical school. One day, she receives a phone call from the president of the medical school in Union City. He tells Faith that, because of her academic record, she only has to take two classes in order to be eligible for medical training. However, in those classes, there won’t be an opening until next year. Feeling defeated, Faith thinks that it might be a better idea to wait a year. Later in the episode, Faith receives another phone call from the medical school president. He reveals that an opening for the two aforementioned classes is available at a medical school in Chicago. These classes will begin the following week. As Faith is still figuring out what to do, Carson gives her the medical book he used in school. After he claims the book brought him luck, Faith decides to attend the school in Chicago.
Elizabeth has finished some chapters of her novel. She gives them to Lucas so he can provide feedback. After he reads these chapters, Lucas tells Elizabeth that he enjoyed her work. According to him, the characters are strong, yet vulnerable. One character in particular has caught Lucas’ curiosity. He believes that this character, Luther Brant, could be based on him. When Lucas questions Elizabeth about her inspiration, she claims she made the character up. Several days later, Lucas meets up with Elizabeth at the Mercantile. He tells her that while he was reading her literary work, he learned that Luther was a widower with a daughter. Elizabeth tells him that he shouldn’t focus so much on who the characters are based on, especially since her story is a work of fiction.
While some of Hope Valley’s residents were given roles in Jesse and Clara’s wedding, I honestly thought that Bill would end up officiating the ceremony. I was expecting a conflict where the pastor couldn’t come to the wedding, so Bill would have to take his place. But the idea of Bill walking Clara down the aisle came as a pleasant surprise. When Clara told Bill he was the closest person to a father she’s ever had, I found myself getting teary-eyed. Once again, the writers of When Calls the Heart are doing a good job at subverting my expectations!
During the episode, Fiona approaches Kevin and asks him to fix her telephone station. Throughout this part of the story, they end up helping one another. When Kevin delivers the tools for the telephone station, Fiona provides Kevin with an explanation of what’s expected of a groomsman. Their interactions make me wonder if they’ll start dating by the end of this season?
In a Word on the Street story from last November, when I talked about the synopsis for When Calls the Heart:Home for Christmas, I said that Elizabeth has seemed more self-centered and entitled than in previous seasons. I also said that the show was slowly becoming “The Elizabeth Thornton Show”. So far, Elizabeth seems less entitled than she did in season six! What helps is how she’s put her time and energy into writing a book. Providing the other characters with equally interesting stories also solves this problem. I really hope this change can continue in season seven!
On WordPress, I’ve gained a reputation among fellow bloggers as being the “Hallmark expert”. While I personally don’t see myself as an expert in this blogging space, I do appreciate people’s high regard toward my knowledge of Hallmark productions. During my years of watching Hallmark films, I’ve learned that a good number of movies are filmed in Canada. Also, every scripted television show from the network either currently films in Canada or has filmed in Canada before. Production websites like What’s Filming and Creative B.C. continually feature Hallmark titles on their websites, with productions for movies usually taking place within a month’s time. Others have taken notice of this particular creative choice, with publications like Refinery29 bringing it up in one of their Hallmark related articles. But what causes the company to choose Canada as a prime filming destination over other locations? How beneficial is it anyway? This editorial will explore some reasons why Hallmark has chosen Canada as their best friend when it comes to movie and television production. Negative results that could be caused by Hallmark’s choice will also be discussed. Hallmark has filmed their movies in a variety of locations, but Canada seems to be their favorite.
Every movie or television show has a budget that a creative team is required to work within. If there is an opportunity to save money, any creative team is likely to take advantage of it. With the creation of tax incentives, certain states or countries can appear more viable to companies and studios than other locations. Canada first introduced their tax incentives for the television and film industry in 1995, with more tax incentives coming into existence two years later. While it’s unclear when Hallmark started to film their programs in Canada, recent trends would indicate the company first made this decision sometime around 2010. In the past few years, Hallmark has created more than fifty movies a year. These projects, according to Shane Snoke and Kays Alatrakchi from quora.com, can carry a price tag between $300,000 to $2 million. To figure out how much Hallmark would likely pay annually for their films, let’s look at the amount of films the company created for Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries last year. On the first network, Hallmark released 64 films. The second network aired 41 films. Let’s say that each movie cost $1 million to make. In total, Hallmark would end up spending $105,000,000 each year among both channels. With this big of a price tag, it makes sense for the company to look for ways to save any amount of money they can.
Because every province of Canada has their own tax incentives for the film and television industry, it’s difficult to determine the exact amount of money Hallmark saves on each Canadian filmed production. But there is no denying that wherever a movie or television show is created, Hallmark ends up saving a significant amount of money. The company can apply those savings toward other programs. One example of how this money could have been used is for the creation of Hallmark Drama. Coordinating a television channel is a time-consuming and costly endeavor. Because Hallmark’s third channel first aired in late 2017, it’s likely that Hallmark collected these funds over time in order to fund that project. Another time-consuming and costly endeavor are television shows. A deciding factor for a show’s renewal is whether its respective network can afford to keep it going. With three continuing series on Hallmark Channel, Hallmark needs all the money they can get to keep these shows running. All three series have chosen Canada for their filming needs. This makes Hallmark’s financial goals more attainable.
The longest running and one of the most popular television shows in Hallmark history is When Calls the Heart. Ever since the show about the Canadian Frontier first premiered in 2014, it has cultivated a loyal and devoted fanbase famously known as the “Hearties”. The success of the series has inspired fans to create a special event called “Hearties Family Reunion”. Started in 2016, this event gives “hearties” an opportunity to celebrate their favorite show. It has also given them a chance to travel to the show’s Canadian roots. Some of the activities that took place at last year’s event include a Q&A segment with the cast, a tour of the Hope Valley set, and even a special movie night. While “Hallmark isn’t officially involved” with the formation of the “Hearties Family Reunion”, according to Meghan Overdeep from Southern Living, Crown Media was one of the sponsors for the 2019 event.
One of the reasons why When Calls the Heart has lasted as long as it has is because of the community that formed among the fans. The “Hearties Family Reunion” official website acknowledges this by stating, “Hearties are a community”. To recognize this sentiment, regional mini-parties were a part of the schedule at last year’s event. These parties were intended to help fans connect with other fans from their geographical location. One example is a regional party dedicated to the fans who live in the Southern and/or Midwest regions of the United States. Based on the website’s photos and the continuation of the event, it seems like it has been met with positive responses. One testimonial comes from Ruth, who is the creator of the blog, My Devotional Thoughts. She attended the event in 2017 and even wrote an article about her experience. The focus of that blog post was to highlight her interviews during the event. By reading Ruth’s article, you can hear the enthusiasm in her writing. In fact, when recounting her time at the “Hearties Family Reunion”, she says, “I am forever grateful to everyone who worked to make this a weekend I shall never forget”. With responses like Ruth’s, I wouldn’t be surprised if this event returned in 2020!
Actors and actresses come from various locations of the world. When a state or country has tax incentives that benefit the film and television industry, performers from those locations can sometimes find success with the companies that film there. Hallmark’s decision to film in Canada has helped several actors and actresses grow their careers through their involvement in Hallmark’s productions. Andrew Francis is an actor from Vancouver, British Columbia. He made his Hallmark debut in the 2011 movie, Trading Christmas. In that nine-year time frame, Andrew starred in twelve Hallmark movies, had a recurring role on Cedar Cove, and is a regular cast member on Chesapeake Shores. Another British Columbia native, Pascale Hutton, has also achieved success through Hallmark. After her first Hallmark movie, A Family Thanksgiving from 2010, she has gone on to star in a total of twelve Hallmark films. Similar to Andrew, Pascale became a regular cast member on the aforementioned show, When Calls the Heart. She also made a guest appearance on Hallmark’s first spin-off, When Hope Calls.
Canadian actors are not the only talents that have developed on-going careers through Hallmark. Crew members who work behind the camera have also benefited from Hallmark’s partnership with Canada. Michael Robison is a director from Toronto, Ontario. According to his filmography on IMDB, he has been directing since the late ‘80s. Despite working with Hallmark for only three years, Michael has directed thirteen movies, including the upcoming Hallmark Movies & Mysteries film, Mystery 101: An Education in Murder. These opportunities have allowed him to grow his career as a director. Another Ontario talent whose career has excelled with Hallmark is Ivan Hayden, who is from the London area. A multi-talented individual, Ivan currently has twenty-six producing credits on IMDB. Fifteen of these credits are for Hallmark films, including the 2020 “Spring Fever” film, Just My Type. Like Michael Robison, Ivan has been working on Hallmark projects since 2017. Also, like Michael, Ivan accomplished so much in such a short amount of time.
Missed Opportunities for Other States and Countries
As I have been mentioning in this editorial, states and countries besides Canada may have tax incentives. This factor can encourage companies and studios to work in those locations. By Hallmark continually choosing to work with Canada, it means that other states and countries with tax incentives miss out on beautiful business partnerships. Michigan is just one example. On Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s official website, an entire division of the state’s economy is shown to be dedicated to the film industry. Hallmark rarely creates their programs in the Great Lakes state. Because of this, the state isn’t able to work with a well-known client like Hallmark. Hallmark’s decision also denies the company the chance to take advantage of Michigan’s tax incentives. This situation causes both parties to lose out on great business opportunities.
Even though Hallmark films a lot of their programs in Canada, there are few opportunities for Canadians to see these programs. That’s because all three of Hallmark’s channels are shown exclusively in the United States. Despite Canadian fans asking Hallmark’s business leaders on social media for access to their networks, nothing has been done about this specific situation as of March 2020. There have been some solutions made to alleviate this problem. Released in 2007, the Super Channel is a Canadian network that has given its viewers an opportunity to watch some of Hallmark’s programs. This is made possible through one of their divisions; Super Channel Heart & Home. Another current solution has been the invention of the streaming service, Hallmark Movies Now. This service can be accessed on various devices and through different media outlets.
As I just mentioned, Hallmark’s channels are shown exclusively in the United States. This means that businesses based in the United States have an advantage when it comes to product placement and sponsorships. One of Hallmark’s sponsors has been the coffee company, Folgers. Even though this particular product is available in both the United States and Canada, the company is headquartered in Ohio and was founded in California. This makes Folgers a United States based business. It also provides more opportunities for Folgers to advertise with Hallmark. Canadian stores like Chapters/Indigo and services like Pizza Pizza haven’t had commercials featured on any of Hallmark’s channels or their products showcased in any of Hallmark’s programs, as of March 2020. Hallmark’s partnership with Canada seems to have overlooked Canadian businesses.
There is no such thing as a perfect business. The decisions that any business makes are not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. Even when a business does make a good choice, it can sometimes lead to undesirable results. This is the case with Hallmark and their partnership with Canada. There have been positives that have come from this choice where both parties have benefited. Canada’s tax incentives have the power to fund the country’s economy and help Hallmark save money. But, after evaluating the pros and cons of Hallmark’s business decision, it appears somewhat one sided. So many of Hallmark’s programs are filmed in a variety of Canadian locations. Yet, Canadians are not able to watch most of the programs that are created in their home country. As I mentioned in this editorial, there are ways for Canadians to watch Hallmark’s movies and shows. However, they aren’t able to watch the newer productions from Hallmark, especially the mystery films from Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Hopefully, as time goes on, Hallmark will recognize Canada as more than just a pretty filming location.
Before I start this When Calls the Heart re-cap, I want to remind everyone that Thursday, March 5th, is the last day to cast vote in the fourth poll of the 2nd Annual Gold Sally Awards! The fifth poll will be posted on the 6th! Here is the link to the poll:
Life isn’t easy: plans can go awry and situations happen. Because of the complications that may appear, life can seem too overwhelming and out of our control. There are times, however, when some of these complications can be broken down into simpler concepts. That way, they have the potential to become easier to solve and manage. On When Calls the Heart, life isn’t about things always working in the characters’ favor or being care-free all the time. Moments of joy and peace can be found on this show. But it doesn’t shy away from dealing with problems the characters may face. Instead, the creative team tries to break these problems down in order for the characters to deal with them in a short amount of time. This episode of When Calls the Heart is a perfect example of this, with the citizens of Hope Valley trying to find solutions that benefit everyone involved. Maybe that’s why the town is called “Hope Valley”, as the idea of “hope” can help someone tackle whatever issue they’re facing.
Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.
As another school day ends, Ally asks some of her classmates if they’d like to attend a sleepover at her house. With the weekend just around the corner, Ally thinks this will be a great way to make friends. After school, Ally asks Nathan if she could host a sleepover at their house over the weekend, in which Nathan tells her yes. Later that day, Ally is at the Mercantile, searching for the perfect treat to serve to her guests. When Ally shares her concerns with Elizabeth, who also happens to be at the Mercantile, Elizabeth suggests that making cupcakes would make a good activity at the sleepover. After Ally and Elizabeth makes their purchases, they cross paths with a man named Archie Grant. While interacting with them, he introduces himself as Ally’s grandfather. Nathan quickly appears and pulls Archie away from the conversation, telling Ally to go home. At the Mountie office, Archie shares that he was recently released from prison and contacted Mountie headquarters in order to learn about Nathan and Ally’s whereabouts. Archie shares with Nathan that while he was in prison, he learned about his daughter’s death and about his wife ending their relationship so she could start a new life. Even though Archie tells him he has changed his ways, Nathan tells him to leave Hope Valley. Meanwhile, Ally struggles with expressing her feelings about wanting to meet her grandfather. When she tells Elizabeth how she feels, Elizabeth says that Ally should write down her thoughts in a journal. The next day, Ally reveals to Elizabeth that she ended up writing a list of the reasons why she should meet her grandfather. After Elizabeth helps her edit the list, Ally then reads it to Nathan at the Mountie office. Nathan says that he doesn’t want to see her get disappointed by Archie and his troubling choices. Ally, however, tells Nathan that he has nothing to worry about because he’ll be there to protect her. Even though he has been avoiding Archie for the majority of the episode and having reservations against him for destroying his family, Nathan asks Archie if he’d join him and Ally at the town’s barbecue. Archie agrees to attend the event with them. At the barbecue, Archie and Ally have a discussion about Ally’s mother. But just as everything seems fine, Nathan arrests Archie under the suspicion of theft. Prior to the arrest, Nathan received a phone call from a neighboring town. In this call, it was said that Archie had stolen a diamond necklace.
After eating a meal at the saloon, Ned is experiencing stomach pain. He tells Florence that he thinks the pain is the result of something he ate. When Florence shares with Molly what Ned told her, a rumor quickly spreads that the food at the saloon caused Ned to be sick. This rumor hurts Lucas’ business, as he is unable to make money from food purchases. Later in the episode, another rumor spreads that the food at the café caused Ned to become sick. Like the saloon, the café suffers financially because of this word of mouth. The aforementioned stomach problems continue to bother Ned. This causes him to pay Faith a visit at the Infirmary. Based on Ned’s symptoms, Faith thinks that Ned could be suffering from a gastric ulcer. Since Carson is out of town that day, she suggests that Ned drink cabbage juice for the time being. When Carson does return to Hope Valley, he looks into Ned’s medical situation. Just as Faith had speculated, Ned is indeed suffering from a gastric ulcer. When this news is revealed, Lucas and Bill try to figure out a way to save face with their businesses. They agree to host a barbecue where all of Hope Valley’s citizens would be invited. In order to advertise the event, Lucas and Bill recruit Florence to help them hand out flyers in person. They make this decision to help Florence learn from her mistakes. Meanwhile, Carson is impressed with Faith’s medical knowledge. After Faith shares with Carson that she had always wanted to become a doctor, Carson says that he believes she has met most of the requirements for medical school. He even tells her that he can find a way to make the Infirmary an official teaching practice where he can mentor Faith. At the end of the episode, Faith tells Carson that she’ll look into the offer.
Jesse and Clara continue to plan their wedding. However, these plans are not met with a warm reception. When Clara tells Rosemary that she wants to host an outdoor wedding, Rosemary tries to persuade her away from that decision. Even when Jesse suggests the pond as a part of the wedding background, Rosemary gives him reasons why that’s not a good idea. Even Lee finds himself giving the couple unwarranted advice. At the saloon, Lee tells Jesse that he should tell Clara what she wants to hear from him. But when Jesse follows Lee’s advice at the barbecue, Clara realizes what happened and advises Jesse to tell her the truth. Throughout the episode, Rosemary feels like no one listens to what she has to say. While expressing her feelings to Clara and Elizabeth at the café, Elizabeth reminds her that some people are not seeking advice, but for someone who will listen to them. At the barbecue, Rosemary tells Clara that despite them not seeing eye to eye on wedding plans, she agrees to support Clara and Jesse’s decisions. Clara uses this opportunity to tell Rosemary that she’ll be designing her own wedding dress and to ask her if she’ll be her Maid of Honor. Rosemary agrees to stand up in the wedding. Meanwhile, Jesse asks Lee if he’ll be his Best Man. Like Rosemary, Lee agrees to stand up in the wedding.
In one scene, when Elizabeth is telling Rosemary how sad it is that Nathan’s father is estranged from his family, baby Jack can be seen frowning right after this statement is made. Because his facial expression was so on point with this conversation, this scene became funnier than was likely intended.
The creative team behind When Calls the Heart did a really good job showcasing how word of mouth and perception can affect any business. In today’s day and age, the inventions of social media and the internet can play a huge factor in a business’s success or failure. Despite the differences in technology, the lessons of honesty, good impressions, and leadership are still the same. This storyline was relatable without trying too hard to be that way.
In my review of When Calls the Heart: Home for Christmas, I said that Jesse and Clara should have received their own storyline by getting married at Christmas-time. However, the more I hear about an outdoor wedding, the more I like the idea. Before Jesse and Clara got engaged, the two weddings that have taken place on the show were indoor ceremonies. While fans have never seen a Christmas wedding in Hope Valley, they’ve also never seen an outdoor wedding either. So, this would be a good way to change things up within the story!
Before I start this Word on the Street story, I want to remind everyone that Thursday, February 27th, is the last day to cast vote in the third poll of the 2nd Annual Gold Sally Awards! The forth poll will be posted on the 28th! Here is the link to the poll:
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.
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 17th. 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 5th, 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 2nd. 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?
A Canadian news source called Chek announced on February 25th 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.
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!
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.
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”.
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.
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!
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!
18 Cinema Lane 