Well, this is it. My Season 5 finale re-cap has finally come. Thank you so much for joining me as I wrap up the Sunset Over Hope Valley re-cap series for the fifth season. There has definitely been much speculation leading up to this episode, with Hallmark Channel keeping the details of it under-wraps. There were debates on social media, Hearties everywhere trying to guess what would happen in the finale. Some were preparing themselves for the worst, while others held out hope. Now that the episode has finally aired, let’s talk about the much-anticipated Season 5 finale.

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

Season: 5

Episode: 10

Name: Close to My Heart

Major Stories:

• Three weeks after Jack’s death, Elizabeth is still reeling from his passing. Her appetite has been reduced and she purposefully avoids places and things that remind her of what she has lost. To provide support, Abigail invites Elizabeth to join her friends, all of whom are widows. During their time together, the widows share their advice for how to move forward after such a loss. When Clara shares her story of how short her marriage to Peter was, Elizabeth gets upset because she feels she was cheated out of a happily ever after. Abigail reminds Elizabeth that when she came along to Hope Valley, all of the widows in their group felt broken. However, Elizabeth’s presence in Hope Valley gave them the hope that they needed to move forward from their grief. Later in the episode, the widows also share their favorite memories about their fallen spouses. Meanwhile, Elizabeth is informed by Rosemary that Opal hasn’t spoken as much as she usually does. Elizabeth meets up with Opal at Dottie’s Dress Shop and asks her what’s wrong. Opal reveals that she is upset that she didn’t get the chance to thank Jack for saving her life. To make her feel better, Elizabeth shares that Jack also saved her life, giving both her and Opal something in common. After this talk, Elizabeth shares with Abigail and Rosemary that she will go back to teaching. She feels that teaching in Hope Valley is where she belongs. The next day, the widows give her a blanket with hearts on it, reminding her that she will be wrapped up in love, no matter what happens. Shortly after this, Elizabeth becomes nauseous after smelling coffee. At the end of the episode, it is revealed that Elizabeth is pregnant.

• While Elizabeth is taking a leave of absence, Rosemary substitutes as the teacher of the school. During her time as a teacher, Rosemary not only deals with a very sad Opal, but she feels overwhelmed with her temporary responsibilities. At the lumber mill, Rosemary shares her feelings about her slipping self-esteem to Lee. While Lee suggests that the students need a break from dealing with school and Jack’s death, this gives Rosemary an idea of bringing the students to the lumber mill to make wooden crafts. On the day of the “field trip” to the lumber mill, Rosemary discusses ideas with the students of what they want to build. All of the students agree that they want to build something for Elizabeth. While Henry is teaching the students about wood carving safety, Rosemary notices that Opal is still upset. She immediately goes to Elizabeth and tells her what’s up. Rosemary decides to organize a meeting for Elizabeth and Opal to have a heart-to-heart discussion.

• The students of Elizabeth’s class are still affected by the loss of Jack. While Rosemary is still their substitute teacher, they are taken to the lumber mill on a “field trip” to get their minds off of the recent events. While talking with Rosemary about what they should build, the students agree that they want to build something for Elizabeth. During the students’ break, Cody gets an idea and rallies the other students into agreeing with the idea. When Elizabeth comes back to school, the whole class surprises her with a sign that they made. The class also decides that they want the school to be renamed the Jack Thornton School, since Jack helped build the school. Because all of the adults who were present at the school agree with this name change, the school officially becomes the Jack Thornton School.

Minor stories:

Because everything was centered around the death of Jack Thornton, there were no minor stories in this episode.

Some thoughts to consider:

• Though this was a good episode, the only thing that disappointed me about it was Tom Thornton’s absence, especially in the funeral scene. First, Tom loses his dad because he was a fallen Mountie and now Tom loses Jack almost the same way. I would be willing to bet that Tom would be traumatized by what happened. What frustrates me as a fan is that the creative team behind When Calls the Heart went through all that trouble to bring Max Lloyd-Jones back on the show as Tom Thornton for the wedding episode, but couldn’t keep him on the show for, at least, the funeral scene. To make up for the lack of Tom’s presence in this episode, I really hope that the creative team behind When Calls the Heart decide to feature Tom in the Christmas movie and give him a good-sized story arc. Also, did anyone else notice that on Jack’s headstone, it didn’t say “brother” and “son” on it?

• This episode has really divided fans, with some of them claiming that they are never watching the show again. I can only speak for myself, but I still plan on watching When Calls the Heart and the upcoming Christmas movie. I also will review the Christmas movie and continue with the Sunset Over Hope Valley re-cap posts.

• If Elizabeth ends up having a daughter, I hope she names her either Hope (because Elizabeth’s, as well as Jack’s, story started in Hope Valley) or Joy (because Elizabeth finding out about her pregnancy was her moment of joy in a time of grief).

• As I’ve mentioned earlier, I thought this was a good episode. I liked how it explored the different ways people can grieve. Everything about this episode was really well-made, the quality being on-par with the wedding episode.

What did you think about the Season 5 finale? Are you continuing to watch the show? Please share your thoughts in the comment section.

See you in Hope Valley.

Sally Silverscreen

This episode has got to be one of the most talked about episodes in When Calls the Heart history. It definitely has brought the Hearties together, being active as ever on social media. Because of this, people like Brain Bird (the executive producer of When Calls the Heart), Bill Abbott (the President and Chief Executive Officer of Crown Media Family Networks), and Hallmark Channel themselves have responded to as many fans as possible about some of the events of this episode. When you read this re-cap, you will understand why this episode has gotten so much attention. Since you’ve been waiting so patiently, let’s talk about the pre-season finale episode.

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

Season: 5

Episode: 9

Name: In My Dreams

Major Stories:

• With Carson’s birthday fast approaching, Faith decides to plan a surprise party for him. She lets everyone in on the secret and recruits them to help her plan the party. On the day of Carson’s birthday, Faith gets him a birthday gift, which is a harmonica. Carson appears to truly enjoy his birthday gift. Suddenly, Laura and Elizabeth come to Dr. Carson’s office to tell him that a foal is about to be born. This concerns Faith because she doesn’t want Carson to miss his own birthday party. Several hours pass and the guests at Carson’s birthday party wonder if the guest of honor will end up coming after all. Ultimately, Faith suggests they end the party early and pack things up. Just as the guests decide to take her advice, Carson shows up just in time. Everyone at the party is thrilled about Carson’s arrival, with Rosemary telling Carson that the whole event was Faith’s idea. The party seems to be a hit when Elizabeth remembers that her gift for Carson was left at school. On her way out of the Saloon, Abigail volunteers to go with her back to school. During their journey, a Mountie meets up with them, trying to seek out Elizabeth. After she identifies herself, Elizabeth asks if Jack has been hurt. When the Mountie says no, she demands to know if he is alive. She becomes emotionally distraught after the Mountie tells her he is sorry.

• A woman named Eleanor comes to Hope Valley to visit Lee. She is the widow of one of Lee’s former business partners. During her stay, she meets Henry and shares her plans of wanting to hire him for her growing business. He agrees to Eleanor’s plan, excited about the possibility of owning a business again. However, his inability to share details about his new job causes other members of Hope Valley’s community to be concerned, including Rosemary. Several days later, Henry finds out during dinner that Eleanor wants him to steal Lee’s customer records because she wants to build a saw mill in a neighboring town. Henry does steal the customer records from Lee’s office. Right as Henry hands Eleanor the files, Bill shows up to arrest Eleanor, also revealing that Henry was helping Bill catch Eleanor in the act. Impressed with Henry’s honesty, Lee offers him a promotion in which Lee accepts.

Minor stories:

• Jesse goes to Dr. Carson’s office with a hurt arm. Carson discovers that Jesse injured his rotator cuff and would need a few weeks to recover. When Jesse explains his situation to Lee, he is understanding to Jesse and gives him a temporary office job. This requires him to figure out the measurements of lumber and its financial factors. Though Jesse wants to do a good job, he struggles with the mathematics behind the work. Overwhelmed, Jesse asks Elizabeth if she will provide math tutoring for him, with Elizabeth agreeing. During the tutoring session, Jesse reveals that he didn’t finish the 8^th grade and he is embarrassed to tell Clara this. Elizabeth encourages him to share this with Clara as she explains that honesty is an important component to any relationship. A few days later, Jesse tells Clara the truth about his limited education, but Clara cares more about the fact that Jesse is willing to work hard and be a better person than he was the day before. Days after this conversation, Jesse finishes the work that Lee gave him. Lee is more than impressed with Jesse’s work and is happy everything worked out for the better.

• Because Robert’s parents are out of town, he is invited to Cody’s house to spend the night. Both Robert and Cody wake up in the middle of the night to get a midnight snack. They decide to eat a piece of cake, the same cake that Abigail made for Carson’s upcoming birthday party. While cutting the cake, Robert tries out a trick of only removing the middle part of the cake and putting the two halves together. This trick does not go according to plan, especially when the entire cake falls on the floor. They try to put the cake back together, hoping that no one will notice. Abigail does notice the cake the next day and eventually questions Cody and Robert about it. Both Cody and Robert confess that they destroyed Abigail’s cake, even though they had no intention to do so. To make up for their mistake, Cody and Robert decide to bake a new cake. They even pay for all of the ingredients with their own allowances, which means that Robert will be unable to purchase the kite that he was saving up for. Though they struggle with the directions of how to bake a cake, they pull through and finish baking the cake. It doesn’t look exactly like the first cake, but their efforts are appreciated. To recognize their selflessness, Abigail gives them the kite that Robert had wanted.

Some thoughts to consider:

• There has been a lot of speculation of Jack’s possible fate, especially on Twitter. For several reasons, I think Jack has passed away. However, I could be totally wrong and Jack may be fine. Just remember, anything is possible.

• I just want to say that both Jesse and Henry have come such a long way since their introductions on the show! As a Heartie, I couldn’t be prouder of these two characters!

What did you think of this episode? Do you think Jack is still alive? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen

Family: it’s the most common theme in many Hallmark productions. This is no exception for When Calls the Heart. The theme of family has been written into every season, including their movies. While this important theme has found a way to weave itself into the heart (no pun intended) of this beloved show, there appears that there is a good reason for it. Family and loved ones are what keep our favorite characters going, especially when the going gets tough. They support and look out for one another. The town of Hope Valley is basically a family in itself, where everyone truly knows their neighbors as well as keep their best interests in mind. This sense of family has even inspired the Hearties themselves to create their own family, even helping each other out by creating re-cap posts like this one. Speaking of re-caps, why don’t we talk about the fifth season’s eighth episode?

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

Season: 5

Episode: 8

Name: Weather the Storm

Major Stories:

• After the spoken agreement between Mr. Jenkins and Joshua Baxter, Abigail discusses her concerns to Mr. Jenkins about the possibility of Joshua led town. To ease her fears, Mr. Jenkins agrees to delay the deal in order for Abigail to persuade Greta to become Hope Valley’s investor. After this conversation, Abigail and Henry visit Greta at the saloon to tell her the news. Greta feels like she is being taken advantage of, even though Abigail does to best to explain the situation. Feeling defeated, Abigail talks with Elizabeth at her café about what she should do next. Elizabeth reveals that she has contacted Duncan in the hopes that he and his mom can settle their differences. Abigail thinks that reuniting Duncan and Greta is a great idea and supports Elizabeth’s plan. Several days later, Elizabeth and Abigail meet with Greta at the saloon. Greta feels that she is being pestered by others, especially when she sees Duncan. He explains how sorry he is for being negative toward Greta after his father passed away. To help Greta take a step toward forgiveness, Abigail shares how things were not perfect between her and her son, seeing no importance to all the negativity looking back on it. As a last attempt to reunite with his mother, Duncan introduces her to his wife and children, who are named after Duncan’s parents. Moved by this encounter, Greta chooses to forgive Duncan and accept his family as her own. This reunion takes place at the right time, as it helps Abigail to not only persuade Mr. Jenkins to sign the contract with Greta, but also to secure an investor in order to reopen the bank.

• Bill and A.J. prepare to their journey so that A.J. can go to jail. When Abigail comes to the prison to wish them both farewell, A.J. gives her the dress from her undercover “mission”, hoping it will go back to Dottie. When they do eventually go on their journey, both Bill and A.J. are stopped by a sudden onset of rain. As they hide from the rain with a makeshift shelter, A.J. tries to learn more about Bill, where she finds out that he has had an unsuccessful marriage. After the rain stops Bill discovers that A.J.’s horse is missing. Trying to make the best out of the situation, A.J. suggests that they both ride the rest of the journey on Bill’s horse. While removing a rock from his horse’s shoe, A.J. warns him of a rattlesnake close by. Bill steps in front of A.J. in order to protect her. This causes Bill to not only get bit by the snake, but also for his horse to run away. Throughout the day and into the night, A.J. tries whatever she can to save Bill’s life. The next morning, Bill wakes up, in a bad state of health, to find that A.J. has disappeared. When he calls her name several times, he discovers that A.J. left him in order to find help for him. Shortly after her arrival, Bill is given the anti-venom in the nick of time. Before he is transported by the Mounties, he shares with A.J. that he found a way to help her get a reduced jail sentence, giving her hope of a second chance.

Minor stories:

• One day in class, Elizabeth assigns her class a project where each group has to explain a specific part of weather. Harper and Emily are assigned to discuss wind. Toward the beginning of the project, Harper convinces Emily to build an anemometer not only because he claims she and Hattie are the best students when it comes to science, but also because Emily seems enthusiastic about this part of their project. Emily agrees to make the anemometer and ends up putting together the whole project. Several days later, Emily and Harper present their project to the entire class. When Abigail asks Harper about the project during the presentation, he appears to not comprehend the material. After class, Harper admits to Elizabeth that he let Emily do all the work on the project because he feels he isn’t good at science. Elizabeth believes that Harper’s actions cost him a valuable opportunity to learn. To give Harper a second chance, Elizabeth gives Harper an incomplete but lets him work on the project again. She even allows Emily to tutor him on the material.

• Carson’s sister-in-law, Rhonda, pays Carson a visit. While catching up, Rhonda reveals that she has a tumor in her brain. She tells him that she has heard that a surgery is available to remove the tumor, but very few doctors actually perform the surgery because of how risky it is. Rhonda shares that she came to Hope Valley in the hopes that Carson can perform the surgery, but Carson refuses because of how he lost his wife performing the same surgery. He writes to a doctor in a neighboring town, hoping that Rhonda will receive the surgery. Unfortunately, that doctor sends a reply to Carson, rejecting the opportunity to operate on Rhonda. Both Rhonda and Faith continue to encourage Carson to perform the surgery, despite his fears of losing his sister-in-law. When Rhonda develops a very bad headache, a symptom of the tumor, Carson realizes its now or never when it comes to performing the much-needed surgery. After several hours, Carson and Faith reveal that not only was the surgery a success, but Rhonda’s life was saved as well.

Some thoughts to consider:

• I really like how the writers of When Calls the Heart have developed storylines for some of the students in Elizabeth’s class. Ever since When Calls the Heart: The Christmas Wishing Tree, these stories have helped the Hearties to learn more about these precious characters. I wonder if another student will get their story told in the When Calls the Heart Christmas movie later this year?

• I noticed that Sarah Grey, the actress who portrayed Mick’s daughter in the Wedding March series, also portrayed Rhonda in this episode. She is now the second Wedding March actress to appear on When Calls the Heart. Do you think more actors from the show could appear in future Wedding March movies? So far, Aren Buchholz starred in Wedding March 2: Resorting to Love, making it a possibility for other actors on the show to make appearances in this movie series.

• Like I mentioned in my very first Sunset Over Hope Valley post, this episode really made an effort to bring up references to earlier seasons. When Abigail mentioned her deceased son, it felt like such a blast from the past. I also felt this way when Bill talked with A.J about his past marriage.

What are your thoughts on this episode? Are you looking forward to the next episode? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen

Even though Jack is, temporarily, not on When Calls the Heart, there were still exciting and concerning things that happened in Hope Valley. The business side of our favorite small town was the focus of this episode, whether it was determining the financial future of Hope Valley or introducing children to the fundamentals of business. I think this season-long story has been a very interesting approach that the creative team behind the show has taken. Come to think of it, I don’t believe When Calls the Heart has ever had a story like this that was not only told over the course of several episodes, but also affected the lives of the majority of Hope Valley’s residents (unless another Heartie knows something I don’t). Since we’ve gotten introductions out of the way, let’s talk about the fifth season’s seventh episode!

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

Season: 5

Episode: 7

Name: Heart of the Matter

Major Stories:

• One day, Mr. Jenkins tells Abigail that after an investor is chosen, the bank will be able to re-open. Two possible investors come to Hope Valley and meet with Abigail. The first investor is Joshua Baxter. He tells Abigail about the other towns he has invested in, giving Abigail a promising picture. When Joshua makes vague statements about the specific types of investments, however, Abigail starts to show concern. The second investor is Greta Preston. A resident of Hamilton, she has a good relationship with Elizabeth and her family. She also explores Hope Valley’s opportunities with an open mind. As the days progress, Abigail starts to wonder more about Joshua and his motives. She learns through Bill and A.J. Foster that Joshua has a shady history of negatively transforming small towns. Right before Bill and Abigail tell Mr. Jenkins the news, Mr. Jenkins agrees to give Joshua a majority share of the bank.

• When Bill walks into the prison one day, he discovers that A.J. Foster has decided to turn herself in. While trying to figure out A.J.’s motives, Bill realizes that A.J. thinks that they could start a relationship where she can begin a new life. Bill discourages any of A.J.’s ideas and focuses on justice being served. When Abigail visits Bill and talks about Joshua Baxter, A.J. Foster overhears this conversation and believes that she knows more information about Joshua than Bill and Abigail. After negotiating with both Abigail and Bill, A.J. agrees to go undercover in order to find out more information about Joshua. After A.J. pretends to be cordial toward Joshua, she shares with Bill that Joshua does not have Hope Valley’s best interests in mind.

Minor stories:

• After Elizabeth returns from her honeymoon, she decides to create a class project where each student has to observe a leader from Hope Valley’s businesses during a single school day. This project was inspired by the students overhearing their parents talking about the circumstances surrounding Hope Valley’s financial situation. During the day of the observations, Elizabeth checks up on her students as well as catch up with Greta Preston, who is an investor and a family friend of the Thatchers. During their conversation, Greta reveals that she and her son, Duncan, haven’t spoken in years. When Elizabeth shares this news with Abigail, she also shares that Greta’s husband passed away several years ago. While trying to keep up to date with the events surrounding the investors, Elizabeth starts thinking of ways to help Greta and her son.

• In class, every student gets excited about Elizabeth’s project. Each student enthusiastically chooses which business leader they want to observe. On the day of the project, all of the students spend their school time with Hope Valley’s respective business owners. Though the students learn valuable lessons throughout the day, Cody seems to enjoy his experience of spending time with Lee at the lumber mill the most. He even spends time with Lee after the project is finished. When Lee takes Cody to school, he explains that Cody was late for school because he wanted to hang out at the lumber mill and understand how a lumber mill operates. Lee tells Elizabeth that he can relate to how Cody feels because he had a father that was a traveling salesman, which meant they didn’t spend much time together. When Elizabeth talks to Abigail after school, she tells Abigail that Cody was late for school because he was spending time with Lee. Abigail comes to terms with the fact that Cody needs an important male figure in his life. After school, Lee asks Cody if he’d like to play a game of catch with him, with Cody and Abigail agreeing.

Some thoughts to consider:

• As grateful as I am that Tom Thornton came back to the show, it’s too bad that he wasn’t on this episode, especially since he’s a businessman now. It would have been interesting to see one of Elizabeth’s students spending a day with Tom as a tires salesperson. I’m guessing that it was not easy for the creators of When Calls the Heart to bring back the actors from the earlier seasons, including Max Lloyd-Jones (the actor who portrays Tom Thornton). I also think the creators probably put a good amount of focus on bringing these actors back specifically for the wedding episode.

• Where is this ice cream parlor Hattie and Opal talked about? When Calls the Heart has been on TV for five seasons and I don’t ever recall hearing about any ice cream parlors. I do hope that it can be featured either in the Christmas movie later this year or in Season 6 next year!

• Do you think that Greta’s son, Duncan, could become a new character on the show? With the amount of times that he was brought up in this episode, I think it could be a possibility. It will be interesting to see where this story goes and how it will affect Elizabeth.

What did you think of this episode? Do you have any predictions of what could happen? Let me know in the comments section!

Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen

I can’t believe we’re already half-way through the 5^th season! Time really does fly when you’re celebrating a wedding, saving a town’s finances, or visiting your favorite Canadian small town. The creative team behind When Calls the Heart has, once again, not failed us in providing stories that are fantastically written and engaging. This leads Hearties, like myself, to want to come back for more stories and see how they unfold for our favorite characters. The writing is just one of many things that make When Calls the Heart as special as it is. Now it’s time to talk about this latest episode 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: 5

Episode: 6

Name: Love and Marriage

Major Stories:

• Jack and Elizabeth enjoy their new life as newlyweds. The early honeymoon ends abruptly when they find out the bank is threatening to take away Jack’s plot of land due to legal contractual reasons. Mr. Jenkins tells Jack that if he wants to keep his land, he only has a few days to pay the bank. Elizabeth considers asking her father for some financial help, but Jack assures her that he will figure something out before it’s too late. One day, at Abigail’s Café, Elizabeth reveals her and Jack’s situation to Abigail. Upset by this recent news, Abigail confronts Mr. Jenkins and persuades him to let Jack keep his land. The bad news keeps coming when Jack shares that he accepted a Mountie assignment where he trains young Mounties, causing him and Elizabeth to be apart for two months. This destroys their previously planned honeymoon to Chicago. Elizabeth tries to make the best of the situation by suggesting their honeymoon take place during the trip to Jack’s Mountie assignment. On the morning of their trip, Mr. Jenkins shares that Jack will be able to keep his land after all, especially if Jack hands in his payments on time. Both Jack and Elizabeth are pleasantly surprised when they find out that Abigail helped to change Mr. Jenkins’ mind.

• At recess, Phillip and his friends are playing baseball. During the game, Phillip misses a ball that was aimed toward his glove. A few days later, Elizabeth notices that Phillip is having difficulty seeing the board. Remembering how discouraged Phillip seemed after the baseball game, she convinces Phillip to go visit Dr. Carson after school. When they visit Dr. Carson, he discovers that Phillip needs glasses. After receiving his glasses, Phillip realizes that his vision improved, despite dealing with some teasing. A few days later, Phillip confesses to Elizabeth that, after receiving his glasses, he started getting bad headaches. When Elizabeth and Phillip take another trip to Dr. Carson’s office, Dr. Carson shares with Elizabeth that Phillip has a medical condition called glaucoma, which causes blindness if not taken care of quickly. Frank later volunteers to take Phillip to the children’s hospital in Cape Fullerton, where he will receive the proper treatment.

Minor stories:

• Because of the lack of funding in Hope Valley, neighbors have been encouraged to donate unwanted items to those in need. A student from Elizabeth’s class, Laura, receives a coat containing a letter that was hidden in one of the pockets. She asks Bill to help her find the intended receiver of the message, especially since he was an investigative detective. After some persuading from Laura, Bill gives in to helping her. They ask almost everyone in Hope Valley about the letter, but no one seems to know who wrote it. While examining the coat, Bill notices that a piece of red hair is found on the coat. Assuming that it belongs to Molly, they ask her about at the Mercantile. Unfortunately, she denies ever owning that coat. In a last attempt to solve the mystery, Bill and Laura visit Abigail, asking her if she knows anything about the letter. Right when Bill and Laura are about to leave the Café, Abigail remembers that Florence’s husband wrote the letter before he passed away. After this conversation, Bill and Laura find Florence to present the letter to her. Florence is not only moved by this new-found sense of closure, she is also pleased with how her old coat looks on Laura.

• After Jack and Elizabeth’s wedding, Rosemary starts to become jealous of the couple’s relationship. She reminiscences about her wedding day and misses the feeling that came afterwards. Determined to overcome her jealousy, she decides to do small favors for Lee, such as making him lunch. Unfortunately, these good intentions don’t work out as Rosemary had hoped. Lee starts to figure out what is happening with Rosemary as she looks at her and Lee’s wedding album. One evening, Lee surprises Rosemary by setting up a candlelit dinner and presenting her with tickets to The Pirates of Penzance. He reminds her that even though they’re not newly-weds anymore, he will always love her.

• While Frank is staying in Hope Valley, he and Abigail spend as much time together as possible. During this time, Abigail notices that Frank talks a lot about his volunteer work with the children’s hospital in Cape Fullerton. Several days later, she confesses to Elizabeth that she feels Frank’s heart is somewhere else. When it is revealed that Phillip needs medical treatment in Cape Fullerton, Frank volunteers to take him to the children’s hospital. Before Phillip and Frank leave Hope Valley, Abigail accepts Frank’s decision to continue volunteering at the children’s hospital instead of staying in Hope Valley.

Some thoughts to consider:

• Now that Jack will be training young Mounties, I wonder if the storyline of Jack bringing a young Mountie to Hope Valley looking for “Christmas inspiration” will be incorporated into this year’s Christmas movie? Last year, this specific plot was a part of the official synopsis for When Calls the Heart: The Christmas Wishing Tree. I was so excited to see this story come to life on-screen, wanting to know more about the “young Mountie” character. Sadly, this plot was taken out of the movie, so I’m hoping this story gets a second chance at being told (especially since it makes sense with what’s going on in the series).

• I’m kind of disappointed that Jack will be temporarily absent from the rest of the season (again). When he left Hope Valley in the middle of the fourth season, the rest of that season felt like something was missing. I was honestly hoping that his character wouldn’t go on an extended leave this season, but I guess we can’t get everything we want. I just hope Jack can return in the Christmas movie later this year.

What are your thoughts on this episode? What was your favorite story? Please share your thoughts in the comment section!

Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen

Link to the When Calls the Heart: The Christmas Wishing Tree synopsis that I referenced in my re-cap post: http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/christmas/2017-holiday-movies-preview/20#listheader

I’ll be honest with you, there was a lot going on in this episode of When Calls the Heart. It felt like an episode before a season finale. This seems strange, considering that we’re about halfway through the season. But despite this, I thought the episode was engaging and entertaining! It asked several questions and provided some answers to them. This episode was almost like a mystery story, where the audience was given puzzles to solve alongside the characters. To answer this growing list of questions, let’s talk about When Calls the Heart’s most recent episode!

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

Season: 5

Episode: 4

Name: Open Hearts

Major Stories:

• At the beginning of the episode, Abigail tries to calm the people of Hope Valley as they fear for the financial future of their town. After this town gathering, Abigail is overwhelmed by the situation at hand. She reveals to Bill that doesn’t have a plan yet, but that she will quickly figure something out. The next day, Abigail talks to Henry at the lumber mill about the possibility of having him help to recruit investors in their cause. Henry turns down Abigail’s offer as he recognizes that his troubling past could cast a shadow on Abigail’s plan. Later in the episode, Abigail conducts a meeting in her office with all of Hope Valley’s merchants. She decides that until the bank can re-open again, all of the merchants will put customer’s purchases on credit. She also decides that if Hope Valley does acquire debts, she will sell a plot of land that the town happens to own. Before the meeting ends, all of the merchants agree to Abigail’s plan.

• Elizabeth notices one day that Jack is packing for an upcoming trip. Jack tells her that where he’s going is a surprise, leaving Elizabeth in the dark about Jack’s whereabouts and his experiences in the Northern Territories. During Jack’s brief absence, Elizabeth worries that Jack is hiding something from her and addresses her concerns to Abigail. Meanwhile in Hamilton, Jack pays Mr. Thatcher a visit to ask for his blessing. Mr. Thatcher expressed his concerns, at first, about whether Jack was a good choice for Elizabeth’s future husband. Jack successfully persuades Mr. Thatcher to approve of Jack and Elizabeth’s marriage, as well as look forward to their wedding. When Jack comes back to Hope Valley, he shares the news with Elizabeth, causing her to express happiness. Shortly after Jack’s news, she asks him to share his experiences in the Northern Territories. At first, Jack attempts to avoid the subject like before. But Elizabeth states that healthy couples are the ones that share their feelings with each other. This causes Jack to tell Elizabeth, later in the episode, about a tragedy he faced during his recent service as a Mountie.

  

Minor stories:

• One day during class, Elizabeth reveals that her entire class is invited to her and Jack’s wedding. She also shares that everyone will have a special role to play during the ceremonies. After class, Phillip asks Elizabeth what role he will get for the wedding. Elizabeth thinks that he would a perfect ring bearer, so she gives Phillip that responsibility. During recess several days later, Harper tells some other students that after his previous teacher got married, she resigned from her teaching job to raise a family. Phillip starts to fear that after the wedding, Elizabeth will abandon her class. One day, as Jack and Elizabeth plan to get eloped, Abigail tells them that Phillip has gone missing. Elizabeth knows that Phillip would go to his favorite spot near the lake, so she and Jack go to find him. When they do find Phillip, Elizabeth asks him why he seems upset. Phillip shares his fears to Elizabeth about the possibility of her leaving the class behind. She reassures him that Hope Valley is her home and that she’s not going anywhere anytime soon. As they return Phillip home, Jack and Elizabeth decide not to elope and get married in Hope Valley.

• Rosemary volunteers to help plan Elizabeth’s wedding. While it started with creating Elizabeth’s wedding dress, Rosemary recruits friends and neighbors to participate in planning the wedding. As the wedding comes together, Elizabeth feels that Rosemary means well, but has taken Elizabeth’s ideas out of proportions. Elizabeth is also concerned about the money that is going into the wedding, as Hope Valley is currently short on funds. Rosemary’s wedding planning obsession has also affected Lee, who tries to remind Jack about the color-scheme of the wedding. Jack tells him that he wants to wear his Mountie uniform instead of a suit. After a few days of feeling ignored, Jack and Elizabeth share that they want a simple wedding and that they will make all wedding plan decisions.

• At the lumber mill, Lee considers giving one of his employees a promotion. He asks Jesse if Henry is the right man for the job. Jesse shares his honest opinion, saying that Henry just started working at the lumber mill and that there are other employees that are more deserving of that promotion. Several days later, Henry and Jesse confront each other in town, with Henry accusing Jesse of having a personal bias against him. Clara happens to show up when this confrontation happens, where she stands up for Jesse. After this confrontation, Jesse and Clara realize that staying together as a couple makes more sense than being apart. They decide to continue pursuing their relationship.

• Sofia and Carson continue to stay friends as Sofia stays longer in Hope Valley. During their time together, Sofia expresses her concerns about still being unemployed. A few days, Carson gets a letter at the Merchantile, which is revealed to be from San Francisco. Right before Sofia leaves Hope Valley, Carson gives her the letter he received. This letter was actually for Sofia, informing her of a job offer from one of Carson’s friends. Sofia seems to be pleased by this news as she encourages Carson to visit her on the West Coast.

  

Some thoughts to consider:

• After this episode, there was a commercial for the next episode, where Jack and Elizabeth’s wedding will take place. I was surprised by this because I assumed that Jack and Elizabeth’s wedding would take place in the season finale. Now that it will happen halfway through the season, I wonder what the rest of Season 5 will be about?

• I think it was interesting when Henry told Abigail that she became a gambler when she was appointed as mayor. It reminded me of something Brian Bird, the Executive Producer of When Calls the Heart, said in his production journal back in Season 2. In this journal entry, Mr. Bird was describing how all the characters on the show were playing a figurative game of poker, where every detail needs to be paid attention to. Maybe our favorite characters will enter a second round of this continuous poker game, with no Heartie knowing how it ends.

What did you think of this episode? Are you excited for Jack and Elizabeth’s wedding? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen

Link to Brian Bird’s production journal entry that I referenced in this re-cap post: http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/when-calls-the-heart/when-calls-the-heart-season-2-production-blog/episode-2005-heart-and-home#listheader

My re-cap post for When Calls the Heart has finally arrived (just like Jack returning to Hope Valley)! I can honestly say that I’m glad Jack is back on the show. When Calls the Heart did not feel the same without him and it always felt like something was missing. There are other stories from this episode that sparked my interest as well. So let me jump right into talking about this latest episode!

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

Season: 5

Episode: 3

Name: Home Is Where the Heart Is

Major Story:

• Lee meets with Mr. Jenkins, the owner of a private bank, to talk about taking money out of the bank in order to make payroll. Mr. Jenkins tells him during the meeting that the money will be available later in the week because the bank was short on funds. Later, at the lumber mill, Lee tells his employees that they won’t get paid that day. Henry Gowan, after hearing the news at the mill, pays a visit to Abigail to share the troubling news. She tells him that she will talk to Mr. Jenkins about the town’s finances, even though Henry suggested to take the town’s funds out of the bank as soon as possible. The next day, Abigail catches Mr. Jenkins as soon as he’s about to leave Hope Valley. She asks him about what’s going on at the bank. He reveals that the bank has made some bad investments, but are trying to quickly get more money. Mr. Jenkins tells Abigail before he leaves that he hopes to get a loan from another bank and bring better news to Hope Valley. Toward the end of the episode, the majority of the town meets up at the local bank to figure out what’s going on, with Mr. Jenkins running into his private office.

  

Minor stories:

• Jack Thornton comes back to Hope Valley among a group of Mounties. When he visits Elizabeth’s class, he reveals that the conflict in the Northern Territories is resolved, causing him to return home. Jack avoids talking about the conflicts in battle whenever people ask him to talk about it. During his return, Jack decides to start building his and Elizabeth’s future home. At the lumber mill, when he’s purchasing the lumber to build his future house, Lee gives him a discount and refers to Jack as a “hero”. Jack insists that he’s not a “hero” and graciously accepts Lee’s offer. Several days after Jack’s return, Jack and Elizabeth make their wedding announcement official, with Abigail and Rosemary as Elizabeth’s maids of honor and Lee and Bill as Jack’s groomsmen.

• After Elizabeth’s class receives a donation of a printing machine, Elizabeth introduces the class to the concepts of investigative journalism by starting a school newspaper. Hattie enthusiastically volunteers to be the editor, leading the class in the effort to find the right front-page story. After overhearing Florence and Katie Yost talk about the possibility of the lumber mill closing, Hattie tries to write about Florence and Katie’s conversation for the front-page of the school newspaper. When she sees a rough draft of the paper, Elizabeth tells Hattie how honest investigative journalism involves getting facts from more than one source, as well as first-hand eye-witness accounts. A few days later, Hattie sees another student, Harper, at Elizabeth’s desk. Thinking that he was cheating on a test, Hattie decides to write about the incident for the school paper. The next day, Elizabeth finds out that everyone in her class learned about Hattie’s story by reading the school paper. Because of that story, some students in the class have labeled Harper a “cheater”. When Elizabeth and Hattie talk about the situation before class, Elizabeth shares that Harper was really writing a thank you note, thanking Elizabeth for letting him borrow some study materials for an upcoming test. Later on in the episode, Hattie makes an apology to the class for putting the story in the paper. Hattie also apologized to Harper and they both agreed to make Harper the co-editor of the school paper.

• Rosemary’s friend, Sofia, comes to Hope Valley to surprise Rosemary. On the day of her arrival, Sofia and Rosemary catch up on everything that has happened to them recently, with Sofia revealing that she has trouble finding a job, even though she has an official architecture license. Rosemary gives Sofia some positive encouragement to bring her spirits up. The next day, Rosemary, Lee, and Sofia go to Abigail’s Café for dinner. At the restaurant, Carson stops by to eat his pre-made dinner. Rosemary introduces Sofia to Carson and the two of them seem to get along. On the second day of Sofia’s trip, Carson and Sofia go on a picnic, where their friendship slowly but surely starts to develop. Later that day, when Sofia tells Rosemary about the picnic, Rosemary is pleased that Sofia is having a good time in Hope Valley.

  

Some thoughts to consider:

• Something that stood out to me in this episode was Jack’s unwillingness to talk about his recent experiences as a Mountie, as well as the irritation he seemed to express during the conversation between him and Lee at the lumber mill. This has led me to speculate that maybe Jack is dealing with some sort of trauma from his latest Mountie experiences, choosing to hide it instead of addressing it. This would not be the first time Hallmark has incorporated stories of military veterans dealing with trauma after their service; Cedar Cove, Chesapeake Shores, and Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Lost Without You have all contributed to the discussion of that issue.

• Like I said in my review for Wedding March 3: Here Comes the Bride, I don’t understand why Hallmark is obsessed with the planning-a-wedding-in-an-unrealistic-time-period cliché. The fact the Jack and Elizabeth are planning their wedding in two weeks reminded me of when Lee and Rosemary were planning their wedding back in Season 3, which felt really rushed to me. I’m kind of disappointed that Jack and Elizabeth’s wedding isn’t made a bigger deal in context with the show. Jack and Elizabeth (the lead couple on the show) finally getting married is exciting, but sadly, it doesn’t feel like it. I honestly think that their wedding should have taken place during a When Calls the Heart Christmas movie. Both Christmas movies that correlated with the show earned strong ratings and Hallmark has made several Christmas themed wedding movies in the past. If Jack and Elizabeth received a Christmas themed wedding, it might have been easier for the creative team to bring the actors who portrayed Thatcher and Thornton family members back to the show, giving Hearties a first glance at the interaction involving both families. Also, a memorable story about the spirit of Christmas and the themes of family could have made for a well fleshed-out story.

  

What are your thoughts about this episode? Are you excited about Jack and Elizabeth getting married? Please share your thoughts in the comment section!

Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen