Hearties’ Favorite Characters Dazzle in ‘When Calls the Heart’ Season 3

Ready for the Season Three premiere of When Calls the Heart? Hallmark.com provides the latest updates for this popular series with many extra videos of interviews, season’s greetings, behind-the-scenes and more.

The When Calls the Heart family series follows Elizabeth Thatcher, a young school teacher from a wealthy Eastern family, after she moves from the big city to teach school in a small coal mining town in the west. It is one of the best family series on television. Season One and Two are available on DVD, as well as streaming. The new season three episodes will begin airing this Sunday!

Michael Landon Jr., along with Brian Bird et al produces this television series, set in the Canadian frontier. Like his father before him, Michael Landon Jr.’s produces the best in television programs that deal with timeless, universal themes: faith in the midst of tragedy, hope despite loss, community that heals the broken hearted, and the power of inner strength to overcome obstacles. TheWhen Calls the Heart Series, based on the work of renowned author Janette Oke (also the writer of the popular “Love Comes Softly” series), has universal and timeless appeal.

Brian Bird with Erin Krakow and Lori Loughlin on the set of ‘When Calls the Heart.’

“When Calls the Heart has a passionate loyal fan base in the television landscape and their devotion to the captivating storylines and characters has made this series grow with outstanding ratings and top social media engagement,” said Michelle Vicary, Crown Media’s Executive Vice President of Programming. “We are incredibly proud of the series’ success and …to bringing families…together…” The Hearties, maintain their own Web site with ongoing information, photos, videos and more.

Many viewers, especially the “Hearties” are anticipating Season Three in February 2016. When Calls the Heart follows the development of Elizabeth Thatcher, a young school teacher from a wealthy Eastern family who has come to teach school in the small coal mining town. The first season also deals with the development and growth of other characters and relationships, as they all learn to cope with suffering and hardships but find that inner strength of character develops in and among themselves. In Season Two, the town with its promise of new beginnings, is renamed Hope Valley. Season One and Two can be seen on DVD and streaming.

When Calls the Heart is an American-Canadian television drama series, based on Janette Oke’s book When Calls the Heart, which is part of her Canadian West Series. The television series, which has been developed by Michael Landon, Jr., began airing on the Hallmark Channel in the United States and on the Super Channel in Canada in 2014.

Daniel Lissing as Jack; Photo Courtesy of The Hallmark Channel.

The storyline in When Calls the Heart follows Elizabeth Thatcher (Eric Krakow), who is a young teacher accustomed to affluent, high-society life. She receives her first teaching assignment in Coal Valley, which is a small coal-mining town in Western Canada. Life is simple there with no indoor plumbing or electricity. Slowly Elizabeth earns the friendship, respect, and support of most everyone in Coal Valley, except initially from the Royal North West Mounted Police Constable, Jack Thornton (Daniel Lissing). He first thinks that Thatcher’s wealthy father has assigned him to the town to protect his daughter and is not pleased about that.

Living in this 1910 coal town, Elizabeth learns the ways of the Canadian frontier movement to survive and serve in the rural west on her own. Lori Loughlin beautifully plays Abigail Stanton, who is the strong hub of the town. Abigail has lost her husband (the foreman of the mine) and her only son in the town’s mine recent explosion, along with a dozen other miners.

A primary concern and question about the tragedy is about who has been responsible. The newly widowed women find faith and develop strength of character individually and collectively. They first go to work in the mine to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table, and to provide wages for the town’s teacher. Their sons and daughters also grow and develop in character as role models. Further, the surviving men in the community develop in character and as role models.

Lori Loughlin plays Mrs. Stanton; Photo Courtesy of The Hallmark Channel.

Movieguide states, “When Calls the Heart as an entertaining television show with a strong Christian, moral worldview. The whole family can sit down and watch this show together, be entertained, and know that their faith and values won’t be offended.”

In an interview with Sonoma Christian Home, Erin Krakow personally conveyed the same of kind of grace, strength and respect for strong women that she displays in her character Elizabeth Thatcher in this series.

In the delightful interview, Erin has been enthusiastic about her ongoing portrayal of the leading female character in the series. She has been working on the third season this fall in beautiful, albeit cold and rainy Vancouver, Canada. At this point, the first two seasons of 10 episodes each can be viewed via streaming or are each available individually and in boxed sets on DVD.

Erin has shared how supporters, directors, cast, as well as crew, have motivated her to joyfully continue with the third season. She has shared how the supporters, called “Hearties,” have shown a loyal devotion to the series. She has also shared how much she enjoys with the directors, cast and crew. She counts it a privilege to continue work on this series. Erin has loved interacting with the Hearties on social media and in person. They have given her motivation to give her best to the series.

‘When Calls the Heart’ tells the captivating story of Elizabeth Thatcher, a young teacher accustomed to her high society life living in Coal Valley; Photo Courtesy of The Hallmark Channel.

Through her involvement with supporters, Erin has come to see that part of what drives the Hearties’ enthusiasm for the series it is that it is appropriate, safe, inspirational programming that they can safely watch with their whole families. The Hearties value the inspirational, wholesome, uplifting episodes that are without inappropriate content. They are grateful for the family values in the series.

Erin has shared how she values the depiction of women in the series. She has told how in the storyline, after women in the coal mining community lose their husbands, they learn how to stand up for themselves, to support each other, and to build a strong community. The other women help Elizabeth (the school teacher that Erin plays) to grow up, find self-respect, and humility. She and the other women convey grace, inner strength, and friendship in the midst of hardship.

Erin, as the school teacher, believes that her character and that of the other women serve as role models for young women. Erin has told how the women in the series are lovely despite their struggling economic conditions. Erin sees them as women who also display physical strength and inner character.

Pascale Hutton as Rosemary;Photo Courtesy of The Hallmark Channel.

Pascalle Hutton, who plays delightfully plays Rosemary in the series has also given Austin Movie Examiner a charming exclusive interview. Pascalle Hutton plays the spunky, multi-talented, adorable former fiancée to leading man and Mountie, Jack Thornton, played by Daniel Lissing.

In Season One, viewers are introduced to Rosemary who always takes center stage as she jumps on and rides a horse; skillfully shoots a gun; entertains with her performances and more. Pascalle, in the exclusive interview with Austin Movie Examiner, has shared insights about the continuing development of Rosemary, who like others grows in character and relationships.

Pascalle has told in this interview that her character, like other characters in the series, is multi-dimensional, multi-faceted as she becomes more grounded and real, as she learns to value community. Rosemary has come from a glitzy stage background to the coal mining community in pursuit of Jack Thornton, who has been drawn to leading character, Elizabeth Thatcher, who has also been growing in internal strength.

Like Krakow, Hutton believes that this series is valuable for whole families who can all enjoy it without inappropriate content. Pascalle Hutton believes that the series is not only valuable as family entertainment but that it helps families to process how to get through hardships and suffering, especially with the strength of relationships in and among the families of the community.

Pascalle has also expressed appreciation for the strong women in this series. These women are tested by adversity and loss, but they persevere and grow in strength of character and relationships. (The men in this series also develop in character.)

Further, in an exclusive interview with Austin Movie Examiner, Martin Cummins, who plays Henry Gowen, the adversarial coal mining manager in “When Calls the Heart,” provides some insights as to how his nemesis character will develop in Season Three. Martin suggests that his character may become more humanized as his back story is revealed.

He has shared how he often plays the villain role in stories but that this is necessary to move and build the stories. He has shared how he has appreciated playing the role of Henry Gowen for three seasons in When Calls the Heart.

He has said that in Season Three viewers will see how his character is more than a hard-hearted business guy and that he wants relationships. He thinks that viewers are likely to become more sympathetic towards Henry Gowen, as they learn his back story of how he has been hurt and why he has become bitter. As with the other characters, viewers will likely see Gowen develop and grow.

Martin has told that this series that is set in a small town with its intergenerational stories and history of developing relationships has been refreshing for him as an actor. He appreciates and values this family series, which the whole family can watch together.

He, like Erin and Pascalle, thinks the series deals with tough realities but processes them in ways that are positive and constructive. He, like his cast mates, thinks it deals with universal, timeless, and relevant themes of overcoming hardship to experience redemption, reconciliation, and renewal. Cummins believes Hallmark produces good shows about simpler times and relationships. He thinks these shows are valuable as they fill the vacuum for good, family programming.