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Reviews
When Calls the Heart: Rock, A Bye, Baby (2022)
Love Certainly is Special
So much packed into one episode as the season wrapped up for our favorite Hope Valley heroes and so much to love. Loved the 'bromance' developing between opposites, Lucas and Nathan. Loved the Canfields sweet making up. Was so sad when Bill's illness took him away, but glad that he got to see Elizabetn and little Jack before he left. Hopefully he'll be back soon. Was so happy over Rosie & Lee's news and what a scene where she delivered it!!! Bravo Kavan and Pascale. Loved the saloon fire scene and watching everyone pitch in, but my favorite 3 scenes of the evening were Elizabeth's tender words to Lucas post fire, (Erin's delivery was wonderful) Henry finding redemption - first through the forgiveness of Florence and then on his knees in a jail cell - Martin Cummins is a mesmerizing actor - and then the final scene where Lucas finally proposes to Elizabeth. Their love story is the best I've seen on TV and Chris McNally's nuanced performance as Lucas Bouchard is second to none.
When Calls is the best show on the air and this episode earned its 10. Please tune in!
When Calls the Heart: Recent Memory (2022)
The season is winding down but the action is picking up!
I have thoroughly enjoyed this season and have rated each episode according to its own merit, letting each stand alone. This episode not only stands alone but stands out as well. Full of romance, intrigue, action and surprises it kept me on the edge of my seat and touched my heart deeply. LOVE LOVE LOVE the family dynamic created by Chris McNally, Erin Krakow, and Hyland Goodrich in this episode. Some of the most memorable scenes in WCTH history. Theere was cool Mountie Action with Jack Wagner and Kevin McGarry and our villains, Wesley Salter and Paul Lazenby did a fantastic job at being dastardly. The mysteries that are unfolding are complex and enjoyable. As someone who has written or co-written 15 full-length mystery stories, I can tell you that surprising me is something that is becoming increasingly more difficult to do, and Allie Devereaux and the writing team under John Tinker have done it - much to my delight. I'm left wanting more at the end of each episode and mourn the fact that such a wonderful season will soon be at its end. WATCH THE SHOW for yourself. You will fall in love with it as I have.
A Tail of Love (2022)
A Delightful Tail
A Tail of Love was an adorable film with many touching moments, acted wonderfully by the show's leads, Brittany Bristow and Chris McNally. In it, Bella owns a dog rescue that is in danger due to the land it sits on supposedly being a part of other land that is being sold. McNally, as JR Stockard tries to help Bella, the shelter's owner, keep this from happening and romance blossoms. The chemistry between McNally & Bristow was great and their performances both tender and nuanced. At one point, they had me crying. The supporting cast was great as well. Jane Eastwood as Nana was everything you'd want a wise older woman to be and. Humberly González filled her role well as Bella's friend. And Stephanie Moore did a terrific job as the show's villainous, repeatedly making me wish one of the dogs in the program would go bite her in the rear!
Yes, the story has some of the trademark Hallmark characteristics we have come to love, but it's different as well. The story isn't just the same old story recycled and it has a specialness to it that makes it endearing. You can count on a happy ending, but the understated and authentic performances make it stand out from the pack. In short, this movie delivers.
If you love dogs, if you are fan of Chris McNally and/or Brittany Bristow, you will not want to miss this sweet story.
Oh - and in case you're like me and want to make sure no animals are injured in a dog movie before you watch it, you should be fine with this one as well. I really enjoyed it and live Tweeting as it went on.
When Calls the Heart: Hope Valley Days: Part 1 (2022)
So much to love for all Hope Valley Characters
This episode was full of every element that I love in a show. It had romance and drama, intrigue, humor, angst and ta little Hope Valley homespun nostalgia. There were so many scenes I enjoyed, but my top five (not in any particular order were)
1)LucaBeth 1- The story began with Lucas sharing his heart with Elizabeth about his dream of having a home and a family and a town where his family was known by everybody and they knew everybody. His dream was being there - in Hope Valley - with Elizabeth. (Melt!) If anyone has followed Lucas's storyline for the 3 prior seasons, they will know that he grew up an extraordinarily lonely rich kid. The idea that he has found his home and that the Tumbleweed has found a place to stop tumbling is beautiful.
2)Joseph & Minnie get a loan - so shameful that good, hard-working and generous people like the Canfields would get turned down on a loan to buy Abigail's over what appears to be racial bias. One of their friends secretly steps in to correct this but I have to wonder if that's going to lead to hurt feelings ahead. I sure hope not because the relationships are precious and the gesture was done only because it's what he would have done for any of his close friends, without hesitation and without regard to race.
3)Mei Sou - oh my, oh my, oh my! What on earth just rolled into Hope Valley. Mei's estranged 'husband' Geoffrey Lewis is here and stirring up all sorts of mischief for Mei as well as her relationship with Nathan Grant. We still don't know the full story but it's very clear that Mei is a fugitive from a narcissistic villain and I can't wait to see him run out of town.
4)Nathan learns to drive - or at least he got a driving lesson - or at least there was an attempt at a lesson of sorts, first from Elizabeth who planned to teach him by the manual and found out that her student was more interested in playing with buttons and going fast, and then by Lucas who never got a word in about driving, instead playing counselor over Mei. I really like the two men's developing friendship. They are complete opposites in many ways but both good men and McNally and McGarry play them to perfection. Krakow and McGarry were hilarious as well and I'm enjoying seeing an actual friendship without the triangle overtones starting to emerge. Yes, Nathan, it was a good thing that you and Elizabeth didn't get together because if you both acted like you did in that scene, someone would be asking that prisoner who always escapes from Granville prison what his best route was.
5)And fifth was the development of Mayor Mike who showed a lot of insigt and care when he counseled Faith concerning her career. He completely hit the right note, reminding viewers of his quiet contributions to the town's prosperity all along and inspired her to step out past her fear.
Beyond that, Rosemary and Lee, Henry, Bill, Robert, Anna, Gustave (even though his timing could be better)- they were all wonderful making this a very enjoyable episode.
Because we rate in whole numbers I'm giving this a 10. My only down rating would be about a half-point because sometimes it feels like clarifying points were edited out (such as what led up to Elizabeth's talk with Lucas about fear in the saloon) and the scenes are so short. If Hallmark would just make this show 2 hours long, that might solve the issue. I would certainly watch it because everything about this season is top notch. Highly recommended!
When Calls the Heart: Past, Present, Future (2022)
A Rewatch Was in Order
Prior to this episode, every episode this season received a 10 from me for various reasons. The first two episodes were setup episodes for the action that would take place. Episode 3 was a celebration of Elizabeth's publishing success and was a great episodes for many reasons - and the cliffhanger we were left with - oh my! Episode 4 was wonderful with the bonding it showed for Lucas and little Jack (played by newcomer scene stealer Hyland Goodrich. And Episode 5 was simply one of the best episodes the series has had, ending with an iconic scene which will go down in Heartie history. With that in mind, I went into watching this episode with very high enthusiasm and even higher expectations. When the episode was over, however, I felt disappointed.
I talked with several other Hearties who felt the same way with common words being disjointed, and confusing, too many things going on. For me, I was most disappointed with the portrayal of Lucas and Elizabeth's relationship - going from this gorgeous declaration of love in the prior episode to a short balcony scene where the couple have a brief chat, he kisses her on the temple and then leaves without saying goodbye so he can go to his office. Later, they have a decent conversation in the saloon in which Lucas tells her some but not all of the truth about his dealings with Wyman Walden, and then there's another cute short scene where he offers to drive her home. Again- after the prior episode's iconic and wonderful scenes, these did not meet expectations. Instead, we got a lot of scenes that were essentially filler (Ned and his peaches, FloMo and their etiquette lessons, Lee and his fisticuffs) that didn't progress the main story. And so, I was prepared to not rate the show at all because I don't want to drag what I believe to be the best show on the air down with a bad rating.
I'm glad I waited a couple of days to let it settle and then rewatched. On the second viewing things didn't seem as disjointed (though the editing can be choppy and leaves us feeling like we missed something we'd like to see) and I enjoyed it all better - including the "LucaBeth" scenes - though they still aren't quite back to the LucaBeth we fell in love with in terms of deeper conversations and longer romantic scenes. Episode 5 got us there but this episode felt like a retreat. Where are the romantic dates? The meetups in the library. The cozy couch deep connection? We love all the kisses (and don't want those to stop) but we want some of that depth and passion of spirit they shared where Lucas just knows her so well and she knows Lucas and steps up in the best way possible when she senses he needs her. Hopefully we get that this season. It is sorely missed.
The season began with the thought that Lucas doesn't need to do grand gestures. I feel as if that was responding to the critics who attacked the show, because so much of what Lucas did in the past was not a grand gesture but just a thoughtful one. Bringing Elizabeth tea in the library, bringing her flowers, remembering to put honey and lemon in her tea, flowers and an afternoon picnic after a hard day all show that Lucas is the king of little things in addition to big things (gifting a library or taking her to see Virginia Woolf in Union City). In season 10, the writers would do well to go back and rewatch the Lucas you created. Don't listen to those critics who won't like him no matter what you do. Listen to those whose heart he has captured and let him shine as the romantic, brave, kind, loving, vulnerable thoughtful man he is. And, again, give them some dates -just the two of them. We miss their library meetups and just taking time to be alone. We've gotten almost none of that this season but when we do get it - magic happens. MORE of the two of them alone together. It's a beautiful thing.
Lucas still seems a bit out of character given he's usually tied to his ledger and he's allowing a telephone equipment installer turned Barber with no real corporate experience be his chief negotiator in the sale of his shares to the oil company (which also means the Mineral rights to Hope Valley), but at the end of the episode, he seemed more himself - focusing again on what was right for the community and traveling with my favorite sidekick of his aside from Elizabeth, Henry Gowen. So, while I would have loved more of the episode 5 romance, depth and devotion I was left feeling good about where he stood.
Lee and Rosemary seem to be finding their way together and I enjoyed their interactions. He seems gung ho on changing the world and she keeps him grounded, which I like. Didn't like that he wrote a bad editorial on Mike (who has a great mentor in Bill) but in the end, Lee did the right thing & listened to his wife.
The mystery regarding Mei still continues and that has been intriguing. I'm someone who likes to guess what is going to happen and I haven't figured her out, which is good writing. Nathan's emotional response to her revealing his 'in confidence' fears was typical Nathan - wearing his emotion on his sleeve. But, I sensed something in Mei that may help fill her backstory (something we will know more of next week). I'm anxious to see this one opened up.
Beyond that, it was fun seeing the kids and the Ice Cream fight with Robert and Allie was cute (and silly). The talk with the two at the Mountie's office later was good in that it showed that Elizabeth is still a respected figure in Allie's life and that she and Nathan truly can be good friends. Contrary to some of the other reviews, there is no romantic chemistry going on here since Elizabeth is head over heels with Lucas and she and Nathan are moving on into a new phase of just friends. That said, we don't need so MUCH of Elizabeth and Nathan together. Every LucaBeth person thinks its too much and even some of the Nathan people aren't particularly happy. The scene between Elizabeth and Allie seemed unnecessary and could have been combined with the above mentioned scene or even better, given to Mei to deal with if Mei is to become that respected mother figure in Allie's life.
All that said, I did like the little look between Nathan and Lucas during the traffic jam. I think the two are becoming friends, with a little competitive sparring just to keep it interesting and Chris McNally and Kevin McGarry play well off of each other. The 'brotherly' affection is perfect for the two of them, and then if you want to bring Elizabeth into it, I'm for the three amigos. She and Nathan don't need to be best friends independent of that. Elizabeth's best friend is Rosemary and her lifetime love is Lucas so no need to force Nathan and her to be close with arm's length friendliness is fine.
In summary, there was a LOT packed into this episode and it feels like it will be a hinge episode tying the first part of the season to the revelation of the mysteries set forth to date. It's the first real sign of trouble in paradise for LucaBeth, though I know they will ultimately whether the storm, and it's creating the trajectory for Mei & Nathan's relationship, Lee's future purpose, Mike becoming the mayor he wants to be (and Hope Valley needs), and Bill as the strong presence guiding people through chaos. Henry & Fiona & Lucas are all finally on the same page and it's the calm before the storm.
After taking time to watch it a second time, I could see what the euphoria in the prior episode obscured and I enjoyed the episode. Marking it down only because I thought a few things didn't add a lot to the story and because a few elements seem out of place, such as Lucas's initial disinterest in overseeing the sale of his shares. But, I get it. He needed to be disinterested and distracted to set up whatever is coming - which I look forward to immensely. Still the best show on the air and I would recommend this episode.
When Calls the Heart: Journey into the Light (2022)
SO MUCH GOODNESS! WISH I COULD RATE IT 1 MILLION.
There was so much goodness in this episode it's hard to innumerate. Almost every major character had a poignant scene. Allie called Nathan Dad. Bill took over mentoring Hickam. And Henry & Fiona came to blows over her questionable actions regarding the oil company (which is likely to have ramifications as the season goes on.) But, my top three favorite scenes arcs by far are (in this order) Lucas & Elizabeth's continuing love story, The Canfields dealing with Landis, and Rosemary & Lee's relationship speedbump.
In reverse orrder:
1)Rosemary & Lee have become anchors in Hope Valley culture & are beloved, so when they are hurting in their relationship, we hurt with them. Rosemary suspecting maybe Lee might be straying seemed out of place, but its what many people do sometimes when feeling insecure. Minds go to worse case scenarios and beliefs are formed which may or may not be true. Happily, she finds in the most Hope Valley way possible that her suspicions were unfounded and rather than not want to be with her, Lee wants to be with her more! So sweet.
2)The Canfields are a delightful addition to our town and this week saw them inviting a man they did not like, Augustus Landis, to dinner. The end result was a beautiful changing of hearts (both with Landis and the Canfields). Perfectly played by the actors involved.
3)Finally, LucaBeth. My very favorite couple on TV and so full of chemistry that it's amazing, they did not disappoint. There was a cute (and slightly spicy) scene where Elizabeth asks Lucas to kiss her because she's so attracted to his dressed down look. When he does in the middle of the street, hey get caught by her former student! Such a funny scene. Lucas later tells her that he bought Lee's motorcycle and playfully kisses her cheek. I am loving the joy these two have in just being together. Another example was during their tiny spat in which they engaged in a pillow fight (which we wish was longer)
But the best scene of the evening, and indeed one of the best in the history of the show, was the final scene where Lucas & Elizabeth had a deep conversation outside the gas station after his motorcycle broke down during a race and he was forced to walk home. She greeted him with some water and he told her that she was right about his love of adventure and how he can be restless and hadn't stayed in one place very long his whole life - but he stays for her. She is his adventure. She is his passion. If that weren't enough, he then explained what she would have to look forward to "If we should marry..." Completely unexpected and so romantic. I just love it and I know you will to. PLEASE WATCH THIS SHOW FOR YOURSELF. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.