When Calls the Heart - Trials of the Heart

"Trials of the Heart" is the the start of the second season of When Calls the Heart. When Elizabeth receives news that her mother has taken ill, she returns to Hamilton with Jack as her escort. Once there Elizabeth and Jack are reminded of their different backgrounds as they are surrounded by her affluent family and Elizabeth’s former suitor, Charles Kensington...and her unexpected first meeting with Jack's brother.

Back in Coal Valley, the trial gets underway in the town with a new judge and a new attorney for the widows who is not what they expected. Abigail meets a family member she was unaware of who provides the key to the outcome of the trial. Jack has to reevaluate his importance in Elizabeth’s life.

,

My Review: This new season brings new characters and some changes to the town. A couple of my favorites are no longer part of the series, but I am intrigued by new developments with the new characters and further development of some we were previously introduced to. There also seems more of moving on to a new chapter from the tragedy of the deaths of so many coal miners. The trial concludes, bringing some closure to people's lives and turning to a new direction. I did not love this one as much as I have those from season 1, but there were quite a few changes for me to assimilate. It's just my nature to be hesitant when new things come along. But, I have no doubt I will be drawn back into charms of this series.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this DVD from EDIFY MEDIA. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC 16 CFR, Part 255 'Guides concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising. I was not asked to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Keep up with news and other fans. You can search social media sites using #Hearties
Follow @WCTH_TC on Twitter
Like When Calls the Heart on Facebook
Join the Hearties FB Fan Page Group

When Calls the Heart - Season 2

The series is inspired by Janette Oke’s bestselling book series about the Canadian West. “When Calls the Heart” tells the captivating story of Elizabeth Thatcher (Erin Krakow), a young teacher accustomed to her high society life, who receives her first classroom assignment in Coal Valley, a small coalmining town where life is simple, but often fraught with challenges. Lori Loughlin plays Abigail Stanton, a wife and mother whose husband, the foreman of the mine, along with a dozen other miners, has just been killed in an explosion. The newly widowed women find their faith is tested when they must go to work in the mines to keep a roof over their heads. Elizabeth charms most everyone in Coal Valley, except Constable Jack Thornton (Daniel Lissing) who believes Thatcher’s wealthy father has doomed the lawman’s career by insisting he be assigned in town to protect the shipping magnate’s daughter. Living in a turn of the century coal town, Elizabeth will have to learn the ways of the frontier if she wishes to thrive in the rural west on her own.

We already know that Elizabeth has know charmed Jack and that they have acknowledged they have feelings for one another. There also looks like a possible romance for Abigail. And will Jack's former flame cause dissent between Elizabeth and Jack? Season 2 opens with several changes in the air...


Episode 1 – April 25, 2015 – “Trials of the Heart” Part 1 – Coal Valley’s trial gets underway in the town with a new Judge presiding over it. Elizabeth gets unsettling news from Hamilton regarding her family, and must return. Abigail’s case is presided over by an unlikely prosecutor. Elizabeth’s family meets, Jack. 43min.


Episode 2 – April 25, 2015 – “Trials of the Heart” Part 2 – The trial’s verdict is rendered by the Judge, which effects the whole town. Elizabeth readjusts to family life in Hamilton. Abigail is reunited with a family member. Jack has to reevaluate his importance in Elizabeth’s life. A new man comes to town with a prospect that can change the townspeople’s entire future. 43min.

I confess that I was privileged to preview the April 25th episodes of "When Calls the Heart" and I can guarantee that fans will not be disappointed. The drama, romance, comedy, suspense, and every other element essential to mesmerizing television is still present. I can't give away anything that happens, but I advise you to tune in. You don't want to miss a moment!

Also keep up with news and other fans. You can search social media sites using #Hearties
Follow @WCTH_TC on Twitter
Like When Calls the Heart on Facebook
Join the Hearties FB Fan Page Group

GREAT NEWS!! For one blessed winner, I have a Season 1 boxed set of DVDs, courtesy of Word Films. Many thanks to Word and to FlyBy Promotions for giving me the opportunity to preview the 1st 2 episodes of "When Calls the Heart" and for the boxed set to give away. This is a perfect gift for either a fan of the series or for someone new who wants to catch up. Enter by leaving a comment no this blog post no later than 10pm (CDT) Thursday, April 30, 2015.

When Calls the Heart: Change of Heart

The latest dvd to be released in the When Calls the Heart series is Change of Heart.

Synopsis - Jack (Daniel Lissing) gets Elizabeth (Erin Krakow) to agree to join him for a dinner date and lets her know he is interested in a courtship,  just as Elizabeth’s younger sister, Julie Thatcher (Charlotte Hegele), arrives in Coal Valley, surprising Elizabeth.  Julie is accompanied by Mountie Patrick O’Reilly (Ken Tremblett), the man who has come to replace Jack as the new Constable of Coal Valley. Jack had forgotten all about his transfer request, so now decisions must be made.

This is the episode that many fans have been looking forward to through the entire series. Jack and Elizabeth finally admit to each other (and themselves) that there is an attraction that goes beyond friendship. Of course there are twists and turns throughout the storyline, but these are one of the things that make this series so intriguing to the fans. Julie finds herself attracted to a man who may not be what he seems, and Mr. Gowen is showing an unusual interest in Abigail. As usual, the production qualities are above far, and the story engages the viewers interest...and leaves us wanting more!

DISCLAIMER: I was given the above mentioned DVD for review purposes only from Edify Media.  No monetary compensation was received.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

Pre-order on Amazon

Michael Landon Jr. – Director:  Michael Landon Jr., son of the late television legend Michael Landon, has been in the film business for over 25 years.  With two of the highest rated films in the history of the Hallmark channel, and several top ten releases targeted to the Christian market, Michael has become known for creating heartfelt, inspiring films that connect to the family.  He has developed and/or produced, directed, and written screenplays for Fox, CBS, NBC, Disney, Sony, Lifetime, and others.

 Brian Bird- Writer/Producer : Brian Bird is co-founder with partner Michael Landon, Jr., of Believe Pictures, a film and television production company.  He was co-executive producer and writer on the successful television series, Touched by an Angel.  Adding to Brian’s success, he had also written and produced episodes of Evening Shade, Step by Step and The Family Man.  Most recently, Bird wrote and produced Gametime, a two-hour television pilot for NBC, The Shunning, inspired by the novel by best-selling author Beverly Lewis, for the Hallmark Channel, and Not Easily Broken, adapted from the novel by T.D. Jakes and released theatrically by Sony/TriStar.

About Word Entertainment:  A leader in the music industry for over 60 years, Word Entertainment, a Warner/Curb company, is a unique, comprehensive entertainment company comprised of multi-faceted artist service departments including publishing, merchandising, booking, and online initiatives. Word Entertainment represents some of the top names and brands in music, including Meredith Andrews, Chris August, BarlowGirl, Francesca Battistelli, Big Daddy Weave, Jason Castro, Patrick Ryan Clark, Everfound, for KING & COUNTRY, Group 1 Crew, Love & The Outcome, Dara Maclean, Point Of Grace and Sidewalk Prophets and is home to 25 Entertainment, Word Distribution (representing Curb Records and Big Idea/VeggieTales among others), Word Print, Word Films, Word Music Publishing and Word Label Group’s Word Records, Word Worship and Fervent Records.

When Calls The Heart: Second Chances

When Calls the Heart- “Second Chances” is a feature length film from the episodes of the When Calls the Heart television series.  The When Calls the Heart television series debuted on the Hallmark Channel to more than 3 million viewers, making it the No. 2 for the night on all of cable for the primary telecast at 9 p.m and No. 3 overall in households.   Distributed by Word Entertainment, previous DVD’s are available to purchase in Christian Retail.

Synopsis-  As Elizabeth and Jack fight to restore their relationship, she searches for ways to help one of her older students learn how to read. Meanwhile, Adam Miller struggles to adjust to his new disability. With so many difficult changes affecting the community, can Elizabeth create a Founder's Day play that will spark hope in everybody's hearts?

My Review: Once again this multi-talented team has produced a high quality film with a storyline that draws you in. Hope and moving on from the past and handicaps is key to this film. Jack and Elizabeth finally decide to pursue a courtship, Abigail moves on to a new level of independence in opening a restaurant, Adam Miller (the only miner to survive the explosion) returns and his family must adapt to his diability, and Elizabeth works to help a student overcome a reading disability.

Watching as each character overcomes fears and failures and works hard to attain goals is inspirational and, not only teaches a lesson to the viewer, but entertains as well. A wonderful balance is struck between the drama and the humor and makes for a wonderful film suitable for the entire family.

 I received this DVD compliments of Word Films and Edify Media for my honest review. I was not required to write a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

When Calls The Heart: The Dance

When Calls the Heart - “The Dance” is a feature length film from two episodes of the When Calls the Heart television series. When new miners are hired to help with the reopening of the Coal Valley mine, the town decides to celebrate with a dance. One of those new miners takes a special interest in Elizabeth (Erin Krakow) and showers her with attention and poetry. With Jack's (Daniel Lissing) insistence that the life of a Mountie is too difficult to share with a wife, Billy Hamilton's (Andrew W. Walker) flattery tugs at Elizabeth's heart. 

In a side story, one of the widows (Laura Bertram) is also attracted to one of the new miners (Derek Hamilton. However, her son (Will Verchere-Gopaulsingh) is not ready to have another man in his mom's life. Tensions increase as she struggles to extinguish her growing feelings that equal her son's resentment.

The celebrations of the new miners, a dance and the Miner's Games is not the only cause for joy, though. Widow Carla Noonan (Jill Morrison) is expecting her baby soon. However, the excitement is tempered with trepidation since there is no doctor available. Carla has moved in with Abigail (Lori Loughlin) and Elizabeth has her time grows nearer, but will the women of Coal Valley be able to care for her when she goes into labor early?

My Review: Once again, this is a well acted and well written film that keeps the viewer interested and endears these characters even more. There are a few twists here and there that lend to the excitement of the story, along with the poignancy of letting go and moving forward. You must believe that Jack and Elizabeth will realize their love for one another, but will misunderstandings cause a permanent rift? Also, realizing the hardships many of our ancestors faced gave me a greater appreciation of my blessings. If you haven't seen the previous When Calls the Heart DVDs, you will want to get in on the beginning of the series. You will fall in love with the people of Coal Valley.
 
I received this dvd compliments of Word Films and Edify Media for my honest review. I was not required to write a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

 Like "When Calls The Heart" on Facebook

Michael Landon Jr. – Director:  Michael Landon Jr., son of the late television legend Michael Landon, has been in the film business for over 25 years.  With two of the highest rated films in the history of the Hallmark channel, and several top ten releases targeted to the Christian market, Michael has become known for creating heartfelt, inspiring films that connect to the family.  He has developed and/or produced, directed, and written screenplays for Fox, CBS, NBC, Disney, Sony, Lifetime, and others.

 Brian Bird- Writer/Producer : Brian Bird is co-founder with partner Michael Landon, Jr., of Believe Pictures, a film and television production company.  He was co-executive producer and writer on the successful television series, Touched by an Angel.  Adding to Brian’s success, he had also written and produced episodes of Evening Shade, Step by Step and The Family Man.  Most recently, Bird wrote and produced Gametime, a two-hour television pilot for NBC, The Shunning, inspired by the novel by best-selling author Beverly Lewis, for the Hallmark Channel, and Not Easily Broken, adapted from the novel by T.D. Jakes and released theatrically by Sony/TriStar.

About Word Entertainment:  A leader in the music industry for over 60 years, Word Entertainment, a Warner/Curb company, is a unique, comprehensive entertainment company comprised of multi-faceted artist service departments including publishing, merchandising, booking, and online initiatives. Word Entertainment represents some of the top names and brands in music, including Meredith Andrews, Chris August, BarlowGirl, Francesca Battistelli, Big Daddy Weave, Jason Castro, Patrick Ryan Clark, Everfound, for KING & COUNTRY, Group 1 Crew, Love & The Outcome, Dara Maclean, Point Of Grace and Sidewalk Prophets and is home to 25 Entertainment, Word Distribution (representing Curb Records and Big Idea/VeggieTales among others), Word Print, Word Films, Word Music Publishing and Word Label Group’s Word Records, Word Worship and Fervent Records.

When Calls The Heart: A Telling Silence dvd

When Calls the Heart: A Telling Silence is a feature length film made from episodes of the television series, When Calls the Heart. The series is the story of Elizabeth Thatcher (Erin Krakow), a teacher who was raised in a wealthy family but whose first assignment is a small coal mining town that recently suffered a tragedy that resulted in the deaths of many of the miners. Another newcomer, Canadian Mountie, Jack Thornton (Daniel Lissing), and Elizabeth have sparks flying with a few clashes but also a budding romance and friendship developing.

In this episode, young Rosaleen (Mamie Laverock) has not spoken since the mining accident which took the life of her father. Elizabeth reaches out to help her young student, and is highly suspicious of a man who seems to strike fear into the child each time she sees him. She brings her concerns to Jack and it looks like her fears may have been realized when Rosaleen suddenly disappears.

Jack is also busy investigating the suspicious fire that destroyed the town church. The pastor (Adrian Hough) is getting a lot of pressure from the head of the mining company about the drop in attendance, especially since the townspeople are flocking to hear Cat Montgomery (Chelah Horsdal) speak each Sunday. Cat lost her husband during the mining accident, and was one of the few who did not attend the memorial service. Evidence is building against her and even her son, Gabe (Mitchell Kummen) has doubts of his mom's innocence.

My Review: I love this series! The characters are people you get to know and love ( or loathe) as their stories unfold. There is enough drama, comedy, mystery, and romance to keep my attention, and leaving me wanting to see more of the story. This particular episode revealed new layers to one of my favorites, Cat Montgomery. (The actor who plays her son always stand out to me; I expect to see a lot more of Mitchell Kummen in the future.) There was much to be learned from the this storyline, but it was achieved through the art of telling a story and telling it well. Ken LaZebnik wrote this episode and it was directed by Michael Landon Jr.
 

 
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the above DVD for free from Edify Media in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Michael Landon Jr. – Director:  Michael Landon Jr., son of the late television legend Michael Landon, has been in the film business for over 25 years.  With two of the highest rated films in the history of the Hallmark channel, and several top ten releases targeted to the Christian market, Michael has become known for creating heartfelt, inspiring films that connect to the family.  He has developed and/or produced, directed, and written screenplays for Fox, CBS, NBC, Disney, Sony, Lifetime, and others.

 Brian Bird- Writer/Producer : Brian Bird is co-founder with partner Michael Landon, Jr., of Believe Pictures, a film and television production company.  He was co-executive producer and writer on the successful television series, Touched by an Angel.  Adding to Brian’s success, he had also written and produced episodes of Evening Shade, Step by Step and The Family Man.  Most recently, Bird wrote and produced Gametime, a two-hour television pilot for NBC, The Shunning, inspired by the novel by best-selling author Beverly Lewis, for the Hallmark Channel, and Not Easily Broken, adapted from the novel by T.D. Jakes and released theatrically by Sony/TriStar.

About Word Entertainment:  A leader in the music industry for over 60 years, Word Entertainment, a Warner/Curb company, is a unique, comprehensive entertainment company comprised of multi-faceted artist service departments including publishing, merchandising, booking, and online initiatives. Word Entertainment represents some of the top names and brands in music, including Meredith Andrews, Chris August, BarlowGirl, Francesca Battistelli, Big Daddy Weave, Jason Castro, Patrick Ryan Clark, Everfound, for KING & COUNTRY, Group 1 Crew, Love & The Outcome, Dara Maclean, Point Of Grace and Sidewalk Prophets and is home to 25 Entertainment, Word Distribution (representing Curb Records and Big Idea/VeggieTales among others), Word Print, Word Films, Word Music Publishing and Word Label Group’s Word Records, Word Worship and Fervent Records.

   

When Calls The Heart: Lost and Found

“When Calls the Heart: Lost and Found” tells the captivating story of Elizabeth Thatcher (Erin Krakow), a young teacher accustomed to her high society life, who receives her first classroom assignment in Coal Valley, a small coalmining town where life is simple, but often fraught with challenges. Lori Loughlin plays Abigail Stanton, a wife and mother whose husband, the foreman of the mine, along with a dozen other miners, has just been killed in an explosion.

The newly widowed women find their faith is tested when they must go to work in the mines to keep a roof over their heads. Elizabeth charms most everyone in Coal Valley, except Constable Jack Thornton (Daniel Lissing) who believes Thatcher’s wealthy father has doomed the lawman’s career by insisting he be assigned in town to protect the shipping magnate’s daughter. Living in a 19th century coal town, Elizabeth will have to learn the ways of the frontier if she wishes to thrive in the rural west on her own.
The series is inspired by Janette Oke’s bestselling book series about the Canadian West, and reunites Oke with Executive Producer and Director, Michael Landon, Jr. (back cover)

This is the first DVD of 10 in the series. Written by Michael Landon Jr., Cindy Kelley, and Brian Bird.

When Calls The Heart: Lost and Found is the first episode of a series that began on the Hallmark Channel Jan. 11, 2014. Based on the Canadian West novels of Janette Oke, but not an adaptation of the books. There was also a television movie that debuted last year that tied the 2 together a bit closer. I saw that movie and loved it. It also caused a bit of confusion at the beginning of this dvd for me since there was a change in the lead actress, a new Canadian Mountie, and the ending of the movie had been changed to reflect the new direction the series is taking. Also, a couple of other scenes from the movie had been reused with slight alterations. However, I quickly adapted and quit trying to compare the two.

The drama of a small town coming to grips with the disaster of a mine collapse and the deaths of so many

husbands, fathers, sons, relatives, and friends could easily become maudlin, but there are enough elements of comedy and romance to soften the harsh realities. While Elizabeth and Daniel may be the main focus, the story of the townspeople weaves through this a fascinating drama. The determination of the women to do whatever it takes to support their families and give them options, the children trying to adapt to their loss, and everyone in the town trying to come to terms with their new normal.

 The characters are well developed and each seems to have the determination and strength to get through no matter what comes their way. I do think it a little odd that even the weakest of them aren't more prone to give-up, but this is only episode 1. The character that I thought was the best written was the "villian" of the piece...the mine supervisor. There are times when he is does the wrong thing, but I felt that the very nature of his job would make him have to be a bit cold-hearted in making some decisions.

Altogether, really balanced storyline, characters that you will come to care about, delightful scenery, and you are left wanting to know more of the story at the end of the episode. The fact that my grandfather and a couple of uncles were coalminers gave this an additional fascination for me, but would have kept my attention anyway. Not quite a 5 star for me, but right at a 4.5. I definitely recommend this particular dvd, and I am sure that the others will live up to the hope I have for this series.

Thank you to Edify Media and Word Entertainment for providing me with a copy of this dvd for review purposes. No expectations were given for a good review, and only an honest one was promised.

Like "When Calls The Heart" on Facebook