When Calls the Heart is a classic prairie romance set in the early 1900’s. It tells the story of Elizabeth Thatcher, a cultured young woman from the big city, who leaves her home, family and comfort to pursue her passion to teach school in a hard-scrabble frontier coal-mining town. Along the way, she finds adventure, hardship and love.
Based on the series of of books by New York Times best-selling author Janette Oke, When Calls the Heart represents Hallmark Channel’s second foray into an original scripted drama series. Starring Erin Krakow, Daniel Lissing, Lori Loughlin and Jack Wagner, the frontier drama is executive produced by Brad Krevoy, Brian Bird, and Michael Landon, Jr., son of legendary Little House on the Prairie actor Michael Landon.
Trailers
Awards
9 wins & 11 nominations including:
- Christopher Spirit Award Winner, 2016
- ASCAP Award Winner, Top Television Series, 2015
- Joey Award Winner, Young Ensemble Cast in a Dramatic Series, 2014
- Martin Cummins, Leo Award Winner for Best Supporting Actor in a Dramatic Series, 2015
Ratings
Hallmark Channel’s top rated original primetime series When Calls the Heart earns a second season renewal. Since its premiere on January 11, 2014, the series has consistently rated top five in its Saturday night timeslot and has been seen by more than 12.3 million unduplicated viewers. After its first ten episodes, “When Calls The Heart” is averaging a 1.5 household rating. The original primetime drama is Hallmark Channel’s second original scripted series.
(Source: The Nielsen Company)
When Calls the Heart sophomore season again captivated viewers: The second season of the original scripted series When Calls the Heart culminated on a high note, averaging a 1.6 household rating and propelling Hallmark Channel to the #1 rated and most watched cable network on Saturdays 8 p.m. time period.
— Crown Media Holdings Announces Operating Results for Second Quarter of 2015
When Calls the Heart: New Year’s Wish, garnered a 2.1 HH rating and 2.5 million total viewers. The premiere became the #1 rated program of the day, excluding sports, and made network history by becoming the highest-rated and most-watched When Calls the Heart debut among HHs and key demographics. Additionally, When Calls the Heart: New Year’s Wish was the #1 Tweeted movie of the week across cable and broadcast.
Elevated by the premiere, Hallmark Channel became the top-rated and most-watched cable network for the entire weekend among HHs in Total Day and has remained the most-watched cable network among HHs for 8 consecutive weekends.
Source: Nielsen, January 11th-January 17th; Nielsen SocialGuide Twitter TV Ratings.
When Calls the Heart, capped off a successful third season with the finale episode garnering a 2.6 HH rating and 3 million total viewers on a Live+3 basis, becoming the highest rated episode in the series’ history. The Sunday, April 10th debut also became the series’ most-watched episode among all demographics. In its 9pm time period, the episode elevated Hallmark Channel to rank as the 2nd most-watched network on cable among HHs and Total Viewers.
The third season averaged a 2.3 HH rating and 2.6 million Total Viewers with 3 day time shifting included, elevating the network to be the 2nd highest-rated cable network in the time period. Additionally, this season outperformed the season two L+3 delivery average by 23% among HHs, 46% among W25-54 and 30% among Total Viewers. Additionally, the finale attracted the most unique authors of any series on the network, becoming Hallmark Channel’s most social original series episode. The Hallmark Channel network also greenlit a 4th Season.
Source: Nielsen, April 4-10, 2016; Nielsen SocialGuide Twitter TV Ratings, 2/21-4/10/16.
Series and Fans: An Interactive Presentation
Credits
Executive Producers
Brad Krevoy, Eric Jarboe, Brian Bird, Michael Landon Jr., Jimmy Townsend, Michael Shepard, Robin Bernheim, Tony Blake, Neill Fearnley, Francisco Gonzalez
Directors
Neill Fearnley, Michael Landon Jr., Anne Wheeler, Mike Rohl, Martin Wood, Peter DeLuise
Cast
Erin Krakow, Jack Wagner, Pascale Hutton, Kavan Smith, Kevin McGarry, Chris McNally, Paul Greene, Kayla Wallace
Season 1 Writers
Sheryl J. Anderson, Brian Bird, Kim Beyer-Johnson, Ken Craw, Neal Dobrofsky, Tippi Dobrofsky, Cindy Kelley, Michael Landon Jr., Ken LaZebnik, Jon Nappa, Vanessa Parise, John Wierick
Season 2 Writers
Robin Bernheim, Tony Blake, Neal Dobrofsky, Tippi Dobrofsky, Andrea Stevens, Derek Thompson
Season 3 Writers
Robin Bernheim, Cynthia Cohen, Paul Jackson, Derek Thompson, Richard Manning, Josef Anderson
Season 4 Writers
Robin Bernheim, Cynthia Cohen, Paul Jackson, Derek Thompson, Richard Manning, Charles Lazer
Season 5 Writers
Cynthia Cohen, Paul Jackson, Derek Thompson, Paco Cleveland, Elizabeth Stewart
Season 6 Writers
Alfonso H. Moreno, Elizabeth Stewart, Derek Thompson, Annie Brunner
Distributor
Hallmark Channel, MPCA/BRK Distribution LLC
Watch It Now
Season 1
Season 2