When Calls the Heart Exec Reveals His Wish For the Show’s Future — ‘Anything Is Possible!’
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Even before Season 11 of When Calls the Heart finished airing, news began to spread that the show had been picked up for another year. This was, of course, good news for fans of the Hallmark series. But it also leaves them wondering how much life the show has left and when it might come to an end.
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While the show has, from episode one, been centered on Elizabeth Thatcher (as played by Erin Krakow), the citizens of Hope Valley have become increasingly important over the years. Now, as executive producer Brian Bird told us during a recent chat, “there’s a life [to the show] that’s bigger than any of the individual characters.”
In fact, he’d love nothing more than to see the show run as long as The Simpsons, which is currently prepping its 36th season! “There’s a strong enough fan base to follow this show for quite a long time.”
While it might seem hard to imagine the show lasting three decades, it’s worth noting that When Calls the Heart is, at the end of the day, a soap opera. While much of the drama revolves around Elizabeth’s love life, there are plenty of other stories unfolding at the same time.
For example, Season 10 ended with Elizabeth’s newly-dumped ex, Lucas, being shot shortly after becoming governor. Much of Season 11 focused on solving the mystery of who pulled the trigger, eventually leading to the stunning reveal — stop reading now if you aren’t caught up! — that his scheming ex girlfriend, Jeanette, was actually the notorious (and supposedly male) rum runner Casimir Shaw! It was a twist more stunning than any recent development on the drama-adverse Young & Restless, and unlike much of what occurs on Bold & Beautiful, it actually made sense!
And in true soap opera fashion, the final episode of Season 11 revolves around the wedding of a much-loved couple, complete with all the tropes you’d expect of a serialized show, including surprise guests, a bit of drama surrounding the event itself and, this being the finale, a cliffhanger or two.
When Calls the Heart: Canadian West, Book 1 by Janette Oke
Best of all, fans have no fears of the show leaving them hanging, as it has already been renewed for Season 12. And although there’s still a long, long way to go to reach Bird’s vision of When Calls the Heart‘s episode count surpassing that of The Simpsons, it seems safe to say that, as one of Hallmark’s most successful offerings, it won’t be ending anytime soon.
In fact, much as nobody wants to see Krakow or her beloved alter ego exit Hope Valley, Bird admits that the stories could not only go on, but be expanded in the same way that shows such as Law & Order and NCIS have successfully spawned spinoffs. (You can hear all of his thoughts in that regard by listening to his full interview below.) Already, the show served as a launching pad for When Hope Calls, which followed the story of orphaned sisters separated as children but reunited as adults and starting a new life. While the show — spun off a When Calls the Heart Christmas movie — only aired 12 episodes over two seasons, Bird admits that he’d love to see it revisited.
“There’s absolutely a hunger for it,” he told us. And while it might seem unlikely that When Hope Calls is resurrected two years after it ceased production, Bird remains optimistic. “In this day and age,” he points out, “anything is possible!”
Catch up with the actors who brought some of your favorite Hope Valley residents to life in the gallery below!