Many Hearties have been divided about the writing in the last few seasons of When Calls the Heart.
Having story arcs, such as Little Jack’s diabetes or Goldie National Park, has helped immensely because they have brought the community together again, which has always been the heart of the series.
On When Calls the Heart Season 13 Episode 1, Elizabeth, Nathan, and the kids are scheduled to return to Hope Valley, but they learn that the railroad closed, so the inspector can’t come to approve the diabetes clinic.
Most of the episode felt bittersweet because they assumed it was only a quick visit home, and no one wanted to leave because it was home.
Hope Valley needed to find a way to lift Elizabeth’s spirits and to help her and Little Jack stay permanently.
When Calls the Heart Teaches Us to Believe When It’s Darkest Before Dawn
My heart went out to Elizabeth (Erin Krakow). Nothing is more complicated than being away from your main support people, trying to keep your spirits up for the kids, and then everything crashing.
While Jack missed his friends, it was even more complicated for Allie, who wanted to spend her senior year with them.
Elizabeth had never missed teaching school, so she longed for her schoolhouse as well.
While Nathan promised they were in this together and he meant well, it was challenging to cheer either of his girls up.
Elizabeth has always been the center of Hope Valley, so it was heartwarming to see how happy everyone was to have her back, and how much everyone tried to make things easier.
I loved that Minnie was going to temporarily take over her classroom, and that her family was eager to chip in at the cafe.
Minnie seems lonely since Angela left, and also needs to find her purpose; she’s wonderful with other children.
Allie thrived seeing her friends again. It was bittersweet because it took her so long to become comfortable with people, including Oliver, and she didn’t want to lose those connections again.
These types of arcs showed how the community rallied around one another. They didn’t want to lose one of their own again.
Charlotte Thornton Was Pivotal in the Plan to Help Elizabeth and Little Jack
Charlotte Thornton (Brooke Shields) has not appeared on When Calls the Heart in 10 years, so many things have changed in Elizabeth’s life since then.
She seemed genuinely eager to help Elizabeth and Little Jack, and appeared warm to Nathan and Allie, too.
While we’d seen part of the scene in the official trailer, I suspect Charlotte encouraged Nathan to propose, teasing him, “not to mess this up.”
It was such a touching moment when she admitted that she had difficulty imagining someone besides her son raising Little Jack, but she knew Nathan was a good man.
Nothing like an endorsement from Elizabeth’s mother-in-law. I imagine Nathan often fears about measuring up to Jack, so I wish they had skipped some of the tedious triangle and dealt with some of this drama.
Maybe now that he’s met all of Jack’s family and gained their approval, things will move forward even more.
Sometimes listening was half the battle as Nathan realized when he wanted to cheer Elizabeth up, and he and Rosemary tried to conquer the impossible.
He remembered that Skeet used to ramble on about a friend who flew planes, so he called Charlotte to see if Skeet would help.
It was heartwarming to see the inspector arrive by plane and approve Faith’s clinic.
Sometimes, hope, faith, and love do work miracles, only in Hope Valley.
Nathan’s gesture allowed all of them to stay, making both Elizabeth and Allie ecstatic, since they both wanted to start the new school year there.
Lucas Was Used More Effectively in the When Calls the Heart Season 13 Premiere
We’ve frequently complained that Lucas deserved better writing, so I was pleased to see that he was already being written better.
While he’s not going to reunite with Elizabeth, I enjoy their friendship and was pleased that he was the one who notified her about the inspector’s delay and the clinic’s uncertified status.
He still cares about her and Little Jack and wants what’s best for them, too, so it was refreshing that.
Lucas and Edie fans will be pleasantly surprised by the adorable content they received.
Lucas was so smitten that he had eyes only for Edie and ignored the brand-new traffic light, which incited teasing from his friends.
The parallels between Lucas’s talk with Lee and Edie’s chat with the women were the best part.
Edie felt hurt that Lucas never contacted her while he was gone over the summer, and he merely wanted to pick up where they left off.
However, Lucas seemed confused, since things had been good between them before he left, and he had no clue what he’d done to offend her.
It was time for some match-making and for those two to communicate better.
Could Goldie National Park be a Double-Edged Sword?
The opening of Goldie National Park was supposed to be one of the most significant events.
The older children wrote about why they loved nature, and some struggled to do so. The words only flowed for Allie once she returned to Hope Valley, and she realized how much hiking and fishing here meant to her.
Those moments were cherished memories, and she hoped others would experience them.
That was the motto of the park, and I loved how the Coulters and Goldie were the face of it.
It should have been a celebratory day, especially after everyone learned that Elizabeth, Nathan, and the others were staying.
But that cliffhanger with the teens hiking in the woods, checking the trail markers, just as a forest fire broke out, has me worried.
Was the fire accidental, or does McGinty still hold a grudge against the locals, and will the men save the kids before anyone is hurt?
Let us know in the comments and tune in next week for the answer.
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