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By Kayla DeKraker
Hearties, rejoice! HOPE VALLEY: 1874, the new spin-off of the beloved drama WHEN CALLS THE HEART, will return for a second season.
“HOPE VALLEY: 1874’s dream cast led by Bethany Joy Lenz, Benjamin Ayres and Jill Hennessy, has brought to life the rich characters and beautiful story crafted by showrunner Alfonso Moreno,” Michelle Vicary, Head of Programming for Hallmark Media, said of the Season 2 renewal. “Our fans and press alike have enthusiastically embraced the series, making it especially rewarding to continue telling this story.”
HOPE VALLEY: 1874 debuted earlier this year, exploring the story before WHEN CALLS THE HEART.
“The series explores the earliest days of the frontier settlement that later became Hope Valley, chronicling the courage, resilience and relationships that laid the foundation for the close-knit town viewers have come to love,” a synopsis from Deadline reads.
It continues, “[Bethany Joy] Lenz portrays Rebecca Clarke, a recent widow who travels with her 11-year-old daughter Sarah ([Mila] Morgan) to the Western Canadian frontier to escape a threat back home and make a fresh start following her husband’s death. When she discovers the boarding house, she purchased sight unseen needed extensive renovations, Rebecca faced a tougher road ahead than she had imagined.”
Related: HOPE VALLEY: 1874 Stars Can’t Stop Talking About the ‘Power of the Hearties’
Alongside Lenz, Ayres and Hennessy, the series stars Roan Curtis, Lachlan Quarmby, Jedidiah Goodacre, Mila Morgan, Brad Abramenko and Chelsea Hobbs.
Movieguide® rated the pilot episode highly, giving it a +3 content score.
“[The] premiere episode sets the stage for the early days of WHEN CALLS THE HEART’s Hope Valley, introducing viewers to ranchers and settlers who create the community ‘Hearties’ cherish,” the review said. “It also establishes the drama for later episodes and hooks viewers easily.”
Movieguide® emphasized, “Overall, the episode delivers a strong moral worldview, promoting friendship and community, with characters supporting one another as well as family, with many that highlight motherhood and prioritizing children. There are a few lightly suspenseful scenes and minor immoral acts but otherwise, HOPE VALLEY: 1874 presents no objectionable content.”
Lenz shared some behind-the-scenes clips ahead of the Season 1 release.
“Get back to the simple things in life with HOPE VALLEY 1874 on @hallmarkplus. We’re going to introduce you to the origins of the world of #WhenCallstheHeart You’re about to fall in love,” she wrote in the caption.
People in the comment section showed excitement for the series.
One fan said, “My husband and I just started this and it’s so good!” Another added, “Aww thanks for sharing all these BTS moments. I’m so excited to see you bring the character of Rebecca to life with the rest of the cast. I’m a little excited to see Maria in her role as well.”
The Season 1 finale premiered yesterday. HOPE VALLEY: 1874 is streaming exclusively on Hallmark+. A release date for Season 2 has not been announced yet.
Read Next: HOPE VALLEY: 1874 Is All About Community…’Literally’
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