My Journey as a Heartie

    Hello Hearties, and welcome to Wednesday! I hope you're all doing well, and have been having a wonderful week so far! Oh, yes! And welcome to July! 😀

    So during the off-season I can always use ideas on what to blog about. I turned to Twitter and asked you guys what you would like to see me blog about, and one of you asked have I ever told how I got into WCTH? Well, I thought that was a good idea, and that's what today's post is about! Thank you very much for the idea! (You know who you are!)

    I have given so many thoughts and opinions over the time I've been blogging about this show, but I've never done a full out post on how my WCTH journey started.

    So as many Hearties may have begun, I first saw WCTH on Netflix. I think this is possibly a pretty common way to get into the show as Hallmark doesn't air the show very often. (Fun fact: I actually got into WCTH before I started watching Hallmark movies.)

    Anyhow I saw the show on Netflix and thought it looked like something I'd like. I LOVE period pieces! At the time Netflix only had the first two seasons, and even though I went through and read all the episode descriptions I still didn't take the plunge just yet. (Yes, I know how weird that sounds.) Somewhere around a few weeks to a month or two went by (I don't remember how long exactly) until I finally sat down, took the leap, and began the first episode. And that first episode led to the second, which lead to the third, and I was hooked. There was something so special about that first season. It just sucked you in and kept you wanting more and more. I have a special place in my heart to this day for Season 1. One of the best episodes in that season absolutely has to be Jack and Elizabeth's first date! Oh, my GOODNESS!!!! You need to bring a fan for that one!

    Anyhow I went right from that season into the second one. BIG difference! Oh, the drama! The DRAMA! It honestly was way too much for me, and sometimes left me feeling frustrated rather than happy once an episode ended. All that being said there was some fun and memorable moments, and we got a look into Jack and Elizabeth's family histories.

    But then.....oh but then....I watched that cliffhanger. Netflix had no more episodes. I immediately searched on Amazon and found Season 3. (That was the newest Season out at the time.) I got it shortly after that, and watched through the whole thing. (I can't remember how long it took me, but I do remember sitting on the couch with my friends just going from one episode to the next.) That season kind of gave us a sigh of relief for the Jack and Elizabeth drama as they were finally, FINALLY a couple and remained that way the entire season. (Thank You, Lord!) And we didn't have a cliffhanger to deal with which was nice, although that last episode was quite dramatic!

    From then on I was caught up, and had to wait until Christmas for the very first Christmas Special to premiere. I watched all the episodes through Amazon at the time and so I had to wait a day later. We had some fun moments in this season, and Elizabeth actually lost her job!!!! Wow!

    Did anything else important happen?  Hmm....I can't remember....Oh yes! Jack left. (Why Jack? WHY?!?) That was also VERY dramatic, and very sad. I remember watching  the last episode and just hoping whenever someone would open a door that it would be Jack. But it never was....That was like a cliffhanger yet not in a way as we got a happy ending with Cody recovering.....Jack just wasn't there.

    I then had to wait through my first real off-season. The wait to Season 4 had been shorter as I believe I finished Season 3 around late summer. Maybe August or early September. (Again I don't remember exactly when.) So I'd never experienced a real honest to goodness off-season wait until after Season 4. Two words....SO LONG!

    So Season 5 came around and I was so excited! I mean, the cover picture alone gave me this really happy and hopeful feeling. Like Elizabeth and Jack were going to start their lives together and build that house and everything! And it turns out that...THEY GET MARRIED!!! It wasn't the perfect wedding for me personally, but after waiting FIVE YEARS it was so time that they finally tied the knot!

For this Season they sort of spoiled that Jack was coming back, as he was on the cover. Therefore I knew he was coming back. Yay!!.....or not so yay...... Now I didn't find out as much stuff back then as I do now spoiler-wise and so I truly was surprised by a lot of stuff. Including the ending....

    Guys....oh man....guys as I've said before Jack was my favorite character in the show at the time, and his death hit hard. I'm not a big crier when it comes to movies and shows, but this hit me harder then just about anything else I've watched. It was different then when you watch a sad movie, and it pulls at your heart-strings. This was a beloved character who I'd watched happily for the past five seasons who just suddenly died. And I didn't get over it for some time. I mean it wasn't like I was crying all the time. I was just so disappointed. The entire off-season it was just like, "Why? Why?" I mean Jack and Elizabeth were just so good together and had this wonderful chemistry! Who could possibly come in and play Elizabeth's new love interest? (Because I knew that was going to happen at some point.)

    The absolutely crazy and hilarious thing here is that very soon after Jack had died, somewhere around the night after or the next night after watching the episode I started looking through Hallmark movies for who the writers could bring in for Elizabeth. (Believe me though, I was still grieving.) Nobody really seemed to fit perfectly, but then again who could match Erin and Dan's chemistry? My friends were with me while I was doing this and one of them pointed out Chris McNally. At the time he had only been in one movie, The Sweetest Heart, so I got it up and watched a quick interview clip he'd done so I could see what he was like. I was not sure about this guy, but my friend was like, "That's the guy!" They actually wrote the name down on a scrap of paper and I pinned it to a cork board I have.

    And then I found a news article on Twitter about these two new guys who were coming on WCTH. Guess who was one of them? What am I saying? You don't need to guess! You know it was Chris McNally!!! That was such a crazy and fun moment and I immediately had to go and tell all my friends.

    So anyhow, I waited through another off-season, still sad over Jack's death. I did watch Autumn Stables with Cindy Busby and Kevin McGarry to get a feel for him as well. Back then I actually wasn't sure who I wanted, and may have....might have said something along the lines that Kevin's character could work for Elizabeth....

    (Cough!) Anyway, I went into the Christmas Special for Season 6 still missing Jack. I definitely wasn't as depressed as when he first died, but still there was that feeling of, "If only he'd been there," or "Imagine all the fun scenes we could have got if Jack had been there." But let me tell you, it was fun to watch Elizabeth give birth. (Kudos to Erin!) And that little baby....Eeeek! He or she was SO sweet and precious!

    So then we come to the giant "season of change" as I shall dub it. It was like Hope Valley had this new life breathed into it. Things just felt brighter, and new and exciting, and a part of that newness came in the form of the new characters that were added. Lucas, Nathan, Fiona, Allie, and of course Baby Jack all added some fresh new faces, and stories to go with them.

    Season 6 was a fun and exciting season! (Aside from the hiatus, which I wont go into detail about. Let's just say I was glad when the season finally came back.) My favorite episodes are pretty much from when Lucas gave Elizabeth the library to the finale. Lol!

    Also at some point during this season I officially became Team Lucas! (Yay!) I can't recall exactly when it happened, but somewhere along the way (Especially after watching Sailing Into Love) I finally made the leap and jumped on the Team Lucas band wagon!!! And here I am now still bouncing along this bumpy road waiting to see if Elizabeth will pick him too. :)

    Anyhow, Season 6 was really a turning point for the show, and gave us some good excitement, and drama! Most of which came in the form of this "wonderful" love triangle we are now dealing with. (Did you hear the sarcasm back there? Lol!) Now I think that the triangle was a good and a bad thing. The excitement and suspense is fun, and really makes you chomping at the bit for the next episode to premiere. (Not that I wouldn't be without it. Lol!) But.....it's only fun if the guy you want wins. Enough said. You all don't need me to preach on this topic, because you already have to all your family, friends, or anyone who will listen. (Or is that just me?)

    So then we hit the cliffhanger....(Yay...) Now this first cliffhanger was understandable. I mean, let's be honest, would you really expect Elizabeth to find love that fast after losing Jack? And after the whole fact of Jack dying this really made sense, as I think the writers really wanted to suck everyone back in who was on the fence after losing their favorite character. I remember watching that whole "ladies choice scene" and being like, "Oh my goodness!!! She's actually asking Lucas to dance!!!" I was thinking she might ask Henry, but no! She picked Lucas!

    Ensue the Mountie with the puppy-dog eyes.... Well, that didn't make things stressful at all....not the slightest bit.... (Sighs dramatically, and covers face with hands.)

    So then I waited through that terrible off-season. And just because it was shorter due to the hiatus does NOT mean that it wasn't as bad. Okay, yeah that helped, but OH the wait! I had to wait months to find out whether or not the man I wanted Elizabeth to pick was "the one." In the mean time there were polls to vote on, and a few I ran myself, lots and LOTS of comments to read, and eventually some behind the scenes picks to look at.

    And then it came! (Hallelujah!) Yes it came! All my waiting had paid off! I would finally find out who Elizabeth picked! (Sniff.... No! I'm not crying!)

    So the season was yet another fun, and exciting season. Most of my excitement came in the form of..."What's going to happen next?!?" or "WHO IS SHE GOING TO PICK?!?" I think it may have been that way for a lot of people. :D

    I've said before that one of my favorite episodes was, "An Unexpected Gift" as that was just SO much fun and was hilarious! Again this season just felt different than the previous ones and just had this really bright and happy vibe! We also got some good drama....and some stressful, crazy, hair-pulling worthy drama....Lol! Honestly the suspense has been fun at times, and the writers have done a great job keeping me interested, engaged, and guessing every step of the way. (Kudos to you WCTH writers!)

    So then we got the finale and she picked Lucas! I mean Nathan! I mean....yes we still don't know. It's actually funny when you think about the fact that they literally reversed Season Six's finale. And speaking of the cliffhanger itself, I have to admit that it really did it's job. I mean I literally felt like I was dropped off a cliff. (Or at least my jaw did. Lol!)

    And that brings us to now! Just sitting here waiting during another off-season to FINALLY find out who Elizabeth is going to pick. Or who she already picked if that's the case. Some Hearties believe this to be true, and I have to admit that I am way more confident that Lucas could be the one now, then I was when the finale ended. But as always, I still don't know, and all I can say is, "LET'S GO SEASON 8!!!" Speaking of which....

    Season 8 has been confirmed to start filming July 20th!!! Woo hoo!!! As far as I've heard I think this might be early to start filming a new season, and so I'm left to wonder what that means. Maybe more episodes??? (Please, please, please....) Or maybe it has to do with Covid and the social distancing rules that are in place. I could go way more into detail about that whole topic and what it could mean for our show, but I wont now. Maybe another day.

    Thank you all so much for reading, and thank you to all the cast and crew who work so hard to bring this show to life!

    Feel free to comment your "Heartie Journey" below or on my Twitter page! God Bless!