DVD Review: When Calls The Heart: Trials Of The Heart

When Calls The Heart is a Hallmark Channel original television series based on the novel of the same name by Janette Oke. In October of 2013, a film version aired on the Hallmark Channel. It was directed by Michael Landon, Jr., and released on DVD in December of 2013. Soon thereafter the television series began airing (Michael Landon, Jr. is one of the executive producers of the show). “Trials Of The Heart” is the two-hour season two premiere, and it is now available on DVD through Shout! Factory.

When Calls The Heart is something of a soap opera set in the early 1900s, and stars Erin Krakow as Elizabeth Thatcher, a woman who comes from money but has taken a teaching position in the frontier town of Coal Valley. Lori Loughlin reprises her role from the film, that of Abigail Stanton, a woman who lost both her husband and her son in a mine explosion in that town.

When the second season opens, the widows of the miners are preparing for their day in court against the mining corporation. The deck seems stacked against them, with a new, seemingly corrupt judge, a female prosecutor (remember, this is the early 1900s), and a questionable witness. Meanwhile, Elizabeth receives a telegram from her father that her mother has taken ill and she is wanted at home as soon as possible. Jack (Daniel Lissing) accompanies her, to keep her safe and also so that he can visit his brother in the city. There, a previous suitor expresses interest in Elizabeth again, and Jack’s brother Tom seems to be in trouble.

There is some silly competition over Jack between Elizabeth and one of the other women in Coal Valley, including a scene where they both cook him the same dish. And there is some bad dialogue, like this:

“I can’t help but wonder why a stranger would be interested in that trial.”
“Just curious.”
“Curiosity killed the cat.”
“Well, this cat has nine lives.”

But the show has plenty of warmth and heart, and doesn’t take itself too seriously.

When Calls The Heart: Trials Of The Heart was directed by Neill Fearnley, and was released on DVD on May 26, 2015 through Shout! Factory. The DVD contains no special features.