When Hope Calls is an American Western drama television series. The series is a spin-off of Hallmark Channel's When Calls the Heart, which is based on the Canadian West book series by Janette Oke. It premiered on August 30, 2019 as the inaugural original programming on Hallmark Movies Now, the Hallmark Channel's digital streaming service, with new episodes being released through October 25, 2019. The series was subsequently aired on Hallmark Channel in early 2020. The series was renewed for a second season and premiered on Great American Family on December 18, 2021. The continuation of season 2 premiered on Pureflix on April 3, 2025 and on GAC Family 3 days later on April 6. Season 3 aired on GAF and Pureflix from April 1 to May 6, 2026. Shortly after the finale, the show was renewed for a fourth season, which will air in Spring 2027.
Contents
Premise
The series takes place in the western Canadian town of Brookfield in the late 1910s and early 1920s, following the lives of its residents, who meet challenges while maintaining the community and caring for the children at the local orphanage. The first season followed Lillian and Grace, originally introduced in When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing, as two orphaned sisters, who were separated when Lillian was seven and Grace was five. The two reunite as adults and open an orphanage in a small town. Mountie Gabriel has a romantic interest in Lillian while Chuck, a rancher turned veterinarian, is the object of Grace's flirtations, much to the dismay of his dubious mother, Tess Stewart. Lillian, Grace, Gabriel and Chuck eventually leave town, and in season 2, the focus shifts to Lillian's aunt, Nora, a lawyer who comes to town and takes the role of caretaker at the orphanage. Mountie Fletcher comes in to replace Gabriel, and begins a romance with Nora. Fashion designer Hannah returns to town to look after her late uncle's ranch, and starts a flirtation with the ranch's foreman, Wyatt.
Cast and characters
Main
Morgan Kohan as Lillian Walsh (seasons 1-2), Grace's older sister who was adopted at a young age and separated from Grace
Jocelyn Hudon as Grace Bennett (season 1), Lillian's younger sister who grew up in an orphanage; Grace departs for London at the end of the first season, and is revealed to have stayed and married there in "A Country Christmas".
Ryan-James Hatanaka as Constable Gabriel "Gabe" Kinslow (seasons 1-2), the local Mountie in town
Greg Hovanessian as Charlie "Chuck" Stewart (season 1), Tess' son, and a rancher and the town veterinarian; it is revealed he left town after Grace did in "A Country Christmas".
Cindy Busby as Nora Anderson (season 2-present), a lawyer who helps at the orphanage
Christopher Russell as Constable Michael Fletcher (season 2-present), the Mountie who replaces Constable Kinslow
Sarah Fisher as Hannah Lawrence (season 2-present), a fashion designer who comes to town to settle her late uncle's affairs
Nick Bateman as Wyatt Parker (season 2-present), the foreman of the Lawrence ranch
Wendy Crewson as Tess Stewart, Chuck's mother, who owns the big local ranch
Hanneke Talbot as Maggie Parsons (recurring season 1; main season 2-present), the town nurse
Marshall Williams (season 1) and Jon McLaren (season 2-present) as Sam Tremblay, a prospector turned entrepreneur
Neil Crone as Ronnie Stewart (recurring season 1; main season 2-present), Chuck's uncle and Tess's brother-in-law who runs the local hotel
Recurring
Isaak Bailey as Christian (season 1), an orphan at the orphanage
Michael Copeman as Ken Newsome, a unfriendly old man
Liam MacDonald as Vincent, an older orphan at the orphanage
Kate Moyer as Sophia (season 1), an orphan at the orphanage.
Riley O'Donnell as Helen (season 1), an older orphan at the orphanage who is searching for her grandfather, and who goes to live with him in "Where Hope Goes".
Kim Roberts as Pearl Mayfair (season 1), a resident of Brookfield who owns a bakery
Elizabeth Saunders as Eleanor Winters (season 1), the orphanage's housemother
Simon Webster as Fred (season 1), a curious young orphan at the orphanage
Kevin McGarry as Nathan Grant (season 1) the Mountie from Hope Valley who comes to Brookfield to help Gabe.
Trevor Donovan as Jim Reynolds (season 2-present), a Mountie based in Clearwater
Jillian Murray as Justine Marcel
Ava Weiss as Mary Louise, an orphan at the orphanage
Jefferson Brown as Joe Moody, the owner of Brookfield's general store
Kyana Teresa as Debbie Mayfair, Pearl Mayfair's daughter who runs the bakery
Kelly Martin as Ruth, a worker at the post office
Guest stars
Pascale Hutton as Rosemary "Rosie" LeVeaux Coulter, an acquaintance of Grace's from Hope Valley (in "From the Ashes")
Kavan Smith as Leland "Lee" Coulter, another acquaintance of Grace's from Hope Valley (in "From the Ashes")
Emily Anderson as Eve Gardiner, Grace's old friend from the orphanage who is passing through town on her way to New York City (in "About a Girl")
Lori Loughlin as Abigail Stanton (season 2), an acquaintance of Lillian's, she is a kind woman from Hope Valley and Cody's mom (in "A Country Christmas, Parts 1 & 2")
Carter Ryan Evancic as Cody Stanton, Abigail Stanton's son (in "A Country Christmas, Parts 1 & 2")
Daniel Lissing as Jack Thornton, a deceased constable who was a good friend of Abigail's. She dreams about him. (in "A Country Christmas, Part 2")
Jesse Hutch as Jerry Huntsman, a representative of L&M Cattle Company who reveals a darker side
Episodes
Production
When Hope Calls is a spin-off of the long running prime time series When Calls the Heart. Primary filming is at Powassan, Ontario, Canada. It is executive produced by Alfonso Moreno, Brian Bird, Brad Krevoy, Susie Belzberg Krevoy, Michael Landon Jr., Amanda Phillips Atkins, Jimmy Townsend, and Eric Jarboe. Confirmation of the project, the Hallmark Network's inaugural streaming series, was announced February 9, 2019 as part of Crown Media Family Networks' bi-annual Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour.
On September 29, 2021, it was reported that the series had renewed for a second season, but would now be broadcast on Great American Family. It was also reported that When Calls the Heart actress Lori Loughlin would appear in the second season premiere, in her first television acting appearance since her arrest for her role in the Varsity Blues scandal.
Release
When Hope Calls premiered in back-to-back double episodes on August 30, 2019 on the Hallmark Movies Now network digital streaming service. The first season was re-broadcast on Hallmark Channel starting in February 2020. A second season premiered on December 18, 2021, and moved to GAC Family from Hallmark, and continued in 2025. Season 3 aired in 2026, and was renewed for a fourth season shortly after, which will air in Spring 2027.