When Calls The Heart - General Discussion

[scenicbyway]

So, I'm pretty sure Paul Greene is off the show, right?  Normally the town doesn't come out with a standing ovation send off.  His contract was probably up, I feel like they never took him where his character was supposed to go and then he was pushed to the side with Nathan and Lucas showed up.

I'm kind of sad that Faith is staying though, she is truly a boring character.  She also panics in times of stress, so with no Carson to steady the Dr.'s office, how will she do?  Molly is just the receptionist, right?

I thought Nathan took the news of Elizabeth's feelings, like he's taken everything to do with her.  A stare and a blink, maybe even a shrug.  I'm not sure she should've even said she loved him.  They really only talk because of Ally.  I also thought it was strange for him to go and tell Lucas they had spoken.  Lucas looked like he had been kicked, what was the point?  To give him his blessing?  Who cares?

I like Robert's new storyline of a jack of all trades.  I'm glad they are showing a young person having ambition.  We've only seen Jesse and Hickham sit around, it's nice to see Robert going after a goal.

I'm glad that they had two ending scenes with Lucas and Elizabeth, I think the viewers deserved to see how much they care about each other and it wasn't just one kiss on the bridge.

It's fair that Nathan viewers feel cheated by the triangle, they were told feeling were going to go back and forth.  But they really didn't, he put his heart out there and she waited months before saying, she realized he wasn't Jack.  WTH

[sharifa70]

2 hours ago, norcalgal said:

I think you meant to write peeping, so this made me ROFL!!!

Ha! Nope, I have dogs. I definitely meant there was a lot of leg-lifting by Nathan whenever he was in a room with Lucas.... 😜

 

Edited May 10, 2021 by sharifa70

[Daff]

Did I blink and miss the special guest? No? Oh, wait, it was the first ever adhesive bandage! Didn’t hear “sterile” mentioned, guess it’s assumed, since the whole show is sterile (there really needs to be more mud-a lot of it). At least in the beginning, the husbands and sons who worked in the mine were covered in coal dust.  I found the wall of curtains and glittering lighting in Elizabeth’s home to be impossibly distracting. I doubt the cottage even has a wall long enough for that span of sheers (she worked at school all day, too, so....must be the fairies). Enough. I’m still here, watching, I guess, because of the plot ideas put forth, even if poorly executed, and anachronistic (I’ve long since given up checking online, “when was the first.....”). 
Oh, I forgot! Will Nathan be stricken with tetanus? Again, don’t really care enough to find out when.....

Edited May 10, 2021 by Daff

[treeofdreams]

On YouTube:

When Calls the Heart Cast REACTS to Elizabeth Picking LUCAS (Exclusive)

;;;

Edited May 10, 2021 by treeofdreams

[norcalgal]

1 hour ago, treeofdreams said:

On YouTube:

When Calls the Heart Cast REACTS to Elizabeth Picking LUCAS (Exclusive)

;;;

OK, so the fact that Nathan is a dour, unsmiling character HAS to be due to the script and directing. The actor is nothing like his character in this interview. Kevin also answered the Q very eloquently about the two teams - Nathan and Lucas now joining together to be Team Hope Valley, and that they should be happy for Elizabeth.

Two things:

1. I'm curious what Kevin was referring to about one of the show's writers(?) telling Kevin what storyline he has in mind for Nathan in S9
2. Chris has a good instinct for storytelling since he feels it would make an interesting story for Lucas to suffer some financial setbacks. It'd add more depth to Lucas to see him struggling in business and cement the Elizabeth/Lucas bond when one is facing adversity and how the other can help by providing emotional support

[SusanwatchingTV]

I don't post often, but I want to say that I'm very happy with the outcome of the triangle.  I was pretty much Team Nathan at the beginning because I love Kevin so much, but Lucas grew on me and I do like that actor, plus I had been wondering about exactly what Elizabeth said - Nathan was too much a substitute for Jack. Lucas is fresh and different and will take them places that a romance with Nathan would not.

On the other developments. - Bye Henry.  You were fun as a villain in the beginning, but your story line seemed over and without Abigail it had nowhere to go. I'm really very glad they didn't bring her back. I didn't dislike the character or the actress, but it would have felt like going backward, not forward.

I wish Faith had left instead of Carson. I love that actor and will miss him. I agree that she is a boring character. It's really difficult to imagine her fighting her way through med school...or any kind of school, really.

I'm on team Nathan-Fiona, but he might help Faith be more interesting too, so whatever.

I'm also excited about Rosemary's newspaper and the mayoral race.  I don't care who wins.

I'm really looking forward to next season.

[andromeda331]

I can't believe they actually went with Lucas! I really was not expecting that. I can't remember the last time I was surprised by the show in a good way.

[eyelash]

5 hours ago, treeofdreams said:

Someone on the show mentioned that a factory will be built on that land.  The man who is representing the factory is trying to buy up shops for himself because he thinks that with the factory built Hope Valley will become a boom town and he will make a lot of money.

I don't know if it would be accurate historically (although the show often isn't), but I keep thinking it's the railroad coming through and dividing up the town, complete with reopening the coal mine and revisiting the trauma of the mine collapse or explosion or whatever the disaster was early in the series.

[TVForever]

20 hours ago, MollyMelrose said:

Triangle - shriangle.

The real big news of the night ... Ned invented the freakin' band-aid!!!

 

I actually laughed out loud when that happened- but I'm not sure I was supposed to!🤣

[humbleopinion]

Why was Elizabeth sprinting out of Hope Valley like a swarm of bees were after her when she could have catapulted on her horse, Sargent and rode to the bridge?

2nd honeymoon baby for Claire and Jessie or a surprise baby for Flora and old Ned...his swimmers still can get the job done.

You Had Me at Aloha...brainwashed to watch it after seeing the commercial for the 20th time.....need to put box wine on the shopping list to keep me company watching Lee and Rosemary in paradise...

[treeofdreams]

I have never been a Nathan fan, but I did think it was generous of him to go to Lucas and tell him about the "I'm not in love with you" conversation.

[bybrandy]

5 hours ago, humbleopinion said:

Why was Elizabeth sprinting out of Hope Valley like a swarm of bees were after her when she could have catapulted on her horse, Sargent and rode to the bridge?

Genuinely I thought that was one of the funniest things ever.   I mean I guess riding Jack's horse after her new OTL would be in poor taste but seriously the mind it boggled. 

[allonsyalice]

Okay, even setting aside the love triangle shit for a moment, I don't get why the superintendent guy is being painted in a bad light when all he's doing actually being reasonable. 

Elizabeth is not qualified to teach blind students. Being almost qualified isn't the same as being qualified. 

It was like they almost tried to make it discriminatory but then didn't, like they knew. 

The Canfield family is perfect and unproblematic in every way, but I hated that plot so much. Like great, the whole town rallied around them (and how cute was it when the little boy was ringing the bell and he was being lifted off his feet) but that doesn't change the fact that Elizabeth doesn't have the qualifications. like...Superintendent guy was right.

 

 

[CatLady]

13 hours ago, treeofdreams said:

I have never been a Nathan fan, but I did think it was generous of him to go to Lucas and tell him about the "I'm not in love with you" conversation.

I, also, have never been a Nathan fan.  But to be fair, he is a good guy.  This seemed to me to be Hallmark's way of smoothing the waters of contention that were sure to come over the unexpected choice Elizabeth made.  To see the Mountie graciously clue in his romantic rival as to his having lost out was a way for the two to begin to move past rivalry to friendship.  I think it served to stop Lucas from running away from his heartbreak as well.  At this point, he had not received the note from Elizabeth.

Some viewers are taken out of the story by little things that are not quite correct with time and place regarding Hope Valley.  For me, I think the drudgery and darkness of the times would be hard to feel happy watching.  I love that Hallmark takes me out of ugly reality to bright, beautiful happy endings.  Corny I know but it is escapism for me.

Elizabeth's romantic, unexpected choice has made me invested in the show once again.  There were several hints that new couplings may crop up next season as well.

[humbleopinion]

Watching Horny Flora jump on Ned when he exited the stagecoach made me uncomfy...

Ned is right not to tell Flora earlier...girl has loose lips...

Terri Garr!

John Travolta!

[sharifa70]

1 hour ago, humbleopinion said:

Watching Horny Flora jump on Ned when he exited the stagecoach made me uncomfy...

Ned is right not to tell Flora earlier...girl has loose lips...

Terri Garr!

John Travolta!

Oh, my! That brought back memories! I miss the metal flip-top band-aid containers; they made perfect tricorders when I was Spock (yes, a blonde, pony-tailed Spock). Until my mom got tired of always finding band-aids in a pile on her bed...

Ned’s “invention,” though. Come on, show. If nothing else, I’m learning a lot of real history (as well as refreshing my memory) from all the exasperated Googling.

[treeofdreams]

2 hours ago, CatLady said:

Some viewers are taken out of the story by little things that are not quite correct with time and place regarding Hope Valley.  For me, I think the drudgery and darkness of the times would be hard to feel happy watching.  I love that Hallmark takes me out of ugly reality to bright, beautiful happy endings.  Corny I know but it is escapism for me.

I'm right there with you!  I want to watch beautiful things.  This is fiction; if it is not historically accurate, it's not a big issue for me.

 

2 hours ago, CatLady said:

There were several hints that new couplings may crop up next season as well.

Of course - this is Hallmark!!

[enduringforce]

Just an updated on how the ratings are panning out now that we are 3 years gone from WCTH killing off Jack and axing the Abigail character. These are the worst ratings in 5 years with the shows finale rated the worst since S2 which was prior to this show catching fire on Netflix. 

[CarpeFelis]

After Elizabeth being so anti-PDA all this time, it would have been absolutely hilarious if Lucas had turned out to be a bad kisser.

[norcalgal]

11 hours ago, allonsyalice said:

The Canfield family is perfect and unproblematic in every way, but I hated that plot so much. Like great, the whole town rallied around them (and how cute was it when the little boy was ringing the bell and he was being lifted off his feet)

Although the show has touched twice (maybe three times?) on the discrimination faced by the Canfields, it's still so unrealistic for the time period that no one in Hope Valley had a problem with a black family moving to town.

The only thing I thought when the son was ringing the school bell was:  "so the bell rope is  really going to be smack dab in the middle of the school/church, getting in the way?"

[humbleopinion]

Elizabeth thinks...MORE COWBELL to go with the school bell...

[sharifa70]

31 minutes ago, humbleopinion said:

Elizabeth thinks...MORE COWBELL to go with the school bell...

Aaaaand, thanks for the earworm!

[allonsyalice]

1 hour ago, norcalgal said:

Although the show has touched twice (maybe three times?) on the discrimination faced by the Canfields, it's still so unrealistic for the time period that no one in Hope Valley had a problem with a black family moving to town.

yeah but also i would shut this show off so fast if they only bought Black characters in to experience racism (and possibly show how kind and caring and not racist Elizabeth is.)

[norcalgal]

43 minutes ago, allonsyalice said:

yeah but also i would shut this show off so fast if they only bought Black characters in to experience racism (and possibly show how kind and caring and not racist Elizabeth is.)

Oh, I'm not advocating that WCTH turn into a Very Special Series where each episode is dedicated to depicting how POC would really be treated by an overwhelmingly white town. But it is highly UNrealistic that the entire Canfield family were welcomed with open arms from Day One.  Just chalk it up to another WCTH anachronism...

 

[dubstepford wife]

There are definitely times when I wish we could see an "Anne With an E" style WCtH remake from Netflix or Hulu or something.  The Anne of Green Gables series from the 80s was very wholesome, whereas Anne with an E was grittier, but in the end still family friendly, just in a way that didn't shy away from some of the non-romantic elements of the period.  It depicted racism, classicism, and the realities of poverty and rural life in the end of the 19th century that felt realistic without being dark just for the sake of being dark the way that a lot of shows today are.  I wouldn't call it depressing but it's not lighthearted escapism either.  And there's a lot of potential with that from WCtH too, it's just that Hallmark doesn't touch on any of those subjects because they're too much for the target audience.  

At some point though, you do have to accept that this is Hallmark, and this show is basically cottagecore: an overly romanticized and fluffy depiction of a bygone era.  You're either okay with that or you aren't.  I find the complete ignoring of WWI to be borderline disrespectful considering 60,000+ Canadian men died, but I can look the other way on Elizabeth's spotless clothing and mermaid waves.

[scenicbyway]

3 hours ago, enduringforce said:

Just an updated on how the ratings are panning out now that we are 3 years gone from WCTH killing off Jack and axing the Abigail character. These are the worst ratings in 5 years with the shows finale rated the worst since S2 which was prior to this show catching fire on Netflix. 

I think it was the second or third most watched scripted series on Sunday nights this season?  More and more people are moving away from cable series to streaming (I'm not a streaming fan, but my husband is, so we have both).  I think WCTH is Hallmark's most successful series or at least second to Good Witch.  I can't see Chesapeake Shores last beyond this next season since the leading male is leaving.

I also don't think 18-49 is the key demo for WCTH.  I'm in that demo but I suspect most watchers are 55+.

 

[enduringforce]

4 hours ago, scenicbyway said:

I also don't think 18-49 is the key demo for WCTH.  I'm in that demo but I suspect most watchers are 55+.

Yes I agree, but these ratings for the standard demo was always much better than this seasons. Finale's are usually the best of the year, and even after they killed Jack off they got a .31 in that demo. So this year is very different. Not that Hallmark cares, as you are correct it's their most popular show, but it does indicate a change in viewership.

[SnarkySheep]

 

On 5/10/2021 at 1:08 PM, sharifa70 said:

Sigh. Faith is a good idea (female doctor in a frontier town), but for someone who must have faced a lot of adversity to get where she is, she sure is written (and played) like a complete milquetoast. How did she get through school? For that matter, how did she get to Hope Valley? Didn’t she also follow Jack? Oh, what I wouldn’t give for a Jane Seymour casting! 

Considering that Jane Seymour is essentially a non-aging entity, they probably COULD replace Faith with her...

8 hours ago, norcalgal said:

Although the show has touched twice (maybe three times?) on the discrimination faced by the Canfields, it's still so unrealistic for the time period that no one in Hope Valley had a problem with a black family moving to town.

Also, discrimination during that time - and even well into the 20th century - was common between white people of various ethnicities. For instance, one of my aunts was a teenager in the '60s. She recalls how my Polish grandparents really hated the fact that she was dating a French guy. I've heard similar stories from various people over the years, or things like being encouraged to only play with children of the same ethnicity, supporting businesses with owners of the same ethnicity, etc. But in Hope Valley, there has never been an issue with this.

Edited May 12, 2021 by SnarkySheep

[bybrandy]

4 hours ago, enduringforce said:

Yes I agree, but these ratings for the standard demo was always much better than this seasons. Finale's are usually the best of the year, and even after they killed Jack off they got a .31 in that demo. So this year is very different. Not that Hallmark cares, as you are correct it's their most popular show, but it does indicate a change in viewership.

This year is very different but the comparisons don't mean anything because there is no way none to know what the ratings would be had jack stayed on the show.  Maybe they would have stayed higher...  Maybe they would be as low because 8 seasons is just too long.  Maybe they'd be lower.   
 

[allonsyalice]

14 hours ago, norcalgal said:

Oh, I'm not advocating that WCTH turn into a Very Special Series where each episode is dedicated to depicting how POC would really be treated by an overwhelmingly white town. But it is highly UNrealistic that the entire Canfield family were welcomed with open arms from Day One.  Just chalk it up to another WCTH anachronism...

 

Yeah, but in this case and this cAse only, No One Cares At All Period. We all know racism exists. WCTH doesn’t need to tackle it. 

[dubstepford wife]

 

17 hours ago, scenicbyway said:

I can't see Chesapeake Shores last beyond this next season since the leading male is leaving.

Well, it worked for WCtH!  Lol.  Though as a Chessie I always found the Trace-Abby relationship pretty underwhelming.  It didn't have anywhere close to the same chemistry as Liz-Jack.  She had a brief relationship with a teacher/eclair baker (only on Hallmark would that combination happen) that had way more spark than she ever did in four years with Trace.  Also, Trace is sort of a self-involved jerk.  The writers won't have to kill him off, since it'll be really easy to explain his departure as him leaving for the roadie musician life.  Which is what they've been doing for four years, this time it'll just be permanent.

Chesapeake isn't nearly as popular though, and Jesse Metcalfe is a Hallmark staple, so you might be right.  And the adjacent stories are mostly wrapping up.  A lot of Chessies didn't even think there would be a season five. 

[norcalgal]

44 minutes ago, dubstepford wife said:

Chesapeake isn't nearly as popular though, and Jesse Metcalfe is a Hallmark staple,

I've never watched Chesapeake, but I just can't take Jesse Metcalfe seriously because he has such a baby face. It's not his fault!  In fact, into middle age, he'd probably be glad he looks younger than his age.

I just can't get his teen character from Desperate Housewives out of my mind. I may always relate the actor to his DH character...

[sharifa70]

1 hour ago, norcalgal said:

I've never watched Chesapeake, but I just can't take Jesse Metcalfe seriously because he has such a baby face. It's not his fault!  In fact, into middle age, he'd probably be glad he looks younger than his age.

I just can't get his teen character from Desperate Housewives out of my mind. I may always relate the actor to his DH character...

I’ve only seen him in Hallmark movies, but have a hard time taking him seriously because when he talks he does this weird thing with his mouth that makes him look like he always has a wad of chewing tobacco tucked under his lip, and I can’t un-see it.

I’m pretty sure WCtH is using Angela’s blindness as a substitute for racism. That whole “the students won’t attend school with her” and “be strong even if you’re the only one in school” plot (and the whole town walking them to school in solidarity!) had nothing to do with her blindness IMO. I’m actually a little surprised they didn’t have Nathan in his red serge walking right up front with her and Allie.

 

[CatLady]

Here's hoping the hate, the attacks on writers and actors stop soon.  WCTH and Hallmark, for me are like an oasis in the desert of silly, profane and gratuitous offerings on other networks.

With a show filled with several characters it is easy to find something to root for and watch.

 

[scenicbyway]

6 hours ago, CatLady said:

Here's hoping the hate, the attacks on writers and actors stop soon.  WCTH and Hallmark, for me are like an oasis in the desert of silly, profane and gratuitous offerings on other networks.

With a show filled with several characters it is easy to find something to root for and watch.

 

I agree.  I find the hate ridiculous.  The show runner even explained they ran the storyline past the author of the books and she was fine with it.  They didn’t want to repeat the teacher/Mountie storyline.

Liz and Nathan never had a date! I do think they pushed it too far with Liz being the only one invited to Ally’s adoption. At that point, Liz should’ve said she didn’t have feelings for Nathan to both he and Ally. I can see why people are upset, we were told their was a triangle when she was really just dating Lucas.  But it’s just a tv show and not a great one at that.  The actors read the lines they are given.

If anyone got screwed over in the finale it was Carson, sent away so Faith and Nathan can become a thing? Whatever

[dubstepford wife]

17 hours ago, CatLady said:

Here's hoping the hate, the attacks on writers and actors stop soon.  WCTH and Hallmark, for me are like an oasis in the desert of silly, profane and gratuitous offerings on other networks.

With a show filled with several characters it is easy to find something to root for and watch.

 

People are attacking the writers/actors?  We seem pretty chill here.  I'm not on Facebook, are people losing their minds over there?

[CatLady]

53 minutes ago, dubstepford wife said:

People are attacking the writers/actors?  We seem pretty chill here.  I'm not on Facebook, are people losing their minds over there?

On social media platforms and YouTube.  It is appalling.  I find the actors and show runners on Hallmark and specifically WCTH to be kind, generous and upbeat.  No real person has been harmed in a fictional story. 

I have only seen people here discussing the show with manners and civility.  It is a very good look for Primetimer.

[treeofdreams]

4 hours ago, CatLady said:

"Here's hoping the hate, the attacks on writers and actors stop soon.  WCTH and Hallmark, for me are like an oasis in the desert of silly, profane and gratuitous offerings on other networks."

 

On social media platforms and YouTube.  It is appalling.  I find the actors and show runners on Hallmark and specifically WCTH to be kind, generous and upbeat.  No real person has been harmed in a fictional story. 

 

People are attacking one another too.  Really nasty.    I don't understand people taking the show so seriously.

[dubstepford wife]

4 hours ago, CatLady said:

On social media platforms and YouTube.  It is appalling.  I find the actors and show runners on Hallmark and specifically WCTH to be kind, generous and upbeat.  No real person has been harmed in a fictional story. 

I have only seen people here discussing the show with manners and civility.  It is a very good look for Primetimer.

Thank you for the info!  I was wondering what I was missing. 

I don't know what the heck is wrong with people.  It's just a TV show y'all.

[norcalgal]

1 hour ago, dubstepford wife said:

Thank you for the info!  I was wondering what I was missing. 

Yes, thanks to the rest of you for keeping people like me informed.  Besides this forum, I don't seek out ANY other social media about WCTH. I just never cared enough about the show to do that!  😃

[Roseanna]

On 4/20/2020 at 10:53 PM, scenicbyway said:

Nathan literally yelling at her for saving a kid in the storm. 

They should have both yelled at the girl who didn't follow her teacher's orders but went to look after the arrowhead despite the storm. She is old enough to understand that when there is a danger, one just can't and shouldn't do what one likes. She didn't endanger only herself but also two adults, not to speak other children - at least Opal would have needed Elizabeth to comfort her.

BTV, Rosemary and Clara were just stupid when they went to look after their husbands in the storm although many men were already doing it. Why was it Lee who was hurt - it should have been either of these ladies!

[tinderbox]

On 5/10/2021 at 3:00 PM, Daff said:

Did I blink and miss the special guest? No? Oh, wait, it was the first ever adhesive bandage! Didn’t hear “sterile” mentioned, guess it’s assumed, since the whole show is sterile (there really needs to be more mud-a lot of it). At least in the beginning, the husbands and sons who worked in the mine were covered in coal dust.  I found the wall of curtains and glittering lighting in Elizabeth’s home to be impossibly distracting. I doubt the cottage even has a wall long enough for that span of sheers (she worked at school all day, too, so....must be the fairies). Enough. I’m still here, watching, I guess, because of the plot ideas put forth, even if poorly executed, and anachronistic (I’ve long since given up checking online, “when was the first.....”). 
Oh, I forgot! Will Nathan be stricken with tetanus? Again, don’t really care enough to find out when.....

The final scene didn’t take place in Elizabeth’s home.  It was set in the town’s library. 

[lakin1013]

So, I watched it for the triangle and now it is over.  Simply nothing encouraged me to keep watching.  The writers stretched this love story beyond all belief and to the point where we had to believe the characters were stricken mute because ordinary people would have spoken out and solved the love story.  

Nothing was real about this.  We were told constantly that E was candid and forthright about her observations (I believe Lucas's mother said those exact words) yet totally unable to identify and speak to her own feelings.  

Nobody else, except maybe Fiona, made me want to watch more. 

It was very nice talking to you all these past 8 weeks but I just cannot find a reason to keep watching.  

Edited May 18, 2021 by lakin1013

[bybrandy]

suit yourself.  I watch for Lee and Rosemary and have for a long, long, long time.

[redpencil]

I'm much more interested now that the stupid triangle is over and all 3 involved can move onto other storylines. I saved up the last 6 episodes of this season and watched them after I knew how things ended. It was much more tolerable that way (though that dumb party game at Flora and Ned's party was still so, so uncomfortable to watch--so much watching through my fingers).

I also love Lee running for mayor and Rosemary restarting a newspaper.

Edited May 21, 2021 by redpencil

[CatLady]

I recently started watching this series from the beginning.  It has evolved.  In the beginning the town was muddy, dingy and the weather seemed to be perpetually overcast. Of course the mine disaster was fresh and it was shown to be a hard scrabble life in a remote mining town.

Henry was definitely the villain.  Elizabeth was adorable in her clumsy attempts to be a "regular" lady in town.  Her cooking was ghastly.  Florence was a mean witch. But the romance with Jack and Elizabeth was so sweet and cute.  I'm sad some of the original characters left. 

So far, (still in season1) Jack has had competition for Elizabeth in the form of a con man(Andrew Walker).  Of course Jack found him out and Elizabeth also picked up on his game.  Jack has declared that he is courting Elizabeth and the fun stuff is coming up.

Since it will be probably early 2022 before WCTH returns, it sure is fun to watch how it all began.

 

[dubstepford wife]

Oh man, Andrew Walker!  I totally forgot he was Billy!  I like how he fully committed to actually looking period appropriate with his moustache.  I look at pictures from the early 1900s and it seems like every man had a moustache.  For all the criticism of the ladies mermaid waves the men don't look very period accurate either.  I remember an episode where Jack was wearing jeans and a flannel shirt which, combined with his clean cut side parted hair meant he looked straight out of the L.L. Bean catalog.  At least he wasn't wearing sneakers?

The early days were so good.  It's not on Netflix anymore but I feel like I'd enjoy watching season one and then would just stop.   

[CatLady]

"The early days were so good.  It's not on Netflix anymore but I feel like I'd enjoy watching season one and then would just stop. "

Sadly, Netflix took WCTH off their service.  I have all the seasons recorded :) 

[SnarkySheep]

On 5/28/2021 at 7:45 AM, dubstepford wife said:

For all the criticism of the ladies mermaid waves the men don't look very period accurate either.  I remember an episode where Jack was wearing jeans and a flannel shirt 

Actually, jeans were common among working-class people in the western US from about the 1850s or so - and the Levi Strauss ones were initially marketed toward miners, which were certainly in vast numbers in Coal Valley. So it isn't too absurd to imagine that Jack could have picked up some jeans locally. As a guy who rode horses and did a lot of manual labor, I would imagine he would have liked some sturdy pants.

And of course, flannel shirts go back to the 17th century.

/ historical nerdery 

 

 

[dubstepford wife]

On 6/10/2021 at 8:33 AM, SnarkySheep said:

Actually, jeans were common among working-class people in the western US from about the 1850s or so - and the Levi Strauss ones were initially marketed toward miners, which were certainly in vast numbers in Coal Valley. So it isn't too absurd to imagine that Jack could have picked up some jeans locally. As a guy who rode horses and did a lot of manual labor, I would imagine he would have liked some sturdy pants.

And of course, flannel shirts go back to the 17th century.

/ historical nerdery 

 

 

All true.  I think it had more to do with the styling of it, similar to how the women are styled.  Like, the women are wearing ankle length skirts so that's accurate to the 1910s, just as Jack's jeans were technically accurate.  But the jeans combined with the obviously modern button down, gelled hair, and the fact that they put mascara on him makes it look so modern, just as Elizabeth's mermaid waves and lack of corset make her look very modern.

I realize though that pointing out historical inaccuracies in this show is beating your head against a cement wall.  I just thought it was nice that Andrew Walker actually was sporting facial hair that isn't attractive by 21st century standards but was the height of manliness back then.