Hallmark fans are ready to check out the premiere of “Hope Valley: 1874,” the new prequel to “When Calls the Heart.” Many have one big question, however. The name of the show has prompted a fair number of questions. One of the stars, however, promises clarity will come.
The series, which will be available solely on the network’s streaming platform, Hallmark+, stars Benjamin Ayres, Bethany Joy Lenz, and Jill Hennessy.
Fans are asking, why is the town being called Hope Valley? Longtime “When Calls the Heart” fans know that during the first season of that series, the town was named Coal Valley.
To many, this feels like a disregard for the history of “When Calls the Heart,” and Hallmark fans want to understand the reasoning.
Ayres has responded to a number of fans asking questions about this, and it seems something of an answer has emerged.
Hallmark Fans Are Excited for ‘Hope Valley: 1874,’ but Also Confused
As soon as “Hope Valley: 1874” was officially announced, Hallmark fans started asking questions about the town name. Comments have been left on numerous Instagram posts, and have popped up on other social media sites as well.
“I’m so excited. Unfortunately there is a continuity issue as it was originally Coal Valley. It changed to Hope Valley in season 2,” one “When Calls the Heart” fan noted in a comment on Ayres’ Instagram page.
Ayres replied directly to that fan, “It’ll make sense when you tune in.”
The questions about the town name issue were plentiful, both on Instagram posts of Ayres and other places on social media.
On that same Instagram post, a fan asked Ayres, “Will there be an explanation as to why it’s not called Coal Valley, given that Hope Valley wasn’t its original name?” To that fan, Ayres responded, “All will be revealed.”
Someone else similarly asked, “Why is it not called Coal Valley? Totally tuning in either way…just wondering!” In response to that comment, Ayres followed up with, “Tune in and all will be revealed.”
On a sneak peek shared on the Hallmark+ Instagram page, fans asked similar variations of the question again.
“The title makes no sense. In 1874, it was Coal Valley. So just call it that,” one comment read.
“It’s like they don’t know the history of the show. Kinda sad. It should be called coal valley 1874,” another person noted.
Another “When Calls the Heart” fan suggested, “Even just The Valley would be more correct. I don’t care I’m watching it either way I love the series but it just annoys me lol.”
The ‘When Calls the Heart’ Prequel Takes Place Before Coal Valley Existed as a Town
A bit of clarity came via another Instagram response from Ayres. On a recent Instagram post, another fan commented, “Can’t wait but you do know it was called Coal Valley?! Hope Valley came in 1910.”
Ayres replied, “Our story happens even before Coal Valley gets its name :).”
It seems that Ayres went into a little more detail in an Instagram Live he did on February 12, which was shared by a Lenz fan Instagram page.
When this show takes place is “before Coal Valley. It’s not even called Coal Valley yet,” Ayres explained.
He shared that his character has “basically just come out to settle this land. I’ve only been here for three years. I have a small group of people and some more coming, but it’s just a tiny little nothing right now.”
In the caption of an Instagram post promoting the show, that was shared on January 31, a bit of additional context was provided. “They were building more than just a home. They were building hope,” the caption read.
It seems that the name of the town, and the show, comes from the idea that this wasn’t even a town when these characters lived there. However, as they began to settle in the valley, they felt hopeful for their future there.
As a result, the town becomes Hope Valley for this period in time. Years later, for those living in the town as “When Calls the Heart” began, the name had become Coal Valley. Then, after the mining accident, Hope Valley returned as the name.
Despite the confusion over the name, many fans are excited to check out “Hope Valley: 1874.”The first episode drops on March 21, and Hallmark has noted that new episodes will be available on Thursdays beginning on March 26.
Am not going to pay for Hallmark +. Will it ever be on the Hsllmark Channel?
Why do all the channels have to have a pay channel also not everyone can afford them. It just seems that they are money hungry.