On a Hallmark Channel live discussion today, Chris McNally weighed in on what lies ahead for Lucas Bouchard.
After three seasons in the spotlight, When Calls the Heart is Lucas-light, and it’s hard to bear.
But McNally promises that there is a heavier story coming his way. “A big snowball that’s getting bigger, and bigger, and bigger,” to be exact.
He even used “It’s always darkest before the dawn” in relation to Lucas’s journey.
We have not seen the last of Jeannette, who always pops up when she can make the most impact.
If we’re reading McNally right, viewers who sensed we’d be seeing a darker side of Lucas are spot on.
Lucas has been a beacon of light through some of Hope Valley’s most trying times.
He arrived in town with a dream of finding a place to call home, a far cry from the life he lived growing up.
After a brutal (to viewers) fight for the girl of his dreams, he won Elizabeth’s love. But we then discovered that Elizabeth was not being true to herself, and she considered Lucas a “safe” choice.
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As an aside, I still scratch my head, wondering how a man with a questionable past is safe, but hey, that’s just me.
It’s not much of an aside, now that I think of it. In fact, that’s what McNally is teasing is ahead for Lucas.
Lucas is nursing a broken heart and a broken body. To top that off, he’s taking the world’s problems on his shoulders.
There is bound to be a crack in his otherwise smooth veneer, and McNally says that’s creeping up on us now.
It almost felt as if he was warning fans to prepare for this darker side of Lucas so that they know it’s coming and that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Lucas is known for pouring his heart into making life good for others.
Whether it’s by funding a library or sharing his love of Christmas lanterns with a town that has never experienced it, he’s all in on grand gestures.
His love of grand gestures didn’t help his relationship with Elizabeth, who preferred quieter, more intimate moments of celebration and love.
Now, Lucas is putting everything into his plan to bring a resort to Hope Valley and merge with a neighboring town to make it happen.
He’s doing most of this without asking the Hope Valley residents what they want, and with the sprinkling of opinions we’ve seen so far, the reaction is mixed.
The way McNally noted it during the chat suggests that he’s bitten off more than he can chew, and he’s about to take a tumble.
Part of his “tipping point” involves Lee and Rosemary. Will they begin to stand up to what he’s proposing fo the town they love?
I can’t help but wonder if his friendship with Harry Gowan will be his saving grace. If anyone knows what it’s like to fall in the eyes of his friends, it’s Henry.
So, the gist of it is that we have not seen the last of Jeannette, and as confident as Lucas sounds, he’s not feeling the same.
With almost half of the season behind us, I’m looking forward to seeing more of Lucas, even if that means he loses a bit of his shine.
The people we love don’t need to be perfect; they just need to be true to themselves.
Maybe this storyline will reveal to us exactly who Lucas is and why he’s still as worthy of love and faith as we’ve always believed him to be.
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Here’s the full conversation, which included other WCTH men, Kavan Smith, Viv Leacock, and Ben Rosenbaum.
LIVE with @KavanjSmith, @ChrisMcNally_, @vivleacock & @b3nros3 talking #WhenCallsTheHeart Season 11 with @etnow‘s @deidrebehar! #Hearties what questions do you have? https://t.co/WsZnbL055r
— Hallmark Channel (@hallmarkchannel) May 9, 2024
When Calls the Heart airs on Sunday nights at 9/8c only on Hallmark Channel.
What do you think about this development?
Will you stand by Lucas during his struggles?
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.