Did Hallmark Make A Mistake? ‘WCTH’ Season 11 Premiere Ratings Down
At the end of WCTH Season 10, Hallmark took a big gamble and broke up a beloved engaged couple, Elizabeth (Erin Krakow) and Lucas (Chris McNally). In addition, they shamelessly teased the dreaded love triangle with a cornucopia of intimate conversations between Elizabeth and Mountie Nathan Grant (Kevin McGarry).
Did this gamble pay off? The ratings are down, but how do they compare to last season’s premiere? Here are all the details.
Credit: ©2023 Hallmark Media/Photographer: David Dolsen
Hallmark Announces Ratings For WCTH Season 11 Premiere
On Friday, The Futon Critic shared a Hallmark Media press release about WCTH Season 11 premiere ratings. “The premiere reached 2.8 million unduplicated total viewers.”
This episode premiered on Sunday, April 7. It is entitled “When Stars Align” and shows Elizabeth getting a makeover. Now that her hair is shorter, she is embracing change. Moreover, that change comes in wearing red serge and is called Nathan.
So, how does this compare to last year?
What Were The Ratings For WCTH Season 10 Premiere?
According to the Hallmark Channel press release, the WCTH Season 10 premiere ratings were “3 million unduplicated viewers.” The premiere was on Sunday, July 30. Hearties waited a long time for this premiere, as two new series, The Way Home, and Ride, premiered before When Calls The Heart did.
This episode, entitled “Carpe Diem,” started with a slight time jump. Rosemary was well into her pregnancy. But, things have been a challenge, as Hope Valley was experiencing an economic downturn. However, the discovery of a hot spring started to change everything in the growing town. Unfortunately, this also attracted some bad actors into town.
The newly engaged Elizabeth and Lucas were starting to talk about wedding plans. Therefore, Hearties were gearing up for a big wedding at the end of the season.
Why Are New Ratings A Disaster For Hallmark?
Essentially, there was just a 200,000 viewer drop from the WCTH Season 10 premiere to the WCTH Season 11 premiere. Therefore, why is this a disaster? That is because Season 10 premiered in July, one of the worst months of the year, while Season 11 premiered in April, one of the better times of the year for ratings.
Second, they made a major change to their story. In Season 10 they broke up Lucas and Elizabeth and made Nathan the leading man. Brian Bird, and new showrunner Lindsay Sturman had said they had to do this to essentially help the show continue.
Speaking to the Edify Aftershow, Bird and Sturman felt that breaking up Lucas and Elizabeth, it would open up more stories for the future of When Calls The Heart. They felt that keeping the couple together and letting them get married would limit their possible stories.
Bird also quipped how his goal for the Hallmark series is to achieve as many seasons as The Simpsons. They felt that the inevitable Nathan and Elizabeth story would keep the series chugging along for decades to come.
When Bird discussed this on the JLJ Media podcast, this big change was compared to when Patrick Duffy left Dallas. Therefore, this change was to right the ship.
Therefore, expectations have been riding high that the Season 11 premiere would be gangbusters with high ratings. Erin Krakow and Kevin McGarry talked up the big Mountie and a schoolteacher romance, even calling it “endgame.”
Meanwhile, #ChrisMcNally was trending all week, while viewers did not tune it. Could this be considered a disaster for Hallmark?
Hearties, what do you think?
I think many actually turned it out of curiosity what will happen to Lucas. numbers may drop even lower. and it’s not just cause of the switch in story line, but because the writing has been extremely poor and disjointed in S10 and just continues in E1 of S11. Also long time fans who had been watching since then pilot don’t appreciate being called names by Brian Bird and his entourage. being called a drip and drop (or whatever it was) and constantly being made a fool is not a way to treat fans who keep you show running. I know enough people that aren’t any tram and they stopped because of those reasons. also 80% of TL would have stayed if the choice of N and E was made in the beginning, but having a 2+ year courtship and a “yes to it all” just to have a quick “oops sorry I’m spoiled and don’t know what I want except be a fangirl of a serge” few month after the engagement is ridiculous. also the acting or let’s say over acting the past season and now in s11 is not fun to watch, it’s not a comedy and if it was they need new actors cause they are not comedians
Very well said. I totally agree. Not the show I used to love so much!
Very well said? How could you even understand it? Such critics! Obviously all any of the negative people just want this to be the final season. That’s sad
So true. I was team Lucas it I would have been ok if she had picked Nathan . This flip flopping reminds me of a soap opera . I expected more from this show !!!
I am saddened by the story change. In my opinion it diminishes self Elizabeth’s character. I believe many were already losing interest when it took her so long to decide between Lucas and Nathan. Once she finally did make a decision, whether you were team Lucas or team Nathan, most were just happy the story line was going to move forward. But rather than move forward, it just frustrated viewers and for me, it caused me to lose faith in her character. In my opinion, this story line change just sent WCTH to the cutting floor rather than rivaling the longevity of the Simpsons. At this point, I would rather they extend the”The Way Home” series.
Exactly! Her and Lucas were great together and even her son loved him. Now, no more Lucas in her life is like who is she going after next?
They should have kept them together so much more interesting with Chris than re writing the same old story of the teacher and the Mountie it makes absolutely no sense they had a beautiful love story and there were so many stories that could be told with Chris Erin and Hyland very disappointed with what they did. Lousy writing!!!! Love Chris will only watch for him
Show has changed so, I no longer believe in Elizabeth or really like her, hard to believe she said after only dumping Lucas 4 short months ago that she was ready for love again. Harder to think that Rosemary said it was written in the stars. Give me a break. Writers are making this show unbelievable
Agree!
They didn’t right the ship because it’s slowly sinking. They never should have tried to set E up with a new romance and pit the viewers against each other. BB has absolutely no clue who Hearties are and why we fell in love with the show to begin with. They should have consulted Janette Oak on the direction of the story before taking a complete departure from the plot. Viewers wanted a Mountie but they pretty much destroyed that story. Bring Jack back but keep him absent from the set and only present in letters, maybe a back shot in a brief visit home. After a couple of seasons, build up to his return then recast him and for gawd sake, BB, please don’t consult your wife on the story line! Give the new Showrunner a chance to fix the mess you made of it!
I only watched S11 E1 to see how Lucas was treated and if he had a strong story line. Unfortunately that really isn’t the case. I was also disappointed that the writers jumped all in with the E&N relationship, not giving the viewers a chance to process this new Hope Valley. I wholeheartedly support Chris McNally and watch all his movies (multiple times). He is an amazing actor and needs to be given more roles to share his talent. It was also unfortunate that BB didn’t take the Lucas fans seriously, resorting to name calling and the like. There were TL fans who were rude in some of their posts to BB or LS, but even those who were respectful in their comments were deleted from BB’s social media – he really didn’t have any compassion for the way TL fans were treated by the twist in the story.
I agree fully with Jenna T. The show was ruined for me because of the breakup, however the writing was so horrible that it was difficult to watch some of the episodes in S10. I had invested a lot of time and money because of this series. Now I can no longer watch any of the hallmark channels. The show made a huge mistake getting an SR who was not familiar with the show and was unable to work on periods dramas. I’m done with the show that I loved and I miss watching it.
I agree the writing us stale..also agree they use this to reinvent the wheel ( the triangle) and to use the excuse there would be more story lines is absurd…a weffing, more babies…life doesn’t end why should Lucas and Elizabeth’s be different. There are always twists and turns in life. Explore them…find a new love for Nathan…good grief…get the writers some fresh air snd a good meal. No winder they run Murder She Wrote over and over!!!
Would be interested to know the numbers from season premieres from Seasons 8, 9 and 10. Haven’t they all trended down? Do you have that information?
Ok I looked them up. And I need to add, we are only using what Hallmark shared in a press release for consistency.
In Season 8 Premiere Episode (February 21, 2021 was premiere date) : “Program reached nearly 3.5 million unduplicated total Viewers.”
In Season 9 Premiere Episode (March 6, 2022 was premiere date): “Program reached over 3.5 million unduplicated total viewers.”
So they are very close to the same-with Season 8 almost at 3.5 million unduplicated viewers, and Season 9 premiere at over 3.5 million unduplicated viewers.
Season 9 Premiere was the highest since Season 3.
Yes, they made a mistake. Actually several mistakes.
#1: Hiring Lindsay Sturman as showrunner. Who in their right mind would hire someone who only lasts a season or two at every show she works on, because those shows get canceled after she works there?
#2: Destruction of the main character, Elizabeth. After three seasons of deciding who she should be with, Elizabeth chooses Lucas. She is absolutely sure he is her lifetime, it is made abundantly clear in the writing. And after two seasons of being together, getting engaged, and weeks away from the wedding, Elizabeth says, just kidding! I cant give my whole heart! Now we’re back to where we were five years ago. What exactly was the point? What a waste of time. And now we’re supposed to believe Elizabeth wants Nathan? How could she even trust her own judgment? How could Nathan trust her? She has no idea what she wants. She is afraid of change which is why she left Lucas. That, and she is a selfish woman who puts no one else’s needs above her own. Yet she wants a change and wonders if it’s wrong to want love again. She had that and let it go! What a lovely example for the “heroine” of the show.
3. Destruction of the Lucabeth relationship. Obviously there were some viewers who wanted Elizabeth with Nathan, but many also loved the Lucabeth relationship. Brian Bird and TPTB were very adamant that the love triangle ended with Lucas and Elizabeth. Then they change it in an attempt to garner higher ratings. Why? Season 9 set a record in ratings numbers. No change was needed. Changes were made and ratings declined. Season 10 had the lowest ratings in years. But even the summer premiere rated higher than the spring premiere of Season 11! Viewers are leaving. I expect the numbers to continue to drop.
4. Giving away plotlines for all of Season 11. It was an attempt to reel in TN fans everywhere. Well, there aren’t enough of them to boost ratings. If that many of them jumped ship after Season 8 and have since returned, ratings should be up. They aren’t. I don’t think those TN ever left. Some of TL is leaving, but I imagine most viewers jumping ship are just sick and tired of the same old boring storylines with Elizabeth’s love life. It took years to figure out and then everything was undone. For what? A repeat of the teacher/mountie? It was done well the first time. The second mountie does not compare to the first. And anyhow, if TPTB are going to blab everything that happens, where is the incentive to watch? That’s an incentive not to watch, if you dont want to see those stories. It’s meant to reel in old TN viewers and perhaps some new viewers. It’s not working! All the promos, interviews etc. and the ratings dropped? Good job to Hallmark and TPTB. Hope you didn’t lose too much money in this fiasco. LOL
I could go on. If ratings continue to drop, and if the show gets canceled, it’s easy to see why. And honestly thats what TPTB deserve.
Sheri,
Applause! Applause! I wholeheartedly agree with everything you wrote!
Well said!!!
I have thought for a long time now that the break up was caused by jealousy and I still believe that. I believe Chris McNally has a bigger fan base than a certain someone else on the show or certain someone’s. Telling fans that stories can’t continue unless the break up occurred is ridiculous. What is really sad is Brian Bird calling devoted fans, even if we are devoted to Lucas, names. The writing last season was terrible and now it appears to be that they are just re-creating old stories with new people. I will do my part to make sure that Chris keeps trending.
I do t think they made a mistake the mistake was Lucas they were always making like Nathan and Elizabeth were in love that she was scared grief isn’t easy to deal with comes back different ways. I love the show period people were on twitter saying remember don’t watch the show in three days so won’t count in ratings. It’s also same people tweeting over n over to make Chris trend so they can prove their side I for one have better things to do than get in a juvenile pissing contest. There both great
You are not making sense! Perhaps rewrite, but think it through before you do! 🤣🤣
Season 10 was the disaster. Season 11 is the Mess Around And Find Out repercussions.
On ratings, not only did Season 10 (which started with the viewers anticipating a LucaBeth wedding at season’s end) start in July (a time phrase that shows typically are on hiatus as vacations and outdoor activities drive ratings down), but it did not have the advantage of the heavy advertising and interviews that Season 11 had due to the actors and writers strikes. Season over season between 9, 10, and 11, ten also scored bigger in the coveted demographic during a time frame that younger people are typically enjoying being outside rather than sitting in front of the television screen.
As a longtime viewer and very involved (former) Heartie, my feeling was that the Lucas fans and Nathan fans were roughly split in terms of popularity. Lucas fans weren’t as loud, partially because they weren’t allowed to be with certain ‘official’ pages not allowing them to celebrate Lucas and Elizabeth’s love story once her choice was finally made, but also because our team’s personality seems to mirror the character more. Meanwhile, a sub-element of Team Nathan burned actor’s pictures, set up petitions to get the show cancelled/head writer fired, made up slanderous stories about people’s relatives without proof, and harassed TPTB for 2 years after Elizabeth’s choice was made.
Season 10 was the season that Hearties learned the term “retcon” for Retroactive Continuity. A retcon happens when a show/book/story significantly reframes its history and takes it down a contradictory path. Retcons are pretty old (I believe go back to at least the 19th century) and should never be undertaken lightly. In season 8, after 3 seasons of working her way through her grief over Jack to opening her heart to love, Elizabeth finally came to a conclusion and was resolute in that conclusion per showrunner, John Tinker. She told Nathan that she loved him but was not in love with him. She also wrote in her diary that Nathan was not to be her lifetime, nor was she his. She chose Lucas.
To be fair, due to Rosemary’s “Perhaps” even a lifetime, Lucas and Elizabeth were never a 100% guarantee either, however, after a passionate season of love in season 9 that included close to 40 kisses, a tearful begging for a marriage proposal, pre-wedding vows said at a gas depot, pillow talk on the living room floor about giving Lucas (who had never had a good healthy family life – the one thing he always wanted) the life he always wanted, a statement that if everything had been burned up in the fire there would still be love, strong bonding with little Jack (the only father-figure LJ has ever known for half his life was Lucas) and finally a joyfilled proposal to which Elizabeth said “yes to it all” when Lucas asked to be a father to her son and for her to be his wife – it was highly reasonable and indeed a promise that viewers banked on to expect a wedding in Season 10. Perhaps it could get delayed into 11, but there was ZERO indication at any time they would break up.
Enter Season 10 – which was a collosal mess. It started with Elizabeth saying “Carpe Diem” seize the day because you don’t know what tomorrow brings – and ended with a selfish Elizabeth being too stuck in Hope Valley to ever want anything more. It started with her telling Lucas that the more you love the more you can love and that he is incredible. It ended with her dumping him at a train depot by telling him she just couldn’t give him her heart in a 2 minute breakup before she sent him away to save a town she loved more than him. It created in Elizabeth an ungrateful, selfish and disloyal show lead. She put down Lucas’s ‘grandiosity’ (he’s the only character who isn’t allowed to do any normal thing such as build his bride a new house without it being cast as ‘grand’) and rolled her eyes, backbiting him to her BPD friend Rosie (who was equally obnoxious in s10 – taking bows for her work and even blushing over an anthem to her composed by children who gave her credit for the work that Lucas pretty much exclusively supplied). And Elizabeth betrayed Lucas’s trust by beginning what many call an emotional affair (I agree) with Nathan Grant. Lucas was dumbed down and apparently unaware of anything going on with Elizabeth and Nathan, Rosemary, Lee, Bill, and even Henry didn’t tell him. In short, Lindsay Sturman’s writing revamped the ENTIRE schema that held for 10 seasons and replaced it with something unrecognizable and frankly morally wrong. The season wasn’t only a retcon of the past but contradictory to itself. The show’s legacy is destroyed by one writing team – and now it’s starting to show in ratings.
Team Nathan is ecstatic about the story change . They don’t care how they got there (at least most don’t – I have seen some though say it’s too much for them and they agree with us). And Team Lucas is either tuning out or tuning in only for Lucas/Chris McNally. Given that Lucas is being stripped of everything that ties him to the town – no love interest, and even the Queen of Hearts taken from him – most Team Lucas feel she’s preparing to write Chris out of the show which breaks longtime viewers hearts even more.
If all of that weren’t enough, when people complained about the changes they were insulted and gaslighted by the powers that be. The show has lost viewers respect and they have themselves to blame.
So…were these ratings a disaster? They weren’t good, that’s for sure. But what’s worse than the ratings is that the Heart has been taken from When Calls the Heart. I will never watch the show again and it was a cherished part of my life. Widows, people with illness, people overcoming grief, people overburdened by life stresses tuned in to find that message of hope and now it is gone. Instead – the audience was traumatized by the change of events during the season and the treatment after. That is the true disaster, and all I can say is what a shame. It was good while it lasted, but like so many things in our world, it too had to be destroyed.
My family and friends are moving on from the show and indeed from Hallmark, finding our entertainment elsewhere as what we lost has sullied our trust in even the network. Could they change it? As a writer myself, I could sketch out a ‘fix it’ in five minutes time and leave both teams happy in the end with the storytelling. But audience trust in the players is now damaged as well and once you’ve destroyed trust it’s hard to come back from. I don’t think they will. Ratings may be okay, but the show has been ruined. It was not worth it.
Everything you posted so true and well written. When Elizabeth gave Lucas the pocket watch when he was in jail “Out time has come” and all the beautiful scenes you listed it sealed their relationship for me. Not one scene in season 9 that Lucas was the safe choice or she had any romantic feelings for Nathan!! The story line in Season 10 that Lucas wanted bigger things, the uncaring by the whole town that Lucas was giving up everything to save it and the total meanness of Elizabeth and Rosemary toward Lucas has made it where I never want to watch this series again and wont. As you said it was beautiful that could of had endless storylines with Lucas and Elizabeth but now we have a repeat of Teacher and Mountie. All that matters is TN is getting their story and happy!
Amazing! So very well said! Thank you! 👏👏👏
Agree 100% with Sheri and Janine. I’ve watched all 10 seasons. I watched Season 11, episode 1.. Not sure I will continue. Whether you are Nathan/Elizabeth fan or a Lucas/Elizabeth fan, it does not matter. After how many years of the love triangle, the writers finally decide Lucas/Elizabeth. Then in last 10 minutes on the Season 10 finale, they break them up? WTH? NO! Horrible writing, or horrible decisions by the upper echelon of Hallmark. Will I continue to watch, I’m not sure…. Elizabeth is not the same character she was in most of the first 7-8 seasons. JMO…
agree
Season 10 of “When Calls the Heart” will go down as the season where the show lost its way and, unfortunately, a good chunk of its heart. We have ridden the emotional highs and lows alongside Elizabeth Thatcher Thornton and the residents of Hope Valley, but this latest season left a bitter taste.
Let’s cut right to the chase: Elizabeth breaking up with Lucas was a slap in the face to fans who had invested years in rooting for their relationship. Lucas, played by the ever-charming Chris McNally, was everything the show seemed to be pushing Elizabeth towards—a supportive, gentle, and loving partner who respected and encouraged her independence and literary career. Their relationship was built on meaningful conversation and mutual respect, making them a beacon of mature romance on television.
However, season10 threw all that character development out the window. Elizabeth’s sudden decision to end things with Lucas was not only shocking but felt completely out of character. It seemed as if the writers were trying to stir up drama for the sake of it, disregarding the natural story arc they had so carefully constructed over the seasons. The justification given for their breakup—Elizabeth’s need for self-discovery—felt hollow and forced, especially since her growth had been portrayed as intertwined with Lucas’s unconditional love and support.
But worse was the apparent pivot towards rekindling feelings for Nathan. This shift was even more jarring. Nathan, as decent as he is, had been placed in the friend zone, and the chemistry and narrative had moved clearly away from him in past seasons. Dragging him back into a romantic light not only disrupts the storyline but also reeks of manufactured drama, undermining the organic storytelling.
The execution of this about-face in Elizabeth’s love life makes her appear fickle, cold-hearted and undermines her integrity as a character. For a show that prided itself on its strong, principled heroine, season 10 and now 11 make Elizabeth look indecisive, dishonorable and callous, tarnishing the very essence of what made her relatable and admirable.
Season 10 of “When Calls the Heart” was a profound disappointment. It betrayed character developments and narrative arcs for cheap twists and unnecessary heartache. The show not only did a disservice to Lucas but also to Elizabeth and to us—the fans—who deserved a lot more respect and consideration after our years of emotional investment. Given episode 1 of season 11, it looks like a continuation of the train wreck as Elizabeth has now regressed to some lovesick teenager pining over Nathan and Lucas will apparently be finding his “calling” as the Governor even though all he ever wanted was to be with Elizabeth and little Jack. It appears that the show will be leaving more fans behind, disillusioned and heartbroken, much like the abandoned romance they so carelessly dismantled.
Everything you posted so true and well written. When Elizabeth gave Lucas the pocket watch when he was in jail “Out time has come” and all the beautiful scenes you listed it sealed their relationship for me. Not one scene in season 9 that Lucas was the safe choice or she had any romantic feelings for Nathan!! The story line in Season 10 that Lucas wanted bigger things, the uncaring by the whole town that Lucas was giving up everything to save it and the total meanness of Elizabeth and Rosemary toward Lucas has made it where I never want to watch this series again and wont. As you said it was beautiful that could of had endless storylines with Lucas and Elizabeth but now we have a repeat of Teacher and Mountie. All that matters is TN is getting their story and happy!
All true 🙁
They definitely made a mistake with the recon story. I don’t even like to watch movies that Erin and Kevin are in now. I won’t be watching season 11. I don’t like the focus on Elizabeth and the Mountie storyline ( again). Viewers endured 2 seasons of the love triangle between Elizabeth, Nathan and Lucas. She finally chose Lucas. They were planning a wedding which viewers expected in season 10. Then there’s a quick farewell scene at the train station and she breaks off the relationship with Lucas. That was insensitive and unbelievable. I don’t support the Mountie storyline ( again)—-boring. So yes, writers and producers made a big mistake.
Won’t be watching ever again. lied to after season 8 and the story lines in season 10 after Season 9 were crazy and unbelievable. As the quote on the pocket watch Erin gave Lucas ” Our time has come” to leave this show behind. As Erin being a EP and her personal friendship with Kevin I think this played a big role in the change of story lines and I can’t support TPTB who treated Chris the way they did for Kevin’s gain. Sorry but my opinion.
I am not a ‘heartie’ but have watched every episode when Peacock streamed all the seasons. WCTH made a huge mistake. Did not even like Kevin in “Heartland”.
bb couldnt pay me to watch this rubbish it’s an insult to sane people love lucas bouchard get rid of erin krakow and mcgarry .and watch the ratings soar
I call it the Widow Maker and the Widow! Had Nathan not disobeyed orders, Jack would have been able to go on his honeymoon with Elizabeth. But, arrogant Nathan was suspended, and Jack was assigned to Nathan’s training mission. Jack died a hero. Nathan, feeling guilty, asks for Jack’s job, puts himself & his niece in Elizabeth’s life, then tries to court her while living a lie for years! Elizabeth had to force the truth from Nathan! Nathan tells her he doesn’t mind competition, like she’s some prize. Ew! He sought recognition for giving her flowers. He disparaged his rival, lied to be with Elizabeth. After Elizabeth committed herself and son to to Lucas, Nathan lusted after her. In the most cringey talk, while drinking apple juice in Elizabeth’s home, Nathan whines about his love life! I loathe that he’s a Mountie, and I cry for manhood, if he’s going to be the leading lady’s endgame. He’s a coward, an interloper, and unhealthy for the widow, and the child he helped make fatherless. Cycle of emotional abuse arc, Nathan hurt Elizabeth, Elizabeth hurt Lucas. Reprehensible to award Nathan his victim. But I hear it’s gonna be epic! Ugh!
I agree Jenna. The only word I can use for the writing of season 10 was Choppy and Amateur in quality. They spent all of season 9 making us fall in love with Lucas and Elizabeth as a couple only to easily break them apart with no regards for their viewers hearts or attachments. They could have made a great story line for Nathan with interesting twists and turns but they have really made his character weak and uninteresting. And in my opinion, they could have made Fiona’s character a powerhouse of interest but did nothing with her.
I feel as an avid long term watcher of WCTH- that they have treated the viewers, all of them, as stupid idiots with no investment in these characters. I think the writers are out of touch! If we don’t watch – they don’t continue. They forget who truly holds the power of this shows future. I haven’t watched season 11 and from what I’ve read I haven’t missed a thing.
The shows new storyline leaves a creator in my soul. The shows most beautiful flowing Lucas & Elizabeth love story was suddenly demolished.
What’s worse is that Elizabeth’s pure, honest & loyal character has been tarnished by her breakup with her true love interest of years in order to be with another man just weeks before her wedding!
Even if fans want to follow the story, it’s difficult to love our previously adored main character, Elizabeth.
Although writers may attempt to recreate the Lucabeth story with an almost adulterous new Elizabeth & Nathan story, it can only face doom.
*After all, fans were all captured by a faith based story with purity of heart & soul. I think this was the show’s great appeal which is now GONE.
I am Done !