“When Calls the Heart” faithful feel their hearts still going aflutter after the Season 7 finale, and Pascale Hutton and Kavan Smith share similar feelings about their own drama. After actually watching the Season 6 finale, Hutton was swayed to Team Nathan, following Elizabeth's glance for the Mountie out the door in the final seconds. “I've flip-flopped again,” the stellar actress confesses, after seeing the power of Elizabeth’s relieved embrace when she knows that Constable Nathan Grant has been spared following a shooting. Few cliffhangers on TV Shows give this kind of fodder to hold fans over for more than six months.

Pascale Hutton and Kavan Smith portray two of the people that Hope Valley and “When Calls the Heart” fans could never do without, Rosemary and Lee Coulter. The cherished stars who lend love and laughter to every scene of the Hallmark Channel’s centerpiece drama were gracious enough to extend their feature from quarantine with Entertainment Tonight’s Diedre Behar on May 5.

The genuine castmates may have different opinions on the details of the outcomes, but both Kavan Smith and Pascale Hutton feel that Season 8 will bring resolution to two important issues.

Elizabeth's big ‘When Calls the Heart’ choice will come in Season 8

Pascale Hutton playfully teased that “I didn't read that scene ‘cause I wasn't in it,” giving Kavan Smith a big chuckle over the final “When Calls the Heart” scene of Season 7.

Hutton was swept up in the “ballsy” and “all-in” demonstrations of love from Lucas (Chris McNally). Her sensibility only shifted with Erin Krakow’s rushing hug as Elizabeth to Kevin McGarry's Nathan in the finale.

Hutton revealed that many revisions were underway before the final scene was shot. For his part, Kavan Smith doesn't go too deeply into those scenes because he has such regard and affection for both Chris McNally and Kevin McGarry.

“I don't want to see either of them go-- they're both great guys” he insists. Smith relates how the drama has “brightened up” since the arrival of the new castmates.

Behar voiced the sentiment of “When Calls the Heart” loyalists, saying that they completely agreed. There is no reason for either a wonderful actor or their characters to depart from Hope Valley.

Many romantic storylines could always be spun.

Hutton takes particular pride in how her character has always remained Team Elizabeth, and whether the single mother’s choice is “A, B or C, it needs to happen,” and Season 8 is the time for “When Calls the Heart’s lead character.

Lee and Rosemary look toward a family on ‘When Calls the Heart’

While everyone is enthralled by the sweeping romance from Lucas, who clearly has more work to do in letting Elizabeth know the depths of his love, and her pull towards Nathan, Lee and Rosemary have cultivated throngs of passionate devotees through all seven seasons.

Especially since Lee has mended fences with his sister, next season is the perfect time for the couple’s fondest dream to be fulfilled-- having a child of their own.

“I want it to be an animatronic baby, interjects Kavan playfully. That futuristic addition certainly wouldn't fit with the 1910s historic period of “When Calls the Heart.” In whatever more organic form, both co-stars are in perfect agreement that Lee and Rosemary, and their devoted following, deserve a rich storyline of expanding their family.

Kavan Smith prefers that the family grows by adoption, which would make a wonderful crossover opportunity between “When Calls the Heart” and “When Hope Calls,” in any direction that the writers choose.

“I want to see Rosemary pregnant,” Pascale Hutton exudes. Everyone knows that Rosemary would be a vision as an expectant mother. The actress also welcomes the unexpected challenges and surprises of a baby on the set. Kavan is concerned that with one baby already on “When Calls the Heart” as the main character, another might be too many.

However the family expands, fans can hardly wait for the overflow of joy for these characters, and wonderful performances in the process.

Fans could be in for more episodes of ‘When Calls the Heart’

Kavan Smith is a big cheerleader of the #MoreHopeValley campaign underway through fans for more episodes of “When Calls the Heart.” The actor agrees that the long typical delay between the spring ending of the season and the annual Christmas movie that is a precursor to a new season causes some lost momentum.

He has “whispered in enough ears,” as Pascale puts it, that the show is listening.

He is in favor of 16 total episodes, meaning about three added episodes, plus the two-hour Christmas feature. “When Calls the Heart” followers are always on the nice list, but a Season 8 with this many treats would call for lifetime home-baked goodies, even more, delicious than Rosemary's cakes or Erin Krakow’s brownies.

Whatever comes once “When Calls the Heart” is finally in production for the eighth season, the “Hearties” are ready for the wonderful ride of love, faith, friendship, and life's adventures with everyone in Hope Valley.
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