Elizabeth Thornton has finally made her decision!
After two seasons of watching suitors Lucas Bouchard (Chris McNally) and Mountie Nathan Grant (Kevin McGarry) court the charming school teacher on When Calls the Heart, the cast of the beloved Hallmark Channel series confirms exclusively to ET that Elizabeth (Erin Krakow) has selected her man — and, there’s a kiss!
“I am happy to say that we will, in season 8, have a decision and we’ll get to see Elizabeth move on with her romantic life,” series lead and co-executive producer Erin Krakow reveals via video chat from the show’s Vancouver set. “I really think it’s about time. Love triangles are so exciting to watch and I’m really proud of the way we’ve told this story, but they’re also really frustrating and I have felt that from the fans. They’re like, ‘All right, it’s enough already, let’s go!’ They’re enjoying the ride but they’re so eager to see Elizabeth and baby Jack happy and starting to kind of get to enjoy that real courtship.”
McNally calls the season “such a roller coaster” and admits that he, McGarry and Krakow didn’t know the outcome as they filmed each episode. He explains, “Each time you get a script, you’re like, ‘Oh, OK!’ So each time, it keeps evolving and becoming more and more intense. At one point, you see it going one way and then it goes the other way and then it swings back… I hope the fans are on edge like we were reading the scripts.”
McGarry echoes that same sentiment, lovingly teasing that the audience will be thrown for several loops as they start to speculate where Elizabeth’s heart lies. “There are more red herrings in this season than a zoo. Is that even a saying?” he playfully asks with a laugh. “It’s all over the place, so don’t think that you have figured it out until the very end!”
As fans have grown to know both Lucas and Nathan a bit better, we’ve taken notice of how their courtship styles differ. While Lucas is straightforward and a fan of grand gestures, Nathan is a bit more reserved and, at times, tongue-tied when he’s around Elizabeth. McGarry tells ET that more of Nathan’s backstory will unfold in season 8, which will better explain the reason behind his demeanor.
“I think what happened at the end of season 7 for Nathan, it kind of kicks him into gear a little bit and he does start to get a bit more direct at what he wants and what he is willing to give up to get it,” he shares. “There is still awkwardness between Nathan and Elizabeth and actually, I think it is unveiled this season why there is awkwardness between the two of them. There has been something that Nathan has been holding on to that gets revealed, as to why he’s felt so awkward around her, and why there has been so much distance between them.” So, does this mean someone prior broke Nathan’s heart? McGarry quips, “Yeah, but it’s not the heartbreak that you think it is. It’s a different kind of heartbreak.”
