When Calls the Heart prequel 'Hope Valley: 1874' offers 'a little bit of an escape', says star

The new series premieres on Hallmark+ and stars Jill Hennessy as Hattie Quinn, a widow and single mother running the town's trading post.

Mar. 20, 2026 at 2:00pm

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Hope Valley: 1874, the prequel series to When Calls the Heart, premieres on Hallmark+ this Saturday. Star Jill Hennessy, who plays Hattie Quinn, a widow and single mother running the town's trading post, says the show provides 'a little bit of an escape' for viewers with its warmth, romance, and focus on women's relationships and survival in the Western frontier.

Why it matters

As a prequel to the popular When Calls the Heart series, Hope Valley: 1874 is expected to please existing 'Hearties' fans while offering a slightly darker and grittier take on life in the frontier town. The show's emphasis on female relationships and characters navigating the challenges of the era is also seen as a draw for viewers seeking uplifting, character-driven stories.

The details

Hope Valley: 1874 follows Rebecca Clarke and her daughter as they settle in a Western Canadian frontier town where Hennessy's character, Hattie Quinn, runs the trading post. Hattie is described as a widow and single mother who is 'sorta used to living on her own, but deeply afraid of her daughter moving off, trying not to confront how scared she is.' Hennessy says the show will have 'a lot of focus on women's relationships, and women and men in a friendship/survival kind of way, where there's no competition, there's no bitterness, and people are just trying to make it through the day.'

  • Hope Valley: 1874 premieres on Saturday, March 20, 2026.

The players

Jill Hennessy

An actress known for her roles in shows like Law & Order, Crossing Jordan, and Yellowstone, who plays the character of Hattie Quinn, a widow and single mother running the trading post in the town of Hope Valley.

Rebecca Clarke

The main character who settles in the Western Canadian frontier town of Hope Valley with her daughter.

Hattie Quinn

The character played by Jill Hennessy, who runs the trading post in Hope Valley and is a widow and single mother.

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What they’re saying

“She's sorta used to living on her own, but deeply afraid of her daughter moving off, trying not to confront how scared she is: 'Oh my gosh, but what will I do when she leaves me?'”

— Jill Hennessy, Actress

“In this show, I think they're gonna get all of the warmth and the romance aspect, in a structure, though, that goes a little broader, can be a little darker, a little more gritty.”

— Jill Hennessy, Actress

“This is just one of the nicest casts. It is very appealing. It's a nice — how can I say? — a little bit of an escape.”

— Jill Hennessy, Actress

What’s next

Fans of When Calls the Heart will be able to watch the new prequel series Hope Valley: 1874 when it premieres on Hallmark+ on Saturday, March 20, 2026.

The takeaway

Hope Valley: 1874 is expected to provide a heartwarming and uplifting escape for viewers, with its focus on female relationships, survival, and the challenges of frontier life, while still delivering the romance and warmth that fans of the When Calls the Heart franchise have come to expect.