WHEN CALLS THE HEART Hits Series High

Lori Loughlin and Jack Wagner.  Photo Credit: Copyright 2013 Crown Media
United States, LLC/Photographer: Eike Schroter

Over 2.5 million unduplicated viewers tuned in to the latest installment of Hallmark Channel's original scripted series, WHEN CALLS THE HEART, on March 22. The Saturday night premiere, which featured Jack Wagner's first appearance as Royal Canadian Mountie Jack Thornton, scored a 1.8 household rating. In the 9-10 p.m. time period, "Rules of Enagement" episode ranked #2 among HH (1.8 rtg) as well as P2+ (.9 rtg). The episode also placed #2 in HH delivery (1,588,000) and #3 in P2+ delivery (2,012,000). "Rules of Enagement" has become the highest-rated episode of the series to-date and the most watched among HHs and P2+.

In the episode, Jack (Daniel Lissing) is hailed a hero after putting away the Tolliver outlaws, and has decided to come back to Coal Valley for good. But his return to town—and to Elizabeth (Erin Krakow) - is unexpectedly complicated by the arrival of gorgeous big-city actress, Rosemary LeVeaux (Pascale Hutton), Jack's ex-fiancée. Watching the two reunite, Elizabeth is devastated and furious with Jack as Rosemary wastes no time making Coal Valley her home. Meanwhile, Jack has asked Mountie forensic investigator and friend Bill Avery (Jack Wagner) to help Abigail (Lori Loughlin) make a case against Gowen (Martin Cummins) and the Pacific Northwest Mining Company regarding the mine explosion. As Bill and Abigail (Lori Loughlin) work together and ward off Gowen’s threats, Bill quickly becomes interested in Abigail and admits to Jack that he’d like to get to know her better, and Abigail may share the same feelings.

Source: The Nielsen Company, March 17 - 23, 2014, Live + SD coverage area ratings and impressions