Allie’s Key Scenes on WCTH This Year Had to Be Toned Down, Showrunner Reveals

Allie Grant had a strong storyline on “When Calls the Heart” season 12. Jaeda Lily Miller rose to the occasion for all the big Allie moments, from a rejection by her crush to standing up against some intimidating men.

But in an interview with the Official Hearties Aftershow, showrunner Joy Gregory revealed that one scene involving Allie in season 12 had to be reworked before getting approval because it came off just a little too strong for the tone of the show.

Allie Originally Came Across a Little Too Strongly, the Showrunner Revealed

The revelation came while Gregory, writer Allie Deveraux, and writer Liam Fearnley were talking about the editing process on “When Calls the Heart” and why certain scenes get deleted or altered.

Gregory talked about how “When Calls the Heart” scenes sometimes get written three times: first in the script, then when the actors and directors are making choices during filming, and finally during the editing process.

“Editing makes choices. We all weigh in on the edit,” she said. “No one’s taking anything away from us that we wish we could have saved.”

She and the hosts went on to talk about how Janette Oke, who wrote the book series that the show is based on, still consults on episodes too. A lot of people, including network executives, weigh in on storyline ideas.

“We start with something called a story arena, which is just a paragraph or two about the A story, the B story and the C story,” Gregory explained. “And that goes through everybody. Everybody’s eyeballs are on that… All the network execs, and we really rely on everyone’s sense of what works on the show.”

Gregory added that since she’s still new to the show, she really needs and appreciates that feedback.

One of those moments occurred when Allie’s scenes needed to be reworked a bit to better fit the show.

“One small example,” Gregory said. “I had Allie really standing up for what she believed in, in a way that I just got the feedback like, ‘She’s a little too strong. It sounds like she’s not respecting her elders. And we just don’t do that on this show.’ And I was like, ‘Point taken.’ Let me be within the tonal spectrum of the show. Let me honor and respect that.”

Gregory Is Stepping in as Showrunner This Season

Gregory was a writer during season 12, and now she’s stepping in as the new showrunner and replacing Lindsay Sturman.

Executive producer Brian Bird announced the news on the Aftershow, saying: “I’m pleased to be on this Zoom with Joy Gregory, our fantastic season 12 writer and executive producer, who is joining us again for season 13 as our showrunner… We’re so thrilled… Joy did such an amazing job this year on the show. Her first year on the show but she just got it so quickly. Picked up the world, picked up the values, picked up the vibes.”

Gregory said she was honored to be picked.

“I feel really honored to be trusted with carrying this ship forward,” she said. “I’m deeply inspired by the fan engagement on the show. It’s like nothing I’ve experienced in 25 seasons of TV that I’ve written and produced. It’s a very special show…”