Heartland is a Canadian family drama television series which debuted on CBC Television in 2007 and continues to air both there and in other countries via syndication and streaming services. The series is based on the Heartland book series by Lauren Brooke. It follows Amy Fleming and her older sister "Lou" Fleming on their family horse and cattle ranch, Heartland, in Alberta, where they live with their initially-widower grandfather Jack Bartlett, their once-estranged father Tim Fleming, and hired farmhand Ty Borden. While dealing with the highs and lows of life on the ranch, the family bonds and grows closer. The show stars Amber Marshall, Michelle Morgan, and Shaun Johnston, with many others appearing in its large ensemble cast over the years.
With the airing of its 125th episode on October 19, 2014, Heartland surpassed Street Legal as the longest-running one-hour scripted drama in Canadian television history.
On June 1, 2022, CBC renewed the series for a 15-episode sixteenth season, premiered in Canada on October 2, 2022. In May 2023, the series was renewed for a 10-episode seventeenth season, which premiered in Canada on October 1, 2023.
In May 2024, the series was renewed for an eighteenth season, which immediately began filming thereafter. It premiered in Canada in the fall of 2024, and is set to premiere in the United States later in 2025.
The decision to continue on with the series was announced by the CBC so that the family drama Heartland will be renewed for a 19th season. Filming began for this in May 2025. On May 26, 2026, the series was renewed for a twentieth season. According to a post on Amber Marshall's Facebook page, the 20th season wrapped principal photography in early September 2026.
In the United States, the series has wide distribution through broadcast syndication on weekends, including as part of the default national schedule for Up TV and The CW Plus and new episodes become available as of 2021, on Up Faith & Family, the network's streaming service months after full seasons finish their runs in Canada and later premiere in the United States linearly on the main network and all later seasons are exclusive to Up Faith & family first before they are available for syndication on other American networks and streaming services unaffiliated with UP tv or its sister networks. Reruns of older episodes also air on Hulu, Pluto TV, formerly on the now-defunct service Crackle, Tubi, BYUtv, Retro TV, COZI TV, Ace TV, and Heartland (a coincidental brand unrelated to the show itself). It was also part of the schedule on Light TV until it was rebranded as TheGrio TV on January 15, 2021. Heartland also began airing on Hallmark Channel in January 2025. The show is also available on Netflix and various other streaming platforms in the United States.
Contents
Cast and characters
Main
Amber Marshall as Amy Fleming: The protagonist of the series, practices natural horsemanship, the intuitive training and healing method used by her late mother, Marion. When Amy was 15, she was seriously injured in a car crash that killed Marion. They were living with Marion's father (Amy's grandfather) Jack on his ranch, Heartland. While Amy recuperated, her estranged father Tim returned. Jack had banished Tim years earlier because of his alcohol and drug use. Amy adapts to her father re-entering her life, while her older sister Lou, who works in New York City, returns to Heartland after Marion's death. Jack begrudgingly accepts Tim, who tries to make amends for the past. Over time, Amy develops a close relationship with Ty Borden, a ranch hand working at Heartland as part of his probation. They fall in love, though the relationship is occasionally rocky. In the last episode of season 5, Ty plans to propose to Amy, but decides against it after overhearing her say she does not want to be tied down. They eventually marry, and, at the end of season 9, Amy is pregnant. At the end of Season 10, Amy gives birth to a girl, Lyndy Marion. In season 13, Amy and Ty become foster parents to Luke. Season 14 sees Amy dealing with Ty's accidental death and coping with being a single mother.
Michelle Morgan as Samantha Louise "Lou" Fleming Morris: As the series opens, Lou returns home to help run Heartland, leaving behind her boyfriend and a lucrative business job in New York City. Upon discovering Heartland's poor financial situation, she crafts a financial plan to make the ranch profitable. After securing a bank loan, Lou takes over the business-end of Heartland, and later proposes creating the Heartland Equestrian Connection as a corporate retreat center. Family members derisively consider it as a "Dude Ranch". Lou rekindles a romance with local vet, Scott Cardinal. That relationship dissolves in season 2. She then meets Peter Morris, but their relationship is complicated by Peter's job in the oil industry. Lou and Peter marry at the end of season 3 and move to Dubai. Lou misses Heartland and her family and they move back. She gives birth to daughter Catherine Marion Minnie Fleming-Morris (“Katie”). Lou and Peter eventually buy Mr. Hanley's ranch. However, a fire demolishes the buildings and forces them to remain at Heartland. In Season 6, Lou and Peter adopt Georgina Crawley. In season 8, Peter's frequent long work absences stresses their marriage, and the couple separate. Lou is attracted to new stable hand, Mitch. Peter regularly visits his daughters, complicating Lou and Mitch's budding romance. In season 7, Lou buys Maggie's Diner and runs it with Tim, her supposedly "silent" business partner. Lou works on bringing Maggie's to New York City and spends much time commuting back and forth. Season 14 sees Lou become the Mayor of the town Hudson and the introduction of her side-kick and Chief Administrative Office Rick Adderly. Rick is the show's first openly gay character in the show's history and played by British actor Aidan Moreno.
Supporting
Kerry James as Caleb Odell
Caleb is a ranch hand hired by Jack after Ty leaves for four months. In the beginning he is rather husky, has feelings for Amy, and develops a strong rivalry with Ty. He and Amy have a short-lived relationship, but Amy soon goes back to Ty. He falls in love with Ashley Stanton, eventually marrying her. Caleb is a rodeo cowboy. Before marrying Ashley, Caleb is severely injured at a rodeo. After battling prescription drugs and alcohol, much like Tim's, he recovers but is much thinner. Caleb and Ashley have a difficult marriage, struggling with financial problems, pressure from Val Stanton (Ashley's mother), and differing life goals. Caleb and Ashley eloped, but after discovering that their officiator's license had expired, they have a wedding outside Caleb's trailer (where they had been living). They honeymoon in Italy and stay with one of Val's friends, but Caleb returns alone. Ashley eventually returns and decides to pursue postsecondary education in Vancouver. Caleb moves there to be with Ashley, but they drift apart as she makes new friends and spends more time away from Caleb. They eventually divorce, and Caleb returns to Hudson and resumes working at Heartland, while seasonally competing at the rodeo. After Ashley, Caleb pursues Lou's friend Nicole (who had moved from New York and works for Lou at the ranch). He has a relationship with Cassandra, who was a vet student working at Scott's clinic. Caleb and Cass have a pregnancy scare. They almost break up, but marry at the end of Season 10. Ty and Amy were to attend, but Amy went into labour just as they arrived, and they had to rush home. Caleb and Cassandra discover they are expecting in Season 13 ('The Art of Trust'). Cassandra gives birth to their son, Carson, sometime between the Season 13 finale and the Season 14 premiere.
Gabriel Hogan as Peter Walter Morris
Peter is Lou's ex-husband. He was first introduced as PW, the owner of a small oil company called Bedford Oil that is caught drilling on Heartland property. Lou organized a protest against PW's company. In the meantime, one of Lisa's horse friends gives out Lou's email without her permission. Lou (using her first name, Sam) and PW (using his first name, Peter) begin a relationship over an instant messaging service. After meeting, they are shocked to discover each other's identity. Their relationship is kept secret because both Jack and Tim hate PW for being part of "Big Oil." Peter eventually wins the family's approval and he and Lou are married in the Season 3 finale. Peter's business immediately takes them to Dubai. Lou returns home for a one-week visit that stretches on because she misses Heartland and her family. Peter commutes to and from Dubai because Lou is expecting their first child. Peter ends up bankrupt in Dubai, and asks to move in with Lou at Jack's house. Peter recovers financially, but is only home on weekends due to his new job's location in Vancouver. In Season 7, Lou and Peter adopt Georgie after Jack is not approved as her legal guardian. Lou and Peter separate because Peter is always away in Vancouver. Peter is discovered to have a girlfriend in Vancouver, which causes Lou to end the relationship. Peter continues visiting Heartland to see his daughters.
Recurring
Alisha Newton as Georgina "Georgie" Fleming Morris (Crawley)
Georgie is Lou and Peter's adopted daughter who was orphaned at age 3. After the foster care system separated her and her brother, Jeff, Georgie developed serious behavioral problems, though her behavior gradually improves. Georgie, a natural equestrian and a tomboy, is fearless, talented, strong-minded, and clever. This initially makes Mallory, a young family friend, jealous. Georgie grows close to the family but occasionally misbehaves, even running away once. In later seasons, Georgie joins the Extreme Team, a trick riding group, replacing show jumping as Georgie's main equestrian activity. She develops romantic feelings for Adam Parker, her tutor. Georgie and Adam briefly date but break up when Adam thinks she has feelings for Clay McMurtry. By seasons 14 and 15, she is in a relationship with newcomer Quinn. He encourages Georgie to revive her dream of competing in the Olympics. She begins training at his family's Florida ranch. Although billed as "main cast" during this time, Georgie later becomes more of a "recurring character" due to her infrequent visits back to Heartland. She was absent for all of season 15 and much of 16 after Newton left the main cast for nearly two seasons to pursue other acting opportunities. She returned for the last two episodes of season 16. Early on in season 16, Georgie gets into a riding accident during one of the competitions off screen that lead her to be nearly paralyzed. She returned to the ranch on screen at the end of season 16, after her character made a physical recovery to deal with the trauma of her accident.
Laara Sadiq as Dr. Tricia Virani.
She is Jade's mother. Although she arrived in Heartland as a tourist, Lou soon requested her help to tend to Jack, in exchange for riding lessons. While Tim offers to be an instructor, they eventually end up having a brief love affair.
Kevin McGarry as Mitch Cutty
Mitch is hired as a ranch hand at Heartland and works hard to earn the family's respect, especially with Jack and Tim. After much hostility, Tim nicknames Mitch "Trooper" after a tenacious but respectable bronc on the circuit. Following an awkward first "date," Mitch and Lou enter into an off-and-on relationship. Mitch is troubled by guilt due to the loss of his cousin to PTSD but confides in Lou and they earn each other's trust. Following a breakup with Lou, Mitch begins dating "new age" yoga instructor Maya which forces Lou to confront her true feelings for him.
Guest or former cast
Jessica Amlee as Mallory Wells Anderson
A friend of the family who visited frequently and often stayed overnight, Mallory is the daughter of a Canadian country music artist (real-life Canadian country music artist George Canyon), whose music she finds annoying, and is hired by Lou to babysit Katie on a regular basis. She was mostly known for talking too much and prying into everyone's personal lives, which often got her into trouble. Mallory rides the horses at Heartland and participates in jumping competitions. She is easily infatuated with boys, and has a crush on Ty early in the series, though her main love interests wind up being Jake Anderson and Badger. Mallory leaves Heartland several times, most significantly to attend an all-girls boarding school to which she is sent by her parents when her father goes on tour the first time. Jake helps her buy a bus ticket and return to Heartland. At the end of Season 5, she announced with dismay that she was moving to Nashville for her father's music career, though she and her family returned to Canada in season 6. In season 7, she finally confessed her feelings for Jake and went with him to Paris. In season 10, episode 14, Mallory came back to Heartland and married him.
Cindy Busby as Ashley Stanton
In season 1, she fulfilled the archetype of the high-school mean girl, but after Amy helps Ashley improve her show-jumping and later saves her horse Apollo, Ashley warms up to Amy and her best friend Soraya. Ashley's character develops substantially from this point, and she is shown to struggle in her relationship with her mother. As a result, she lives at Heartland for a short period of time and later stays with Caleb, in his rented trailer. Ashley gradually falls for Caleb in Season 2 and starts a serious relationship with him, and they marry in the season 3 finale. It took Ashley a while to come back from their honeymoon in Italy, resulting in Caleb coming home alone. Later in the series, Ashley and Caleb moved away so she could attend college. Caleb returned alone again, and they eventually got a divorce. In season 7, episode nine, she comes back to see her friends. She's now becoming a lawyer.
Nathaniel Arcand as Scott Cardinal (Recurring seasons 1–8, 10–11; guest seasons 9, 15–16)
A close Native Canadian friend of the Bartlett/Fleming household and also Heartland's vet. Scott had a troubled background, but Marion helped him turn his life around. Scott and Lou have a relationship for the first two seasons. He later regrets losing her and for not trying harder to win her back. In season 2, Ty tells Amy that Scott has agreed to let Ty be his apprentice and that Scott will mentor him to possibly work with him after veterinary school. Ty eventually attends veterinary school at the University of Calgary, and works part-time at Scott's clinic in later seasons. He is also joined by Cassandra, another U.o.C vet student who is a year or two ahead of Ty. Scott later offers Ty to be his partner in the clinic.
Filming locations
Much of the series is filmed on location in and around High River, Alberta, with additional filming in studio and on location in nearby Calgary. A June 2013 flood in High River swamped the standing set for Maggie's Diner. The main Heartland sets escaped damage, and seventh season scripts were rewritten to move shooting locations for the fictional town of Hudson to Inglewood, a historic neighbourhood in downtown Calgary. A month after the flood, the show's Calgary studios offered behind-the-scenes tours to paying fans for a one-day "Heartlanders for High River" fundraiser, providing $80,000 to help the town recover.
Heartland filmed some of its interiors at an abandoned military base, Currie Barracks,
scheduled for redevelopment.
Home media
Entertainment One has released the first seven seasons of Heartland on DVD in Region 1 (Canada only). The standalone TV movie A Heartland Christmas was released on DVD in Canada on November 1, 2011 and in the United States on October 29, 2013. Season 8 was released in Canada on October 6, 2015.
In Region 2, 4Digital Media has released the first 6 seasons on DVD in the UK.
In Region 4, Season 1 and Season 2 Parts 1 and 2 have been released by Roadshow Home Video.
Reception
Ratings
In its series premiere, Heartland beat Global's comedy Da Kink in My Hair with 513,000 viewers in a battle of two new series. After four episodes, Heartland had an average viewership of 464,000. In its first-season finale, Heartland attracted 625,000 viewers. The third-season premiere brought in over one million viewers, a new record for the show. The 100th episode "After All We've Been Through" was watched by 945,000 viewers.
Spin-off web series
A six-part spin-off web series titled Hudson with Jade Virani as the protagonist was released on CBC Gem on March 31, 2019. It won the Best Web Series award at the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers's second annual Stinger Awards.
