Is it a chick flick type show?

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I've not seen any of those shows. But I will say it's a feel-good, family drama with a dose of soap suds (some seasons are more soapy than others).

But the viewing demographic ranges from the tiniest tots to grandparents, both guys and girls.


Certa Bonum Certamen

It's more like a Hallmark Channel burrito.

I say it's a great quality family show that's not targeted towards any specific demographic, it's a really good quality show to watch with the whole family.

It's a family drama set in the western hills of Canada ... by family drama I mean exactly that ... Grandpa Jack Bartlett takes in his granddaughters, one, Lou is married to someone Grandpa (nor I) can stand, a city goose and "oil" man named Peter, the other daughter Amy is recently devastated because she was with her mother when the accident that killed her and Lou's mother occurred. (Jump to the end of this to see how to start at the beginning Season 1). Both girls are the daughters of another character Tim, a retired rodeo rider who abandoned his wife and girls when the girls were tots but comes back to the town after the accident and wants to be part of the girls lives. Amy takes on her mother's mantle and begins a horse rescue on their ranch in Alberta where she takes in abused and abandoned horses (some are just HEART wrenching) and nurses them back to health using homeopathic medicines and deep huge amounts of love and finds homes for them. Two other main characters are Ty Borden (a ranch hand) and Caleb Odell (I don't recall how Caleb is introduced into the show) who become besties early on in the show. A quick fact and not a spoiler - a teenage Amy and her mother were rescuing a horse the night the accident that killed her mother occurred).

From there the show diverges into a nighttime soap unlike any other on television (I cannot compare it to either show you mentioned or any other - Heartland is its own living breathing one of a kind show) WITHOUT the gush and over dramatization of sex lives, who's sleeping with who, who loves who and which week. It's much more deeply seated in raising a generational family in the 21st century and the pitfalls and glories that befall every family since time began -- from disasters, illnesses, marriages, births, deaths, near deaths, adoptions, losing and finding jobs in tight job markets, long distance relationships, divorce, and at the center of it all is Amy and her growing up, developing her horse skills and her rescue efforts (which ebb and flow as she grows up). Her interest and love for horses takes her down many roads as she grows into a young woman but at the heart of ALL her interests it's ALWAYS horses.

Each season seems to evolve around a different character's development and a different major family development with subplots of weekly problems (a new horse they take in to nurse back to health or to train, a family problem (illness, child raising, a problem on the ranch, relations between the characters (grand daughter/grand father, father/daughter, daughter/daughter, daughter/husband, daughter/boyfriend, friend/friend, son in law/job, and so on). ALL of this is under the umbrella plot of raising FOUR generations on a large working ranch (large but not huge) in a small everybody knows everything town in Alberta. There are absolutely sufficient "manly" issues to keep a male of any age interested, from ranching and the stunning scenery, to rodeos, to ALL horse sports from rodeo to racing to dressage.

It has a widespread demographic from toddlers to the elderly (I am 61) and is strictly a G rated drama (no heavy drinking, sex or foul language) and holds to strict non religious family values (no church going or Bible reading and quotes). The writers have managed to create and the actors have managed to bring to life, an interesting, often edge of your seat, sometimes funny, sometimes tear jerking and ALWAYS INTERESTING drama using basic values (PROVING IT CAN BE DONE). EVERYONE I've recommended this show to has loved it.

I highly recommend (I cannot stress this enough) that you begin at the beginning either using Netflix or one of the free links sites like watchseries or primewire (be SURE to download adblocker plus if you use primewire - adblocker is highly effective, free, safe and takes 30 seconds to download). I started watching when season 5 was airing and I used watchseries (because Netflix is ALWAYS a season behind in the USA). I caught up in three days LOL.

I hope this helps and I hope it doesn't break any IMDB rules or spoiler rules. If it does I apologize it was certainly not intentional.

Id say it's more Friday Night lights then anything. However, I do think Ty and Amy have a Nathan and Haley from OTH vibe at times. I'd just pick Friday Night Lights because Heartland is very family oriented. Plus while it had relationships and characters for all ages to enjoy from Matt and Julie to Eric and Tami. Heartland does the same thing in a way. You have Jack (the grandfather) who is actually the my favorite character, start to fall in love again after losing his wife. I'm a huge fan of the Jack and Lisa relationship. Then you have Tim the father who was an absentee dad most the kids life but comes back once he hears about the moms death. The two daughter/granddaughters Amy and Lou. I'm pretty sure they are almost 10 years apart. Then Ty comes in as sort of the bad boy but not really because you learn he ended up in Juvie for beating his stepfather after he was tired of him beating on his mom. He soon becomes a part of the family. Heartland pretty much gives you a character for all generations to watch and love.