Aahana Swrup
Kavan Smith’s character Leland “Lee” Coulter has been a Hope Valley staple on the Hallmark romance show ‘When Calls the Heart’ from the earlier season. Since his introduction into the story in season 2, his charm and easygoing nature have continued to enchant the audience, earning him a spot as one of the favorites for many on the show. Likewise, his relationship with his wife, Rosemary—one of the longest-lasting romances in the show—has bewitched many hearts. However, as season 11 ends, it situates Lee’s future in the town in a precarious state, compelling many to wonder about his character’s predicament. For the same reason, fans are bound to grow anxious about the future of Kavan Smith on the show. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Lee Coulter is Leaving Hope Valley—At Least, For a While
Throughout his journey on the show, Lee Coulter has had an engrossing ride as he continues to search for his life’s passion. Initially, he comes into town as a businessman and opens a sawmill that proves to be a boon for the town, especially after the mining accident. As a result, he quickly finds his footing in town—and even finds true love with Rosemary LeVeaux. By the time season 11 rolls around, Lee and Rosemary have built a good life for themselves and have even welcomed a new addition to their family: their daughter, Goldie. Similarly, they have achieved a lot in their careers as well, with Lee finally becoming the town mayor and running a newspaper publication, The Valley Voice, with his wife.
Even so, something seems to be missing from Lee’s life. This, too, soon amends itself as he finds himself getting involved with Governor Lucas Bouchard’s plans of turning a crucial piece of land into a National Park. However, this also ends up being the thing that casts Lee and Rosemary into a dilemma. In order to see the plan to fruition, Lee would have to move to Capitol City with Lucas to remain in the swing of things. Naturally, such a drastic departure from Hope Valley, where he and his family have built a home for themselves, proposes a significant change.
While season 11 leaves the audience with this pressing decision as a cliffhanger, season 12 resolves this narrative thread swiftly—for better or for worse. Lee and Rosemary both initially decline Lucas’ offer at once, maintaining that the former has no plans to move away from his wife and newborn daughter. Nevertheless, it remains evident that Lee’s heart isn’t entirely in the decision. Over the course of his professional life, he has rarely sustained this level of passion for a project. For the same reason, he wants to figure out a way to work around the problem.
Eventually, a unique solution emerges. Lucas promises to manage the project in a way that will wrap it up in a matter of months. Furthermore, Lee’s work will allow him to return home every weekend. The final nail in the coffin remains the Governor’s word to name the National Park after the Coulters’ daughter, Goldie. Once presented with these conditions, Rosemary realizes how badly her husband wishes to see this project through. Thus, the couple makes the joint decision for Lee to take up the job offer. Although this does mean a short departure for the character from Hope Valley, it seems like he won’t be staying away for long.
Kavan Smith Will Continue to be a Part of When Calls the Heart
Fortunately, the unique route that Lee’s storyline is taking in season 12 confirms that the character, and by association, Kavan Smith, will continue to be a part of the show this season. Smith has been a part of the project since its early days and has formed a deep bond with Lee and his fans. As season 11 was coming out, the actor expressed some dissatisfaction with Lee’s season-long bad luck in finding his passion.
In a conversation with Entertainment Now, Smith spoke about the same and said, “I definitely think that the idea of him not having that big resolution a few years ago, that kind of pissed me off a bit, to be quite honest with you. I wanted something from it. But in a retrospect—leaving it open a little bit like that—I felt like he was flailing in the wind a bit, and I think that’s okay now.” After speaking about the level of relatability this added to Lee’s character, Smith further added, “(And) I actually think it’s been quite an interesting evolution for Lee. I know, in season 11, it continues on to the end of the season, but I also think that it could continue on further.”
Thus, it seems Lee’s weekend-exempt departure from Hope Valley will only serve the purpose of evolving his relationship with his professional passion now that he has found it. While it is possible that this would reduce his usual presence in the show, the opposite might also be true. If season 12 continues to focus on Lucas’ National Park storyline, then it is likely that some of the storytelling might even unfold outside of Hope Valley’s borders. Either way, fans can rest assured knowing that Kavan Smith will not be taking his leave from the project and will continue to be a part of ‘When Calls the Heart.’
Read More: How Did Jack Thornton Die in When Calls the Heart?
