Can you believe we are already halfway through season four of the Hallmark Channel original series Chesapeake Shores? It’s going remarkably fast, and before you know it, it will be time for Countdown To Christmas! Recently, I got to chat with one of my favorite writers from the series (and an all-time beloved writer period), Kirsten Hansen, and in honor of our fourth interview, we actually chatted on the phone! Every other time, our schedules had been too hectic to connect except through email. I am thoroughly honored to share our intriguing and enlightening interview in anticipation of the second half of Chesapeake Shores season four (which airs today–September 15th–and the next two Sundays as well on the Hallmark Channel and Super Channel Heart & Home)! 

Kirsten & “Bree”

RH: Kirsten, it is so great to get to speak with you!

KH: Same here, Ruth. This is the first time I’ve actually heard your voice.

I tell you, Sunday’s episode of Chesapeake Shores…man, that was an episode.

Yeah, I actually was thinking of you a lot. I know what a big fan you are of Bree and Simon’s relationship. And I thought, “How funny that we’re talking after that episode.” That just couldn’t be a coincidence. It was a very…oh…I’m gonna start crying right now if I think about it! What an emotional storyline and such an emotional episode. I was on set when we filmed it. I saw the blocking where the director, Andy Mikita, who I love, this is where they sit and run the lines briefly so they can know where the cameras are going to be placed and how all the blocking is going to happen. It wasn’t even a proper rehearsal, and I started crying because they were so good! All day long, those two were in it. It was just heart-wrenching, and they were both such pros. They were both crying, and every take was just so emotional. I know I’m just going on and on about this, but would you like the lead-up to this scene and how we got to this point?

Sure, that would be fantastic!

With Bree & Simon?

You know, when we first met Simon back in season two, he was meant to be this new potential love interest for Bree. We didn’t have plans for him to stick around as long as he has. Bree was getting over Martin, and Simon was just supposed to be someone new and different and someone she could connect with on a more intellectual level. But we had no plans to have him around for three seasons. The reason he stuck around is really all due to Oliver {Rice} and his charm and what he brought to Simon. He was so much fun to write. Michael {Berns} would always put on his British accent whenever he wrote Simon’s dialogue. We always had so much fun writing the scenes between Bree and Simon with their banter. And Oliver and Emilie {Ullerup} got along so well together. We all just fell in love with his character.

But we knew we were stalling Bree’s own emotional growth. Simon’s role was really to help her heal. And through him, she grew into this writer that she never was before. He helped her to grow in confidence and to believe in herself. And he helped her push forward with her book. There were so many gifts that Simon brought, and it was amazing how he helped Bree. But he was never our endgame for her. Even so, it still was really sad because we grew so attached to the two of them and to Oliver. It was really hard at that point to go, “Oh my gosh, now we actually have to break them up!?” But we knew that they went as far as they both could go in the relationship. You know how it is. Sometimes in relationships, there comes a point when you realize that these two have grown as much as they could together. They both need to be able to keep growing, and Bree, especially, has big places she needs to go while she continues to grow as an individual.

Emilie, Kirsten, & Oliver

So, yes, it was really sad. But then once it was written and filmed, Michael and I both looked at each other and said, “You know what? This scene is one of the best scenes we’ve ever written!” At least, that’s what we think. Not that we’re trying to toot our own horns or anything, but we both collaborated on it, and the end result was pretty amazing. Michael was the one who came up with the idea of the letter, and that was so brilliant. Simon is a true wordsmith, and I don’t think we would have ever had the chance to have a scene like that or those emotional moments without Simon and Bree having been together. So it’s bittersweet. Trust me, I’m still sad about it.

I am right with you there, Kirsten. We all will miss Simon. But the cool thing is that Oliver has so much going on for him all of a sudden. When I interviewed him, I marveled at all the success he is having and the big shows he’s working on. I remember thinking last week that even though I was going to miss Simon, this couldn’t have come at a better time for Oliver. 

Very true. I read that interview he did with you. And he was trying to be so diplomatic and not trying to give anything away. It was kind of funny for me to read it. He did an excellent job of not spoiling anything. And we’re so glad he was a part of the show for as long as he was.

with Emilie, Oliver, and Michael

And to echo what you were saying, that particular scene last week was definitely one of the best of all the episodes of Chesapeake Shores so far, at least in my opinion. It was great how the Hallmark family got to know Oliver as an actor and we got to fall in love with his character, Simon. I’m hoping to see him in more things in the future.

Yeah, and Simon is the kind of guy who might just pop in from time to time. If we get more seasons–like we hope we do–I would love to see Simon again. I’d like to be able to bring Martin Demming back again as well. I’d like for him to bring some mischief to the show. In fact, I have this really great idea which I think would be hilarious, and so if we get more seasons and we can bring him back, I think it would be fantastic!

With Kirsten and Jesse

Another thing I want to commend you on, Kirsten, is the way you have handled Trace and Abby this season. I think it’s been absolutely fantastic. I feel like Abby finally said, “Okay, that’s enough.” I mean, Trace keeps going back and forth and always saying that things are going to be different this time. Then he goes off and does his country music thing. But I think she’s ready to move on even though I am sure she still has feelings for him. But hopefully, since she is hanging around with another guy, maybe Trace will come to his senses and realize the error of his ways and discover what’s really important to him. Of course, we hope it’s not too late for him and Abby, but…I even like that Trace has a new girl around that he is befriending and helping. I don’t know if everyone shares my views, but that’s what I think.

We had wanted to introduce a couple of new characters like this before, but it wasn’t the right time. But this year, everyone was in consensus that it was time for us to be real about this. Trace and Abby are both mature adults, and I felt like we gave Abby a different kind of backbone where she really needed to stop and think about the fact that although she loves Trace, she needs to think about her family and what she wants out of life. Abby wants to get married and have a proper family life for her girls, but that just wasn’t realistic with the way things were going with Trace being back and forth so much.

And it’s the same thing with Trace. He had to follow his heart. Trace didn’t want to resent Abby later for being the one who kept him from pursuing his dreams. He needed to get all that out of his system so that he had no regrets. And that’s when he began to realize that it wasn’t actually as important to him as he thought it would be. When he was on the road doing all these shows, he realized he didn’t have anyone there to share them with. So it didn’t have the same resonance that he thought it would.

Meghan {Ory} and Jesse {Metcalfe} are so committed to their characters, and they really care about being real. They both wanted this opportunity too because it seems like this is what would really happen in a scenario like this. And it is kind of nice to see each of them with somebody else. We’ve only ever really seen them together with each other. I think having these other characters can bring out a different side of both Trace and Abby. Jay is so great with Abby, and Emma is great for Trace, and both of these characters bring out different facets of their personalities. But it’s also nice to see that there is something different when Trace and Abby are together. There’s just like this wholeness about them being together. But when Abby is with Jay, you see the romantic comedy side of things. And that’s something we really haven’t seen from Abby.

with Jesse

Then, with Trace and Emma…so, this whole storyline with Emma was loosely inspired by A Star Is Born. The movie had just come out when Michael and I started talking about her character. We were in the writing room early this season, and I was obsessed with the movie. I couldn’t stop talking about it. So Michael and I started talking about how we could use this storyline, and it just seemed to make sense. Look at where Trace is in his career, and it makes sense that he could pass on his experience to her. We know how Trace kind of lost a little bit of the juice–the passion and the excitement–of his career. Even though he loves music, Emma comes in and is this fresh face and voice, and he can mentor her. So that was a really nice story arc, I think.

I really like seeing them with somebody new. Again, I’m sure that people will disagree and want Trace and Abby back together right away. But it’s not to say that eventually down the road that might happen. 

Exactly. And I like to think that if that does happen, it will mean more if Trace and Abby happen to find their way back to each other. It makes the stakes that much higher. Hopefully, it will mean more because they both will have explored other options and they know for sure if they are meant to be together.

Well, my mom and I both watch together. And I’ll tell you that she wasn’t too happy with last season. She and I had many discussions about that, and I wasn’t even sure if she would watch this season. But I will tell you. She has watched this season and really enjoyed the direction the show is going. 

Isn’t that interesting? I think it’s great that you and your mom can watch the show together. My mom and I are the same. We have a lot of the same taste in TV. We used to be able to have more time to watch the show together, but now our lives tend to be pretty busy so that doesn’t always happen. But sometimes we’re watching the show at the same time and we can text each other, which is kind of cool.

I wanted to bring up Mick and Megan too. It’s been so nice to see what’s been going on with them this season. We’ve been waiting.

Yes, and it’s all in the timing. We had to get through a lot of conversations and all that happened last year to be able to get Mick and Megan to this point.  All that stuff had to happen with the family and the book before we could move on to anything happening between Mick and Megan. We knew they were getting closer, but a lot of feelings had to come to the surface before we could enjoy where they are now. I know a lot of people were impatient about their relationship. But now the timing seems perfect.

I think this season is really about relationships. I think Jesse called last week the “kissing episode.” And I guess that’s a good way to characterize it.

I think these episodes this season have been very focused, and it seems like the fans are really connecting with the show this season in a way that some may not have last season. I was really wondering how you were going to tackle having only six episodes this season. But you all have done a great job. There is nothing lagging or dragging about the episode. You have packed so much into each episode and you’re using your time wisely. I think it’s made the show very cohesive this season. I haven’t wanted to look away for a moment lest I miss something.

With “Kevin” and “Sarah”

That was our hope because you know we have a lot of ground to cover in only six episodes. And it’s funny. There’s big stuff that happens this season. Because of all the setup we’ve had over the past seasons, we were finally at a place where we could make big changes. I’m sure when you’re watching it fresh like the viewers are, there does seem to be a lot happening. It was great for us to be able to finally move forward on some of the storylines and the relationships. I will tell you that there is more to come. We’re halfway through the season, which means there’s three episodes left. And I can tell you that it won’t be what you expect.

Good to know. Actually, I’ve noticed that this season from the show. You don’t always know what to expect. Sometimes we tend to watch these shows, and we pretty much know what to expect. But I think there are plenty of surprises this season, which I like.

I like that too.

In last week’s episode, I did not see all of that coming, I have to admit. And thankfully, even when a surprise comes, it’s still family-friendly and in keeping with the brand.

My favorite kind of storytelling is when things happen that are unexpected. For the most part, TV and movies have a formula. There’s a certain structure, and you kind of know what to expect. Especially with Hallmark. There are certain things you know are going to happen instinctively. But one thing I like about TV is that you have longer to tell a story so you can have more ups and downs and take you more on a rollercoaster ride rather than just going on a straight and narrow path. We have been able to take a few more liberties this season especially, and hopefully, there are some fun surprises along the way. And that definitely makes it more interesting.

Well, I’ll be watching, and let’s hope everyone else will be too. We’ll also keep asking for another season. I’m not ready for the show to be over yet. And I really do think this is the best season of Chesapeake Shores yet. 

In the Writing Room

I’m so glad you think so, Ruth. Thank you for your support. And thanks to all the Chessies for their support. We appreciate all of the fans, and we love that they are so invested in the show. I love seeing all the comments and messages about the show, and I am grateful that the fans care that much to let us know what they think. Their messages are just the sweetest! I don’t think the show would have gotten as many seasons as we have without the help of the fans. It means the world that everyone is so invested in the O’Briens and their story. I love all the people speculating about what might happen, and I really hope that everyone likes the rest of the season. I promise there are a few surprises along the way that you don’t want to miss.

And I think if people don’t like the new characters and are worried about what might be happening with “Trabby,” that’s a good thing. It means that the writers and the actors have done their job. The fans care about the characters enough to get somewhat passionate about them and the storylines and let everyone else know what they think. 

That’s right. When you get a reaction like that, it’s because the people care and they want their character to make the right decision.

I understand you have another Hallmark Christmas movie in the works?

with Michael

Yes, that is correct. Right now, it’s called An Unforgettable Christmas, but that name may be changing. It’s based on a book by Denise Hunter called The Goodbye Bride. Originally, it was supposed to be a summer movie. I had been adapting it–it’s loosely adapted because Hallmark had a certain vision of what they wanted for the movie. I love the book; it made me cry. But if you are a fan of the book, the movie version will be different. There are some heavier elements in the book that Hallmark wanted to make lighter, and that’s what I attempted to do with the adaptation. It actually became more of a comedy, and we were getting it ready to go for the summer.

Well, when Chesapeake Shores got picked up, we were going to start writing at the same time I was meant to start my first draft of this screenplay. I was like, “Oh my goodness, what am I gonna do?” How lucky that it’s the same network, and the execs all talked the issue over together. I wasn’t sure if they wanted to get a new writer for the movie adaptation because I couldn’t do both at the same time. After all, I knew that I couldn’t not go back to Chesapeake Shores for season four.

They were so sweet about it. The producers were like, “You know what? We’re gonna make it a Christmas movie so that you can still write it once you’re done with Chesapeake.” I mean, how amazing is that?! So we were trying to crack the story for a while and figure out the best way to tell the story. Once we changed it to Christmas, it was like everything changed. We were all like, “Wait a second! I think it was supposed to be a Christmas movie the whole time!” It now has a much more magical element to it, and it all just came together so well. I’m very excited because they’ve been prepping and start filming very soon. Ashley Greene is starring in the movie, which is really cool because she was in Twilight. I was a really big fan of Twilight. It’s Ashley’s first Hallmark movie. From what I heard from Hallmark and the producers, she’s been wanting to do a Hallmark movie for a while now, but she hadn’t found the right project until this one came along. I’m really excited for people to see it. It is scheduled to air on December 19th on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, but we all know that can change. I can hardly wait for them to start filming, and I really hope I get to visit the set!

Did they announce who her leading man is yet?

Nothing official yet. So stay tuned.

Maybe one of our favorites who has not been cast in a Christmas movie yet this year might become Ashley’s leading man. I know that could be cool.

Yeah, you never know.

I wanted to take a moment to tell you how much I enjoyed last year’s Christmas movie, Return From Christmas Creek. It was great to see some different faces and watch a movie that was a little bit different from the typical Hallmark Christmas movie. 

I’m so glad you liked it, Ruth.

And, of course, Love Under the Rainbow was so fantastic! I know we had to wait a while to see it, but it was so worth it!

with Jerry Trimble

Thank you, Ruth. There was really something special about that movie. You know, sometimes movies come to you, and just the whole way this movie transpired was really kind of magical. The idea went all the way back to my movie Love On the Slopes. Tim Johnson, one of the producers on that movie, when he read that script, he was like, “Great! I want to work with you!” And he followed that up by saying, “And you know, I want to make a movie about rainbows.” I was like, “A movie about rainbows?” He had some more specifics that he wanted to be included in the story. He wanted it to be about a widowed father with a daughter and a schoolteacher, and that was the setup he gave me. Then he let me run with the idea. I was thinking about the story while we were filming Love On the Slopes. I was trying to figure out the best way to tell the story, but once I started writing, it was the fastest thing I’d ever written in my whole life. I wrote the first draft in something like ten days. Sometimes you can write that fast, but it’s not easy and you’re forcing yourself to figure it out. But Love Under the Rainbow just flew out of me. I never had anything happen so easily. And then it got made so quickly. Then it took forever for it to come to Hallmark! But it was like I wrote it in December. They filmed it in February/March. And by way of comparison, with An Unforgettable Christmas, I started that last August! And Return To Christmas Creek took about nine months. I started that one at the same time as Love Under the Rainbow, but Return to Christmas Creek didn’t get made till August of last year. So Love Under the Rainbow did happen really fast.

With Peter Benson Love Under the Rainbow

Tony Dean Smith was the director of Love Under the Rainbow, and we’ve known each other forever. We started in the industry at the same time, like nineteen years ago or whatever. Our paths kept crossing, but it was really neat how we both grew to this place together where I was suddenly the writer and he was the director. We got to collaborate, and he had so many great ideas. We had budgetary concerns, and he had to figure out how we could do some of the things included in the script in a less expensive way. You have to be realistic when working on these movies while still hoping to achieve the results you want. For example, there’s a scene at a major league baseball game, and he said, “Kirsten, we can’t go to a major league game.” So we changed it to a minor league game. And then it was a kid’s baseball game. And then it just got completely taken out. So we did make changes along the way, but Tony had so many great ideas; he’s such a visionary director. He was the perfect person to take this movie on because he saw the depth of the movie and he really gave it permission to be told in the most meaningful way possible.

With Director Tony Dean Smith (Love Under The Rainbow)

And the cast just blew me away. I knew they would be good, but they elevated it to a whole other level. David {Haydn-Jones} added a lot of little improvisations to the script. People would tweet me and say that some line was their favorite line, and very often, I would say that I couldn’t take credit because David came up with that line. The entire movie was one of those magical things where it all came together.

The night it premiered, I was working on Chesapeake and I was burnt out because Michael and I work seven days a week, seventeen hours a day. It’s crazy! I remember live-tweeting with the fans, and the response blew me away. I felt like I was being slapped with rainbows all night. I was getting the sweetest messages. I was just so grateful that movie got made and that people received the message the way they did.

I tell you, Kirsten, I think you’ve got a bit of a pattern going with your movies. I sometimes struggle to remember Hallmark movies and their content, especially if they are pretty standard. But with you, your movies are so different and distinct that I can’t help but remember them. I appreciate that you write movies like that. I’m sure not everyone agrees with me, but that’s honestly my opinion.

Cast of Love Under the Rainbow

I really hope that’s true, Ruth, and I appreciate you saying that. What I like to do with these movies is that I just want to make people feel good and inspire some kind of hope in them. I hope that my movies always leave a little inspiration behind. I know there’s so much out there that people can watch, and people often have limited time and lots of choices. I hope that if they choose to watch my movies that I leave them with some kind of good impression as well as some inspiration. When I was growing up, there were movies I would watch over and over. In fact, I probably watched some movies every day, but I don’t think that’s happening as much today with all the content we have. But there are favorite movies of mine that hold a special place in my heart. So I always strive for my movies to impart something that will make people think or feel differently or say something that will stick with you long after the movie is over. I know not every Hallmark movie can do that, but I really hope that mine do. That’s my goal.

Those are always my favorite movies too, Kirsten. And I think your movies do a pretty good job of doing just that. I like to be entertained, but I do like the movies that have a message. Or even if they challenge my beliefs, I like that. So I suppose you have other things in the works that you can’t mention, right?

Yes, I do have several projects I am working on that are not a stage where I can mention them yet, but I’ll be sure to tell everyone as soon as I can. For now, just enjoy the last three episodes of Chesapeake Shores and my upcoming Christmas movie, An Unforgettable Christmas, or whatever the final title happens to be. I thank everyone for their support, and here’s to many more seasons of Chesapeake Shores. Thank you, Chessies and Hallmarkies, for all your amazing support!

There is no doubt that my having such an extraordinary conversation with Kirsten unquestionably elevated this interview to become one of my preferred top ten interviews ever! Kirsten is immensely passionate when she speaks about her projects, and I sincerely believe that she consistently accomplishes what she sets out to do. While not every viewer may find her style as entertaining or even as appealing as I do, there’s one thing she always engenders amongst the fans–a genuine discussion! Even if the characters to whom she has introduced the viewers don’t make the decisions that we wish they would, there is invariably a reason behind every choice and every line of dialogue. I am astounded at how much Kirsten has progressed in the time that I have known her, and to witness her accolades and success warms the cockles of my heart. For me, she is the epitome of all the values that Hallmark professes, and I am grateful that the network introduced me to her as a writer and as a person. As far as storytellers go, she is one of the most stimulating screenwriters that work for any network…at least, in my humble opinion.

I encourage all of my readers to watch the last three episodes of Chesapeake Shores season four if at all possible (airing September 15th, 22nd, and 29th on the Hallmark Channel and Super Channel Heart & Home). And while you’re luxuriating in all the beauty that Kirsten has helped to create, be sure that you check out her links below and consider following her where applicable (I mean, you DON’T want to miss her Christmas movie, right???) No matter where you happen to be in your life, Kirsten is one of those people who will challenge all of us to think more profoundly and more prolifically than we may have before, and I can unfailingly rely upon her artistic sensibilities for a word of wisdom as well as a universal principle to apply to my everyday life. She genuinely cares about all of the people who watch and enjoy her works, and I am grateful that someone as gifted, inspirational, compassionate and humble works for my favorite network on earth. Her first couple of decades within this business have been stellar thus far, and it boggles my mind to imagine where she might be five, ten, fifteen or twenty years from now. No matter the trajectory of her career in the future, it is my supreme honor to support her and call her my dear friend!

FOLLOW KIRSTEN

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READ MY OTHER INTERVIEWS WITH KIRSTEN

Interview With Writer Kirsten Hansen, “Chesapeake Shores”

Interview With Writer Kirsten Hansen, “Chesapeake Shores”

Interview With Writer/Associate Producer Kirsten Hansen, “Chesapeake Shores”

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