‘I feel like we could just keep going’: After 18 Seasons, Heartland Showrunner Says the Stories Aren’t Over

After nearly two decades on air, Heartland remains a rarity in television — a long-running drama where the evolving lives of a close-knit ranching family continue to resonate with audiences around the world. Now entering its 18th season, the CBC hit still finds fresh ground, even as its Alberta backdrop throws real-life curveballs.

Season 18 brings a storyline rooted in reality: a severe drought hits the Bartlett ranch, threatening the future of the beloved family operation. Inspired by Alberta’s unusually dry summer in 2023, the writers built this season’s tension around the challenges local ranchers face during extreme weather.

But when filming began in May, irony struck — with record rainfall.

“We were shooting a drought in one of the wettest seasons we’ve ever felt,” says Amber Marshall, who has played Amy Fleming since the show began in 2007. “It was a challenge showing characters stressing over lack of rain in the middle of lush, green pastures.”

Despite nature’s lack of cooperation, the production adapted, working around the rain-soaked fields to preserve the storyline’s authenticity. The drought thread ties into a broader "save-the-ranch" theme that will define the season.

But weather isn’t the only obstacle. A new rivalry emerges with Pryce Beef, a neighboring ranch whose aggressive business tactics put pressure on the Bartletts. Lou (Michelle Morgan), Amy’s sister and a savvy businesswoman, steps up to protect the family legacy.

“They’re selling to the same venues we are,” Marshall explains. “It’s head-to-head with the neighbors, and Lou tries to steer the ranch back to profitability.”

Of course, Heartland has always blended ranch work with deeply personal stories — love, loss, and growth. That tradition continues.

Since Season 1, viewers have watched Amy evolve from a grieving 15-year-old to a horse trainer, wife, mother, and, more recently, widow after the death of her husband Ty (Graham Wardle) in Season 14. Now, she’s cautiously opening up to new love, including a romance with Nathan Pryce Jr., the son of the Bartletts' chief business rival.

“Amy’s becoming close with Nathan,” Marshall says. “But that creates tension — it doesn’t sit well with her family.”

Complicating matters further is the return of Ty’s best friend, Caleb (Kerry James), who wants more than friendship.

Romance and rivalry aside, horses remain central to Heartland’s heart. Amy continues her work with troubled equines, and Marshall, now also a producer, helps shape the show’s equine storylines.

“We ask: can we bring in new horse characters or breeds? Can they do what’s needed on set?” she says. “A lot of my energy goes into making the horse stories believable and respectful.”

That formula — a mix of family drama, romantic tension, and horse whispering — has made Heartland Canada’s longest-running one-hour drama and earned it fans across generations and continents.

In fact, the demand is so strong that CBC recently announced a new Heartland-only streaming channel, featuring all 17 previous seasons.

The person tasked with steering the ship now is Mark Haroun, who started as a script coordinator in Season 1 and took over as showrunner in Season 16. Reflecting on the show’s staying power, Haroun says the secret lies in the characters.

“There was lightning in a bottle from the start,” he says. “That kind of family drama just didn’t exist on TV — and the audience was hungry for it.”

Still, after 18 seasons, fans naturally wonder: how long can Heartland keep going?

Haroun isn’t worried. “Nothing is guaranteed,” he says, “but I’ve never gone into the writers’ room struggling for stories. These characters are so dynamic, we always find new directions.”

“I feel like we could just keep going.”

And for now, that’s exactly what they plan to do.

Heartland Season 18 premieres Sept. 29 and airs Sundays on CBC.