Multigenerational living: Heartland did it before it was popular

We've lived with the Fleming family for coming up on 13 Seasons and it's no secret that home is at the heart of our hit CBC drama, Heartland — where three or sometimes four generations live under one roof. The latest moniker for such living arrangement, "multigenerational living," came alive on screen many times. But let's talk about real life for a second before we dive into what challenges Heartland writers face when writing a multigen story. 

Over the past few years, multigen living spiked in popularity and according to the latest Stats Canada's 2016 Census data, such households are the fastest growing type of household in Canada with 2.2 million people living in multigenerational households. 

The potential of clashing generations in multigen households is potent, however, pros definitely outweigh cons — especially for the youngest family members who reap the benefit of learning, care and attention from two, sometimes three generations. And while some cultures have kept this tradition for hundreds of years, we've abandoned it with the rise of industrialization and seem to have ulterior motives when it comes to readopting multigen living. 

Studies show that reasons for re-emergence of multigenerational living in Canada simply comes down to socio-economic factors and, in some parts of Canada, ethno-cultural. Its recent popularity is merely a sign of how adaptable families are to socio-economic changes. 

Enter the Fleming family, who portray the intricacies along with beautifully fostered and strong family bonds in a multigen household with such conviction, and suddenly such living arrangements seems much more appealing.

Heather Conkie, Mark Haroun and Ken Craw, the writers of Heartland, elaborate on how they approach writing a multi-season, multigen story.

Editor's Note: this Q&A has been adjusted for length and clarity.

Where do you draw inspiration when writing a multigen story?

Heather Conkie: We actually draw a ton of inspiration from our fantastic multigenerational Heartland cast of characters — from two-year-old Lyndy to Grandpa Jack, who remains ageless. 

Over our 13 Seasons we've had the unique and unusual experience of watching our characters literally grow up. Our lead character Amy, was a fifteen-year-old girl when the series premiered and now she's a married woman with a child.  

The writing team has endeavoured to make sure the growth and development of our characters is as true to life as possible. I think keeping it really has also allowed us to connect with our audience, a demographic that is as multigenerational as our cast with viewers from two to 92.  

Mark Haroun: Inspiration comes from a combination of our own experiences and a lot of asking ourselves "what if?". What if Amy had to move her young family back into the ranch house where her sister, niece and grandfather live? What if Amy's dad sells his ranch and ends up moving back in with his daughters and ex father-in-law – who he doesn't really get along with at the best of times?

Ken Craw: We often borrow from our own family experiences and dynamics to find circumstances, challenges and triumphs we have lived through, to act as story springboards on Heartland. The great thing about writing a family drama is that every day in your life is a form of story research – we are all a part of a family and are involved in ever-evolving relationships of our own.   

How much do you talk about family dynamics when writing an episode of Heartland?

Conkie: When we begin to arc a season, it's inevitable that personal stories, whether tragic or funny or completely mundane, are constantly shared. A good portion of those stories find their way into a script. My own family has to be careful of what they say and do in front of me because they're terrified I'll use the material at some point and totally embarrass them. 

Haroun: Family dynamics are paramount. Whenever we're coming up with stories, we always think about the best characters to throw together and how their reactions to each other will propel those stories forward in really unique and interesting ways.

Craw: A lot. We try to see the story through each character's lens – taking into consideration how their own life experiences, age, gender, biases and personal sensibilities would shape their perspective.   

How difficult is it to tie together multigenerational characters into an evolving story arc and what does it take to do so? 

Conkie: It's actually harder than it looks. The best stories are ones that manage to tie all the characters in with the main theme of the episode in some manner or form. But because of the disparate age range of our characters, every one of them needs to react to a circumstance in their own personal and unique way based on their own past experiences and their hopes and dreams for the future – and they definitely don't always agree among themselves. That's what creates the drama in any given plot line.

Haroun: The biggest challenge to telling multigenerational stories, especially in a 13th season of a series, is to never let things get too predictable or lean too much on certain kinds of stories that have worked well in the past. That means really peeling the onion and taking a close look at who these characters are and how they might react when thrown into a new situation.

Craw: I actually think this is one of the most interesting challenges of writing a multigenerational family drama. You need to do your best to put yourself in the shoes of each character. You draw a little from your own experiences but also need to be a keen observer of the people and the world around you. Why do certain people hold different feelings, beliefs and values? 

It's our job to cultivate stories that challenge each of our characters' belief systems and find opportunities to see their perspectives shift or become more entrenched in those perspectives. As every story arc evolves, so does each character's personal journey.

We know that the greater the number of people living in a home, the greater the challenges. How much research do you do in order to get the right tone across for each character and how they will interact with each other?

Conkie: Season 13 actually deals with our multigenerational family attempting to live under one roof. And it's full of challenges. It finds Amy and Ty in a loft that's bursting at the seams, now that they are fostering Luke. Tim advises them to move back into the main house where they'll have more space but all the while he has his eye on taking over their loft.

The loft looks pretty good to a teenager [Georgie] who has just returned from her first taste of freedom in Europe. So everyone is learning how to deal with each other as best they can in a set of new circumstances. 

This interaction isn't so much a result of research as it is making the most of our individual characters idiosyncrasies and knowing how each of them would deal with the new situations they find themselves in.

Haroun: We do a lot of research on Heartland depending on the storylines we're pursuing, but when it comes to how characters might react to each other when thrown together in close quarters, it's really driven by the individual characters and how they've developed over the past 13 seasons.

Craw: To be honest I have not lived in a multigenerational home, so for me it's always been about taking the family relationships and dynamics in my own life and imagining how all of the tensions and challenges would be exacerbated if you stuck everyone under one roof! It's my feeling that a family under one roof is forced to confront their challenges more quickly out of necessity – since you actually live together and must find a way to be a functioning household.

Do you think family values are different in multigen homes, have they changed over the years?

Conkie: One thing we hear frequently from our audience is that Heartland is appointment television in their home. They tell us that it brings the family and extended family together on Sunday nights. People say they have been inspired by the "Heartland family dinners," with all the characters of all ages, gathered around the big dining room table to share their day, argue, resolve issues, make their opinion known… whether anyone wants to hear it or not.

The thought that Heartland has brought families together makes me very, very happy.  

Haroun: That's a good question and not an easy one to answer. Living in a multigenerational home is a wonderful opportunity for older and younger generations to interact on a deeper level. 

Older generations have so much to offer in terms of experience and perspective. I think there's a much healthier attitude towards ageing that's developing in this country that positions grandparents and great grandparents as vital and important to the family dynamic, and not just "over the hill".

Craw: I believe that family values are different in multigenerational homes. I think for children living in a multigenerational home there is greater opportunity to be mentored by older family members and have family members be your most influential role models. 

In smaller family units the parents are often so busy doing what it takes to provide for the family in our high stress, fast paced society that children are often having their values and beliefs shaped by people outside the family or social media. For the elder generations, a multigenerational home likely gives them a greater sense of purpose in their golden years and certainly allows for a much more immersive experience and relationships with the younger generations.

Season 13 of Heartland premieres on September 22 on CBC and CBC Gem.