mikeb

The CEO Wonya Lewis who pushed for diversity and inclusion is stepping down. She is staying on Board of Directors so hopefully this is not a retreat to the Bill Abbott days https://deadline.com/2023/08/wonya-lucas-exit-hallmark-media-president-ceo-board-of-directors-1235457553/

It was strange that the last episode of new season (the chess episode) did not have any scenes at the police station and instead had them working together in a room at the hotel where the murder occurred. I wonder if the show couldn't get access to the police station building. Also, the big reveal at the end involving the Commissioner was so obvious much earlier in the episode.

Just based on recent cancellations and events, at this point I would not be surprised if they get out of mystery business and rename channel. Good thing i can get my fill of mysteries on Britbox and Acorn streaming services.

For those who don't follow the Hallmark Movies forum, there was a link to a recent video that Jill Wagner posted where she claims she wants to make another Mystery 101 but for reasons unknown to her, Hallmark has not given the go-ahead. Most posters don't believe her though.

I will be interested to see if Rachel Boston ends up signing an exclusive deal with Hallmark or GAC. I could be way off, but my impression from her social media is that she is very religious but more in support of inclusiveness than CCB.

Even though Jill Wagner was in a GAC Christmas movie, I have not read that she signed an exclusive deal with GAC. I think there is still hope that there may a new HMM Mystery 101 movie at some point. The delay may be that she is producing and starring in a new Paramount Network series "Lioness".

Lacey Chabert signed an exclusive deal in February to star in and produce movies for Hallmark channels for next two years, so maybe we will get more Crossword Mystery movies to fill the void.

This article says multiple sources say no plans for more Aurora Teagarden movies https://variety.com/2022/film/news/candace-cameron-bure-aurora-teagarden-canceled-hallmark-movies-1235235735/

According to this wikipedia article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hallmark_Channel_Original_Movies all 3 new mystery movies this year had more viewers than the 3 new non-mystery movies. The mysteries ranged from 1.17 to 1.75 million viewers while the non-mysteries ranged from 0.95 - 1.07 million. The standout was Aurora Teagarden at 1.75 million, so imagine will continue to get new ones for it for quite awhile, unless Candice Cameron Bure wants to stop the series.

Still haven't seen any news on new movies of existing mystery series, but there will be a new movie Curious Caterer starring Nikki DeLoach and Andrew Walker premiering on April 10th.

Glad to see show has been renewed for third season, but no news yet on when new episodes will be available. https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/kin-slasher-creepshow-my-life-is-murder-london-kills-bloodlands-amc-networks-announces-six-series-renewals/

They are streaming services that feature shows from other countries. I think Britbox is exclusively shows from England, while Acorn is mostly shows from England with some from other countries like Australia mixed in. Yes, they both have large selections of cozy mysteries, a few of which have been re-broadcast on PBS stations in the U.S., like DEATH IN PARADISE and MISS FISHER'S MURDER MYSTERIES.

Has anyone heard anything definitive about MatchMaker Mysteries? The assumption most people made when it was announced late last year that she signed contract with GAC network was that she would no longer be appearing in any more Hallmark or HMM movies.

I figured the new executives in charge were de-emphasizing mysteries when multiple love story movies premiered on HMM in the fall (before the Christmas movies started) that in the past I would have expected to be shown on the main Hallmark channel. I would be disappointed if they continue Morning Show Mysteries after cancelling Picture Perfect and Hailey Dean - I always thought it was the weakest of the long-running series. This also does not bode well for the two new ones that premiered in 2021 continuing - To Catch A Spy and Redemption in Cherry Springs. The second one seemed to be setting up a new mystery with it's ending that may never get resolved.

An interesting interview with Paul Campbell about how Hallmark has allowed him to get away with more in the movies he has acted in or written recently. https://www.eonline.com/news/1314351/what-its-really-like-to-star-in-and-write-a-hallmark-christmas-movie

Another way to get GAC Family is via another streaming app called frndlytv - it is $6/month for SD and $8/month for HD and includes over 20 channels including all 3 Hallmark channels. There is a 7 day free trial if just want to sample some GAC Christmas movies.

Per that article, it sounds like even though lots of Hallmark veterans are appearing in GAC Christmas movies, so far only Danica McKellar and possibly Trevor Donovan will be exclusive to GAC. I hope Jill Wagner does not become exclusive to GAC, as Mystery 101 is one of my HMM mystery series favorites. I don't have access to GAC on Verizon FIOS so won't get a chance to compare quality of the GAC movies to Hallmark movies.

Last year Hallmark announced that James Denton would be starring in a Christmas movie and there was some discussion on this forum who his age-appropriate co-star might be. I don't think the movie happened last year, but looks like will be happening this year with Teri Hatcher. https://deadline.com/2021/10/desperate-housewives-james-denton-teri-hatcher-reunite-hallmark-channel-a-kiss-before-christmas-movie-1234850466/

Not only is Lori Loughlin appearing in When Hope Calls when it moves to GAC channel, but so is her former When Calls The Heart co-star Daniel Lissing. He has not appeared on Hallmark Channel since 2018. I wonder how many more former Hallmark regulars will the new head of GAC try to recruit. https://deadline.com/2021/10/when-calls-the-heart-daniel-lissing-lori-loughlin-when-hope-calls-spinoff-1234849000/

Interesting news about Abbott and GAC. He seems to already be off to a rocky start though as the channel was dropped by my cable provider, Verizon FIOS, on August 1st because they could not come to license fee renewal agreement. Also wonder if Michelle Vicary who left her job as Crown Media (Hallmark channel parent company) executive vice president for programming in May will be joining him at GAC. They used to be frequently quoted in the same articles when they both worked at Hallmark.

She quit a one-night production of a Broadway show and was also forced off a national Disney Princess concert tour because of her refusal to get vaccinated.

Yes, Brandon Routh will return for Nine Lives of Christmas sequel. It's working title is The Nine Kittens of Christmas. Some spoilers are here https://heavy.com/entertainment/hallmark/the-nine-lives-of-christmas-sequel/ Also, recently saw that Nine Lives was based on a book, where part of the story was told from viewpoint of cat.

The U.S version is multiple Tom Selleck commercials pitching reverse mortages ... "this is not my first rodeo ..."

I know should not overthink these, but for the latest Aurora Teagarden there were at least 3 minor points that jumped out at me while watching. 1) Why would Lynn be investigating a murder in another town? If it is too small to have own police force, guessing the county sheriff would be investigating not her 2) Lizzy said reason there was no land line was Aunt Gladys did not want any distractions, but Aunt Gladys died 6 movies ago. Why wouldn't Lizzy have had one installed, especially since she said she and Bubba used the cabin? 3) Last we heard Lizzy was CEO of a company - would she really have time to join Real Murders Club and then spend time accompanying Aurora around as she investigated? (Do realize that she was effectively filling in for Sally and acted a lot like her towards the end). It is somewhat ironic that Julia Benson, who plays Lizzy, is married to Peter Benson, who plays Arthur, and that the movie she appears in the most is the one he missed. I did check out Candace's twitter and she said Sally will be back in future movies, but did not say why Lexa Doig missed this one.

Yes, the previous episode "Till Death Do Us Part" showed the wedding. Arthur was in that one and Lynn was missing. The new one is first one Arthur does not appear in, while Lynn has missed 3. Maybe the actor who plays Arthur was busy filming his guest star role in latest Mystery 101.