JenMD

Rob and Corey's Parade.com interview is up; they're so lovely. Corey confirms it was directions to the last task that did them in.

A Season for Miracles is my favorite Hallmark Hall of Fame movie (along with The Love Letter) so I'm beyond delighted it topped the list. Nice that Crown for Christmas got in there, too. A few others I enjoy, but I confess I don't remember a bunch of those. For those looking for it, A Season for Miracles is airing on Hallmark Drama next Saturday and also available on Peacock and Pluto. Agree in the like but not love for Haul out the Holly 2. The new family was annoyingly over the top. Kudos to the costume department as I coveted every one of Melissa Peterman's coats. Also, I did chuckle at Ellen Travolta giving brother Joey a shout out (I don't even know if the movie she mentioned was real or not, but I thought it was cute). The proposal was sweet. Even if I didn't love it, I did get a record 5 bingos on my Hallmark Bingo card, though. Hee!

Lovely article on Ashley Williams, Nikki DeLoach and Hallmark (and other) friends raising money for Alzheimer's.

Yes, Tom was hopeful that her attending the regatta back in S1 would put Sanditon on the map if the then Prince Regent and/or her other high society friends attended.

I don't know if I'd consider S1 Esther and Edward equally villainous, but then I really, really dislike his character. But even if we call them even in S1, the writers then doubled-down on Edward in S2 and he very nearly got Esther committed to an asylum after gaslighting and drugging her, at a time when she was at her most vulnerable, mourning the loss of a child and being told she'll never conceive. I'm having trouble seeing him as anything other than a vile human being. Had he been absent from S2, I might have bought a redemption this season; but after S2, he could save puppies and kittens and fair maidens galore, but I won't buy it. I so prefer they don't go there with Augusta. And if they do redeem Edward, what happens with his child with Clara, who is now being raised by Esther and Babington? I don't have strong feelings about Charlotte and Colbourne, but I did figure him for endgame as soon as the military guy from last season appeared the least bit shady. The actor playing Colbourne just doesn't do anything for me. Ralph seems perfectly nice, but I think there's zero chance he'll actually end up with Charlotte

Clara is baby George's mother. She left him in Esther's care in the S2 finale and went off in a carriage (not sure if we know where). Esther was overjoyed to become a mother and we're left to presume she and Babington are off screen being a happy family. As much as I disliked the route they took with Babington's absence in S2, Charlotte Spencer totally killed it as Esther. I haven't finished the ep yet (all my favorite characters are gone, although I am still enjoying it), but I wouldn't hate a shout out about Esther/Babington and Alison/Fraser at some point this season.

I can't believe this is the movie that brings me out of lurkdom. Oh Hallmark. Yes, indeed she did, which was as ridiculous as that giant facility being a bed & breakfast. Was it really so hard to call it an inn, at the very least? I mean, either way, hotels (of all sizes) more often than not have a non-refundable deposit and it would have already been charged by the time she checked in. The idea that at the end of her stay she's says "What do I owe you?" like she's buying a purse and didn't already have a method of payment on file was just silly and that's not even getting in to Mary giving her that stay for free for all her "help". Also, do they not get visitors from other states? Mary seemed awed that Chloe was from Miami. It was kind of odd. That was so incredibly dumb. I may have yelled at the tv. Had to wonder, did Mary work at that "B&B" all by herself? No other actual employees to offer help? And yes to all the other dumb stuff mentioned above. Lovely scenery, but so badly written.

They've done it on the Holiday version the last couple of seasons, but it's not usually done on the Spring version. They ended up with an extra baker, though, since they didn't do a double-elimination after they brought back Carolyn so I guess they figured they might as well make things "interesting". They could very well have chosen to just have 4 bakers in the finale. From Romy's IG stories it sounds like they really weren't expecting the mid-finale elimination. I almost feel like this season needs the "Hollywood True Story" treatment. So many weird things going on. I still want to know what was with those two random bakers they brought in for Ep 2.

Frank Blake is Irish, not Scottish.

Yeah, the editing on Romy's exit was so weird. I couldn't believe the lack of follow-up after the commercial, just Molly with her "stress" excuse. Ugh, what a disappointing end to a disappointing season.

Yeah, I noticed last night that Romy's critique was particularly short. What was with that? Both Romy and Caroline's desserts were just lovely. I'm so glad he got the win. With Caroline being brought back, shouldn't we have lost 2 bakers at some point?

Aw, I'm sad we won't get any more Esther next season. I was hoping for a Babington appearance to send my favorite couple off in style. Guess fanfic will have to do. If the alternative was having her around on another nonsensical story line where she has to interact with Edward (ugh, I hate him), then I suppose I can settle for tidbits on her and Babington from Lady Denham (please show, give me this, a letter here and there isn't too much to ask).

Well, dang, when I said last week that I just wanted Fraser to be happy, I didn't expect a full on wedding this week! That was an unexpectedly lovely surprise. I wasn't sure how cliffhanger-y they were going to leave everybody. That's two seasons in a row my favorite couple gets a wedding at the end and poor Charlotte is miserable (we all know Ralph isn't a keeper). I may not care all that much about Colbourne but I do hope Charlotte gets her happy ending by the end of S3. Meanwhile, I'm loving how sweet Alison and Fraser were; the Parkers & co all listening at the door was adorable. I haven't heard if the happy couple will be back for S3, but I hope to see them again. Well done Clara for standing up to Edward. I realize she was part of the problem, but I do give her credit for coming clean. Not in love with her leaving the baby with Esther, but yes, we all knew it was going there. I would love to see that conversation with Babington. Also, I was worried they'd drag it out, so yay for resolving it this season. I just wish we'd gotten rid of Edward once and for all - down a well, off a cliff, transported to Australia for poisoning a member of the nobility - anything would have worked for me more than him hanging around Sanditon. Lovely scenes between Esther and Clara, though. Charlotte Spencer has been stellar all season. I really, really hope we get Mark Stanley for at least one appearance in S3 (if they knew they weren't getting him at all, they should have just recast, and I say this as someone who really adored him in S1).

Esther and Babington were my favorite thing about S1, so I was incredibly sad Mark Stanley was unavailable for S2. But this is the best they could do without him? Ugh. I detest gaslighting storylines, always have. And I detest the character of Edward, he's just awful. Charlotte Spencer is doing great work, I just wish she had better stuff to work with. That dance tonight with Fraser and Alison was just dreamy. I admit I'm not really in to the other romantic subplots this season, but I am shipping these two. I just want Fraser to be happy!

Josette, thanks so much for posting that article. First and foremost, so happy to hear that surgery went well and Ellora is on the mend. That's just fantastic. And how lovely is her mother? Not only supportive and encouraging but also helping Ellora with ways to get through the competition. I'm so glad she made it all the way to the finals; even though she didn't win, it sounds like she got a lot out of the whole thing. I just adore her and find her outlook so inspiring.