Hallmark Movies: Small Town Royalty Magically Celebrating Rekindled Love! - General Discussion

[doodlebug]

5 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

I could barely get through Rome in Love.

Like wading through molasses.

I thought the lead actress was horribly miscast.  She was supposed to be the amazing newcomer set for stardom as Audrey Hepburn was when she made Roman Holiday,  Now, of course, most actresses would suffer by comparison to AH, but Italia Ricci was totally out of her element.  First, AH was about 23 when she filmed RH, Italia is 32 and looks it. She also has none of the charm or humor or overall charisma that Audrey had.  So, the basic premise of the film; that IR's character was this amazing find as an actress, poised to be the next big star as she is cast to follow in AH's footsteps in her starmaking role, just never jelled.  The scenes where she is trying wardrobe for the film and is dressed as the princess in ballgown and tiara were just awful; it was almost like a parody of the original film.  

So, for me, anyway, the overall premise didn't work at all, Italia Ricci was way too old and way too bland to be the next big thing in Hollywood.  A younger more vivacious and charming actress was needed for the part. Or, maybe better yet, don't write a script that invites comparisons to a classic romantic comedy with a legendary actress playing the lead.

Edited August 5, 2019 by doodlebug

[Irlandesa]

31 minutes ago, Kohola3 said:

And did they ever explain why the mother didn't foster the dog?  Again, I kind of had it on in the background.  All the gooey, lovey stuff kind of gets on my nerves.

Yes they did give an explanation--a movie explanation. I don't know how true it is.  Whatever agency that arranges for the dogs to be cared of when they retire and before they can reunite with their handlers apparently trains/certifies dog foster parents.  They said his mother wasn't certified.

[Kohola3]

10 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

Yes they did give an explanation--a movie explanation.

Definitely a movie explanation.  For pete's sake, when parents are deployed the kids aren't put in a certified foster home!   You arrange for relatives to care for them. It's not like going through and agency is required.  You simply ask a relative to help out.  That's just a stupid story line. 

[Irlandesa]

2 minutes ago, Kohola3 said:

Definitely a movie explanation.  For pete's sake, when parents are deployed the kids aren't put in a certified foster home!   You arrange for relatives to care for them. It's not like going through and agency is required.  You simply ask a relative to help out.  That's just a stupid story line. 

To be fair the movie explanation, Sunshine wasn't his pet before he was deployed; he was a working dog who was retired and repatriated.  But it doesn't look like owners would need special training. 

[roctavia]

On 8/3/2019 at 8:07 PM, rainsmom said:

I was bored today and decided to watch the Hailey Dean marathon. I had watched the first one when when it first aired, but barely finished it. I despise Nancy Grace, and although I love Kellie Martin, I just didn't find the show interesting or the characters likable.

Today I was SO bored, I was willing to watch, even with all that going against it... and I liked it. I still hate Nancy Grace passionately -- Good GOD that woman's voice is IRRITATING -- but the characters had gelled, and the mysteries were interesting. (I guessed who killed Will in his first appearance, though I didn't know why, so I won't go so far as to say the movies were surprising. But they were interesting.)

I've liked the Hailey Dean movies (Though would be happy to avoid the Nancy Grace cameos) I think the killer was so obvious in part because of the "star casting" I feel like if a familiar face shows up and isn't one of the love interests, they always end up the killer... though a lot of shows like Law and Order and other procedurals are super guilty of that too... and also the character had just a hint of creepy from his first appearance. I wonder if they told him from the start that eventually he would be outed as the killer/involved in the death.

[chitowngirl]

They should have just stayed with Candace Cameron Bure’s real hair. That wig was SO bad. I never even noticed/thought her hair was reddish in the previous movies.

[LuvMyShows]

So excited that we had the new Aurora Teagarden tonight!

Not too many annoyances from the movie:

• I found it not believable that Ro would not have recognized those subsequent quotes, or even thought to think that they might have been quotes after the first one was a quote.
• When Dina the assistant got Ro's phone, why wouldn't Ro have said to look at the picture of Bri beside the dead woman that had been Bri's friend, in order to convince Dina that she was telling the truth about Bri being the bad guy? 
• Bri told Dina to take Ro's phone, but when Bri put them both in the trunk, she only told DIna to give her own phone, meaning Dina still had Ro's phone which they could have used to make calls from the trunk.  They didn't, but apparently Ro still did something to turn on the tracker on her phone?
• Bri's limp changed sides and also disappeared during the action at that farm.

I do not understand at all what happened to Valerie the housekeeper.  They first theorized that she had baked muffins with poison to kill Ro and then accidentally poisoned herself when she ate one...which made no sense whatsoever.  Then Bri said something about Valerie being in the way.  What did Bri do to Valerie and why?

I can't remember...did Arthur the detective used to date Ro and that's why his wife the police lady seems to hate Ro?

It sure seemed like product placement for Google and Google Books the way they kept mentioning them, but surely Google cannot be so desperate that they need to spend their advertising dollars here?

Can't wait for all the upcoming new Sunday night mysteries for months to come!

[AnnaRose]

2 hours ago, doodlebug said:

I thought the lead actress was horribly miscast.  She was supposed to be the amazing newcomer set for stardom as Audrey Hepburn was when she made Roman Holiday,  Now, of course, most actresses would suffer by comparison to AH, but Italia Ricci was totally out of her element.  First, AH was about 23 when she filmed RH, Italia is 32 and looks it. She also has none of the charm or humor or overall charisma that Audrey had.  So, the basic premise of the film; that IR's character was this amazing find as an actress, poised to be the next big star as she is cast to follow in AH's footsteps in her starmaking role, just never jelled.  The scenes where she is trying wardrobe for the film and is dressed as the princess in ballgown and tiara were just awful; it was almost like a parody of the original film.  

So, for me, anyway, the overall premise didn't work at all, Italia Ricci was way too old and way too bland to be the next big thing in Hollywood.  A younger more vivacious and charming actress was needed for the part. Or, maybe better yet, don't write a script that invites comparisons to a classic romantic comedy with a legendary actress playing the lead.

Thank you for writing all that, I couldn't agree more!  The movie was terribly cast and just awful, in my opinion.  I could barely suffer through it.

[GaT]

4 hours ago, chitowngirl said:

They should have just stayed with Candace Cameron Bure’s real hair. That wig was SO bad. I never even noticed/thought her hair was reddish in the previous movies.

Yep, just another Hallmark wig. She's always been a redhead (I always thought that between Aurora, her mother, & the cop there were too may redheads), but it was this brassy shade of red.

Also, I guessed who dun it pretty much right away.

Edited August 5, 2019 by GaT

[illini1959]

On 8/3/2019 at 8:07 PM, rainsmom said:

I was bored today and decided to watch the Hailey Dean marathon. I had watched the first one when when it first aired, but barely finished it. I despise Nancy Grace, and although I love Kellie Martin, I just didn't find the show interesting or the characters likable.

Today I was SO bored, I was willing to watch, even with all that going against it... and I liked it. I still hate Nancy Grace passionately -- Good GOD that woman's voice is IRRITATING -- but the characters had gelled, and the mysteries were interesting. (I guessed who killed Will in his first appearance, though I didn't know why, so I won't go so far as to say the movies were surprising. But they were interesting.)

I've never watched the Hailey Dean mysteries until this weekend. I miss Philby (from Mystery Woman) but Fincher helped fill that void. I noticed Cassie from Mystery Woman was in one episode - playing a sister of a murdered girl - sorry that's as far as memory takes me.

It'll probably never happen, but I wish PTV would split these threads into Mystery/Christmas/Drama as they're shown on tv. I've been looking for Hailey Dean comments and don't want to wade through almost 90 pages - search option doesn't pull up anything much unless I'm doing it wrong (wouldn't doubt that).

I notice in the HD series they are always eating or going to eat or getting coffee or carrying coffee. A lot.

[rainsmom]

43 minutes ago, illini1959 said:

It'll probably never happen, but I wish PTV would split these threads into Mystery/Christmas/Drama as they're shown on tv.

Yeah, I wish that too. I don't watch anything but the mysteries, and posts about those are definitely in the minority around here. With the name change on the thread, fewer people will find the discussion of the mysteries.

[Jenniferbug]

I had never watched an Aurora Teagarden movie till last night, and liked it enough that I have the others on as background noise while working today. Anyone know if the books are worth reading as cozy mysteries? Do they ever replay the earlier movies? I think the earliest I found on demand from their marathon this weekend was The Julius House movie. 

I'm excited for more Mystery 101 and Chronicle Mysteries too. I need to remember to watch on Sunday nights more often!

[Kaoteek]

Still catching up with past movies :

- Easter under Wraps : having a Easter movie is nice, and I usually like Fiona Gubelmann, but aside from the Undercover Boss angle, it really was your standard, boilerplate Hallmark "let's visit X or Y factory/business and try to save it" movie (there's always one or two of those, each year, often at Christmas or Valentine's Day). Also, Brendan Penny didn't have much to work with (the usual "single-dad/widower with a precocious kid" character), here, so he ended up kinda bland.

- Paris, Wine & Romance : I cringed. A lot. Granted, I'm french, so all that cheesy postcard-worthy pseudo-tour of Paris feat. clichés, accents, escargots, greenscreens & eastern-european cities was always gonna bother me, but Lilley's obvious pregnancy glow, clothes & camera angles didn't really help, just like her character's weird sense of urgency : she had no time to waste, her wine just had to enter that competition right now, or else... or else what ?

Anyway, it wasn't even a bad movie, and I'm sure if it hadn't been located in France, I'd have enjoyed it more, but it was frustrating more than anything.

[rainsmom]

2 hours ago, Jenniferbug said:

I had never watched an Aurora Teagarden movie till last night, and liked it enough that I have the others on as background noise while working today. Anyone know if the books are worth reading as cozy mysteries?

I read the entire series a couple of months ago and enjoyed it. Believe it or not, I was able to completely set aside CCB and let a book Aurora (and book Martin and book Robin, etc.) take over. 

The movies deviate from the books in MAJOR areas, and yet, much of each mystery remains the same. I enjoy watching the new movies and wondering which aspects they're going to keep.

[Bronx Babe]

20 hours ago, doodlebug said:

I thought the lead actress was horribly miscast.  She was supposed to be the amazing newcomer set for stardom as Audrey Hepburn was when she made Roman Holiday,  Now, of course, most actresses would suffer by comparison to AH, but Italia Ricci was totally out of her element.  First, AH was about 23 when she filmed RH, Italia is 32 and looks it. She also has none of the charm or humor or overall charisma that Audrey had.  So, the basic premise of the film; that IR's character was this amazing find as an actress, poised to be the next big star as she is cast to follow in AH's footsteps in her starmaking role, just never jelled.  The scenes where she is trying wardrobe for the film and is dressed as the princess in ballgown and tiara were just awful; it was almost like a parody of the original film.  

So, for me, anyway, the overall premise didn't work at all, Italia Ricci was way too old and way too bland to be the next big thing in Hollywood.  A younger more vivacious and charming actress was needed for the part. Or, maybe better yet, don't write a script that invites comparisons to a classic romantic comedy with a legendary actress playing the lead.

Pefectly stated.

William Wyler would be turning in his grave.

Plus, she looked pregnant!

[formerlyfreedom]

6 hours ago, illini1959 said:

It'll probably never happen, but I wish PTV would split these threads into Mystery/Christmas/Drama as they're shown on tv.

6 hours ago, rainsmom said:

Yeah, I wish that too. I don't watch anything but the mysteries, and posts about those are definitely in the minority around here.

We're currently discussing this. A reminder, in the future, if you have questions on the forums or mod actions, please PM the forum moderators - in here it's @Athena and @saoirse.

Thank you.

[roctavia]

8 hours ago, illini1959 said:

I've never watched the Hailey Dean mysteries until this weekend. I miss Philby (from Mystery Woman) but Fincher helped fill that void. I noticed Cassie from Mystery Woman was in one episode - playing a sister of a murdered girl - sorry that's as far as memory takes me.

It'll probably never happen, but I wish PTV would split these threads into Mystery/Christmas/Drama as they're shown on tv. I've been looking for Hailey Dean comments and don't want to wade through almost 90 pages - search option doesn't pull up anything much unless I'm doing it wrong (wouldn't doubt that).

I notice in the HD series they are always eating or going to eat or getting coffee or carrying coffee. A lot.

Garage Sale Mysteries had their own thread for awhile, but it was off on it's own and sometimes hard to find. 

I also mostly just watch the mysteries but don't comment a whole lot...

[susannot]

7 hours ago, Jenniferbug said:

I had never watched an Aurora Teagarden movie till last night, and liked it enough that I have the others on as background noise while working today. Anyone know if the books are worth reading as cozy mysteries? Do they ever replay the earlier movies? I think the earliest I found on demand from their marathon this weekend was The Julius House movie. 

I'm excited for more Mystery 101 and Chronicle Mysteries too. I need to remember to watch on Sunday nights more often!

They are worth reading.  In some cases, they are darker than the movies.  I'm thinking particularly of the one where Aurora's nephew Philip and other teenagers disappear.

[TVFan17]

According to the Moments with Mercy site, apparently Niall Matter has been cast as the leading man in Christmas at Dollywood, co-starring along with Danica McKellar and Dolly Parton.  He is 6 years younger than Danica, but he is also younger than Candace Cameron Bure, and he is playing CCB's love interest in the Aurora Teagarden series.  

Now that's absolutely fine -- Hallmark has been toying with some casting choices along those lines in the last couple of years, where the actress is a bit older than the actor -- but it's interesting to me that Danica just starred with Mark Deklin, who is 6 or 7 years older than she, and is now going to have a younger leading man in the Dollywood movie.

And Niall is first filming a Fall Harvest movie -- Country at Heart -- with Jessy Schram, who is several years younger than he is (she is closer to 30, and he is closer to 40), before going on to star with Danica.

So Hallmark is all over the place with the casting.   I wonder if Niall will actually be a good match for Danica, or was he just the one who was available to film the movie at the time it is going to film?

Tyler Hynes and Kellie Pickler have been filming The Mistletoe Secret together, and they are the same age, but will they be a good match?   I have my doubts about that pairing.   I haven't seen any photos of them together, in the same shot, so I can't get a sense of whether they would look good together.

However, I am very happy that Autumn Reeser and Jesse Metcalfe have been re-teamed for Christmas Under the Stars (a.k.a. The Christmas Tree Lot), because I liked them together in A Country Wedding.  That's a good match.

Edited August 6, 2019 by TVFan17

[Kitty Redstone]

Has there been any word as to whether new Gourmet Detective movies are being filmed?  I sure hope so.  I'm also wondering/hoping there will be new Emma Fielding movies.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, TVFan17 said:

Tyler Hynes and Kellie Pickler have been filming The Mistletoe Secret together, and they are the same age, but will they be a good match?   I have my doubts about that pairing.   I haven't seen any photos of them together, in the same shot, so I can't get a sense of whether they would look good together.

Oh, good. I hated that book so I won’t have to miss something I want to see because I can’t stand watching Pickler try and act. 

I do hate they keep pairing her with actors I really like.  

Edited August 6, 2019 by Guest

[TVFan17]

2 hours ago, Kitty Redstone said:

Has there been any word as to whether new Gourmet Detective movies are being filmed?  I sure hope so.  I'm also wondering/hoping there will be new Emma Fielding movies.

Nothing has been filmed, and nothing is scheduled to film quite yet.

There is at least one more Gourmet Detective movie (#5) in development.  The working title is "Roux the Day."   There is a page for it on IMDB, but it's only in the Development stage at the moment.  It has not moved into pre-production or production.     It was not one of the announcements to come out of the Summer TCA event a couple of weeks ago, and Dylan Neal was not in attendance at the event.    So my guess is that the script is still being tweaked and that it is not yet ready to go into production.

Gourmet Detective would not air this year anyway.   So, depending on when Hallmark would want to place it on the schedule for next year, it could film as early as November 2019 or as late as next summer.   In other words, if they, perhaps, wanted to premiere Gourmet Detective #5 in January 2020, they'd probably start shooting it in November -- maybe even early December!  But if they wanted to air it in October 2020, they could film it as last as August/early September next year.

Since we have no idea when Hallmark wants to air the movie, we have no clue when it will film.

Nothing has been said or announced about more Emma Fielding movies.   Courtney Thorne-Smith and James Tupper were not at the recent TCA event.   My personal guess is that they are finished.  I suspect that Hallmark probably signed a deal for 3 movies, and then just didn't pick it up for more movies, or the actors wanted too much money or whatever.   But it also seemed like Gourmet Detective was finished too, and yet there is another one in the works.    So, never say never.  Who knows?  Maybe we will see another lone Emma Fielding movie pop up in another couple of years.

Right now, the (known/announced) mysteries that Hallmark has on tap for the immediate future are:

(2019 -- in order of premiere dates)

Aurora Teagarden (2 more  movies this month)

The Chronicle Mysteries (1 movie this month)

Darrow & Darrow (1 movie in September)

Mystery 101 (2 movies in September)

Ruby Herring Mysteries (1 movie in September)

The Matchmaker Mysteries (1 movie in September)

The Crossword Mysteries (3 movies in October)

******

(2020 and beyond -- in no specific order of premiere dates)

More Morning Show Mysteries (not sure how many more, but at least one new movie)

More Aurora Teagarden Mysteries (not sure how many more)

More Hailey Dean Mysteries (not sure how many more)

More Matchmaker Mysteries (probably at least 2 more)

More Picture Perfect Mysteries (at least 2 more)

More Crossword Mysteries (at least 2 more)

More Chronicle Mysteries (not sure how many, but probably at least 2 more))

More Ruby Herring Mysteries (probably at least one more)

More Gourmet Detective  (probably only one new movie)

Mysteries of Martha's Vineyard (still in the early stages of development)

The Royal Mysteries (still in the early stages of development)

A movie based on Joy Fielding's Charley's Web appears to still be in development.

So far, no plans  have been announced as far as more Mystery 101 movies beyond the 2 that are airing in September, but Kristoffer Polaha said that if the fans make enough noise about wanting more, Hallmark will listen.

Edited August 6, 2019 by TVFan17

[Kitty Redstone]

Thanks so much @TVFan17!  I do hope HMM reconsiders and commits to more Emma Fielding mysteries.  While it took awhile for me to warm to CTS, I enjoyed the rest of the regulars immediately and came to really like her by the last movies.

I will try to not hold my utter dislike of that millionaire matchmaker person against the Matchmaker Mysteries series.  If they give her cameos ala Nancy Grace then I won't be watching.

[TVFan17]

20 minutes ago, Kitty Redstone said:

Thanks so much @TVFan17!  I do hope HMM reconsiders and commits to more Emma Fielding mysteries.  While it took awhile for me to warm to CTS, I enjoyed the rest of the regulars immediately and came to really like her by the last movies.

I will try to not hold my utter dislike of that millionaire matchmaker person against the Matchmaker Mysteries series.  If they give her cameos ala Nancy Grace then I won't be watching.

You're very welcome!   I really didn't think that the one Emma Fielding movie I saw was too bad.  It was decent -- at least decent enough to give the series a 4th installment, even if Hallmark didn't order another 3 movies.   I tend to think it had not quite found its groove yet.

So, it could be a situation like with Gourmet Detective and Darrow & Darrow, where, once they get past the initial order of 3 movies, they piecemeal it after that -- doing out a random movie here, and then another random one there in 2 years, or whatever.    They might not have immediate plans for more Emma Fielding, but that doesn't mean that it is totally over for good.  You never know.  

I, too, have been wondering if Patti Stanger will be making cameo appearances in the Matchmaker Mysteries movies.  So far, I have not seen any signs of her being in any scenes based on what Danica has been sharing, even though Patti is an Executive Producer on the series and could work her way in.   I kind of have a feeling that Patti would drive everyone crazy on the set of a Hallmark movie (she drove the Bravo people crazy, reportedly/allegedly/supposedly, and Bravo deals with some outrageous reality show people on a daily basis!).    The shoot is not over yet, so I won't be shocked if she pops up in a cameo.

Edited August 6, 2019 by TVFan17

[Kitty Redstone]

She's the executive producer?  I may just skip them out of pre-disgust, then.  I only ever saw her in commercials for her show when I was watching Top Chef or Project Runway and thought, even if those brief few seconds, that she had a revolting personality. 

Then, on the one day in years I watched a morning news show, they had a segment with her.  She told the host who she thought Liam Neeson should be matched with, and the host visibly recoiled and said, well, he's probably still mourning his wife.  That stupid hag's response was, well, she's been dead for awhile so surely he's ready to move on.  WTF?!?!?

[TVFan17]

Kitty Redstone -- Yep.  Patti is one of the Exec. Producers on Matchmaker Mysteries, as well as being the one who, I guess, sold the idea to Hallmark.   lol    I really thought it was very surprising when it was first announced in 2018 that Hallmark was going to be working with her, because it doesn't seem like a match made in heaven, for either Patti or Hallmark.   I think she might be too crude and brash for them, and they might be too wholesome and conservative for her.

But who knows?  Maybe the actual mystery series will be a good one.  I have to admit that I kind of like the idea of it, but I don't know if picture Danica and Victor Webster as being a great match.  I'll keep an open mind, but I am also fully expecting some Patti Stanger cameos!  lol

*********************************

I'm not listing most Christmas movies that were already announced well in advance of the Summer TCA press event.   But, in addition to the continuing mystery series I mentioned above in an earlier post, some of the other announcements to come out at, around or soon after Hallmark's recent TCA event were:

• Taylor Cole confirmed that there will, indeed, be a One Winter Wedding movie -- the third in the "One Winter..." series.
• Alexandra Breckenridge and Robert Buckley will star in Love in Store, expected to air in September.
• Jessy Schram and Niall Matter are singing in a new movie called Country at Heart, expected to premiere in October.
• Holly Robinson Peete is going to do a Christmas movie with Patti LaBelle, tentatively titled A Family Christmas Gift.
• Paul Greene is the leading man in Christmas in Evergreen 3, but Barbara Niven, Rukiya Bernard and Holly Robinson Peete will reprise their roles as well.
• Rachael Leigh Cook is doing her first Christmas movie for Hallmark, titled The Christmas Bride.
• Ryan Paevey is the lead in Christmas at the Plaza.
• Alicia Witt is starring in Second Hand Santa.
• Merritt Patterson and Jack Turner are starring in Forever in My Heart, which was filmed in Ireland.  It will premiere in September.
• The movie that Jessica Lowndes and Wes Brown filmed (and sang in) not long ago -- Over the Moon in Love -- has been picked up by Hallmark and will air in September.
• Tori Anderson and Ben Hollingsworth are the stars in Love Under the Olive Tree, which Antonio Cupo produced.  It is a Fall Harvest movie.
• Erin Cahill and Trevor Donovan are shooting another Fall Harvest movie titled Love, Fall and Order, in Utah.  The Bubbly Sesh Podcast girls are also in the movie.
• There will be a second Godwink Christmas movie, but with a different cast (though Kathie Lee Gifford could pop up in a cameo).
• There will be a second Blake Shelton-Exec. Produced Time for Me to Come Home for Christmas movie, but it is assumed it will have a different cast as well.
• Autumn Reeser and Jesse Metcalfe are reuniting for Christmas Under the Stars a.k.a. The Christmas Tree Lot.
• Rachel Boston and Wes Brown are starring in Check Inn to Christmas.
• Kristoffer Polaha and Carly Pope are starring in Double Holiday.
• Brittany Bristow and Matt Cohen are starring in Holiday Date.
• There will be another When Calls the Heart Christmas movie, in keeping with tradition.
• Ali Liebert, Peter Porte and Tina Lifford are about to shoot A Gift to Cherish, the sequel to A Gift to Remember.
• Eric Mabius (from Signed, Sealed, Delivered) has a new Christmas movie coming up, which is filming in October and will air in December.
• Amy Grant is Exec. Producing a movie called When I Think of Christmas.
• Kellie Martin returns to Christmas movies and will co-star with Colin Ferguson in Christmas in Montana.
• The new J.L. Family Ranch 2 movie (sequel to the first J.L. Ranch), with legends Jon Voight and James Caan, as well as Bo Derek, Judson Mills, Skyler Shaye, Teri Polo and Trevor Donovan, will air on Hallmark Drama in 2020.
• The next Signed, Sealed, Delivered will air on Hallmark Drama in 2020.
• When Calls the Heart cast members teamed up with bakers to shoot Christmas Cookie Countdown, which will air on Hallmark Drama.
• Susan Lucci must still be planning to develop a mystery series with Hallmark (based on Joy Fielding's Charley's Web), as she was at the TCA event.
• Apparently John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting must still be developing some sort of Christmas movie with Hallmark (presumably based on his song Christmas Every Day of the Year), as he was at the TCA event too.
• As I mentioned in a previous post, Niall Matter is the leading man in Christmas at Dollywood, alongside Dolly Parton and Danica McKellar.
• Also mentioned in a previous post, Kellie Pickler is the leading lady to Tyler Hynes in The Mistletoe Secret.  Patrick Duffy also co-stars.
• And, of course, by now everyone knows that Adrian Grenier and Kaitlin Doubleday (with a cameo by Priscilla Presley) are the stars of Christmas at Graceland 2: Home for the Holidays.
• Home and Family got renewed for another season.

Edited August 6, 2019 by TVFan17

[Happywatcher]

4 hours ago, TVFan17 said:

Tyler Hynes and Kellie Pickler have been filming The Mistletoe Secret together, and they are the same age, but will they be a good match?   I have my doubts about that pairing.   I haven't seen any photos of them together, in the same shot, so I can't get a sense of whether they would look good together.

They shut down Kellie's talk show (which was an really awkward pair up with Ginger Z's husband) so she has nothing but Hallmark movie time open

[Jenniferbug]

I LOVE the One Winter movies! I figured they'd make a wedding one to round out the trilogy, but it's nice to have that confirmed.

Not excited at all about Kellie Pickler being added to the Hallmark stable of actresses. Hard pass on anything she ever stars in.

[TVFan17]

31 minutes ago, Happywatcher said:

They shut down Kellie's talk show (which was an really awkward pair up with Ginger Z's husband) so she has nothing but Hallmark movie time open

Oh, is "Ben" the husband of Ginger?  I never realized that!

21 minutes ago, Jenniferbug said:

I LOVE the One Winter movies! I figured they'd make a wedding one to round out the trilogy, but it's nice to have that confirmed.

Not excited at all about Kellie Pickler being added to the Hallmark stable of actresses. Hard pass on anything she ever stars in.

I wonder if Kellie P. signed a 3-movie deal with Hallmark last year, which seems to be the case with a lot of people they work with.  If that's the case, then The Mistletoe Secret would be the third.   That might be the end of her Hallmark run.   I guess it depends on how much they like her and how much she likes or dislikes doing the movies.  But the key will be to see if she is cast in anything new in 2020, as that would indicate an ongoing relationship, or a new contract signed, etc.

Edited August 7, 2019 by TVFan17

[Irlandesa]

Wasn't her movie one of the highest rated from the holiday season last year?  If so, she'll be around if she wants to be around.  Look out for her to get a mystery series.

[EyewatchTV211]

So are the two movies with the word "Holiday" in the title the movies that are going to include Jewish characters? Since it seems every other one specifically references Christmas? Or I guess those might not be identified yet.

[Guest]

54 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

Wasn't her movie one of the highest rated from the holiday season last year?  If so, she'll be around if she wants to be around.  Look out for her to get a mystery series.

It was the highest rated movie of 2018. I’d be stunned if she doesn’t become a regular. 

26 minutes ago, VMepicgrl said:

So are the two movies with the word "Holiday" in the title the movies that are going to include Jewish characters? Since it seems every other one specifically references Christmas? Or I guess those might not be identified yet.

Holiday Date is definitely one of the Hanukkah movies. The original announcement included that title. No clue yet on the second one. 

Edited August 7, 2019 by Guest

[TVFan17]

1 hour ago, VMepicgrl said:

So are the two movies with the word "Holiday" in the title the movies that are going to include Jewish characters? Since it seems every other one specifically references Christmas? Or I guess those might not be identified yet.

Yes, you're exactly right.  Both of the "Holiday" titles I listed in the long list of bulleted items are the ones with a Hanukkah element to them.  Nina Weinman Swift (who has written a bunch of Hallmark movies) wrote the one with Carly Pope and Kristoffer Polaha (Double Holiday).

And Brittany Bristow finally gets her first starring role in a Hallmark movie in Holiday Date,

Edited August 7, 2019 by TVFan17

[Kitty Redstone]

6 hours ago, TVFan17 said:

Kitty Redstone -- Yep.  Patti is one of the Exec. Producers on Matchmaker Mysteries, as well as being the one who, I guess, sold the idea to Hallmark.   lol    I really thought it was very surprising when it was first announced in 2018 that Hallmark was going to be working with her, because it doesn't seem like a match made in heaven, for either Patti or Hallmark.   I think she might be too crude and brash for them, and they might be too wholesome and conservative for her.

<snip>

• Susan Lucci must still be planning to develop a mystery series with Hallmark (based on Joy Fielding's Charley's Web), as she was at the TCA event.

I'm also having a hard time understanding why HMM would want to work with Patti, because yes they seem pretty particular/uptight about who they work with.  Patti comes across as an charm-free drama hound and all around jerk.

The Susan Lucci mystery series is intriguing, though her acting (and I say this as a years-long viewer of All My Children) has never impressed me. 

I wish HMM would give Jen Lilley a mystery series.  She'd play a great sleuth.

[TVFan17]

7 minutes ago, Kitty Redstone said:

I'm also having a hard time understanding why HMM would want to work with Patti, because yes they seem pretty particular/uptight about who they work with.  Patti comes across as an charm-free drama hound and all around jerk.

The Susan Lucci mystery series is intriguing, though her acting (and I say this as a years-long viewer of All My Children) has never impressed me. 

I wish HMM would give Jen Lilley a mystery series.  She'd play a great sleuth.

I would not be at all shocked to see that happen down the road (Jen getting a mystery series).    Hallmark really likes her.   It almost sort of seems to be a Hallmark rite of passage at this point, to land a mystery series.  The actresses and actors who are popular regulars all seem to eventually make the Christmas movie rounds, the mystery rounds and possibly even the weekly episodic series rounds too, in their Hallmark careers.   So that means that -- as long as they are willing and interested -- sooner or later we should expect to see Jen Lilley and Nikki DeLoach in mysteries.   Maybe Merritt Patterson too. 

I don't know if Rachel Boston is quite regular enough on the channels for a mystery series yet, but I can picture her being a crime-fighting flight attendant or something like that.  lol   Paul Campbell can be a wise-cracking bartender or carpenter who solves mysteries on the side.

What is interesting is that Hallmark's more recent attempts at casting totally new-to-Hallmark actresses as leads in mystery series (Brooke Shields in Flower Shop Mysteries, Courtney Thorne-Smith in Emma Fielding, and Jewel in Fixer Upper Mysteries), seem to have not been as popular or successful as the mysteries starring the familiar, existing faces in the Hallmark family.   Brooke Shields was supposed to do a Christmas movie, but, when Flower Shop was cancelled, her Christmas movie never happened either, and I don't think she has spoken about what happened since Flower Shop ended.   And neither Courtney Thorne-Smith nor Jewel starred in any other non-mystery movies for the network, so the only Hallmark connection they had was via the mysteries. 

Another interesting thing -- which was not announced at the recent TCA event at all -- is that writer Rick Garman (who wrote the upcoming Eric Mabius Christmas movie and many others)  teased a project on his Facebook page back in June, called "The Destination Mysteries: Checking In for Murder," and he even had a date on the post, which was September 29th, 2019, as though that was the date it was expected to premiere.   The picture he used showed a passport, and I think some sunglasses, a camera, and other items suggesting travel or vacation.

Of course, now we know that Danica's Matchmaker Mysteries is airing on September 29th (supposedly), and there is no Destination Mysteries on the schedule for the rest of 2019. 

But I wonder if it is something that Hallmark will announce at their Winter TCA event in January, with a possible plan to air the Destination Mysteries in the summer (which would kind of make sense, because of the travel/vacation aspect of it).  I have no idea what it could be about -- a travel writer solving crimes, maybe?   A cruise director cracking murder cases?   Whatever it is, it sounds like it has potential, and I am kind of intrigued by the idea of a travel-oriented mystery series.  I hope it is still being worked on, and that it was not shelved. 

[illini1959]

7 hours ago, TVFan17 said:

What is interesting is that Hallmark's more recent attempts at casting totally new-to-Hallmark actresses as leads in mystery series (Brooke Shields in Flower Shop Mysteries, Courtney Thorne-Smith in Emma Fielding, and Jewel in Fixer Upper Mysteries), seem to have not been as popular or successful as the mysteries starring the familiar, existing faces in the Hallmark family.   Brooke Shields was supposed to do a Christmas movie, but, when Flower Shop was cancelled, her Christmas movie never happened either, and I don't think she has spoken about what happened since Flower Shop ended.   And neither Courtney Thorne-Smith nor Jewel starred in any other non-mystery movies for the network, so the only Hallmark connection they had was via the mysteries. 

I thought the premise of the Flower Shop Mysteries was good, but Brooke Shields was - to me - so wooden. Her acting just wasn't good - she wasn't natural. Many of her mannerisms appeared forced.

I have nothing against her, it's not that I don't like her. Maybe it's just me....

[AnnaRose]

11 hours ago, Kitty Redstone said:

The Susan Lucci mystery series is intriguing, though her acting (and I say this as a years-long viewer of All My Children) has never impressed me.

I really liked Susan Lucci in Devious Maids, and thought she was pretty hilarious in a lot of scenes.

10 hours ago, TVFan17 said:

Paul Campbell can be a wise-cracking bartender or carpenter who solves mysteries on the side.

I don't watch any of the mystery series other than Kristoffer Polaha's Mystery 101 (so it's a ton of posts to scroll through on this thread)... but I would tune in for Paul Campbell crackin' wise and solving crimes!  (His movie this summer was one of the few enjoyable ones for me.)

Edited August 7, 2019 by AnnaRose

[TVFan17]

2 hours ago, illini1959 said:

I thought the premise of the Flower Shop Mysteries was good, but Brooke Shields was - to me - so wooden. Her acting just wasn't good - she wasn't natural. Many of her mannerisms appeared forced.

I have nothing against her, it's not that I don't like her. Maybe it's just me....

I don't think it was just you.  When Flower Shop was still new, I remember seeing a lot of comments from people on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Facebook page, indicating that they did not like Brooke in the lead role.    Of course, it's hard to use social media as an indicator because people carry on dramatically and vitriolically about every decision that any network/company/brand ever makes, but I don't think Brooke was the right choice to lead that series.   

And I always found it so interesting that whenever Brooke appeared on a show to promote the Flower Shop movies, she never mentioned Brennan Elliott, who was essentially going to be her love interest -- at least not that I saw.    She would show clips from the movies -- with Brennan clearly seen in them -- and she would never acknowledge him in her TV interviews.  She mentioned Beau Bridges, but not Brennan.  It was so strange.

Now maybe Brooke could have or would have improved a bit over time, if the series had continued and if she had done some other non-mystery movies for Hallmark too, but she was probably just not the best fit to begin with, and Hallmark likely brought her into the mix because they figured a lot of their viewers grew up with Brooke as she transitioned from modeling into acting, comedy, etc.  At one time in the old, old days, she was super-famous and known all over the world, so Hallmark probably thought that it was enough get the viewers interested in seeing her in a mystery series, which was something that was new to Brooke, for the most part.

When Flower Shop first started, Brooke was saying that they had the potential to do at least 15 movies.  Even if 15 was a lofty goal, it seems like Hallmark would have at least tried to order up a 4th movie, or another set of 3.   (They were even planning to do a 4th Fixer Upper Mystery movie at one point, according to Colin Ferguson, but the plan was ultimately cancelled.)   So, although nothing has ever been officially stated as to why Flower Shop ended, I wonder if it was a money issue, or if Brooke wanted to have more control over casting and story decisions (I think she was one of the Exec. Producers on it).

[Kitty Redstone]

11 hours ago, TVFan17 said:

Another interesting thing -- which was not announced at the recent TCA event at all -- is that writer Rick Garman (who wrote the upcoming Eric Mabius Christmas movie and many others)  teased a project on his Facebook page back in June, called "The Destination Mysteries: Checking In for Murder," and he even had a date on the post, which was September 29th, 2019, as though that was the date it was expected to premiere.   The picture he used showed a passport, and I think some sunglasses, a camera, and other items suggesting travel or vacation.

This sounds like it could be great!  I love just about any kind of mystery, really, but especially the ones that involve a bit of adventure and beautiful scenery.  That last part is something that HMM is pretty good at providing. 

Your hypothesis on actors and Christmas movies is interesting.  I don't watch the regular Hallmark Channel and am not familiar with most of their regulars (the ones I do know come from soaps), but are there no cases of a mysteries actor moving over to do regular Hallmark channel movies?

[TVFan17]

14 minutes ago, Kitty Redstone said:

This sounds like it could be great!  I love just about any kind of mystery, really, but especially the ones that involve a bit of adventure and beautiful scenery.  That last part is something that HMM is pretty good at providing. 

Your hypothesis on actors and Christmas movies is interesting.  I don't watch the regular Hallmark Channel and am not familiar with most of their regulars (the ones I do know come from soaps), but are there no cases of a mysteries actor moving over to do regular Hallmark channel movies?

Definitely not in the case of Brooke Shields, Jewel and Courtney Thorne-Smith.    Although Brooke was announced as being the lead in a Christmas movie, it never happened because I think that her whole relationship with Hallmark dissolved.

James Tupper appeared in a non-mystery Hallmark movie or two, if I recall.

But in the case of Garage Sale, Hailey Dean, Aurora Teagarden, Morning Show, Ruby Herring, Mystery 101, Picture Perfect, Chronicle Mysteries, Murder She Baked, Crossword Mysteries, Gourmet Detective and even the still-in-development Mysteries of Martha's Vineyard and Royal Mysteries, the lead actresses/actors had either appeared in other Hallmark movies or series before they started the mysteries or after they started them -- even if not in lead roles.  For example, Holly Robinson Peete had not been a lead in a non-mystery Hallmark movie prior to Morning Show, but she had been in something, and she is still doing the Christmas in Evergreen movies as well as an upcoming Christmas movie with Patti LaBelle.

So I wonder if it it helps ratings for mysteries starring  new-to-Hallmark actresses/actors if they also appear in non-mystery Hallmark movies at some point too?  Something to ponder.   Hmm.

Edited August 7, 2019 by TVFan17

[TVFan17]

1 hour ago, AnnaRose said:

I really liked Susan Lucci in Devious Maids, and thought she was pretty hilarious in a lot of scenes.

I don't watch any of the mystery series other than Kristoffer Polaha's Mystery 101 (so it's a ton of posts to scroll through on this thread)... but I would tune in for Paul Campbell crackin' wise and solving crimes!  (His movie this summer was one of the few enjoyable ones for me.)

If Hallmark has not already thought of putting Paul Campbell in a mystery series as a wise-cracking carpenter/bartender/mechanic/painter/writer (or whatever kind of job), they are missing a golden opportunity.  They need to get on that!   I think that it would lure people in for at least a good 3 movies, if not an ongoing long-term series like Aurora Teagarden.    I'm not sure if Paul would want to do it, but, again, just starting with 3 movies seems manageable, especially since Hallmark seems to be flexible with the filming schedules -- sometimes they shoot a few of the movies back to back, and other times they might only shoot one movie in a series per year.   So I'm sure the schedule could work whichever way Paul needed it to work.

[MerBearHou]

8 hours ago, TVFan17 said:

If Hallmark has not already thought of putting Paul Campbell in a mystery series as a wise-cracking carpenter/bartender/mechanic/painter/writer (or whatever kind of job), they are missing a golden opportunity.  They need to get on that!   I think that it would lure people in

It would sure lure me in!  I would watch Paul Campbell in almost anything.  He is so smart, funny, wry and very handsome IMO.  

Edited August 8, 2019 by MerBearHou

[Happywatcher]

20 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

Wasn't her movie one of the highest rated from the holiday season last year?  If so, she'll be around if she wants to be around.  Look out for her to get a mystery series.

I will lay down a $5 bet for the 'chorus teacher murders' series

[Happywatcher]

6 hours ago, TVFan17 said:

  (They were even planning to do a 4th Fixer Upper Mystery movie at one point, according to Colin Ferguson, but the plan was ultimately cancelled.)   So, although nothing has ever been officially stated as to why Flower Shop ended, I wonder if it was a money issue, or if Brooke wanted to have more control over casting and story decisions (I think she was one of the Exec. Producers on it).

I don't want to sound bitchy, so I will say it straight.  Jewel didn't even have chemistry with herself in her series

[GaT]

1 hour ago, Happywatcher said:

I don't want to sound bitchy, so I will say it straight.  Jewel didn't even have chemistry with herself in her series

I never understood why they would want her to star in a series of movies begin with, & then they always had to have her singing or using her songs as background music in every movie.

[FairyDusted]

90 pages, 26 hours, 2 showers, 4 meals, 420 bong hits later...

I started watching when The Good Witch first came out. I followed the lead from Army Wives. Loved the first several movies. HATE the series. Hallmark took out the "magic" right out of it.

I read all the pages because I watch, or at least try to, most of the Holiday fare. My favorite fascination is the small carry on bag that contains 7 wool coats and matching unreasonable "boots." 

I watch them during their marathons because they are mindless and oddly calming. A bad one comes on, I pass out.  Which is frequent and needed. Henry Winkler or Sam Elliot show up though, I'm tuned in.

It kind of sucks we don't get the other HMM or Drama yet I get teased with the ads. I will try out some different seasons now that I have read all about them.

*And back to tormenting unreal housewives and not teen moms*

Cocoa???

[ShelleySue]

On ‎8‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 5:01 PM, Dani said:

Oh, good. I hated that book so I won’t have to miss something I want to see because I can’t stand watching Pickler try and act. 

I do hate they keep pairing her with actors I really like.  

I agree with you.  I wonder if the people who like Kellie Pickler were fans of her music before they saw her act.  I know I love Neil Diamond and thought he was wonderful in the Jazz Singer.  But as people have pointed out to me over the years, if you weren't a Neil Diamond fan before seeing the movie, you are never going to think he was a good actor.  Maybe it's the same with KP.  My problem with her is that she thinks that acting is just using her lips -- smiling when she's happy and pouting when she's sad.  I'm glad to see that my favorite, Wes Brown is going to be in two new movies. Yipppeee!

[kirinan]

On 8/6/2019 at 11:31 PM, TVFan17 said:

And Brittany Bristow finally gets her first starring role in a Hallmark movie in Holiday Date,

I'm so happy to hear this! I love her. She's young and blonde, but she's not one of Hallmark's Cookie Cutter Barbie blondes. Not only is she personable and likable, I think she's one of the better and more natural actresses on the channel. 

Edited August 9, 2019 by kirinan

[AnnaRose]

27 minutes ago, kirinan said:

I'm so happy to hear this! I love her. She's young and blonde, but she's not one of Hallmark's Cookie Cutter Barbie blondes. Not only is she personable and likable, I think she's one of the better and more natural actresses on the channel. 

I looked her up.  She had a supporting role in Love on Safari - directed by Leif Bristow.  Is that her father?  It looks like he produced and/or directed all her Hallmark movies.  (At least the ones I recognized as Hallmark.)

[TVFan17]

48 minutes ago, AnnaRose said:

I looked her up.  She had a supporting role in Love on Safari - directed by Leif Bristow.  Is that her father?  It looks like he produced and/or directed all her Hallmark movies.  (At least the ones I recognized as Hallmark.)

Leif and Agnes are Brittany's parents.    Holiday Date (or whatever Hallmark ends up calling it when all is said and done) is Brittany's first lead role in a Hallmark movie.  She is well-known as a charming, reliable supporting actress, of course, but most of us felt that she should or would eventually make the move to leading lady status, and she finally did.