Hallmark Mysteries: Mysterious Small Town Hijinks Ensue - General Discussion

[mikeb]

15 hours ago, LexieLily said:

Aurora Teagarden #14 (Reunited and It Feels So Deadly) is on this Sunday (1/10) and it is showing as new. Didn't this one premiere in September or October?

Yes, it premiered back in October.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hallmark_Channel_Original_Movies#2021 lists 3 new upcoming premieres.  A new Martha's Vineyard Mystery on Jan 17th, a new Crossword Mysteries on Feb 14th, and a new Chronicle Mysteries on Feb 21st.  The last one surprised me a little as I don't remember seeing it mentioned in Hallmark press releases last year.

[LuvMyShows]

On 1/8/2021 at 3:58 PM, LexieLily said:

Aurora Teagarden #14 (Reunited and It Feels So Deadly) is on this Sunday (1/10) and it is showing as new. Didn't this one premiere in September or October?

I don't know exactly when it premiered, but it definitely did already.

[hiisa]

So. Im watching the 6th Aurora Teagarden mystery, "A Bundle of Trouble" and I am SO ANNOYED with Roe that I have to break a decade+ lurking streak to express my irritation. 

1. She is a TERRIBLE employee! How Lillian hasnt fired her I will never know. And speaking of this library. Are they the only two who work there? What about restroom and lunch breaks? Lillian is running that place alome because Roe is NEVER at work. In this movie she leaves 3 minutes early so she can get ready for a party. She couldnt wait 3 minutes and help close? Especially since the last time Roe decided to not stay at work (last movie) Lillian was atracked closing the library alone. Roe follows this stellar performance up by having her mom drop a baby off at the library like its a daycare and then doesnt bother showing up! She appears hpurs after her shift started, snaps at Lillian shes taking a personal day and runs off. Lillian? Fire. Her. 

2. Sally is a TERRIBLE journalist.

3.  In this particular movie Lyn (who I dont even like) who is the Chief of Police *specifically* tells Roe not to visit and question the midwife but because Roe must Roe she just...does it anyway?  Other times this happens it felt organic to the story being told not so much like Roe was thumbing her nose at the cops and soing whatever the heck she wanted. Thats how it felt ths time. Like "Oh! Im Aurora Teagarden! Ill go and do whatever the heck I want!" 

4. And finally--and this is the one that just ticks me off. Rory and Martin are shot. Roe decides that instead of calling the gd police she is going to run across the street and confront the shooters/murderers. Seriously. SERIOUSLY?! 

 

It took me a long time to watch these as CBBs acting these days REALLY annoys me. But there was nothing else. I like them well enough and CBB doesnt hardly annoy me at all!

[LuvMyShows]

Finally a new movie...looks like the new Martha's Vineyard Mystery movie "Ships in the Night" premieres on Sunday at 8:00!!

[susannot]

He's still a great looking guy, but Jesse Metcalfe looks a little chunkier in Ships in the Night.

[LuvMyShows]

Overall I thought Ships in the Night was pretty good.  The one thing I may have missed, or they didn't explain, is how the dialysis components got into the original sculpture in the first place.  I didn't think that the sculptor was in on it.  I do remember that the sculptor said that the client wanted one that was lighter, so he made it in two parts, or something like that.  But even if he was in on it, I thought it was uncovered that as part of the murder plot, they ended up having to put the components into a second sculpture.

Also, I get more of a friendship vibe between Zee and JW, than a potential romantic one, even given the kiss at the end of the episode.

1 hour ago, susannot said:

He's still a great looking guy, but Jesse Metcalfe looks a little chunkier in Ships in the Night.

Yes he does!  He alluded to something to Zee when he was running, about how he has been eating too much or something.

[susannot]

Just now, LuvMyShows said:

Overall I thought Ships in the Night was pretty good.  The one thing I may have missed, or they didn't explain, is how the dialysis components got into the original sculpture in the first place.  I didn't think that the sculptor was in on it.  I do remember that the sculptor said that the client wanted one that was lighter, so he made it in two parts, or something like that.  But even if he was in on it, I thought it was uncovered that as part of the murder plot, they ended up having to put the components into a second sculpture.

Also, I get more of a friendship vibe between Zee and JW, than a potential romantic one, even given the kiss at the end of the episode.

Yes he does!  He alluded to something to Zee when he was running, about how he has been eating too much or something.

I liked it too!  Maybe it was because I was so happy to have the mysteries come back after endless Christmas movies from October to December.  Yes, Jeff said he has been eating too many plates of fried claims.  Yum Yum!!

[LuvMyShows]

 

8 minutes ago, susannot said:

Maybe it was because I was so happy to have the mysteries come back after endless Christmas movies from October to December.  

And now we have two more new mystery movies to look forward to!  Crossword Mystery "Terminal Descent" on Feb. 14 and Chronicle Mystery "Helped to Death" on Feb. 21

[LexieLily]

26 minutes ago, LuvMyShows said:

 

And now we have two more new mystery movies to look forward to!  Crossword Mystery "Terminal Descent" on Feb. 14 and Chronicle Mystery "Helped to Death" on Feb. 21

Thanks!!

[Ashforth]

I watched most of the Crossword Mysteries episode that reran last night (the one where Tess is taking magic lessons) but I got too sleepy so I'll have to finish it another time. I was surprised to realize that while I've gotten to the point that I can't stand Lacey Chabert in the holiday and romance movies, I actually like her in this series. Her co-star (Brennan Elliot?) helps a lot. Rowr.

[GaT]

I'm glad to have a new movie, but I guessed the murderer pretty much as soon as they appeared onscreen.

[Starscream]

I liked it but would have enjoyed it more without the huge banner on the screen at all times.  I was surprised how long it took to find the body of Zee's doctor friend (and that he didn't look like a victim on Bones at that point).

[Seelouis]

10 hours ago, Starscream said:

I liked it but would have enjoyed it more without the huge banner on the screen at all times. 
 

This!  That was so annoying and unnecessary. 

[ctlady]

1 hour ago, Seelouis said:

11 hours ago, Starscream said:

I liked it but would have enjoyed it more without the huge banner on the screen at all times. 
 

This!  That was so annoying and unnecessary. 

This x 1,000!  I, for one, have had it with the constant push of Discovery+ on the Discovery channel.  Enough, already. 

When watching the mini Murder, She Baked marathon on Sunday afternoon, I'm really boggled by how much Allison Sweeny resembles Amy Schumer in some scenes.  I've also noticed that they don't do many facial closeups.  I gotta say that, even though she looks good for a not 20-something, you can see evidence of either sun or age spots on the sides of her face that the makeup doesn't cover. 

[LexieLily]

FYI, it's annoying when you are trying to binge-record the entire series of a show and the timeslot keeps moving around! Diagnosis Murder is seemingly moving around at will - a four-hour daily block starting at 7 AM turned into a three-hour daily block starting at 4 AM, and now my Guide shows me it has disappeared for a week and the episodes go from 4.4 to 5.1!

[Starscream]

Three schedule changes in a month...  Adding Little House during the day may be the most appalling change yet.

😒

[LexieLily]

Now Diagnosis Murder is out of the lineup entirely! 

ETA to what @Starscream commented, probably to make room for LHotP. 

Edited January 24, 2021 by LexieLily

[MerBearHou]

10 hours ago, Starscream said:

Three schedule changes in a month...  Adding Little House during the day may be the most appalling change yet.

😒

Noooo, how horribly boring.  

[Irlandesa]

11 hours ago, Starscream said:

Three schedule changes in a month...  Adding Little House during the day may be the most appalling change yet.

😒

Isn't that what Hallmark Drama should be about?

[LexieLily]

On 1/24/2021 at 1:20 AM, Starscream said:

Three schedule changes in a month...  Adding Little House during the day may be the most appalling change yet.

😒

Maybe it will move again after it gets through one series cycle?

[Kitty Redstone]

The people responsible for programming this channel are awful.  Every time I turn it on, something's changed.  Yes, the loss of Diagnosis Murder (and Hart to Hart before that) are disappointments.  Adding LHotP just makes it worse. 

And while I'm complaining, I don't like and will never like that they pushed Murder, She Wrote from 10pm - 2 am to 11pm -3am, or that new mysteries are apparently now premiering at 7pm instead of 8pm.  I missed half of the new Martha's Vineyard movie because of it and still haven't seen the whole thing. 

[LexieLily]

4 hours ago, Kitty Redstone said:

The people responsible for programming this channel are awful.  Every time I turn it on, something's changed.  Yes, the loss of Diagnosis Murder (and Hart to Hart before that) are disappointments.  Adding LHotP just makes it worse. 

And while I'm complaining, I don't like and will never like that they pushed Murder, She Wrote from 10pm - 2 am to 11pm -3am, or that new mysteries are apparently now premiering at 7pm instead of 8pm.  I missed half of the new Martha's Vineyard movie because of it and still haven't seen the whole thing. 

Also, why do they need three or four hour blocks of each show? Cut off one hour per show and they would have room for more shows.

[Ashforth]

What in the world does LHOTP have to do with mysteries? Except for the mystery as to why it would air on this channel?

[chitowngirl]

So HMM and UPTV have LHOTP on at the same time? Yeesh!

[LexieLily]

On 1/28/2021 at 8:35 AM, Ashforth said:

What in the world does LHOTP have to do with mysteries? Except for the mystery as to why it would air on this channel?

While we are on the subject, what in the world does Good Witch have to do with mysteries?

[GaT]

1 hour ago, LexieLily said:

While we are on the subject, what in the world does Good Witch have to do with mysteries?

It's a mystery why anybody likes that show.

[ctlady]

I just finished watching the first Crossword Mystery.. A Puzzle To Die For and really enjoyed the dynamic.  Hoping the next few upload On Demand soon.

And just when I thought poor Barbara Niven is being relegated to the 'Hallmark Mom' roles (Chesapeake Shores, Murder, She Baked) alas - they made her an 'aunt' here.

[LuvMyShows]

The weekend is finally here...almost time for the new Crossword Mystery!!!

[ctlady]

Anyone know when Morning Show Mystery movies are returning?  IMDB has zilch

[nokat]

A new Crossword Mysteries on tonight!

[MerBearHou]

1 hour ago, nokat said:

A new Crossword Mysteries on tonight!

Brennan and Lacey are one of my favorite Hallmark duos.  I also like the writers’ effort at showing intellect in the Crossword Mysteries.  

[LuvMyShows]

Looks like March will give us two new mystery movies!  Mar 14 "How to Con a Con" Aurora Teagarden, and Mar 21 "Killer Timing" Mystery 101

[LuvMyShows]

The new Crossword mystery tonight was good, but it was so cliche to have had that guy Paul be the killer.

What is the story with the character that was the blond 'older' woman that's going to do the italian cooking with Logan's dad Chauncey the police chief?  She seemed to be very friendly with Tess, and how does she know Chauncey?

Only a few plot holes:  No way would there not be a back-up to Morgan's (the guy killed on tonight's Crossword mystery) hard drive, regardless of how much of a control freak he was.  And when they were trying so many passwords for Leila's computer, seems like there would have been software on it that would have locked them out, especially since she was doing spy/illegal things.  And when Paul was holding a gun on Logan, telling him to slowly take out his gun, seems like Logan could have easily gotten a quick shot off before Paul had any chance to react.

BTW, looks like the actor who played Morgan is also one of the main characters on next week's new Chronicle mystery movie...can't believe there's that few qualified actors or that this guy is so fantastic!

 

Edited February 15, 2021 by LuvMyShows

[valen]

I was disappointed in the new Crossword Mystery. It seems that they all end the same way, and then the next one starts with Logan and Tess not having seen each other for months.

He didn’t call her after the first one until he needed help with his sister and her wedding. Then, at the end of that one she was his date to the wedding.

Then, on the next one, she’s surprised when he comes to her party. At the end of that one, he takes her out.

Now, at the beginning of this one, he hasn’t seen her to know she cut her hair, but at the end, they are talking about being more open with each other. 
 

Lord. Get. A. Move. On. 

[Kitty Redstone]

I liked the new Crossword Mystery but I'm easy.  If it's a cozy mystery then I'm watching.  It's a bonus if the characters are likable and there aren't too many plot holes. The pairing of Lacey and Brennan really works for me as well, and I was reminded how much I liked him with Brooke Shields when HMM ran a couple of Flower Shop Mysteries last weekend (or the weekend before, can't remember).

I'd also like to know if there are any Morning Show Mysteries in the works, as well as my perennial favorite Emma Fielding.

@LuvMyShows the blonde woman is Tess's Aunt Candace.  The guy who played Morgan is Locklyn Munro.  He's done several other HMM movies but will always have a place in my heart as Monk's Fat Tony.

[nokat]

3 hours ago, LuvMyShows said:

Looks like March will give us two new mystery movies!  Mar 14 "How to Con a Con" Aurora Teagarden, and Mar 21 "Killer Timing" Mystery 101

I usually like the Aurora Teagardens.

1 minute ago, nokat said:

I usually like the Aurora Teagardens.

And the Mystery 101s

[Irlandesa]

2 hours ago, LuvMyShows said:

BTW, looks like the actor who played Morgan is also one of the main characters on next week's new Chronicle mystery movie...can't believe there's that few qualified actors or that this guy is so fantastic!

I actually really like Lochlan Munroe so I'm glad to see him.  I probably first saw him on Monk but I also think he was the lead in some romcom once upon a time and I liked him there too.  He's a Canadian actor who works quite a bit.

Tonight's mystery was good background noise.  It did crack me up that the "hacker" long lost daughter was sneaking around town in a hoodie. So cliche. 

[Veronica]

8 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

I actually really like Lochlan Munroe so I'm glad to see him.  I probably first saw him on Monk but I also think he was the lead in some romcom once upon a time and I liked him there too.  He's a Canadian actor who works quite a bit.

Tonight's mystery was good background noise.  It did crack me up that the "hacker" long lost daughter was sneaking around town in a hoodie. So cliche. 

Yeah. I’m not surprised they’re using him. He’s good and more importantly, especially in covid times, I guess he was there. 

I was looking back at old Instagram posts and I think Brennan commented on one of his with his kids around Christmas that he had been gone for four months. They filmed 2 of these in that time. I hope in the next one there’s some actual movement in their relationship because I was annoyed that there was no kiss after she knew he was in danger at least twice, and he knew that if she saved him. In a non-Hallmark universe smooching would have happened. 

[ShelleySue]

11 hours ago, LuvMyShows said:

BTW, looks like the actor who played Morgan is also one of the main characters on next week's new Chronicle mystery movie...can't believe there's that few qualified actors or that this guy is so fantastic!

In my head I'm picturing a group of actors in Canada who have all been quarantined and are being used in all of the Hallmark movies.  Hallmark tends to "reuse" actors but the group seems to be even smaller now.

I'm sorry if I'm nitpicking but I'm one of those people who is bothered by details because I think that writers should do research and/or should know better.  Did it bother anyone else to see Logan digging through the dirt and finding the bugging device and then playing around with it in another scene?  Shouldn't he have been wearing gloves and then putting it it in an evidence bag?  And there's another huge plot hole.  If you're going to write a script about a tech company you should research the government regulations concerning employees at tech companies.  Even companies that have government contracts but don't require government clearance are now required to be compliant with NIST 800-171 which requires background checks on employees.  There's no way an employee who worked with software would have been able to change her identity because she served time for hacking into government databases.  Just saying'

But other than that . . . I enjoyed the chemistry between Tess and Logan.  I just wish they'd move the story along.

[KittyMom4]

On 1/24/2021 at 2:20 AM, Starscream said:

Three schedule changes in a month...  Adding Little House during the day may be the most appalling change yet.

😒

 

On 1/28/2021 at 9:35 AM, Ashforth said:

What in the world does LHOTP have to do with mysteries? Except for the mystery as to why it would air on this channel?

As much as I love LHOTP, I don't think Hallmark Mysteries is a good fit for it. 

Edited February 16, 2021 by BexKeps

[LuvMyShows]

New Chronicle mystery was just OK.  But I have a question.  What caused Alison Sweeney's character to think to look in the dumpster in the first place?  I thought it had something to do with having been holding something (the necklace from the office?) that had a substance on it, and in the breakfast line she realized that the substance was eco waste that would be in the dumpster?  So what was she looking for in the dumpster, since the boot in the dumpster was a plant?  

[GaT]

So we don't get to find out what she did that was so bad she was willing to kill to cover it up? Really?

[mikeb]

I finally caught up with the latest Crossword Mystery and agree it was ok, but nothing special.  Besides the nitpicks others have mentioned, one that I noticed is that it turned out the murder victim had already deleted the hard drive with the only copy of the government contract program before it was stolen 'because he agreed with the hacker that they shouldn't pursue the contract'.  But this would to have been before the hacker confronted him about it in front of Tess.   If he had already done that, he very likely would have mentioned it to the hacker, at least when they talked in private right before he was killed.   But the hacker never mentioned this when questioned by Logan.

[Maelstrom]

I enjoyed the latest Chronicle Mystery, though thinking over it the story wasn't pulled together as tightly as it could have been. But Ali Sweeney is one of my faves, and I appreciate  that this series isn't all fluff and beach waves like some of Hallmark's mysteries. (Also, Ali's character wore the same jacket for the entire movie! That has to a be record for Hallmark).

LuvMyShows, I'm not sure about why she made the dumpster connection while in the food line either. I guess just a generic thought of food gets thrown out --> evidence gets thrown out --> check eco-dumpster for evidence? Could have been clearer, definitely.

GaT, assuming you're talking about Chronicle and not one of the other series

Spoiler

When Ivy and her "shaman friends in Peru" reformulated the immune supplement, they upped the dosage of the mushroom despite knowing that the increased strength presented some serious health dangers to users, and deliberately covered it up from Leader Guy and Kurt. She didn't want to "disappoint" Leader Guy by having her supplement, and the money it brought in, fail. Dead Guy investigated the truth, and Ivy killed him to keep it quiet.

New intern could be a fun addition to the cast, though I missed seeing Chuck.

It was a surprise to see Ali's former Days of Our Lives castmate Kristian Alfonso turn up as the sheriff!

[GaT]

2 hours ago, Maelstrom said:

GaT, assuming you're talking about Chronicle and not one of the other series

  Hide contents

When Ivy and her "shaman friends in Peru" reformulated the immune supplement, they upped the dosage of the mushroom despite knowing that the increased strength presented some serious health dangers to users, and deliberately covered it up from Leader Guy and Kurt. She didn't want to "disappoint" Leader Guy by having her supplement, and the money it brought in, fail. Dead Guy investigated the truth, and Ivy killed him to keep it quiet.

 

Oh, I thought she did something else that she was ashamed of, it didn't seem clear to me, thanks

[LuvMyShows]

I have two other Chronicle questions:

Why did killer wife try to kill newspaper man rather than, or at least along with, Alison's character?

What exactly occurred with the boot?  I had thought that a man's bootprint of a particular size was found on the hike, and that is what the detective was searching the tents for.  So what had the killer wife actually done with her own boots?  It appeared to be something about cutting apart the sole from the rest of the boot, and gluing together her own smaller boot top to the sole bottom of a man's larger boot?  But if that were the case, it seems likely that someone would have noticed that extreme oddity on the hike, or it would have greatly influenced how she walked, especially on a hike.  And where did a spare pair of men's boots come from, especially since if they were someone else's, they would now be missing from that person.  Plus there is no way with the ingredients in that craft tent, that she could have formulated something strong enough to hold the sole-attaching that she did...I had a way simpler sole to re-attach and even super glue didn't hold!  

Also, we saw Alison steal the 4 flash drives, but she still would have needed to put them back.  And no way would the killer wife have stored the stolen important drive with the other drives for actual use...too easy for someone else to overwrite or discover. 

[Suzysite]

On 2/22/2021 at 3:35 PM, LuvMyShows said:

I have two other Chronicle questions:

Why did killer wife try to kill newspaper man rather than, or at least along with, Alison's character

She said she wasn't trying to kill him, just make him sick enough to go home.

Sorry, I can't answer the rest. Some things in the movie just didn't make a lot of sense.

Edited February 25, 2021 by Suzysite

[LuvMyShows]

Got spoiled having two Sundays in a row with new mystery movies.  Oh well, at least there's only two more weeks until the next one!

[LuvMyShows]

Enjoyed the new Aurora Teagarden movie, especially the sting.  I like that they are having Ro and Nick kiss frequently, and more than just a peck, since that is what real engaged couples do!

Also nice to know that we've got the new Matchmaker and Chronicle movies next month!

[lizzbert]

I enjoyed the latest Aurora Teagarden movie tonight, although there were so many characters to keep track of, I kept forgetting some until they popped up again after being offscreen for 30+ minutes. I was surprised Lynn would make the mistake of talking loudly about a case in front of potential suspects, but she still has the best hair on the show. Aurora’s wig was much better than usual—I think that was CCB’s real hair in the front—and of course, the chemistry between all the regulars has only grown from movie to movie. 

I like that they are having Ro and Nick kiss frequently, and more than just a peck, since that is what real engaged couples do!

It really looks like they’re going to get married, huh? I wonder if we’ll actually get to (gasp) see them having conversations in bed, like Hart to Hart. I also wonder if Aurora will have a baby like in the books. Frankly, I hope not!

Edited March 15, 2021 by lizzbert