Hallmark Christmas Movies (+ other channels) ❤️ comfort & joy

[Imzadi]

I was originally going to post this later as we get closer to the Christmas schedule. Yet, for those interested, Lifetime TV has radically changed their Christmas schedule this year. (For those not interested yet, don't worry, this will get reposted again as we get closer to the actual date. )

Last year, Hallmark had announced their Christmas movies were starting a couple days before Halloween. Lifetime hadn't announced a start date for their new Christmas movies. Then TWO WEEKENDS before Halloween, Lifetime suddenly started showing their Christmas movies 24/7, no announcement. It forced Hallmark to suddenly change plans and also start early. I remember because I was looking forward to watching Lacey Chabert's first episode of her Crossword Mysteries series. It suddenly got canceled and replaced with a Christmas movie, and didn't premiere until the spring.

So, this year, Hallmark, moved their Christmas start date to Oct 22, two weekends before Halloween, I suppose in case Lifetime was again going to start their movies that weekend.

However, a few days ago, Lifetime announced they are going with a totally new approach. They are purposely waiting until mid-November to start showing new Christmas movies:

Two movies the first weekend: Nov 12 & 13.

Then three the following weekend: Nov 19, 20 & 21.

Then they will have a new Christmas movie every night of the week from Nov 26 - Dec 25!

Thirty-five new Christmas movies total:
Lifetime TV Christmas Movie Descriptions.

And of course, showing all their older Christmas movies, too.

Lifetime will have a special on Nov 7 to preview their new Christmas movies. (I'll post a reminder as we get closer to it.)

The Lifetime TV Christmas Movies schedule:

 

[PollyannaMom]

To everyone waiting for the new "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" movie on the 17th, we should be able to set our DVRs soon! I just checked and mine let me program up to the 16th.

They're doing a lead-up marathon that day, so if there are any you have missed, definitely look for them. (I set the only two movie-length ones I haven't seen yet and am now only missing the first two episodes of the TV series.)

 

[Imzadi]

To everyone waiting for the new "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" movie on the 17th, we should be able to set our DVRs soon! I just checked and mine let me program up to the 16th.

They're doing a lead-up marathon that day, so if there are any you have missed, definitely look for them. (I set the only two movie-length ones I haven't seen yet and am now only missing the first two episodes of the TV series.)

I also tried earlier today to set my DVR for the new movie and found it's a couple days short. I can't wait!!!

I did notice, there are two of the older Signed, Sealed, Delivered movies to be on the look out for, if you guys haven't seen them before.

On Thurs, Oct 14 at 7pm ET, Signed, Sealed, Delivered for Christmas is re-airing. If any of you haven't seen it already, or aren't in the Christmasy mood yet, record it anyway. This may be one of the few times it airs. Since it's a Christmas movie, the programmer usually doesn't include it into the regular SSD marathons. And for the last 3 years, it wasn't shown during the Christmas season, as it's not a stand-alone Christmas movie, but part of the SSD series. So, it fell through some black hole and didn't get shown. Even this time, they are showing it during the normal Thursday Christmas movie day, and not part of the SSD marathon.

It DOES however, advance the friendships/relationships of the characters, so it is an integral part of the storyline.

On Sat, Oct 16 at 11am ET, the Signed, Sealed, Delivered movie pilot is on. This is the FIRST movie that started the whole series. It's a 2 hr movie showing how Shane even ended up at the Dead Letter Office. The pilot usually is never shown during the movie marathons as this movie has no number. Or maybe it's #1. But, as someone explained in a past post, her Tivo says the movies (which come after the TV series ended) start as episode #14. So they weren't randomly adding in the pilot/movie #1 for the marathons as it would be way out of order.

The TV series, while starting at episode #1 or #2, are only 1-hour long shows, so the 2-hour pilot usually didn't get included when they do a marathon of those.

On Saturday, Oct 16 you get to see the pilot:
(Don't pay attention to the date in the preview. That was from the original listing.)

 

[sasywtch]

EDITED: Darn! On Spectrum Cable, the GAC Channel is a premium channel, in a higher tier package. If you are paying for Hallmark Drama you will be getting the GAC Channel too. It's channel 295 on Spectrum Cable, and my TV says I have to upgrade to get that subscription package.
I will try to remember. I belong to a Hallmark Christmas Movie forum on Facebook. I didn't know about the CEO leaving but these people seem to be experts. Many of the Hallmark actors/actress congratulated him on his new channel on their twitter pages so I'm guessing he was well liked. Someone asked Alicia Witt if she was doing a Christmas movie this year (She played the fiance that went to the wrong Matthews house and eventually ends up with the wrong Matthew). She said she wasn't sure it was up to the new powers that be.


Sasywtch, DO post about the movies or specials as they happen, if you are willing. Some people do have that tier package and will want to know about these movies.


I had no idea. This is great! I hope GAC Channel keeps up on making new, original movies. The reruns may eventually trickle over and be shown on other channels we do get.

I did suspect that Hallmark got a new network programmer several months ago. We've been slowly seeing the changes: much more diversity in casting the leads. Canceling the Home & Family show. Swapping out the mystery series on HMM to "regular" movies on Sunday nights. And casting non-Hallmark regulars in the leads of some new movies. I had no idea the changes went all the way up to the CEO.

I think Hallmark expanded in too many directions initially, creating the Hallmark Drama channel which basically shows endless reruns of Little House on the Prairie, and other old series. Having a streaming app which took away the best movies from Hallmark, including the Hall of Fame movies. And basically showing old TV series on Hallmark & HMM until 7pm, just to fill time, because their own content is too expensive to run in those time slots and any excess money is going to keep those other venues running, but it weakens the regular Hallmark Channel and HMM.

 

[PollyannaMom]

On Sat, Oct 16 at 11am ET, the Signed, Sealed, Delivered movie pilot is on.

That's one of the ones I set. I was so excited!

 

[flyingdumbo127]

I did watch Love Strikes Twice. I did enjoy parts of it. Overall, I thought movies with similar (going back in time main storylines) like Big and Flight of the Navigator were a ton more endearing. This one just felt "off." It was so hard to believe that Maggie was truly supposed to be only 18 for the majority of the movie particularly during the courtroom scenes. I also do not (ever) approve of pranks or intentional deception which is what the characters do at the end. Not kind or right at all. I did think Josh was quite handsome and seemed like an all-around good guy. I was glad Maggie at least realized that! It also is always heartwarming to see older folks (Maggie's parents), even fictional, happily in love after 40 years.

Imzadi, sorry for this delayed reply. I will have to double check on the times. I am in CA. I sometimes use TV Passport online to check Hallmark and HM&M instead of Hallmark channels directly and do know they have mixed up the times before. ITA that normally movies are a constant 9/8 Central for example. Thank you for pointing that out and always keeping this fun thread going. I appreciate you and everyone else for also sharing their movie thoughts. Hooray to Christmas movies to soon come!

 

[PollyannaMom]

I also tried earlier today to set my DVR for the new movie and found it's a couple days short. I can't wait!!!

I did notice, there are two of the older Signed, Sealed, Delivered movies to be on the look out for, if you guys haven't seen them before.

And I just discovered there are two on today as well - on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries at 3:00 and 5:00 Eastern time.

They are #12 - To the Alter and #10 - Home Again. I'm not sure why the series is often shown out of order, but I copied an online list when they were first recommended here, so I've managed to check them off as I caught them.

 

[Imzadi]

Signed, Sealed, Delivered fans:

NEW interview with Eric Mabius, who plays Oliver O'Toole, just last night, talking about the next movie (premiering Oct 17,) and the whole series.

(Cued up the video to start at the 8:28 mark as the beginning was just general intro and kind of warming up to finally start asking & answering questions.)

 

[Imzadi]

I don't know if anyone posted this on here yet. The previous ceo of Hallmark has taken over the GAC channel. It
is 1620 on my Comcast He was the one responsible for the older type Hallmark movies. They are beginning their programming the 3rd week of October starting with a Christmas movie with Jessica Lowndes. Right now it still has the old programming but it's suppose to switch in 2 weeks with Cameron and Debbie from Home and Family doing a special on the 24th. Jen Lilley and Cameron Mathison is also doing one of their Christmas movies.

I belong to a Hallmark Christmas Movie forum on Facebook. I didn't know about the CEO leaving but these people seem to be experts. Many of the Hallmark actors/actress congratulated him on his new channel on their twitter pages so I'm guessing he was well liked. Someone asked Alicia Witt if she was doing a Christmas movie this year (She played the fiance that went to the wrong Matthews house and eventually ends up with the wrong Matthew). She said she wasn't sure it was up to the new powers that be.

I did a little research on the new GAC Family channel:

There's a rumor that Cameron Mathison & Debbie Matenopoulos hinted on their social media accounts that the special they are doing on GAC might not be the only thing they are doing together. They dropped hints that there might be more to come after the holiday special. Because Cameron said, "This is just the beginning," there's speculation that maybe a version of their Home & Family show may be in the works with them on GAC Family or on GAC's new sister channel, GAC Living, a non-scripted companion network.
Link: https://heavy.com/entertainment/hallmark/former-home-family-hosts-gac-family/

Lori Loughlin returns to acting. Her first project will be on the GAC Family channel. "The former When Calls the Heart star will reprise her popular character from the Hallmark Channel series, Abigail Stanton, on the spinoff When Hope Calls, which is coming back for a second season on GAC Family instead of Hallmark. Loughlin will appear in the two-part Season 2 premiere titled When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas, slated to air on Saturday, Dec. 18."
Link: https://deadline.com/2021/09/lori-loughlin-reprise-abigail-stanton. . .

Interestingly enough, Daniel Lissing, whose character was killed off on When Calls the Heart will be on the Christmas Special two-part series premiere of When Hope Calls on GAC Family. No idea yet what role he will be, whether he's coming back in some dream sequence or flashbacks, or if he will be coming back from the dead, or playing a whole new character.
Link: https://www.romcomroad.com/post/is-jack-coming-back. . .

As stated in a previous post, GAC Family is a higher tier channel on Spectrum Cable. If you are willing to pay for Hallmark Drama, it is part of the same tier.

On streaming services, GAC Family is available for an extra fee on: DTV STREAM, AT&T TV, fuboTV, Hulu, Philo, Sling TV Orange Heartland Extra package. It is not included on YouTube TV.

 

[Imzadi]

And I just discovered there are two on today as well - on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries at 3:00 and 5:00 Eastern time.

They are #12 - To the Alter and #10 - Home Again. I'm not sure why the series is often shown out of order, but I copied an online list when they were first recommended here, so I've managed to check them off as I caught them.

I just discovered all next week is going to be Signed, Sealed, Delivered Week on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.

Monday, October 11 through Friday, October 15
Two of the one-hour TV series episodes will air, in order, each day at 3pm ET / 2pm CT, and 4pm ET / 3pm CT.
PLUS: the SSD for Christmas movie during the Thurs Christmas movie time slot.

10/11 - Monday
3 pm ET Time To Start Livin’
4 pm ET To Whom It May Concern

10/12
3 pm ET Soulmates
4 pm ET The Masterpiece

10/13
3 pm ET The Edge of Forever
4 pm ET The Future Me

10/14
3 pm ET Something Good
4 pm ET Dark of Night
7 pm ET Signed, Sealed, Delivered for Christmas movie

10/15
3 pm ET The Treasure Box
4 pm ET A Hope And A Future

Sat & Sun Oct 16 & 17
there is a Signed, Sealed, Delivered Movie Marathon
From 11am ET - 11pm each day.

It starts with the pilot movie that started the whole series at 11am ET. Then jumps ahead skipping the TV series episodes shown earlier in the week, (and the Christmas movie again, Grrr!) and airs the rest of the movies in order.

It ends with the premiere of the new movie at 9pm ET / 8pm CT:
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Vows We Have Made.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

I just discovered all next week is going to be Signed, Sealed, Delivered Week on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.

Monday, October 11 through Friday, October 15
Two of the one-hour TV series episodes will air, in order, each day at 3pm ET / 2pm CT, and 4pm ET / 3pm CT.
PLUS: the SSD for Christmas movie during the Thurs Christmas movie time slot.

10/11 - Monday
3 pm ET Time To Start Livin’
4 pm ET To Whom It May Concern

10/12
3 pm ET Soulmates
4 pm ET The Masterpiece

10/13
3 pm ET The Edge of Forever
4 pm ET The Future Me

10/14
3 pm ET Something Good
4 pm ET Dark of Night
7 pm ET Signed, Sealed, Delivered for Christmas movie

10/15
3 pm ET The Treasure Box
4 pm ET A Hope And A Future

Sat & Sun Oct 16 & 17
there is a Signed, Sealed, Delivered Movie Marathon
From 11am ET - 11pm each day.

It starts with the pilot movie that started the whole series at 11am ET. Then jumps ahead skipping the TV series episodes shown earlier in the week, (and the Christmas movie again, Grrr!) and airs the rest of the movies in order.

It ends with the premiere of the new movie at 9pm ET / 8pm CT:
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Vows We Have Made.

I’ve never seen the tv episodes. I’m so excited!

 

[PollyannaMom]

I’ve never seen the tv episodes. I’m so excited!

Me too. I've seen most of them, but came in late the last time and missed the first two. I just set them to record.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

On Spectrum Cable, the GAC Channel is a premium channel, in a higher tier package.

It's part of a higher tier than we're paying for on DISH also. We're getting Hallmark Drama on our current package, but not GAC.

We've recently (like the last week) been getting GACL. Is that the one the movies are going to be on? They've pretty much just been showing all the typical RV, travel shows that GAC does when they give us a "sneak preview" periodically.

Maybe they've just created GACL as a place holder for the new programming?

 

[Imzadi]

It's part of a higher tier than we're paying for on DISH also. We're getting Hallmark Drama on our current package, but not GAC.

We've recently (like the last week) been getting GACL. Is that the one the movies are going to be on? They've pretty much just been showing all the typical RV, travel shows that GAC does when they give us a "sneak preview" periodically.

Maybe they've just created GACL as a place holder for the new programming?

Unfortunately, their Christmas movies will be on the GAC Family Channel - the one we have to pay for in the higher tier.

The GAC Living channel will feature unscripted shows. So, probably what you are seeing already is basically it. They will probably use that channel to try to lure people over to pay for the GAC Family channel and pay for it.

Here's the difference in the descriptions of the two, according to a press release the GAC Media company released:

”GAC Family will focus on the tagline “Stories Well Told” and will continue in the legacy of Great American Country to include scripted content that captures American culture, lifestyle and heritage. GAC Family programming will evolve to include a slate of family friendly original movies and series that celebrate relationships and the emotional connections related to holidays, seasons and occasions.

GAC Living will continue to offer high-quality, unscripted lifestyle content while expanding to serve as the unscripted companion to GAC Family. With tagline “Life Well Lived,” GAC Living will draw on established themes and talent to highlight celebrations and seasons with a focus on southern and country living."​

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Unfortunately, their Christmas movies will be on the GAC Family Channel - the one we have to pay for in the higher tier.

The GAC Living channel will feature unscripted shows. So, probably what you are seeing already is basically it. They will probably use that channel to try to lure people over to pay for the GAC Family channel and pay for it.

Here's the difference in the descriptions of the two, according to a press release the GAC Media company released:

​

”GAC Family will focus on the tagline “Stories Well Told” and will continue in the legacy of Great American Country to include scripted content that captures American culture, lifestyle and heritage. GAC Family programming will evolve to include a slate of family friendly original movies and series that celebrate relationships and the emotional connections related to holidays, seasons and occasions.​

​

GAC Living will continue to offer high-quality, unscripted lifestyle content while expanding to serve as the unscripted companion to GAC Family. With tagline “Life Well Lived,” GAC Living will draw on established themes and talent to highlight celebrations and seasons with a focus on southern and country living."​

Well, so much for that thought. I wonder how much those Hallmark actors are going to like being on a channel that not everyone will pay for. Not a lot of exposure that way.

 

[Imzadi]

(For those who don't want to read this now. Don't worry a full [updated] list will be posted closer to when the Christmas movies actually start. We know, it's not even Halloween!

BUT, while many of us don't want to watch the movies right now, we may be interested in knowing what's going to be happening.)


Here is an INCOMPLETE list of the new Christmas movie premieres schedule that someone sent me. A person has partially filled it in according to the movies she currently knows the dates of. All the Hallmark and HMM movies are currently missing after Nov 28th (Thanksgiving weekend,) That's usually when Hallmark does a whole week of movies, if they stick to tradition.

It is also missing the movies of many major Hallmark stars' movies, like Lacey Chabert, Ryan Paevy, Alicia Witt, which will probably air later in the season or they've moved to GAC. (Almost ALL the early Hallmark stars owe their careers to the former Hallmark CEO, Bill Abbott, who is now the new president & CEO of GAC Media. So they may have remained loyal to him and went to GAC.)

The list does include the Lifetime & GAC movies. (If it is accurate.)

This is going to be a lot of movies to go through this season.

(Click on photo to enlarge)

.

 

[Imzadi]

Well, so much for that thought. I wonder how much those Hallmark actors are going to like being on a channel that not everyone will pay for. Not a lot of exposure that way.

We were posting at the same time. I just said in the last post: Almost ALL these Hallmark stars owe their careers to the former Hallmark CEO, Bill Abbott, who is now the new president & CEO of GAC Media. So they may have remained loyal to him.

I may pay for the higher tier for a couple months, if I hear that GAC Family has the better movies and Hallmark regulars.

I really don't want to watch a lot of badly acted, badly written Hallmark Christmas movies with new Hallmark actors. I still haven't gotten over one "summer" movie a few weeks ago, that was so badly acted & written, I turned it off 20 min into the movie. And I have 4 other ones on my DVR I'm hesitant to watch in case they are of the same (lack of) quality. I hope this "new" Hallmark with this current CEO hasn't turned the Hallmark channels into the same quality level as the bad Lifetime movies. Meanwhile GAC is the place for better movies.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We were posting at the same time. I just said in the last post: Almost ALL these Hallmark stars owe their careers to the former Hallmark CEO, Bill Abbott, who is now the new president & CEO of GAC Media. So they may have remained loyal to him.

I may pay for the higher tier for a couple months, if I hear that GAC Family has the better movies and Hallmark regulars.

I really don't want to watch a lot of badly acted, badly written Hallmark Christmas movies with new Hallmark actors. I still haven't gotten over one "summer" movie a few weeks ago, that was so badly acted & written, I turned it off 20 min into the movie. And I have 4 other ones on my DVR I'm hesitant to watch in case they are of the same (lack of) quality. I hope this "new" Hallmark with this current CEO hasn't turned the Hallmark channels into the same quality level as the bad Lifetime movies. Meanwhile GAC is the place for better movies.

I keep wishing Hallmark would dip into the vast library of older movies they have to show, instead of coming up with 24 variations of the same story with different actors/locations every year.

 

[Imzadi]

I keep wishing Hallmark would dip into the vast library of older movies they have to show, instead of coming up with 24 variations of the same story with different actors/locations every year.

I agree. I think they are using the Hallmark Hall of Fame movies to try to lure people into paying for their movie app and Hallmark Drama (if they show there.)

Meanwhile, they don't seem to realize we are already paying for the 2 Hallmark Channels with whatever service we use to get those channels.

Hallmark has 41 new Christmas movies this year. Last year it was like 36 new movies. So, in spite of a pandemic, they were able to film more movies. But, I don't want to watch, say, 32 mediocre new movies and maybe 12 good ones. That's kind of like what happens on Lifetime.

 

[Imzadi]

New movie on the Hallmark Channel tonight: South Beach Love with Taylor Cole and William Levy.

This is one of the last few non-Christmas movies left to 2021. And it has a recognizable Hallmark actress, so the script should be better than the ones with all unknowns.