As a die-hard fan who has been following Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas for years, I can’t help but feel a mix of excitement and anticipation as the festive season approaches yet again. With my DVR all set and my calendar marked with every premiere date, I find myself eagerly awaiting the return of familiar faces like Janel Parrish in “Sugarplummed” and the Brenner brothers in “Three Wiser Men and a Boy”.
Although the 2024 autumn TV lineup hasn’t officially begun, Hallmark Channel has already revealed its holiday movie schedule for this year. In honor of their 15th anniversary as the leading provider of Christmas movies, they’re launching an impressive 47 new films, with two starring Mama Donna Kelce and one featuring Lacey Chabert, who is affectionately known as the “Queen of Christmas.” The lineup is so impressive that I was surprised to find out that Lacey Chabert’s latest movie doesn’t even make it into my top 5!
Unlike last year when Chabert starred in two separate Hallmark Christmas movies, she’s only going to be in one this year – “The Christmas Quest”. This film will debut on December 1st, and Chabert will play a divorced archeologist alongside Kristoffer Polaha, who portrays her ex-husband. He is also an expert in ancient Norse languages. The duo’s expertise leads them to Iceland in search of a secret treasure that must be found before it gets into the wrong hands.
It certainly seems thrilling, but it appears to be too daring and lacks the romantic charm I’d expect from a Hallmark Christmas movie. Luckily, there are numerous other films in the selection that have me eagerly anticipating the start of the holiday season.
The 5-Year Christmas Party
The 5-Year Christmas Party is at the top of my nice list this year.
Over the past five years, old high school theater competitors Alice (Katie Findlay) and Max (Jordan Fisher) have found themselves working together at a catering company during Christmas events. When they discover that this will be the final year for the company, they start to grow closer as friends. As their bond deepens, they are forced to acknowledge and deal with their genuine emotions before they move on from each other.
As a fan of Fisher, I’m excited to see him make his Hallmark debut. I’m also a sucker for the enemies-to-lovers trope, so this checks off two boxes. Thankfully, I won’t have to wait too long for this one since it’ll premiere on the cable network on Sunday, October 27th.
Holiday Mismatch
In the festive spirit, Hallmark is once again bringing together actors from past productions during the holidays, and this year it’s Caroline Rhea and Beth Broderick, most recognized for their roles as aunts on Sabrina the Teenage Witch, who will be joining forces on television. They will star as feuding Christmas committee members who inadvertently arrange a date between their adult children.
This movie appears to deviate from the typical Hallmark mold as it centers around the mothers rather than their romantically involved children. What’s clear is that it will be filled with laughter due to Rhea and Broderick’s legendary comedic chemistry. Be sure not to miss Holiday Mismatch when it airs on Sunday, November 3rd.
’Twas the Date Before Christmas
2024’s movie schedule commences on Friday, October 18th with the highly-anticipated film titled “‘Twas the Date Before Christmas”.
Having struck up a connection with Bryan (Robert Buckley) via a dating platform, I cleverly persuaded him to play along as my beau for our festive gatherings. The objective? To safeguard our family’s cherished Christmas Olympics tradition.
Last year, Groening appeared in “The Santa Summit”, a film that offered a fresh twist on traditional Hallmark Christmas movies. I’m eagerly anticipating that it maintains this originality for its upcoming release. Furthermore, as an ardent lover of the Olympics, any project even slightly connected to them instantly sparks my enthusiasm.
Sugarplummed
In a different wording, the character Janel Parrish, known from “Pretty Little Liars” and now a star on Hallmark, portrays Sugarplum in this made-for-TV holiday story. Sugarplum is a magical figure meant to help Emily (Maggie Lawson) create an unforgettable Christmas for her family. However, instead of making things simpler, Sugarplum’s magical abilities seem to cause more trouble than good as both characters try to make the holiday season special but end up in chaos.
Being a longtime admirer of Parrish from her PLL days, I’m looking forward to watching her in another Hallmark holiday movie. The project holds promise for satirizing the idealized Christmas image that the network has been selling for the past 15 years. However, it might be best to set aside some skepticism and simply enjoy the storyline without delving too deeply into its complexities.
Still, you won’t want to miss this potentially meta Christmas movie when it airs on Saturday, December 7th.
Three Wiser Men and a Boy
Lately, the cable network has been releasing sequels for their top-rated films. One such movie was “Three Wise Men and a Baby,” which was incredibly popular in 2022. Now, its enthusiastic fanbase is eagerly awaiting the sequel, titled “Three Wiser Men and a Boy,” set to premiere on Saturday, November 23rd.
As a seasoned gamer, I find myself stepping into the shoes of one of the Brenner brothers, reuniting with my siblings as we navigate the challenging terrain of directing our school’s holiday musical. Amidst the chaos, we’re also making an effort to understand our mother’s new beau, all while keeping our gaming skills sharp!
I found Paul Campbell, Tyler Hynes, and Andrew Walker absolutely funny in the first movie, and I’m confidently putting all my Christmas gifts on the line that they’ll continue to be hilarious this time around. Additionally, I’m eager to discover how they manage Luke’s son, who is significantly older than he was in the initial film.
47 new films premiered, making it challenging to select only five favorites. I must acknowledge two noteworthy ones: “A Carol for Two” and “Trivia at St. Nick’s”. I’m equally excited about the fresh reality show, “Finding Mr. Christmas“, where ten contestants are vying for the lead role in the final film on the schedule, “Happy Howlidays“.
This year’s festival line-up has much to rejoice about, but I’m disappointed that there aren’t as many movies featuring LGBTQ+ couples this time around. Some of the summaries are a bit ambiguous, though, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for more. After all, Jonathan Bennett is starring in “Season’s Greetings from Cherry Lane,” which could potentially see him reprising his role from “Christmas on Cherry Lane.” However, the film isn’t officially listed in the countdown as it premieres on Thursday, December 5th.
Starting this coming Friday, October 18th, the Hallmark Countdown to Christmas begins on cable television. It’s a good idea to set your DVRs now as these heartwarming holiday movies aren’t usually found elsewhere. For die-hard fans, the Hallmark+ app is a must-have. During the festive season, it will showcase brand new films and two exclusive limited series, alongside over 600 hours of previously released movies.
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2024-09-20 16:37