Hallmark Movies & Mysteries

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (formerly known as Hallmark Movie Channel, and also known as HMM) is an American digital cable and satellite television channel owned by Hallmark Media, a subsidiary of Hallmark Cards. The channel was spun off from sister network Hallmark Channel, and airs family-oriented feature and television films along with a limited number of murder- and mystery-themed television series.

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaNationwide
HeadquartersStudio City, Los Angeles, California
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format
Ownership
OwnerHallmark Media
Sister channelsHallmark Channel
Hallmark Drama
History
LaunchedJanuary 20, 2004 (2004-01-20)
Former namesHallmark Movie Channel (2004–2014)
Links
WebsiteOfficial website
Availability
Streaming media
Service(s)Frndly TV, fuboTV, Philo, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, Vidgo TV, YouTube TV

As of February 2015, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries is available to approximately 55,827,000 pay television households (48% of households with television) in the United States.[1]

History

Hallmark Movie Channel

The Hallmark Movie Channel was launched in January 2004 as an outlet for additional movies and series available to the Hallmark Channel (HC) that the station did not have the airtime to run. Two series were initially picked up, with Magnum, P.I. available at launch and Diagnosis Murder available in January 2005.[2] Crown Media shifted showing their Mystery Movie film series in 2008 from Hallmark Channel to this channel as they were having more success with lighter romances.[3][4] On April 2, 2008, the channel was switched over to HD format.[5]

AT&T U-verse dropped Hallmark Channel and sister channel Hallmark Movie Channel on September 1, 2010, due to a carriage dispute.[6] As of July 23, 2015, both channels have returned to U-verse.[7] In July 2012 during a retransmission consent dispute with Hearst Television, the network was slotted by Time Warner Cable in place of Hearst's broadcast television stations as a 'free preview' and make-good for viewers until the dispute was settled.[8]

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries

On March 14, 2014, Crown Media Holdings announced that Hallmark Movie Channel would be rebranded as Hallmark Movies & Mysteries in October 2014.[9] In rebranding, the company was trying to differentiate between the two channels, which feature different programming. With the new name, Hallmark reestablished a mystery wheel series under the name "Original Mystery Wheel" in 2015,[9] having previously had one on the Hallmark Channel from 2004 to 2008.[3][10]

After running several repeats of the Jesse Stone films in 2015, the channel agreed to pick up the next two films in the series from Sony Pictures Television.[11] On Monday, November 11, 2015, Hallmark Movie Channel started its first "The Most Wonderful Movies of Christmas" seasonal programming.[12]

On July 28, 2017, it was reported that Crown Media would add a brand new cable network titled Hallmark Drama, which launched on October 1, 2017, and a subscription video on demand streaming service titled Hallmark Movies Now on October 3 of the same year.[13][14]

Two new development deals along with new installments of existing movie series were announced by the channel. Al Roker signed a deal for his The Midnight Show Murders: A Billy Blessing Novel and Scandal inspiration Judy Smith, a crisis communications specialist, made a deal for the movie The Adjuster.[15] Although The Adjuster never made it into production, in 2021, Smith was developing a new film titled Redemption in Cherry Springs.[16]

Programming

The channel features mystery, western, and family-friendly movies and mini-series mainly from the Hallmark Channel library, notably original films that had once premiered on Hallmark Channel at an earlier date. The channel also has featured a small number of films from Hallmark Hall of Fame, Walt Disney Pictures and Touchstone Pictures. Hallmark Movie Channel also broadcasts the McBride, Murder 101, Jane Doe, and Mystery Woman film series, as well as later Perry Mason and Matlock made-for-TV movies produced after the end of those series.

Hallmark Movie Channel logo, 2004–2014

The first original movie to premiere on the channel was Son of the Dragon on April 2, 2008, this was followed by a continuous stream of original movie premieres.[17] In July 2010, the channel began airing scripted television series to its schedule. Currently, these syndicated series mostly include mystery series and Hallmark Channel original series.

As a companion to Hallmark Channel's "Countdown to Christmas" event, the network also airs a large number of Christmas-themed films during the later months of the year, branded as "Miracles of Christmas".[18]

Wheel series

Current programming

Former programming

Hallmark Original Mystery Movies

Current series
  • Aurora Teagarden Mysteries (2015–)
  • Chronicle Mysteries (2019–)
  • Crossword Mysteries (2019–)[19]
    • A Puzzle to Die For (2019)
    • Proposing Murder (2019)
    • Abracadaver (2020)
    • Terminal Descent (2021)
    • Riddle Me Dead (2021)
  • Curious Caterer (2022–)
    • Dying For Chocolate (2022)
    • Grilling Season (2023)
    • Fatal Vows (2023)
  • The Jane Mysteries (2023)
    • Inheritance Lost (2023)
  • Martha's Vineyard Mysteries (2020–)
    • A Beautiful Place to Die (2020)
    • Riddled With Deceit (2020)
    • Poisoned in Paradise (2021)
    • Ships in the Night (2021)
  • Morning Show Mysteries (2018–)
  • Murder, She Baked aka Hannah Swensen Mysteries (2015–)
  • Signed, Sealed, Delivered aka Lost Letter Mysteries (2013–)

Former series

Standalone movies
  • Dear Prudence (2008)
  • Deck the Halls (2011)[22]
  • The Mystery Cruise (2013)[23]
  • After All These Years (2013)
  • Along Came A Nanny (2014)[24]
  • Wedding Planner Mystery (2014)[25]
  • Mary Higgins Clark's My Gal Sunday (2014) [26]
  • Sandra Brown's White Hot (2016) [27]
  • An Uncommon Grace (2017) [28]
  • To Catch A Spy (2021)[29]
  • Redemption in Cherry Springs (2021)[30]
  • Cut, Color, Murder (2022)[31]
  • Francesca Quinn, PI (2022)[32]
  • Nikki & Nora: Sister Sleuths (2022)[33]
  • The Cases of Mystery Lane (2023)
  • Family History Mysteries:Buried Past (2023)

Seasonal programming
  • "Miracles of Christmas", originally "The Most Wonderful Movies of Christmas" and later "The Most Wonderful Miracles of Christmas":[34] On November 11, 2013, Hallmark Movie Channel started its first "The Most Wonderful Movies of Christmas" seasonal programming[12] duplicating the main Hallmark Channel's "Countdown to Christmas". Included is A Very Happy Yule Log, a Christmas Eve/Christmas Day loop made up of a yule log presentation with Happy the Cat and Happy the Dog. In 2017, "A Happy Yule Log" was broadcast on November 22 (Thanksgiving Day), with abandoned piglet, Pip Squeak.[35]

In March 2009, the network announced that it was partnering with the NYU Tisch School of the Arts’ Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film and TV to showcase short films by the school's students and alumni. The shorts began airing in October, and were also available for viewing online at the network's website hallmarkmoviechannel.com. Alec Baldwin is a Tisch alum who served as one of the judges to determine which films would appear on the network.[36][37]

See also

References
  1. Seidman, Robert (February 22, 2015). "List of how many homes each cable network is in as of February 2015". TV by the Numbers. Zap2it. Archived from the original on January 1, 2016. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  2. Dempsey, John (November 12, 2003). "Hallmark launches pic outlet". Variety. Archived from the original on January 24, 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  3. "Another Cable Network Turns to Crime". Ad Age. Archived from the original on January 19, 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  4. Cogdill, Oline. "Hallmark Movies & Mysteries". Mystery Scene Magazine. Archived from the original on January 19, 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  5. Becker, Anne (March 26, 2008). "Hallmark Unveils Movies, Sister Channel to Go HD". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on January 24, 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  6. Eggerton, John (September 1, 2010). "Hallmark Channels Go Dark On AT&T U-verse". Multichannel News. Archived from the original on September 5, 2010. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  7. Steinberg, Brian (July 22, 2015). "Hallmark Channel Returns to U-verse After Nearly Five Years". Variety. Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  8. Jones, Lloyd (July 11, 2012). "Hallmark Movie Channel to replace ABC for the foreseeable future". The Conway Daily Sun. Archived from the original on October 15, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  9. Lewis, Hilary (March 13, 2014). "Hallmark Movie Channel Rebranding; The network will become Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and will get a new tagline and logo, starting in the fourth quarter of 2014". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 12, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
  10. Steinberg, Brian (March 13, 2014). "Hallmark Movie Channel To Emphasize Mystery Dramas And Tweak Name". Variety. Archived from the original on January 19, 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  11. Littleton, Cynthia (March 6, 2015). "Tom Selleck Collars More 'Jesse Stone' Pics in Hallmark Pact". Variety. Archived from the original on January 24, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  12. "Hallmark Movie Channel Inaugurates "The Most Wonderful Movies of Christmas" the Network's First-Ever Holiday Programming Slate" (Press release). September 24, 2013. Retrieved January 19, 2018 – via TheFutonCritic.com.
  13. Umstead, Thomas (July 28, 2017). "TCA17: Crown Media to Launch Hallmark Drama Cable Network". MultiChannel News. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  14. Umstead, Thomas (July 31, 2017). "TCA17: Crown Media to Launch Hallmark Drama Cable Network". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on August 5, 2017. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  15. Ramos, Dino-Ray (July 31, 2017). "Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Announces Development Deals With Al Roker & Judy Smith". Deadline. Archived from the original on February 11, 2018. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  16. Alexander, Jared. "Real life 'Olivia Pope' Judy Smith to produce content for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries". The Grio. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  17. "Hallmark Channel Press Release 8/8/07". Hallmark Channel Press Site.
  18. Jacobs, Meredith. "Hallmark Movies & Mysteries' Miracles of Christmas: Everything to Know About 2022 Movies". TV Insider. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  19. "Crossword Mystery Movies". Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  20. "Hallmark Cancels Three Major Mystery Series". PopCulture.com. February 8, 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  21. "Ruby Herring Mysteries". Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  22. "Deck the Halls". Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  23. "The Mystery Cruise". Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  24. "Along Came A Nanny". Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  25. "Wedding Planner Mystery". Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  26. "About My Gal Sunday". Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  27. "About Sandra Brown's White Hot". Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  28. "About An Uncommon Grace". Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  29. "To Catch A Spy". Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  30. "Redemption in Cherry Springs". Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Crown Media Family Networks.
  31. "Cut, Color, Murder". Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  32. "Francesca Quinn, PI". Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  33. "Nikki & Nora: Sister Sleuths". Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  34. Snierson, Dan (September 11, 2017). "Hallmark Christmas Movies: Premiere Dates for 12 Films Revealed". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 29, 2018. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  35. Turnquist, Kristi (24 December 2015). "TV Yule Log: How it started, and this year's options, from Darth Vader to Lil Bub". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 6 January 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  36. "Hallmark Plans More Originals, Adds Short Films From NYU Students". EntertainmentCareers.net. Archived from the original on 2009-07-27. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  37. "Tisch Partners with Hallmark Movie Channel". Tisch.NYU.edu. Archived from the original on 2009-04-02.
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