HALLMARK CHANNEL AND HALLMARK MOVIE CHANNEL 2012 FALL PREVIEW
'MARIE'
Hallmark Channel Original Series
Monday, October 1 (12 Noon ET/PT, 11C)
The debut of this new Hallmark Channel Original Series marks the long-overdue evolution of the iconic Marie Osmond to the daily talk show world. To be sure, the woman has done pretty much everything else in her glorious and storied career: movie star, national variety show star, recording superstar, Broadway star, Las Vegas stage shows-stopper, and so much more. But with "Marie," she may finally be growing into a role that fits her better than any other. Here, after all, is a woman who has not only known great fame but also great tragedy. The talk show will afford Osmond an opportunity to share in the lives of others, both the famous and non-celebrities alike. With the one-hour daily lunchtime show on Hallmark Channel, she will impart her insights on surviving all of life's roadblocks and detours, along with heartfelt advice about how to deal with great adversity and move forward with dignity, humor and optimism. Guests are expected to include both Osmond's own family, to everyday people with extraordinary experiences, to her closest girlfriends, to leading experts in a diverse crop of fields. Osmond has indeed proven something of an American barometer in demonstrating how to face life's greatest challenges with unrelenting class, dignity, and courage. She plans in 'Marie" to borrow from her vast reserve of life experiences - including marriage and divorce, the trials of raising eight children, and her own battles with depression - to provide wisdom and optimism for viewers facing their own issues. The one constant that we've seen in Osmond's own life is her uncanny ability to pick herself up, dust herself off, and move forward no matter the obstacles placed in her path. She's pretty much the living embodiment of the phrase, "Tough times don't last, but tough people do." This lady is as strong as they come, and at the same time immensely lovable. We root for Marie Osmond because she doesn't pretend to be perfect, and she's used her struggles as an example of quiet strength. So if you're in the market for a new talk show that's pretty much guaranteed to inspire, you know where to turn.
'HOME & FAMILY'
Hallmark Channel Original Lifestyle Series
Monday, October 1 (10 a.m. ET/PT, 9C)
This brand new Hallmark Channel Lifestyle Series debuting this fall (and airing weekday mornings at 10am ET/PT, 9C) is one of the more innovative concepts to arise in the daytime TV spectrum. The idea is this: build a 2,446-square-foot, fully-functioning, New England Colonial-style home on the backlot at Universal Studios in California. Then use the rooms in the house to raise discussion about everything in the domestic universe, from home improvement tips and trends to segments about products and services covering every area inside and outside the home. Finally, hire a couple of pros named Mark Steines and Paige Davis to pull it all together in a pioneering daily two-hour dialogue. Steines is the Emmy Award-winning journalist who once hosted "Entertainment Tonight" and cracked People Magazine's 2004 list of the Sexiest Men in America. Davis is a Broadway star and the beloved onetime host of the blockbuster reality series "Trading Spaces." Together, Steines and Davis make co-hosting magic while turning viewers on to the latest in home improvement while also sharing the spotlight with celebrity guests, sports stars and experts in every area of domestic life. They'll show you how to buy a week's worth of groceries for $100; how to grow organic hothouse tomatoes; how to SKYPE; and how to find bargains on everything from automotive to lawn and garden. If you want to modernize your bathroom or choose the best gift for Mother's Day, "Home & Family" will be all over that, too. The show's production will also incorporate visitors taking the famed Universal Studios Tour, featuring performers entertaining audiences on a specially-constructed stage overlooking the famed Psycho House at Universal. Put it all together and you've got a series that promises to revitalize the daytime TV landscape with its multi-pronged approach to lifestyle programming. At last, a show that isn't just all talk. "Home & Family" is about showing, doing, and providing answers every step of the way.
'PUPPY LOVE'
Hallmark Channel Original Movie World Premiere
Saturday, September 8 (9p.m. ET/PT, 8C)
Pro-baseball player Ben (Victor Webster) is devastated to find his pup has slipped out of the house thanks to a careless roommate and as a result, his dog "Jake" (Bug Z) ends up at the local shelter. Meanwhile, Megan (Candace Cameron Bure) and her daughter Caitlin (Katie Hawkins) are at the local shelter to find Caitlin a best friend to help her adjust to a new town. Caitlin is immediately drawn to Jake, the biggest, happiest, sloppiest dog in the pound; and the two fall in love. Hesitant, Megan worries about such an energetic dog, but she relents and adopts. Ben is relieved to hear the shelter has taken Jake in, but through a mix-up, Megan and Caitlin leave with the dog just as Ben is going in to claim him. In a tale filled with heart (and a whole lot of fur), Ben and Megan are forced to share custody of Jake. Initially, the couple clashes over how to raise Jake; however, spending so much time together has its benefits. Soon, there is a whole different kind of puppy love going on. The "Puppy Love" premiere is the inaugural event for Hallmark Channel's Pet Project, an evergreen initiative to save the lives of Homeless Pets through adoption.
'I MARRIED WHO?'
Hallmark Movie Channel Original World Premiere
Saturday, October 6 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)
Straight-laced Jordan Brady (Kellie Martin) is about to marry her perfect match, Peter Drake (Bradley Snedeker), a clean-cut ambitious attorney. Before she walks down the aisle, Jordan and her best friends, Claire (Adrienne Frantz) and Jessica (Daphnee Duplaix), head to Vegas for her bachelorette party. Unable to recall the night before, Jordan panics when she wakes up in movie star Matt Swift's (Ethan Erickson) hotel suite with a gigantic diamond on her finger and a marriage certificate lying nearby. Before Jordan can have the marriage annulled and put this nightmare behind her, the impromptu wedding explodes into a publicity stunt fueled by Matt's manager Eric (Bruce Nozick) to promote his latest movie. With her wedding day approaching, Jordan finds herself more confused than ever when she starts falling in love with the movie star she's married to instead of the fiancé she thought was her perfect match.
'COMMON LAW'
Hallmark Movie Channel Original World Premiere
Saturday, October 13 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)
Jennifer (Natalie Hall) and Kevin (Darin Brooks) have been inseparable since becoming best friends at age six. So when Jennifer graduates from college and begins building a career in charity, she thinks it's only right to let drop-out Kevin live in her newly purchased house until he gets back on his feet. Seven years later, Jennifer is continuing up the career ladder while Kevin is still golf caddying and waiting for his big break. Jennifer is happy to let Kevin march to his own beat, but her new boyfriend, arrogant corporate manipulator Bryce (Ryan Doom), wants her to kick Kevin to the curb. Oblivious to his cheating ways, Jennifer is ecstatic when Bryce asks her to marry him after only six months of dating, secretly using her angelic reputation to gain favor with his boss Mrs. Von Hoffman (Frances Fisher). Kevin catches Bryce cheating and is determined to spare Jennifer an unhappily ever after experience. With a little help from his brother who is in law school, and support from his meddling neighbor Mr. Henderson (George Wendt), Kevin finds out he is legally married to Jennifer in a common law marriage after living together for exactly seven years. Now it's up to Kevin to prove he is Jennifer's equal - forever.
'THE GOOD WITCH'S CHARM'
Hallmark Channel Original Movie World Premiere
Saturday, October 27 (9p.m. ET/PT, 8C)
The kind-hearted 'good witch' and newly appointed Mayor, Cassie Nightingale (Catherine Bell) is excitedly planning a much needed family vacation with her husband, Jake (Chris Potter), step-children and newborn. But this is threatened when her charming small town is harassed by a string of mysterious crimes and a nosy investigative reporter is spreading sensationalized stories on the internet labeling Cassie as a witch. Not only is she under the public microscope, but Cassie's step-daughter is suddenly accused of being responsible for the recent robberies. To make matters worse, Cassie's estranged foster mother arrives in town after seeing Cassie on the internet and immediately the two are at odds. As the pressure builds, Cassie considers stepping down as Mayor of Middleton in order to protect her new family. Together with her loyal family and friends, Cassie must find a way to put a stop to the rumors using the signature charm she's known for before it's too late.
'LOVE AT THE THANKSGIVING PARADE'
Hallmark Channel Original Movie World Premiere
Sunday, November 4 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)
Chicago native Emily Jones (Autumn Reeser) loves her city, and has dedicated her career to coordinating its beloved Thanksgiving Day parade every year. This year, Emily is hoping for a memorable holiday and anticipating a long-awaited proposal from her long-distance boyfriend Brian (Ben Cotton). Then, the parade director hires a wealthy development consultant, Henry Williams (Antonio Cupo), to analyze the finances of the parade and increase profits. Immediately writing Henry off as a privileged playboy, Emily worries he will ruin the joyful spirit of the parade, not knowing how much it means to the city like she does. As the two are forced to work together to pull off a successful production, Emily is determined to show Henry she's in charge. But when Emily suffers a sudden setback, she starts to rely on Henry to help her through it, and suddenly realizes she might be falling for him.
|