Hallmarked Up!

We are back and a #MorePolaha movie we have been waiting for is on the docket! We are joined by Professor Seth from the show #99ToBeat. Listen along to this amazing #RedPenRewindRewrite of #AGrandOleOpryChristmas. We literally managed to add in #MorePolahas this time, plural, plus a few other very famous additions. #HallmarkedUp #CountdownToChristmas #MorePolaha #HallmarkiesGentry Wade (Nikki DeLoach), daughter of late country music icon Jett Wade – half of the famed duo Winters & Wade – abandoned her dream of a songwriting career and distanced herself from her father’s legacy following his tragic accident 30 years prior. When the Grand Ole Opry invites her to represent Jett at their centennial celebration at Christmas, she’s hesitant to return to the place steeped in bittersweet memories. Encouraged by her good friends, Gentry visits the Opry and, while seated in one of the vaunted venue’s oak church pews, is suddenly transported to 1995. Gentry’s lifelong friend Mac (Kristoffer Polaha) a country music talent manager, finds himself in 1995 as well. Thanks to some Christmas magic, Gentry gets precious time with her father, creative inspiration to finish the song she began decades earlier as a teen and learns surprising answers to questions about her father that have followed her for the last three decades. Starring Nikki DeLoach and Kristoffer Polaha.Cameos by: Bill Anderson, Brad Paisley, Dailey & Vincent, Drew Baldridge, Jamey Johnson, Maggie Baugh, Megan Moroney, Mickey

Sarah is back watching the latest version of Holiday Touchdown with Florida-native footballer lover, Connor and self-proclaimed member of the Bills Mafia, Meghan to settle into sunny, wintery Buffalo to find out what happens in this one. How will they incorporate #MorePolaha?? What did they get right and what went wrong? Find out in this week's latest episode.The Quinns and DeLucas have lived next door to each other for decades in the shadow of Highmark Stadium – the home of their beloved Buffalo Bills. With their longtime friendship rooted in being proud members of Bills Mafia, the two clans have enjoyed cherished traditions that revolve around cheering for their favorite team – especially at the holidays when they celebrate the last home game before Christmas. Pediatric doctor Morgan Quinn and the Bills’ VP of Stadium Development Gabe DeLuca have been lifelong friends, but Gabe has always held a torch for her – a fact obvious to their families… and everyone else who crosses their path. When Morgan learns from her Uncle Tommy that someone anonymously helped her family get by after he was drafted more than 60 years ago – and that he continues to receive a Christmas gift each year to this day – she decides to find his benefactor and give her uncle a Christmas he’ll always remember. Aided by Bills Mafia friends of theirs, Morgan and Gabe work together to unwrap the gifter’s identity. Along the way, Gabe’s love for Morgan deepens and in turn, she begins to see him in a new light though neither is daring enough to admit their feelings. Meanwhile, Morgan’s hopes of pulling off her surprise for Uncle Tommy get sacked. That is, until Gabe takes matters into his own hands and uses his connections with the Bills to pull off the surprise of a lifetime for Morgan and both their families that will make this a Christmas they’ll never forget. Starring Holland Roden, Matthew Daddario and Joe Pantoliano.Cameos: Coach Sean McDermott, Ray Davis, Damar Hamlin, Dion Dawkins, Dawson Knox, Reid Ferguson, DeWayne Carter, Joshua Palmer; Jim Kelly, Steve Tasker, Thurman Thomas, Scott Norwood, Andre Reed; Chris Brown; Luke Russert.

Mary has joined us for a special appearance along with her sister, Andi as we relive THREE WISEST MEN.  Who will be in the new star of the show?  How will we add in #MorePolaha?  Listen now to find out.  Trust us.  This version is definitely worth producing.  Maybe it even needs to star @thesavageparrot??? #CountdownToChristmas #Hallmarkies #ThreeWisestMenThe Brenner family is back, and their lives are more chaotic than ever! As Luke (Walker) is expecting twins, Taylor (Hynes) is debating a monumental job opportunity out-of-state, and Stephan (Campbell) attempts to plan for his upcoming nuptials, everyone’s stress heightens when they learn their mom (Colin) has put their childhood home up for sale, marking their final Christmas in the Brenner house. With unexpected in-laws visiting, wild animals lurking in freshly cut Christmas trees and a hesitant mall Santa, the boys will have their work cut out for them as the holiday begins to loom. As they navigate adulting at a level they have yet to reach, they must learn to once again lean on one another to rise to the needs of their growing family, conquer the newest challenges in their lives and, most crucially, have the best Christmas EVER! Starring Paul Campbell, Tyler Hynes, Andrew Walker and Margaret Colin.Join us for the regular segments, Bingo, #Relatable, #MorePolaha and the Red pen, rewind & re-write as we Hallmark Up!

This week, Fran, a self-proclaimed Christmas Carol fan, joins Sarah to see how well they did this modern take on the all-time Christmas favorite. How will they rewrite it? Will Ella Neezer and Jake steal their hearts? Enjoy!When workaholic CEO Ella Neezer tries to skip Christmas by flying to Australia, she’s in for the flight of her life. Haunted by her past, present and future, she’s forced to confront the choices that led to her success yet left her flying solo. With the help of three quirky spirits and a surprise reunion with her ex, she might just rediscover the magic of Christmas – and the love she thought she’d lost. Starring Erin Krakow and Tyler Hynes.

We are back for another season, albeit not quite in line with the new releases, due to a relatively dull start. But luckily this movie, MERRY CHRISTMAS, TED COOPER! caught our eyes. Mary is on a bit of a break, but luckily seasoned Countdown to Christmas Watchers, Megan and David join us to share in Bingo & #Relatable moments as we rewrite this early goodie!Weatherman Ted Cooper (Buckley) loves Christmas, but the past three have been terrible. This year, Ted has made up his mind that things will be different – this will be the Christmas things turn around for him. But Ted’s relentless optimism is about to be put to the test as he is faced with a litany of injuries and obstacles when he travels back to his hometown of Lackawanna, NY for the holidays. Within hours of arriving at his sister Kate’s house, he finds himself making a trip to Urgent Care after falling off a ladder while hanging decorations. While there, he runs into Ruth Mittens, his former high school science teacher who was always his cheerleader. He also reconnects with the charming Hope Miller (Sustad), except now she’s Dr. Hope Miller, with whom he went to high school and quietly crushed on from afar. Ted is optimistic that this budding romance is the beginning of his Christmas comeback, but his looming holiday bad luck still has a few curveballs in store for him. Luckily for Ted, he won’t have to face them alone – he’ll have the support of Kate, Ruth, and Hope to help him overcome the challenges thrown his way and finally enjoy a well-earned merry Christmas. Starring Robert Buckley and Kimberley Sustad.

Sarah and Bettina both agree that Happy Howlidays was not worth watching. Have a listen as to why it sucked, why Finding Mr Christmas did not, (they just picked the wrong Mr Christmas) and what the best & worst movies of 2024 were, according to your ladies on Hallmarked Up! We will be back on our #MorePolaha posts along with our new quest for #MeetPolaha2025 soon!!!

Sarah, Mary and Bettina all headed to ChristmasCon! Armed with our #MorePolaha gear, we recap our time in New Jersey. Thanks for supporting us this year. We will see if we do one last episode to review #FindingMrChristmas' movie. Happy Holidays from all of us at Hallmarked Up!

Thanksgiving Continued. Sarah is back with faithful watcher, Bettina who helps us get updated on all of the Thanksgiving movies.  We do a decent recap of Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Lovestory.  Sarah has a controversial opinion of it.  Bettina tells us which movie is the worst one ever.  Full review of the one we were waiting for, The Christmas Quest with #MorePolaha. Alana Higman is sure that her family’s lifelong history as Kansas City Chiefs superfans makes them a frontrunner to win the team’s “Fan of the Year” contest. Derrick, Director of Fan Engagement, is tasked with evaluating how Alana and her family stack up against the other two finalists. As the pair spends time together, it’s clear there’s a spark between them but when her grandfather’s vintage Chiefs good-luck winter hat goes missing, Alana begins to doubt everything she believed about fate, destiny and even questions her future with Derrick – unless, that is, a little Christmas magic can throw a Hail Mary. Starring Hunter King and Tyler Hynes. An archeologist and her ex-husband, an expert in ancient Norse languages, are sent to Iceland at Christmastime to search for the legendary treasure of the Yule Lads. When others join in the hunt, the pair find themselves swept into a thrilling adventure as they race to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. Starring Lacey Chabert and Kristoffer Polaha.

Mary is back leading on this one over our long coverage of Thanksgiving weekend with guests and 90s enthusiasts Matt & Michelle. See what they get up to with the red pen rewrite of this one that brings in #MorePolaha in a classic way. Workaholic lawyer Lucy Miller is celebrating her promotion alone on Christmas Eve when a mysterious rideshare experience transports her back to 1999. Reliving the holiday with her mom, sister and best friend – not to mention her high school crush – Lucy gets a second chance to understand where her relationships went wrong. Will this magical journey help her rewrite her future or leave her destined to be alone? Starring Eva Bourne, Chandler Massey, Katherine Barrell and Alex Hook.

Mary is on a travel break for Thanksgiving. But not to fear, Bettina and Missy join Sarah again to rewrite this sequel (previously suggested by us back in Season 4 wink wink). What will our favorite trio+1 get up to in our hopefully predicted addition to this trilogy? Find out in our #morepolaha version of THREE WISER MEN & A BOY. The story begins five years later with the Brenner brothers preparing for another memorable Christmas. In a crazy turn of events, possibly brought on accidentally by the brothers themselves, the director of Luke’s son Thomas’ school holiday musical steps down. Luke is desperate to make his son’s stage dreams come true, so he enlists the help of his brothers Taylor and Stephan. Meanwhile, the trio navigates meeting their mom Barbara’s new boyfriend and the brothers grapple with their own feelings about this relationship. In true Brenner brother fashion, they are all in for a Christmas they will never forget. Starring Paul Campbell, Tyler Hynes, Andrew Walker and Margaret Colin.

Mary and Sarah are back for this week's episode appropriately guest hosted by Sarah's brother, Jonny, and his wife, Chris. Mary is convinced this movie kind of works as it is steers outside the regular Hallmark realm. Find out how we bring in #morepolaha, what happens when people where the same Christmas Onesie for too many days in a row and if quirky families can be in Hallmark movies in CONFESSIONS OF A CHRISTMAS LETTER. Settie Rose, a quirky family matriarch, enters her town’s annual holiday letter-writing contest but needs help, so she hires struggling novelist Juan to craft the perfect letter. When a mix-up leads to the rumor that Juan is engaged to Settie’s daughter Lily, the whole family scrambles to keep up the charade. As Juan bonds with the Roses and overcomes his writer’s block, Settie learns that embracing her imperfect family is what truly makes her story special. Starring Angela Kinsey and Alec Santos. *Features a cameo appearance by Brian Baumgartner.

Mary and Sarah review the latest installment with trivia and football buff guest, Jonah.  Have a listen to how they incorporate #morepolaha and how the #redpenrewindrewrite turns out. When students all flee an elite university in Vermont for winter break, the locals and faculty hunker down for their favorite time of year - the annual Christmas Bar Trivia Tournament! For Celeste (Sursok), a Type-A astronomy professor, this event combines the magic of Christmas with her greatest comfort in life: knowing the right answer. But when her colleague drops out of the tournament to do a month-long lecture tour in Asia, Celeste’s team must adopt Max (Daugherty), the football team’s new offensive coordinator. To Celeste, Max seems like nothing more than a grown-up class clown - though he brings an undeniable knowledge of sports trivia (a category their team has always fallen short in). Initial clashes between the two eventually turn into mutual appreciation as the team enjoys scavenger hunts on campus, decorating the international house with Christmas lights, baking Christmas cookies, and advancing toward the championship trivia game. Celeste can't help but delight in Max's infectious enthusiasm, love for all things Christmas and perhaps most importantly, his comfort with the unknown. And after a romantic wintery night at the campus observatory with Max, Celeste starts to wonder if being open to life’s surprises is more important than knowing the answer to everything. Starring Tammin Sursok and Brant Daugherty.

Mary and Sarah return to discuss this week's movie about Broadway, A CAROL FOR TWO. Have a listen to how they incorporate #morepolaha, add in our new fav leading lady, Rhonda and how the #redpenrewindrewrite turns out. After moving to New York to make it on Broadway, Violette Wagner gets a job at Fiore’s, a legendary theater district diner, famous for its singing wait staff, who bide their time there, while awaiting that big break. Luck seems to be on her side when she gets a coveted slot, singing during Fiore’s annual Christmas Eve concert, which is attended by a who’s who of the theatre world. But her big opportunity turns out to be a duet with Alex, who has been less than welcoming, and believes she was only given the job because the owner of Fiore’s is a family friend. They're stuck with each other, though, since people have been plucked out of that show and put right on Broadway. As they rehearse together, Alex’s cousin, Brad, takes an interest in Violette, and they begin dating but, unbeknownst to her, Alex has been feeding Brad information about her, Cyrano-style, to win her over. However, when Alex begins developing feelings for her as well, a love triangle ensues, and things come to a head when their deception is uncovered, which, in turn, threatens Violette and Alex’s big opportunity. Starring Ginna Claire-Mason, Jordan Litz and Charlotte d'Amboise.

For our second episode that happened before Halloween, Mary and Sarah invite Tedd, the book coach, to join them in this special #redpenrewindrewrite of OPERATION NUTCRACKER. See how they all bring it back to #morepolaha with the balletic precision of a prima ballerina. When an antique nutcracker set to be auctioned at the Warby family Christmas charity goes missing, a demanding event planner and the heir to the Warby dynasty try to track it down. Starring Ashley Newbrough and Christopher Russell.

Mary and Sarah are back rewriting Hallmark's beloved Countdown To Christmas movies and creating the posters to go with them. Get ready for Season 6! #MorePolaha #RedPenRewindRewrite To prevent her family from canceling the “Chamberlain Family Christmas Olympics,” Jessie (Groening) lies and says she’s inviting a date to the long-standing holiday tradition. She meets Bryan (Buckley) on a dating app, and he agrees to spend the holiday with her and her family. As Jessie and Bryan engage in eccentric activities like the search for the Christmas tree star, gift wrapping contest and snowball fight, they start to develop real feelings for each other.  Soon her family begins to catch on to their secret and Bryan suspects she may be hiding the real reason for her unusual Christmas date request. As the celebrations continue, Jessie must work to keep all her stories straight and save her date with Bryan. Starring Robert Buckley and Amy Groening.

Guest Host Bettina joins Mary and Sarah to see what Scotland is like at the holidays and create a rewrite that will surely have bagpipes in the soundtrack. When estranged siblings, Lindsay and Brad Morgan travel to Scotland at Christmas to reunite with their mother Jo, a big family secret is revealed. Starring Lacey Chabert and Scott Wolf.

Mary and Sarah join in the Hanukkah fun this week with ROUND AND ROUND. Marlin joins for some Jewish insights to see what happens when you combine Groundhog Day, 50 First Dates, About Time and The Hanukkah Song by Adam Sandler all into one film. Find out what happens this week! Rachel’s stuck in a time loop, reliving the night of her parents’ Hanukkah party. Can Zach, the “nice boy” Grandma’s trying to set her up with, help her make it to tomorrow? Starring Vic Michaelis, Bryan Greenberg and Rick Hoffman.

It's finally here! The Thanksgiving long weekend AND of course, A Biltmore Christmas. Mary and Sarah sit down to chat through the most anticipated Hallmark Christmas movie ever. Did it live up to expectations? What's the story of Biltmore anyway? How should we #redpenrewrite it? Have a listen....but as a preview #morepolaha !! Bring on the movie within a movie!! Lucy Hardgrove (Joy Lenz) is a screenwriter who lands the job of a lifetime when she’s hired to pen the script for a remake of the beloved holiday movie, His Merry Wife! First filmed in 1947 at beautiful, historic Biltmore House, it has long been considered a Christmas classic. When the head of the studio isn’t satisfied with the ending Lucy wrote because it deviates from the original’s feel-good conclusion, he sends Lucy to Biltmore Estate for research and inspiration. While there, she unwittingly discovers the ability to travel to the 1947 set of His Merry Wife! through the help of an hourglass. After shaking off the initial shock of this turn of events, Lucy embraces this as her chance to uncover the truth about the movie’s original ending. While on set, she and Jack Huston (Kristoffer Polaha), one of the film’s stars, spend time together and become close. But her sudden appearance has set off a chain of events that put the production in jeopardy. Before she can return to the present, Lucy must make things right or threaten to alter the future forever. Starring Bethany Joy Lenz and Kristoffer Polaha.

Sarah is back to rejoin Mary while they discuss CHRISTMAS ISLAND. When a snowstorm diverts Kate’s first private flight en route to Switzerland to Christmas Island, she must team up with an air traffic controller to secure her dream job as the family’s pilot. Starring Rachel Skarsten and Andrew Walker.

While Sarah is away, Mary hosts an episode with some very special guests on this pseudo-crossover HGTV/Hallmark, sure to be an instant classic....or maybe not! It’s almost Christmas when busy realtor Abigail agrees to help her sister with the “simple flip” of a recently inherited home. Unfortunately, co-beneficiary Bo has other plans in mind. Starring Ashley Newbrough and Marcus Rosner.