Tag: mystery

Sunset Over Hope Valley: Stars in a Lantern

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

To help Lily feel more at home in Hope Valley, Minnie gives Lily Cooper’s lantern from when he was younger. This golden lantern is covered in stars, lighting up the ceiling with bright star-shaped images. When we think about stars, the idea of a collection of stars existing in the night sky usually comes to mind. Within that collection, the stars come together to make the sky brighter. The aforementioned idea could also be applied to the residents of Hope Valley. Each character is a star, shining in their own right. But when they either come together for a special occasion or work together to solve a problem, the town as a whole becomes a brighter place. Characters coming back to the show after an extended period of time are like shooting stars. Their return is so memorable, they captivate the audience’s attention.

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there will be spoilers within this re-cap.

When Calls the Heart season eleven poster created by Hallmark Media, Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel

Season: 11

Episode: 11

Name: Run to You

Major story:

Bill and Nathan recruit Lee, Henry, and even Mike to not only protect Lucas, but Hope Valley as well. They agree to guard the town from outside, waiting for Casimir Shaw to show up. Jeanette returns to Hope Valley to warn Lucas of Casimir’s arrival. However, in one scene, Jeanette is shown shining her compact in the sun, signaling Casimir himself. Frustrated by the lack of information, Rosemary wants to know what’s going on in town. But she’s not the only curious person. Randall, Rosemary’s rival reporter, also wants answers. His quest for answers is fueled by his family being threatened by his source. After Randall shares this information with Rosemary, they discover Randall’s source and Jeanette possess the same handwriting. Rosemary goes to the Queen of Hearts Hotel to share this news with Lucas, only to fall into Jeanette’s trap and become a hostage. Elizabeth also becomes a hostage because she went to the hotel looking for Rosemary. During this situation, Rosemary realizes Jeanette and Casimir are the same person. She confronts Jeanette with this realization. Meanwhile, outside of Hope Valley, Randall shares his and Rosemary’s findings with Bill, Nathan, and Lucas. The men return to Hope Valley in order to rescue Rosemary and Elizabeth. At first, there is a struggle at the hotel that causes Bill to get hurt. But after Lucas talks Jeanette into turning herself over to authorities and Elizabeth gets away by jumping into a pile of hay with Nathan, the situation de-escalates. Multiple Mounties arrive to take Jeanette to jail.  

Mountie face image created by Bakar015 at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/a-set-of-canada-icons_1050671.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/food”>Food vector created by Bakar015 – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Minor stories:

One day, Lily shares with Faith how, when she lived with her grandmother, she and Dora used to look at the stars from her bedroom window. Faith is suddenly reminded how Lily’s room window at The Café doesn’t have a good view of the sky. In order to solve this problem, as well as helping Lily feel more at home, Minnie offers Cooper’s lantern that was referenced in this re-cap’s introduction. Joseph even provides an electric bulb for the lantern. Later in the episode, when Faith is reading a story to Lily, the lantern works as intended. Meanwhile, Mei receives a letter from her brother. The letter reveals Mei’s brother will be in Cape Fullerton. Originally, Mike and Mei plan to meet Mei’s brother in an out-of-town trip. Instead, Mike suggests having Mei’s brother come to Hope Valley. Mike suggests this because he wants to marry Mei. He shares his feelings to Mei in an official wedding proposal. Mei accepts the proposal, despite not receiving a ring.

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Some thoughts to consider:

  • At the beginning of the episode, Mollie and Florence talk about the recently cancelled hotel. This discussion causes Minnie to ask about the upcoming merger between Benson Hills and Hope Valley. Now that the hotel seems to not be moving forward, there is little to no reason to merge these towns. But if that plan gets cancelled too, what will serve as the overarching plot for season twelve? I’m pretty sure the creative team behind When Calls the Heart will think of something. However, I would be disappointed if Hope Valley and Benson Hills didn’t merge.

  • This episode of When Calls the Heart was very well written! Having Jeanette and Casimir be the same person is one of the most clever decisions this show’s creative team has made in quite some time. I also like how the tension built up over the course of the episode, leading to a climactic and suspenseful moment. Now that this story has wrapped up, I’m curious to see how season eleven ends, as well as what cliff-hangers will be left in preparation for season twelve!

  • When I first read the synopsis for When Calls the Heart’s season finale, I discovered a wedding was on the horizon. Out of all the characters that were eligible to get married, I figured the aforementioned wedding would be Mei and Mike’s. This decision makes sense, especially since the hints throughout this season have not been subtle. At the same time, I think Mike and Mei’s relationship is moving a little too fast, considering they just became a couple in season eleven. I understand the show’s creative team needed a big event to close out the season. But when it comes to any of the characters get married, I wish the creative team waited at least one more season to host another wedding in Hope Valley.
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What are your thoughts on this episode? Are you looking forward to the season finale? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Pack of Lies Review

On By 18cinemalane9 Comments

For last year’s Broadway Bound Blogathon, I reviewed the
Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation, A Tale of Two Cities. This is an adaptation
from 1980 I liked so much, it was one of the best movies I saw in 2023! While
reflecting on that film, I realized it’s been a whole year since I reviewed a
Hallmark Hall of Fame production. To make up for lost time, I chose to write
about the 1987 Hallmark Hall of Fame film, Pack of Lies! Two years
before this movie aired on television, Pack of Lies premiered on
Broadway, making the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie a good choice for the
blogathon. Pack of Lies is also a Hallmark Hall of Fame film from the ‘80s
I haven’t seen before. One of my aspirations is to see as many Hallmark Hall of
Fame movies as realistically possible. Out of the titles I have seen, I’ve
noticed the mystery genre is rarely represented throughout the Hallmark Hall of
Fame collection. That fact is another reason why I chose to review Pack of
Lies!

Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Pack of Lies poster created by Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions, Robert Halmi, and CBS

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: Ellen Burstyn and Teri Garr portray Barbara
Jackson and Helen Schaefer in Pack of Lies. The friendship of these two
characters highlights how different they are from one another. Helen has a very
outgoing and bubbly personality, a talkative woman who’s willing to solve
problems. Meanwhile, Barbara is more reserved, dressing more modestly and
avoiding conflict whenever possible. Part of why the differences between these
characters were achieved was through the acting abilities of both Ellen and
Teri! They presented the uniqueness of their characters through various emotions
and expressions. When creating a movie where actors portray friends, the believability
of their performances can make or break that illusion. The aforementioned illusion
was certainly created and maintained throughout Pack of Lies!


In stories where a character has some degree of authority,
their personality is usually serious. This can be a challenge for an actor or
actress, as there are few opportunities to utilize a variety of expressions and
emotions. That didn’t stop Alan Bates from portraying Stewart and making that
performance memorable! When Mr. and Mrs. Jackson first meet Stewart, he leaves
a trusting first impression. During this meeting, Alan incorporates eye movements,
vocal inflections, and variations of mouth movements to create an interaction
that appeared realistic. Because of the realistic nature of Stewart’s meeting,
the scene itself contains a sense of realism. This realism is consistently
carried in the movie through the acting performances!


A mystery within a mystery: The meeting between Stewart and
the Jacksons I previously referenced in this review is about how Stewart is
looking for a man named Laurence. The main mystery in Pack of Lies is
discovering who Laurence is and why Stewart is interested in finding him. At
the same time, the legitimacy of Stewart and his mission serve as a second
mystery. Because of the vagueness Stewart provides to the Jackson family, it
leaves both the Jackson family and the audience wondering who Stweart really is
and why he wants to confront Laurence so much. This second mystery provides an
added layer of intrigue to the overall story!


Providing books as gifts: While visiting their friends, Helen
and Peter Schaefer, Barbara and Bob Jackson receive books as gifts from Peter.
Barbara loves art so much, she and Helen take art classes regularly. Meanwhile,
Bob is an employee in the aircraft industry. In the meeting between the Jackson
family and Stewart, Stewart points out a model plane Bob built. From Peter, Barbara
receives a book of drawings from the Clark Institute in Massachusetts. Peter gives
Bob a book about the first flights across the Atlantic. These books were
thoughtful presents Peter took the time and effort to find. Looking back on the
Hallmark films I’ve seen, including those from Hallmark Hall of Fame,
characters receiving books as gifts are rarely shown. Therefore, I appreciate
this creative choice from Pack of Lies’s creative team to fill a
creative void that is, more often than not, overlooked.

The Seventh Broadway Bound Blogathon banner created by Rebecca from Taking Up Room

What I didn’t like about the film:

Telling instead of showing: In an ideal movie, it’s
important to show and tell what’s happening on screen. But because film is a
visual medium, showing should be emphasized. Unfortunately, in Pack of Lies,
telling was preferred over showing. Throughout the movie, Stewart tells Mr. and
Mrs. Jackson that a man named Laurence Powell is a man of interest. The reason for
this interest is his possible connections to Russian communists. Dialogue is
the only way the truth about Laurence and Stewart’s reason for recruiting the
Jackson family is revealed. The subject of espionage in entertainment media isn’t
always action-packed and adrenaline-fueled. If a creative team knows their
story will have low energy, they should maintain a sense of suspense and
intrigue by showing what’s going on.


Little lapse in time: At the beginning of the movie, Stewart
assures the Jackson family he’ll only observe Laurence for a day or two. As the
story progresses, Stewart’s mission ends up lasting longer than the proposed
one to two days. Like I just said in this review, Pack of Lies
emphasized telling instead of showing. The little lapse in time throughout the
movie is another example of this flaw. Christmas decorations in the Jackson
house are the only indication a significant period of time took place. Prior to
that part of the story, the film looks like events happened within a week.


Things that don’t make sense: As I’ve been saying in this
review, Stewart’s mission is to observe Laurence over a period of time. The more
information revealed by Stewart, the more the Jacksons and the audience learn
Stewart knew more about Laurence than he originally let on. I know the subject
of espionage can be varied and complicated when included in entertainment
media. However, with everything I just said, why didn’t Stewart just arrest
Laurence instead of observing him over multiple days? Why did Stewart need to
get the Jackson family involved in the first place? This is one example where Pack
of Lies doesn’t make sense.

Sketch of London image created by Archjoe at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/hand-drawn-houses-of-parliament_1133950.htm’>Designed by Archjoe</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Archjoe – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Hallmark Hall of Fame movies, like any creative endeavor, are
not created equally. As I shared in this review’s introduction, I liked A
Tale of Two Cities so much, it was one of the best movies I saw last year.
Sadly, I can’t say the same about Pack of Lies. The 1987 presentation
was a two hour slow and tedious build-up to a resolution that was underwhelming
and anticlimactic. The cause of these flaws was the emphasis on telling instead
of showing. This is not the first time a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie from the ‘80s
let me down, as I also found 1985’s The Corsican Brothers disappointing.
After watching Pack of Lies, I learned the movie was based on a true
story. Now knowing this, I think the story would have benefitted more had it
become a documentary instead. As I wrap up my review of Pack of Lies, I
reflect on a Hallmark commercial I have seen. In this commercial, a man, whose
first language is not English, is looking for the perfect card for his wife,
who will soon arrive in the United States. When he goes to a Hallmark store,
the man is assisted by an employee named Rose, who helps him find exactly what
he is looking for. Another man who occasionally appears throughout the
commercial reveals the events in the commercial are based on a true story.
Honestly, the story behind that Hallmark commercial is a more fascinating movie
idea than what was presented in this Hallmark Hall of Fame film.


Overall score: 5 out of 10


Have you seen Pack of Lies? Which Broadway show do
you wish received a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie? Tell me in the comment
section!


Have fun on Broadway!

Sally Silverscreen

Word on the Street: Hallmark Releases Trailer for ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters’

On By 18cinemalane2 Comments

I recently published an editorial speculating why I believed Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters could be a Christmas movie. This speculation was not only based on the film’s premiere date, but on other factors like only one Christmas movie throughout the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series and how I thought the title could allude to the Nativity story or A Christmas Carol. At the time I published my editorial, Hallmark hadn’t released any promotional material for their upcoming production. During the premiere of Tipline Mysteries: Dial 1 for Murder, the trailer for Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters aired on Hallmark Mystery. I wanted to write this Word on the Street article to own up to my error and dispel confusion for my readers, as the trailer proves the new Signed, Sealed, Delivered film is not a Christmas movie. I also wanted to write about this trailer because, after all, it is movie news.

The trailer for Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters has been shown on Hallmark Mystery and is available on Hallmark Mystery’s website. However, as of the publication of this Word on the Street story, the trailer is not featured on the movie’s official page on Hallmark Mystery’s website. This screenshot, taken by me, Sally Silverscreen, is proof the trailer exists.

I have always been honest about my thoughts on the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series. In my opinion, the overall quality of this series has been inconsistent. Based on the trailer alone, Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters appears underwhelming. One reason is a story that seems recycled and predictable. As a Heartie, I’m over redemption stories because of how long Henry Gowen’s redemption arc was drawn out on When Calls the Heart. With the trailer’s voice-over stating “with a teacher trying to rewrite her wrong” and with the aforementioned teacher admitting sending a letter “in a very weak moment”, it looks like two out of the three titular letters will likely serve a redemption story.

Hand-written letter image created by Veraholera at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Veraholera – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/love-letter-pattern_1292902.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

At the beginning of the trailer, Oliver brings up “the great mailbox breach of 2017”. The way this event is addressed in the trailer gives me the impression the POstables (Oliver, Shane, Rita, and Norman) have been working on this case for a long period of time. Signed, Sealed, Delivered is a series where the stories are given a contemporary setting. From 2017 to 2021, five Signed, Sealed, Delivered movies have been released. If the movies take place within the years of their release, how come this “great mailbox breach of 2017” is just now being brought up? I hope a logical explanation is provided in Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters.

Envelope with hearts image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/hearts-and-pink-envelope-for-mothers-day_1950691.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/love”>Love image created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

In my editorial about why Francesca Quinn: PI is the worst Hallmark movie I’ve ever seen, I talked about the importance of fictional detectives having “quirks”, something about that character that sets them apart from other fictional detectives. The POstables serve as a good example of characters possessing “quirks” and being unique from one another, like Rita being obsessed with owls or Norman having a memory that rivals an encyclopedia. Based on the trailer’s voice-over stating “and a delivery that hits closer to home” and Oliver telling Charley “we are here on official business”, I wonder if Charley will become a fifth member of the POstables? Charley was introduced in the last Signed, Sealed, Delivered chapter; Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Vows We Have Made. Looking back on that film, the only aspect I remember about Charley was how she was pregnant. The lack of strong characterazation for Charley is one reason why I didn’t like the previous Signed, Sealed, Delivered film. So, if she does become a fifth member of the POstables, I wonder what “quirk” Charley will adopt?

The trailer for Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters has been shown on Hallmark Mystery and is available on Hallmark Mystery’s website. However, as of the publication of this Word on the Street story, the trailer is not featured on the movie’s official page on Hallmark Mystery’s website. This screenshot, taken by me, Sally Silverscreen, is proof the trailer exists.

When I speculated Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters being a Christmas movie, I wondered if the next movie, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Moon and Back” could serve a two-part story. This speculation was based on the belief of Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters retelling A Christmas Carol and the rock star in “Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Moon and Back” as a Marley-like character. As the title suggests, three letters will be key elements in the film’s plot. But the trailer for Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters shows only two letters; one from the teacher and one for someone named “Maria”. The synopsis for “Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Moon and Back” states how the POstables go “on a road trip” in an effort to “find the recipient of a lost letter”. This indicates only one letter serving as the story’s mystery. Maybe that letter is the titular third letter in Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters, making that film and “Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Moon and Back” a two part story?

What are your thoughts on this piece of movie news? Are you excited for Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters? Please tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Sunset Over Hope Valley: How Did We Get Here?

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

While waiting for the arrival of Jeanette, Lucas asks Henry “you ever find yourself asking how you got here”? Henry responds by telling Lucas, “Just about all the time”. Lucas’ question was a very poignant inclusion in this episode. As When Calls the Heart is close to wrapping up their eleventh season and will soon embark on a twelfth season, it can be easy to think about and ask a question similar to Lucas’. Fans of a television show are so invested in what is happening on screen, they may not realize how much time has passed.  When that realization dawns on a fan, they might wonder “where has all that time gone”? I guess Lucas’ question is a testament of the longevity of When Calls the Heart. Captivating stories and memorable characters have made each episode feel shorter than an hour.

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there will be spoilers within this re-cap.

When Calls the Heart season eleven poster created by Hallmark Media, Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel

Season: 11

Episode: 10

Name: What Goes Around

Major stories:

Allie still has her heart set on meeting her father, Dylan. Though she has money for a train ticket, Angela gives Allie more money to afford a hotel room if necessary. At the Jack Thornton School, Elizabeth organizes a day to restock school supplies, with some of her students volunteering to help. But when Allie doesn’t show up, Elizabeth and Nathan become concerned with Allie’s whereabouts. Angela confesses Allie’s plan to Nathan and Elizabeth. Nathan finally realizes why he received a phone call about Grandville prison earlier in the episode. When Elizabeth and Nathan arrive at the prison, they find Allie in tears. Allie tells Nathan Dylan didn’t want to see her. This crushing reality hurts Allie for most of the episode. As she wonders why her own father would reject her, Nathan explains to Allie how Dylan made a mistake by refusing to see his daughter. Nathan also stresses how lucky he has been to have received the opportunity to raise Allie. Toward the end of the episode, Nathan thanks Elizabeth for supporting both him and Allie. Elizabeth tells him how she will always to there for them.

As a last resort, Lucas agrees to meet with Jeanette about her hotel bid. Even though Henry claims everything seems legitimate, Lucas still has his doubts. Similar to his meeting with Montague, Lucas wants to keep this meeting a secret. This secrecy concerns Lee and he turns to Maisie to share these concerns. For the first time, Maisie and Lee agree on something. They come together to create a statement pulling their support for the hotel. After Lucas receives this statement, he regains his memory. Lucas not only remembers Jeanette visiting him the night he got shot, he also remembers a man named Casimir Shaw shooting him. When he confronts Jeanette about these memories, she confesses how Casimir forced her to work with him. Jeanette shares Casimir’s involvement in the hotel bid as well. In response to all this news, Lucas cancels the hotel indefinitely. He also encourages Jeanette to leave Hope Valley in the middle of the night.

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Minor stories:

Faith spends one more day with Lily before Dora comes to retrieve her. One of the things they do is have ice cream at the Ice Cream Parlor. Later in the episode, Dora arrives in Hope Valley. Though Lily is excited about her grandmother’s return, she’s also heartbroken about leaving “Auntie Faith”. Seeing how upset Lily is about saying goodbye to Faith, Dora and Faith come to a mutual agreement: Lily will permanently stay with Faith. Dora also agrees to visit Lily from time to time.

At the Queen of Hearts Hotel, Maisie tells Mei how her and Mike’s mother would love to meet Mei. Brother and sister agree for Mei and their mother to meet over dinner in a few days. Despite being put on the spot, Mei accepts the offer. While Mei comes up with a meal plan for the dinner, Mike confesses to Mei how Maisie invited the whole family to meet Mei. Even though she receives unexpected news, Mei still agrees to the dinner. When the dinner finally arrives, Mei not only meets Mike and Maisie’s mother, she also meets Maisie and Mike’s sisters. After all the curve balls during the planning process, the dinner itself is a success.

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Some thoughts to consider:

  • In my last Sunset Over Hope Valley re-cap post, I stated how the hotel was not worth losing friends over. I still stand by that statement. But from a production perspective, it seems like the creative team behind the show made a promise they likely couldn’t keep. As I said in one of my re-cap posts from this season, creating a television show is like trying to solve a math equation. One aspect of that equation is figuring out how to utilize funds and manage a budget. Building a set piece, whether it’s the Jack Thornton School or a hotel, costs money. The longer a television show stays on the air, the more money required to keep that show running. With all that said, I wonder why the show’s creative team would entertain the idea of a hotel if they probably couldn’t afford to create one?
  • Back in season five, one of the overarching subjects was the creation of a train depot. Since this depot had been heard but not seen, I honestly didn’t think it would ever appear on the show. However, this is the second episode this season where Hope Valley’s train depot was featured! It actually looks like a nice location. Plus, the train depot proves how Hope Valley has become a desirable travel destination since the show began in 2014. With Hope Valley and Benson Hills merging in the future, I wonder what will happen to the train depot?
  • Strong acting performances have been showcased throughout the lifespan of When Calls the Heart. But in this episode, I thought the strongest performances were Kevin McGarry’s and Jaeda Lily Miller’s! One of the best scenes this season was when Nathan explains to Allie why Dylan didn’t want to see his daughter. The emotion expressed between these characters appeared genuine. The sincerity of Allie and Nathan’s emotions and expressions were the result of Jaeda and Kevin’s acting talents!
Sunset image created by Photoangel at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background image created by Photoangel – Freepik.com</a>.<a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/red-sunset-clouds-over-trees_1254327.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What are your thoughts on this episode? How do you feel about the hotel being indefinitely canceled? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen

Sunset Over Hope Valley: Keeping Secrets

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

It seems like almost every character is keeping a secret in
this episode of When Calls the Heart. Lucas wants Montague’s hotel bid
to be kept under wraps. Nathan wants to protect Allie from the truth about her
biological father. Faith prolongs telling Lilly about her grandmother’s
recovery. But, sometimes, keeping secrets is not a bad thing in Hope Valley.
Earlier this season, Elizabeth keeps Nathan’s surprise party a secret. In this
episode, Bill has a surprise for Jack Jr. When it comes to keeping secrets on When
Calls the Heart, it depends on the character and the context of their
secret. The secrecy can cause a conflict within an episode’s story or give the
audience a certain perception of a character. What is not a secret is how kept
secrets in a television show adds intrigue and gives viewers a reason to still
watch. When these secrets are finally revealed, it can, sometimes, be
satisfying.

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there will be spoilers within this re-cap.

When Calls the Heart season eleven poster created by Hallmark Media, Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel

Season: 11

Episode: 9

Name: Truth Be Told

Major stories:

Montague returns to Hope Valley to discuss his hotel bid
with Lucas. During their meeting, Lucas reveals how an acceptance of the bid
equals an acceptance of 50% of the hotel’s profits. When Montague brings up his
desire to receive 60% of the hotel’s profits, Henry denies that request. Meanwhile,
Rosemary and Bill discover Montague’s return to Hope Valley. They even approach
Montague and question his involvement in the mystery surrounding Lucas’ injury.
Montague claims he had nothing to do with shooting Lucas. After learning how
Lucas is strongly considering working with Montague on the hotel, Rosemary
struggles with whether to share this news with Hope Valley. She ultimately decides
to write about Montague and Lucas, despite Lucas wanting to keep Montague’s
hotel bid a secret. When her article is published, Lucas is very upset about
Rosemary sharing his secret with the town, believing she broke his trust. Rosemary
stands by her decision, as she feels the residents of Hope Valley have a right
to know what’s happening in their town. But shortly after Rosemary’s article is
published, Montague is attacked in Hope Valley’s stables. Due to the attack, Montague
receives a concussion and his arm is put in a sling. Montague not only still
denies shooting Lucas, he also refuses to work with Lucas on the hotel,
thinking the project will put his life further into danger.


Allie’s family album makes her curious about her biological
father. This is because there are no pictures of him in this family album. When
Allie asks Nathan about her biological father, Nathan refuses to share any
information about him. Upset by this secrecy, Allie turns to Elizabeth for
advice. Elizabeth tells Allie how her search for her father is up to her, but
she shouldn’t shut Nathan out. Nathan also turns to Elizabeth for advice,
revealing how Allie’s father, Dylan, showed up in Hope Valley back in season
eight. Elizabeth tells Nathan how he should trust his gut as well as know when
the timing is right. Later in the episode, Nathan shares the truth about Dylan
with Allie. This information does not deter Allie’s desire to meet Dylan, as
she believes people can change. Allie is so determined, she learns how to
contact Dylan while volunteering to work the phone board at the Mercantile.

Newspaper image created by Zlatko_plamenov at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-psd/newspaper-mockup_1386098.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/mockup”>Mockup psd created by Zlatko_plamenov – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Minor story:

Dora, Lilly’s grandmother, calls Faith to tell her how she
has finally recovered from her medical issues. This means she will retrieve
Lilly in the following days. While Faith is happy Dora has recovered, she is
also sad that Lilly will soon leave Hope Valley. She turns to Joseph because
she doesn’t know how she will share this recent news with Lilly. Joseph
suggests giving Lilly a perfect day in Hope Valley, so Lilly will always
remember the good times she had in this town. Taking Joseph’s advice to heart,
Faith makes this perfect day a reality. From a trip to the hair salon to an
afternoon in the park, Lilly has a smile on her face the entire time. Faith
even shares with Joseph how she plans on asking Dora if she will allow Faith to
stay in Lilly’s life. Later in the episode, Faith comes clean about Dora’s
health with Lilly. Even though Lilly is happy to see her grandmother again, all
she wants is to have another perfect day with Faith and her grandmother.

Close-up of pony image created by Flatart at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background photo created by flatart – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Some thoughts to consider:

·       
When Allie shares her desire to learn about her
father with Angela, Angela tells Allie how Jacob recently called and invited
her family to spend Christmas with him. As soon as Angela said this, I thought
this story could lend itself to a Christmas movie! I know the creative team
behind When Calls the Heart doesn’t create movies in between seasons
anymore. But if Hallmark is looking for ideas for this or a future Christmas
season, I think a Christmas movie about the Canfield family could work,
especially since the movie would already have a built-in audience.


·       
I know no character is meant to be everyone’s
cup of tea. But out of all the seasons Lucas has been on When Calls the
Heart, he was his most unlikeable in this episode. While he had his heart
in the right place, he was too narrow-minded and stubborn about his “grand
vision”. It got to the point where, in this episode, his plans seemed
underhanded. As a Heartie, I’d like to see this hotel brought to life in season
twelve. However, I don’t think the hotel is worth losing friends over.


·       
In my re-cap’s introduction, I mentioned Bill
having a surprise for Jack Jr. This surprise is a pony, as Jack Jr. has
expressed his wish to ride a horse. When Calls the Heart has a history
of recruiting cute animals to appear on the show. But I can’t help mentioning
how adorable Pal the pony was in this episode! In fact, this pony looked like a
giant stuffed animal.

Sunset image created by Photoangel at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background image created by Photoangel – Freepik.com</a>.<a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/red-sunset-clouds-over-trees_1254327.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What are your thoughts on this episode? How
do you think Lucas’ “grand vision” will be resolved? Tell me in the comment
section below!

Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen

Sunset Over Hope Valley: Let the Show Go On

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

In this episode of When Calls the Heart, the plans of Hope Valley’s choir fall through. They don’t go to Salt Lake City as originally expected. To help Tom as well as other choirs, a new idea is put in place where everyone benefits. This isn’t the first time things didn’t work out in Hope Valley. But I’m willing to guess the show itself has experienced hiccups along the way. Making a television show is a huge creative endeavor. When working on a large project involving multiple people, there’s always a chance things could go wrong. Most fans don’t think about these possibilities, as they just see the final product. From the perspective of a long-time Heartie, though, the solution in this episode of When Calls the Heart made me reflect on other likely behind-the-scenes conflicts and how they were resolved. Because as the saying goes, “the show must go on”.

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there will be spoilers within this re-cap.

When Calls the Heart season eleven poster created by Hallmark Media, Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel

Season: 11

Episode: 8

Name: Brother’s Keeper

Major stories:

Nathan contacted the police in New York in an attempt to track down Mr. Sweeney. The New York police were able to arrest Mr. Sweeney and retrieve the $65 from Hope Valley’s choir. Unfortunately, Mr. Sweeney gambled the $300 collected from Benson Hills’ and Jamison’s choir. In an emergency choir meeting, Tom comes clean with all this news. Helping Tom save face, Nathan and Elizabeth quickly come up with the idea of hosting their own music festival to raise money for the aforementioned choirs. However, they allow Tom to take full credit for their idea. Maisie is not happy when Rosemary shares all this information with her. She believes Tom should be arrested, but Nathan reassures Maisie that the money will be raised. The festival itself is not the only way Hope Valley raises money. Several stalls selling food and valuable items are sparkled throughout the town. The Voices of the Valley festival is a success, with over $200 raised. But during the financial count, the choir discovers they are just under $300. When Lucas learns this, he takes money from his cultural fund and donates it to the festival. Before leaving Hope Valley, Tom makes the sad realization he’ll soon have to find a new job.

Just in time for the Voices of the Valley festival, Jacob Canfield arrives in Hope Valley. He still expects an apology from Joseph, but Joseph has no idea what he should apologize for. This angers Jacob and makes him consider leaving Hope Valley. While Minnie tries to coax Jacob to stay in town, Jacob reveals he hasn’t attended church or sang in over ten years. When Minnie shares this information with Joseph, he feels bad that whatever he did caused his brother to pull away from God. As he tries to figure out what he did wrong, Joseph turns to Henry for advice. Henry says that no matter what Joseph did, Jacob was hurt and Joseph should apology for hurting his brother. Later in the episode, Joseph does apologize to Jacob. When Joseph finally learns why Jacob is upset, he discovers that Jacob felt abandoned after he married Minnie. Though Jacob got the apology he wanted, he is still upset because he doesn’t believe the apology will change anything. Joseph disagrees, as he believes there is still hope for his and Jacob’s relationship. Right before Hope Valley’s choir performs “Amazing Grace”, Jacob becomes the missing tenor the choir was looking for. Both Canfield brothers later confess how much they’ve missed each other.

As promised, Nathan allows Clayton Pike to stay in Hope Valley during his prison transfer so Rosemary could interview Clayton. But when given the opportunity to interview Clayton, Rosemary, as well as Bill, find no luck. This is because Clayton refuses to reveal the identity of who really shot Lucas. Even when Lucas has a one-on-one conversation with Clayton, Clayton still remains silent. The next day, Clayton shares that the man responsible for Lucas getting hurt is so powerful, even the Mounties can’t intervene. Later, at the Queen of Hearts Hotel, Henry confronts Lucas about his decision to, possibly, accept Montague’s hotel bid. Henry addresses how Montague doesn’t have a good reputation with the people of Hope Valley due to decisions he made in the previous season. Lucas confesses how the Benson Hills Oil Company recently closed, causing hundreds of employees to lose their jobs. When Henry brings up Jeanette’s hotel bid, saying it looked legitimate, Lucas shuts out that possibility, simply asking Henry to trust him on that choice.

Money plant image created by Dooder at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/infographic”>Infographic vector created by Dooder – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/watering-the-coin-plant_1076121.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Minor stories:

Similar to season eleven’s seventh episode, “Facing the Music”, there are no minor stories in this episode.

String of musical notes image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/pentagram-vector_710290.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a> <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com. 

Some thoughts to consider:

In the previous episode, Tom went on a date with Faith at The Café. Toward the end of this episode, at the Voices of the Valley party at the Queens of Hearts Hotel, Tom gets asked by Faith to dance before Elizabeth asks Nathan to dance. I like the idea of Tom and Faith sharing a romantic relationship, especially since Max Lloyd-Jones and Andrea Brooks had nice on-screen chemistry. But if these characters are going to share a relationship, one of two things have to happen; either Tom needs to make more frequent appearances on the show or Faith needs to live closer to Tom.

Similar to last week’s episode, this episode of When Calls the Heart was stronger than other episodes this season! The featured stories were intriguing and weren’t as drawn out as season eleven’s previous episodes, so far. With only four episodes left, it makes me wonder how some of these stories will be resolved?

In my re-cap for this season’s second episode, I mentioned how curious I was to see how Henry’s story turned out in season eleven. This thought came after witnessing Henry adopting a happier and calmer personality, as well as developing a genuine interest in Hope Valley’s agriculture and foliage. Now that Henry starting working for Lucas, he has become Hope Valley’s Voice of Reason. In my opinion, this is a pleasant new direction for Henry’s story! It gives him a sense of purpose while acknowledging how far Henry has come.

Sunset image created by Photoangel at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background image created by Photoangel – Freepik.com</a>.<a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/red-sunset-clouds-over-trees_1254327.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What are your thoughts on this episode? Do you like Henry becoming Hope Valley’s Voice of Reason? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen

Sunset Over Hope Valley: Waiting for Tom Thornton

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Last September, I wrote a list sharing which ten characters
I’d love to see return to When Calls the Heart. My number one choice was
Tom Thornton, as his last appearance was all the way back in season five. So,
when I discovered Tom was returning to the show, my interest in the rest of
season eleven piqued! When Tom told Elizabeth and Jack Jr. what he did for a living,
he said he “sold happiness”. I would like to point out how Tom has been doing
that all along. Though I can only speak for myself, Tom has always made me
happy whenever he appeared on the show. Despite his more recent appearances
being brief, these moments were special and cherished. Looking back on Tom’s
story, I’m starting to realize how his and Henry’s story share several similarities.
Both characters had a troubled past, made a conscious effort to change, and now
have brighter futures!

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there will be spoilers within this re-cap.

When Calls the Heart season eleven poster created by Hallmark Media, Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel

Season: 11

Episode: 7

Name: Facing the Music


Major stories:

Tom Thornton has returned to Hope Valley in honor of Jack’s
birthday. After visiting his brother’s grave, Tom reconnects with familiar faces,
like Faith and Elizabeth, and meets new ones, such as Allie, Angela, and
Nathan. Tom’s career has taken a new path, this time selling sheet music for a
man named Mr. Sweeney. When the members of Hope Valley’s choir discover Tom is
looking for acts for an upcoming music festival, they become interested in
participating in the event. Tom informs them how only one spot remains in the
festival, so they would have to audition. The choir agrees to audition over the
phone, with the audition itself being a success. Because the choir received the
aforementioned last spot in the festival, Tom tells them they have to pay the $65
entry fee. Even though the choir agrees to chip in five dollars each, Elizabeth
and even Nathan are concerned by how quickly things are happening. When Nathan
and Elizabeth confront Tom about the entry fee, Tom reassures them how the
entire endeavor is legitimate. However, a phone call from Mr. Sweeney at the
Mercantile indicates how things are not going according to plan. Toward the end
of the episode, Elizabeth discovers Tom checked out of the Queen of Hearts
hotel and is on his way to Union City. She and Nathan find Tom waiting at the
train station. Tom confesses Mr. Sweeney not only stole the $65 dollars from
Hope Valley’s choir, but has stolen money from the festival’s other
participants. Tom turns to Elizabeth and Nathan for help with this situation.


Rosemary and Bill bring their lead on Luca’s case to Nathan.
Nathan would like to look into Clayton Pike’s connection to Union City
Holdings, but states how the Mounted Police are working on other cases.
Rosemary still cannot speak to Clayton himself, but feels the next best thing
would be to speak to his mother, Hazel. With Hazel living in Union City, Nathan
agrees to help Rosemary organize an interview. He also informs Bill and
Rosemary how Clayton is transferring prisons soon, so he’ll try to get an
interview for Rosemary. The original plan was for Rosemary to travel to Union
City for her interview with Hazel. But plans change when Hazel ends up visiting
Rosemary in Hope Valley. During the interview, Hazel claims she and Clayton
were at a political event around the time Lucas was shot. She even shares how
Clayton was taking care of her after she had injured her hip. Hazel received
money for surgery a week before Lucas became injured. She says a friend of
Clayton’s gave her the money, sharing how Clayton and the friend met at church.
While Hazel was at the hospital, Montague paid her visit and gave her flowers.


Lucas is having difficulty finding investors for the hotel.
Though Montague’s and Jeanette’s offer are still on the table, Lucas would
rather not work with them. Out of desperation, Lucas asks Lee to help find
investors. Though Lee agrees to help, he even has no luck finding a solution. As
a last resort, Mr. Mitchell, who now works for Lucas, suggests using an
emergency fund to start the hotel. Henry, who has recently started working for
Lucas, believes this is a bad idea. His belief is based on how the money in the
emergency fund came from the people of places like Hope Valley. Henry tells
Lucas to step away from the hotel if no other options are available. But toward
the end of the episode, Lucas ends up calling Montague.

Since Tom Thornton came back to When Calls the Heart, I figured adding this picture of Tom and Jack to my re-cap made sense. Image created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel.

Minor stories:

Because so much emphasis was placed on the major stories,
there are no minor stories in this episode.

Birthday party set-up image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/food”>Food photo created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Some thoughts to consider:

·       Last month, Net (from It’s a Wonderful Movie)
shared an announcement about two new Signed, Sealed, Delivered movies.
One of these movies, currently titled “Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Moon
and Back”, revolves around the POstables going on a road trip to find a rock
star. You’re probably wondering what this Signed, Sealed, Delivered
movie has to do with this episode of When Calls the Heart. During his
time in Hope Valley, Tom briefly sang a song at the Queen of Hearts hotel. I’m
not sure if Max Lloyd-Jones sang in that scene or if the singing belonged to a
voice double. But if Max sang himself and if Signed, Sealed, Delivered’s
creative team wanted to utilize more talent from Hallmark’s community, I hope
Max stars in “Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Moon and Back” as the
aforementioned rock star!


·       I’m disappointed the music festival ended up
becoming a scam. With When Calls the Heart receiving a twelfth season, Hope
Valley’s choir traveling to Salt Lake City could have served as a two-part
season premiere. If When Calls the Heart’s creative team was interested
in creating movies again, the music festival may have been the plot of the
film. According to the trailer for the next episode, it looks like Hope Valley
will host their own music festival. With all this said, it feels like the show’s
writers forced the original music festival to fall through just to keep the
story in Hope Valley.


·       This episode is, so far, the best one from season
eleven! It was great to see Tom come back to the show. But it was also great to
see the script less drawn out than other episodes this season. There was more intrigue
from each featured story, which kept me invested in what was happening on
screen. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing how the story plays out in
next week’s episode!

Sunset image created by Photoangel at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background image created by Photoangel – Freepik.com</a>.<a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/red-sunset-clouds-over-trees_1254327.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What are your thoughts on this episode? Are you excited to
see Tom Thornton return to Hope Valley? Let me know in the comment section!


Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen

Sunset Over Hope Valley: Very Important Hope Valley People

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Shortly after Lee became Mayor, Rosemary suggests organizing
an event to allow Hope Valley’s residents to have a one-on-one meeting with
Lee. She creates a list of notable people who she’d like to invite, calling
these folks “Very Important Hope Valley People”. While some of these “Very
Important Hope Valley People” include Mike, Mei, and Ned, this quote from
Rosemary brings up an excellent point. There are several characters on When
Calls the Heart that have returned season after season. Over the years,
characters like Elizabeth, the Coulters, and Lucas have become beloved within
the Heartie community. Well liked characters, such as Tom Thornton, Jesse, and
Clara have left a memorable impression during their time on the show. An
argument can be made how every character, whether they’ve made a brief
appearance in Hope Valley or have made the town their permanent residence,
makes up the “Very Important Hope Valley People”. The talents, skills,
personalities, and connections of every character make When Calls the Heart
what it is today!

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there will be spoilers within this re-cap.

When Calls the Heart season eleven poster created by Hallmark Media, Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel

Season: 11

Episode: 6

Name: Believe

Major stories:

With the Jack Thornton School being integrated into the
valley school district, Elizabeth is expecting a visit from Mr. Wilcox, the valley
school district’s superintendent. Plans change when Thomas Higgins becomes the
new superintendent and pays Elizabeth a visit instead. The purpose of the visit
is to inform Elizabeth of the “guidelines” schools in the valley district must
follow. Because there is a history between Thomas and Elizabeth, he tries to
use intimidation to get Elizabeth to make certain choices. In a meeting about
these “guidelines”, Elizabeth addresses the use of standardized tests. She
fears these tests will limit her students’ academic potential, as she believes
her students learn best with more individualized teaching methods. Thomas doesn’t
agree with Elizabeth, suggesting how some students should be placed in
specialized schooling instead. Shortly after this meeting, Thomas meets Anna,
who is still working alongside Elizabeth. Later in the episode, Anna agrees to
go back to teaching college with Thomas. Anna explains to Elizabeth how Thomas
is organizing a recruiting opportunity for her career after college. Concerned
for Anna’s safety and Thomas’ constant intimidation, Elizabeth turns to Nathan
to share her history with Thomas. While attending teaching college, Elizabeth
caught Thomas’ attention. Since Thomas was the head of the teaching college at
the time, he possessed power and influence. At first, Elizabeth was flattered by
the attention she was receiving from Thomas. But over time, he became more obsessed
with Elizabeth, to the point where he adopted unprofessional behavior. With
this information in mind, Nathan and Elizabeth organize a meeting in an attempt
to get Thomas to confess to his poor choices. This plan works and Nathan warns
Thomas of the charges he’ll be given. To utilize the power he has, Thomas turns
to Lucas and shares this meeting between him, Elizabeth, and Nathan. Lucas
states how he believes Elizabeth as well as the other women that were
intimidated by Thomas. Because Thomas tries to intimidate Lucas into taking his
side, Lucas informs Thomas of other charges he will receive. Thomas leaves Hope
Valley a less powerful man than before he came to town.

While organizing a meeting between Lee and Hope Valley’s
residents, Rosemary is still investigating Lucas’ case. One day in town, she makes
a trip to town hall and delivers more documents relating to Pike. Rosemary
shares with Bill how she made a request to speak with Pike in jail, but the
request was denied by the judge.  Later
in the episode, Rosemary visits Bill at the saloon with an important piece of
information. According to Pike’s employment records, he worked for Union City
Holdings, the company Montague owned in season ten. This fuels Bill and
Rosemary’s belief that Montague may have played a role in Lucas’ case.

Magnifying glass image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/magnifying-glass-with-fingerprint-in-flat-style_2034684.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/flat”>Flat vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.


Minor stories:

Joseph attempts to write a letter to his brother, Jacob. His
attempts haven’t been fruitful, the words not coming to Joseph easily. In order
to help her husband, Minnie asks Joseph what he’d like to tell his brother.
Joseph shares how he would like to go back to the way things were. He also isn’t
aware of how his feud with Jacob started. Meanwhile, Mei is missing her
brother, who is a Merchant Marine. At the café with Mike, she reflects on her
mom’s cooking. This reflection inspires Mei to create a home cooked meal for
Mike. Though she has to specially order some ingredients and borrow a wok from
Florence, Mei accomplishes her goals and hosts a dinner date. Mike is not only
impressed with the food itself, he’s also impressed with Mei’s efforts to make
the date special. Mike proclaims how he’d like to be a part of Mei’s whole life.

Traditional Chinese dragon image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/design”>Design vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.


Some thoughts to consider:

·       
As I mentioned in this re-cap, Anna leaves Hope
Valley to return to teaching college with Thomas. Before she leaves, Anna
explains to Elizabeth how Thomas is organizing a recruiting opportunity for her
career after college. But during this explanation, Elizabeth doesn’t warn Anna
about the kind of person Thomas is. She also doesn’t share her story with Anna,
in the hope of preventing Anna from being in harms way. Even though Elizabeth
confronted Thomas, I wish Elizabeth had said something to Anna before she left
Hope Valley, especially since she knew what Thomas was capable of.

·       
With the eleventh season of When Calls the
Heart at the halfway point, I’d like to make an observation. It seems like
there are more sibling related stories this season compared to past seasons.
First, we have Mike dealing with the sibling rivalry of his sister, Maisie. Then,
Angela and Cooper worked through a feud after hearing a story about Joseph and
Jacob. Mei brought up her brother in this episode and Tom Thornton will come to
Hope Valley in the next episode. This overarching theme is one I definitely did
not expect this season!

·       
In my re-cap for this season’s first episode, I
commented on how the sign for the café changed from ‘Abigail’s Café’ to ‘The Café’.
This is not the only establishment in Hope Valley to receive a new sign. The
day care was given their own sign and the ‘Queen of Hearts Saloon’ is now the ‘Queen
of Hearts Hotel’. It makes me wonder if any more signs in Hope Valley will
change?

Sunset image created by Photoangel at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background image created by Photoangel – Freepik.com</a>.<a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/red-sunset-clouds-over-trees_1254327.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.


What are your thoughts on this episode? What do you think
Mike and Mei’s next date will be? Tell me in the comment section below!


Have fun in Hope Valley!

Sally Silverscreen














Celebrating 40 Years of ‘Murder, She Wrote’ with the Blogathon; Cabot Cove-thon!

On By 18cinemalane13 Comments

When I signed up for the It’s In The Name of The Title Blogathon, one of the movies I chose to review was Harry & Son starring Robby Benson. When I think of Robby, I think of how he voiced Beast in the 1991 animated film, Beauty and the Beast. Remembering how Angela Lansbury also starred in that film, I always thought it was a missed opportunity for Murder, She Wrote to not promote the 1991 movie, especially since the show was still a popular program at the time. This led me to realize Angela and Robby have another thing in common; they both starred in a project released in 1984. In Angela’s case, that program was Murder, She Wrote! In honor of the show’s 40th anniversary, I’m hosting Cabot Cove-thon! Because Murder, She Wrote is a multifaceted program, there are many ideas for blogathon participants to choose from. Here is a list of possible subjects:

Cabot Cove-thon banner created by me, Sally Silverscreen. Original picture found on IMDB.
  • Murder, She Wrote episodes
  • Characters, locations, or stories from the show
  • Actors, Actresses, behind-the-scenes team members, etc. who worked on Murder, She Wrote
  • Murder, She Wrote made-for-TV movies
  • Murder, She Wrote books
  • The Murder, She Wrote theme park attraction at Universal Studios Florida
  • Movies, tv shows/tv show episodes, or books taking place in a location featured on Murder, She Wrote (example: a movie set in Maine)
  • Movies, tv shows/tv show episodes, or books released between 1984 to 1996
  • Programs Angela Lansbury starred in (example: 1991’s Beauty and the Beast)

Cabot Cove-thon banner created by me, Sally Silverscreen. Original picture found on IMDB.

If you’re interested in joining Cabot Cove-thon and found an idea you’re interested in writing about, please read the official rules before signing up for the event.

  1. Please be respectful to your fellow blogathon participants and the subject you’re writing about
  2. Only new entries are allowed
  3. Participants are able to publish a maximum of four entries
  4. Only two blogathon participants are allowed to write about a blogathon subject (example: no more than two people can write about a specific Murder, She Wrote episode)
  5. Creativity and fun are encouraged
  6. Blogathon entries must be submitted between September 27th to October 1st
  7. If you plan to publish your entry earlier or later than the blogathon week, please let me know before the event
  8. If you’d like to join the blogathon, share your blogathon ideas in the comment section of this announcement post
  9. Feature one of the five blogathon banners anywhere in your entry
Cabot Cove-thon banner created by me, Sally Silverscreen. Original picture found on IMDB.

Cabot Cove-thon Participants

— Sally from 18 Cinema Lane — Editorial about Why Universal Orlando Resort Should Host Murder, She Wrote Weekend, Review of Murder, She Wrote: Dying to Retire by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain

— Kristen from Hoofers and Honeys — Review of The Harvey Girls (1946)

— Rebecca from Taking Up Room — Review of Death on the Nile (1978)

Cabot Cove-thon banner created by me, Sally Silverscreen. Original picture found on IMDB.
Cabot Cove-thon banner created by me, Sally Silverscreen. Original picture found on IMDB.

Take 3: Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans Review

On By 18cinemalane1 Comment

Despite Hallmark Mystery creating less mystery series, the Curious Caterer series is, in my opinion, the strongest film collection the network currently releases. While I found the first and third film to be fine, I quite liked the second film. So, I was very excited when I discovered Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans was on the horizon! What intrigued me about the newest chapter was how the story revolved around a costume party. There have been costume parties featured in other Hallmark Mystery productions. However, these parties have played such a minor role in the overall story. Based on the film’s promotional photos and trailer, it looked like the set and costume design were being taken seriously by Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans’ creative team. But I didn’t want to get my hopes up too high, as Hallmark Mystery’s presentations have, so far, been underwhelming. Was Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans Hallmark’s “diamond in the rough”? The only way to solve this mystery is to read my review!

Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans poster created by Timeless Pictures, Basset Hound Distribution, and Hallmark Media


Things I liked about the film:

The acting: Throughout the Curious Caterer series,
Nikki Deloach and Andrew W. Walker have had consistently strong on-screen
chemistry. What has made this chemistry work is how Nikki and Andrew give solid
performances individually and together! Now that Goldy and Tom’s relationship
has progressed to being a dating couple, there are more romantic, even flirty
interactions between the characters. A great example is when Goldy is setting
up the appetizers at the costume party. Attempting to impress Goldy, Tom recites
Shakespearian poetry. But during the recitation, Goldy discovers the poem is written
on Tom’s hand. The interaction was not only humorous, but also a sweet moment
shared by Tom and Goldy.  This sweetness
feels genuine, as smiles and a mutual fondness are presented through the
expressions and emotions Nikki and Andrew share on screen!

Besides the main stars, the supporting cast gave good
performances throughout Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans. One performance I
was really impressed with came from Brock Morgan! Introduced in Curious
Caterer: Fatal Vows as Detective Dave Trach, Brock reprises his role in
this new chapter of the series. Between these two films, Brock consistently
presented Dave with a serious persona. In Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans,
emotion was incorporated in more subtle, yet effective ways. While pursuing a
suspect, Dave’s father becomes injured. As the wound is being treated, Dave
shares a conversation with his father. If you look closely, you can see Dave is
shaking during this conversation, showing how the situation affected him.
Another scene shows Dave receiving terrible news. Throughout that scene, Dave
is visibly upset, his mouth formed into a frown and his eyes showing a look of discouragement.
But as the scene progresses, tears slowly appear in Dave’s eyes. After watching
this movie, I wish Brock Morgan was given a starring role in a Hallmark
production!


The mystery: As I brought up in the introduction, the story
of Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans revolves around a costume party. But
during this party, a snowstorm forces the guests to stay in a castle with
little to no technology. These elements create a locked room mystery, with the
characters utilizing the skills and tools they have at their disposal. While
trying to piece the mystery together, Goldy and company use tapestry as a
mystery board. Name cards, antique looking paper, and even caricature drawings
make up profiles for each suspect. Because Tom, Dave, and even Mason are guests
at the party, they don’t have their detective supplies with them. However, they
are able to use some of Goldy’s kitchen utensils, such as disposable gloves,
mason jars, and tweezers, to solve the case.  The ways the characters adapt to their environment
showcase the creativity of the film’s writing!


The incorporation of fencing: The costume party in Curious
Caterer: Foiled Plans was a fundraiser for Elk Park Prep Academy’s fencing
team. There were even fencing matches held during the party. Though it was
given a smaller role in the story, I liked the incorporation of fencing. In my
opinion, fencing is such an underrated sport, especially in the world of Hallmark
movies. Because the fencing team’s coach was one of the mystery’s suspects,
some brief insight into fencing was provided in the script. This served as a
short introduction of the sport for the film’s audience.


The humor: Adding humor to a Hallmark mystery program can be
tricky. Not enough humor may make a film too serious in nature. But incorporate
too much humor and the movie might feel too goofy. With Curious Caterer:
Foiled Plans, the overall humor was sprinkled throughout the story. This gave
the audience breaks from the darkness of the mystery while allowing the script
to be taken seriously. After the mystery had been introduced, Tom wonders who
among his group has a notebook with them. Because of the snowstorm, they can’t
reach their cars to retrieve a notebook. As everyone denies having a notebook
with them, Mason tells Tom how his pants don’t have pockets. This random comment
was funny because Mason answers Tom’s question without answering his question.

Castle photo created by Photoangel at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/old-castle-in-the-mountians_1286237.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/tree”>Tree image created by Photoangel – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

A random attraction: When Dave Trach was introduced in Curious
Caterer: Fatal Vows, he did not like Goldy’s friend, Marla. This dislike
was caused by Marla helping Tom with a case. In Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans, however, Marla and Dave act really friendly with
one another. They are so friendly, it feels like they are in a dating
relationship. To me, this attraction felt random because, from what I remember,
there were no hints that Dave and Marla were romantically interested in each
other. My guess is the film’s creative team made a weak attempt of including
the “enemies to lovers” trope.


Things that don’t make sense: After the story’s murder
victim was discovered, Dave’s father instructs the party’s guests to travel through
the castle in pairs. Later in the movie, Goldy’s daughter, Olive, finds a key
clue in the case. When this discovery was made, Goldy criticized Olive for
wandering the castle. Yet Olive did follow the instructions of Dave’s father,
as she made the case’s discovery while exploring the castle with a friend from her
school’s fencing team. This is just one example of parts of the story not
making sense.


An overshadowed crowd: A snowstorm causes the party’s guests
to remain stuck in the castle. The longer the mystery is drawn out, the more
frustrated the guests become. But this frustration isn’t really highlighted in
the story. Instead, the script focuses on the frustrations of the mystery’s
suspects. Because the crowd itself isn’t given as much attention in the story,
the magnitude of the crowd’s feelings is not felt. Though Goldy calms the crowd
by baking cookies and making hot chocolate, the crowd’s collective emotions remain
the same for most of the movie.

Magnifying fingerprints image created by Balintseby at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/glass”>Glass vector created by Balintseby – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/fingerprint-investigation_789253.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

When I reviewed Crimes of Fashion: Killer Clutch, I
shared how, at the time, I wasn’t impressed with Hallmark’s new mystery movies.
I was also not impressed with One Bad Apple: A Hannah Swensen Mystery,
as I found the film disappointing. After almost four months of underwhelming
productions, Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans was a much-needed breath of
fresh air! There are so many things this movie got right, such as the
creativity of the mystery itself. Other elements of the film were also well
delivered, like the set and costume design. I would say Curious Caterer:
Foiled Plans is the best chapter in this series. In fact, I’d say this is the
best mystery movie Hallmark has released this year, so far! Because the bar was
raised so high in Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans, I’m not sure how Curious
Caterer’s creative team will be able to top this film. But not matter where
the story goes, I’m pretty sure the Curious Caterer series will maintain
the momentum they’re currently traveling on!


Overall score: 8 out of 10

Have you seen Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans? Would you like to see more movies in the Curious Caterer series? Let me know in the comment section!


Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen