Brooding anti-heroes, scheming politicians, terrorists, serial killers, drug lords, gangs, mobsters…just an average news day? Oops, I left out ever-famished zombies! Welcome to “edgy” television…
Now “edgy” can be cool for sure, but some shows can’t hide their obsession with it. It’s like having a “tell” in a poker game…others will notice. In the end, perhaps quality should be the main obsession…
The HALLMARK CHANNEL thinks so. They are the antithesis of “edgy”, yet they engage their audience with more button-pushing than a 9 am elevator in the Empire State Building. Romance, drama, laughs, love, relationship issues, happy tears, friends, family, characters & more drive a growing roster of original series, movies & holiday movies.
And then, there’s the weekly Twitter party! Everyone’s invited. For days leading up to an episode or original movie (or both), stars, fans and network all treat the residents of Twitterville to an electronic cacophony of “can’t waits”! On Saturday nights, the same stars, fans and network all get together to watch…East Coast & West Coast airings! Hallmark content inspires SUPER FANS! They create Twitter accounts and Facebook pages for each show that explode with news, rumors, what ifs, and chats! When they get together on social media with the stars and network it’s like all are watching around a REALLY big television! The Super Fans may have their favorites, but they are deeply loyal to all Hallmark series & movies.
Hit series CEDAR COVE is building to a season finale crescendo! The series stars are amazing social media participants (Twitter addresses below). Andie MacDowell and Teryl Rothery are engaging with all, and you can rely on Dylan Neal, Sebastian Spence, Sarah Smyth, Brennan Elliott, Julia Benson, Bruce Boxleitner to watch and tweet with you. And then…a special nod to Barbara Niven. She is the Derek Jeter of Cedar Cove star tweeting. She can watch, tweet, correspond (with fans, cast & network), make dinner, do the dishes, bake cookies, and polish her nails…and that’s all before the first act break! They’re a terrific cast and great with fans! And talk about kinship (!) Hallmark stars from OTHER series join in sibling series Twitter fun! Don’t be surprised (for instance) to find Lori Loughlin from WHEN CALLS THE HEART tweeting in the mix for Cedar Cove. Everybody is welcoming & having quite the good time!
For women, watching Hallmark Channel is like hanging out with friends. For guys…once the fear that it might lower their testosterone subsides, they give in…maybe watch a holiday movie first. “Hey, this is okay!” Then, a bigger test…that special woman catches them off guard and asks them to watch Cedar Cove, or When Calls the Heart, or Signed Sealed & Delivered. Face it guys, you know you won’t be sharing that at the weekly softball game, but you also know you score points when you watch with her…double points if you ‘fess up and admit you like what you’re watching! You can score points helping around the house too…but this is more entertaining.
Okay, so if you want to get in on the fun, and really do it right, follow this array of Stars, Super Fans, and Network contacts on Twitter and join them on Facebook. And don’t pick and choose! They will ALL make you feel glad to be on board…
Cedar Cove Stars
Twitter: @cedarcovetv / @BarbaraNiven / @AndieMacDowell3 / @boxleitnerbruce / @brennan_elliott / @DylanNealStudio / @SpenceSebastian / @SaraSmyth24 /@terylrothery / @Julia_Benson /
Cedar Cove Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/CedarCOVErs/
When Calls The Heart Stars
Twitter: @LoriLoughlin / @erinkrakow / @Dlissing /@WCTH_TV / @WCTHseries
When Calls The Heart Facebook (more than 19,000 Fans & growing…FAST!)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/544632748969161/
Signed, Sealed & Delivered Stars
@geoffgustafson, @kristinbooth, @RealCrystalLowe @Eric_Mabius @SSDFanPage /@SSD_TV
https://www.facebook.com/groups/607980575958599/ (Fan Facebook)
https://www.facebook.com/signedsealeddeliveredtv
SUPER FANS
@Debdebbailey / @sassylibrarian / @MarisaCorser / @LisaColang / @meeker_lori / @scooper1230 / @CamilleEide / @ladava / @VetterTrudy
@tvmoviesparks88 / @Heather_Lawton /@Southern_SuzzyQ / @Kimberly_Austin /@AllysonLapp /@audreyandray / @bethpranke
Note: There are MANY SuperFans, but these standouts create/administer to fan pages and just carry the public discourse with infectious enthusiasm.
HALLMARK CHANNEL (Ringleaders!)
@hallmarkchannel /@pamslay
Hallmark Channel Website:
http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/
ALL IMAGES ABOVE COURTESY OF CROWN MEDIA FAMILY NETWORKS
FAN SCOOP: A marathon of Signed, Sealed & Delivered will air on Hallmark Movie & Mysteries Channel on Saturday, 10/11/14 from 11am-11pm. It will start with the 2-hr movie pilot and then all 10 episodes.
Lastly, a big thanks to Stevie Wilson for the guest blog slot. I don’t know how she does it! Lots of layers to this, but she’s brilliant at it. Not only does she provide cool, unusual lifestyle coverage multiple times a day, this site will also be getting a new look very soon (don’t worry, all of her great older blogs will be accessible). Follow her with reckless abandon on Twitter: @LAStory
Cheers,
Thom Rafferty
@TSRLA
I find American TV totally confusing! You have so much variety!!!
I agree that the variety/number of shows across the landscape can overwhelm, but the trick is to “sample” and find the ones you connect with. Hallmark Channel and its fans have a special relationship. For all of them it seems that quality and a shared experience walk hand in hand.
What a great review! I agree with you wholeheartedly Thom and may I also acknowledge your very respectful nod to Barbara Niven who is by and far the Social Media queen of Cedar Cove! Even Bruce Boxleitner thinks she is… he made reference to the fact in his Home and Family interview with Barbara earlier this week! She is always armed with the iPhone creating her own Reality TV show while they are on set filming Hallmark’s #1 Show. Maybe Hallmark should think about creating their own Reality TV show … we all know a great host when we see one! 😉
Thanks Sue and you are absolutely spot on about that “host thing”. She could alternate between that and Cedar Cove. Double dose! Fans would love it!!
This is keeping pace with all those new productions at Hulu and Netflix. I think it is funny that this is the new Hallmark.. They have come a long way, baby.
I am completely intrigued and so excited! I feel as though my creative thought and fantasy, my imagination, has gone to the dogs with all of the reality shows. Looking forward to some quality entertainment!
Erika, you will fit in perfectly with these Super Fans and the Stars too! I suspect many you follow will follow back because they all have this great kindred spirit…inspired by quality entertainment…same as you!
Great article! My husband has sat through many episodes of Cedar Cove and original movies. I don’t think he’ll admit to loving them, but he currently doesn’t hate them – which I see as a good sign! Thanks for all the social media links too!
Kristen, you are a perfect example…a true Super Fan! Your “good sign” observation made me grin. Very happy to provide the social media links…and I appreciate you noting them. I think compiling them all was the hardest part of this post. Thank you!