or


[03/21/13 - 11:37 AM]
Hallmark Channel Redoubles Commitment to Building a Lineup of Quality Original Scripted Series for Primetime
On tap is the 10-episode serial "When Calls the Heart", based on the book series by best-selling author Janette Oke.

[via press release from The Hallmark Channel]

HALLMARK CHANNEL REDOUBLES COMMITMENT TO BUILDING A LINEUP OF QUALITY ORIGINAL SCRIPTED SERIES FOR PRIMETIME

NETWORK'S SECOND ORIGINAL SCRIPTED SERIES, "WHEN CALLS THE HEART" GREENLIT FOR 10 EPISODES; 2 NEW SERIAL PROJECTS IN DEVELOPMENT

Hallmark Channel announced today that it is doubling down on its commitment to developing new original scripted series for primetime, greenlighting the 10-episode serial, "When Calls the Heart", based on the book series by best-selling author, Janette Oke. The movie pilot for "When Calls the Heart" debuts on the channel on October 5, 2013, while the series will premiere in January 2014.

"When Calls the Heart" is the network's second original scripted series, following "Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove", which premieres on July 20 with a two-hour movie event, followed by new one hour episodes every Saturday beginning July 27.

In addition, Hallmark Channel is in development on two more pilot-to-series projects, including "My Gal Sunday", based on a book of short stories by best-selling author Mary Higgins Clark, and "Dead Letters", developed by Martha Williamson, creator of "Touched by An Angel".

"Adding original scripted series to our primetime lineup is the natural next step in Hallmark Channel's evolution and one we feel will pay off in a big way for our viewers, distributors, and advertisers," said Michelle Vicary. "And by strategically rooting these series in the vivid imaginations of master storytellers like Debbie Macomber, Martha Williamson, and Janette Oke, we simply bring our viewers more of what they already love about Hallmark Channel - just in a different form."

Based on Janette Oke's bestselling Canadian West series of books, "When Calls the Heart" is the story of Elizabeth Thatcher, a young teacher accustomed to her high society life, who receives her first classroom post in a prairie town in the Western Frontier. She is determined to prove to her family she is brave enough to live on her own, but struggles with her own fears and doubts. But when she discovers her late Aunt's secret diary, Elizabeth learns she was a pioneer woman herself, a teacher in the frontier who struggled with prairie life and fell in love with a Royal Canadian Mountie. Inspired by her aunt's hopeful words and unfaltering determination, Elizabeth decides to embark on her own adventure, using the diary as her guide and family friend Edward, another Mountie, as her support. Stars: Maggie Grace, Jean Smart, Lori Loughlin, Poppy Drayton, and Stephen Amell.

Following is a more in-depth look at Hallmark Channel's scripted series in development:

MARY HIGGINS CLARK'S MY GAL SUNDAY
Based on the book of short stories by Mary Higgins Clark, "My Gal Sunday" follows the husband and wife crime solving duo of Sunday and Henry Parker. Parker, an ex-Vice President of the United States and Sunday, a legal aid lawyer are celebrating their first wedding anniversary when Parker assists Sunday in snaring a murderer and he takes a bullet in the arm in the process. As they later head off on a romantic weekend getaway, they are kidnapped and taken to a remote, abandoned farmhouse where the kidnapper demands the release of a dangerous, notorious former hit man. Both Parker and Sunday assume the ex-Vice President must be the target but as time ticks down and Parker becomes desperately ill from his untended wound, Sunday musters all her brilliant skills and bravado to confront and expose the kidnapper - realizing that she is his true target of vengeance. Mary Higgins Clark's crime solving duo, is one of two new pilot-to-series projects currently in development.

DEAD LETTERS
Created by bestselling author Martha Williamson, "Dead Letters," follows a quirky quartet of civil servants in the Dead Letter Office of the US Postal System who transform themselves into an elite team of lost-mail detectives. Their determination to deliver the undeliverable takes them out of the post office into an unpredictable world where letters and packages from the past save lives, solve crimes, reunite old loves and change futures by arriving late but always miraculously on time. The intrepid bunch is led by the charming and handsome (but idiosyncratic) Oliver who still considers the stamped and mailed letter to be the gold standard of human communication. His hapless team of lost letter experts, free-spirited Rita and oddly-intuitive Norman, are thrown for a loop when a beautiful, no-nonsense technophile named Shane is mistakenly transferred to their inner sanctum. Shane inspires the lovable crew to step up in a risky and unorthodox way, beginning with a chance to clear the name of a wrongfully accused man and reconnect him with the love of his life. "Dead Letters" is one of two new pilot-to-series projects currently in development for Hallmark Channel. Premieres: October 19 @ 9p.m. ET/PT, 8C.

Hallmark Channel, owned and operated by Crown Media Holdings, Inc., is a 24-hour basic cable network that provides a diverse slate of high-quality entertainment programming available in high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) to a national audience of 87 million subscribers. Hallmark Channel is the nation's leading destination for quality family programming with an ambitious slate of original TV movies and specials, as well as some of television's most beloved sitcoms and series, including The Golden Girls, Frasier, and Happy Days. The channel is also home to a range of lifestyle programming, anchored by Home & Family, a daily two-hour live show shot in a fully functional house located on the Universal Studios lot, and Marie, a one-hour talk show hosted by iconic entertainer, Marie Osmond. Hallmark Channel's sibling network, Hallmark Movie Channel, also available in HD and SD, focuses on family-friendly movies with a mix of original films, classic theatrical releases, and presentations from the acclaimed Hallmark Hall of Fame library.





  [march 2013]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
     


· CEDAR COVE (HALLMARK)
· MY GAL SUNDAY (HMC)
· SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED (HALLMARK)
· WHEN CALLS THE HEART (HALLMARK)





[10/30/25 - 11:03 AM]
Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Orange County" Three-Part Reunion Begins Thursday, Nov. 6 at 8 P.M. ET/PT
Host Andy Cohen is joined by Shannon Storms Beador, Heather Dubrow, Tamra Judge, Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson, Jennifer Pedranti and Katie Ginella to reflect on an emotionally charged season 19 that led to shifting alliances and broken trust within the group.

[10/30/25 - 10:52 AM]
Video: National Geographic Documentary Films Unveils Trailer and Theatrical Release Dates for Award-Winning "The Tale of Silyan"
The award-winning documentary will make its theatrical debut this fall, opening in select U.S. theaters on November 28 and in U.K. cinemas on December 12.

[10/30/25 - 10:33 AM]
FX's "Adults" Renewed for Second Season on Hulu
The comedy follows a group of twenty-somethings in New York trying to be good people, despite being neither "good" nor "people" yet.

[10/30/25 - 10:01 AM]
Hulu's "King of the Hill" Renewed for Seasons 16 and 17
The upcoming 15th season of "King of the Hill" will premiere on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the US, and on Disney+ internationally in 2026.

[10/30/25 - 09:30 AM]
Video: Starz Unveils Trailer Full of Sex and Slaughter for "Spartacus: House of Ashur" Premiering December 5
The outrageous new chapter in the world of "Spartacus" debuts with a two-episode premiere on Friday, December 5.

[10/30/25 - 08:06 AM]
ID November Programming Highlights
Look for newcomers "The Rocky Mountain Mortician Murder" and "Who Hired the Hitman?" alongside new seasons of "Body Cam" and "The Murder Tapes."

[10/30/25 - 06:38 AM]
FOX Nation to Premiere Season II of "Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints" on Sunday, November 16
Hosted, narrated and executive produced by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Martin Scorsese, the exclusive docudrama continues to illuminate the extraordinary lives of men and women who risked everything to embody humanity's most noble and complex trait - faith.

[10/30/25 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Stranger Things 5" - Official Trailer - Netflix
With Hawkins under lockdown, El in hiding and danger lurking at every turn, the entire party unites with a single goal: to hunt and kill Vecna.

[10/30/25 - 12:01 AM]
Deck the Halls This Holiday Season with Apple TV
Get in the spirit with originals including "The Velveteen Rabbit," "Spirited" and "The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse," and themed specials from "The Snoopy Show," "Frog and Toad," "Shape Island," "Fraggle Rock," "Eva the Owlet" and more!

[10/29/25 - 11:43 PM]
Video: "Baramulla" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A dark secret comes to light. If you saw the truth, would you believe it?

[10/29/25 - 04:03 PM]
UPtv Adds Two More Premiere Movies to Its "Most Uplifting Christmas Ever" Lineup
The new titles just added to the lineup are "A Soldier for Christmas" premiering Saturday, November 8 at 7 p.m. ET and "The Best Thing About Christmas" premiering Saturday, December 20 at 8 p.m. ET.

[10/29/25 - 02:11 PM]
NBC Unveils Lineup of New and Returning Beloved Holiday Programming
"These holiday events and specials bring audiences together in ways nothing else can," said Jen Neal, Executive Vice President, Live Events and Specials, NBCUniversal Entertainment. "NBC is your home for heartwarming traditions, joyful celebrations, and unforgettable moments."

[10/29/25 - 11:37 AM]
FOX Entertainment Studios Inks First-Look Deal with Golden Globe-Winning and Academy Award and Emmy-Nominated Powerhouse Taraji P. Henson's TPH Entertainment
Under this partnership, Henson will serve as executive producer and content originator for both scripted and unscripted television programming, spanning comedy, drama, and reality formats.

[10/29/25 - 10:01 AM]
Netflix Wins Hostage Thriller "Rabbit, Rabbit" in a Competitive Situation; Orders Hot Package Straight to Series
Starring Adam Driver, the series comes from writer Peter Craig and director Philip Barantini.

[10/29/25 - 10:00 AM]
Acorn TV's Fan Favorite Crime Drama "Harry Wild" Returns for a Feature-Length Special on November 24
The special will wrap up season four of the series where, after an apparent poisoning occurs at Vicky's (Danielle Ryan) and Cormac's (Muiris Crowley) wedding, Harry (Jane Seymour) springs into action, alongside the FBI.