HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES ANNOUNCES NEW INSTALLMENTS OF RETURNING FRANCHISES, ALL-NEW MOVIES FROM AL ROKER, JUDY SMITH AND UPCOMING ORIGINAL WORLD PREMIERES

HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES ANNOUNCES NEW INSTALLMENTS OF RETURNING FRANCHISES, ALL-NEW MOVIES FROM AL ROKER, JUDY SMITH AND UPCOMING ORIGINAL WORLD PREMIERES

New Movies for Popular Mystery Franchises “Garage Sale Mystery,” “Aurora Teagarden,” “Gourmet Detective,” “Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” “Hailey Dean Mysteries,” and “Fixer Upper Mystery” Will Return to the Network

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – July 27, 2017 – Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, the premiere television destination for thrilling mysteries, will present a slate of new, original world premiere movies for its upcoming program schedule.  Cable television’s fastest-growing network unveiled plans for new movie installments of its returning popular mystery franchises, along with two newly developed deals: one with Al Roker (“Today”) that stars Holly Robinson Peete (“Chicago Fire,” “Angel of Christmas”) and one with crisis management expert, Judy Smith.  The announcement was made today as part of Crown Media Family Networks’ bi-annual TV Critics Association Press Tour. Viewers will be treated to more of their favorite mysteries with new installments of “Garage Sale Mystery” starring Lori Loughlin (“Fuller House”); “Aurora Teagarden” starring Candace Cameron Bure (“Fuller House”) and Marilu Henner (“Taxi”); “Gourmet Detective” starring Dylan Neal ( Fifty Shades of Grey ) and Brooke Burns (“The Chase”); “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” starring Eric Mabius (“Ugly Betty”), Kristin Booth (“Orphan Black”), Crystal Lowe (“Primeval: New World”) and Geoff Gustafson (“Rogue”); “Hailey Dean Mysteries” starring Kellie Martin (“ER,” “The Guest Book”) and “Fixer Upper Mysteries” starring Grammy Award nominee Jewel and Colin Ferguson (“The Vampire Diaries”). Building on these audience favorites, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries will release new, original world premieres.  These highly anticipated mysteries include “Darrow & Darrow” (working title) from Emmy Award ® Winner Phoef Sutton (“Cheers,” “Boston Legal”) starring Kimberly Williams-Paisley (“Father of the Bride”), Tom Cavanagh (“The Flash,” “Ed”) and Wendie Malick (“Hot in Cleveland”) and “The Midnight Show Murders,” based on the book penned by Al Roker and Dick Lochte, which will star Holly Robinson Peete.  Also new to the network is the original world premiere movie “The Adjuster,” which is loosely based on the real-life experiences and professional work of Judy Smith, crisis management expert and inspiration for the TV series “Scandal.” Viewers have made Hallmark Movies & Mysteries the home for mysteries on cable television, as reflected in a raise in ratings continuing in 2017.  The second quarter of 2017 tied the fourth quarter of 2016 as the network’s highest quarter ever among Total Day HH delivery, and the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Original Movie Premieres during that quarter were up year over year by +59% among W25-54.  Most recently, June 2017 became the network’s highest June in history among Total Day HH, W18-49, A18-49, A25-54, and Total Viewer delivery, and became Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ second highest month ever behind an astronomical December 2016 among Total Day HH delivery.*


“Our viewers have really responded to the suspense, sleuthing and thrills in our original movies, and we are excited to deliver even more high quality mystery content through the rest of the year and in to 2018,” said Michelle Vicary, Executive Vice President, Programming and Network Publicity, Crown Media Family Networks.  “We know they will love the new installments of their favorite franchises and are confident that they’ll embrace the new mysteries we have in store.”

* Source: The Nielsen Company: 2Q17 (3/27 – 6/25/17) 4Q16 (9/26 – 12/25/ 16) June 2017 (6/29 – 7/25/17).  Total Day (Mon – Sun 6A - 6A).