Christmas film juggernaut Hallmark obtained into the fact TV sport final yr, and now, it is planning to essentially dive into the style. After airing Celebrations with Lacey Chabert and the competitors present Discovering Mr. Christmas, the community plans to speculate extra in actuality tv, and I’ve to say, I’ve blended emotions about this.
In accordance with The Hollywood Reporter, Hallmark plans to unveil a brand new slate of actuality tv reveals that may hopefully debut as a part of the 2025 TV schedule. Included within the lineup are second seasons for Celebrations with Lacey Chabert and Discovering Mr. Chrismtas, along with a brand new baking competitors present and a homicide thriller competitors collection, which might be excellent for Hallmark’s Thriller channel. The even higher information is that these new initiatives will debut on Hallmark first earlier than being accessible to stream the next day.
It looks as if the Hallmark executives are being cautious on the subject of exploring this style, branding the brand new reveals as “Actuality TV with Coronary heart.”
Now, as somebody who watched each 2024 Hallmark Christmas film, I’ve conflicting feelings in regards to the channel coming into its actuality TV period.
Hallmark Actuality TV Might Convey Some Wholesomeness To The Style
On one hand, I’m excited to see a lineup of actuality tv reveals which might be free from explosive and poisonous moments. As a lot as I really like Bravo’s The Actual Housewives franchises and even TLC’s 90 Day Fiancé and all its spin-offs, it’ll be refreshing to look at entertaining reveals which have rather less swearing and an entire lot much less combating.
In spite of everything, Discovering Mr. Christmas already proved you’ll be able to produce a contest collection with out contestants needing to backstab or lie their technique to the highest and nonetheless be entertaining. And with the brand new season debuting on the Hallmark channel first, much more individuals are going to get an opportunity to see the healthful present (and others prefer it) in motion.
However I’m Fearful About What It’ll Imply For Hallmark’s Scripted Tasks
As excited as I’m to see Hallmark discover a brand new style, I can’t assist however really feel a bit fearful about how that may have an effect on their scripted initiatives. In spite of everything, if the cable channel focuses quite a lot of its consideration and assets on these new unscripted initiatives, Hallmark staples, like their authentic Christmas films, may endure the implications.
Selecting now so as to add a brand new style into the combination is a little bit of a dangerous transfer, particularly with Hallmark’s Christmas film dealing with steep competitors from streamers like Netflix (who managed to nab Lacey Chabert for an authentic vacation film final yr) and Nice American Household (which is being held down by former Hallmark actress Candace Cameron Bure). To not point out {that a} healthful actuality TV present remains to be a reasonably new idea and goes to take some getting used to for avid actuality TV followers.
I feel it’s justifiable to be apprehensive about this transfer, given the state of the tv trade proper now, however I’m going to attempt to stay as optimistic as attainable. In spite of everything, loads of cable channels and corporations are in a position to juggle their scripted and unscripted reveals with out dropping high quality, so I’m certain Hallmark goes to do the identical.