Hallmark Channel is making an unusual move. They’ve decided to change their Signed, Sealed, Delivered series from a regular weekly series to a series of two-hour movies on sister channel Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.
The first new movie — Signed, Sealed, Delivered For Christmas — will air on November 23rd. Three more films are expected for 2015.
Here are the details:
CROWN MEDIA FAMILY NETWORKS ANNOUNCES ‘SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED’ FROM MARTHA WILLIAMSON, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF ‘TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL,’ MOVES TO HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES WITH NEW EXTENDED FORMAT
Franchise to Include Multiple 2-Hour Original Movies; First Film, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered For Christmas,” Premieres November 23
Crown Media Family Networks announced today that Hallmark Channel original weekly scripted series, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” executive produced and written by Martha Williamson (Executive Producer of “Touched by an Angel”), will move to sister network Hallmark Movies & Mysteries as a movie franchise consisting of a series of two-hour original films. Debuting on November 23 at 9pm ET/PT, 8C, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered For Christmas” will be the first movie in the franchise, with three more slated for 2015.
“We are delighted to be continuing our partnership with Martha Williamson and to bring her brand of rich and poignant stories to viewers on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries,” said Michelle Vicary, executive vice president, programming and network publicity, Crown Media Family Networks. “At their core, the narratives on ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered’ revolve around mystery and suspense, with compelling characters and dramatic storylines that will be enhanced by an extended format.”
“When Bill Abbott and Michelle Vicary asked if I can evolve the ‘Signed Sealed Delivered’ franchise into a series of movies, I was honored to continue the Hallmark tradition of quality family movies,” said series Creator and Executive Producer Martha Williamson. “At the heart of ‘Signed Sealed Delivered’ is Oliver, a modern day gentleman with old world values played brilliantly by Eric Mabius,” she added. “He and his wonderful team of postal detectives will continue to surprise us and sometimes make us laugh as they work to solve mysteries behind letters, even mysteries of life.”
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries will introduce viewers to the “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” franchise by airing a marathon of the series on Saturday, October 11 from 11am – 11pm ET/PT, 10C.
Returning as the “POstables,” Oliver O’Toole (Eric Mabius, “Ugly Betty”), Shane McInerney (Kristin Booth, “Orphan Black”), Rita Haywith (Crystal Lowe, “Smallville”) and Norman Dorman (Geoff Gustafson “Primeval: New World”) will take millions of viewers on new adventures as they uncover the mysteries of lost missives and return them to their intended recipients, profoundly changing lives in the process.
“Signed, Sealed, Delivered” is a comedic drama that follows the lives of a group of postal workers who transform themselves into an untraditional team of detectives to track down intended recipients of undeliverable mail. Their missions take them out of the office into an unpredictable world where redirected letters and packages can save lives, solve crimes, reunite old loves and change futures by arriving late but somehow on time.
“Signed, Sealed, Delivered” is a Muse Entertainment production in association with MoonWater Productions. Executive Producers are Martha Williamson (“Touched by an Angel”), Joel S. Rice (“Cyberbully”) and Michael Prupas (“The Kennedys”). Harvey Kahn (“The Haunting Hour”) is the producer.
ABOUT HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES
Recently rebranded from Hallmark Movie Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries is a 24-hour digital cable network featuring a unique mix of content, including all new original movies that are dramatic, cinematic and thought-provoking; new original mystery movies that focus on the lighter side of the suspense genre, as well as classic acquired series such as Murder She Wrote, Matlock, and Perry Mason. The network is also home to annual holiday programming franchise, the Most Wonderful Movies of Christmas, as well as presentations from the award-winning Hallmark Hall of Fame library. One of television’s leading destinations for compelling family-friendly entertainment, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries can be seen in 55 million homes in SD (Standard Definition) and HD (High Definition) and remains one of the fastest-growing networks in cable. Along with sister network, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries is the second linear channel from Crown Media Holdings, Inc.
ABOUT MUSE ENTERTAINMENT
Muse Entertainment is a leading film and television production company and international distributor known for its well-crafted and high-quality productions. Since its founding in 1998, Muse Entertainment has won over 100 awards and garnered over 300 international award nominations. Muse Entertainment is currently shooting the 6-hour event series “Tut” in Morocco and the second season of the sci-fi series “Helix” in Montreal. Most recently the company produced four seasons of the supernatural dramatic series “Being Human”, the first season of the dramedy series “Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” two seasons of the wartime dramatic series “Bomb Girls” and several TV movies for Disney and Hallmark channels. Muse’s 8-hr. historical drama “The Kennedys,” sold to networks around the world by Muse Distribution International, earned 10 Emmy Award nominations, winning four, as well as the DGA award for best director. Its 8-hour event series” Pillars of the Earth” also won an Emmy and many other awards. Muse’s other award-winning programs are “Cyberbully,” “Durham County” (Seasons I, II, III), “Ben Hur,” “The Last Templar,” “Impact,” “Human Trafficking,” “Answered by Fire,” “This is Wonderland” and “Tales from the Neverending Story.” Muse Entertainment maintains production and development operations in Montreal, Los Angeles, Toronto and Vancouver. For more information, please visit www.muse.ca
ABOUT MARTHA WILLIAMSON
Martha Williamson made television history when her CBS series “Touched By An Angel” set a new standard for an inspirational family drama when it grew to a weekly audience of 25 million viewers during its initial nine year run. As Executive Producer of the ground-breaking series, she was the visionary who guided the series into previously uncharted territory with her unique brand of storytelling that produced more than strong ratings; it changed lives. She went on to seal her place in history when she became the first woman to solely executive produce two one-hours simultaneously with “Promised Land,” which aired for three years on CBS. She began her career in comedy with the producing teams for Carol Burnett and Joan Rivers and went on to write and produce situation comedies such as “The Facts of Life,” “Family Man” and “Jack’s Place” for all the networks before making the transition to one-hour drama. Her work has been inducted into the Television and Radio Hall of Fame and honored with numerous awards, including the Edward R. Murray Responsibility in Television Award, the Templeton Prize Epiphany Award and nine Emmy(R) nominations.
What do you think? Is this a good move? Would you prefer that it continue as a weekly series or are you okay with a series of movies instead?
Please bring back the weekly series. The characters, content, and main ideas are so top-notch -rare in many series these days. My sister loves it too & can only get the regular Hallmark channel vs the Movies & Mysteries one.
It’s disappointing that we have come to be so fond of this show on the Hallmark Channel only to have any possibility of watching transferred to a channel that’s not available to us. I’m sure Hallmark has researched the numbers and made a decision they feel is best for their bottom line, and I’m sure that an original series is more expensive to broadcast than endless reruns of the Waltons. But it is very disappointing…
Please bring the series back.
I am disappointed Hallmark will no longer be showing Signed, Sealed , Delivered weekly. It is a super family series and a much needed weekly show to look forward to. I hope this decision will be brought back to the table for discussion, and you will decide to return to weekly shows. Not everyone has the luxury of watching a two hour show, .so please reconsider. Thank you.,
i enjoyed watching the series and I would prefer a weekly series. However I would enjoy mysteries for Christmas, Valentines day, Thanksgiving maybe even Veterans day.
Total bummer! Wholesome t.v. Shows are becoming as extinct as dinosaurs!
My entire family enjoyed watching a wholesome program together and are disappointed that it will no longer be a weekly series. The Christmas series was wonderful. Hopefully, the network will rethink this decision since there is very little family programming available.
So sorry to hear that this excellent series won’t be seen every week…this is not much on tv as it is…I think this will prove to be a bad decision.
Big disappointment – loved the series. It’s a shame that Hallmark is making this change just to make more money. How much money does it need???
I looked forward to the weekly series as “Signed Sealed Delivered” We finally get to watch something that is a feel good and heart warming show. Now I’m at the mercy of wondering when the next “movie” will be aired and will I miss it. If you are interested in selling the movies then you know you can also sell the series as well. NCIS is a prime example of selling their episodes. Please do not do away with the series. If you want to make movies the suggestion was made to make movies around the holidays like the Christmas… Read more »
I really loved the “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” movies & the TV series on Hallmark. I think the show should continue as a series. The cast is stellar and should be allowed to build as a series!
Disappointed in your decision not to have Signed Sealed Delivered to come back as a series. Wrong move. I loved the weekly series.
Love the Series — I think the 2-hour movie would be OK a couple times of year to enhance the series. However, the weekly show is fabulous. The cast seems to work great together, the characters are unique, endearing and believable; and the stories are wonderful. I think you’ve got a great idea and a great concept. Please keep it going as a Series. Thanks for your consideration. Definitely has a Touched by an Angel “feel” — its a great program. Thanks to the cast for a job well done; and to Martha Williamson. Hope you are back as a… Read more »
I know what Hallmark is doing! They are making these into movies so they can SELL THE DVD’S!!! THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE AFTER WITH THIS SHOW BECAUSE THE DVD MOVIES WILL MAKE THEM MONEY GALORE! Why make a weekly series when you can sell a DVD PER MOVIE??? WRONG MOVE, Corporate!!! Can’t you SEE how MANY PEOPLE LOVE THIS “WEEKLY” SHOW? Go ahead and disappoint your viewers! It won’t be the first time and DEFINITELY WON’T BE THE LAST! This show did SO GREAT ALL you see is DOLLAR SIGNS! You can’t fool ANY of us! I’m ashamed… Read more »
I sure HOPE that the Hallmark Channel, NOW Hallmark Movies and Mysteries SEES ALL OF THESE COMMENTS about how UPSET WE ARE that Signed, Sealed, Delivered will NO LONGER BE A WEEKLY SERIES, but made into ONLY MOVIES!
Surely you can see we ALL WANT THIS SHOW AS A WEEKLY SHOW LIKE YOU WERE DOING IT!
WHY change such a GREAT thing when you have it? I seriously HOPE you consider each and every one of these comments and BRING THIS SHOW BACK AS A WEEKLY SERIES!
Thank you,
Laurie Carlson