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?
My family so enjoyed this series, please re-think/change your decision !!!!!!!!
cal lme greedy-I wouldn’t mind both.
I LOVE the series Signed Sealed Delivered!!! I would really like to see it as a weekly series more than movies but would enjoy both because there are not many NEW wholesome television series these days that doesn’t have inappropriate content. Please don’t stop this series. I love it!
I love this show. I have been waiting for it to come back in 2015 and found out this date, of the different format of 2 hour movies. I’ll take anything – just continue to bring this wonderful writing back. The actors are terrific and believable. So, heartwarming and good to have depth to the characters. Hallmark continues to take me back to a time when doing something right was considered honorable instead now when most of other TV shows stress what feels right.
Thank you Hallmark and please, please continue with SS&Delivered
So directv only carries this channed in HD and I don’t have an HD tv. Boohoo
I am VERY disappointed that the show is no longer a weekly show. I don’t want to have to wait for long periods of time to see “movies” of this show. What were they thinking?!?!
I loved the series it was in my opinion one of most interesting shows on TV BooHoo
I have been searching and anxiously waiting for the season premiere a i absolutely love this show i have not enjoyed or been emotionally touched by a show since touched by a angel which i still tevo and watch the reruns. What a rotten way to start the new year i do not get your sister channel and will not be able to watch the movies please put the show back on the hallmark channel so all of us who have grown to love this show and the wonderful characters can continue to watch
Boo!! We loved this show and was looking forward to its return. Hard to find real, wholesome, heartwarming Christian based programming…please reconsider.
I can’t believe you are changing this to a movie. I loved the weekly show! I don’ think you really care about us the viewers. We finally find a wholesome show to watch in the mist of much trash that’s on TV and you have no regard for the viewers.
I fell in love with the characters and the series and I am disappointed that it will now be available only on the HMM channel in movie format. I am surprised that Hallmark would make this choice since the series was so fantastically received and supported by viewers and now many viewers will not even see the movies if their cable/dish package doesn’t carry HMM. I am fortunate to have both channels, but it seems unfair to change what was so obviously such a huge hit and so popular on the Hallmark Channel. I think this is a mistake. But,… Read more »
This is really sad news – Hallmark please consider putting this back on as a weekly series! My husband and I really enjoyed this series. We cannot get the “sister” channel. If you are determined to do this then at least keep the show/movies on the original Hallmark channel so those of us that cannot get the other channel will have an opportunity to watch what we were waiting on, even though it will be in a movie format instead. One more time, please go back to your original format!
I think it stinks that they are making movies now instead. It is just a ploy to have people expand their channels so that people who liked the series will need to spend more money just to continue to watch it. Hallmark should be ashamed! If this was the way to move the series along, it should be available to us who originally watched the series on the Hallmark Channel. I cannot afford to expand my channels, so unfortunately I will not be able to continue to enjoy this series. Shame on Hallmark!
I am truly disappointed that the series will not be returning in 2015. It is the only tv series I’ve ever been excited to watch. I am certainly happy to hear that there will be movies to continue the storyline; however, I want both the movies and the series. The faith, hope, and love the shows remind us to hold onto, and share with others is what kept me coming back for more. Plus, I love the chemistry between the would be couples. I remain grateful for the stories and excited about the upcoming movies. I even upgraded my satellite… Read more »
I loved this series and was looking forward to a weekly series. I’m sad to see it is reduced to just three 2-hr movies. Too bad. I liked the fresh approach and new concept of a Post Office team working to help others. Very unique. I hope you will reconsider.
In the meantime, can I purchase the DVD’s for the series you have already shown?
Donna from Naples