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?
I am devastated. This is beyond heart breaking news. This is one of the few shows onthat the entire family could watch. This is a terrible move by the powers that be. In my opinion, Hallmark Channel has few other current appealing family shows to offer. Please bring Signed, Sealed, and Delivered back for a regular weekly series.
I am extremely disappointed in the decision to change the show’s format. I have followed the show from the very beginning episode and was looking forward to continuing to watch every week. I was especially thrilled that Carol Burnett appeared in the last episode and have waited anxiously for it’s return. Now I find that not only will it not be returning as a weekly feature but my cable provider does not carry the channel. As I read a few of the previous posts I noticed one which seemed to suggest that another feature that I really enjoy “When Calls… Read more »
I searched all over Hallmark for the Nov. 23 “Signed Sealed & Delivered” special with Marion Ross only to finally discover it will not be on Hallmark but on a cable network, which I do not receive. Please return it to Hallmark as a weekly series!! There are so few good programs to watch anymore, the public wants shows like this. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.
Bring it back as a weekly series on Hallmark!! Thank you.
I am very disappointed that Signed Sealed and Delivered won”t be a weekly series. I really enjoyed watching the series. I would like to see both weekly series and movies!
No, we are absolutely NOT ok with this terrible development! This is a great, entertaining program with wonderful actors/actresses. We LOVE this show and don’t understand why we are being robbed of getting to see it on a weekly basis. This is beyond insensitive to your loyal viewers! Other programming that was left on the Hallmark Channel does not measure up to this show. PLEASE, PLEASE bring Signed, Sealed, Delivered back to the Hallmark Channel !!!
I would like to see both the movies and the tv series continue. There is not much on cable, directv, or any other cable service or regular tv that is worth watching anymore. This is clean, with lots of lessons to be learned! I am hoping for both movies and series! Why settle for one or the other? Everything Maratha does is great! We are hoping for both. A few movies would be fantastic but the tv shows we would be looking forward to weekly for ever!
We do not have this particular cable station but are regular viewers of the Halmark Channel. We loved watching Signed, Sealed, Delivered and are extremely disappointed that we now do not have access to these movies. This seems to have been the case with When Calls the Heart also. Please make them available to those of us who have been very loyal viewers of this programming!!!
I am sad to see them cancel this series. It is wonderful. Far better than Good Witch and Cedar Cove–I could never get into either one of these and yet they bring them back. I hope they reconsider this series. It is interesting to see the way they connect with people and make someone happy by connecting them with lost items or loved ones. We need that something happy is happening in this world today. Please reconsider.
I am so disappointed I would Love for it to stay a weekly series and not movies here in there. They show is wonderful with heart like TV use to be I barely watch TV because they put anything and everything on it. So this was awesome. And it is so unfair that they even took it off the regular Hallmark channel everyone can’t afford the other channel. So I can’t even see the movies. It is so sad that most TV is not quality TV and when you find it gets taken away. So this was a very bad… Read more »
I would love to see it come back for a new season of weekly shows but if the powers that be have vetoed that idea, then I will be happy to watch the Hallmark Mysteries and Movies Channel 2 hour movie specials.. just to be able to keep up with what is happening in the lives of the people who work in the US Mail Service Dead Letter Office.
We loved this show and wondered what happened to it. It was the best show on TV since The Walton’s and Christy. We are so disappointed about the change.
If it works, why “fix” it ? I have been reading through the previous comments and completely agree. I am one of the viewers that will lose the joy of watching a wonderful show on a weekly basis. My cable company does not carry the other Hallmark channel. I, too, am greatly disappointed, sad, and mad. Oh well, I enjoyed it while it lasted. I
hope someone is reading this and will realize how many viewers will be lost.
I’d love it as the weekly series, but I look forward to seeing it as tv movies. Anything that keeps it on! I love this show. The characters and stories are perfectly done!
I am very disappointed that the series is ending. It was a fun and delightful show that I looked forward to each week. I hope it returns as a series.
I was very upset and sort of angry that they kept on advertising the marathon which “inferred” that the reg series was soon coming back on (like all the other networks do) only to find out later on after MUCH research that it was NOT going to be on each week like it was before. I think this was a BAD move as we organized our time around either watching the show OR watching it on demand with comcast. We never missed an episode and we even made sure when we missed some we got caught up ASAP as we… Read more »