‘Tis The Season For Hallmark

It is Hallmark movie season! And it has been for a while, but I’ve only just got back into it now that I am in medical isolation for about three to four months. Already, I’ve ticked off a number of this year’s Countdown To Christmas offerings (small rec list going up on YouTube next week) and am excited to watch the rest, and some older offerings as well.

In the past few years, Hallmark has been taking a turn away from the same stories of the past they are still remembered for. The same white, heterosexual romances where someone gives up their success for someone else, or a Grinch has to be reminded what’s great about Christmas through the power of lurve, etc, etc. And while these stories still are told – thankfully in better-written, better-acted and a lot more fun ways – they’re not as wide spread as they used to be.

In 2020, the former CEO of Hallmark stepped down (and moved over to Great American Family or GAF) because he was unhappy with the call from within and without the house for diversity. GAF, being Hallmark’s conservative cousin, was happy to have him and a bunch of (white) actors who jumped ship.

More joy for Hallmark, I’ll say. Since then, while we can’t say every story Hallmark has put out has been inclusive and diverse, I can – and do! – say they have been trying. We’ve got stories that feature racial minorities in the lead, not just as a cut-and-replace for a white lead, but with rich cultural and communal influences in their lives. We’ve had more queer characters on screen, as side characters and as leads (The Holiday Sitter and Friends & Family Christmas have been the first two of their kinds on Hallmark!), and we’ve had stories told about other communities and other cultures.

It is not an immediate change. It is a work in progress. But there is progress. And that? That is something to be excited for.