Latest / Hallmark Mysteries & More / A Complete Review of One Bad Apple: A Hannah Swensen Mystery.

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A Complete Review of One Bad Apple: A Hannah Swensen Mystery. · Hallmark Mysteries & More

• 0:00
  Good morning, Andrea. Is this going to be a scrumptious dessert that we're going to savor? Or is it going to be over baked and we're sending it back to the kitchen.
• 0:12
  Turns out like my pie crust is gonna be over baked.
• 0:17
  I just by mine, but I do now.
• 0:22
  This is the arc, the Sandra, Hallmark mysteries. And this podcast was created by fans or fans, and it's not affiliated with or sponsored by Hallmark or the Hallmark show.
• 0:40
  All right, so Hannah Swensen one bad apple. I pulled the description from IMDb because the one on the Hallmark app was just a sentence, so I thought I'd go a little longer than that. So it says Hannah Swensen has been asked to teach a baking class at the college in town, but her equipment is tampered with causing an explosion that the fire department rules an accident. Soon a colleague ends up dead and Hannah begins to put together the puzzle of the mysterious circumstances surrounding the murder. Anna leans on her friends and family to collect the breadcrumbs of foul play and put them together and meets a different side of law and order when Lake Eden's prosecuting attorney, Chad Norton, play by Victor Webster enters her life.
• 1:25
  That is a much longer one, and a much more thorough one. So I mean, that's very, that's a great, that's basically the movie in a nutshell.
• 1:33
  Yes, it was perfect.
• 1:36
  Well, you know, kind of what I thought because I always like to share mine online. So let me know how did this land for you, I gave it out of our scale of one to five, I gave it a very solid four. Very solid for and why I would have, I actually was granted go higher. But then I was like, I can't do that.
• 1:56
  Because I've got to really hold that upper echelon for those just truly great, great, great movies. So that's why I put it as a four as being just really good. Really good fact. I'd say this is my favorite Hannah to date. And when I say Hannah, I include all the murder she baked, like the whole series. As one. It was, as we talked about, with Alison when they interviewed her, this was her first time writing. And I thought she did such a good job.
• 2:30
  These it may have been I feel bad for the writers, because I don't think previous ones are necessarily written poorly. But I think she just, it may have been the best written one, the dialogue was so effortless. And I don't know if you've ever like I've written for fun. And writing dialogue is hard. It's really hard. And I thought she just had like those little interactions. And maybe they were ad lib. I don't know. But it had so much little dialogue in this movie that was just so perfect with the you know, whether it be her and her mom or her and Norman. So I thought it was really good. And then the chemistry of the characters.
• 3:18
  Yes, they've been together for, you know, off and on, depending on the mixture for what this is the eighth one, I think versus the ninth. But whatever, several several of them, right. But I'll give credit to Allison for the writing of it. The chemistry of just when they were all together or just the groups of them. It just was absolutely fantastic.
• 3:40
  So that like I said, it just really to me was the best Hannah today. And Hannah has never been my you know, I don't think it's my top five. And in fact, I know it's not my top five. It's what I enjoy. But it's not like, whoa, Mount Rushmore good for me. And this if they were all this level, it definitely I think could be up there. So what are your initial just overall thoughts? Because I've got more?
• 4:15
  Yeah, I mean, commenting on what you'd said about the dialogue. I thought that as well. There was a scene with Barbara Niven and Alison Sweeney that I was like, Oh, this is so I mean, you can see them trying to hold back smiles. I think it was in the bathroom, when they she was going, you know, doing her hair.
• 4:29
  And they both were kind of like cracking up like actually cracking up. And some of the dialogue I thought felt just like, it felt natural. Because even as we're having this conversation, like, you know, it did feel a little ad libbed. And as we're having a conversation sometimes the movies can get really stiff, and you feel like how you react to what I said is not very just like, here is what I think and you know, like that sort of thing which can happen in the Hallmark movies, but this one it didn't feel that way it felt like Sometimes characters, I think they said something at the same time, which is just it's real life. Like, we often say stuff at the same time. I mean, it just That's how conversation happens. And I actually don't mind that, obviously, if it happens all the time, it's annoying. But every once awhile, I felt like that felt just like a natural, fresh take on it. So for myself, I agree, I gave it a four, I really found myself enjoying the series again. And so it felt familiar. But it also felt new at the same time. You know, we had that foundation there. But it had just a slight twist to it. And this is what I was kind of thinking about. Because I watched it again this morning before we're recording for like, so I've watched it like two and a half times. And one thing that I noticed kind of this, this next viewing was, I think they eased us into Victor, they didn't give us a ton of him.
• 5:46
  They gave us just the right amount. Because if you're replacing someone like Mike who people loved, and really enjoyed, especially the HANA, especially, you know, there's people who really liked my Hana some like the norm and Hana and transitioning him out, they brought Norman back in, and they really centered him in Hana Vers, Hana and Victor, for chat, I guess. I think that that's a better a better way that they kind of made that transition. So it wasn't so abrupt. So we didn't feel like, hey, you know, Victor Webster is coming in to replace camera Matheson. It's not how it felt, to me at least.
• 6:20
  Well, it's interesting. You say that?
• 6:23
  Because I agree. I thought that, but I think the pacing of this movie in general, was very different than a lot of them. I agree. The introduction of of chat, right? Yeah, yep. And I keep wanting to call and chat, but chat. And he, as you said, they didn't come in really quick. It wasn't like a, which I think a lot of people feared was just going to be Oh, hey, we're gonna swap them and no one's going to notice they did not do that at all. But they also the murder, and it played out so long. It was way later than normally, when you get the crime like it was going. And they were developing the story. And we talked about it last week, that sometimes when especially with a new mystery, they've got to do so many things, that it just overloads you. And this one just read, right. They were doing the story, they were getting everything going. And I want to say it was maybe both third into the movie, where they finally have the crime. So I just thought it was great. And then as he said, the way that vector just came in. And then he laughed. I was like, expecting him to be in there. And I thought it was fantastic the way that they did and they slowly had him in a little bit more a little bit more, a little bit more. But he was by no means a central character. Like you said it was Norman. Lonnie was in there probably as much as Victor maybe Victor a little bit more.
• 7:52
  But I thought it was great. And clearly, we're going to be seeing more of Victor in the next one. And it will it will continue that we love the thing.
• 7:58
  You mentioned it to the bathroom scene. That was my next note, Dolores loved her and this. I'm a little bit worried, though, that they're going to go a little too far and turn her into a character is that I have that in my notes.
• 8:13
  The exact sentence she said she was she's right there on that border, where she's fun. She's so it's what we love. But it can go a little too much. And I'm hoping that and that's the thing I've talked about before, there's that fine line. And the ones the characters that I really love are the ones that just get to that line and stay there. And then some of them go over which was when we go back to crime time. I thought that I think Haley was her name if I forget the Linda Greenwood character, the main one there, but like she sometimes we just got over a little too far. And I love the way that they she just was there, but I'm nervous. But I had that Bathroom scene as well. It totally 100% felt like a mom who's Dolores who's always about you know, appearances, all those sort of thing. It was so natural. And I could just see them in especially after the interviewer talking to Allison.
• 9:14
  And when she's talking about her relationship with Barbara, like I could see them like saying, Okay, we're gonna go in here.
• 9:20
  And this is what we're trying to accomplish, really, without a script, because it just was that natural thing and just the way she's doing and the hair and the makeup I was I was literally just overwhelmed with the cuteness of it. And then the other thing I loved with Loris was later on, when she's going over her list, and she's like, Hannah, I can't take you on as a client because you know, you're too guilty. And I don't want to risk my reputation. I love the fact that she always is dissing he did that last time and as to where she's like, Oh, Hannah, you know, you may be guilty. It doesn't matter. As her daughter she is still like I don't trusty as far as I can tell you. So I found that great. The other thing that I thought for this one that I really enjoyed is Hannah's wardrobe has always been, I know you're, I know you're Minnesota, but she's always been sort of, I'll call it Minnesota casual, right. Just nondescript sweater, jeans, whatever. Just whatever insult for all.
• 10:24
  I understand Minnesotans.
• 10:27
  And Georgia is probably going to hit up our DM with hate to I get it, but she's always been sort of very small town Minnesota like but she's there. Yeah, right. Right.
• 10:37
  Very small town. That's what you get. But I thought this time they, they I want to give a shout out Kelsey. Baron, I believe is how you pronounce her name. Maybe Baron Braun. I thought she really elevated Hannah's wardrobe this time.
• 10:51
  When she went on her date that dress. She looked super cute.
• 10:55
  She had like a jean sweater with a little it's not really a peekaboo collar. This is where I really need Sydney because Sydney would have been like, all over All right, so we need to say congrats to Sydney. Oh, yeah, there baby. So you don't follow on Instagram or don't have social media. Sydney had her baby, so I've mixed feelings. She did not call it Brooke. No matter how hard I pushed. But lucette? Yes, but she had like the little peekaboo, or whatever you call that caller. That was a super cute one. But the shining moment was her chef coat. That blew it.
• 11:33
  I thought she looked fantastic in her class. I loved her outfit for her for her cooking class.
• 11:36
  So you didn't get it? Okay. That's really funny, because I have all the outfits was like, Oh, I don't like the and again, I don't notice this stuff often.
• 11:46
  But I did notice her jeans didn't like that color, the wash of the jeans and the shoes. I was like, Oh, that's not like the the clog. Yeah, with just, I think that clog is like a cooking shoe.
• 12:00
  I'm sure I'm sure then sure.
• 12:00
  It's for comfort because you're standing a lot. Right. I do want to mention this scene because I think I would love to hear your thoughts on it, too. I loved the Norman and Bradford scene in the bakery. Yes, highlight that was probably one of my highlights of the movie is just there. Again.
• 12:16
  They're bantering back and forth. And then they showed Allison's meeting and it looked like a actual reaction. I'm sure they went off script and her just like smile that you looked like. Like she was trying to hold back laughter because those two are just hilarious together.
• 12:27
  You're ruining my character showcase.
• 12:30
  Or the character corner there.
• 12:35
  But yes, 100% agree that scene cracked me up. Correct?
• 12:40
  Well, what about the mystery?
• 12:40
  Let's dive into our mystery minute. What do you think one last thing that we do have to mention? Just we said how they eased Victor. I mean, Victor was literally as cool as they come that, like his his character.
• 12:54
  Literally as cool as they come.
• 12:59
  I you know, people were talking about Mike, whatever. But I was like, who's Mike? I don't remember because as soon as he came on, and especially when they had the bill, I'm gonna bring him sweets and he's like, I don't have a sweet tooth. I literally I didn't even remember Cameron Matheson was ever in the series. Victor just owned it. I thought he was just so good. And we talked about how he was introduced, but literally when he was on, he just had a complete presence. And I loved also the character, the fact how he's like, I'm the DA you need to talk to Lonnie how he did it again and again. Like he didn't he wasn't a you know, turn into the snooping da or anything like that. He's like I'm a day he will do the investigation. I will do the prosecution and I loved how they did it in its hallmark universal we know that yes, Baker's go out and solve crimes and things like that. But it was also fun to see where they didn't completely throughout all characters just, you know, abandon that. So I just thought Victor, like I said he cool as they come.
• 14:13
  Did you so I agree. I did not. I didn't really even realize I didn't miss Mike until the end of the movie. And I was like, oh, yeah, they completely replaced him. Not replaced even took him out. And I didn't really notice like someone had asked me that. What did you think? Did you miss him? And I was like, great question.
• 14:29
  Clearly not because I didn't even realize you know, he was not in the movie. Because it just felt so fresh. And just everyone was having so much fun.
• 14:38
  So he's up in Quantico doing some FBI stuff. Yeah.
• 14:43
  And they left it open where hey, if you wanted to come back there you know, the door is open. i It felt like so I'd like to that to that they didn't like kill them off. They kept the door there.
• 14:51
  In case camera decides to come back at all. So like, Alright, now you're ready to talk about the actual mystery mystery?
• 14:57
  Yeah, what do you think? I He liked it. I thought it was a good mystery, going all the way up until the actual end of which I just, I didn't understand what the heck was going on once they got to her dorm room. And by the way, her dorm room was the biggest dorm room ever. Very nice. I mean, it's like, I don't know, my house may not be that big. But I don't know, why do you blow up the classroom that your sister's in the risk, you know, potentially hurting her because she seemed to be as far as the students the most hurt in the thing. And I know, they explained it at the recap. I just didn't quite get it. And then it's like, oh, I'm going to you know, well, I've got you with a gun. I'm going to take you out of my huge dorm room and wander through the entire city to some I don't know where it where do they end up Terry?
• 15:58
  Okay, some weird stuff. And, you know, call my brother to come across town to meet us and take you from a private place into a public place. So I just had some that ending part. I just didn't quite go with it. But I love the fact of the who the victim was.
• 16:19
  I like to you know, going all along the whole way. I just thought the ending just to me was I just didn't love the ending. And that's actually ironically, often the case. And in a lot of the mysteries and making me think of the first thing is the first curious cater as well, where I didn't get to quite the ending kind of thing, but whatever. But I liked the mystery until the very end. What about you?
• 16:52
  Um, so I solved it pretty early.
• 16:52
  Like, I just figured it was him.
• 16:56
  I actually thought they were boyfriend girlfriend. So they have a weird brother sister thing right? The first time watching it. So I missed them.
• 17:01
  And then obviously now, the third time watching that scene, I was like, Oh, they do say Brother, I thought it. I thought they had chemistry. The way he looked at her, like touched her leg. And I you know, I just was again, probably coloring in my Golden Girls coloring book. The first time I watched so I just assumed boyfriend they also been other people refer to them refer to them kind of as a couple of days. Right?
• 17:22
  Yeah. So I you know, I was like, Oh, it was the boyfriend that did it, slash brother. And then I also agreed that Marx really pushing it, you know, they are getting progressive. Like, what? So the dorm room I agree it was, I felt like the same as, you know, the HANA and the mic fight that. You say I'm anti feminist? Because I didn't get it. It was kind of that same moment. I'm like, hold on, did I miss something? Why are we suddenly like, how does? How do they know that she did it or was involved in some way when she talked about and the police knew was a male DNA. And she looked at Norman and they both were like, We gotta leave. Why? Why did that happen? Because remember, when Victor said, Oh, the male DNA that's hold back. So that meant they're not releasing it out to the public.
• 18:12
  So how did she know? How did the girl that's exactly?
• 18:13
  Because she knew her brother was the killer. So she knew they're checking DNA, but she knew that it had a male because her brother was Yeah, like that.
• 18:25
  Yeah, went over my head. That's the one that's that three times and was like, I still don't understand like, how does she know? Did somebody tell her?
• 18:34
  Right? She exactly she shouldn't have known and then that's when when know how Norman knew I didn't, or nudist? Hey, time to get out of there. I didn't know.
• 18:41
  But I did enjoy. Actually, I really enjoyed the ending where they did take them to the cemetery.
• 18:48
  In terms of it felt like there was some stake here because I did not really I didn't think I was shocked that Bradford was killed, didn't think he was gonna get killed off. I really enjoyed his character. I was hoping for more of him and you know, the series. And so I was thinking, oh my gosh, are they going to kill Norman off?
• 19:05
  They're going to kill Norman in the cemetery. Because when Hannah got away, and that gun was there, I was like, Oh my gosh, because I didn't expect Bradford to be killed. So then I'm thinking, wow, are we really going deep with this? We're gonna have a murder on our hands. And so it's a crime right around besides cabaco so that, like tension was there for me and I really enjoyed, you know, kind of how that played out. I did think the police so Chad was a little slow on the end. Would you say his name was Lonnie?
• 19:33
  What was his name? Bonnie. So those two are a little felt like slow on tracking these cupcake, you know, fillers and like, Should we be running like something someone's in, you know, like, where's the hustler boys? Like, let's remove it because they heard a gunshot too. Right? And they like took their sweet time getting there like okay, stuffed animals.
• 19:57
  So I'm like police work. Maybe they need to up the ante After Mike left, clearly we need some new training to get things moving a little faster. But that was still entertaining to me. I enjoyed that scene. So kind of transitioning then into that romance round up.
• 20:12
  There's one last thing. One last thing I'll say. So Perry, the brother, essentially is a psychopath to because you said you figured it out. I kinda was thinking it was him. But the fact of He just killed somebody.
• 20:24
  And he just was like oblivious, like do to do to do like, clearly the guy's a sociopath because he had no remorse no guilt. Anything about he's like, Oh, hey, Hannah, my sister's bummed out for some reason. I don't know why. Thanks for bringing some you know, sweets over for her. Because I can't figure it out. I just stuck a knife in her like, crushes back.
• 20:47
  But for some reason she's upset.
• 20:51
  I don't get it. So yep, Perry was a psychopath. And that's all I want to say about that. So yeah, Romans browned up. This is all sorts of stuff we can talk about here. By the way.
• 21:04
  Yeah, I obviously because Norman had the most time with Hannah. I never saw them as a vibe together in previous movies. So I always was like Hannah, Mike Kenna, Mike, for sure. I don't even see the Norman chemistry.
• 21:16
  This movie. I'm like, Okay, now I see what people were talking about the Norman Hannah angle.
• 21:24
  And I did really think there was some vibes there. Obviously, with Chad and Hannah, we just didn't have a ton. But I think that Victor gave us enough with his character, that it's just like bubbling under the surface.
• 21:33
  So it wasn't like an overt over the top. It was just kind of a, hey, we're just gonna like, No, I don't, I don't like sweets, and just kind of just a playfulness about it. So there's romance that is brewing there.
• 21:46
  But it's not kind of overt in your face for replacing Mike by any means by anyone. And so I think that this was done really well. As a first movie back, you know, having no mic. This is this was the perfect way to play it.
• 22:00
  So when I called that, by the way with Victor, my note says subtle sizzle, because that's exactly right. It's it was there. But in no way. Did they push it on us. You just felt it.
• 22:14
  And I think part of it is Victor Webster. Like we both talked about it. We like vector. That guy literally could turn on a houseplant. I think he is just one like, sexy, hot, dude, whatever. Like he just comes in the room. He doesn't have to say anything. He can just sort of look at you with his, you know, trench coat on. And I can see like, you know, when they're at dinner, and they're all looking over at him and going, Whoa, like, yeah, that's the character. He just has it. But I have to ask, Who's the blonde from the dinner date?
• 22:56
  So this is what I was. So they kept mentioning Norman's girlfriend. So then I'm like, is that Norman's girlfriend that he was meeting? And like, I don't know. No, you don't think so?
• 23:08
  That's why we we met Norman's girlfriend. Was it last Episode Two episodes ago she was the one who was the lawyer who is like she works with with Chad and she's was trying to I forget what she was saving the building. I think the one where the act where they found the building. Yeah, yeah, several times.
• 23:29
  I don't remember her at all. I'm guessing she was a character for me. I'm guessing she wasn't in this because of probably availability or budget. They already had so many, so many so many characters that they just couldn't fit or, or they also, like you said wanted to get a little that. Like, I think gonna bring back a love triangle. I hope not to be honest. No, it's a sister. It's gotta be Chad sister. So there we go.
• 23:53
  It's another day both loved primarily. Okay, because they look really that was the theme of this movie confusing. Dynamics.
• 24:02
  They were not an ugly couple. So it could be it could very well be. But I thought like I say that. It's just enough that we've said it many many times. I guess we won't say anymore. It was a perfect introduction of a new character. did not try to fool us did not just say up swap your idiot you know viewers.
• 24:25
  We're gonna just fool you. Nope.
• 24:25
  Perfect induction and just, there's electricity there. And once again, I think it's just because Hannah and we talked about it. Hannah is her character all along and especially if you're on the books, she's a fickle, a type who has like her emotions and with guys and everything like that. So totally makes sense.
• 24:47
  Totally makes sense.
• 24:49
  What about your character who is kind of your highlight character?
• 24:52
  It's Bradford. And a lot of it is because of exactly that scene you referenced earlier. That barrage she cracks me up.
• 25:02
  Because at first I was like, oh, no, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you're dating. And then as soon as he said, Oh, no, we're not.
• 25:09
  It was like the two What is it like two roosters or two Peacock, whatever that thing is, the two of them just trying to be like, I am like the testosterone between him and just bailing out. And he was being could not be more British as he's trying to be. Like, I'm Mr. Smooth British, you know, literature professor, and everything. So I just found it.
• 25:36
  Absolutely brilliant. And to your point, they had to be I think that's one of the things where they're like, Okay, let's go through it. And they did like five different takes, where they just ad lib their different comebacks to each other. Because like you said, Hannah, clearly, you could see she was doing everything she could not to break, because they are hilarious, right in front of her. And then, kind of I guess you thought a little different, but I thought it was the perfect ending. I didn't need any more Bradford. Right, we've got Victor in there. You have Norman, who's always going to be like her little, you know, comfort her, her, you know, tomato soup and grilled cheese kind of thing. So you don't really need Bradford anymore. So what a great way to finish his character rather than having just disappear and not be in the next one. Kill them off what the hell. So I thought it was great.
• 26:32
  And then there was another scene in there that just resonated with me. And it's probably like some other people may. They probably didn't. But when there was the explosion, and he's like, everybody leave the room don't panic. It reminded me of so little, little tangent story.
• 26:46
  Back in 2013, when the Boston Marathon bombing took place, I was actually there. And I was literally 100 yards from when it went off. Walking towards it. I had just left the bomb site to which hadn't gone off yet. And my wife had just finished the Boston Marathon. So I'm started walking. And I was going right to that and all of a sudden it goes off in front of me. I thought the bleachers claps because I was heard this big boom. And all of a sudden, these people started running at me.
• 27:21
  And the guy in the front is running with his hands up in the air. Don't panic, don't panic, don't panic. Clearly panicking as he's running at me. And at this point, I didn't think anything of it so I found it humorous. Now when I realized obviously bombs were going off, and it was this thing it was it was not but the thing always stuck with me have this person screaming don't panic in a panic mode. And so when when Bradford did that I just had this like little smile flash, which once again, a horrific incident. But that one little moment does always stand out to me as quite comical. So, how am I supposed to go after that?
• 28:05
  I don't know. It's it's Bradford.
• 28:08
  The stories that you come up with but like, what? I did not expect this to be thrown in there. Okay. Wow. Bradford with a knife in the back though.
• 28:16
  And I'm sorry, everybody. By the way. It wasn't until after I posted and Andrea yelled at me that I did a spoiler for the little bind the difference? was the day after, or No, I guess it was two days after but still a little early for people. It was the best picture. What can I say?
• 28:37
  Okay, well, my my character is actually the opposite person in that scene. It was Norman. And I was kind of thinking because there's so many ones that I could pick. But I honestly until this movie, Norman was just like a character for me. I didn't really care any way about him.
• 28:50
  Either way. I was just kind of indifferent. This one I was like, Oh my gosh, he was brilliant. I think they gave him a media role. And I think he really thrived in it. So for me, I'm excited to see more Norman and see what they're going to do with him. I hope they keep him in and keep I mean, as I listened to your interview with Alison and just talking about how how do you you have a big cast and so you want Norman you want to give them roles, but then you also have Andrea and you need to give her dialogue you have Dolores and so that's a lot of people to be feeding storylines to on top of Victor, you know, on top of probably Lonnie, now the police chief and all of these people that you're gonna need to throw throw some scenes at how do you manage it all? And so that's where I feel like, you know this movie they did a good job of that Michelle didn't get a ton I know she was not a fan favorite, but she has really turned on me. I think they've really tapered her down after feedback that that first movie she was in people did not like her I didn't like or either. So my guess is Dolores hopefully will you know to get the feedback and making sure she doesn't go too much out there of a character character sure of herself. But that's where I think And, you know, they they do listen to the fans and they'll see. Okay, you know, how do we keep this balanced? We got a lot of Norman this movie we probably aren't gonna get a ton of them the next movie would be my guess we might get more Andrea, the next movie if availability is there too for you know, filming. So I think as long as they do a good job of juggling all that and keeping people's favorites in the movies, I think that's going to be that's going to be great for everyone. And the series I you know, has a lot of legs to it again, I think.
• 30:28
  I'll say also Norman was like, kind of the hero at the end. Oh, yeah. Like, normal or normal.
• 30:32
  Hannah. You know, you go run away, and I'm gonna stay here.
• 30:37
  And it's funny. I never thought about him being shot, actually.
• 30:41
  But you're right. It could very well have. No, yes. They never end on a bad note. But you're right. But it did give there but Norman's character, I agree with you. He was definitely 101 ended on a bad note, Eric.
• 30:54
  Just wanted to throw that out.
• 30:58
  It doesn't in a bad note sometimes, Eric, but that was not. But. So All right. Ready for some trivia?
• 31:06
  Yeah.
• 31:07
  What do you got? So I'll go back a little bit to the books, Hannah in the books, which I don't think they ever talked about in the movies. But she the way she knew Bradford was she also was in school with Bradford. And he was her professor. And she was a literature major. So she in the books often is being very literatury. So and she's like, oh, you know, makes the comment about how baking is often an allegory in novels. She really does know what she's talking about, because she has a degree, and all of that. And I say I don't think they ever talked about it in the movies. But in the books, it is a very big part of her character. She's always correcting her sisters on grammar and things like that, too. The other thing is did you catch the little easter egg there when Pam the one student who's does the the Oh yeah, there is even an author who goes ahead and writes mysteries with little recipes in them.
• 32:06
  Obviously, a very big nod to the tuna Fluke who writes the Hannah Swinson mysteries, and then they'll ask me three times to catch but I did test it on the third time. And then the last one I'll have is Hilary Jardine.
• 32:21
  I don't know if that's how you pronounce her lane. But she was in both Hallmark movies this weekend. She was Stacy the Bradford's ex wife. And she was also Lizzie in the whatever the blind date the sister. She was in both of the movies this weekend. I see. I thought she looked familiar that second night. But yeah. Well, my trivia is about Victor Webster. So he actually started his career as a stockbroker. And he appeared in days of our lives as well as charmed and so I was a big charmed fan. Then I was like, Well, who did he play in charmed? And he played coupe.
• 32:59
  The Cupid that ended up marrying Alyssa Milano is character Phoebe at the very end. And then I looked up a picture if anyone wants to see an old Victor Webster or a young Victor Webster in charm, you should just Google you know, Victor Webster from charmed and he's quite chunky. I mean, it still is.
• 33:21
  That's about that. I'm like, wow, whatever. He does not I would not I did not even realize so again, I watched this recently, so I've watched charmed since becoming a big Hallmark fan and I didn't even put it together that that was Victor Webster. I would have never guessed that he was coop the Cupid. So definitely give that a little Google if you want to go to a fun little rabbit hole or even watch the last couple episodes because that's when they get married. All right. Well, what about Hallmark and shell What do you got for us?
• 33:52
  This one because of that big ensembles cast of sleuth there's reminded me a lot of Agatha raisin. I don't know if you've ever seen it over an acorn. But with Agatha she goes ahead and gets her friends are all you know it's not her family but she's got all her friends who are all involved in her sleuthing. So for me it had a very big similar feel to the to an Agatha raisin ensemble sleuthing type. What about you?
• 34:20
  Well, you know me, I've turned my homework and chill to what Murder She Wrote episode is and I've continuing that trend. So again with the apple. Not at all. Not at all this movie. It's not similar but Mirror mirror on the wall Part One and Two which people that's like one of their top favorite murder short episodes is Mirror mirror on the wall. It's a rival mystery writer arrives at Jessica's door with not so friendly intentions.
• 34:46
  That's part one, part two. So it's a two part episode. Cabot Cove is abuzz when Dora McVeigh is determined to fill Jessica's role in solving a local murder.
• 34:54
  And the Apple comes into play because Seth The Doctor bites this apple that's actually poisoned. It was meant for Jessica. And then he falls on the floor. And then Jessica finds him there. And then they discover, oh, the Apple was poisoned. So that is kind of the only thing similar is there is an apple. That apple correct that that was there. I was expecting more apple in this it was more in the baking. Also, one note on the baking. I don't know if I remember. Do you remember this? In the last couple movies? Have they been doing that voiceover with her baking? They definitely did do that away from that. Right?
• 35:33
  Because they did in the beginning and then they went away from it. And I love it. So I'm so glad they added it back in to her baking and then just doing a voiceover that really mirrors the movie.
• 35:43
  They definitely did it in one of the recent ones. I know too. I don't remember like, if it was Star carrot cake.
• 35:49
  Okay. Well, what about fan corner? Do you got anything?
• 35:53
  I just had a few people who DM me saying they liked it. But they did miss Mike. But it doesn't seem like they miss Mike enough that they didn't still like it. And then also had several who were glad to see Norman pack kind of what we know the stuff we said.
• 36:09
  Well, here are my my poll results. So this one was on our page, our hallmark movies, mysteries and more. podcast page. totally butchered the name of the podcast. Sorry. What did what did you think of Victor? So that was just kind of my question. 33% loved him. He was a great addition. 20% I missed Mike 24% loved Victor and Norman and didn't miss Mike 22% loved him but missed Mike. So in general, not a ton. I mean, it's more towards Hey, we didn't miss Mike that much. And then in terms of like that overall movie, what did people think 31% loved it. Five out of 550 1% It was great. Four out of five 14% middle of the road, three out of five and then only 3% gave it a one or two star so didn't like it at all.
• 37:04
  So I don't know how you this is just good solid one. Even if you're not a huge Hana Swanson fan. I think it was just a good solid movie. Yeah, so in general, I think it was well received and I was curious to see about that Victor poll to see how it turned out and and so pleasantly surprised that, you know, everyone really, you know, really enjoyed it.
• 37:23
  Alright, well, speaking of good mysteries, we're gonna be talking about one right?
• 37:28
  Yeah, so we also pulled everyone over on our Instagram page. And we asked what Haley Dean?
• 37:33
  Mystery would you like us to watch so Haley Dean is going to be doing a marathon this Sunday, April 14, pretty much the whole day. So if you haven't watched Haley Dean before, you know, I would give this one a go. And the one that we're gonna watch is Haley Dean. Two plus two equals murder. And then the premise. Haley's niece tells her that her music teacher the main force behind collecting funds for her school repairs, wanted to talk to her as an ex prosecutor. As she's missing, Haley investigates and finds blood, police interview all of the teachers. That doesn't sound great. But Haley Dean mysteries are good. So if you're going on just the just that, know that it's probably gonna be better than that description.
• 38:21
  I'm excited to watch this because I've seen them. And I don't remember this one that we're going to be watching.
• 38:29
  I don't either. I don't remember any of them. So that's interesting, too. Like, I can't recall. Sometimes we can recall like the ones that we really loved. I don't really recall any Haley Dean off the top of my head, but it's been a few years.
• 38:41
  I remember Cindy Busby. In the very first one. Oh, she's she's the main suspect the daughter who is the murder. So interesting. It's it's great because it's not a Cindy Busby, but it's not our cute, bubbly, Cindy Busby that we see and know, the Darcy's and stuff like that. She's, like, very serious character in this one. So, at first when I first saw it, I was like, Wait, she looks like Cindy Busby. But she doesn't act like Cindy Busby. And she's Cindy Busby. So I'm excited. I think, like say Haley Dean's we said, Good series, Kelly Martin. She's fantastic in the role. So I'm excited to watch in fact, I probably going to watch a couple of them just for fun.
• 39:30
  And then a few more notes in case people are like, hey, what time is it air on Sunday? This one that we're going to review airs at 10 o'clock Central Standard Time. So it's an early morning ones maybe record if you have friendly hit record and this It originally aired in 2018. So that's probably why we also don't remember it's it's been a few years, and it was Movie Number four. So if you're also thinking, Hey, do I need to watch the first few there is a little backstory with her husband that I Hopefully, I can't remember if they do a good job of really making sure we we understand that as the movies go on. So just a warning there is a little bit there that you might want to know about. So maybe catch that first movie so you can kind of get the backstory there and why she does what she does, right?
• 40:17
  Yeah, that does touch on it and then at the very end of the series, it becomes major but yeah, okay. All right. Yeah, this is fun. Yes. If you have no more way home so we're Yes.
• 40:30
  Cons. If you haven't seen one bad up yet and you still have access to it, definitely go watch it. Great. Ben financially. Take care. Have a good rest of your day.