Latest / Hallmark Mysteries & More / John Christian Plummer Answers All the Questions Mystery 101 Fans Want Answered.

Transcript

John Christian Plummer Answers All the Questions Mystery 101 Fans Want Answered. · Hallmark Mysteries & More

• 0:04
  Eric Rutin: Hello, I'm Eric.
• 0:05
  Sydney: Hi, I'm Sydney
• 0:08
  Eric Rutin: And this Ia Hallmark Mysteries
• 0:10
  Sydney: And More
• 0:13
  Eric Rutin: Sydney How you doing today?
• 0:14
  Sydney: Oh, just great. How are you, Eric?
• 0:18
  Eric Rutin: I am great. I just received the beauty of this is going to be for the YouTube will have different clothes on.
• 0:23
  Sydney: I know wardrob change.
• 0:30
  Eric Rutin: Okay. All right. All right. So today we have an exciting day we're going to be talking to John Christian plumber, and he is the writer of mystery 101 as well as Francesca Quinn PEI. Curious cater and he also did a Martha's Vineyard episode, so, but we know it will be mostly talking to him about but before we get going, why don't you share with us? What is our signature cocktail?
• 1:03
  Sydney: Oh my gosh. Well, Eric, if you know Travis and Amy then you know of mystery one on one, then you know that they love their coffee, their fake coffee that they carry everywhere.
• 1:18
  Eric Rutin: So it's gonna be a phantom coffee drink.
• 1:21
  Sydney: Yes. And it is called the Treme. And it is three ounces of cold brew mixed with kalua and a little Bailey's. And to garnish it. There's chocolate covered Express espresso beans.
• 1:38
  Sydney: I just want to say espresso.
• 1:38
  Sydney: Espresso.
• 1:42
  Eric Rutin: You would be wrong.
• 1:44
  Sydney: Yeah.
• 1:46
  Eric Rutin: All right. So it's kinda like a white rush or, yeah, White Russian, but instead of the milk, you've got the cold brew going. That's very coffee, the clue and the.
• 2:00
  Sydney: And for friends that don't partake in the alcohol part, I think, you know, it's just basically a fancy cold brew.
• 2:08
  Eric Rutin: And it will keep you away that to watch the entire marathon. When they show all CES, though we wish it was eight episodes.
• 2:17
  Sydney: And it'll keep you awake after so you can mull over the fact that you haven't had the eighth episode and you really want it.
• 2:25
  Eric Rutin: You can watch all seven and then listen to our podcast. What do you say we get at it and talk to John Christian plumber? Yes, let's go. Alright, well, we're ready to get rolling. I know you're just
• 2:38
  Unknown: gonna be part of the podcast.
• 2:42
  Eric Rutin: I may make a default of our or bloopers. So actually, before we get going, I will say we interviewed Brennan Elliot last week, and I'm going to embarrass Sydney. But as soon as he came on, Sydney just went into the ah, and it was quite funny. So we had, you know, at first we're going to edit down like know, that reaction was just too priceless. So
• 3:05
  Sydney: I'm sorry, John, I'm gonna do that for you too.
• 3:12
  Unknown: You don't have to?
• 3:14
  Eric Rutin: We'd like you to everybody. I think this is the part of the
• 3:18
  Unknown: you should definitely include in where Cindy says she's going to add shocked and I say she doesn't need to do.
• 3:25
  Eric Rutin: Okay. All right, ready? Yeah. All right, everyone. Here we are. We are so fortunate. Do you have the man that everybody wants to talk to you? Because the question that everybody asks, which he has never been asked before, is about the future of mystery. 101 John Christian plumber, nice to have you here.
• 3:50
  Unknown: Nice to be here. Thank you so much.
• 3:54
  Eric Rutin: Okay, so this, I have to give you a warning. We ask really, really tough questions. We're we're like the journalism level of this podcast is high.
• 4:07
  Unknown: It's like it's,
• 4:09
  Eric Rutin: it's Yeah, exactly.
• 4:09
  Eric Rutin: Well, they're,
• 4:12
  Unknown: like, I mean, All the President's Men and I'm Jane Alexander,
• 4:16
  Eric Rutin: I'll be honest, we kind of look down on them for being a little amateurish compared to us. So with that being said, everyone wants to know what is going on with mystery. 101 I know you probably don't have a definitive answer.
• 4:33
  Eric Rutin: But what can we tell people just to you know, keep them from blowing up our ear, our DMS every day who think by the way we are Hallmark and we have some sort of control over this matter.
• 4:46
  Unknown: Yeah. Yes. And just to be clear, I am not at Hallmark either. You know, I'm not I have no control over it. Or very little control, I should say. I guess I've every one has some limited, you know, influence.
• 5:01
  Unknown: But what's going on with mystery One on One is that, you know, I, I wrote an episode that. So I'm sure you guys remember that in the sixth episode, we had a cliffhanger. And then my producers at the network had asked for a cliffhanger. I love cliffhangers. I've written a lot of cliffhangers in my day, and they asked for a cliffhanger.
• 5:29
  Unknown: And it did really well. And and at that point, they knew we were going to do a seven episode. So I knew that the story with her uncle was going to come that was going to be the what the seventh episode was going to be about.
• 5:42
  Unknown: And they said, Give us another cliffhanger. And I said, Okay, sure. And I gave another cliffhanger. And everybody went crazy at the network. And they loved it. Oh my gosh, this one's even better than the one before.
• 5:56
  Unknown: And and I'm sure you know, you guys know who watched the episode and you know, like the internet kind of melted over it.
• 6:04
  Unknown: What does it mean and all this stuff? And, you know, I assumed since they'd asked for another cliffhanger that they were sure we were going to then resolve that cliffhanger and maybe do another one who knows. And that turned out, you know, not to be the case, obviously, because we still haven't made an eighth episode I have written not not a full script, but I've written a pitch for what the episode would be. And what I can say, you know, in a way of hopefully, placating some of the more ardent fans who take this stuff really to heart that it's not going to end badly for Amy and Travis, I can promise that if we get to make an eighth episode, people are not it's not going to be like, you know, Bleak House or something all of a sudden, you know, so, you know, because there's lots of, you know, as, as you can tell from the show, the hallmark of the show is we're we're emotionally honest with the characters, but we also have lots of labyrinthine twists and turns. And that would be the case with episode eight. And, and I think in really surprising ways, and I just really hope that we get to make it. And I have asked my executives there many, many times, can we please make this episode? And I know, Chris, I'm in touch with Chris Blaha. Because we have mutual friends and and he's just a great guy. And I know he's saying the same thing to them.
• 7:41
  Unknown: So and that's really all I can say, up to this point. I that's not much of a it's a long way to say I don't have a yes or no answer. But I don't
• 7:52
  Eric Rutin: know. Because like you said, there are very ardent fans with this. This is like I say the one we have fans of all of ours, because, you know, we do specialize in the mysteries and people, I think the Hallmark fan in general is very passionate. And then when you put in the mystery, they're like a whole nother level of involvement. And I think it's because you do get to develop the characters, right? Yeah. But yeah. And so they are the ones who do blow up our DMS last evening. So imagine being you.
• 8:20
  Eric Rutin: And once again, people thinking yes, you, you're probably just sitting there, you know, saying, Nah, don't feel like writing it or whatever they're thinking in their head. Do you have to like when you go to the grocery store, put on like, you know, a wig and sunglasses. So people don't just go give us the ending, let us know what happened.
• 8:42
  Unknown: It's really funny because I live in a very small village. It's actually called Cold Spring. And it's just that Hamlet do south of us is called Garrison, which is where I got the name for the town where Amy and Travis slip. And there's a one woman who's like, a half a block away from me, who I ended up meeting through other means.
• 9:02
  Unknown: And then I met her and we were hanging out and talking at this function, and then saw her like a week later, and she said, I Googled you. You're the one who writes mystery one on one. And I said, Yeah, do you do you know that? She goes, Oh, my gosh, it's my favorite Mystery Show on Hallmark. And I said, Wow, that's so cool. But you know, she has a costed me I don't have to wear disguise in the grocery store. I mean, you know, I, I think I'll tell you this is what I will tell you is the people who have reached out to me on social media, and I'm not on Twitter anymore, but I am on Instagram and Facebook and people have reached out to me that way. I just tell them the truth. I tell them what I told you guys, which is please, you know, do what I'm doing which is you know, contact the network and let them know that you want to see another one and you know that that's, that's honestly, I think all anybody can do at this point. I don't know I don't know, I've actually I mean, here's the funny fact, I've never been to the Hallmark Los Angeles offices in my life, I couldn't pick it out on a map, I couldn't tell you what the inside looks like, or the outside. And the producers that I have there that I've had over the years over the last few years that I've been working with them have been wonderful, some of the best people I've ever worked with, but, you know, it's not up to them either. So, if and, you know, and the other thing I know, and these are just facts is it's the number one rated Mystery Show on Hallmark.
• 10:34
  Unknown: It's it sells to overseas, you know, domains, it's, it's, it's plays in many other countries.
• 10:44
  Unknown: And, and, you know, they just did a mystery marriage mystery, one on one marathon, like two weeks ago. And it always gets great ratings. So I hope that whatever is the impediment to it returning that eventually there will be enough of this pressure exerted that it can break through that impediment. Yeah.
• 11:10
  Sydney: Why do you think that Mr. You want to one has such a passionate fan base? I mean, Hallmark has other mysteries with, you know, great actors, and their, you know, are good plots, but this mystery fan base is just so passionate, what do you think makes it such a great series?
• 11:31
  Eric Rutin: And you can't say the writing? Okay.
• 11:39
  Unknown: Can I just say the dialogue? The I mean, that's a great question, Sydney. I, I think it's, there's a, I think there's a, I think mystery one a one is elevated, in a way, when so when I was brought in to write the show, part of my mandate was let's try to raise the bar in what we're doing. So let's have characters that are smart. You know, I mean, our lead character is literally a literature professor. So she's really intelligent father is a emeritus professor and writer.
• 12:21
  Unknown: So he's really smart. Travis is really smart, you know, so we have really smart characters.
• 12:25
  Unknown: And I think that's a big part of it. And then therefore, the people that surround them, by and large, including the, you know, the suspects of a case, they have to be smart, too. So I do think that the, the, there's a level of intelligence beyond the puzzle solving level, and I think the puzzles are, I think the puzzles are good. But you know, in a way, I kind of feel like, I agree with Rian Johnson, like, I don't really, like if people figure it out, like sometimes people will say, on social media, I figured out I think Eric said that on an episode of the podcast, like, Oh, I knew who it was by, like, you know, the seven breakers.
• 13:04
  Unknown: And that's fine. I don't care. I mean, that's great. I mean, in a way, that's great, that's like, well, that we have a smart audience good, you should figure it out. In fact, you should be able to figure it out. But what I think it's not that, that it's not that kind of intelligence that I'm talking about. It's the it's the and like I said, it's a level of emotional intelligence to that I think the show has an emotional honesty that I think the show has, in terms of the relationships between the characters and and just complexity, I think, and then I think the cast and the directors and the designers, the costume designer who's really, really wonderful and, and, you know, brings a lot of the character out in the wardrobe. But you know, all of that stuff. There, they all they also got the same mission or mandate, which is let's raise the bar and let's make this you know, elevated and I think then what's happened on the network to is that mystery one on one kind of push things in a certain direction. I think, since then, a lot of stuff has been trying to aim for that and go above it. So I think it's, I would say, intelligence and and like I said, emotional intelligence or emotional complexity. And, and without saying the dialogue, part of that isn't the dialogue you know, it's the it's the way they talk to each other. It's it's, you know, zagging when you think they're gonna zig and stuff like that, I think. I do think that there's really good banter again, we've set for ourselves.
• 14:41
  Unknown: Um, you know, like, for me much ado about nothing, you know, with sort of a bar or like a, an inspiration for for the characters and and obviously like the Another great Billy Wilder and George cuecore films, you know, where you have these characters who are really smart, who talk fast to think fast, who are always several steps ahead of each other. And we wanted to have that on the show, combined with obviously compelling stories. And then the other thing I think that people like or respond to about mystery one on one is that the culprit, the killer, it's usually a killer always has, that you can relate to their motive, hopefully, hopefully, you can. They're not just sociopaths or psychopaths, but that they actually have some compelling reason. Not that not not to excuse murder, certainly not. But But, but you should at least understand why they've done it. And you might even be able to say, Wow, I wouldn't have I wouldn't have gotten to murder, but I can relate to what they what led them to this choice. And I think that was another, you know, mandate that wasn't a mandate. But it was something that the producers and I talked about a lot because when I first I inherited the job was a it was a script written by a couple of other writers. And there were they weren't, they weren't happy with where it was.
• 16:22
  Unknown: And so that's how I ended up getting brought on board. And that was one of the things I said is, because it's something that I love about Agatha Christie that you can always, I mean, except for the rare cases where she has had well even then like And Then There Were None. I mean, the guy is clearly a sociopath. But he's also he's got a real the killer, and that without spoiling a, you know, 100 year old novel, is, has, has, I think, no pun intended, a justifiable motive. I say this, because he's a judge, but he, you know, he has a justifiable motive for why he does the things that he does. And I think Agatha Christie, that that was coming from her. So, so anyway, I think that's a big compelling reason that people like the show is at the end of the day, you don't just feel like, oh, one of those seemingly nice people turned out to be crazy, you know, and then, you know, either you figured it out, or you didn't, and then you know, on to the next load of laundry. So,
• 17:25
  Eric Rutin: what's interesting, you say that, you know, oh, you can figure it out. And you're referencing the one where I like said, Oh, I think I figured out the mystery one and form formula. But you're right, it completely does not distract from me wanting to watch the mystery and appreciate the mystery. And, you know, even when you do think, and it's always you think, you know, right? It's never you don't actually know. So it is, it is a very valid point that even though you're like, Okay, I think I know because this there's always like that guy who just shows up randomly. And you kind of like, oh, look for the random guy. Look for the random guy. And, and then you know, who has a story, but it literally does not distract or diminish the enjoyment. one iota compared to another one where you're at the end going, hoo, hoo, hoo. So yeah, I think you explained,
• 18:20
  Unknown: I think we don't I agree with you. Yeah, yeah, I think you have good, I think we have good stories, right. But I, we did try to, because we, you know, you ended up unconsciously making these, you don't mean to make a formula, and then suddenly, you realize, oh, shoot, we've done this a couple of times now. So I think with the last one, we really broke that. And, and that was, you know, many different layers to that onion. Yeah. And, and it turned out that the, you know, the dead body wasn't even who you thought it was. And, and ultimately, who was dead was, you know, somebody that you knew was dead, but you didn't know they were murdered and you know, stuff like that. So, anyway,
• 19:06
  Eric Rutin: so you touched on how you were brought into a script that existed so you didn't you know, conceive mystery one on one, but you really are the one who built mystery one on one. So what was it that you came into? That obviously turned into this phenomenon? That is mystery 101 The biggest Hallmark franchise out there?
• 19:30
  Unknown: Well, it was originally called mystery you which I didn't think was a great title.
• 19:37
  Eric Rutin: Oh, you like universe? I'd like to like you.
• 19:41
  Eric Rutin: Exactly. Okay, yeah. Okay.
• 19:44
  Unknown: Indeed, that it that it's not great to have a title that's automatically confusing when you say it to somebody. And it was, what happened was Marybeth Sproles, who was the original producer of the show she had actually inherited this script had been developed by somebody else. And she and I had worked together on a few projects, and she called me and said, I've got this mystery that I've inherited. And I'm not sure if the script needs a polish or a page one rewrite, you know, basically where you sort of strip it, you know, you it's like a gut renovation, right?
• 20:23
  Unknown: You keep the outside of the house, but basically everything else gone and restart over. And she said, Would you read it? And just give me what? Give me your thoughts? And I said, Sure, of course. So I read it. And she's and she said, and you need to call me this afternoon. So I said, Okay, so I asked, and I said, Oh, yeah, this is a page one rewrite there. Were there were just there were just, you know, first of all, it was too.
• 20:46
  Unknown: It was too far. I think it was hitting a lot of the old Hallmark beats and was super formulaic. And you know, there was just And and, interestingly, it didn't have all the things that I just talked about that I think are the hallmarks, the characters weren't smart. I was like, I can't you do this story about an English professor and a writer. I mean, I don't want to go into what was wrong with that. We don't need to do that.
• 21:17
  Unknown: But what I will tell you is there was enough wrong with it that I said it needs a page, one rewrite. And she said, Okay, great. Can you do it? And I said, Of course, I'd love to do it, you know, and I told her a lot of the things that I thought about and she said, Can you do it? And I said, Sure. And she said, Okay, cool. But I needed it in five days. Because five day yeah, I've this. Yeah. Wow.
• 21:41
  Unknown: Yeah, that was on a Wednesday evening, and she needed it Sunday evening. And so I guess it's like four days. Anyway. Um, yeah. So I had to write like 30 pages a day, basically, of a pretty much brand new script. I mean, I will tell you, not one line of dialogue survived, not one, many locations, change set pieces changed. So many things about the story changed, not everything. You know, there was always the plant, what wasn't a plant, it was a leaf that had been stolen, not a plant. I mean, there was some wacky things about the script. And, and the killer was still the same, but he had no motivation.
• 22:21
  Unknown: It was something that really bothered me. He was it was money actually was his motivation. He was just doing it to get rich.
• 22:27
  Unknown: And so there was nothing about a kid paying for cancer treatments that none of that. And, you know, and Amy wasn't really who she is. Travis wasn't who he was there, nothing about his there was a lot that wasn't there. So I had to bring all that there.
• 22:47
  Unknown: And I had to do it in a really, really fast turnaround, because they were slated for pre production to start on Monday.
• 22:53
  Unknown: So that's why
• 22:55
  Eric Rutin: how does it movie with a script that's that far off? Get slated for pre production? That's mind boggling.
• 23:04
  Unknown: It is. I don't this Hallmark world. That's a question. That's another question. You can ask whichever executive you get on to interview when you ask them why mystery one on one, number eight hasn't been greenlit. But you know, I think it's just part of they are producing. And I love them. Because of this, they are producing so much. Their their output is very high. They knew and to their credit, they knew it wasn't ready. But it was already in the system. You know, it was in the mill. And it was, you know, the conveyor belt was moving. And it was like, these items aren't ready, but the conveyor belt is moving. So we just had to hurry up and switch everything out. And obviously, they know what they're doing.
• 23:51
  Unknown: Because it worked. I mean, because I mean, look at the situation. I mean, as you said, it's like their number one rated thing. So
• 23:58
  Eric Rutin: So you did that in four days, which is create a classic, which kudos to you. How long does it typically take you to
• 24:06
  Unknown: running and then of course, we did rewrite polish.
• 24:10
  Unknown: And that was a couple more weeks, but it was still really compressed. Normally, normally I'll write a first draft in about three weeks usually, yeah, three weeks. And I just did one I just did a new one that I called mystery Island. And, and they, you know, were really enthusiastic. They are really enthusiastic about it. They gave me a bunch of notes and they said, Can you have it in by we met on Monday. They said can you can restart we met on Tuesday.
• 24:43
  Unknown: And they said can you have it by Friday? The rewrite
• 24:48
  Eric Rutin: because it goes into production on Monday. Well, not production, but
• 24:51
  Unknown: no, no, no, it's more because that one set in like a tropical island and so we were We have a weather factor, we have to get it shot before Hurricane season. So that's what we're up against. But but they're no two, it was fine. I got it done early. So but yeah, normally about three weeks for a first draft, and then, you know, a week for the week or so for the rewrite of that. And then another, you know, another another week for that rewrite.
• 25:18
  Unknown: And Paula, you know, so I don't know probably all told a couple of months. Yeah.
• 25:25
  Sydney: This curious, have you seen death in paradise? The mystery series? That's a British mystery series.
• 25:32
  Unknown: I started to want to, I started
• 25:37
  Sydney: going on I've know about so.
• 25:41
  Unknown: Oh, well, evil under the sun? Of course. The Agatha Christie?
• 25:44
  Sydney: Oh, yes, it was yes, of course. It turned into that
• 25:47
  Unknown: great movie with with an incredible cast with Peter Euston and office Pyro, that that was the big inspiration for this. I mean, in some ways, I mean, there were other inspirations. It's about a. It's about a destination vacation where the guy who runs it is this. He's the son of a famous disease, mystery novelist, like Agatha Christie. And he's turned this into a sort of a playground for this super rich, who come to this place and play a murder game. And at this big mansion on this Caribbean island, that he owns, he owns the whole island.
• 26:29
  Unknown: And so it's a it's a murder game. It's a game. But then, of course, you might imagine somebody wants to murder actually.
• 26:39
  Eric Rutin: It always happens
• 26:40
  Unknown: on the 50 year anniversary of mystery island.
• 26:43
  Unknown: So anyway, but I've I have seen a little bit of death in paradise. It wasn't really my cup of tea.
• 26:49
  Sydney: You know, but I feel like I really like British mysteries. I'm a big fan of Midsomer murder. I feel like your your mysteries are kind of like that. Usually in a British mystery like a good one. You can relate to why the person is killing there's there's a good motive. I feel like that's why I keep coming back to those mysteries and I resonated really with your mystery 101 series because it was like that was really cool.
• 27:21
  Unknown: That's a huge compliment. I mean, I love the I love that. I mean, obviously like the British mysteries are my absolute favorite. And Anthony Horowitz who wrote Midsomer Murders, has also created Foyle's war, and he's a novelist. He bought Magpie murders. I don't know if you guys read Yes, love Magpie murders, wasn't that fantastic?
• 27:41
  Unknown: Oh, my gosh. I mean,
• 27:44
  Sydney: the transitioning between the like, present day and the past, I was like, This is great.
• 27:52
  Unknown: Well, the knot, it was so great. And that cast I mean, Leslie Manville oh my goodness, I mean, that was, but that was brilliant. And he did his own adaptation, right? Because he wrote, it's a novel. And in the novel, what's amazing is, it tells Susan's story, up to a certain point. And then it tells the, you know, she's like, got this novel that she's got to read, because he's dead. And yeah, it's the whole novel. So it's like a novel inside a novel, and then read the novel, but no last chapter. And then, so it's a really cool construction in the in the book, which he with horror, which sort of adds to his credit. He's brilliant. I am a huge fan of him. He said, well, that worked for the book, but it won't work at all for television. So he completely restructured television, which is exactly what you should do, you know, but yeah, anyway.
• 28:47
  Sydney: Yeah. And amazing job and you do amazing work, too.
• 28:52
  Sydney: And so it sounds like you have the makings of Episode Eight, like kind of the general idea or,
• 29:00
  Unknown: but I won't know I mean, the whole story. Oh, okay.
• 29:04
  Unknown: All right.
• 29:05
  Eric Rutin: It's on the shelf behind them.
• 29:08
  Sydney: Okay. But I wonder if you've heard this rumor. So when we started the mystery themed Instagram and podcast and everything, we had several people reach out to us and I just kind of want to put this rumor to rest if it's true or not. That Francesca Pei was really the script for the next mystery 101 movie. We've had people say that to us. What are your thoughts on this?
• 29:40
  Eric Rutin: My thoughts, conspiracy theories.
• 29:42
  Unknown: I know that. I don't need to theorize. Yeah, that was an original pitch. I had four and a ministry one on one that didn't work for me. But I pitched the idea and it didn't work. And, um, and so I put that aside and I pitched this other idea, which I like much more.
• 30:08
  Unknown: And then, you know, the show got put on hold. And so then my producers said, hey, you know that other that idea that we killed for mystery one on one?
• 30:25
  Unknown: What about returning to that, you know just the basics like the barest bones of the of the sort of who done it part of the structure? And could we could we build a new mystery around that?
• 30:39
  Unknown: And I said, Yeah, sure. So that that's, that's where that came from. Yes. Okay. So
• 30:44
  Eric Rutin: that's partially right.
• 30:47
  Unknown: Yeah, I mean, there's, there's a, there's, there's some truth to that. I mean, you know, I've, I've pitched a lot of, you know, you pitch a lot of things.
• 30:54
  Unknown: And you know, this sort of the way it works, you know, you sometimes it sometimes an idea takes and sometimes it's just not the right one, you know, and that that it felt like definitely not the right one for Travis and Amy. It was pretty labyrinthine. And it's, it doesn't I'll tell you the original idea doesn't really resemble what Francesca Quinn is either, because the original idea was much more labyrinthine and the who done it was different. I mean, obviously, it doesn't even relate. But so I'll have a tremendous amount change from what I originally fetched.
• 31:34
  Unknown: But yeah, anyway. Yeah.
• 31:37
  Eric Rutin: So we're getting to the last group here. But it's fascinating talking to you a quick question, though. You're talking about, you know, pitching these ideas you're giving them they're giving you their notes back? Do you either have just tremendous a tremendous, like confidence and psyche? Or do you have an incredibly high therapy bill, of having people come back with, you know, not attacking their work, per se, because it's your art, right, but you know, sort of giving everyone else's opinion, and this is your baby that you created?
• 32:10
  Unknown: Well, so the answer is, I don't have a high therapy Bill anymore. I probably do have a fair amount of confidence. I chant I'm Buddhist I so I chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, every day that I practice Nichiren Buddhism. And that's really to build one's lifeforce up and also to, like, learn to be a better listener. But our motto in our Buddhist practice is this never give up. So it's a really good motto to like, and make it your personal motto. It's like we made it our family motto for my son who was born with lots of neurodiversity challenges. And it's just a really good motto to have, you know, and it's a really great matter in this industry, to just say, you know, the other thing is, you get, you know, I used to, of course, everyone has an ego, right? So, but practicing Buddhism is really about like learning how to mitigate your ego, not let your ego take control, but rather let your more elevated self which Everyone possesses Everyone possesses a lesser self and, and elevate itself, right.
• 33:26
  Unknown: And, you know, which Buddha means awakened person, so you want that awakened person to be sort of in charge on the day, right, and, and that's why I practice, that's why I chant every morning, you know, is to wake that up and to be able to when I hear, you know, when I get a document, that's like, eight pages of notes, instead of viewing that as a criticism of me, I'm view I'm able to, because that's how I used to view it, I'd be like ours, they hate me. They don't like me what's, you know, or else? I'd say? They're fools. What do they know, you know, but the more I've been doing this, you know, practicing Buddhism and practicing writing, the more and collaborating, the more you realize, no, they are so wonderful, like notes, help, you know, obstacles are opportunities for growth. And that's really, you know, and, again, if you look at a story, right, if, if the story is, you know, Amy finds out, there's a dead body. And, you know, in the next scene, she figures out who done it. It's a short story, and it's not very exciting, right?
• 34:39
  Unknown: But all the obstacles that are in the way they actually are opportunities for not just for her to figure it out. But there are opportunities for her and Travis to grow right for any character is to grow, right? So without those obstacles, you know, and it's the same thing in life like we need obstacles to grow, so I don't I tend to view notes as opportunities. So anyway,
• 35:00
  Eric Rutin: That is incorrect on me healthy. That's amazing. All right. So back to our actual question was we just talked about Francesca Quinn little bit, it is definitely I found and in Sydney and I talked about it very different than any other Hallmark mystery out there seemed to be very a lot darker.
• 35:22
  Eric Rutin: Definitely, you know, it wasn't as clean and and, you know, hierarchy as a hallmark mystery.
• 35:28
  Eric Rutin: Was this. You said you did this before? Was this just something that you when you when you read it was this the old previous Hallmark regime was the current one who said, Hey, go ahead and push it. You know, how did such?
• 35:50
  Unknown: Yeah, I mean, we just made it last year. Right. Right.
• 35:52
  Unknown: Definitely the current regime.
• 35:52
  Unknown: And I and I have, you know, again, what I, when, when my producers came, the executives from Hallmark came to me and said, Excuse me, um, that they, you know, were there ways to take some of these elements from this discarded mystery one on one plot and turn them into a new mystery. I said, Yeah, but why don't we do some things? You know, and they actually asked, like, again, just like, with mystery one on one they wanted to elevate it with with Francesca, they wanted to, you know, ground it more and make it, make it darker, give it a little more edge. And so I said, Well, I think really, she should be a private investigator that, you know, like, so that, you know, these amateur slews they there's always a kind of an innocence to them. That with with Frankie, there was none of that. And then also, you know, we wanted to say the least.
• 36:56
  Unknown: Right, and we wanted to open it with this idea of a serial killer. And, um, and also, we wanted them to be a couple at the very beginning. You know, we did a lot of things differently.
• 37:09
  Unknown: So they start out as a couple who then break up and it's a terrible breakup, you know, and then, you know, lots of other bad things happen. But yeah, they that definitely was something they were wanting to push the envelope on. And, and, you know, I think the reaction, at least on the social media was really interesting, because I think a lot of people, it was basically split right down the middle, like, half the people really loved it. They were like, Oh, this is great. This is refreshing. Give us more of this. And the other half the people were like, that was too grim. I don't go to hallmark for this kind of a thing. Right. So Oh, yeah.
• 37:53
  Eric Rutin: No, I like I liked it. I also know Mallory Jansen is. She's fantastic. And it was interesting seeing because usually she's a bubbly person.
• 38:01
  Eric Rutin: So I went into it. Totally not expecting to see that side. And yes, I guess I yeah, I remember back when it came out on our, on my social media, at that point, was definitely loved it best mystery ever or hated it. What is this doing? I mean, there was no, this is okay, but nothing in the middle. But
• 38:24
  Unknown: that's isn't that better? I mean, would you rather have that like, at least you know, like, I remember when I was younger, and I used to listen to Tom Waits. And I love Tom Waits so much. And he had said something I'm paraphrasing, but he said, I'd rather be hated than be, you know, not cared about. And, you know, like, you know, like that nobody doesn't even pay attention. And I think it's, at least we got a strong reaction from both sides of people's hearts. You know, some people really did hate it, obviously. And they even use that word. And then some people said, as you said, Eric, it's the best mystery ever. So, you know, I'm happy with that.
• 39:12
  Eric Rutin: I'm happy. I hope we see another one. Yeah, me
• 39:15
  Unknown: too. Me too. I haven't gotten any. You know, I haven't been asked about that one. All right.
• 39:23
  Sydney: So I'm going back to mystery 101 and I am in love with Graham Winslow. He is just so great.
• 39:32
  Unknown: I didn't get in line.
• 39:32
  Unknown: Yeah.
• 39:36
  Sydney: Well, so I'm going to say when the series continues, I'm not gonna say if I say when throwing it out there into the universe. That Will Graham get a romantic interest. I know he started out he lost his wife.
• 39:51
  Sydney: He's been living the bachelor lifestyle now adjusting, but like I just want Graham to have Have a little bit of a fling or I don't know, what do you think?
• 40:04
  Sydney: For Niven? Oh, Barbara.
• 40:08
  Unknown: I think it's a great idea. Yeah, I think it's I love I love Graham and I love Robin who plays him is just wonderful.
• 40:17
  Unknown: I mean, he's, I love writing for him. He's, you know, he I've actually never even met Robin, although we've communicated on social media, but he he, I just love his performance so much that it changed. I didn't change but it like, evolved the way I was writing Graham, because I just thought he's so wonderful.
• 40:40
  Unknown: So yeah, no, of course, I I fully endorse your your idea, because we did give them a romance, but it didn't end so well. Right. Yeah. There was no.
• 40:46
  Unknown: I feel it would be nice. Yeah.
• 40:55
  Unknown: Probably means Yeah.
• 40:57
  Sydney: Yeah. And then like how a knee like feels about it, like, Oh, she maybe jealous?
• 41:01
  Sydney: Yeah. You know, I don't maybe.
• 41:09
  Eric Rutin: Maybe it's her fiance's mom.
• 41:13
  Sydney: That's very Hallmark.
• 41:18
  Eric Rutin: So we had talked to Benjamin Ayers. Before, we're talking about chronicle mysteries and how that one there was just a sexual tension that never got resolved. And we did a crossword mysteries deep dive and talk to Brennan, as well with how that one ended with they came together and had their kiss. And it seems both of them have agreed it's so hard to maintain a show after that sexual tension has been, you know, burst. I'll go back. I'm a Gen X. Sydney's a millennial, so she's a whole different world.
• 41:54
  Eric Rutin: But I'll go back to remember Moonlighting. Like once, of course, I wanted the big one, I got one they got together. Yeah, it just show went to trash.
• 42:05
  Eric Rutin: Right. It's hard to do that. So you obviously, well, we don't know what's gonna happen to this one. But I'm sure you have ideas there. How would you maintain the show knowing that you can't feed off the mystery one on one I will say, though, has been like everybody has known that tension hasn't been strong, but it hasn't been until, you know, Travis, or the whole I love you, you know, Travis reveals his,
• 42:31
  Unknown: I mean, again, we tried to, you know, treat them like adults, who are complicated people and have justifiable reasons for not getting together immediately. Because, and that's a challenge, honestly, too, you know, because, you know, adults can get together quicker if they want to. But I think, a good job with that. And yet, then when we did get them together, you know, and they did kiss, and then it was like, you know, and then he had to go to Chicago and testify in this case, you know, so we, I think we did a good job for the two movies that followed their kissing, of maintaining, I mean, obviously, the ratings kept going up. So I don't think people like the show went to trash after they kissed, I think, I do think that if we get a chance to make number eight, there will be a lot of tension in that one in a different in a different way, in ways that people won't necessarily expect.
• 43:35
  Unknown: Again, I don't want to spoil anything about the plot. But do you want to tell anyone, it will be surprised? What will be lots of surprises, but I think will fit we're finding ways to to maintain that tension, which doesn't have to be a Will they won't they tension, there's lots of different I mean, you guys are adults, you know, every relationship has lots of tensions, different things that are keeping it
• 44:02
  Eric Rutin: on top my wife, right.
• 44:06
  Unknown: And, you know, in other words, so I think that there are, you know, and again, another great reference is the Nick and Nora, Charles movies, The Thin Man movies, where you know, the first one is based on the Dashiell Hammett novel and they're already a couple in in that movie and then in the book and yet they you know manage to have tremendous banter and still have sexual tension even though they're married. And then that continued in the movies where they even have a child and you know, stuff like that and they still have great you know, you know, they they're, they're still in love with each other basically, and I do feel like I think this is a very roundabout way to say that. If we were to make three or five more mystery one on one If Amy and Travis do did get married, I think we would still be able to have a great sense of, of tension between them and free John and a sense of being in love with each other, that makes them spark, and also having a sense of mission about what they're doing that makes them spark and makes the story of their relationship because I think that's back to your initial question, what why are they so popular? It's really because of the story of their relationship. It's the mystery of their relationship, the mystery of why do these people who don't have much in common?
• 45:37
  Unknown: Why are they so right for each other? And I think it's the solving of that mystery that the audience does that keeps people engaged.
• 45:49
  Eric Rutin: I'll just interject one quick thing there it also, and I don't know if you knew that they were going to be cast in that role. They are two of the most like, all Hallmark actors are talented everything.
• 45:59
  Eric Rutin: But they are two of the most I would say, beyond Hallmark world talented, like Christopher is just you could pull them out.
• 46:08
  Eric Rutin: And he could never have done a Hallmark movie. That guy can act. He is so yeah,
• 46:14
  Unknown: I mean, he went he went to school with a some a bunch of guys. I know from people I know, from NYU, you know, to NYU grad Acting Program. I mean, Chris is serious. He's a serious actor.
• 46:23
  Unknown: And Joe's really good. She didn't go to NYU, but she's really good too. And that and so is Robin. And so that was the thing, you know, no, they were not cast when I did that rewrite. And I did the rewrite.
• 46:32
  Unknown: And the producers loved it. And they said, We think we know who the two right people are. We're going to show them this script.
• 46:39
  Unknown: And so they they read the script, and they both said they wanted to sign on and do it. So that's how that happened. Yeah.
• 46:50
  Sydney: I'm so glad they did. I can't imagine it any other way.
• 46:54
  Sydney: Yeah, um, we're, we're gonna switch gears though, over to the curious cater, which is very new, and it's new characters.
• 47:05
  Sydney: It's inspired by a book series.
• 47:05
  Sydney: It's very different from mystery. 101. Tell us about it, please.
• 47:15
  Unknown: More, I mean, I'm assuming people have watched it, who listen to your podcasts. But I, I again, I was brought in to do a rewrite, because the original writer was having a baby and and so I never had read the original dine for chocolate novel. I just got the script.
• 47:33
  Unknown: And you know, they had a lot of notes on it, you know, it was just the first stage. And so that was a pretty massive rewrite to I will tell you and it wasn't done in four days. But um, and it went really well.
• 47:49
  Unknown: Obviously. The first one was a big Reagan success. I think people liked it. The you know, the fans liked it a lot. So then they called me and said, we want to do another one. And here, here's a whole bunch of these are all the books, these are the titles and these are like the one paragraph blurb of what happens in the book. And so I I picked grilling season because I liked that her husband was in jeopardy and so there'll be like a personal stake for for Goldie in getting involved in this mystery, because, you know, one of the things that kind of bumps me a little bit with these cozy mysteries is how these, you know, people are always solving mysteries that they shouldn't be, you know, they have other Right, yeah, so, so I wanted it to be justifiable. And then I read the book, which I know Eric did as well. And And as Eric pointed out on a previous episode of this podcast it the film bears almost no resemblance to the book. And and there are many weird and honestly disturbing things in Riverside.
• 49:01
  Unknown: Yes. I mean, it's a strange blend of like 50% cozy mystery.
• 49:06
  Unknown: I mean, it even literally has recipes in the book, right? Are the yummy things Goldie makes, and then 50% like Francesca Quinn times 1000 Like if you think Francesca Quinet just read Diana.
• 49:26
  Eric Rutin: The toxicity relationship.
• 49:28
  Unknown: Oh my god. I mean, the the It's mind boggling you guys the way oh, by the way, Goldie figures out who done it in in the book has to do with remembering when her husband put her in the hospital by breaking bones in her body. I'm not joking. And there's a scene in the movie where her husband she's actually trying to help figure it, get him off and he's out on bail. And he smashes through her backdoor holes, grabs her arm pulls it through rips the skin on the glass.
• 50:10
  Unknown: She's bleeding. I'm not joking.
• 50:13
  Eric Rutin: Right? But and here's the thing. And then her son gets mad at her for calling the pace. Yeah, that that book is just,
• 50:24
  Unknown: it's mind boggling. And honestly, toxicity is the word every character in that story is toxic. Every character Goldie is Tom is a non entity in the book.
• 50:34
  Unknown: I mean an airy by the way in the book at that point, so it's just very weird. So
• 50:41
  Eric Rutin: what I love your Marla by the way.
• 50:43
  Unknown: Oh, yeah, she's a total that. I mean, they're all they're all completely different. Yeah, she's fantastic. And JC who plays her is so wonderful. Um, yeah. So I mean, the wonderful producers that I have, you know, and they're very, you know, they're like, look, they bought this series of books, and they, we need to use them, but they said it can be. You can use whatever you want and get rid of everything else. And I said, okay, cool. Great. As long as I can do that. And so, you know, it's just become the jumping off point. I mean, there are obviously things you know, she's a cater she. And it's so weird.
• 51:16
  Unknown: Sometimes, again, when I'll see on social media, people are like, well, this is very different from the book and like, have you read the book recently? Read it. I mean, and by the way, like, it's called grilling season. And there, there is a grill that explodes.
• 51:32
  Unknown: It doesn't kill anybody. It it kind of may temporarily, like gives, like second degree burns to a totally unimportant character. Right. Anyway, I do I love working on that show. That was a total joy. I think Andrew and Nikki are fantastic. Talk about great actors. I mean, I think they're fantastic. And, you know, they they work so hard. And that whole crew. I mean, they did such they did a tremendous job on that. On the on the latest one, especially, I mean, I thought like everything, the design, the casting, all the casting was so great. Oh, man, I, you know, I thought the, you know, the production design was tremendous. The way it's shot.
• 52:15
  Unknown: You know, they did you know, they have a lot of, you know, they do that in like 14 days or something. It's insane. I mean, and again, the reason they can do that is because Andrew and Nicki show up and they are ready to go. They and they set the tone for the entire rest of the cast. I think so. Yeah. It's a great, great experience. I hope I hope to get to do more.
• 52:36
  Eric Rutin: There's definitely a lot more humor in that mystery, as well as that. Have you had fun writing, like being able to do the fun?
• 52:44
  Unknown: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it was like, I mean, I think the first one is funny. There's definitely some funny stuff in the first one. But this one, again, the producers really gave me a lot of rain on it. And I was like, let's make this be like laugh out loud. Funny. I mean, you know, I think I think we got and then again, I have to give it up to the director and the editor. And they did such a tremendous job cutting, like that whole, that whole montage where they're figuring out, you know, and there's all the whip pans, you know, as they're great stuff. I mean, I love that stuff. You know, so it made it like the directing was funny, like, the director got the jokes, and he accentuated them with the way the way he shot it.
• 53:27
  Unknown: And the way the the DP, the director of photography, use the camera, and you know, and then the way it was edited. So, yeah, that was funny. It's, I think, I think, again, they're actually going to shoot a third one, which was being written while I was writing grilling season. So I didn't write that because they wanted to have two scripts ready to go. And so they had another writer writing that. So that will be some
• 53:53
  Eric Rutin: chanting to let that one go.
• 53:58
  Unknown: I mean, I do Chad ate every day, but no, it was okay.
• 54:00
  Unknown: No, I don't I didn't, you know, I had I have many other, I have many, many other things lined up. So you know, I got I got a bunch of lists like this. So with things on them, so it was okay,
• 54:12
  Eric Rutin: I was I'll let you just cause me a little anxiety because one of the things when we did our review that we said we liked was the flow of the first one to the second one, just how it's evolved, which, you know, obviously, it's because you've written them. And there's, you have that continuity, the actors have that their roles where they understand better, but like the relationship and we went, we just talked about Marla, but that the whole Goldie Marla relationship is just hilarious, and they work so well together, that now you have me nervous that another writer is not going to be able to, you know, all the stuff that we've gotten, and now it's gonna be a different feel.
• 54:50
  Eric Rutin: I'm a little nervous. So thanks for that anxiety.
• 54:58
  Unknown: I mean, all I'll say is I do Really, the producers are fantastic. They really are on that show. And I do think you're in good hands with them. They're I mean, they're essentially the show runners, right, in a way.
• 55:08
  Unknown: And so I mean, they did a great job pushing me and knowing what they want. And so I'm not, I'm not worried about it, but we'll see. We'll see. But they did tell me that. If we get a fourth one, I'll be writing that. So
• 55:29
  Eric Rutin: all right. We hope so. When
• 55:32
  Sydney: you get a fourth one?
• 55:32
  Sydney: Yeah. When when you just wander around here,
• 55:37
  Eric Rutin: don't do these. We don't do these. We live in a world of you know, denial and everything. Just Just hope, hope, hope. Hope is a physician.
• 55:48
  Sydney: So we have a lot of followers who think they could write the next great Hallmark mystery. Tell us a bit about how you construct a mystery. Is there any sort of formula to it or outline or process?
• 56:05
  Unknown: Well, hopefully, there's not a formula, or at least not a conscious? Oh, yeah.
• 56:07
  Unknown: Well, there you know, you don't want on your leg because you want to, you know, stay ahead of people. And also just be organic and try to be true. And sometimes you don't realize when you're repeating yourself, and then you catch you catch yourself and go, Okay, well, let's not do that again. But as far as the I mean, you know, I would encourage people to chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, and that's the beginning of my writing process. For real, it is, like, I'll start, I often don't know where these things are coming from or going at all. And chanting is a form of meditation, med Med, the Greek word med means wisdom, right? So you're bringing out your wisdom, you're trying to bring out your wisdom. And, and so I'll do that, and I'll have a notebook like this one, you know, sitting down and in front of me, and then, you know, somebody starts talking in my head, and I just start, you know, making notes.
• 57:01
  Unknown: And that's oftentimes where that's where the story is. Begin for me. For sure. I longhand.
• 57:09
  Unknown: You know, I always write longhand first. And because there's a different flow with longhand, too. I mean, the scientists have done work on this in terms of the way the brain works when you're doing this versus when you're doing this, like it engages different parts of your brain. But I think I mean, first of all, I say that anybody who thinks they can or wants to write a mystery, or should do it, you know, I, we need people to be creative and be creators and be storytellers.
• 57:39
  Unknown: I mean, we all are, right, that's as a species. That's mean, going back to the caves and Lascaux, right, you know, is doing that, you know, for art appreciation, they were telling stories with paintings and, and that's why we are the species that we are. So I, I celebrate people who want to do that. And I would just tell, for me, the thing is to try to avoid formula to try to even with I mean, again, I think a hallmark any, any network will have certain things that they want, or think they want. But I was really, really fortunate when I came to came in on mystery one on one that Marybeth and Emily, who were the producers of that, for whatever reason, I was there at the right time, and they had a mandate to push things and to not do that. People were getting tired of the, by the numbers thing, you know, here's the plucky young woman who runs, you know, whatever, a store or a, you know, a place where the mind isn't terribly engaged, necessarily. And and here's a cop who's not going to let her in and not let her be involved.
• 58:58
  Unknown: And we played that beat for like, you know, two acts of mystery one on one, but I think very quickly, Travis was like, You're, you're smart, good at this, you know, I mean it from there in their first interaction, he recognizes how smart she is and how intuitive she is and how good she is at picking up on details. And obviously, she's an expert in a different way. She's but she's an expert about something that matter. So all I would say to people who want to write one of these things, is just do something, do something different, push the boundaries.
• 59:26
  Unknown: And also be true to yourself. I mean, to quote the great Mark Twain write what you know, and so right from yourself right from your life, so even, you know, not that I've ever been involved in the homicide or the investigation of a homicide, but you know, I love murder mysteries, obviously. I mean, there's a lot of me and Amy for sure. But there's also a lot of me and Travis you know, in terms of the kind of person that I am and the person that character you know, so you got to Graham and all all of them right? And you got to pour yourself into To the story, too. So I think that's, that's the really important thing like, don't think just because you're writing genre, it shouldn't be true. And, you know, truthful to you. I mean, some of my favorite, you know, John McCarthy is one of my favorite writers. And for a long, long time, he was just considered a spy novelist. And eventually, you know, took decades and eventually, people started to say, he might actually be one of the greatest novelist of the 20th century who just happens to write spy books. And I think that's true.
• 1:00:31
  Sydney: I'm just curious, you mentioned that, that, you know, the voice comes to you, when you were thinking about mystery.
• 1:00:38
  Sydney: 101. What did Amy or Travis's voice come to you first? Or maybe? Do you remember that at all? Or?
• 1:00:46
  Unknown: Yeah. Yeah, that was a funny situation, of course, because there were there was this, there was this existing script that I had read. And, you know, I didn't relate, I didn't connect out either of their voices. And I remember the first scene I wrote, before I'd written any other parts of that script. The first scene was the scene in the coffee shop, where, where, where they meet? And so the answer is, was both of their voices came to me at the same time. And it was in that banter in that way that they were. And they were, they're talking about my, their mentors, right. But it's, you know, this is my mentor. And then she says, Well, this is my mentor. And, you know, that's very, that's Buddhism, by the way, you know, the mentor, that it's very important in Buddhism to have a good teacher and right and, and, but also for the student, the teacher to be, like, partners, not like the teachers way up above. So that that, again, comes out of my life. And, and it was their voices together, kind of, kind of giving each other a hard time. And, you know, a little bit of Beatrice and Benedick, from, as I said, from Much Ado About Nothing, which is one of my favorite pieces of writing ever, that I liked the idea of them, immediately meeting each other and giving each other a hard time. So
• 1:02:15
  Eric Rutin: but one of the things we have talked about, that we've both enjoyed is that Travis does very early on, understand that Amy is smart.
• 1:02:23
  Eric Rutin: And you know, except so that's one of the kind of a pet peeve are the ones where the that detective just demit, you know, dismisses the woman who may like you say, she may be a busy body Baker, but you know, who does is missing or who has good information? Right. And so that's the thing we really did like is that he he did that, so we applaud. applaud that.
• 1:02:48
  Unknown: Yeah. Oh, yeah. Thanks.
• 1:02:48
  Unknown: Yeah. I mean, obviously, I'm a big murder. She wrote fan too, you know,
• 1:02:53
  Eric Rutin: it wasn't bagging on it. Oh, murder. Shoot. No, no, no, no. But
• 1:02:58
  Unknown: obviously, like, in the third episode, we call the convention, the book convention that they were the book that they were having. Murder they wrote, right, that was that's what it was called them. They wrote it, you know, which was a nod to that. And I think what was so great on that show was right from the pilot episode, the the cop respects. Jessica, the Angela Lansbury character, like, wow, you're you're really you know, of course, that cop is much more bumbling than Trump inflamed by the great Ned Beatty, but, um, but Right, exactly. Like, I think that that was just a trope that I had seen a bunch of times. And I was, I think we're all tired of that trope, the, you know, the woman, the woman that we should dismiss as a trope that I think universally, we can put to bed at this point. It's been good enough.
• 1:03:55
  Sydney: So you mentioned mystery Island. And you know how Agatha Christie is a little bit of an influence on that. Are there any other mysteries that you'd love to adapt into a hallmark series or any series? For that matter?
• 1:04:10
  Sydney: You're just itching to do.
• 1:04:16
  Unknown: I mean, I'm, I mean, you know, it's funny, because a lot of times they don't have like a general meeting in Hollywood. And they'll say, Do you have any IP, you know, intellectual property that you'd like us to? Because Hollywood prefers to work from IP, because, you know, it exists already. And their executives are comforted by by the familiar, even if they're not even if they've never even read it, but it's like, oh, well, somebody else believe somebody published that, you know, 100 years ago, so therefore, it has merit, as opposed to your original idea, which I don't know, maybe it won't be good, right. So they asked that question, and I often I am at a loss for what to say because I, I really like to create original stories more than I do. You know, even though as I've indicated, I've sort of been brought in as a script doctor or a fixer or whatever. And I am good at that. But I think I mean Agatha Christie, there have been so many great adaptations of her. Obviously the home row series The marble series, the Sidney Lumet film is one of murder on the Express is one of my favorites of all time. I love that. I do love the Ustinov movies as well. But But Sarah Phelps, I don't know if you've ever seen her. She did the And Then There Were None for the BBC. And then she also did the ABC murders for the BBC with John Malkovich, his poor row, which is on Amazon, and I strongly, strongly recommend watching it. Although check that out. Oh, it is really good.
• 1:05:59
  Unknown: She's one of my she's one of my favorite writers, Sarah Phelps for television. She, she did this series called double and murders, which was an adaptation of these two different novel novels that was on stars. That is just brilliant. I love her.
• 1:06:12
  Unknown: So I feel like oh, she's she's kind of done Agatha Christie the right way. I mean, you know, at the same time, I of course, it would be incredible to be able to adapt Agatha Christie and find something. The thing I think I love about Sarah Phelps is that she she really digs into what's the seat? What are the what's hidden in what's hidden inside this book that Agatha Christie wanted to write, but couldn't write at that time. But what's the sort of the secret story in the story? And, and so I think if I were to approach adaptation in that way, then I would be excited about it. If I were to go back to some older mysteries, you know, like, I just listened to this book. You can't even read it, but I'm in this book club and I couldn't even find a printed copy of it was called Death of Jezebel.
• 1:07:09
  Unknown: It's a great murder mystery from the 30s. And I guess the one I would say, Okay, now I've talked myself around into a Dorothy L Sayers. I, she's mentioned in the first mystery one on one, and they did an adaptation of Lord Peter Wimsey books they did actually two different adaptations, one of the standalone Peter whimsy books and then one when Harriet vane came in, and in a way, Harry, so Harriet vane is an amateur sleuth, Peter whimsy is an amateur sleuth, too it's actually to amateur sleuth, but he's experienced solving lots of these mysteries. And when Harriet vane comes in, and she's this one of these as mentioned, I forget which one we did. I think it was Have His Carcase or something. But anyway, in the first mystery 101 Amy talks tells Travis about these characters when they're in the Lacey's dorm room, I think.
• 1:07:58
  Unknown: Anyway, I would that would be really, really fun to adapt Dorothy L Sayers. And I think they would be palatable for the Hallmark audience. They'd be period of course, you know, they're they're set between the wars in England. But you know, it, it's certainly rated PG, you know, in terms of what goes on in the story, so it would work for Homer. That's a great idea.
• 1:08:20
  Unknown: Say thanks for
• 1:08:22
  Eric Rutin: speaking of great ideas. I want to know our last question here for you. How is the script for the Windy City mysteries that mystery one on one prequel with Kate and Travis coming along?
• 1:08:35
  Unknown: So when I saw it, I loved seeing that so much, but you guys posted that because I had pitched that idea. I write out an idea right after that had had aired the one with Kate. I was like, guys, let's do a spin off. Let's do a spin off. Let's follow Kate back to Chicago and do stories about her and make her the lead detective. And that's actually part of where the Francesca Quinn idea came from was like What if our female lead is actually an experienced law enforcement professional?
• 1:09:06
  Unknown: Right. So anyway, but the real answer is that's not that is not currently in development
• 1:09:17
  Eric Rutin: needs to be we have so many people who have totally believe it's true. I've had people from other other other sources come to me and say, Can you please post that this is fictional because they have like a mystery one on one Facebook group who people are sitting there saying, Oh, the Campion The reason they're not doing the mystery one on one is because they're too busy producing Windy City mysteries and the woman's like, that's not true.
• 1:09:43
  Unknown: Would be great. No, I will tell you, I'm trying to get something going with Chris Palawa. A different project.
• 1:09:51
  Unknown: Different mystery project to do together. So fingers crossed, that I can't really say any more about it, but fingers crossed that that that comes
• 1:09:58
  Eric Rutin: to me will cross fingers and and toes. Yeah,
• 1:10:01
  Unknown: thank you. Yeah. And then, you know, really for the fans just keep I think, you know, eventually the pressure will come to bear faster. I mean, I mean, we everybody wants to do it. That's the thing. I know. The cast all wants back.
• 1:10:18
  Eric Rutin: I don't want to get too controversial. I won't put you on the spot. But there is the one person who we have not talked about who I assume she is on board. And there's not like, that's
• 1:10:27
  Unknown: no, you're talking about Joe. Yeah, I mean, again, I don't really know, Jill. I mean, I've only had a couple conversations there. I never got on set, by the way. I you know, because they filmed these in Vancouver, I live 3000 miles away, and they can't afford to bring the writer out. But, um, but when I've had, I've had conversations, you know, she's, she's a lovely person, a wonderful person. And I know, she wants to do more. I know and she and Chris talk all the time.
• 1:10:50
  Unknown: So yeah, she she definitely she's on record. She's, she's on public record, I think on her social media saying, I want to I want to play me more and
• 1:10:59
  Eric Rutin: speak in the public record, Hallmark has been very vocal lately, saying, they, you know, they brought back the the Hannah Swensen. They're, you know, they're doing these other things, because the public wants it so much. So there is no nothing out there even close that the public wants more than at least episode eight.
• 1:11:23
  Unknown: Right. And that's, in fact, even what I've said, when in when I recently sent an email, like, you know, if you want to end it with Episode Eight, let me but let me just end it. Like, let's end it the way it should end. So, you know, and again, like I said, I don't even you know, it's, it's not part of my job to know what's going on there. And why we haven't gotten to make episode eight. And I'm not, I don't ask either, because, you know, fortunately, it's not part of my job, but they know that I want to do it. And so we'll see.
• 1:12:00
  Eric Rutin: Okay, well, I know that you're, you're just trying to get back to Chicago with Kate and Travis. So we'll let you get back to that writing. I want to thank you very much for joining us. This has been really interesting. I think a lot of our fans and they especially the mystery one on one fans are going to really love hearing what you've what you've had to say some great insight there.
• 1:12:18
  Eric Rutin: And you got to Sydney and her whole she got to talk with her a whole BBC and her British mysteries.
• 1:12:25
  Sydney: You know, I'm really happy. I got to talk about that.
• 1:12:30
  Unknown: I'm sure your breadbox, right, Sydney. I'm sure you have britbox
• 1:12:34
  Sydney: I have a corn. I'm trying to get a box. I need to get
• 1:12:39
  Unknown: pretty great. Yeah.
• 1:12:39
  Unknown: Yeah. britbox is amazing. Right.
• 1:12:43
  Unknown: Anyway. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I'm glad thank you guys so much for, for talking to me. I really appreciate the support and the enthusiasm. It's really great.
• 1:12:52
  Eric Rutin: And we look forward to this super secret project you got coming up with Christopher, or mystery Island? Well, yeah, mystery
• 1:12:58
  Unknown: mystery. Yeah, that's gonna be really, that's really going to be fun. I promise. I promise, it will be fun.
• 1:13:06
  Eric Rutin: And that is when we'll have to be on set for that one. Right. So yeah, some tropical island.
• 1:13:12
  Unknown: Hopefully, we'll be on this, you know, Meridian, but no, no, they never been there.
• 1:13:15
  Unknown: Never. But that
• 1:13:18
  Eric Rutin: one unit? What would I do
• 1:13:20
  Unknown: think they're moving too fast. If there's a note, they just call me and they said, Can you get a rewrite on this?
• 1:13:24
  Unknown: And I do it so yeah.
• 1:13:27
  Eric Rutin: All right. Well, have a great day. Thank you very much.
• 1:13:29
  Unknown: Thank you guys.
• 1:13:30
  Sydney: Take care. Oh, my God.
• 1:13:30
  Sydney: Eric, what did you think of our conversation with John?
• 1:13:37
  Eric Rutin: Well, I'm a little disappointed that he did not immediately sign up to start reading the Windy City mysteries. But other than that, it was really interesting. I found it fascinating.
• 1:13:50
  Sydney: Yeah, I did, too. I feel like you know, the whole writing aspect of the mysteries. I just haven't given enough consideration to that. You're the one that normally is really good about paying attention to the writing while I'm paying attention to Oh, I think that jackets really cute. But you know what, this was really nice and refreshing. And he was he was great. I left all the insights. I'm going to start chanting tomorrow. Need to bring that good energy.
• 1:14:20
  Eric Rutin: And I know once again, you became BFFs. You did with Brennan. And now you? You did with him. When you're talking about your British mysteries. I've got to start watching some British mysteries turn.
• 1:14:31
  Sydney: Oh my god, you'd actually really love that MAGpie murders though, I swear you would
• 1:14:36
  Eric Rutin: is that the one that son said was on Amazon?
• 1:14:40
  Sydney: No, that was some ABC murder with John Malkovich that he mentioned, but this one was is probably on britbox But I saw it on PBS. So I think he could just go on PBS.
• 1:14:55
  Eric Rutin: Okay, I did watch what like ones like broad church and so yeah, that was really popular, other ones that are British as well, but I do like them. I just guess I gotta get britbox to go along with my 17 other streaming apps that I've got going.
• 1:15:11
  Sydney: So yeah, and that was a hot tip he gave us about mystery island I was surprised to you was oh, so
• 1:15:20
  Eric Rutin: breaking news. All right. Well, we're gonna wrap up now. As usual, we'd love if you leave us a comment. Let us know what you think of the podcast, give us some stars if you want.
• 1:15:32
  Eric Rutin: The other thing that would be wonderful is we've been growing really well. And it's all through through you guys. So if you can let your friends know who may like mysteries, let them know that we exist. That would be awesome. We'd appreciate it.
• 1:15:47
  Sydney: Yes. And they'll give us a follow over on Instagram at Hallmark mysteries and more.
• 1:15:56
  Eric Rutin: Okay, well, time to take off and get on with our day. As usual, it was fun.
• 1:16:05
  Sydney: Yes, see you later.
• 1:16:05
  Sydney: Goodbye.