Mistletoe Murders

We loved this murder mystery story ... a Hallmark surprise. Not too dark ... it kept our attention and kept us wanting more, and very entertaining. Acting was excellent. Great chemistry between the Drew and Mooney characters. Sarah Drew is a star ... we want to see more of her and we do not want to see this story end here.

Most murder mysteries are the same ... dark script, dark sullen humorless characters, and endings that leave you sad, disgusting, and often not feeling entertained. But Mistletoe Murders had none of these characteristics thanks to the excellent script, the light and bright setting, and the excellent casting. Well done ... this show is the reason we signed up up for Hallmark streaming for the first time.

Hallmark rom-coms and their murder mysteries can be hit or miss, seems like they've had more misses than hits. This one is an exception and looks to be a hit. A movie or TV series always starts with the script, it's what dooms many of them. I'm up to episode 3 and so far the plots, characters and dialog are good.

I like that they're running "Mistletoe Murders" as a series, like the British detective dramas of 3 to 6 episodes, each episode running from 50 minutes to 90 minutes.

The leads Sarah Drew and Peter Mooney are both drama school trained and are very good as is the rest of the cast. It's a shame it's called "Mistletoe Murders", instead of Fletcher Groves Mysteries or something similar, so we could see these characters year around.

I watched all 6 episodes thinking we'd find out more about who Emily Lane really is, but no luck. If it's renewed for a second season, the writers need to reveal Emily Lane's backstory in the first episode, otherwise viewers will start to lose interest in the series.

Now this is interesting! Only one episode in but I am already hooked. This definitely feels like a Hallmark Mystery win to me. Sarah Drew does a great job of being a sweet and charming small town girl with a secret darker past. She played it well! I love that there is a more obvious storyline of a the murder with a layered storyline of her past. I'm very excited to see where they go with her history storyline. And of course the good looking cop to banter with and develop something with will be a win too. Definitely worth watching. Love it when Hallmark actually tries to give a smart audience something a bit more intriguing.

Smart, compelling and suspenseful! Mistletoe Murders takes a refreshing approach to the all chipper, and ready to mingle characters we're used to getting in Hallmark seasonal offerings. The lead characters are well grounded, sharp, intelligent and a little bit snarky! The lead actors are seasoned and solid. The town actors are a bit over-the-top at times but it provides a nice contrast to Emily's not so bubbly or quirky personality. The chemistry between the leads is wonderful and could work well romantically or platonically. I'm impressed with the fact they chose to stray from the stereotypical teenager and give her character more depth.

The town has a Havenesque vibe that keeps it feeling mysterious as if it holds its own secrets, while at the same time managing to maintain all the warm, Christmas charm and esthetics you'd want in a cozy book to film series mystery!

I found this show entertaining enough. It didn't amaze or wow me, but it was sufficiently entertaining that I intend to watch the next episode.

When I tuned in, I thought it was a movie, not a tv series. Once I realized it was a series, I mistakenly assumed that each episode would stand alone. Wrong. I have seen the first episode and intend to tune in again, but I hope they don't drag one story out over the entire season.

The protagonist runs a Christmas shop and it is cute and sufficiently Christmasy. There's not a lot of time spent in the shop, but the other sets are pleasant and attractive.

The viewers aren't privy to the back story yet, but the protagonist seems to have some training in detection and inserts herself into a murder mystery that relates to an acquaintance she admires. We'll see how it goes. If the idea appeals to you, I'd suggest giving it a try.