Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Something New

I was SO EXCITED for the next Aurora Teagarden movie. I waited like a child waiting for Santa. I went from super excited to super, SUPER disappointed when I saw all these new, young actors playing the roles. Not impressed with my lump of coal.

Apparently, Ro was a foot taller when she was younger. And somehow, the town was more modern in 1995 than it is in the 2020s.

I really hope someone in the movie making business brings back our favourite actresses in mature roles instead of this fakery. I want so badly to see Candace C Bure, Lori Loghlin, Allison Sweeney in the original roles. I LOVE the original A Teagarden movies, the Garage Sale mysteries, and the Murder She Baked movies. They are the best. This young actors fakery is NOT it by a long shot. I won't watch another if this is the direction they're going.

I must began by saying that I really did like it. I do agree with another reviewer that they do need another Sally. She's a good actress but not tall enough. That makes a difference. Lexa Doig's daughter was good in the last Aurora Teagarden: Haunted by Murder. It was great to see Sally's aunt Gladys, Karen Kruper. She was a great addition. Also, seeing a young Arthur was also a treat. Marilu Henner was also a great touch, there was really no need to change her she looks young enough to be her mom. In summary it was a nice addition to the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries. I can't wait for more episodes in this series.

I was excited to see a new Aurora Teagarden movie, however, after I started watching it, I quickly noticed that it just doesn't have the same feel as the other movies. It's missing the heart. I like that they kept Marilu Henner as Aida, Aurora's mother, and brought Karen Kruper back as Sally's Aunt Gladys. But felt like they could have included other characters from the original series, especially John, Sally's uncle and her cousin Lizzie Allison. I feel like these characters would have been there for Sally for her wedding.

It's missing the opening sequence with a shot of the Lawrenceton water tower, streets downtown, and the waterfall (which is really in NY not WA). And I'm not sure if it included the same music at the beginning as the original series. Other reviewers mentioned the change of sets not giving it that small town feel, especially the change in Aurora's and Aida's house. But their house, especially Aurora's changed a lot through all the movies. In one of the later movies I think they even made a joke about it with Sally saying how Aurora kept moving. One thing I found confusing was that the house they used for the wedding venue seemed like it was the same house they used in the original series as Aunt Gladys's house. But in this movie, it wasn't her house.

I like seeing Steve Bacic in this movie as the detective. This makes his 3rd Hallmark Mystery Movies series he's appeared in after Garage Sale Mysteries and Murder 101. I also felt that Evan Roderick did a good job staying true to playing Arthur. He felt like a younger version of Peter Benson's character. I can't say the same for Aurora and Sally. While I applaud Hallmark for trying to keep a fan favorite series alive after some of the lead actors have left, I don't feel this movie did the series justice. It just doesn't feel the same.

I love Aurora Teagarden. The Original. It was very original.

This version is completely miscast from all of the characters in the book.

CCB had so much appeal as Aurora. This young woman, who is a very lovely person, is just not Aurora. And Sally? Are you kidding us? Definitely not a step up. And don't even start on the love interest for Aurora. Arthur is just so different from how someone who watched the original would think.

I love that Marilu is back as Aurora's mother but she even looked confused by all these strange new characters.

There are so many different mystery stories they could turn into movies. Leave Aurora alone. Unless you can get CCB back.

Sadly I couldn't get into this movie - it would have been more convincing with the young actors from the previous movie continuing for this prequel. Marilu Henner is amazing but otherwise it looks like a different show too much, I just couldn't get my bearings - it reminds me of the Emmerdale soap special when they recast everyone except the character who got dementia, so they viewer would be just as confused! Maybe if this was a series I would settle into it better, because it is fun to explore the backstory and I'm quite sad this didn't quite work out as I hoped. Perhaps better on a second viewing - although the youngeractors' diction is faster and harder to follow than Bure and co. I hope Hallmark do more mysteries starring over 40s - and preferably without murders.