Fans of Hallmark Channel‘s “Mistletoe Murders” are eagerly anticipating the arrival of the third season this week.
With Season 3 rapidly approaching, even the show’s most ardent fans might not know about the fascinating origins of the show, in which “Grey’s Anatomy” alum Sarah Drew stars as sleuthing Emily Lane.
From Podcast to Broadcast
Hailing from Canada’s Headspinner Productions, “Mistletoe Murders” started off not as a TV series for Hallmark, but as an Audible podcast that debuted back in 2022.
As Headspinner president president Michelle Melanson told Playback Daily, the creator of “Mistletoe Murders,” Ken Cuperus, had initially envisioned the project as a TV series; however, he and Melanson pitched the concept to Audible, with their rough half-page concept generating so much excitement that Audible ordered the podcast to series within a week.
“[Cuperus] hadn’t written specifically for scripted audio drama like that before, so it was a great experience for him,” Melanson told Playback Daily. “But at the same time, we had always hoped that it could also be television, and we were very fortunate in that we were able to retain our film and TV rights as well, which is also a positive for independents like us.”
In 2023, discussions began with Hallmark about adapting the podcast as a TV series. “[Hallmark was] getting into doing series work, and so we were finding that we didn’t even really have to change much of what we did,” added Melanson. “The format and everything from the podcast is actually very similar.”
As it happened, the series proved to be a perfect fit with the kind of content Hallmark Channel was developing. “The title alone pulls you in, and as part of our ‘podcast to broadcast’ strategy, it was an easy decision to explore it as a TV series with the creators,” said Jocelyn Hamilton, president of Lionsgate Television, which came onboard to bring the concept to the screen.
“Hallmark has such a strong brand and was expanding into fresh content for their new streamer Hallmark+, so they were our preferred partner for the series,” added Hamilton. “They immediately saw the potential and came on board with enthusiasm.”
A Season 3 Cast Addition
The rest, as they say, is history, with “Mistletoe Mysteries” returning with two hit seasons under its belt.
“Emily Lane (Drew) is a good-natured Christmas shop owner with a secret past,” reads Hallmark Channel’s logline for the series. “When local murders begin to pop up in Fletcher’s Grove, Emily can’t help but to use her unique talents from her past life to help solve murders that affect people in her new life. She crosses paths with Detective Sam Wilner (Mooney), who she starts to make a connection with, until he comes to learn there is more to Emily than meets the eye.”
In the upcoming third season, “Good Witch” star Catherine Bell will be joining the show as guest star for the first two episodes, playing a woman suspected of being a “black widow” murderer — a big pivot from the beloved character she played on long-running Hallmark hit “The Good Witch.”
The new season of “Mistletoe Murders” debuts Wednesday, November 5 on Hallmark Channel.
The Surprising Origin of Hallmark Channel’s ‘Mistletoe Murders’