Stay ConnectedYou did it! You found your new favorite podcast! Congrats!
Join Bran, Dan, and friends as they attempt to watch and review made-for-tv movies. Just a bunch of friends…watching made-for-tv movies. What could go wrong?
Listen ad-free at bramblejamplus.com
Follow us –
Instagram: @hallmarkpodcast
Twitter: @hallmarkpodcast
Facebook: Deck The Hallmark Podcast
*Deck the Hallmark is NOT affiliated with Hallmark Media*
Copyright: © Bramble Jam Podcast Network
This week is presented by "Dial It Back", available now on Prime Video.
--
Brian is back for another Hallmark Christmas movie. Today, we dive into a family-sized holiday adventure with A Keller Christmas Vacation.
Three reluctant adult siblings join their parents on a Christmas river cruise through Europe. What was meant to be a scenic holiday turns into a journey of reconnection, self-discovery, and unexpected joy when the family learns that the trip had deeper reasons than just sightseeing.
November 9 2025 | Hallmark Channel
The movie kicks off with photos of the Keller family. They’re all about to take a Christmas cruise aboard the Dunebae.
We’ve got:
The family arrives on December 19th, ready to check in.
At check-in, a very charming crew member named Noah helps Emory to her room. Sparks. Are. Spark-ing.
Cal discovers his room neighbors are a sweet grandfather and his granddaughter Felicity. Grandpa is very interested in pairing them up. Felicity is not amused.
The family competes in a gingerbread house contest — and it’s a full disaster. But onward! They head to their first Christmas market, needing to get back by 7 PM. Everyone can tell something is up with Dylan.
They have such a great time that… they miss the boat. Literally.
Now stranded, they end up staying at a tiny off–the–grid German hotel owned by a very intense German woman. Emory suspects their parents planned this trip for reasons. The siblings open up to each other a bit.
The next morning, they pile onto a three-person motorcycle (it is exactly as chaotic as it sounds) to chase the boat, which is now leaving earlier than planned. They make it just in time — and William is waiting on the dock.
Back on board, Dylan asks William again if he’s ready to talk. William still can’t. Dylan decides to bunk with Emory for now.
Meanwhile, Cal heads to the hot chocolate bar… and of course Felicity is there.
Noah asks Emory if she’d be willing to take photos for the ship’s marketing. She’s thrilled. They shake on it — and that handshake definitely lingers.
Dylan eventually tells his siblings what’s going on. He’s afraid William doesn’t love him anymore. They remind him: William flew halfway around the world to be here. Emory shares that she was laid off by email. Everyone finally gets vulnerable.
Next port!
Dylan and William take a walking tour and have some very sweet, flirty moments. William says, “If I could tell you what’s going on, I would. I promise.”
Emory takes photos of her parents for Noah’s campaign. They encourage her to follow her heart — wherever that leads.
Cal and Felicity wander their market stop together and the chemistry is real.
Then comes the ship-wide White Elephant party. Fun — until Dad nearly falls. Time for The Family Talk.
Dad shares that he has Parkinson’s Disease, stage 1 — early and mild, but life will change. They’ll need to sell the house. And they reveal that William already knew because he’s a neurosurgeon who has treated Parkinson’s patients.
Dylan goes to William — and they finally talk honestly. It’s tender and healing.
Cal opens up to Felicity. Emory finds Noah and just gives him the biggest, longest hug.
Next stop. Another market.
Emory updates Noah: she’s moving back to Portland to be close to her dad, and she’d love for Noah to visit — maybe go on a date. He says, “Why wait? Let’s go tonight.”
Dylan tells the family his big idea: his company will repurpose their old property into a supportive community for people with Parkinson’s.
Dylan and William go on a Ferris wheel. They both propose. They both say yes. It’s perfect.
The movie ends with the whole family ice skating together — the siblings steadying their dad on the ice — all of them together, exactly where they need to be. 🎄✨
Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtube
Interested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
This week is presented by "Dial It Back", available now on Prime Video.
This episode is sponsored by Cozy Earth! Use promo code HALLMARK to get 40% off at cozyearth.com
--
Brian is back to review a brand-new holiday movie that fans have been buzzing about: Christmas Above the Clouds. Featuring the return of an Erin Krakow and Tyler Hynes pairing, this movie is a little Christmas magic at 30,000 feet.
Workaholic CEO Ella Neezer tries to skip Christmas by boarding a flight to Australia. But her plan takes an unexpected turn when she is visited by three quirky spirits representing her past, present, and future — and she finds herself face-to-face with her ex-fiancé Jake. As Ella navigates these encounters, she’s forced to confront the choices that prioritized success over connection, ultimately rediscovering love, compassion, and the true meaning of Christmas.
November 8, 2025 | Hallmark Channel
Meet Ella Neezer — a certified holiday grump. She runs a fancy-pants travel company and all of her employees hate her. It’s Christmas Eve, but she could not care less. The new ad campaign isn’t good enough and she wants improvements by the 26th. “I’m not saying you have to work on Christmas… it just has to be better by then.” Very chill.
Ella and her assistant Bobbi head to the airport to catch a flight to Australia so Ella can skip Christmas entirely — even though Bobbi has a son, Tim, that she’d clearly rather be home with. On the way, Ella’s sister calls trying to convince her to come home for Christmas. Absolutely not. Ella looks at a photo of her mentor, Marlene Jacobson, and for a second it looks like Marlene is moving. Weird, but let’s brush that off.
At the airport, Ella bumps into her ex-boyfriend Jake — the one she broke up with six years ago today. Even worse? He’s seated right next to her on the plane.
The plane takes off and suddenly things get spooky. Lights flicker. Window shades go up and down. And then — Marlene Jacobson appears on the seat-back screen to haunt her. She announces that Ella will be visited by three spirits. Buckle up, bucko.
Ella falls asleep and is woken by the Ghost of Christmas Past, who is obviously a flight attendant. She shoves Ella out of the plane (casual) and Ella lands in her own childhood. She sees herself and her sister stuck at boarding school over Christmas. Then she jumps to college, where she meets young Jake, the cute librarian who gives her his scarf. They were happy once! Next, she sees an old company Christmas party — back when her employees liked her — and she and Jake are very in love. We get a memory montage: years together. He even proposes at Christmas. But as her career ramps up under Marlene, Ella gets busier, misses more time, and eventually the relationship breaks. She watches herself end it, placing the ring down. Finally, she sees herself snapping at Bobbi last year when Bobbi needed to rush home to her sick son. It hurts.
Ella wakes back up on the plane and apologizes to Jake for all the Christmases she worked through. She could have done better.
Then comes the Ghost of Christmas Present, who takes her to a bar where her employees are having their own mini Christmas party — and talking about how much they dislike her. Ouch. They visit Ella’s sister’s house, where her sister wishes Ella could just share in the joy. Ella sticks around long enough to remember how fun Christmas used to be. They visit Jake’s charity, which is thriving. There’s a woman clearly into him. Ella is jealous. They stop by his old friends’ annual “Dive Bar Christmas” — the tradition Ella used to love. She misses those days. Then they visit Bobbi’s house — Tim is sick with asthma, and the family resents Ella… until Tim says he’s thankful for Miss Neezer because the job helps afford his medicine. Ella is crushed.
Back to the plane she goes. Bobbi’s asleep, so Ella goes to talk to Jake instead.
Finally, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come arrives. Ella sees her employees talking like someone is gone — but who? At her sister’s house, everyone is dressed in black. Jake shows up with flowers. Someone has died. Eventually, Ella realizes Jake gave up on love. Then she sees Bobbi’s home. Tim’s chair is empty. And then — she sees her own grave. She’s devastated, begging for a chance to change.
Suddenly — she’s back on the plane. The flight has landed in Utah due to engine trouble. Coincidentally, her sister lives in Utah. It’s Christmas morning (technically 1 AM).
Ella snaps into action. She tells Bobbi she’s getting a promotion, double salary, the best health insurance imaginable, and a first-class flight home to be with Tim. Bobbi is stunned.
Ella and Jake go to breakfast. Ella tells him she doesn’t want to go through life alone — especially not without him. She apologizes — sincerely. They slow dance. He dips her. They kiss BIG ONES.
They surprise her sister. Ella apologizes for not being the sister she should have been. They spend Christmas together. Jake tells Ella he loves her. She tells him she’s always loved him — some might say it was always you. They kiss again.
Bobbi FaceTimes. Tim says, “God bless us, everyone.”
The end. 🎄✨
Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtube
Interested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
This week is presented by "Dial It Back", available now on Prime Video.
---
Ryan is back for another UPtv Christmas movie. This week, we're diving into a brand-new UPtv royal holiday romance: A Royal Christmas Manor.
Prince Alexander of Fredonia escapes to a cozy inn hoping to experience a traditional American Christmas. Katie, who runs the inn, falls for him, completely unaware of his true royal identity.
November 9 2025 | UPtv
The movie kicks off with Katie saying goodbye to her parents as they head off to spend Christmas with their grandchild. She’s a little bummed about spending the holiday alone, but it is what it is.
Cut to Prince Alexander of Fredonia. The tabloids are pressuring him to settle down because he’s “getting old,” and he needs a break from all the royal expectations.
Katie, meanwhile, is running her family’s inn while her parents are gone and is hoping to prove she’s ready to take it over for good.
Alexander decides he wants to spend the Christmas season somewhere quiet — and what better place than a U.S. town also called Fredonia that actually gets snow? His parents reluctantly agree to let him go with his best friend, Jackson. They end up booking the last available room at Katie’s inn.
When they arrive, Alexander is instantly smitten — not just with the charm of the inn, but with Katie herself, especially since she has no idea he’s a prince. She treats him like a totally normal guy.
Cell reception is spotty, so Alex can’t call home, and his parents start worrying. Meanwhile, Katie takes him snowshoeing and sparks begin to fly.
There’s also another guest, Mr. Norton, who seems like he’s supposed to be quirky but just comes across as kind of creepy. Alex is committed to making Katie fall for him, not the prince version of him, so he volunteers to assemble a bookshelf even though he has never built anything in his life. She also invites him to gather firewood with her the next day. Love is definitely brewing.
Then a bad snowstorm hits, which keeps the inn’s cook, Gretchen, from making it in. Katie has to handle the kitchen, but… she’s not great. Luckily, Alexander secretly loves to cook. A guy named William shows up, and Alex briefly assumes William and Katie are a thing, but they are very much not, which is a relief.
Katie and Alex go down to the basement to look for a box of decorations. He finds some mistletoe, and yes — that’s when the smooching happens.
The storm makes it impossible for Alex to get to the airport on Christmas Eve. His parents, now very concerned, decide to come find him. Before Alex can confess who he really is, his parents show up and spill the royal beans.
Shockingly, Katie handles it pretty well! Everyone ends up spending Christmas Eve together. Katie opens the gift her mom left for her — a key to the inn. It’s officially hers. She celebrates by kissing Alex some more.
Finally, they go to visit his royal home.
THE END!
Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtube
Interested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Alonso & Jacks are here to help us preview the Netflix (and Disney+) movies that we will be covering this year! Those movies are...
Premiere Date: November 12
Starring: Alicia Silverstone, Oliver Hudson, Jameela Jamil, Pierson Fode, Melissa Joan Hart
Synopsis: Recently divorced Kate hopes for one last perfect family Christmas before selling her home, but her plans go awry when her ex-husband arrives with his younger and very successful new girlfriend.
Premiere Date: November 14
Starring: Kevin Jonas, Joe Jonas, Nick Jonas
Synopsis: After the Jonas Brothers finish their London tour, all they want is to get home for Christmas. But missed connections and mounting setbacks test their bond. Each brother faces personal challenges — Kevin longs to branch out, Joe reconnects with someone from his past, and Nick feels the pressure of leadership. As they struggle to make it home, they rediscover the Christmas spirit and the importance of family. The film features new original songs and surprise celebrity cameos.
Premiere Date: November 19
Starring: Minka Kelly, Tom Wozniczka, Thibault de Montalembert
Synopsis: A business executive travels to France to acquire a prestigious champagne brand before Christmas, but her plans are derailed when she falls for a charming Parisian — only to learn he's the founder’s son.
Premiere Date: November 26
Starring: Olivia Holt, Connor Swindells, Lucy Punch, Peter Serafinowicz, Poppy Drayton
Synopsis: Small-time thieves Sophia and Nick set their sights on robbing a famous London department store on Christmas Eve. Forced to partner up, their growing feelings and hidden secrets threaten both the heist and their future.
Premiere Date: December 3
Starring: Alexandra Breckenridge, Ryan Eggold, Tia Mowry
Synopsis: A single mom disguises herself as a man to land a job as the resort’s seasonal Santa. Romance with the hotel manager complicates her double life and puts everything at risk.
Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtube
Interested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Alonso IS BACK to review Mistletoe Murders: Death of a Humbug, which we originally covered back in January after its debut on Hallmark+. Now that it’s finally aired on the Hallmark Channel, we’re re-releasing our full review for everyone to enjoy! Season 2 kicks off next week!
A murder leads Emily and Sam to a scavenger hunt orchestrated by the victim.
November 28 & December 5 2024 on Hallmark+, October 31 2025 on Hallmark Channel
The Fletchers Grove real estate party is FINALLY HERE!!! A guy dressed as Santa comes in and kills the vibe. It's Glen. He owns the bookstore, and he’s very passive-aggressive about how no one in this town comes to his bookstore. Glen has a past. He’s banned from the diner, and everyone seems to hate him. He gives presents to everyone and tells Emily that he picked this one specially for her—it’s rare he finds a fellow mystery lover.
The night continues, and Emily sees Glen in his Santa suit scurrying quickly outside. She goes to follow him, finds his hat on the floor, and then sees a car speed off. Just as that happens, she hears a scream. She runs inside and sees Sue, who was throwing the party. She’s crying as she looks at Glen, who has been stabbed in the heart.
When Emily gets home, she opens the gift. It’s a special green edition of A Christmas Carol. We get a flashback of Emily visiting the bookstore and meeting Glen. She tells him about this edition of A Christmas Carol that her parents used to read to her. He remembered and tracked the book down. As she opens it, a letter falls out, inviting her to a very special event at the law offices tomorrow at 8 p.m. What is Glen up to?!
So, she goes to tell Sam, and he says, “How would you feel about me being a plus-one so I can take a gander?”
They show up, and the video plays—it’s Glen, predicting his own death and setting up a treasure hunt. Sam tries to get everyone to give him their books so he can search for clues. They’re like, “Nah. There’s treasure to find!”
It doesn’t take Emily long to find the first clue using a UV light on her book. She thinks the other books have clues too and that they all need to work together on it. She gets two others on board—a hot dog stand owner named Harry and Brooke Carmichael. But Glen’s nephew, Fred, says he and his wife don’t want to participate (mainly Fred’s wife—she didn’t like Glen).
To make matters worse, there’s one book still missing. She thinks maybe he gave it to the diner owner, Sue, but Sue says she threw the book out.
Sam finds out that Glen had Huntington’s disease. After Fred finds this out, he decides that they want to participate. Even though they’re missing one book, they decide to put all the clues together and try to figure out what they’re pointing to. It has something to do with a precious memory. Fred says, “The only memory I can think of with Glen is him reading Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Emily says, “Go see if he has that book in the bookstore. Maybe there’s a clue.”
As they’re walking towards the store, Emily sees the car that sped off and notices a letter that clearly came from Glen in the front seat. Just then, Fred realizes the bookstore is unlocked. Sam goes in first and finds a guy there.
It’s Fred’s brother Noah. They haven’t seen each other in a long time. Apparently, when their mom got sick, Noah left. Sam takes Noah in for questioning and presents him with some pretty tough evidence—they found Glen’s Santa suit in the trunk and the USB drive with Glen’s video on it from the lawyer’s office, which was stolen. He gives reasons for all of it, but it’s not looking great.
Fred tells Emily that he did finally go find the book and found a USB drive! They agree to all get together tomorrow to watch what’s on it.
As Emily’s going home, an SUV speeds at her, and she has to tuck-and-roll out of the way.
The next day, they all get together, and it’s another video with a very cryptic clue. We find out that someone is sitting in a car, listening in on their conversation.
Later, the group gets back together, but Fred is nowhere to be found. Turns out he was attacked from behind. He says he doesn’t know who did it. Sam gets a call—they found Fred’s wife’s DNA on the Santa suit. She says she found out that the first editions were missing and went to talk to Glen. She found him dead and knew it wouldn’t look good that she found him, so she put the suit on and ran out.
Emily finds Noah in the diner—he’s been released. She convinces him to join the group in solving the mystery. He comes to her store and sees there’s a hole in the wall—she has a leak. He says he thought maybe it was one of the secret compartments these old buildings have. That gives them the idea to look for one in the bookstore, and they find it! Inside is a suitcase—a go-bag, if you will. They discover a folder with a plane ticket to Switzerland for the day of the party and a brochure for a place in Switzerland for end-of-life care. He was planning to leave and die in Switzerland. Emily recalls that the tape says, “If you’re seeing this, that means I’m gone.” He didn’t know he was going to be murdered. He was just planning on disappearing.
They find the final clue and watch the video. Suddenly, Harry, the hot dog guy, is gone, and so are all the books. Emily puts it together—he killed Glen and was just trying to solve the mystery. She goes to confront him in the cemetery where the final clue leads to. We find out that he showed up to steal the first edition A Christmas Carol and threatened to kill Glen to get it. Glen laughed in his face, knowing he was dying. That offended Harry, so he stabbed him.
Emily then fights him, takes him down, and puts him in plastic cuffs to get the treasure! She figures out it was the lawyer who hired this guy, and he gets arrested.
She gets the group back together and hands out what Glen left for everyone. It’s very sweet.
The movie ends with Emily coming down to her store and seeing Sam fixing her wall. They end up making out HARD!!! She says, “Let’s go for a walk in the snow.” She has to go change, and that’s when he gets a phone call—he’s been investigating Emily and noticed some discrepancies in her story. He got a call from his higher-up to drop any and all research into her. So, clearly, she isn’t who she says she is. The episode ends with him asking her, “Who are you really?” Fade to black.
Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtube
Interested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Brian is here to help us break down the second episode of Baked with Love: Holiday. Plus, Brian and Dan both make a 3-D Christmas tree cake!
Bakers are tasked with creating a Christmas cookie wreath, but the seemingly simple assignment proves to be too much for some; a 3-D Christmas tree cake leads to a major meltdown for one family pair.
November 3rd 2025 | Hallmark Channel
Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtube
Interested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Patrick is here to help us break down another episode of Finding Mr. Christmas!
The hunks team up to launch gifts into Santa's sleigh, then soar sky-high as reindeer in an Entertainment Weekly photo shoot, where the winning team's advantage shakes up the competition.
November 3rd 2025 | Hallmark Channel
Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtube
Interested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Brian is back, and this time he’s bringing along a very special guest — comedian and writer Jen Kirkman! Together, they dive into one of Hallmark’s most ambitious Christmas movies yet, A Newport Christmas. For more Jen, head to jenkirkman.com
Ella, a charitable and spirited socialite from Newport in 1905 who dreams of using her wealth to start a foundation to help others in town, goes for a nighttime sail in her schooner to clear her head when she learns her father intends for her to become engaged to a man she’s never met at the upcoming Christmas Eve ball. Upon seeing a comet shoot across the sky, she suddenly finds herself transported to 2025 Newport and meets Nick, a local historian. As Ella adjusts to her new surroundings and the two grow close, the legacy she built in her time and the course of Newport's history risk being erased the longer she stays in the present.
November 2, 2025 | Hallmark Channel
The movie kicks off in 1905 in Rhode Island. Ella is a fun-loving socialite who cares deeply for people who are down on their luck. She dreams of starting a charity, but her father isn’t having it. He insists she focus on getting engaged instead. Upset, she rushes off in her boat.
Cut to present day in Newport. Nick is leading a historical tour when he hears that the Coast Guard needs help with a rescue. Being an ex–Coast Guard officer, he takes a boat out to assist. Suddenly, Ella appears in his boat — she’s been transported from 1905 to 2025!
They’re both shocked, but Nick sails them back to shore. Ella threatens to turn him in to the authorities, but she’s clearly confused — this is not the Newport she knows. When she introduces herself, Nick is thrown off. He asks what year she thinks it is. When she answers “1905,” he’s like, “Uh oh.” He assumes she’s just an overly committed cosplayer. Then she spots an inflatable snowman and faints.
When she comes to, she heads back outside and is horrified to see that women wear pants. She walks to what she believes is her home — but there are strangers living there. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE?!” she yells. The family explains the history of her estate and how she’s actually a famous historical figure. Ella is stunned. She decides she has to get back home — and what better way than by boat?
But when Nick inspects the boat, he’s shocked: none of his modern equipment is there, the carvings are different, and the name on the boat has changed. It’s clearly her boat.
To prove who she is, Ella shows them a secret hiding spot containing her belongings — including a diary no one knew existed. They finally believe her and agree to let her stay at a local bed and breakfast. One guy, Francis, theorizes, “What if the present and the past are happening simultaneously? I believe her. 1905 Ella hasn’t started The Giving House yet, so clearly she must make it back.”
Nick tells Ella that he thinks she’s time-traveled. Ella mentions that before meeting him, she saw a comet — maybe that’s connected.
Nick takes her to see the town’s Christmas tree lighting, and she’s absolutely blown away. But when she spots a monument dedicated to The Giving House, she’s shaken. As she reads it, Nick gets word that Ella is beginning to disappear from old portraits — and right before their eyes, the text on the monument starts to fade. They realize they need to get her back to 1905 before she vanishes completely.
Nick researches the comet and learns there’s a “Christmas Comet” that appears every 20 years. Ella confesses that when she saw the comet in 1905, she wished for a different life. The good news? The comet is coming again — in just five days. The bad news? That gives Ella and Nick more time to fall for each other, which they definitely do.
As they stroll through town, Ella notices a man who looks vaguely familiar. She later learns he’s the man her father bought the boat from. Nick’s like, “Wait — that’s the same guy I bought the boat from.”
They track him down, and he introduces himself as Rex. Ella is stunned — that’s the man she’s supposed to marry. Rex admits that her father sent him out to rescue her after she ran away… but something went wrong, and he was transported to 2005 instead.
Rex explains that when he arrived, he found a letter leaving the boat to him, with instructions to eventually sell it to Nick. He doesn’t know who wrote the letter, but he figured out the Christmas Comet is the key to returning home. The twist? He’s not sure he wants to go back.
Ella’s torn. She knows she’s destined to marry Rex, but her heart belongs to Nick. Rex confides that he’s built a life in the present — and even fallen for another woman. Ella admits she kind of wants to stay, too.
Nick tells her she has to return — it’s her story, her legacy. She pleads, “Why can’t we be together?!” They share a kiss, but Nick pulls away. “We can’t do this,” he says.
It’s the night of the big Christmas ball. Ella and Nick dance and confess their feelings. Then, right as Rex walks in with his fiancée, the Christmas tree begins to disappear — reality is collapsing. They rush to the boat. Nick gives Ella an ornament to remember him by, and they share one last hug and a soft forehead kiss before she sets sail.
As she spots the comet streaking across the sky, Ella cries, “Why did you let me fall in love — but please, take me home!”
It works. She’s back in 1905. She bursts into the Christmas ball and tells her father she refuses to marry the man he chose. He insists, “But he’s come all this way!” When Rex is introduced… it’s Nick.
Back in 2025, her portrait has returned. Nick explains in voiceover that as Ella was sailing off, he realized if Rex wasn’t going to go back, he could. Knowing Rex had no family, he took his place — no questions asked.
They kiss, and above them, the Christmas Comet twinkles once more.
Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtube
Interested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
This episode is sponsored by Cozy Earth! Use promo code HALLMARK to get 40% off at cozyearth.com
---
Brian is back this week to dive into the latest holiday release: Christmas on Duty.
Former rivals Blair and Josh must work Christmas duty together. When a snowstorm threatens holiday deliveries to the base, they’re forced to cooperate and save the season.
November 1, 2025 | Hallmark Channel
The movie kicks off with some fun animation — which, by the way, is apparently why we only get 24 movies this year.
We meet Blaire Birch, who’s ready to compete against Josh Cannon. During the competition, there’s plenty of playful banter, but at the end, Blaire drops a bomb: she’s taking Josh’s spot in the infantry. He’s very offended. Turns out, their dads were rivals too.
Six years later, it’s almost Christmas break. Blaire’s only taking two days off — she’s all about that work life. After a training session, she spends time with her dad, a Sergeant, who’s hoping for a more traditional Christmas this year since Blaire’s mom has passed.
They go to the Marine Christmas festival party, and Blaire is shocked to see Josh Cannon there! He’s now a company commander. The two immediately start arguing and, naturally, decide to compete again — right then and there. In their rush outside, they knock over the party cake. Their commanding officer is not amused and assigns them to Christmas duty — meaning they’ll be spending 24 hours straight together.
Meanwhile, a huge snowstorm is threatening to delay the children’s Christmas gifts, though they’re still expected to arrive by Christmas Eve.
When Blaire and Josh show up for their Christmas duty, Josh has brought his own decorations — including an inflatable Santa. But when they find out the toy delivery has been canceled due to the storm, they agree to team up to save Christmas! Their plan: figure out what all the kids want, take a five-ton truck that can handle the roads, and track down the gifts themselves.
As they travel, they start to open up. Blaire shares about the loss of her mom, and the walls start to come down.
At their first stop, they discover the employee forgot to pull all the gifts. At the next, the owner’s accidentally locked out — so Josh climbs through an air duct to grab a skateboard. (Mission: accomplished.)
More driving, more heart-to-hearts. But then they’re delayed by a Christmas Eve parade. Obviously, they take the chance to hop out, enjoy the show, and share a slow dance.
Later, they stop for gas and run into Ezra from Finding Mr. Christmas. He offers to help them find gas if they help him with some Christmas party thing. It’s… weird, but yay for Ezra, I guess.
On the way back, their truck breaks down, leading to an argument just when things were finally going well. Ugh! Luckily, Josh’s sister is a truck expert and walks him through the fix.
They get back on the road and return — but late. Mission failed. The boss blames Josh and threatens to discharge them, but Blaire takes the blame instead. Josh feels terrible and goes to the boss to come clean, saying it was both their fault. The boss agrees to let it go — if they deliver the rest of the gifts dressed as Santa and Mrs. Claus.
When Josh shows up to get Blaire (with his dad in tow), their dads start arguing — but nothing a snowball fight can’t fix.
They deliver the rest of the gifts, share a kiss (or three), and celebrate Christmas together with their families.
Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtube
Interested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Ryan joins us to kick off the first UPtv Christmas movie of the season, The Great Christmas Snow-In.
Justin retreats to a cabin meant for his honeymoon, but is snowed in with Jane, his ex-fiancée’s cousin. A spark forms between them, and when Justin’s ex shows up with her new boyfriend, secrets and discoveries about love and second chances are revealed.
November 2 2025 | UPtv
The movie kicks off with a woman walking up to a cabin, trying to get in. It turns out there's already a man there. Her name is Jane, and his name is Justin. Jane is actually the cousin of Justin's ex-girlfriend.
Here’s what happened: Justin and his fiancée had planned to come to the cabin for their honeymoon, but they broke up. Justin still decides to go, and Jane, assuming the cabin was empty, came to work on a writing retreat. She’s a romance novelist, hoping for some quiet time to write. It turns out Justin is there for a similar reason—he’s a songwriter.
Justin tells Jane she can stay and work on her writing while he does his own thing. He becomes interested in her work, and while reading her book, he imagines himself in her story, picturing romantic scenarios with her. He compliments her writing and suggests they collaborate on a song. Jane writes some lyrics, they sing together, and realize they make a great creative team.
Justin opens up about his breakup with his fiancée, Addy. Jane reassures him that he dodged a bullet. Just as they begin exploring their feelings for each other, Addy shows up with her new boyfriend—turns out they also booked the cabin. Justin suggests they stay the night and leave in the morning, but they wake up snowed in.
Addy encourages Justin to hash things out with her, and he does, leading to a near-kiss with Jane—though she accidentally falls off the balcony. Meanwhile, Addy begins to notice the chemistry between Justin and Jane and grows jealous, especially since she wants to collaborate with him on music again. When she hears him playing the keyboard, she flirts with him physically. Justin resists, saying he doesn’t want to repeat past mistakes. Jane overhears part of this conversation, misunderstanding that he still has feelings for Addy.
This doesn’t stop Addy from telling Jane that she is falling for Justin again and mentioning the beautiful song they just wrote together. Justin clears things up with Jane, who admits she’s nervous because Addy has stolen her boyfriend before.
Addy ultimately decides she wants to pursue Justin again, which leads to a chaotic dance battle between Alejandro (her current boyfriend) and Justin, resulting in Justin getting knocked out. When he wakes, he sees Jane and tells her he loves her.
Addy makes one final attempt to get back with Justin but ultimately realizes he only has eyes for Jane. She decides to give things another try with Alejandro.
Stranded at the cabin for Christmas, everyone shares a holiday dinner and reflects on what they’re thankful for. The movie ends with Addy and Alejandro leaving, Jane and Justin sharing a kiss, him calling it a “magnanimous moment,” and her responding, “You said you loved me,” before fading to black.
Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtube
Interested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
