Hallmark Announces Another New Series in the Works

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Hallmark isn’t just for rom-com lovers anymore. Though Hallmark Media continues to produce over 100 new movies each year, the company is excited to build on the success of drama series like “When Calls The Heart,” now filming its 12th season, and “The Way Home,” now filming its third.

On August 27, 2024, Hallmark announced a new series, “Ripple,” will begin filming in Toronto in September, according to Deadline. The drama will air on the company’s new-and-improved streaming service, Hallmark+, which launches on September 10 with a bevy of new programming, including an already-wrapped new series, “The Chicken Sisters.”

“Ripple” is a series that’s been in the works for years, created by screenwriter Michele Giannusa, who will serve as one of the show’s executive producers, Deadline said. The first two episodes will be directed by Joni Lefkowitz, who has served as executive producer on series including “Jane the Virgin” and “New Girl,” per IMDb. 

Hallmark Media’s EVP of Programming Says ‘Ripple’ Will Provide Fans With a ‘Deep, Enriching Viewing Journey’

GettyLisa Hamilton Daly, Executive Vice President, Programming, Hallmark Media, Darren Abbott, Chief Brand Officer, Hallmark and Emily Powers, Executive Vice President, Streaming and Digital Platforms, Hallmark Media attend Hallmark Media’s cocktail reception during the Summer 2024 Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena, CA on July 11, 2024.

Produced by Lionsgate TV, each hour-long episode of “Ripple” will explore “how unexpectedly connected we are as human beings,” per Deadline. According to the synopsis, the still-to-be-cast main characters — Nate, Kris, Walter and Aria — have crossed paths many times without meeting. But because of seemingly small choices each person makes in the pilot episode, viewers see a ripple effect of how their decisions impact all of them as they deal with different challenges.

According to Deadline, a statement from Hallmark+ said that “the message of this show is: just wait for the rainbow. Some of the best things in life can’t happen without the storm. ‘Ripple’ amplifies a message of hope and reassurance that no matter what challenges come your way, we are never alone.”

Hallmark Media’s EVP of Programming Lisa Hamilton Daly, who joined Hallmark in 2021 after a successful run developing original series for Netflix, told Deadline, ““Michele and Joni have crafted a beautiful story that celebrates how interconnected we all are and reminds us that the most extraordinary things can blossom from ordinary moments and hardships.”

“The way this show weaves moments of sadness, joy, and everything in between,” she continued,
is a journey that’s synonymous with our goals for Hallmark+ content – to bring a deep, enriching viewing journey that keeps our viewers invested episode to episode.”

Giannusa has worked for many years to bring her idea for “Ripple” to life. According to Final Draft, the pilot for “Ripple” was selected to be featured at London’s prestigious C21 screenwriting festival in 2017, where she was the only American chosen to pitch her series in hopes of landing a development deal with Entertainment One. She won the competition and got to work with industry leaders fleshing out the series and pitching it to networks.

In 2019, she described “Ripple” to Final Draft as “a one-hour drama, up there with ‘This Is Us,’ but mine is about a group of four strangers who become family. It’s something I got used to over time and learning how to trust people.”

Hallmark+ Will Launch With Original Series ‘The Chicken Sisters’

Though Hallmark has not announced when “Ripple” will debut on Hallmark+, the streaming service will kick off on September 10 with the debut of another new series, “The Chicken Sisters.”

The new eight-episode series is based on the bestselling novel “The Chicken Sisters” by KJ Dell’Antonia, per Variety. The series is described as a family drama “where a generations-old rift between dueling fried chicken restaurants – Mimi’s and Frannie’s – has left the founders’ families fractured and the locals taking sides,” Variety reported. When a cooking show begins filming in the family’s home town of Merinac, secrets start to be revealed.

“The Chicken Sisters” stars Lea Thompson, Genevieve Angelson, Wendie Malick, and Schuyler Fisk as the four main characters. While filming throughout the summer of 2024, all four actresses have shared on social media how close they became and how much they’ve loved bringing the story to life.

Supporting cast includes Hallmark star Beau Mirchoff, who also appeared in Hallmark’s one-season series, “Ride.”

When the series wrapped filming on July 30, Thompson wrote on Instagram, “I feel so blessed to work with such great storytellers behind and in front of the camera. I know you are gonna have as much fun watching this show as we did making it. It’s full of romance, suprises and chicken. What could be better.”