Stars Warn New Hallmark Project is ‘Racier’ Than Fans Might Expect

Heavy The cast of the new Hallmark+ show "The Chicken Sisters" says viewers might find it to be "racier" than other Hallmark fare

With the launch of Hallmark Media‘s rebranded and expanded streaming service Hallmark+ on September 10, 2024, comes the premiere of a new series called “The Chicken Sisters,” based on a best-selling novel by KJ Dell Antonia about competing family chicken restaurants in an imaginary southern town.

The star-studded cast, which includes “Back to the Future” alum Lea Thompson and “Young Sheldon” star Wendie Malick, have been heavily promoting the new eight-episode series and say that while it’s full of comedy and feel-good moments that Hallmark fans love, it’s also a bit “racier” than some might expect.

‘The Chicken Sisters’ Star Schuyler Fisk Says New Show Has ‘Some Serious Sauce’

Hallmark’s synopsis of “The Chicken Sisters” says the show centers around a “generations-old feud that’s divided a small town” between two family-run chicken restaurants, Frannie’s and Mimi’s.

Schuyler Fisk plays Amanda Moore Hillier, who marries into the family that runs Frannie’s, including family matriarch Nancy Hillier (played by Thompson) and Amanda’s husband, played by longtime Hallmark actor James Kot, who was last seen in season 11 of “When Calls The Heart” as Thomas Higgins.

Meanwhile, Amanda’s mom, Augusta “Gus” Moore (played by Malick), runs Mimi’s — and the relationship between them is ice-cold. But when Amanda hears that the TV cooking competition show “Ultimate Kitchen Clash” is searching for restaurant rivals to compete for a $100,000 prize, she impulsively submits both restaurants as contenders. Gus then calls in her other daughter Mae (played by Angelson), who moved away to New York City years ago, to return home to help.

During an interview with The Buzz on September 5, Malick and co-star Genevieve Angelson teased that viewers might be surprised by the tone of the show.

“I think on the one hand, it’s identifiably Hallmark,” Angelson said, “and at the same time, feels like a real departure from Hallmark in that you’re like, ‘This is a little bit more dangerous.'”

Malick interjected, “It’s a little racier.”

“This is a little more absurd,” Angelson added. “And there’s, like, a little, kind of, mean streak to it.”

“They’re gonna be planting little seeds of what’s to come,” Malick hinted. “So there’s a lot of questions at the end of each of these episodes and you wonder, ‘Wait a minute! What is that about? Is that really happening?'”

In a separate interview, when The Buzz asked Fisk “how saucy” the show gets, she laughed, “We go there! There’s some serious sauce. I think that there’s, um, man, there’s something for everyone.”

“I think the show has everything you know and love about Hallmark,” she continued, “but then it pushes the boundaries just a little bit and kind of inches into some new territory, which I think is really exciting and something that I’m proud to be part of.”

Hallmark Hunk Ektor Rivera Was a ‘Hot’ Addition to ‘The Chicken Sisters’ Cast, Stars Say

HallmarkEktor Rivera in “The Chicken Sisters” on Hallmark+

One of the “racier” aspects of the show revolve around the inclusion of some Hallmark hunks to the cast, including Ektor Rivera, who previously appeared in Hallmark movies “Groundswell” and “Sugar Plum Twist,” per IMDb.

When Thompson, Fisk and Angelson were interviewed on KATU Lifestyle, they laughed about  swooning over Rivera, who plays Sergio, the chef at Mimi’s.

Fisk explained that though Sergio works at the restaurant her character is competing with, “He takes interest in me and, like, actually cares about what I have to say, what I’m interested in. He asks me questions and it’s the first time a long time that Amanda has had someone that actually, like, asked her about herself.”

I think it sort of takes her by surprise,” Fisk continued about her character, “but it’s also a really welcomed thing and she has a lot to figure out.”

Angelson then quipped, “I’d say Ektor Rivera was a very welcomed thing in our company” and Thompson interjected, “So hot!”

“We found him to be extremely hot,” Angelson agreed as the other women laughed. “Just really, like, a hot person in general.”

In addition to Kot and Rivera, “Ride” alum Jake Foy is also part of the cast.

The first episode of “The Chicken Sisters” is available to stream on Hallmark+ beginning on September 10, with the second episode premiering on September 12. After that, additional episodes will be released each Thursday.