Happy Mid-August Weekend, Friends!
Enjoy a cozy weekend of fresh stories and familiar faces!
Great American Family is premiering to their channel for the first time the heartfelt film, "A Thread to Your Heart," and I’ve shared my review below so you’ll know exactly why this love story is worth falling for.
Over on the Hallmark Channel, adventure awaits with a dash of mystery in "Mystery Island: Play for Keeps," the latest chapter in their tropical whodunit series.
Whether you’re in the mood for romance or a little intrigue, there’s something special waiting for everyone this weekend.
One more thing...
Are you dreaming of a little Christmas in August? Friday night’s line-up delivers several wonderful Christmas movie options, plus two fan-favorite actors whose on-screen chemistry has made them a beloved duo. And, at the end of this post, there’s a special note about a certain mystery series fans can’t stop talking about!!!
Keep scrolling for more details...
Friday, August 15, 2025:
Friday night's line-up includes two favorite stars: Jill Wagner and Kristoffer Polaha. Plus, I've included a special note at the end of this post on their mystery series, Mystery 101.
Friday, August 15, 2025:
Next Stop, Christmas ... Hallmark Channel ... 6pm
Destined 2: Christmas Once More ... Great American Family ... 6pm
A Biltmore Christmas ... Hallmark Channel ... 8pm
My Christmas Hero ... Great American Family ... 8pm
A Christmas Miracle for Daisy ... Great American Family ... 10pm
Destined 2: Christmas Once More ... Great American Family ... 12am
My Christmas Hero Great American Family ... 2am
A Christmas Miracle for Daisy ... Great American Family ... 4am
Want more Christmas... check out the Christmas TV Schedule.
Saturday, August 16, 2025:
Storyline: The owner of a quaint New Zealand yarn shop, Sophie Dale, gets her world flipped upside down after learning her top supplier of yarn, King Farms, is stopping production. Much to her surprise, the charming yet stuck-in-his-ways Samuel King has traveled all the way from New York to audit the business model of the farm. Desperate to keep her shop going, Sophie convinces Samuel to give her two weeks to learn the ropes of yarn spinning and raise enough money to buy the mill herself. With Samuel’s help, Sophie comes up with a fundraising plan to host a “knit-off” and auction at the local makers market. However, when the two weeks come to an end Sophie finds herself at the crossroads of business and romance. Could she have misinterpreted Samuels growing romantic interest in her as just business all along?
Movie Review:
🎬 The setting of this story is in New Zealand - and the countryside there is absolutely beautiful. Breathtaking! The owner of the local yarn shop, Sophie, is quite likeable; she's an American who inherited the shop from her late Grandmother. Sophie brings many people of the town together to knit and enjoy time sharing, along with her best friend, Rose, who is a lot of fun. Everything seems tranquil for Sophie, until she knits a sweater for her boyfriend, Chris. Everyone in the knitting group teases that "it's the curse of the knitted sweater" and they predict in a joking way that she and Chris will surely break up. They actually do, but Sophie has more important things to worry about - she must save the local mill where she gets her yarn and convince the owner's handsome son, Samuel King, who is visiting from New York, to sell it to her before he leaves. The lambs in the movie are all sooo adorable - you'll instantly fall in love with them. At times, the movie can be a bit predictable and cheesy, but it's still a sweet family friendly story, and I personally enjoyed watching it. Even the knitted sweater gets redemption in the end. If you know someone who likes knitting, then this is most definitely THE MOVIE for them. ~Net
Premieres Saturday, August 16, 2025
at 9pm/8c. on Great American Family
Sunday, August 17, 2025:
Storyline: Mystery Island hosts a corporate retreat with a guest being Emilia's ex-fiancé. Old feelings become complicated, tensions run high, and allegations arise when a guest is found dead.
Premieres Sunday, August 17, 2025
at 9pm/8c. on the Hallmark Channel
And now for the mystery news...
Throughout this week, the Hallmark Mystery channel has been airing mini-marathons of the Mystery 101 series, starring Jill Wagner and Kristoffer Polaha, which isn't that unusual. However, on social media, it has become standard for Hallmark to only show pictures of Kristoffer when promoting the series, and never any promos with Jill. Well, that changed yesterday, and fans definitely noticed.
Before we get to that, let's take a step back - for a minute.
As the series ran throughout the week, fans took to social media once again with messages like:
⬤ Bring this back!! We need closure! 👏 - sammyjones57
⬤ I miss these movies so much😭 can‘t understand why they canceled them… - julssss95
⬤ Y’all left us on a real cliffhanger. I fear I’ll never get over it - omarlieee
⬤ Looooove this series. Bring it baaaaaaaaack. 😭 - bendieshome
You get the picture. Comments like this continued on and on for several days... all under pictures of Kristoffer Polaha. In one picture (seen above) he is running after a suspect and looking quite dashing and in the other pic, he is simply carrying a file of papers under his arm while investigating one of the cases.
So, what happened yesterday, you might ask??? Well, Hallmark Mystery posted to their socials an actual video promo of one of the previous Mystery 101 movies, and yes, the video showed Jill Wagner!!!! And, as I said, fans, including myself, noticed right away. One fan wrote, "You actually showed Jill? Wow!"
And not only did fans notice, but Kristoffer Polaha noticed, too!!!
Here's what Kristoffer wrote under the post:
⬤ polahaha: Looks like Amy is back in the case with Travis…
How funny would it be if after all this time we finally got some closure?
Here are some of the random responses:
⬤ please!!!!! You two are my favorites! ❤️❤️ - joynoelle
⬤ You're killing me, Smalls! But yes, please!! - bendieshome
⬤ DON'T TOY WITH ME, KRISTOFFER! (All caps means shouting, yes, but it is a hopeful shout!) - kelli_b_83
⬤ I hope you’re coming out with more episodes! The series was abruptly ended on a huge cliffhanger!! It was extremely disappointing! It would be appreciated if you provided closure to Amy and Travis’ storyline. - kelly_stel1
⬤ Could this be a clue @polahaha AKA Detective Travis!!! 🔎🔎 - itsawonderfulmovieblog
⬤ @hallmarkchannel, you are killing us! 😭 You’re running the mystery marathon back-to-back, but there was never an ending to the storyline. We were all waiting, and then the show wasn’t renewed. So after I watch this again, I’ll still be left wondering what happened… The least you can do is give us an ending. We promise we won’t bother you about this again. - hallmarkluv
⬤ More of these please - heartiesteamnathan
⬤ PLEASE...give us back our favorite mystery series, and our favorite crime solving duo!! Ratings would skyrocket and faith in hallmark would definitely be restored SO much!!! - tonyahoward258
And there are many, many more comments just like this!!!
So, what's your take? Have you given up hope on "Mystery 101" or does this give any of you sleuthers a sliver of hope that this series could return one day, especially now with Michelle Vicary back as head of programming at Hallmark? Please share in comments below.
*************************
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Enjoy these warm Summer days. Sometimes you've got to just stop and smell the roses!
*************************
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands."
This weekend's scripture inspiration:
Our local meteorologist said we would have a meteor shower this week, so I stared up at the stars for a little while. Unfortunately, I never caught the shower of stars (perhaps, too much outdoor lighting around), but I did marvel at the Creator of our universe and how beautiful each star in the sky is, the work of His mighty hands. I stood in awe and amazement at how great our God truly is!!! 🌟🌟🌟
And since this weekend's movie on GAF is about sheep, I just had to include these sriptures, too...
"What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?
And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.
In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish."
Isn’t it amazing to know how deeply God treasures each person, and how far He will go to bring them back to Him? He would leave the 99 to come and rescue you or me!
May your weekend fill you with that same awe-struck wonder I had while staring at the stars... Enjoy the little moments! God bless!!!🌟
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Enjoy these warm Summer days. Sometimes you've got to just stop and smell the roses!
Blessings to you all,
Net
SHINING HIS LIGHT:
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands."
PSALM 19:1
This weekend's scripture inspiration:
Our local meteorologist said we would have a meteor shower this week, so I stared up at the stars for a little while. Unfortunately, I never caught the shower of stars (perhaps, too much outdoor lighting around), but I did marvel at the Creator of our universe and how beautiful each star in the sky is, the work of His mighty hands. I stood in awe and amazement at how great our God truly is!!! 🌟🌟🌟
And since this weekend's movie on GAF is about sheep, I just had to include these sriptures, too...
"What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?
And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.
In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish."
MATTHEW 18:12-14
Isn’t it amazing to know how deeply God treasures each person, and how far He will go to bring them back to Him? He would leave the 99 to come and rescue you or me!
May your weekend fill you with that same awe-struck wonder I had while staring at the stars... Enjoy the little moments! God bless!!!🌟
Well THAT is certainly a good looking change! Maybe soon Hallmark will include Candace in their mystery marathon promotions again. -Maria
ReplyDeleteMaria, Yes, that would be nice, too! :)
DeleteI’ve been struggling with a cold and feeling really lousy. But this possible news about Mystery 101 gave me a lift! This has always been my favorite series and I was soooo sad to see it end the way it did. I will be over the moon happy to see it revolved, but really hope Graham and Bud can be there too and not end up like the Hannah Swenson. I do have a good feeling now though!!!
ReplyDeleteAbigail, Oh no... sorry to hear your under the weather. Glad this news put a smile on your face.
DeleteHope you can relax and enjoy some of the movies this weekend. :)
Feel better, Abigail.
DeleteChristie
Abigail, I meant to mention in my comment… that I also hope IF this happens that the supporting cast members of Mystery 101 can return, too! You are so right… it wouldn’t be the same without Graham and Bud in the mystery!
DeleteThe actor who plays Graham, Robin Thomas, has done some other projects with Kristoffer and his sons since Mystery 101, so I have a feeling he’d be game to work with Kristoffer & Jill again.
Thank you Net and Christie!❤️
DeleteYes, yes, yes, please bring back Mystery 101, at least one more episode to bring closure. I believe all Hallmark Hearties are very interested. Thank you.
ReplyDelete100% agree!!! :)
DeleteYou missed the 3rd Providence Falls movie premiering this weekend
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting. I’ve chosen not to feature the Providence Falls movie series because its storyline centers on a romance between characters who are reincarnated.
DeleteAs a Christian, I don’t believe in reincarnation. This teaching holds that people return to earthly life in new bodies, often to resolve spiritual or moral debts from past lives, a concept rooted in Eastern religions.
In contrast, Christianity teaches that every human life is sacred, purposeful, and uniquely created by God. Scripture affirms that we each have one earthly life, followed by judgment, rather than an ongoing cycle of rebirth.
It’s seem like Made in Heaven
DeleteMike/Elmo ends up finding Ally/Annie on the street at the end of the film, & their eyes lock on one another. It's his 30th birthday—they met in the nick of time
Net,
ReplyDeleteI would love to see Mystery 101 return. I absolutely loved that series!
Jeffrey, Me too! And there are lots of comments from people on social media who agree with us.
DeleteIn fact, any time the Mystery 101 movies air, inevitably I see a comment from so,eone on social media asking for more of these movies.
And I think Hallmark is great at listening to their viewers. Look at Signed, Sealed, Delivered. The fans asked for more, and Hallmark keeps delivering!
So... hopefully they will deliver this movie for fans. I know both Kristoffer and Jill have stated they will love to do more!!! :)
exciting news.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is! Enjoy your weekend! :)
DeleteI just googled Mystery 101 and this was posted 3 days ago. I still have hope it can come back.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.imdb.com/fr/news/ni64052057/
Abigail, thank you for sharing in the hope with me! It looks like that IMDB article from Variety dates back to 2023, so I’m hoping Hallmark may have had a change of heart since then.
DeleteI’m sure they’ve seen all the comments from fans asking again and again for the series to return. Maybe they’ll follow the same path they did with "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" and give it new life.
And now, with Kristoffer joining in on the conversation, it feels like there’s even more hope!!! :)
Yes, more Mystery 101 please! I’m not crazy about Mystery Island but they keep making more of those. Why? We need this cliffhanger finally explained. I think this could be a step in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteI’m going to watch A Thread to Your Heart. The actress is new to me but I remember the guy in a couple Christmas movies. Christie
I’m also not a fan of Mystery Island - turned it off in the first 20 minutes and will not return. Mystery 101 is a jewel - Hallmatk needs to bring it back or sell it to someone else to pick up & run with!
DeleteHallmark dropped the ball when they let the Mystery 101 movies go. I think they could pick it back up again especially if Michelle Vicary’s on board with it.
ReplyDeleteThe scriptures at the end are really nice. I just found your blog and added you to my favorites.
Totally agree on Mystery 101! Let's hope those that have the power to make this happen at Hallmark agree, too!
DeleteI'm so glad to know you enjoyed the scriptures... Thank you for adding *It's a Wonderful Movie* to your favorites! :)
. Now my question is why all of a sudden now are they showing her picture and mentioning her. When they stop posting her picture and mentioning her after she did her first movie for Great an American Family. I do not see anything from this. First the post was made two days ago Jill has commented on posts of stars before and there is no comment. Second I just saw an article that Lioness is getting a season 3 she is very involved in that . Right now the holdup is a Nicole Kidman contract. Last Jill is about loyalty and she is loyal to Bill. Personally I think this is just Hallmark trying to stir something up with the fans .
ReplyDeleteGet over it. Jill isn’t loyal to Bill. She’s an actress & works where the work is. She had a wonderful relationship with Michelle & has repeatedly stated she’d love to do at least a final Mystery 101.
DeleteThere is an actual article because I remember reading that Jill actually said she is a super loyal person and respect him. I will include the link to the article. How do you know she a a wonderful relationship with Michelle Vicary there is not one article that says that. Here is the link to the article. https://www.digitaljournal.com/entertainment/jill-wagner-talks-about-a-merry-christmas-wish-and-lioness/article
DeleteMy take on this is will it ever happen we do not know. There will be. A season 3 for Lioness and there has been talk about doing a prequel too. The one thing I take from this is while Jill has said in the past she wants to do a mystery 101. Is it something she still wants to do? She is the only one that can answer that.
DeleteBebe, I see it the same way… from everything I’ve read and heard, Jill would love to step back into the role of Professor Amy Winslow. I’m not sure where the misconception started that she isn’t interested in returning.
DeleteMany actors work for both networks without issue, so I don’t see why it would be any different for Jill. While she clearly enjoys working with Bill at GAF, she also has a strong history and wonderful friendships with Kristoffer and the rest of the "Mystery 101" cast. That connection makes it easy to imagine her saying yes if the opportunity came up.
Of course, Jill has other projects, but since these Hallmark movies typically film in about two weeks, I don’t think that would necessarily be a major problem.
So... yes, I still have hope this could happen one day!!! :)
Thanks Net. I enjoyed Mystery 101, and I know some of the actors are doing double duty on GAF and Hallmark. Reading comments on Instagram and Reddit the Hallmark fans on there have created this us vs. them environment. Ever since Candace CB made the family friendly comment when referring to GAF, I have seen the most hateful comments directed towards her from Hallmark fans of a certain ideology and other actors on Hallmark. While I like some of the content on Hallmark I am praying for the success of GAF and any actors supporting and helping to grow the channel. While I would love to see Mystery 101 have a follow up, at the same time I would love to see Jill continue on GAF.
ReplyDeleteUmm…no. The GAF fans have absolutely done the same. The divide is ridiculous.
DeleteTo the first Anonymous above…
DeleteI completely agree with you. I would be so happy to see Jill Wagner in many more GAF movies! She’s such a joy to watch.
And I have to say, I love that you’re praying for the success of GAF. That truly touched my heart. I’m also praying that the network continues to grow and share uplifting stories that inspire us all. Blessings to you! :)
Bring back Chronicle Mysteries
ReplyDeleteIt’s have 5 Chronicle Mysteries movies
Chronicle Mysteries 6 & more
I enjoyed Mystery 101 but Hallmark dropped it and I've moved on.
ReplyDeleteWho knows - it may or may not come back.
But what is all this nonsense about it ending on a cliffhanger that was never explained?
It WAS explained.
It was either the producer or the scr[ptwriter who revealed what it was about.
There's a post somewhere in the It's A Wonderful Movie vaults about it and Net herself made a comment on it - Florence
I vaguely remember the lame dream explanation given by the screen writer. Probably only 10% of Hallmark fans even read that.
DeleteWe still need at least one more movie to complete this series. Robert
Florence, You’re so right, Screenwriter John Christian Plummer did reveal the ending, but like Robert mentioned, most fans probably didn’t catch that, and many of us would still love to see an actual movie that fully resolves the cliffhanger.
DeleteInterestingly, I just listened to a new interview with John Christian Plummer, and in the first few minutes of the podcast, there’s even more speculation from him and the interviewer that another "Mystery 101" movie could possibly happen one day. Plus, John says something like, "All the actors are game."
Here's the link, if anyone would like to watch. (This is mentioned in the first 5 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYgX-kkMTZE
This news does sound exciting Net! I would love to have closure on this series, in an actual movie that I can watch, not just in an explanation from the network. There is something different about visually watching it, and of course I would love to see their love story continue further in additional movies. I believe anything is possible with Hallmark bringing back old series/continuing.
ReplyDeleteAbigail, I hope you feel better friend!
~Paula
Thank you so much Paula
DeletePaula, I couldn’t agree more with you! There really is something so special about actually seeing the story play out on screen. Like you, I would love to have true closure with this movie, and of course, it would be wonderful to see Travis and Amy’s love story continue on...
DeleteLike you said, Hallmark has surprised us before by bringing back beloved series, so I believe it’s possible, too!!!
I’m also sending hugs and prayers that Abigail feels much better soon! 💕
Aww! Net, thank you! I really appreciate your prayers(and that sweet hug :) I am slowly on the mend, and I have been taking advantage of this cold by catching up on hallmark + movies and rewatching the Wedding Veil movies. 😊
DeleteJoin us on Facebook Live!
ReplyDeleteSpend the night with with the cast of Crossroad Springs
Tuesday, August 26, 2025
GAFAM
8/7c
Thank you for sharing! :)
DeleteA Thread to your Heart is the absolute sweetest movie! How did I miss this before? Would love to see more of these actors on Great American Family.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, the scripture about the 99 is perfect for this movie. I don’t know who sings it but I also like the song. I hear it on KLOVE all the time. Christie
Christie, I’m right there with you! This movie was just so beautiful, and I hope we see more of these actors on GAF!
DeleteGlad you liked my scripture choice; I thought it was such a sweet reminder of God’s amazing love for us all!
Be sure and complete a review on the GAF website. I sent in my review and told GAF that I think A Thread to Your Heart is the best acquired movie I have watched on GAF! I was definitely not expecting to enjoy it so much! I would love to see the two leads star together in a Christmas movie for GAF. They were great together! If anyone hasn't watched it yet, check the GAF schedule for upcoming dates or watch it on Pure Flix. I really think everyone on this site will enjoy watching it!
DeleteGena
Gena, It's wonderful to hear how much you also enjoyed "A Thread to Your Heart"! I've seen the movie before, and yet I enjoyed it as much as I did the first time. The actors and the setting were all so beautiful!
DeleteThank you for sharing your movie review here with us! :)
This isn’t related to anything in this post (although I am super excited that there is a new mystery airing this weekend and hoping with the rest of you that Mystery 101 returns), but did anyone see Aurora Death at the Diner? I’m wondering if it is family friendly or not before I watch it. If anyone can help, it will be greatly appreciated!
ReplyDeleteI can help you out! You can read my review for "Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Death at the Diner" here:
Deletehttps://itsawonderfulmovie.blogspot.com/2025/07/hallmark-channel-august-2025-movie-schedule-summer-nights.html
Thank you so much! I can’t wait to watch it now!
DeleteYou're welcome! Happy to share. Hope you enjoyed it. :)
DeleteFor those wondering if Luke really left:
ReplyDeletehttps://variety.com/2025/tv/columns/luke-macfarlane-queer-hallmark-christmas-movie-platonic-1236491299
-Maria
Maria, Yeah, all I can say is... that was an interesting read.
DeleteWe really enjoyed A Thread to Your Heart. One of the better movies we’ve seen in awhile. It was nice to see some different actors for once who were actually good. Robert
ReplyDeleteRobert, thank you for sharing! So good to hear you enjoyed it, too! :)
DeleteThere’s 2 Hallmark movies on Saturday, August 23, 2025
ReplyDeleteDouble Scoops
August 23, 2025
8pm ET/ 5pm PT
Hallmark Channel
The Wish Swap
August 23, 2025
10 ET/7pm PT
Hallmark Channel
Yeah, the Hallmark Channel is playing a bunch of farm/country-themed movies on Saturday... and yes, "The Wish Swap" airs after "Double Scoop," but "The Wish Swap" is not a new premiere. "Double Scoop" is the only new Hallmark movie Saturday night.
DeleteThere is an synopsis of the supposed last episode of Mystery 101 on the web. The writer , John Christian Plummer, reveals the untold story about the last scene and the rest of the story.
ReplyDeleteIt would have been a great episode and I went to bed happy knowing the ending.
I did not know that the writer for Mystery 101 also did Mystery Island. They are so different from each other.
ReplyDeleteAbigail, Yeah, isn't that interesting??? Just goes to show how different projects can be with a different cast and story concepts.
DeleteHey everyone, so I did not get to catch the new GAF movie “A Thread to your Heart” but after reading the good reviews I’ll try to catch it when it replays. I did get to watch the new mystery movie “Mystery Island Play for Keeps” and surprisingly I really enjoyed it! The others were not bad, they just fell flat for me, like I kinda got lost and didn’t pay as much attention as I normally do….**spoiler alert***
ReplyDeleteThis one however kept my attention with the mystery cheating suspicions and how she seemed to have a spark with her ex fiancé. I still didn’t guess the killer at the end though Lol
~Paula
Paula, Oh, I hope you can catch “A Thread to your Heart” sometime soon! It is such a good one!
DeleteAnd thank you, thank you... for sharing your thoughts on the new Mystery Island! I appreciate it so much. Last night I watched 75% of it, and I can't wait to finish it later today to see who-dun-it!!!!
Hallmark Eliminates 30 Jobs; “We’re Taking Steps to Transition Our Workforce To Meet Needs Of Business Today”
ReplyDeletehttps://deadline.com/2025/08/hallmark-eliminates-30-jobs-1236493506/
Yes, this was interesting news. I feel bad for those who lost their jobs. That's sad to hear for these individuals.
DeleteIt does make one wonder if their positions were suddenly no longer needed, or if this decision was more of a financial necessity.
With this news, and no premieres on Hallmark Mystery this month or next, it really makes you pause and wonder what’s going on.
I hope it wasn’t people who’ve been there for a while. Sad, must have been disappointing for them.
DeleteI can't pretend to understand it all but I would be pretty sure it was financial.
DeleteNothing to do with any particular channel - the simple fact is that cable is fast collapsing as viewers turn more and more to Streaming channels.
Probably similar to the music industry when streaming took over from downloading.
As viewing figures plummet the advertisers will be more reluctant to take air time which is what most cable channels rely heavily on for revenue.
The speed at which cable is declining is frightening.
Even by this time next year the whole scene will probably be unrecognisable compared to today - Florence
Florence, so perfectly said! Everything you shared is so true.
DeleteYou are absolutely right… streaming really is taking over cable in such a big way. Times have certainly changed.
I also just heard the other day that AOL is officially ending their dial-up internet service. The news anchors chuckled about it on TV, but honestly, it made me feel sad for those who still depend on it, especially in rural areas where there aren’t many other options.
Just like that, another part of life that some people still rely on is slipping away. It’s the same with cable TV, many older people aren’t into all this new streaming technology. My heart goes out to them, because change isn’t always easy.