Skip to main content
Hallmarked Up!

Hallmarked Up!

By Mary & Sarah

We rewrite the Countdown to Christmas Hallmark movies for today's modern woman. Because, love them or hate them, we can all agree that the storylines defy probability the way the gingerbread houses defy physics. Enjoy weekly reviews of what they got right and what they got wrong, and see how Mary and Sarah change the plot entirely in the name of real life 2019 and beyond. Or, you know. Just fun.
Available on
Apple Podcasts Logo
Google Podcasts Logo
Overcast Logo
Pocket Casts Logo
RadioPublic Logo
Spotify Logo
Currently playing episode

Season 3, Episode 1 - Boyfriends of Christmas Past

Hallmarked Up!Oct 29, 2021

00:00
50:53
Season 5, Episode 4 - A Merry Scottish Christmas
Dec 15, 202358:10
Season 5, Episode 6 - Round and Round
Dec 15, 202337:60
Season 5, Episode 5 - A Biltmore Christmas

Season 5, Episode 5 - A Biltmore Christmas

It's finally here! The Thanksgiving long weekend AND of course, A Biltmore Christmas. Mary and Sarah sit down to chat through the most anticipated Hallmark Christmas movie ever. Did it live up to expectations? What's the story of Biltmore anyway? How should we #redpenrewrite it? Have a listen....but as a preview #morepolaha !! Bring on the movie within a movie!!

Lucy Hardgrove (Joy Lenz) is a screenwriter who lands the job of a lifetime when she’s hired to pen the script for a remake of the beloved holiday movie, His Merry Wife! First filmed in 1947 at beautiful, historic Biltmore House, it has long been considered a Christmas classic. When the head of the studio isn’t satisfied with the ending Lucy wrote because it deviates from the original’s feel-good conclusion, he sends Lucy to Biltmore Estate for research and inspiration. While there, she unwittingly discovers the ability to travel to the 1947 set of His Merry Wife! through the help of an hourglass. After shaking off the initial shock of this turn of events, Lucy embraces this as her chance to uncover the truth about the movie’s original ending. While on set, she and Jack Huston (Kristoffer Polaha), one of the film’s stars, spend time together and become close. But her sudden appearance has set off a chain of events that put the production in jeopardy. Before she can return to the present, Lucy must make things right or threaten to alter the future forever. Starring Bethany Joy Lenz and Kristoffer Polaha.

Dec 03, 202355:36
Season 5, Episode 3 Christmas Island
Nov 16, 202339:28
Season 5, Ep 2 - Flipping For Christmas
Nov 06, 202301:01:44
Season 5, Ep 1 - Where Are You Christmas?
Oct 29, 202340:24
Episode 11, The Wedding Veil Revisited: A New Hope
Feb 19, 202355:13
Episode 10 - Season 4 Christmas Recap
Jan 02, 202345:11
Episode 9 - HANUKKAH ON RYE
Dec 27, 202241:05
Episode 8 - THE HOLIDAY SITTER
Dec 14, 202201:06:46
Episode 7 - UNDERCOVER HOLIDAY
Dec 10, 202252:58
Episode 6 - A CHRISTMAS COOKIE CATASTROPHE
Dec 01, 202236:52
Episode 5 - THREE WISE MEN & A BABY
Nov 21, 202256:45
Episode 4 - OUR ITALIAN CHRISTMAS MEMORIES
Nov 19, 202253:52
Episode 3 - LIGHTS, CAMERA, CHRISTMAS
Nov 08, 202257:23
Episode 2 - A COZY CHRISTMAS INN

Episode 2 - A COZY CHRISTMAS INN

Mary and Sarah have invited guest host Aaron to watch this week's installment, A COZY CHRISTMAS INN.  Sadly, it does not feature Kristoffer Polaha, (please come on our Podcast!!!) but we watched it anyway.  Have a listen to see how we chose to rewrite this new 2022 Christmaween feature.  

Real estate exec, Erika, travels to Alaska during the holidays to acquire a B&B, only to discover it's owned by her ex. Soon she is falling in love with the town and quite possibly him. Starring Jodie Sweetin and David O'Donnell.

Oct 30, 202249:39
Episode 1 - WE WISH YOU A MARRIED CHRISTMAS
Oct 26, 202236:47
Season 3, Episode 7 - A Dickens of a Holiday!
Dec 14, 202101:07:43
Season 3, Episode 6 - Sister Swap: A Hometown Holiday
Dec 12, 202101:10:11
Season 3, Episode 5 - The Nine Kittens of Christmas
Dec 06, 202157:26
Season 3, Episode 4 - Love Hard (Netflixed Up!)
Nov 21, 202101:28:25
Season 3, Episode 3 - Next Stop, Christmas
Nov 14, 202101:10:29
Season 3, Episode 2 - Christmas in Harmony
Nov 02, 202145:58
Season 3, Episode 1 - Boyfriends of Christmas Past

Season 3, Episode 1 - Boyfriends of Christmas Past

First episode of the year, Mary and Sarah watch BOYFRIENDS OF CHRISTMAS PAST, a full week before halloween.  Leading up to Christmas, marketing executive, Lauren, is visited by the ghosts of four ex boyfriends. She must learn to open her heart or risk losing her best friend, Nate. Starring Catherine Haena Kim, Raymond Ablack and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee.

Oct 29, 202150:53
Season 3, Preview Episode

Season 3, Preview Episode

Mary and Sarah are back taking a look at what's in store for this season of #CountdownToChristmas & #MiraclesOfChristmas on our favorite (insert irony here) keeper of Christmas Channels, Hallmark.  See what they predict for the upcoming season and what they will choose to watch in the first 3 weeks of brand new movies.  Is the Hot Chocolate time or just Halloween Chocolate time?  Nothing matters more than Counting Down to Christmas with Mary and Sarah as they Hallmark it Up!

Oct 20, 202140:08
Episode 12 - Beverly Hills Wedding
Mar 01, 202101:14:24
Episode 11 - Taking a Shot at Love
Jan 17, 202141:08
Episode 10 - Love, Lights, Hanukkah!
Jan 08, 202147:57
Episode 9 - A Christmas Carousel
Dec 28, 202045:28
Episode 8 - Christmas Comes Twice

Episode 8 - Christmas Comes Twice

Sarah is joined by her brother, Jonny, and his lovely wife Chris to work out what happens when CHRISTMAS COMES TWICE.

Cheryl Jenkins (Mowry-Housley) is an astrophysicist who works for the National Science Foundation reviewing grant applications for projects, although she’d prefer to be working on a project of her own. Cheryl heads home to spend the holidays with her family and first on the agenda is a visit to the annual Christmas carnival with her sister Trish (Zarrin Darnell-Martin, “Burden of Truth”). While there, Cheryl sees a carousel in the distance and ventures over to take a ride. But when the revolutions wind down and she returns to the carnival to find her sister, Cheryl discovers that — somehow — it’s five years earlier. Dissatisfied with where she is in life, Cheryl sees this as a chance to change her path by making different choices. As Cheryl navigates her way through her visit back in time, she’s able to connect with her beloved science teacher Ms. Nelson (Ralph), who was an inspiration to her both in and out of the classroom and had passed away several years previously. The time Cheryl spends with Ms. Nelson as well as with her “frenemy” George (Xavier) helps her find a new appreciation for what she’s doing in life and starts to see George in a new light. But when the carousel returns Cheryl to present-day Christmas with lessons learned, will the love she found be waiting for her? Stars Tamera Mowry-Housley, Michael Xavier and Sheryl Lee Ralph.

Dec 22, 202001:02:05
Episode 7 - Time For Us To Come Home For Christmas
Dec 12, 202039:20
Episode 6 - If I Only Had Christmas
Dec 09, 202042:47
Episode 5 - A Nashville Christmas Carol
Dec 04, 202056:39
Episode 4 - A Timeless Christmas
Nov 26, 202056:21
Episode 3 - One Royal Holiday
Nov 14, 202037:36
Episode 2 - Christmas Chateau
Nov 08, 202054:19
Episode 1 - Jingle Bell Bride
Oct 29, 202036:43
Season 2 - 2020 Preview Night with CCB

Season 2 - 2020 Preview Night with CCB

Mary and Sarah are back for Season 2 to watch Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries' Miracles of Christmas movies.  Listen in as Mary and Sarah get excited about what Candace Cameron Bure says this season will bring.  Will this be a year of big changes for Hallmark?!?  Welcome to Season 2 of Hallmarked Up!

Oct 25, 202043:05
Episode 13 - Matchmaker Mysteries A Fatal Romance

Episode 13 - Matchmaker Mysteries A Fatal Romance

Mary and Sarah return to form to discuss Matchmaker Mysteries latest release A FATAL ROMANCE.  Will their traditional Hallmarked Up format work on a Hallmark Mystery?  Have a read of this plot: When a romance writer is murdered, matchmaker Angie Dove gets entangled in another case…and with Detective Kyle Carter. Can they read between the lines to find the murderer? Stars Danica McKellar & Victor Webster.  

May 26, 202036:41
Episode 12 - March Merry Madness

Episode 12 - March Merry Madness

So Mary and Sarah have decided to talk you through their bracket for March Merry Madness while they #stayhome.

Mar 29, 202037:48
Episode 11 - Season 1 RECAP

Episode 11 - Season 1 RECAP

So Mary and Sarah have arrived at the sad end of COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS.  Let's relive some of their favorite Hallmark Christmas Bingo moments, agree on what was the most #relatable moment of the season and get to predicting next season's selection of brand new holiday features.  

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our listeners!

Jan 08, 202034:35
Episode 10 - Review of the Hallmark Christmas Bundle Game

Episode 10 - Review of the Hallmark Christmas Bundle Game

In this mid-week, albeit later posted episode, we review the Bundle Game's version of Countdown to Christmas.  Michelle and Matt are back to play with us, talk us through some of their favorite Christmas melodies and to give feedback on this new board game dedicated to Hallmark's most popular time of year!

Dec 23, 201901:02:41
Episode 9 - Same Time Next Christmas

Episode 9 - Same Time Next Christmas

Due do some disappointing behavior from the Hallmark Channel and its executives, we have decided to take a week off of their films in particular.  This week's movie is Same Time Next Christmas from the ABC network.  

Circumstances conspire to keep apart a young woman (Lea Michele) and her childhood sweetheart (Charles Michael Davis), whom she first met during her family's annual Christmas visit to Hawaii.

Join Mary and Sarah on this journey through this week's movie, featuring segments Hallmark Christmas Bingo (or Non Hallmark for this week), #Relatable and of course, the Red Pen Rewind Rewrite of SAME TIME NEXT CHRISTMAS!

Dec 17, 201946:34
Episode 8 - A Christmas Love Story

Episode 8 - A Christmas Love Story

A youth choir director (Kristen Chenoweth) needs to write a big song for the Christmas Eve show but "finds herself distracted" when a boy with a golden voice (Kevin Quinn) joins her choir, which will come as news to his widowed father (Scott Wolf). 

Mary is away again, but a secret male guest host joins Sarah to lead in all the segments: Hallmark Christmas Bingo, #Relatable and of course the Red Pen Rewind and Rewrite of A Christmas Love Story - this year's Hallmark Hall of Fame.

Dec 09, 201936:32
Episode 7 - Christmas In Rome

Episode 7 - Christmas In Rome

Lacey Chabert plays an independent-minded American tour guide named Angela, who is fired from her job in Rome just before Christmas. She crosses paths with an American executive named Oliver (Page), who wants to buy a high-end Italian ceramics company. Oliver hires Angela to be his tour guide around the Eternal City, as the owner of the ceramics company won’t sell it to him until he learns “the heart and soul of Rome.” But is there another heart and soul that he may win?
Mary has returned, along with guest host Meghan, and of course, Sarah to go through the paces of this podcast: Hallmark Christmas Bingo Moment, #Relatable, and the Red Pen Rewind and Rewrite of CHRISTMAS IN ROME!
Dec 04, 201941:41
Episode 6 - Our Christmas Love Song

Episode 6 - Our Christmas Love Song

When country star Melody Jones is accused of plagiarizing her holiday single, she returns home to spend Christmas with her estranged family and old flame and learns what is important in life.
Once again, we have a few guest hosts who work alongside Sarah, Greg and Jenn joining us for another magical Christmas Episode of Hallmarked Up! Christmas Bingo, #Relatable and the Red Pen Rewind Rewrite unite to make this movie hopefully more real than the original...just in time for Thanksgiving.
Nov 29, 201939:40
Episode 5 - A Christmas Miracle

Episode 5 - A Christmas Miracle

Ever-optimistic single mom Emma Sanderson is looking for a Christmas miracle to write about for the lifestyle magazine at which she has landed a temporary job. While following her lead on the story, Emma discovers unexpected romance with a supportive colleague and takes it upon herself to bring about a Christmas miracle for a lonely street musician.

While Mary takes a short break, Sarah's neighbors Sarah and her daughter Candice fill in for all things Hallmarked Up - Christmas Bingo, #Relatable and of course the Red Pen Rewind Rewrite of A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!

Nov 25, 201929:48
Episode 4 - Christmas Under The Stars

Episode 4 - Christmas Under The Stars

Based on a yet-to-be published novel by Rikk Dunlap, a Christmas tree lot helps two people (Jesse Metcalfe & Autumn Reeser) rediscover their holiday spirit. The series continues as Mary and Sarah are joined by guest host, Angela.  Together we hit all of our regular segments - Hallmark Christmas Bingo, #relatable and the red pen rewind rewrite of this week's Countdown to Christmas premiere, CHRISTMAS UNDER THE STARS!
Nov 19, 201937:24
Episode 2 - Christmas Scavenger Hunt

Episode 2 - Christmas Scavenger Hunt

When Belinda  heads back to her hometown for the holidays, things get complicated when she is forced to team up with her ex, Dustin, at the town's annual Christmas scavenger hunt.

See what happens when Mary & Sarah review, play Hallmark Christmas Bingo, find a relatable moment and finish up with their famous red pen rewind rewrite on this week's episode!

Nov 05, 201944:20
Episode 1 - Christmas Wishes & Mistletoe Kisses

Episode 1 - Christmas Wishes & Mistletoe Kisses

Join Mary & Sarah as they review, red pen & rewrite the first Countdown to Christmas movie of the season, CHRISTMAS WISHES & MISTLETOE KISSES, featuring the Hallmark Christmas Bingo Moment & #Relatable!

Oct 29, 201939:09