Deck The Hallmark

It's time for another new Festive Fridays episode with a 2025 Christmas mystery from OWN.
ABOUT VERY MERRY MYSTERY
A small-town hairstylist and Christmas enthusiast helps her detective boyfriend investigate when their host disappears during a Christmas murder mystery party, leaving behind only a ransom note.
AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR VERY MERRY MYSTERY
December 13, 2025 | OWN
CAST & CREW OF VERY MERRY MYSTERY
Ashleigh Murray as Bea King
Tristan Mack Wilds as Troy Rhodes
Zahra Bentham as Desiree Barnes
Robinne Fanfair as Deborah King
Romaine Waite as Calvin Dee
Kathy Maloney as Evelyn Whittaker
Rainbow Sun Francks as Dr. Maurice Whitaker
Kimberly Huie as Grace Burton
BRAN’S VERY MERRY MYSTERY SYNOPSIS
Welcome to Queen Bea Beauty—Bea is the owner, and everyone in town loves her. It’s two days until Christmas, and she’s chatting with her friends about the town Grinch, Mrs. Burton. Apparently, Mrs. Burton is throwing a Christmas party to make amends with all her enemies. Bea is invited, even though she never actually had a falling-out with her.
First, Bea helps out with a Christmas scavenger hunt. She’s surprised when her boyfriend, Detective Troy, shows up—but he’s on duty. There’s definitely some tension between the two of them.
The next day, it’s party time. The event is carol-themed, so everyone has to dress in Victorian-era costumes. Of course, it’s also a murder mystery party. Each guest is given a character card with lines they’re supposed to say. Suddenly, the fire goes out and the lights go dark. When everything comes back on, Mrs. Burton is nowhere to be found, and Des—who’s playing the maid—is lying on the floor with the Christmas tree on top of her. Thankfully, she’s fine. A guy named Calvin accidentally pushed her when he got scared.
At first, everyone assumes Mrs. Burton’s disappearance is just part of the game. But then they find a ransom note, and it becomes clear this might actually be real. Bea is known for being good at mysteries, so everyone looks to her to figure it out. Naturally, Detective Troy officially joins the case.
They question everyone but don’t get any closer to solving it. They discover there’s a secret passageway, but Mrs. Burton is still nowhere to be found.
Thanks to Bea’s keen observation skills, she starts to suspect the doctor and his wife who are attending the party. Eventually, they find Mrs. Burton in a shed outside—completely unharmed. Weird, right?
Bea believes the doctor has been having an affair with Mrs. Burton, so she accuses him, and Troy arrests him.
But something doesn’t quite add up. When Bea notices a photo in the newspaper showing what looks like bruising on the wife’s wrist, everything clicks. It wasn’t the doctor—it was his wife. She discovered the affair and “kidnapped” Mrs. Burton, hoping to force her husband to wire money so she could leave him. The plan didn’t work, but she confesses and is arrested.
Bea and Troy have a heartfelt moment and end up spending Christmas together.

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POLAHA IS BACK! Our very first guest, Kristoffer Polaha, is back! This time, we discuss his upcoming Hallmark movie, Missing the Boat. Plus, we dive into his upcoming directorial debut, Mimics.  

ABOUT KRISTOFFER POLAHA :

Kristoffer Polaha is an American actor known for his charismatic performances across television and film. He first gained widespread recognition starring as Jason Matthews on North Shore, followed by memorable roles as Nathaniel “Baze” Bazile in Life Unexpected and Henry Butler in Ringer. His film work includes appearances in Devil’s Knot (2013), Wonder Woman 1984 (2020), and Jurassic World Dominion (2022).

Since 2016, Polaha has become a familiar and beloved face on Hallmark, starring in numerous movies and the seven-film Mystery 101 series for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. 

Polaha has now entered the directing space with his 2026 feature-length film, Mimics. 

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We're back with some more Gilmore Girls! Join us in this journey on social media - @gilmorethemerrierpod.
ABOUT: GILMORE GIRLS (SEASON 1 EPISODE 4 & 5)
Episode 4 - Still struggling to catch up at Chilton, Rory receives the first `D' of her life on an English assignment and is so humiliated that she plunges into obsessive studying.
Episode 5 - Mother and daughter both wrestle with romance when Rory finds herself painfully flustered every time she is around Dean, while Lorelai agrees to have dinner with Rory's teacher Max Medina.
AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR: GILMORE GIRLS (SEASON 1 EPISODE 4 & 5)
Episode 4 - October 26, 2000 | The WB
Episode 5 - November 2, 2000 | The WB
CAST & CREW OF: GILMORE GIRLS (SEASON 1 EPISODE 4 & 5)
Lauren Graham as Lorelai Gilmore
Alexis Bledel as Rory Gilmore
BRAN’S GILMORE GIRLS (SEASON 1 EPISODE 4 & 5) SYNOPSIS
Rory is excited to get her first paper back from English class and is shocked to find out she got a D. Paris and her groupies give her a hard time. Meanwhile, at the Independence Inn, a review of Sookie’s dinner comes out! It’s a great review, but Sookie isn’t thrilled with the “less than perfect” parts.
Lorelai is bummed by how hard Rory has suddenly been studying, but it all makes sense when Lorelai goes to a meeting for Rory’s AP Lit class and is told by hot teacher Max Medina that Rory got a D. Lorelai goes home fully committed to helping Rory with her studies, and the two stay up all night studying.
But when they wake up… THEY OVERSLEPT.
Rory rushes off to school but ends up getting hit by a deer. By the time she arrives, she’s extremely late. She freaks out when she’s told she’s not allowed to take the test because of it. Lorelai goes to talk to the headmaster and absolutely loses it, while Max is there watching the whole thing and loving every second.
Max later calls and leaves Rory a voicemail explaining ways she can bring her grade up, and also tells Lorelai it was nice seeing her again. That’s why, when they bump into each other later, he shoots his shot and asks Lorelai out. Lorelai says it’s a bad idea… but mentions that she’ll be at a coffee shop at 4:12 if he happens to be there.
Rory bumps into Dean and is extremely nervous around him.
At the coffee shop, Max makes his pitch for why they should go on a date, and Lorelai gives in.
Bad news, guys — Cinnamon, Babette’s cat (and the Gilmores’ neighbor), has passed away. Obviously, they have to throw a wake for the cat, which causes Lorelai to lose track of time and forget about her date. Max shows up anyway, and that’s how Rory finds out her mom was planning to go out with her teacher.
Rory goes off for some pouty-pouty time, and Dean shows up and says, “I notice you run away every time I’m around, so clearly you’re not interested.” Rory finally admits, “I am interested!”
She goes back to talk to her mom, and the two make up.

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There's a new Hallmark movie to review. Mystery, jewels, and romance are all on the itinerary.
ABOUT CAUGHT BY LOVE
While on a journey of self-discovery, a resort guest gets swept into an undercover investigation for stolen jewels that turns into an unexpected and adventurous romance.
AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR CAUGHT BY LOVE
January 24, 2026 | Hallmark
CAST & CREW OF CAUGHT BY LOVE
Rachael Leigh Cook as Annie
Luke Macfarlane as Jake
BRAN’S CAUGHT BY LOVE SYNOPSIS
The movie starts with a MEET CUTE!!!! Annie bumps into Jake. Jake bumps into Annie. It’s nothing… except it’s everything.
Annie has just arrived in Malta on a little journey of self-discovery. She’s staying at a hotel that’s basically a full-body detox: no coffee, no caffeine, no alcohol, no fun. Annie and Jake keep catching each other’s eye, and sparks are definitely flying.
She notices Jake taking photos and helps him figure out the right lens. But what is he taking pictures of? Well—plot twist—he’s undercover! A very expensive necklace was stolen from a museum, and Jake got a tip that a buyer would be at this hotel sometime this week. That’s why he’s there. The big question: who has the necklace?
Jake becomes suspicious of Annie because she’s too kind… and because she’s staying in a room booked under another name. Still, they start hanging out, and Annie eventually discovers that he’s undercover. Naturally, she insists on helping with the investigation and throws herself fully into it.
They almost kiss—but the moment is ruined when someone nearby causes a scene.
They start suspecting one particular guy is the jewel thief. While Annie is out exploring, she sees him making what looks like a shady deal. She hops onto a boat to follow him, and Jake chases after her, jumping straight into the water. He catches up—only to discover it was just a boat sale. Jake tells Annie she has to stop trying to help before she gets herself in real trouble.
Annie’s friend shows up, and they hang out, with Annie admitting how much she likes Jake. Later, everyone ends up at a party, where Annie and Jake reconnect—and finally identify the real bad guy.
They catch him… and celebrate with a kiss.

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Marvel Mondays continue as we move through the early MCU with the franchise’s second entry.
ABOUT THE INCREDIBLE HULK
Bruce Banner, a scientist on the run from the U.S. Government, must find a cure for the monster he turns into whenever he loses his temper.
AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR THE INCREDIBLE HULK
June 13, 2008 | Theaters
CAST & CREW OF THE INCREDIBLE HULK
Edward Norton as Bruce Banner
Liv Tyler as Betty Ross
Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky
William Hurt as General “Thunderbolt” Ross
Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns
BRAN’S THE INCREDIBLE HULK SYNOPSIS
The movie kicks off with a quick montage explaining how Bruce Banner became the Hulk. You know the deal. The military, however, is very interested in finding him because… he’s extremely dangerous.
Five years later, Bruce is living in Brazil, lying low. He’s doing breathing exercises to keep his heart rate down and working at a bottling factory. He’s also desperately searching for a cure for his Hulk-ness, secretly chatting online with someone named Mr. Blue.
One day at work, Bruce cuts his finger, and a drop of his blood falls into one of the bottles. That bottle eventually makes its way to the U.S., where it causes serious problems for the guy who drinks it. Using this contaminated bottle, the military tracks Banner’s location. A strike team led by Emil Blonsky is sent in to capture him.
Bruce transforms into the Hulk and completely wrecks Blonsky’s team. Blonsky, instead of being terrified, is impressed and immediately wants that power for himself. He agrees to be injected with a small dose of a super-soldier serum connected to the original Hulk experiment. Surely nothing bad will happen.
Bruce returns to the States to grab some of his old research and reunites with his former girlfriend, Betty Ross. Blonsky attacks again, and when Betty is put in danger, Bruce transforms into the Hulk. Hulk fights off the military—including Blonsky—and escapes with Betty.
Now officially on the run together, Bruce contacts Mr. Blue, who urges them to meet in New York City.
Mr. Blue turns out to be Dr. Samuel Sterns, a cellular biologist who claims he’s developed a possible antidote. They test it—and it actually works. But Sterns reveals he’s also been stockpiling Bruce’s blood samples, believing its “limitless potential” could revolutionize medicine now that a cure exists.
Bruce immediately points out that this is a terrible idea because the military is absolutely going to weaponize it. (Did we learn nothing from Iron Man?)
Right on cue, Blonsky and the military arrive, capture Banner, and take him away. Blonsky stays behind and forces Sterns to inject him with Banner’s blood. Sterns warns him that combining the serum with the radiation already in his body could turn him into something far worse—an Abomination.
Blonsky hears the name and says, “Cool. Do it.”
Blonsky mutates into a massive, rage-filled monster even bigger and stronger than the Hulk and immediately starts destroying Harlem.
Bruce realizes he has to stop him. He jumps from a helicopter, transforms mid-fall, and the Hulk takes on Abomination in an extended, brutal battle across the city. Hulk ultimately defeats him by choking him with a massive chain, stopping only when Betty begs him not to kill Blonsky.
After a quiet moment with Betty, Hulk flees the scene and disappears.
One month later, Bruce is in Bella Coola, British Columbia. Instead of trying to suppress the Hulk, he’s learning to transform on purpose. As his eyes turn green, Bruce smiles.

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