Deck The Hallmark

It's Festive Friday and we've got a legal-minded holiday romance!

ABOUT ASPEN CHRISTMAS CONSPIRACY

Justin, a lawyer, clashes with social worker Mercedes over a prosecution case, leading to romance, conflict, and a shared quest for justice.

AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR ASPEN CHRISTMAS CONSPIRACY

November 25, 2025 | Streaming

CAST & CREW OF ASPEN CHRISTMAS CONSPIRACY

Director: Graham Northrup

Writer: Graham Northrup

Cast:

Lyon Hamill as Justin

Maura Fawley as Mercedes

BRAN'S MOVIE SYNOPSIS

Mercedes is a social worker who is helping one of her clients - an elderly woman named Darla - deal with the growing uncertainty of the future of her trailer park, Shady Vista.



We then meet Justin - a lawyer who is leaving his current firm in Texas and moving to Aspen, Colorado, where the snow is snowy and the montages are montagey. He's moving in with a roommate...it's Mercedes! They see each other for the first time and the sparks start to SPARKKKKK. They both try to impress each other but it ends with spicy food and a trip to get ice cream.



That night, someone with a wrench shows up at Shady Vista and turns off the water. Darla heads out to figure out what the heck is up. She goes out and padlocks the meter. Well, apparently you can't do that and she ends up getting arrested when she refuses to take the locks off.



The next day in court, guess who the state's attorney is - it's Justin. As he's giving his opening statement where he makes it clear he wants them to throw the book at her, Mercedes comes in and she's shocked to hear him talk this way. Darla believes there's a conspiracy afoot - the city is trying to force her to sell. Justin thinks that's laughable.



Afterwards, Mercedes gives Justin a piece of her mind and then tries to kill him on the ski slopes.



So Darla is definitely correct about her conspiracy theory, especially after someone shows up and tries to blow up Shady Vista's pipes.



He ends up looking into the situation and realizes that the company that is wanting to buy Shady Vista has been paying this guy, Bruce, to do all this stuff.



Mercedes and Justin argue about how to handle this situation. Mercedes wants to work with Bruce to take the bad guys down. Justin is like Bruce is the bad guy. Ultimately they make up and make out.



They do some digging and figure out that the company didn't actually hire Bruce - rather, a lawyer that they hired to make the deal happen by any means necessary. That lawyer? JUSTIN'S OLD BOSS! The company is like we didn't mean criminal when we said any means necessary! They get him arrested.



And then Justin and Mercedes go to a wedding and he ends up proposing.

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Niall Matter FINALLY returns to the podcast to chat about his upcoming movie, Much About Love.

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Jacks joins us this week to continue our journey into Paris Is Always a Good Idea.

ABOUT: PARIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA (SEASON 1 EPISODES 5)

Encouraged by Knightly to seek out answers to the last few lingering questions about her past loves, Chelsea goes to Spain, and to Marcos's vineyard.

AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR: PARIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA (SEASON 1 EPISODES 5)

August 20, 2026 | Hallmark+

CAST & CREW OF: PARIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA (SEASON 1 EPISODES 5)

Lacey Chabert as Chelsea Martin

BRAN’S PARIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA (SEASON 1 EPISODES 5) SYNOPSIS

It's a beautiful day to be a billionaire. Chelsea's dad, Glenn, comes up to Marcos and tells him that "she's going to love them."

Chelsea is back in the room, telling Knightly her story on her phone. We get the original Chelsea and Marcos story. She arrived already homesick. But eventually, she stopped missing home and found a new home at this vineyard in Spain. She loved it. But it wasn't because of Marcos. She fell in love with Spain well before she ever met Marcos. One day, she's in town and Marcos pulls up. She didn't fawn all over him when he walked by and he liked that. Weeks later, he comes riding up next to her in his car when she's on her bike. He offers her a ride back to the vineyard which also happens to be his father's. Later, she brushes him off again. He's like why won't you talk to me? She says you're not my type. He says I'm everyone's type. She says no family should have the money you have. It's impossible to have your wealth and not exploit people. I mean, look at your car. That money could've been used for so much good. He then went to auction his car off and donate the money to an environmental charity - something he never told Chelsea that he did. They start hanging out and she could tell that he had really changed and she falls for him fast. This is the type of relationship she's always wanted. But then she gets the call about her mom. She breaks out crying and immediately leaves without telling him.

Fast forward again and she's back at the vineyard at Knightly's request. She sees Marcos and she tells him that there's another man. He's like well there was another man when we first met. She insists it's different and he's like mmhmm.

Back in Boston, Knightly is freaking out. His sister gives him a pep talk. He also tells her he's gonna pay the $10k it costs for her soccer club she joined.

Marcos tells her how he sold his other businesses because of the carbon footprint. She tries to tell him about why she left but he's like I'm not worried about the past, I'm just worried about the future and what I'm gonna do with this 48 billion dollars.

He asks if they can get dinner together. She reluctantly agrees.

At dinner, he asks Chelsea to help him give away his 48 billion dollars. He's starting a foundation and he wants her to run it. She'd have full control. He says I was looking for someone to do this and out of the blue you contact me. She says but I'd need to live in Spain? He says yes. And tells her I know you're not going to agree to uproot your life over dinner but promise to think about it, which she does.

She gets back to her room and calls Knightly. They both talk about how they miss each other and how she's sure that he's the one. He's like well then come home! She tells him about the gig. The conversation goes about as well as you could expect.

She promptly goes home. She's not taking the job.

She goes to the office to see Knightly and bring him some Dunkin. But before they can talk, her boss pulls her in. They have to make some cuts. She says ok I'll talk to Knightly. He says you can't. I need to let him go. She fights for him but it's not going to work so she quits. Knightly is who the ACC needs.

She walks out and sees Knightly. She looks like she's in shock. He says "you picked Spain. That's okay we can make it work." She says no we can't. It's too much too soon. She doesn't want to tell him the full truth because he'd see it as a handout. He says he loves her. She says I need to go clean out my office.

She packs up her house and before she moves to Spain, Chelsea and her sister go to her dad's house because he's going to proposeeeee.

We're back to the present for the wedding at the vineyard. Annabelle stops Chelsea before she can finish her recording because it's time for wedding photos for Barbara Niven.

Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtube
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It's Tuesday which means there's a new Hallmark movie to review!

ABOUT LOVE FINDS YOU

A mislabeled package convinces jewelry designer Alex she's found her ideal man, sending her and delivery driver Jack on a citywide search that helps them discover what they truly want.

AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR LOVE FINDS YOU

August 22, 2026 | Hallmark

CAST & CREW OF LOVE FINDS YOU

Director: Eva Tavares

Writers: Charlie Shahnaian, Shari Simpson

Cast:

Aimee Teegarden as Alex

Chris McNally as Jack

BRAN'S MOVIE SYNOPSIS

Alex is a jewelry designer who also has a habit of holding on to random items from her exes. She's having a bit of a relationship revelation. She likes to leave notes and cupcakes for her delivery driver, Jack, who has great legs. Jack doesn't have time for cupcakes. Her best friend Megan comes over to help her deal with all these ex items and talks to her about manifesting her perfect man by burning all of her exes' stuff and saying what she wants in a man after each item.

After work, Jack heads to get dinner with his sister who is trying to help him find a girlfriend. But all he really wants is a promotion at work and that starts by being the best and fastest driver. He goes to deliver this mysterious purple box to Alex's place and has a hard time scanning it and he's like that's weird. She gets this purple box and opens it up and it's full of items related to things she wished for last night. She's like wait...did I manifest my perfect man and then accidentally got his package delivered to my apartment?! Obviously that's what happened. So she runs down to catch Jack and asks if she can ride with him to deliver to the right person because it belongs to the perfect man. He's like no. That goes against all the rules. Naturally, he ends up giving in. She agrees to help him get his ratings up in the app cuz I guess some of it is based on customer satisfaction.

They go to one of the other Alex Browns in the area and she freaks out. She's real nervous to go talk to this guy and give him the box. Alex Brown is hot and is clearly into our Alex Brown but the more he talks, the more she knows it's not him.

After some more deliveries with sticky notes that she puts on people's packages, and an accidental hand touch, they get to the final Alex Brown. She's very nervous and he helps calm her down by telling her that she's perfect.

They get to the final Alex Brown and he's a priest, so clearly he's not the right one.

They keep hanging out though and they're starting to really enjoy being around each other and the sparks are starting to fly. After a full day, he helps her realize that she wants her own jewelry store and they agree to get together the next day to visit the final Alex Brown in the entire city. When they finally get to the house, he tells her how he feels but says I know you still gotta ring the doorbell. But she can't do it. She just leaves the package by the door. She says I know exactly what I want and she goes to kiss Jack. They kiss big ones but her best friend calls and she stops herself and goes to ring the doorbell. Dude is fricken ripped and of course they end up together. Fast forward a bit and everyone is happy and kissing and she's opening up her own jewelry shop - Manifested by Alex - in the back of a delivery truck.

Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtube
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It's Marvel Monday and Wakanda faces its greatest challenge yet!

ABOUT BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER

The people of Wakanda fight to protect their home from intervening world powers as they mourn the death of King T'Challa.

AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER

November 11, 2022 | Theatrical Release

CAST & CREW OF BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER

Director: Ryan Coogler

Writers: Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole, Stan Lee

Cast:

Letitia Wright as Shuri

Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia

Danai Gurira as Okoye

Angela Bassett as Ramonda

BRAN'S MOVIE SYNOPSIS

T'Challa, the Black Panther himself, is suffering from a terminal illness. His sister, Shuri, believes the heart-shaped herb that gives the Black Panther his powers could save him, but the herb was destroyed. Shuri desperately tries to recreate it synthetically, but she can't do it in time, and T'Challa dies.

A year later, Wakanda is facing pressure from countries around the world to share its vibranium. Other nations are even trying to break in and steal it! Queen Ramonda encourages Shuri to continue working on the heart-shaped herb so they can create a new Black Panther to help protect Wakanda, but Shuri says she doesn't think Wakanda needs a Black Panther.

A U.S. expedition team is using a vibranium detector when they get a hit beneath the Atlantic Ocean. Before they can recover it, they are attacked and killed by a group of blue-skinned, water-breathing beings and their sound weapons. They are led by someone named Namor.

Only knowing about the vibranium detection, the CIA thinks it must've been Wakanda. Namor shows up to confront Ramonda and Shuri. He gives them an ultimatum: hand over the scientist who created the detector to get them off his back or else he will attack Wakanda.

Shuri and Okoye learn from CIA Agent Ross that the scientist who created said detector is someone named Riri Williams. Riri turns out to be just an MIT student. They track her down at the university, but before they can get her to safety, they are pursued by the FBI and Namor's warriors.

Shuri is taken underwater to meet with Namor who shows her his home and what makes it so special. Namor explains that he has grown bitter toward the surface world because of the slavery and genocide suffered by his people. He proposes that Wakanda join him in an alliance against the rest of the world, while threatening to destroy Wakanda if they refuse.

Shuri and Riri are rescued but two of Namor's guards are killed in the process. He's not pleased and Namor attacks Wakanda. During the attack, Queen Ramonda dies and Namor vows to return with his entire army.

Shuri discovers that she can use a remnant of the herb that gave Namor's people their superhuman abilities to recreate the heart-shaped herb. She takes it herself and gains the powers of the Black Panther.

Shuri returns wearing a new Black Panther suit and is accepted by the other tribes as the new Black Panther. Shuri is determined to get revenge on Namor for killing her mom.

The battle begins and Shuri manages to trap Namor and make him weaker. The two eventually crash onto a desert beach and fight one-on-one. Shuri gains the upper hand, but she has a vision of Ramonda, who reminds her to choose a better path. Instead of killing Namor, Shuri offers him a chance to surrender and form a peaceful alliance. Namor accepts, ending the battle.

Shuri plants more heart-shaped herbs to ensure that the Black Panther mantle will survive into the future. While she is away, M'Baku challenges for the throne of Wakanda.

Shuri then travels to Haiti to visit Nakia. There, she burns her funeral robe, finally allowing herself to grieve for T'Challa and honoring Ramonda's wishes. Shuri learns that Nakia and T'Challa secretly had a son, whom Nakia has been raising in Haiti.

Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtube
Interested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com

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