Hallmark vs GAC Family

If you are a viewer of the myriad of movies that air year-round on the Hallmark Channel, you might know that the cable channel has been providing family-friendly programming since the summer of 2001 when the Odyssey Network was purchased and rebranded. Over the past 20 years, the cabler has built up an impressive array of stars who appear in their annual movies making it the top network in conservative-leaning programming.

However, the network’s reign at the top is currently being challenged by one of its main competitors: GAC Family. Formerly known as Great American Country, the cabler was primarily a country music channel before it widened its programming; and then in June of this year, the network was rebranded to GAC Media. Not ironically, one of the members of the new group who owns GAC Media just so happens to be former Hallmark Channel CEO Bill Abbott.

Abbott’s influence is being deeply felt by the viewing audience – or at least from my point of view it certainly is being felt. Case in point: GAC Family not only recently announced a string of holiday-themed movies, starting over Halloween weekend and running through to Christmas [just like what Hallmark Channel has been doing for years] but also they recently aired a Christmas movie preview special, featuring former Home & Family hosts Debbie Matenopoulos and Cameron Mathison. Hallmark cancelled this morning talk show over the summer this year.

In fact, that preview special was set-up nearly identical to the preview specials that have aired for years on the Hallmark Channel, featuring appearances by some of the actors to be seen in the upcoming holiday movies [more on that further below] as well as an appearance by pet rescue pioneer Larissa Wohl, who was featured in countless specials on Hallmark Channel, championing pet adoptions.

What’s more: GAC Family recently announced that not only did they acquire the second season of When Hope Calls, the spin-off series of the Hallmark Channel family drama When Calls the Heart, but also former disgraced Hallmark Channel maven Lori Loughlin would be making her TV return [after serving time for her role in the college admission scandal] as When Calls the Heart character Abigail Stanton in the When Hope Calls Christmas movie that will air a few days before Christmas this year. And that’s not all: Former When Calls the Heart cast member Daniel Lissing will be making an appearance in the When Hope Calls holiday special as well.

RELATED: Check out our other Hallmark articles

Danica McKellar Announcement via Instagram

Adding insult to injury (so to speak), actress Danica McKellar – who has appeared in well over a dozen and a half Hallmark movies – is the first Hallmark alum to be signed to a four-picture deal with GAC Family. Part of her deal, which extends through 2023, stipulates she will do rom-coms and holiday films for GAC Family exclusively. However, McKellar is part of the lead cast for the Matchmaker Mysteries on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, so it is unclear if that franchise will continue because of her new pact with GAC Family. It should also be noted that actor Trevor Donovan, who has appeared in over 10 Hallmark movies, has also signed a multi-picture pact with GAC Family.

And now back to those holiday movies to air on GAC Family this winter, the first of which aired this past Saturday. Every single lead actor in every single holiday movie has appeared in at least one – if not many, many more – Hallmark movies. Now granted, these actors may, or may not, have known where their respective movies would be airing while they were filming them, but it’s still a bit of a punch to the gut.

Those actors include the long list to follow: Nick Bateman, Rukiya Bernard, Cindy Busby, Sara Canning, Dillon Casey, Torrance Coombs, Trevor Donovan, Brendan Fehr, Jennie Garth, Maggie Lawson, Jen Lilley, Sarah Lind, Jessica Lowndes, Matthew MacCaull, Chad Michael Murray, Sam Page, Merritt Patterson, Christopher Russell, Becca Tobin, Jill Wagner and Dewshane Williams.

In my opinion, it is one thing to have fair competition, but it’s a whole different thing to copycat another network, let alone steal their talent. It’s sadly the nature of the beast, and while the talent is simply looking out for their careers and their futures, I personally find it a bit unfriendly and cold especially at this time of year.

What are your thoughts on Hallmark vs GAC Family?