Hallmark+, the newly launched network extension, delivers yet another holiday winner with its new series, Holidazed. Romantic, hilarious, chaotic, and thoughtfully inclusive, the series is bound to make the coming weeks more exciting.
In the same way that The Groomsmen trilogy is an exciting winner with three romance movies, each following a different character while interlocking together, the same can be said about Hallmark’s Holidazed. The first episode, “The Beginning,” is as the title promises—an introduction to all the key families and their involvement in this story. The second episode, which airs alongside the first, follows the Hill family, delivering an exciting romantic relationship between Ian Harding’s Josh Hill and Erin Cahill’s Nora Jacobs. It’s easy to predict how the rest of the series will pan out, with one episode following another family while we reunite with them all in the season finale.
Right now, romance is one of the highest-selling genres in literature, and a large part of its appeal comes from the guaranteed happy endings, as well as the idea of interconnected series. It’s why a show like Bridgerton continues to be a top-grosser on Netflix. People want more love stories on their screens, and they want them to follow all kinds of couples and families. Hallmark’s Holidazed includes a messy group of families full of undoubtedly complex characters whose arcs are gripping from the start. There’s something in this show for every romance and Christmas connoisseur, which is precisely where its appeal comes from.
The series is also bursting with a talented cast featuring Holland Roden, Virginia Madsen, Rachelle Lefevre, Lindy Booth, John C. McGinley, Dennis Haysbert, Loretta Devine, Ser’Darius Blain, Osric Chau, Lucille Soong, Noemi Gonzalez, Sebastian Billingsley-Rodriguez, and more. These actors are a large part of the show’s appeal, allowing their layered embodiments of each character to be thoroughly enjoyable. Not every series has something for everyone, but here, we have a clear winner.
Further, the messy and chaotic form of storytelling within Hallmark’s Holidazed makes it feel unique to the genre. Yes, there have been movies like it throughout the years, but because the show gives viewers ample time to spend with each family, it allows some of those more relatable issues to come to life in a way that’s both entertaining and raw. Characters are going to be frustratingly unlikable at times, but that’s a key reason why it’s so easy to appreciate the unfolding stories.
More inclusive stories and diverse casting are giving Hallmark content so much more depth, and this is thankfully occurring with Holidazed as well. Gone are the days of straight white narratives because what we have today is so beautifully wholesome and lovely to see on our screens. The characters are excellent, and their stories will give more people a chance to see themselves represented in ways that include guaranteed happy endings.
While I haven’t seen all eight episodes yet, we can be confident in the fact that each family story will have the wholesome ending it deserves to fill us with the warmth we’re searching for during the season. With the distinct accounts, each episode is going to hit in different ways, giving us something to take away that’ll feel rewarding as viewers. The opening is jam-packed, but never once does it feel overstuffed; instead, it’s clear right from the start that writers have every intention of breaking these stories down in ways that’ll give viewers something worthwhile.
The first two episodes of Holidazed are now streaming on Hallmark+.
First Featured Image | Official Poster Credit: ©Hallmark