On Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, meanwhile, it’s the women who are a little bit eccentric and obsessed with every minor detail, while the men are often cops or lawyers who shake their heads in irritated disbelief for the first two-thirds of any given story, before showing up at the end to provide backup. Not only are the traditional TV gender roles reversed, but the tone of these Hallmark series is very different from the likes of Bull. The heroines express more self-doubt and reach out for help more. They’re modeling a different kind of leadership: less “cowboy,” more “community organizer.”
Do the fans of Hailey Dean Mysteries and Garage Sale Mystery and Darrow & Darrow watch them because of their more feminine point-of-view? That’s hard to say, because again, the Hallmark phenomenon has largely happened quietly, without much media analysis. Frankly, for anyone who grew up watching television in the late 20th century, it’s been hard to adjust to this new reality, where TV series that barely draw a million viewers an episode run for a half-dozen seasons, and where shows that everyone’s talking about on Twitter are less popular than the ones that hardly ever get covered.
But there’ve been some positive outcomes to this new TV business too, where the metrics for “success” have changed. If the Hallmark channels have proved anything, it’s that it’s easier now for both creators and audiences to find a cozy little niche, where they can enjoy each other’s company and share their values.
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