The 10 Best Shows That Feel Like Hallmark Movies, Ranked (2024)

Hallmark has long been the go-to channel for feel-good TV, especially known for its never-ending array of Christmas movies. Though a Hallmark production isn’t always considered high-quality filmmaking, that doesn’t make it any less good or worthy of praise. It would be bad not to acknowledge some hidden gems stashed away for rainy days, from the beloved mystery movie series Signed, Sealed, Delivered to the most recent crown jewel of Hallmark, When Calls the Heart.

Fans of Hallmark movies and shows may struggle to find the best alternative for the production's unique feel and emotion. Still, plenty of network shows out there get recognized for being similar; they can provide the feel, the emotion, the clichéd but immersive story, and many other surprises. Though there's only one Hallmark, there are many shows out there that can match its vibe.

10 'Quantum Leap' (2022-2024)

Created by Donald P. Bellisario, Steven Lilien, and Bryan Wynbrandt

Though Quantum Leap was canceled after two seasons, having a charismatic Asian lead in a primetime series was a refreshing addition to network TV. The two seasons of 2022's Quantum Leap are a continuation of the highly beloved series of the same name, which ran from 1989 to 1997. The original series follows Dr. Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula), a scientist who time-travels and occupies other people's bodies. Dr. Sam begins helping the people whose bodies he ends up in by resolving their issues; he believes this is what can help him go back to his original body and return home.

Following this premise, the new Quantum Leap mentions Sam Beckett by name, but only as a pioneer and inventor of the time-traveling machine. The new scientist in charge is Dr. Ben Song (Raymond Lee), who leads a team that works on understanding Beckett's machine. Despite low reviews of the newest installment, both series make for some of the best time-travel shows. Though it lasted for only two seasons, the show saw a lot of great moments with Lee as its lead. The series was charming, easy on the eyes, and though not amazing, it worked in its own way. For this reason, Hallmark fans might find similarities with their favorite programs and enjoy Quantum Leap as a sci-fi version of some of their all-time favorites.

Quantum Leap (2022)

TV-PG

Drama

Mystery

Sci-Fi

Release Date

September 19, 2022

Creator

Donald P. Bellisario, Steven Lilien, Bryan Wynbrandt

Cast

Raymond Lee , Caitlin Bassett , Mason Alexander Park , Nanrisa Lee

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

Seasons

2

Watch on Peaco*ck

9 'Hart of Dixie' (2011-2015)

Created by Leila Gerstein

Fans of the classic 'city girl leaves everything and moves to a small town' trope will love Hart of Dixie. This Rachel Bilson-led series aired for four seasons and over 70 episodes, in which she played Zoe Hart. She's a brand-new doctor with her future all figured out, until she loses the opportunity of a lifetime and is forced to rethink her steps. She encounters an older doctor who invites her to work at his practice in a town called Bluebell, Alabama, and agrees. However, when she arrives, she learns that the doctor has died and left his entire practice to her. Zoe quickly, but somewhat arrogantly, learns to navigate life in a small town with a big city temper.

Beside Rachel Bilson's Zoe, the cast includes Bluebell's designated meanie, Lemon Breeland (Jaime King), the town's "daddy's girl" coming from a wealthy, powerful family; Lavon Hayes (Cress Williams), a (cliche-ish) former NFL player and town mayor; and Wade Kinsella (Wilson Bethel), Zoe's kind but childish neighbor. This array of characters makes up for a decent small-town drama with lots of comic relief and exciting twists and turns in the plot.

Watch on Amazon Prime

8 'Being Erica' (2009-2011)

Created by Jana Sinyor

Being Erica is a Canadian dramedy series that was incredibly popular during its runtime on the Canadian Broadcast Channel (CBC). Starring Erin Karpluck (Upload, Maid, A Million Little Things) as the titular character Erica Strange, the show intertwines time travel with drama, comedy, and romance. After an accident, Erica meets a man she only knows as Dr. Tom. He promises to help her fix everything wrong with her life, and through conversations with him, Erica realizes that Dr. Tom is offering her a chance to travel back in time to all the moments she regrets. This doesn't change what happens, but it only gives Erica the opportunity to change her own behavior and react or act differently.

Everyone in life wishes they reacted or acted differently in at least one situation in the past. Dwelling on mistakes doesn't fix them, and Being Erica shows how, even if we were able to fix some, the outcome wouldn't be too different. The lessons taken from this series could be life-changing for some viewers, encouraging them to embrace mistakes and learn from them. That's, at least, what the creators of Being Erica tried to convey.

Being Erica

Comedy

Drama

Fantasy

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

January 5, 2009

Cast

Erin Karpluk , Michael Riley , Laurence Leboeuf , Reagan Pasternak , Sarah Gadon , Tyron Leitso , Paula Brancati , Morgan Kelly

Main Genre

Comedy

Seasons

4

7 'Wildfire' (2005-2008)

Created by Michael Piller and Christopher Teague

Life on the ranch and second chances are the main themes of Wildfire. The story follows Kris Furillo (Genevieve Padalecki), a former offender, as she's given another chance at life by the Ritter family that runs and owns Raintree Farm. Kris is given a job as a horse caretaker on Raintree, where she bonds with a horse she saves from slaughter named Wildfire. She becomes entangled with the Ritter family (the family sons, particularly) and navigates her own troubled past, attempting to fix and influence different parts of her life.

Although Wildfire is a lesser-known series that aired on ABC Family in 2005, it's an exceptional story about life lessons, romance, family, truth, and transformation. It remains a great series to this day, despite its worn-out trope of taking a "troubled" person and transforming them through hard work, or any kind of work, really. Not to say that doesn't work; it's just a bit overused and doesn't always reflect real life. Wildfire could also be classified as a drama revolving around a family business.

Wildfire

Drama

Family

Romance

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

June 20, 2005

Cast

Genevieve Cortese , Micah Alberti , Nicole Tubiola , Nana Visitor , Greg Serano , James Read

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

4

6 'Virgin River' (2019-)

Created by Sue Tenney

Netflix’s major drama success, Virgin River, stars the queen of feel-good, emotional shows (and movies), Alexandra Breckenridge. After spending parts of her career as a minor or supporting character (most notably in The Walking Dead and This Is Us), Breckenridge got promoted to the romantic lead in numerous television movies and series, from Christmas Around the Corner to Virgin River. In this show, she portrays an LA-based midwife, Mel Monroe, who, wishing to start over in life, moves to a small town in Northern California called Virgin River. There, she's immediately met with some resistance from the locals, who argue mostly about how she does business. Mel also begins an unusual, chemistry-filled relationship with the local pub owner and veteran, Jack (Martin Henderson). The show also introduces various likable (and unlikable) characters who go through their own plight.

Virgin River currently has five seasons, and Netflix extended it for season six, bound to come out in 2025. The show has been described as having all the necessary romance, drama, and slice-of-life happenings to satisfy the soul. The chemistry between Breckenridge and Henderson is undeniable, which is why many viewers stuck around after season one. The plot is similar to so many Hallmark movies and shows, including some non-Hallmark ones on this list, but this trope proves time and time again to be the real recipe for success.

Virgin River

TV-14

Romance

Drama

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

December 6, 2019

Creator

Sue Tenney

Cast

Alexandra Breckenridge , Martin Henderson , Colin Lawrence , Tim Matheson , Ben Hollingsworth , marco grazzini

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

6

5 'Sweet Magnolias' (2020-)

Created by Sheryl J. Anderson

Sweet Magnolias has seen a breathtaking rise in popularity; people still love heartwarming, easygoing stories about friendship, love, and everything in between—and why wouldn't they? In an increasingly stressful world, forgetting troubles and unwinding with a nice show is a luxury, and Sweet Magnolias is just the perfect show for that. An ideal blend of Hallmark-like charm and Netflix's generous production value, the show guarantees a good time. The story follows three best friends: Maddie (JoAnna Garcia Swisher), a mom of three trying to come back to work after a bad divorce; Dana Sue (Brooke Elliott), a chef and restaurant owner; and Helen (Heather Headley), a successful lawyer. The three call themselves Sweet Magnolias, and together, they go through hardship, support, and advise each other on everything happening in their lives.

Sweet Magnolias became instantly popular, and it has had three seasons so far, being renewed for a fourth last year. Interestingly, JoAnna Garcia Swisher was ready to call it quits on acting before she landed this gig; folks growing up during the 2000s and 2010s would remember her from various feel-good sitcoms, from Freaks and Geeks and Reba to Once Upon a Time and Better With You.

Sweet Magnolias

TV-14

Drama

Romance

Release Date

May 19, 2020

Cast

JoAnna Garcia Swisher , Brooke Elliott , Heather headley , Logan Allen

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

3

Watch on Netflix

4 'Sullivan’s Crossing' (2023-)

Created by Roma Roth

Fans of One Tree Hill will rejoice in seeing Chad Michael Murray as the love interest again, this time with luscious hair and wood-chopping abilities, in the newest romantic drama, Sullivan's Crossing. On the other hand, fans of the grumpy but lovable Luke from Gilmore Girls also have a chance to watch Scott Patterson play a troubled father to the leading character. The show follows Maggie Sullivan (Morgan Kohan), a successful neurosurgeon who has to return to her hometown and take care of her troubled father, Sully (Patterson), after his health declines. Sully is stubborn and strong-willed, much like Maggie; the two have to find the right way to reconnect since Maggie wants to help him. Maggie's chances of going back to her big city job are lowered after she sees her old flame, Cal (Murray), again.

Sullivan's Crossing is a novel written by Robyn Carr, the author who also penned Virgin River. The shows based on these books feature strong female leads with lives that look great on the outside but have something missing deeply within. Though returning to one's hometown may not always be the solution, anyone who's left the crowds and noises of big cities understands how the quiet serenity of small places can be healing.

Watch on The CW

3 'Heartland' (2007-)

Created by Murray Shostak

Before Yellowstone, there was Heartland. Even after Yellowstone, there will likely be Heartland, as the show marks its 17th year on TV. In May 2024, CBC extended the show for its 18th season, which is set to air near the end of the year. This ranch dramedy follows multiple generations of the Fleming family on their Alberta-based ranch, focusing on Amy (Amber Marshall) and her sister Lou (Michelle Morgan) and their family dynamic with their estranged father. The series was based on the book series of the same name by Lauren Brooke. Amy also has a likable love interest in Ty (Graham Wardle), who comes to work as a ranch hand as part of his probation service. While the story continues throughout the seasons, the biggest relationships for Amy are the bonds she creates with the horses on the ranch. In season one, the focus is on love and loss, and Amy navigates that by learning to be understanding and patient through training a beautiful black horse she rescued and named Spartan.

Heartland isn't just a show for some; The Guardian journalist Zoya Patel wrote an article about how the show became an inspiration to move away from the city and start a life on the ranch, surrounded by horses. Patel wrote, "Do yourself a favour and give it a stream—but don’t complain to me if you end up Googling “horse riding for beginners”."

Heartland

TV-PG

Drama

Family

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

October 14, 2007

Cast

Amber Marshall , Michelle Morgan , Shaun Johnston , Chris Potter , Kerry James , Gabriel Hogan , Aidan Moreno , Jessica Steen

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

17

Creator(s)

Murray Shostak

Network

The CW , Up TV

Story By

Lauren Brooke

Writers

Lauren Brooke , Heather Conkie , Mark Haroun

Showrunner

Heather Conkie

2 'Timeless' (2016-2018)

Created by Eric Kripke and Shawn Ryan

Another brilliant open secret of network TV, Timeless, is a romantic dramedy with sci-fi elements. Its authors capably intertwined action, drama, history, science fiction, and romance into one of NBC's best time-traveling series (which NBC canceled twice and succeeded the second time).

The story follows a team made up of Lucy Preston (Abigail Spencer), a historian; Wyatt Logan (Matt Lanter), a soldier; and Rufus Carlin (Malcolm Barrett), a programmer. The three use a time machine to chase the crew of a notorious villain, Garcia Flynn (Goran Visnjic), to stop them from changing the course of history. Flynn uses the time machine to impact some of the most controversial historical events (like the Hindenburg disaster or the Las Vegas atomic bomb testing). After the cancellation of Timeless, NBC decided to conclude the series with a two-hour finale that acted as a movie conclusion. Though it was terminated after the first season, this decision was met with outrage, and NBC, thankfully, gave the showrunners a chance to finish the story. While time travel isn't inherently Hallmark, everything else about Timeless is. Fans of romantic sci-fi would love this show.

Timeless

Drama

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

October 3, 2016

Cast

Abigail Spencer , Matt Lanter , Malcolm Barrett , Goran Visnjic , Paterson Joseph , Sakina Jaffrey

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

3

1 'Ginny and Georgia' (2021-)

Created by Sarah Lampert

gave Netflix a run for its money. Firstly, the show was intensely popular and globally loved so much that over 50 million people watched it within the first month of its release. Then, controversy ensued as Taylor Swift responded to a line made at her expense in the series, making her fans review-bomb the show into oblivion. This didn't stop Netflix from renewing Ginny & Georgia for a second season, including the third and fourth later on. The show follows a young mother, Georgia (Brianne Howey), who had her now 15-year-old daughter Ginny (Antonia Gentry) when she herself was only 15. Georgia also has a younger child, 9-year-old Austin, and the three of them move to a town called Wellsbury. Since Georgia is slightly problematic and has trouble staying in one place, Ginny and Austin suffer because of it.

This family dramedy takes conflict and resolves it through mother-daughter bonding moments, making it a nice family watch that doesn't beat around the bush. With wonderfully charming characters and problems that often mimic real life, show about a teen mom and the child she tries to become closer with. This may not be a Hallmark show, but it still finds heartwarming moments, lessons, and jokes like one.

Ginny & Georgia

TV-14

Drama

Release Date

February 24, 2021

Creator

Sarah Lampert

Cast

Brianne Howey , Antonia Gentry , Jennifer Robertson , Felix Mallard , Katie Douglas , Sara Waisglass

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

2

Watch on Netflix

KEEP READING: 10 Must-See Hallmark Movies That Celebrate Diversity and Inclusion