Yes, the Hallmark Channel movies do have a sizable number of actors and actresses that appear frequently in various productions. But that is not a bad thing. Many of them are engaging actors and are personally appealing.
Are the movies formulaic? Of course they are. They are essentially TV versions of romance novels, the squeaky clean type. Within the romance novel genre, there are many categories, and each one has a specific formula, so specific in fact that there are rules the writer must follow, that on page such and such, such and such kind of interaction must take place. I suspect the writers for the Hallmark movies have similar guidelines for their stories.
Each Hallmark movie is typically set in a picturesque setting, sometimes a major city is featured, sometimes a more rural setting. The themes seem to center around GOOD vs BAD. The GOOD includes the simple country life, home & family & marriage, small business .... the BAD includes fast-paced city life, greedy ambition, large business, and real estate developers destroying the simple country life ....
The main character is usually an attractive young woman, with dreams she is longing to fulfill, but obstacles are in her way, often some hard knocks from her past, including the loss of one or both parents. She is usually white, with a minority BFF/business partner, who wisely helps her discern her own heart. She is often too "something" to want to be in a relationship with ..... too busy with work, too committed to raising her child as a single parent, too burned from a past relationship gone bad. A new man comes into her life, but they are at loggerheads and are in conflict through the first part of the movie, but then events occur that cause the two main characters to reexamine their perceptions of each other and finally come to realize their love for each other. The writers try to come up with different angles on the story line. For example, not all the main characters are female, sometimes the story is told from the man's point of view. Many of the main characters are older than typical romantic "date" type movies you see in movie theaters, and face problems related to caring for a child/children, caring for an aging parent, problems with employment, etc. Sometimes the dialog is quite clever, and I have had some laugh out loud funny moments.
I enjoy watching Hallmark movies just for the "feel good" experience, especially if I am dealing with a health issue and have to be horizontal for a period of time. In the end, love wins, broken hearts are mended, and the future is bright with promise. Is the male lead a literal prince, the heir to a large fortune, or suddenly successful in a lucrative business? Frequently, but not always. As Shakespeare said, The course of true love never did run smooth ..... but in the Hallmark universe, All's Well That Ends Well! It beats the fetid fare that is served up in most entertainment venues today. And one cannot watch QVC 24/7 to escape the awful things going on in the world today. Well, maybe one can ..... BUT, with Hallmark movies, shipping and handling are free!
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