Hallmark Channel is moving into the next phase of its original series strategy, opening up opportunities for Canadian creators and producers.

Canada has always had close ties to Hallmark Channel as a crucial production spot, but the network’s two upcoming original programs bring that one step further. The Way Home, produced by Toronto’s Neshama Entertainment and L.A.-based MarVista Entertainment, is a timeline-jumping, multi-generational family drama set in a small town in Canada and stars Andie MacDowell, Chyler Leigh and Ottawa’s Sadie Laflamme-Snow as an estranged family reuniting.

Ride, produced by Toronto’s Blink49 Studios and Calgary’s SEVEN24 Films, marks Hallmark’s first Alberta-shot series. The title is created by Rebecca Boss and Chris Masi, who co-showrun with Sherri Cooper-Landsman.

The projects represent the channel’s plan to “elevate” their original series, Laurie Ferneau, SVP, original programming at Hallmark Media, tells Playback, adding that the channel and its streaming platform Hallmark Movies Now (HMN) are open to “all kinds of producing partners and deal structures.” As an example, The Way Home is owned by Hallmark, while Ride is a licensed, Canadian-owned series.

Playback: How has Hallmark Channel’s original series strategy shifted over the last few years?

Laurie Ferneau: When I joined Hallmark in 2014 we had Cedar Cove and When Calls the Heart, and we were just launching Chesapeake Shores and Good Witch. In 2019 we took more of a concerted effort to see what the next step was in the evolution of [original] series for Hallmark. We just wrapped up Chesapeake Shores in 2022, and Good Witch wrapped up in 2021. We’re really excited to see the Hallmark 2.0 of it all for our series.

What was the development process like for Ride and The Way Home?

We put The Way Home and Ride into development last year, around late summer or early fall. We had creatives already attached to them, and then we brought in a showrunner [Cooper-Landsman] on Ride. We had the rooms up and running by early 2022 and were in production on both shows by August, so it was fast and furious.

The Way Home creator Marly Reed and mother-daughter showrunning team Alexandra Clarke and Heather Conkie – who came from Heartland – had such a beautifully fleshed-out world, story and season. There are some twists and turns in this one and we had a lot of questions in terms of how things play out, and they had an answer for everything. They had such a grasp of what the show was going to be, and we’ve really stayed true to their vision.

Ride is a bit more rough and tumble. It’s cowboys, ranch life, bullfighting and trick riding. These are totally different-looking shows and different vibes, but equally impressive in terms of the storytelling.

What are you looking for right now in an original series pitch?

We’re always looking for things that feel true to the brand, that’s rooted in positivity, warmth and comfort — that’s hopeful, feel-good. Things that are kind of fresh yet familiar to the audience. We’re expanding in that family drama space and looking for shows about female friendship or ensemble dramas.

We’re probably never going to do a medical, legal or cop show, but we could visit those worlds. In terms of a character-based medical show, what would that look like for Hallmark? How can we make our Grey’s Anatomy?

Are there plans to increase the volume of original series programming?

I hope so. We’re really looking to expand into our streaming space, our SVOD service, HMN. I think next year will be a good indicator of this new content if the audience really responds to it, and that will only lead to more series.

What are some examples of series on different networks and streaming platforms that represent the concept of elevated programming to you?

Shows like [Netflix’s] Atypical are something that really resonates with us, and the Ted Lassos of the world. It’s uplifting, it’s positive, yet there’s more depth to it and a story to tell. Gilmore Girls is always a great benchmark for us as the kind of mother-daughter fun dynamic we’re looking to explore more of.

There’s so much content out there, it’s hard to really find your niche, and I think Hallmark has such a great way of doing that. People know what they’re going to get when they come to us. We just want to reinforce that and give them great new stories, new characters, and new things to fall in love with.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

This story originally appeared in Playback‘s Winter 2022 issue