Hallmark Movies & Mysteries to Rebrand as Hallmark Mystery; Fox Renews Animal Control for Season 3 Ahead of Season 2 Launch

Wednesday, February 07, 2024

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries to Rebrand as Hallmark Mystery; Fox Renews Animal Control for Season 3 Ahead of Season 2 Launch

Hallmark Media announced as part of the TCA Winter Press Tour that Hallmark Movies & Mysteries will rebrand to Hallmark Mystery on March 6, debuting a fresh, new on-air look, while continuing to provide the captivating, cozy mysteries that audiences know and love. This year, the network is home to a record number of all-new and returning mystery series, including its first historical mystery Gilded Newport Mysteries: Murder at the Breakers starring Ali Skovbye (Firefly Lane), Danny Griffin (Fate: The Winx Saga), and Nathan Witte (Cut, Color, Murder); CrimeTime: Freefall starring Lyndie Greenwood (Nikita) and Luke Macfarlane (Platonic); and the next installments of popular franchises like Hannah Swensen Mysteries, The Cases of Mystery Lane, and many more. Aimee Garcia (Lucifer) and Paul Campbell (Three Wise Men and a Baby) will return to star in The Cases of Mystery Lane: Death is Listening, the second movie in the fan-favorite, The Cases of Mystery Lane franchise. The second movie is set to start production this month to premiere later this year.

In addition, Hallmark Drama will become Hallmark Family on February 28. The network spotlights timeless storytelling for the whole family centered around faith, love, and community.

Animal Control

Fox Entertainment has renewed the workplace comedy Animal Control, starring Emmy Award nominee Joel McHale, for a third season. The single-camera show, Fox's first wholly owned live-action comedy, launched last year as the network's most-streamed debut ever, and will debut its second season on Wednesday, March 6 (9:00-9:30 ET/PT). Created by Bob Fisher, Rob Greenberg and Dan Sterling, with Tad Quill serving as showrunner, Animal Control follows a group of local Animal Control workers whose lives are complicated by the fact that animals are simple, but humans are not. McHale stars as Frank, an opinionated, eccentric Animal Control officer who may not have gone to college but is still the most well-read person in the room. A former cop, Frank tried to expose corruption in his department, but his efforts got him fired, which may explain why he's so cynical and curmudgeonly. He has an almost superhuman ability to understand animals. Humans...not so much. In addition to McHale, the comedy stars Michael Rowland as Fred "Shred" Taylor, Vella Lovell as Emily Price, Ravi Patel as Amit Patel, Grace Palmer as Victoria Sands and Gerry Dee recurs as Templeton Dudge. Season two ushers in mating season - for both the animals and the officers who protect them. Upcoming season two guest stars include Ken Jeong as expert (and unhinged) dog trainer Roman Park, Sarah Chalke as Yazmin, a love interest from Frank's past, and Krystal Smith in the recurring role of Bettany, Emily's tenacious, tough, sometimes frightening assistant.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, July 3

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A Sportsbook and a Breakup" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Mandy finds out Meemaw runs an illegal sportsbook and decides she wants in on the action. Meanwhile, Georgie struggles to keep Mandy’s new job a secret.

Ghosts - "His Girl Shiki" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Pete makes good on his promise to find someone for Sasappis by bringing in a wisecracking 1940s screenwriter who also has the ability to roam.

Bob's Burgers - "The Shell Game" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Bob competes in a competition to inherit Mr. Fischoeder's 100-year-old tortoise.

Grimsburg - "Molly" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Flute forgets to buy Stan a gift for his birthday, he steals an AI doll from the evidence locker; Wynona is forced to confront her ex-boyfriend.

Family Guy - "Row v. Wade" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Brian wins a boat on "The Price is Right" and decides to sail to Texas to help women seeking legal abortions.

The Great North - "Silence of the Dams Adventure" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Honeybee accidentally revives an old Lone Moose curse, sending a terrifying creature after her and the Tobins.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 30)

Thursday, July 3

Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building) - Catch Steve on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Zach Cherry (Duncanville/I Feel Bad/Crashing) - Zach is a guest on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Joel McHale (Animal Control/The Great Indoors/Community) - Joel appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Sandy Honig (Three Busy Debras), Mitra Jouhari (Clone High/Three Busy Debras) and Alyssa Stonoha (Three Busy Debras) - Sandy, Mitra and Alyssa are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Rob Lowe (Unstable/The Grinder/Parks and Recreation/A New Kind of Family) - Rob discusses cancer research and how it changed his life with GMA lifestyle contributor Lori Bergamotto on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Laurence Fishburne (black-ish) - Laurence chats with the ladies of The View on a repeat on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Justin Bartha (The New Normal/Teachers) - Justin talks about Nuked on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am and on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour.
Brooke Shields (Suddenly Susan) - Brooke guest co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Adam Scott (Ghosted/Veep/Parks and Recreation/Party Down), Britt Lower (Ghosted/Man Seeking Woman/Big Lake) and Ben Stiller (Arrested Development) - Adam, Britt and Ben talk about Severance on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.