Why Do We Love Cheesy Hallmark Films

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Christmas – the time of year with beautiful twinkling lights and decorations, delicious sweets, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” playing in every store, and cheerful, lighthearted holiday movies!

The popular network, Hallmark, has added to the plethora of holiday traditions for many because of their films becoming a staple of the celebratory season. Whether ironically or not, you have either watched, or at least heard of, Hallmark movies in some compacity given their highly successful viewership.

Nevertheless, taking into consideration their cheesy, formulaic plotlines and characters, it’s understandable that some may question the reasoning behind why these films have remained so popular. Hallmark movies are often unrealistic and full of cliches, as well as the issue of them not containing much, if any, diversity.

Moreover, many characters are practically walking stereotypes, and it’s a common consensus that the films are just not that great.

Even still, amidst the chaos of juggling get-togethers, gift shopping, and everyday responsibilities, Hallmark movies act as a reminder of what makes the holidays a festive time, appealing to our sense of optimism and nostalgia while generating a dedicated and increasing fanbase.

Last year alone, the network produced “40 Christmas movies, the same as [in 2020] and the year before,” matching “an all-time high for the network,” according to Forbes.

They’re easy to view, offering a comforting form of entertainment during times that can feel stressful or overwhelming.

After a long day, week, or year of school or work, sometimes just sitting down and watching something predictable without much mental focus required can feel calming. Most know Hallmark movies are going to contain poorly written plotlines featuring a big-city woman meeting a man going through hardship as they discover the magic of Christmas in a small town; a single parent finding love with the seemingly cold CEO, solving their problems in a convenient way just in time for Christmas.

Even so, it still manages to feel compelling to watch, appealing to our basic drives that love a good romance or happy ending, simultaneously sparking our interest in witnessing the feel-good connection and engagement between others. That’s not to say they’re easily binge-able seeing as the plotlines are similar, but here and there, they’re kind of nice.

As stated by T. Makana Chock, researcher of media psychology at Syracuse University’s

Newhouse School of Public Communications, in an article from The Lily, “There’s a lot of dopamine and oxytocin that gets released in watching these things. They can be very de-stressing [and] make you feel happier.”

There’s also a sense of familiarity because of the family and community storylines that we’re wired to crave (The Lily). People bonding, joyful holiday traditions, falling in love, family connections – things we expect to see in a Hallmark movie that we instinctively have desired at one point in our lives, drawing us to these films through either relatability, curiosity, or as an easy, comfortable escape from the real world.

Hallmark films are often not held to the same standard as other films, nor is their allure centered on being groundbreaking and riddled with originality.

They’re made to fit a specific role that we come to expect anytime we click on the endless stream of films that are cycled continuously throughout November and December. According to Forbes, “During the Christmas season, more than 80 million people watch at least a few minutes of a Hallmark movie (Nielsen). Most weeks in November and December, Hallmark ranks as the No. 1 network among the advertiser-friendly demographics of women 18-49 and women 25-54.”

Not only that, but the films are also incredibly profitable due to being quick and cheap to make while able to bring in mass amounts of viewers! “They’re relatively cheap to produce, with budgets often under $2 million, and shot in Canada, where tax credits make shooting even less expensive,” (Forbes).

Thus, it’s clear that, while not everyone is going to allow holiday nostalgia to override mediocre writing or acting, there is a special element that keeps viewers tuning in every year; that keeps these films profitable for the network.

So, if you find yourself looking for simple, straightforward, light-hearted entertainment, consider giving a few of the films a chance. Hopefully, Hallmark will do its part by ensuring its continued success by amping up diversity and changing up their storylines a bit more.