Pour The Wine, It's Rom-Com Time

Hallmark's Holidazed: S1 E2 - The Hill Family

• Garry & Amy

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The holiday drama continues on Pour The Wine, It’s Rom-Com Time! Garry and Amy dive into Episode 2 of Hallmark's Holidazed: The Hill Family. When Josh Hill (Ian Harding) heads home and ends up doing community service, he crosses paths with his old lab partner Nora (Erin Cahill) and her son Theo. With Christmas crafts, sweet moments, and big decisions ahead, Josh has to decide between a future overseas or something a little closer to home.

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Amy:

Welcome to Pour the Wine. It's rom-com time where we'll sip some wine and review all things rom-com on the Hallmark Channel. I'm Amy.

Garry:

And.

Amy:

I'm Gary and I'm a pourer. You're pouring the wine. What are you pouring tonight?

Garry:

We're pouring a Chardonnay you surprised me.

Amy:

With that we're doing a Chardonnay summertime whites. With that we're doing a chardonnay summertime whites? Yeah, because it's been so hot lately yeah, we do like calves, but a chardonnay will do in the summertime?

Garry:

yes, it will. It will, especially on the porch should we?

Amy:

yes, on the porch, we get right to it yes, let's do it today we're reviewing episode two of holidays the hill family. It originally aired on november 14th 2024 on hallmark plus. Holidays is now airing as part of christmas in july 2025 on the hallmark channel. Two episodes are dropping every single sunday in july who people? I'm assuming it's every single sunday, haven't mapped it out yeah, yeah, eight episodes.

Garry:

How many, uh, sundays are there in july? I don't have that extra one in there right, there you go, and we would love it if you would click that follow button on your favorite podcast platform so you don't miss an episode if you listen on apple spotify or youtube. You can also leave us a review, and hopefully it's a positive review. Hopefully it is Fingers crossed. Yes, fingers and toes crossed. You can also find us on social media Facebook, instagram, blue Sky X and, of course, threads. We are.

Amy:

Pour the Wine. It's rom-com time on all the socials. You can search for the name, not necessarily the at. You can search for the name, not necessarily the at, because I think on Twitter we're Pour the Wine Rom.

Garry:

Yeah.

Amy:

At Pour the Wine Rom. But if you search for the entire name, you'll find us.

Garry:

Yes, you will.

Amy:

Head on over to socials, like we just said, and let us know your thoughts about holidays, to Christmas in July or anything related to Hallmark or something we've talked about. Maybe you've liked or disliked one of our opinions. Let us know, let us know. You can also email us at pourthewineitsromcomtime at gmailcom.

Garry:

Yes, do it.

Amy:

Let us know your thoughts, do it. That's very.

Garry:

So are we going to talk about who is in this particular episode? We are. We didn't. Can we talk about who is in this particular episode? We are.

Amy:

For the review of episode number one. We did not list all the actors and actresses because there were a whole ton of them.

Garry:

So we decided.

Amy:

So the first episode showed a little bit of everybody, yep. And then for six episodes we're going to get each individual family, so we're going to talk about the actors in each individual episodes as we go along, correct?

Amy:

And if we've already mentioned them in a previous episode. We won't redo everything Correct. We'll just move on, and then the last episode will be everybody, so we won't have to do anybody again. That's right. So all right.

Amy:

In the Hill family, erin Cahill plays Nora Jacobs. She has over 100 acting credits. She's been in several Hallmark productions, including the Recent Journey to you in April of 2025 and Christmas at Sea, which is airing right now during Christmas in July. It's a docuseries about the Hallmark crews last November and I do believe that that is airing on Monday nights in July. She was also in five episodes of Holidays Deck the Halls on Cherry Lane, the Christmas Quest and Autumn at Apple Hill in 2024. Awesome, she was busy. She was Busy. In 2023, she starred in Christmas on Cherry Lane, hearts in the Game and A Taste of Love. Some of her other work includes two episodes of Blue Ridge the series in 2024, it Snows All the Time in 2022. She was on one episode of 9-1-1 in 2018, and she appeared in one episode each of House Castle and the Ghost Whisperer in 2010.

Garry:

Wow, yeah, she's got some credits.

Amy:

Ian Harding plays Josh Hill, and don't we love Ian Harding. Yes, Well, I do anyway, sorry, what a cutie patootie that one is.

Garry:

Okay.

Amy:

Along with the three holidays episodes, he was in two Hallmark movies the Magic of Lemon Drops in 2024 and Ghosts of Christmas Always in 2022. And how much do we love Ghosts of Christmas Always in 2022.

Garry:

And how much do?

Amy:

we love Ghosts of Christmas Always. A bunch, a bunch, a bunch. Really, that's your phrase.

Garry:

I wanted to see the reaction on your face.

Amy:

Okay, a bunch. We liked it a whole big bunch.

Garry:

Yes, we did.

Amy:

No, we really love that one. That one is like that's like top level for us as far as hallmark christmas movies it was so good, so cute. The magic of lemon drops I've heard really good things about.

Amy:

We haven't seen that one yet, but we should watch that, but a lot of people really loved that one also okay so we need to check that one out put it on the list some of his, some of his other work includes our little secret, which was in 2024 on Netflix, and that was the one with Lindsay Lohan oh yeah, where they played, they had dated, and then they broke up and years later they find each other where she's like, engaged or something Right right. And she's at her like fiance's or boyfriend's house and. Kristen Chenoweth plays the mom of the boyfriend.

Amy:

Right, right, right fiance's or boyfriend's house and kristen chenoweth plays the mom of the boyfriend right, right, and then she runs into him to his character and they have to add and she wants him to act like he doesn't know her right at all because she's never talked about that time in her life.

Garry:

So that was really cute that was a cute one too he was in one episode of magnum in 2021. The updated version of Magnum PI. I was going to say you don't look that old OG Tom Selleck, you know.

Amy:

Chicago Med. He was in 11 episodes in 2019. And he is mostly known for playing Ezra in 157 episodes of Pretty Little Liars from 2010 to 2017.

Garry:

That was good.

Amy:

A very popular series. I never watched it. Did you watch it?

Garry:

Pretty Little Liars it popular series.

Amy:

I never watched it. Did you watch?

Garry:

it Pretty Little Liars. It sounds familiar. You're thinking of Big Little Lies. Oh okay, Nevermind.

Amy:

No, no, no, Pretty Little.

Garry:

Liars. This is why. I have you because I can never remember the names. That's right. That's right.

Amy:

Big Little Lies with Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman.

Garry:

Yeah, no, if you haven't noticed already, I am not good with remembering episode names, or series names, or series names.

Amy:

That was Pretty Little Liars. Entirely different series.

Garry:

Okay, no, I did not see.

Amy:

The little was in there. I mean, I'll give you that and lie, liars and lies. Okay, all right. All right, I'm trying to help you out.

Garry:

Thank you.

Amy:

Naomi Gonzalez plays Gabby Camarena. Now she is in this episode briefly, so we're going to talk about her work when we get to the Camarena family, which is episode number six.

Garry:

Sounds good.

Amy:

Sebastian Billingsley Rodriguez. This kid has 25 acting credits and he is 12. He's 12?

Amy:

He's 12 years old. Oh my gosh, isn't that crazy. In addition to the three episodes of Holidays, he was in Three Wiser Men and A Boy, you know. Both of these were in 2024. Christmas on my Mind and one episode of when Calls the Heart in 2019. A few of his other work includes voice work in Cocomelon Lane, which is on Netflix. He voiced 15 episodes between 2023 and 2025. He was in the movie the Best Christmas Pageant Ever in 2024. He was in one episode of Nancy Drew in 2021 and the updated version of the X-Files in 2018. Cool, well, not updated, I guess revamped it was still.

Garry:

Right, right. Yeah, I think they were just David Duchovny.

Amy:

Yeah, yeah, gillian Anderson. Yep, Gwyneth Walsh plays Lorraine Hill. Her first acting credit goes all the way back to 1983. So she has more than 100 listed. So she's been working for a minute. She's done several Hallmark movies, including the Secret Ingredient in 2020. And that actually also starred.

Amy:

Erin Cahill she was in Homegrown Christmas and it's Christmas Eve in 2018. In 2017, she was in my favorite wedding, like cats and dogs and a Haley Dean mystery Pretty cool. Some of her other work includes Virgin river 43 episodes from 2019 to 2024. She was in the TV series the hundred two episodes in 2019, continuum one that you really liked yes one episode in 2014.

Amy:

52 episodes of uh da vinci's inquest between 1998 and 2002. Okay, and she was in one episode of er 2000. Er, er, that comes, that comes around occasionally. Yeah, barry levy plays sam hill josh's mom. Now, uh, lorraine hill's josh's mom.

Amy:

I'm sorry, sam hill's josh's dad, excuse me he's been around for a minute also and has over 100 acting credits. He's been. He's done a ton of homework productions, along with three episodes of holidays in in 2024,. He was also in Leah's Perfect Gift. He played Leah's dad Okay, yeah, that's why he looks familiar and the movie called Just in Time. He was in the Wedding Contract and the Wedding Veil Expectations in 2023, eight Gifts of Hanukkah and Advice to Love by in 2021, and Christmas at Dollywood in 2019, just to name a few.

Garry:

Wow.

Amy:

Some of his other work includes Fire Country, one episode in 2024.

Garry:

Okay.

Amy:

A Million Little Things.

Garry:

Oh, we really like that, we like that yeah, 2019 for one episode.

Amy:

He was in seven episodes of Scandal Ooh Ooh Between 2012 and 2017. One episode of Scandal Ooh Ooh Between 2012 and 2017. One episode of Mad Men oh oh.

Garry:

Another good series In 2014.

Amy:

And he was in the original X-Files for three episodes between 1996 and 1997.

Garry:

So we have two people.

Amy:

Uh-huh Well.

Garry:

Right.

Amy:

One was more recent than the other. Oh I know BJ Harrison plays Mrs Kaiser. Now she these are three like, and they all three have huge amounts of acting credit. She has almost 150.

Garry:

Oh, my goodness.

Amy:

She's been in many Hallmark productions, including Sealed with a List in 2023,.

Garry:

A.

Amy:

Royal Runaway Romance in 2022, A Second Chance at Love also in 2022, the Christmas House, Jingle Bell Bridge and A Ruby Herring Mystery Prediction Murder in 2020. And she was in the Signed, Sealed, Delivered Higher Ground movie in 2017.

Garry:

Okay, Uh-huh, we're not to that one yet, but we're getting there, yeah.

Amy:

Some of her other work includes Family Law. She was in eight episodes of that between 2022 and 2024. A Million Little Things one episode in 2023. The series Made that was on Netflix, I believe, for six episodes in 2021. And I think the star of that is Andy McDowell's daughter, andy McDowell from the Way Home.

Garry:

Right, right Okay.

Amy:

She was also in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina for five episodes. We really like that. From 2018 to 2020. She also was in Da Vinci's Inquest for one episode in 2002. And she, too, was in the original X-Files. Here it comes in again. I had to mention it for two episodes between 1994 and 1997.

Garry:

Wow, that's awesome, so is that it with the list?

Amy:

For now. For now, that's it for the list. That was a long list people.

Garry:

Well, as you probably know by now, this is the part where we go. Well, we're probably going to give away some spoilers.

Amy:

Probably so, if you haven't watched it yet.

Garry:

go watch it and then come back to our review.

Amy:

So yeah, you've been warned. You have been warned so.

Garry:

Man. So what are your thoughts? What did you think?

Amy:

Do you want me to drop the synopsis first? I did it again I did it again.

Garry:

We stepped to that. I know why am I doing that and I don't want to interrupt you because you're just doing so good, I know I was just drinking my wine while you were moving on.

Amy:

I'm in my own bubble.

Garry:

I'm just you know, it's all about me tonight. Woo, let it go.

Amy:

I'm enjoying the wine. It's fine.

Garry:

Let's drop the sun.

Amy:

Okay, here we go. Josh is doing community service, helping with a Christmas display. He assists Theo, son of Sheriff Nora, with his ornament competition entry. As he works with Theo and Nora, Josh re-evaluates his work, relationship and family dynamics.

Garry:

Wow, that's awesome.

Amy:

That was a pretty good description. It was lengthy. Usually they're just like a sentence.

Garry:

I know.

Amy:

That's pretty good.

Garry:

I know I go to sip a wine during that section and it's like, oh, I can't, you're done, yep, yeah, you section. And it's like, oh, I can't.

Amy:

You're done. Yep, yeah, you don't have enough time for wine, with the synopsis usually All right. So what did you think of this episode of Holidays? What's your first take?

Garry:

I loved it. I loved the scenery, I loved the setup of all the places that they shot. Oh okay, you know the-.

Amy:

To the okay.

Garry:

No, I really liked it. Yes, and I loved the slow pace of how the characters developed in this one. Okay, so, yes, I liked it, you liked it, you loved it, you loved it.

Amy:

You're going with love not just light. Exciting and new, oh boy Okay.

Garry:

What did you think and?

Amy:

you haven't even had any of your wine yet have you, I know, and we're singing. We're singing. Okay, look at you.

Garry:

What were your thoughts?

Amy:

My thoughts were the same. I really, really enjoyed this episode. I love Ian Harding as Josh I mean. I know I was joking earlier about he's a cutie patootie but, I, just love his character because it's so up my alley His sort of like witty sarcastic sense of humor.

Amy:

I love his one-liners. I just I really like, you said, the development. We really do learn a lot in this episode. Yes, a lot About him and maybe his past and about Nora and her past, and I mean we learned a little bit in the first episode, but this really expanded on that and you really, they did just such a good job in one episode of that particular storyline and I'm sure the rest of them are going to be the same for each family Right, but they really do.

Amy:

I mean, it's hard to believe we only watched one episode.

Garry:

I know.

Amy:

And we know you know all this information. So, like you said, I really enjoyed the pace the flow of it. I enjoyed the writing of it. You know we laughed. We don't. We try not to talk about things before we get on the pod because we want to save things, but we were laughing and we're like, oh, that was cute. We kind of just gave little tidbits during this because we couldn't help it, so I enjoyed it. It was a great advancement of the storyline for that family.

Garry:

I felt like yes, I thought so too. Yes, but, man, I'm telling you, I think we might have to watch it in separate rooms because, the more we keep watching these, the more I want to say something to you.

Amy:

I know You're so bad. You're like I'm trying not to say nothing.

Garry:

A couple of things we've watched. I've been like okay, just tell me, because I know you can't stand it, I know and it's just been one little thing, but it's just been one little thing, but yeah, and I don't like to ruin it.

Amy:

We don't talk too much, or you'll start saying something and I'll go stop. Yes, I don't want to hear la, la, la, la, la. Yes, save it for the pod. Save it for the pod.

Garry:

I know.

Amy:

But this one was really cute. I mean we could tell each other we both, you know, by our reactions throughout watching it. So I mean it starts off with you know, josh is talking to his girlfriend Stacy, right, yeah, and so they're talking and he kind of brings up Nora, like in conversation and she's like who's Nora, right?

Garry:

You know like oh, who's that?

Amy:

Exactly, you know and Stacy is his girlfriend fiance, his girlfriend slash business partner. Right, right, right and he goes. I liked the line when he said I was always the guy who was most likely to well everything.

Garry:

Wasn't that funny.

Amy:

That was so funny. And then he said, and she was my lab partner. I just thought that was so funny. You know I cracked up because you know what it reminded me of. What's that? I gave her my heart and she gave me a pen.

Garry:

Yes, say anything, yes.

Amy:

That's my favorite. Say anything with John Cusack, yes.

Garry:

I gave her my heart. She gave me a pen.

Amy:

Only it probably would have been Nora doing that with him. But I just when he said I don't know it just reminded me of that line Like even though you know it's not the same connotation, but it just I don't know that's what I thought of, but I thought that was really funny. So, and then you find out his parents. So he gets off the phone with his girlfriend, right, and he's got to go do community services. His parents won't let him drive the car.

Garry:

They took away the keys.

Amy:

He's like a grown man. They're like you can't drive our car, dude, like we're on retirement income. That's right I thought that was really funny too.

Garry:

That was so good.

Amy:

So this is all like the beginning of the episode. He's like where are the keys? Like what do you mean? I can't drive it.

Garry:

It's like he was 18 all over again.

Amy:

He was like how do I get there? And they're like well, you can walk, you can, or I can take you, or I can take you, I can drop you off.

Garry:

And what does his dad say when he drops him off? He says something like don't break anything.

Amy:

Or something like that Does he really? Yeah, something like that. Oh, I think I might have missed that.

Garry:

As he's pulling away.

Amy:

He's just. He's so good in that role.

Garry:

Yeah.

Amy:

He is so, so good good.

Garry:

So then he goes inside the community center and the manager of the center, who's you know, given out the assignments and stuff.

Amy:

Right.

Garry:

She goes, you know, she welcomes him in, and then she's like you're tardy. And he's like what do you mean? I'm tardy, it's only two minutes, I'm two minutes late. She goes, that's tardy.

Amy:

You're tardy.

Garry:

Right. And then the one lady because she said you're going to be on the Christmas tree decoration team and the lady that was doing that goes oh, you're the criminal.

Amy:

Everyone's talking about You're the felon, doesn't she say felon?

Garry:

I thought that was so funny.

Amy:

It is really funny because it's like a small town right, it's around fast right, so they know a felon or criminal is coming to or got you know sentenced with community service, really. And then he meets Theo.

Garry:

Yes, right.

Amy:

Is that his first? Yeah, he didn't meet him in the last one, right what? Oh no, he did meet Theo.

Garry:

Yeah, he met Theo At the police station in the last one. Yeah, you met Theo at the police station During the last one, right During his, and they kind of bonded the first time.

Amy:

Right.

Garry:

In that episode.

Amy:

So he sees Theo again and he's like hey, buddy, and Theo's like that's not my name and he's like I know, but he's like never mind I know, His, it just cracked.

Garry:

I'm telling you it's so cute, it's just thoroughly enjoyable, enjoyable, thoroughly enjoyable right. Yeah, and that's when.

Amy:

Wait, I just got to say this part too. So the tree trimming ladies are, like take him away to Theo. They want Theo to take Josh somewhere else because they don't want him around.

Garry:

Yeah, because he had an opinion about the Christmas tree with all the nutcrackers on it.

Amy:

That's right he started to. Yeah, he was going to change the tree.

Garry:

And Theo's like. You can come make ornaments with me because there's an ornament contest, oh gosh. So he goes with him and I thought that was funny and just the way, theo, I mean he's for that age.

Amy:

Yes, he is really good.

Garry:

He is really good, really his timing, with his lines, man.

Amy:

I mean when he was going back and forth with Josh, when they were trying to talk about what kind of ornament he wanted, when he was trying to explain it with Theo was trying to explain it to Josh. Wasn't that hilarious? Because he was like you know, it's like when you're falling asleep and you're too tired to get up and you get a blanket on you, or you know, you get a warm, fuzzy blanket and then he gives like all these examples and he's like ugh, because they're just not getting it.

Garry:

And you're down to the last kernel of the Cracker Jack box. That's what it is, and you want to get all the caramel and everything. Right, you don't want the peanut and Josh and Nora are looking at him like huh and he just throws his hand, that's the feeling. You get right that was cute.

Amy:

I understood what he was saying when he said like a warm cozy. I mean, I thought that was a pretty good description for a kid, you know.

Garry:

But it's hard to then transform that into an ornament right.

Amy:

I mean the feeling.

Garry:

So I thought that was a really cool scene. And then they needed some supplies, right. So Theo's like you know, mom, can you, can you take him to go get some? Well, they asked him to go. And he's like well, I don't have a car, I can't go, I don't have a car. And so Theo's like mom, can you take him? And so Theo's like mom, can you take him? And it's so funny because it's a cop car, right, it's the sheriff's car. She puts him in the back of the seat like he's a criminal. That was so hilarious.

Amy:

Oh, and you know that was a little bit of her from high school. Just you know, sticking it to him.

Garry:

Because then she's like oh, we got to make a stop.

Amy:

And that's when we first see Mrsrs uh kaiser, his teacher, and he's like what, I have beef with her. Yeah, I know my goodness like what?

Garry:

yeah, and I loved where her house was. It was like on the water yeah, it was pretty cool that was, and that was one of the scenes that I really liked was that whole area, that whole scene on the waterfront and where they're yeah, it was, it was pretty cool, but he's still upset about a grade he got.

Amy:

You know, like I don't even remember the grades I got in high school, I mean I don't care. Yeah, now, well, I mean, of course he's younger than us in this, but and then what does he say? Um, he says they have beef and he says something about how he was class of 2010. And I'm like class of 2010.

Garry:

Oh no, don't even go there.

Amy:

What.

Garry:

Yeah.

Amy:

Are we watching with these young folks? I know it's like 2010.

Garry:

I remember saying that when I was that age about my mom and it's like and now here I am Right. I mean it was only like 20 years after I graduated.

Amy:

But and now here I am right. I mean, it was only like 20 years after I graduated, but it's fine, right? It was like he said that I'm like 2010. I don't want to cry.

Garry:

But there was one scene when they were at Mrs Kaiser's house and Mrs Kaiser just wants Nora to hang something for her yes, and so she's doing that. And Nora and Josh are talking yes, and so she's doing that and her Nora and Josh are talking and Josh says something like I think you've been drinking a small town Kool-Aid, Josh. And then she says does it make you feel better to knock my life?

Garry:

Yeah, because you know and he's like no, no, no, that's not what I'm saying, Because he's still thinking about going to Australia. You know, they got a business venture going on.

Amy:

Well, and you can tell. Like you know, part of what we're learning is that you know he got out of that town.

Garry:

It was probably too small of a town for him.

Amy:

He was hugely popular, obviously did whatever he wanted and he got out and he views people who stayed as like why did you stay?

Garry:

Right.

Amy:

Not thinking that maybe that's their life and they have a good life. And she I think she says in that scene I'm perfectly happy here I love it here. This is my life Like what are you doing?

Garry:

You know, and people always say that, why did you stay? And it's, and I always want to go well, if no one stayed you wouldn't have a town, no one would be here, right it? Would be run down. I mean this is where you came from. You know, always remember where you came from.

Amy:

Some people leave, some people stay, that's right. I mean, and some people have a drive to go somewhere else and that's fine, but the people who stay, some people like the small town I mean, I didn't grow up in a small town but I can imagine there's charm to that- Right charm to that right, whereas the opposite then it's everybody knows you, you know, in a smaller town, not tiny but um yeah.

Amy:

So he kind of makes that dig and you can kind of see and he feels badly right away yeah, you can tell he does, he really does so. So you're getting glimpses of him as like he's this, he's he's, he's likable in a way, because he's he's making jokes, he's trying to be funny, but he also has a heart and you see it kind of shining through a little bit. You see that he feels a little bit badly about that now that he's hurt her feelings, you know a little bit and so yeah, so then they.

Amy:

So then we end up what back at the community center and theo and um theo's trying to explain what he wants in an ornament and that's, I think, when they're bick.

Garry:

I think we jumped the gun a little bit. Yeah, we did.

Amy:

But it's so.

Garry:

They're bickering a little bit, they're going back and forth, and Josh is giving it back to Theo, I know, and Theo's like 10, you know in this and then that's when Nora's like okay, meeting with a handshake. Yeah, and he shakes. Theo's hand it's kind of cute, which Nora thought was really cool. Yeah, because you don't want to leave being angry.

Amy:

Right, right, and then she leaves right, and then they see, they see Josh walking down the street. Josh walking home because he can't drive.

Garry:

His parents won't let him, have their car and he didn't call him, you know.

Amy:

I guess he just wanted to walk. Hey, you know it's. Hey, do you yeah?

Garry:

and so they um, theo has his mom pull over and he gets into. He. He says something like because theo is sitting in the front seat and she made him sit in the back seat and he was kind of like oh, it must be nice to sit in the front seat, right yeah, he makes a little comment, and then, and then they both go, siren, siren and she does, and yeah, that was pretty cool.

Amy:

So then they go to nora's house and he's kind of learning a little bit more about her and yeah right and just they're talking and yeah and then it's time for theo to go to bed. They ought to go to bed. And then how does he lean in for like a hug?

Garry:

Yeah he, he starts to walk away and he goes. Oh, I need to get a hug and and Josh was taken aback.

Amy:

Right, cause he's not. That's not his, yeah.

Garry:

And then he was like who taught you how to get?

Amy:

a hug.

Garry:

And that's when.

Amy:

Theo gives him the necklace that his dad gave him.

Garry:

And he's like okay.

Amy:

That's where you can see Josh is, you know?

Garry:

he wants to break out of where he is. You know, you can see he's starting to think about the. There's that conflict between going to Australia, staying home.

Amy:

Yes.

Garry:

You know he's starting to rekindle those feelings for Nora and all that yeah.

Amy:

Well, I don't yeah, yeah.

Garry:

I mean, they don't really say that he had feeling.

Amy:

Well, I guess he does at some point in the episode but. But we don't know that yet. Right, yeah, because he doesn't say it till later. So then Nora shows him how to hug and they have like a nice embrace. That was such a sweet scene because she's like no, you hug like this.

Garry:

Let me show you you know, and she's like relax a little bit more, right, relax a little bit more, and then they both just lean in.

Amy:

Yeah, that was such a really cute scene, so I really like that so then you know you go to the next day and he's back and I like it when he walks in and they're like seems like the only place you're welcome is ornaments, because he can't, they won't let him in any other station at the community center, which I thought was really funny so then they do some ornament making. Yep right, and is that when they're showing the ornament?

Garry:

yes, that's when they're showing the different ornaments and theo's like no, no no, they still haven't come up with the right idea.

Amy:

What did he call it?

Garry:

the um he keeps turning. What did?

Amy:

he? What did he call the ornament though the life?

Garry:

the life star, the life star. Thank you, yeah, I was like the life star and he kept explaining how, what it should look like. And so they get so frustrated. Josh is like. You know what I do when I get frustrated I go and I, I go for a walk or do something and theo goes.

Amy:

I know what we can do you know, and we can go and, and he's like what?

Garry:

And then the next thing, they're at a carnival.

Amy:

Which I thought was cool, did he has Stacy shown up yet?

Garry:

at this point. No, she shows up at the carnival, which is funny too.

Amy:

Yeah, so they go to the carnival and Josh and Nora are having a good time.

Garry:

And.

Amy:

Theo's there and they're all having a great time.

Garry:

And then Stacey shows up. Stacey shows up Using that Find Me app on their phone, which is a little creepy, a little creepy.

Amy:

Theo reminds me a lot of the little boy from Jerry Maguire.

Garry:

Yes, he does. I can't think of the actor's name.

Amy:

Well, he's an adult now.

Garry:

You're right, a little kid from there, that's who he reminded me of.

Amy:

But um, but yeah, so stacy shows up and she's, you know, she's kind of like if you're on a play date, community service must be over, yeah, which I thought was really rude it was a little rude, you know, that's what I thought, so, and then she's like he has really important work to do for tomorrow like what I'd have been like.

Garry:

excuse you, it was so rude.

Amy:

Yeah.

Garry:

I don't know what that was all about.

Amy:

No, Well, we know what it was all about. She's a little jelly jelly, a little jealous. She saw, you know she saw. She wasn't sure why he was at a carnival with another woman, and you know it's a fair it's a fair evaluation Okay.

Garry:

Even though evaluation, okay, even though she was a little stalkerish with her, find my phone thing tracking him down, but true, true, yes, so, yeah. So then they go back to his mom and dad's house and they kind of hand out a gift to to them, and it's a gift that has a key to, uh, like a retirement place right and then look on his mom and dad's face was like they're like oh, thank you yeah, and they thought it was a great idea.

Garry:

Oh, that's a great idea to put mom and dad in a old folk home. Well, it was like a retirement community kind of place, you know.

Amy:

and then they're like you know, they have nurses on staff and I think his dad's like we don't need a nurse right now and she's like stacy says you will one day. Yeah, I'm like okay.

Garry:

I know.

Amy:

That was rude again, that was rude again.

Garry:

That's two rudenesses she had in this one.

Amy:

I think Josh is, in a weird way, coming from a good place, it seems like yes, he is he thinks he's helping them Right, because they live in a big house still and they're retired. But you know, when you get older, you know you're not necessarily feeble. You know, like his parents are probably a little bit older than us you know, so it's like they're still capable, they're still walking and you can't just take away their independence. You know, like they, you're the one who had two wrecks with their car in one night.

Garry:

In one night, exactly, not not rex, but he got a ticket and then it rolled away right.

Amy:

So, yeah, so they were kind of taken aback and they were like we appreciate this, but no, thank you I know right. So I mean that was so, but you kind of get again. They're just showing you how josh and stacy are how josh is with his parents. You see how nora is as a parent she stayed in the hometown. She's a sheriff. You know she's really loving her life despite her. You know her husband passing away.

Garry:

Right.

Amy:

So you just get a really good glimpse at all of them.

Garry:

Right.

Amy:

You know? So then you know, josh leaves Right Right.

Garry:

He's like I'm going to go for a walk.

Amy:

I'm going to go for a walk and then he has to go and he has to talk to the teacher because he needs to find out why she he needs closure. He needs to find out why she failed him.

Garry:

Yeah, and he couldn't understand it, and it was all about a project where she said take your best project or take your best work, throw it away and then redo it with different.

Amy:

With a different eyes, With different eyes through different eyes. Through different eyes and he couldn't understand that he couldn't do that because it was like do a project to perfection, like ball it up, throw it away and then do it again, like you said, but through a different set of eyes, which I thought was really good.

Garry:

He couldn't do that, though Some people it's hard.

Amy:

It's hard to get out of what you think is perfect yeah, can't think outside that, right he couldn't think outside that box. And then he's, and then all of a sudden he gets inspiration right he goes home and he starts.

Garry:

He's finally got the idea for the ornament yes for theo, he finally understands right and that's when he's talking to stacy about that house that they were getting ready to present the drawing because, because he's an architect, yeah, in. Australia, and she kind of didn't understand what he was talking about, which really didn't matter, because he had the idea for the lifestyle.

Amy:

Now, Right, it was because of his drawing of the house. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right.

Garry:

So the next scene is him showing up at Nora's house, at Nora's, yeah.

Amy:

And he wants to see Theo. The next scene is him showing up at Nora's, at Nora's house. Yeah, and he wants to see.

Garry:

Theo and she's talking. He's talking to her and she's kind of like I don't want him to to go through this to get connected. He really cares about you and you're leaving tomorrow, and you know. And then Theo comes walking up and she's he's like what are you doing here? And then he shows him the life star.

Amy:

Oh my God, that thing was so cool. It was cool, it was such a good moment, because Theo was like that's the life star, it's exactly. I mean, you could tell it was exactly what he wanted.

Garry:

Yes.

Amy:

You know, and then you find out why he wanted it. Oh my God, that was a scene. Would she? Yeah it, oh my gosh seeing. Oh, would she yeah so they all sit down and it's like I can't even describe the ornament.

Garry:

You have to see it, so it's got light in the middle and looks like little uh grass, grass in it.

Amy:

It's clear, it's clear and it looks like a I don't know what you say, a star wars thing, I don't know how to describe the shape like a sphere with looks like a sphere with some rings around it.

Garry:

Yeah, there you go, yeah.

Amy:

And there's a light in the middle. And why did Theo say he wanted it?

Garry:

Theo was, he said, the life star. He wanted to use it as a home for his dad, you know, because there's so many stars up in the sky that he just wanted that. So he put three things in there that his dad liked a small little pine cone, a cracker jack.

Amy:

Oh, yeah, and a blanket. Yeah, and that's why you said the cracker jack example earlier. That's why he used that and the blanket.

Garry:

And the blanket yes. And then he used his necklace as the hanging. How to hang?

Amy:

the ornament. Oh, how to hang the ornament, that's right, right, the necklace that his dad had given him and while he was telling that story, nora was just tearing up. I know, and you can see, and, and, and josh kind of looks at her and does he grab her hand, or I?

Garry:

forget what he grabs her hand like it's. You know, your kid is awesomeness yeah, yeah, that was a real.

Amy:

So so good, such a good scene.

Garry:

And then they're like we got out. We got an ornament contest to get to.

Amy:

Right.

Garry:

And that's when they go back to the carnival so that he can enter in his ornament.

Amy:

Theo can enter in his ornament, yep.

Garry:

Yeah. So while they're doing that, guess who shows up again.

Amy:

Stacy the stalker Stacy goes back. She's like that was a long walk.

Garry:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Amy:

But and then um. So then they kind of get Some good news. Theo shockingly wins the ornament competition Spoiler alert right. But it shouldn't be too much of a spoiler alert. It is Hallmark, and then you can see Stacy's realizing the connection that has developed in a short period of time. Very short period of time about? Was um uh going back to uh josh and nora when he apologizes to her?

Amy:

yeah, I think that was when they went to the carnival yeah, the first time, and they're standing there before stacy walked up and he was like you know, I'm really, I'm really sorry about what happened in high school because, you know, we became friends when you, when we lab partners.

Garry:

Doesn't he?

Amy:

say something when you were my lab partner. I wasn't real excited or something. And she says me either you know, to have him and he's taken aback by that.

Garry:

He's like okay, I was popular, what you?

Amy:

know, and then he just apologizes to her because he realizes you know he and you know kids when they're young like that. He listened to his friends too much. And she wasn't in his circle, circle, yeah Of cool friends Well, so-called cool friends, right, but he did really like her, but then he just never what talked to her.

Garry:

Yeah, he said he was sad when the lab was over with. Yeah, yeah.

Amy:

And that happens a lot. You know, in high school there are cliques and some people get left out and you don't give people a chance because you think you're a certain way and you're really not. And you know we all find that out the hard way. You know some people never leave high school.

Garry:

No.

Amy:

They think they're the same.

Garry:

Yeah.

Amy:

And they're not. And most other people grow up and realize that those people are not. I mean, I had a real. You know, for me personally, I had a really positive high school experience, but you know it can be hard for a lot of kids yeah, a lot, a lot of kids so but I thought that was really cool that he came around and he apologized.

Garry:

Yes, he did you know, so which we didn't mention, no, we just did, he did, you know so which we didn't mention. No, we just kind of overlooked that. Yeah, yeah yep.

Amy:

So theo wins the competition and stacy sees that there's something more going on than meets the eye and she basically tells josh that she's leaving in the morning and he has a decision to make either be on the plane or not, or not, right, so we kind of don't. We don't know of don't.

Garry:

We don't know.

Amy:

We don't know, we don't know that's insane. And we also forgot to mention that Gabby shows up briefly because she shows up at Nora's house yes, and she's. Is that the only time she's in it?

Garry:

Yes, that's the only time she's in it.

Amy:

I think so because she's Nora's friend and Nora's saying Gabby's coming over, over.

Garry:

And then is that when josh leaves well, that's when she finds out that josh is there and oh, yeah, and gabby, you mean gabby I mean get with gabby, yeah, so that was a funny scene too yeah, that was really good, so so it looks like this is going to be a really good series.

Amy:

Yeah, it's it's, it's real.

Garry:

That was a really good opener, a second second really fantastic episode.

Amy:

That was really well done, really well shot, really well written.

Garry:

Yes.

Amy:

And I mean, I just love Erin Cahill too. She is so fabulous.

Garry:

I like her in this role.

Amy:

She's just so sweet, yes, and so I just love her and the way she can get emotional, you know, and Ian Harding with him playing Josh, is just he nails it.

Garry:

Yes, he does.

Amy:

You know, I would be shocked if there's another character that becomes my favorite character in the show, because that's right up my alley.

Garry:

Yes, it is.

Amy:

And I just love that. So we're going to see.

Garry:

All right. So what was your tinsel top moment?

Amy:

My tinsel top moment would have to be the ornament when Theo you're like tearing up right now, when Theo says he did it for his dad and here's a blanket so he can see it right.

Garry:

So he wanted it to light up so his dad could see the light, so he could see it.

Amy:

So he could get comfort from right that stuff. So that was. I thought that was real, that would be mine. What about?

Garry:

you what's yours? That was my tinsel top moment.

Amy:

Same same. Yeah, I mean it has to be right, yeah?

Garry:

Emotional when he sees it for the first time and the story he gives.

Amy:

Yes, Really really good. And the look on Nora and Josh. Yep, yep, yep, yep. I think they have a winning series on their hand.

Garry:

So, out of five ornaments, how many would you hang?

Amy:

Five, all day, every day.

Garry:

Yes, the tree is going to be packed, I think, by the end of this If we keep going this direction, it's going to be A tree.

Amy:

You cannot see, because it will have all ornaments.

Garry:

So is there a wrap? That's a wrap, that's a wrap, all right. Well, thanks for tuning in. Be sure to follow the podcast wherever you listen so you don't miss one. Also, follow us on social media. If you really really like the show and are listening on Apple Podcasts, spotify or YouTube, we would really appreciate your positive review. And if you didn't really really like the show, we'd still appreciate your positive review.

Amy:

Your positive review. Find something positive right. Look at the positive.

Garry:

It's Hallmark, come on.

Amy:

We'll be dropping new podcast reviews of Holidays and the new to Hallmark holiday movies every week in July, so be sure to follow us wherever you get your podcasts and on social media so you don't miss a thing. Until then, fill up your glasses and push play. Thanks for listening, cheers.