Paris is Always a Good Idea - Episode 3 (Hallmark+ - 2026)

[00:00:03] This is a Bramble Jam Podcast Hi, I'm Bran. I love Paris. Hi, I'm Jax and I like Paris. This isn't fair. I'm Dan and I despise Paris and this is the Deck The Hallmark Podcast. Deck The Hallmark, it's his podcast.

[00:00:27] Friends host his podcast. We hope you like this jolly podcast. Well hello everybody. Oh boy. All you Hallmark Plus heads out there. That's right. Stans. Stans. Hallmark Plus Stans. Yeah.

[00:00:51] Plus Stans. Did you read the article about the Hallmark Plus and how they're doing and stuff? No, but I heard they were going to do another scripted series. I saw that headline, is that correct? I think they are, yeah. So I guess it's working for them. I mean as long as Missaltoe Murders comes back. Mr. Abbott, not that Mr. Abbott, says they're very pleased with how it's gone. So good on them. But we're not getting more funny Mr. Christmas or bacon. No, I think they're moving away from unscripted. Yeah. Yeah. Interesting.

[00:01:22] They sure are. Interesting. They sure are. You were at the up front or the 25th or something. Oh yeah. Well, save it. We'll save it. We'll talk about it. I will save it. Save it. Save it for the pod. Save it for the pod. But not this pod. Yes. If you're, Jax is actually going to be back tomorrow with an episode of Hallmark My Words. So if you missed the live stream of it on Tuesday, you can enjoy the moment tomorrow. So double dose of Jax this week. People are, people are going to be pumped.

[00:01:51] DD baby. I hope so. I hope they're pumped. I hope they're not like, oh, that's too much. It's too much. Too much. Too much. I thought Hallmark My Words might be another Hallmark podcast. You know, there's a bunch of them out there. Yeah. So I looked it up, Hallmark My Words podcast. And AI says, Hallmark My Words is a bi-weekly news podcast hosted by Jax on the Deck the Hallmark feed. Wait, are you serious? Google AI is picked up on that fast. Google AI is, there's only been two of them, right? Or three? Two or three. Google AI is on it. Yeah.

[00:02:21] It's almost like I spent a couple of hours feeding it. And it says the podcast in Google AI, which clearly we don't trust around here, obviously, but Google AI says the host of that show is just Jax. Wow. And more than fair. Well, I'm just here. I love it. This is fantastic news. Yeah. And Dan was, Dan is on this. Yeah. This is my premiere. His Hallmark My Words premiere. That's right. So I'm really looking forward to his perspective. I'm pumped. I'm pumped. I'm pumped to be. The gossip. The tea. That's right.

[00:02:51] It's going to be great. Paris is always a good idea is what we're talking about today. Hallmark Plus' show. I'm excited to dive into this episode, so I say we just do it. Let's do it. Let's just go head first into Paris. Originally, this is Sebastian Revisited, and it originally dropped on the Hallmark Plus on August 6th, 2026, and it went a little something like this. It's time to find out about Chelsea's second what if.

[00:03:18] After her time in Ireland, way back when, she spent a couple of months in a forest in France, and she said that she kept up with Colin from Ireland at first, but the messages became more and more sparse. She was heartbroken. One day, she's down by the corner river. She's down by the river. Down on the corner. What's the river song? I can't sing. What's the river? River, a down sitting by the dock of the bay. There's a song about a river, though. There's so many river songs.

[00:03:48] It doesn't matter. I haven't sung one yet. Okay. One day, she's down by a river when... Take me to the river. Take me to the river. There we go. How did you not just roll in on a river? That's what you were looking for. Roll in. Roll in. Oh, yeah. One day, she's down by a river when this guy with a camera walks up to her and asks if he can take her photo. She says no. She's a mess. He says that she looks beautiful, and he says that he'll come back tomorrow and ask

[00:04:17] again, which he did. And in fact, he came back every day asking to take her picture. His camera was his most prized possession, and he tells her that he's building his portfolio and that she inspires him more than anything else that he's ever wanted to take a picture of before, and she reluctantly agrees to have her photo taken by him. She puts on a dress, and he sets up a time where the lighting is just right. While taking the pictures, he says that I can tell that your heart is broken.

[00:04:47] She opens up about Colin and then opens up about her life and why she's in France and how she wants to make the world a better place. You know the story. He shows her the picture, and for the first time in her life, she found herself beautiful. Oh, whoa! You don't know you're beautiful. That one came to me right like that. Yeah, he did. The pictures remain between just the two of them, and he promises that it will stay that way.

[00:05:14] After giving her the picture, they almost kiss, but he stops. He's leaving soon, and so is she. So we shouldn't kiss, right? But that doesn't stop them from continuing to hang out, just talking about life, going dancing. But when it's time to say goodbye, he can't stop himself from kissing her. Cuts! Back to Chelsea telling the story into her phone on what we assume is her wedding day, and there's a knock on the door. Who is it? No answer. No, actually there is.

[00:05:41] It's Sebastian, and she says, you're not supposed to be up here. Is she marrying Sebastian? Uh-huh. Blew. Well, let's get back to the story at hand here, folks. She gets the email about Sebastian being in Paris and wanting to meet back up. Chelsea encourages her sister to stay in Ireland to go on a date with the bartender. She tells Jason Knightley that she's on her way back to Paris. He's not upset about that, but she won't tell him why she's back in Paris.

[00:06:09] Chelsea shows up and finds Sebastian working, and he is very successful. He wraps up quickly, pulls her away, and immediately kisses her. Making up for lost time, okay? They agree to get back together after her meeting later today. He drops her off at the meeting, and Jason Knightley is like, that dude doesn't seem Irish. The meeting goes well, and Chelsea and Jason actually work really great together in this pitch and have a good time chatting afterwards.

[00:06:38] He even opens up about his life. When she gets back to the hotel, she sees that Sebastian sent her a $10,000 dress. Jason Knightley is like, okay, you got to tell me everything about what's going on here, which she does. She gets ready for the date and puts on the dress. She is picked up by Sebastian as Jason Knightley watches from the window. For the day, Sebastian takes her to his studio for more pictures.

[00:07:06] She tells him that while she's there. Wait. Here we go. She tells him why. Oh, she tells him why she's there. For work. Yeah. And she says that he can put in a good word with the CEO of the company that she's trying to get the big grant from. He says, but I need something in return.

[00:07:30] I want to use the original photos that I took of you in this exhibition showing off my career. She says, you promised that those pictures would stay just between us. This whole day was just to coerce me into signing those pictures away. He says, no, I want you. Think of the power couple that we could be. She says, but if I don't sign the pictures away, what's going to happen? And he says, I'm going to need you to just go ahead and sign. Okay.

[00:07:59] And she says, goodbye. And also the answer is no. Okay. Cut back to the wedding. He says, I need to take pictures of the dress. We find out that apparently she made a deal that she would sign the pictures away in exchange for him photographing her wedding. Well, he's not, he's not the groom. Back in Paris, she walks to get some food. And of course, Jason Knightley is there too. She joins him and they eat together.

[00:08:28] She says, you were right. Every one always wants something, which is something that he said earlier in a meeting. And he says, I can't imagine wanting anything else when you're wearing that dress. And I, my friends, was Paris is always a good idea. Episode three. Sebastian's. Revisited. Revisited. Let's take a break. We'll come back. We'll break this episode down here on. Back to Hallmark.

[00:09:08] Good. Thank you. Yeah. Great to be here today. Talking about Paris is always a good idea. And I think it's a good idea to break this episode down and start with the hot take. So we're sure exactly how we felt about the episode. We do not hold back. And I will start with you, Jax. We're all pretty high on this show last week. All things considered. Are we still high on the Paris sauce? What in the world? I don't know. I didn't know how to get out of that. There's gotta be a better way to say it. No.

[00:09:38] Are you still high on the Paris sauce, Jax? Honestly, I'm gonna be real. I kind of love that you coined that phrase, high on the Paris sauce. High on the Paris sauce. Put it on a shirt. Who's wearing that? I would. Okay. Are you kidding me? I'm high on the Paris sauce. Jax would buy the one, and she'd pay full price too. That's the thing. I don't even know why I would. She would go on the website. She'd expedite the shipping. She'd leave us a tip. Because I want to wear it next week. That's right. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[00:10:06] Which is something that you can do at DickTheHomer.com.shop. If you really want to float us a nap. Absolutely. Yeah. I am indeed high on the Paris sauce. All right. Okay. I gotta say, just to stay up top for the hot take, seeing Lacey in that dress, se trop brusse d'at encore plus belle sur la ma chambre. Language, Jax. Oh my God. Oh Lord. That's what I said. Yeah. And you know what?

[00:10:33] We said, I think we said the same thing. Yes. For sure. 100%. Okay. That's also for Alonzo. Wink, wink, baby. That's for you. Wink, wink, baby. We won't discuss in detail why Alonzo needs that, but he does. Okay. Look, this is, this is, this episode was fun. It wasn't as intriguing as the first, not even as intriguing as the second. However, what I will say, and I will stand behind.

[00:11:03] This is the most sensual show. These are the most sensual. My cat just, when I said sensual. The cat's like, I'm listening. I know, baby girl. I feel it too. Is, is an incredibly sensual program with the most romantic, sexy moments I've ever seen on Hallmark.

[00:11:26] So I can forgive a plethora of other things that I will get into later on in my weight, what, et cetera. So like sensual is your Christmas. Like when I see Christmas, I can forgive a lot of things. When you see sensual, you can forgive a lot of things. Fran, I feel very seen by that. Sensual is your Christmas. But I will say like, put it on a shirt. At least in the difference between these two is, is in Jack's case, this is probably how adults would act.

[00:11:54] Whereas in Christmas, it's how adults wouldn't act. Right. Which is why I love it. Yeah. Brain's like, when I see 12 Christmas trees in an office, I'm like, all right. Right. Because adults. Do no wrong. Because adults suck. Yeah. Whereas Jack's is like, when I see adults acting like adults, like, you know what I mean? Like she is like, you know what I mean? Like, so I tend to side with Jack's on this. Whereas you are still once again, one of one, sir. Thank you. Wait, what is your Christmas though, Dan? If sensual is my Christmas and Christmas is Fran's Christmas.

[00:12:24] Good movie making. Sad endings where everybody doesn't get. No, real endings. Like a real, like love and loss are both important. You hold them both with open hands. I think that's important. And that's not something Hallmark does. And that's fine. So I bet you love the movie once. Cause you're. Once absolutely slaps as a movie. It's so good. Sure. And rest in peace to that. The, the gentleman who. Yeah. Yeah. Oh my goodness. Heartbreaking for sure. That movie. Unbelievable.

[00:12:54] John Carney. Great. Anything else, Jack's. I would say I'm, I will say though, I am 100% invested in this where it's going to go. I love the sister. I love Barbara Niven. I love the dad. Like I am very invested in this. So even though this didn't, um, I'm not as high in the pair of sauces. I was for the first two episodes. I'm very excited for the remaining three. Yeah. I'm with you, Jack's. Uh, I think the, this show, uh, great idea.

[00:13:24] Great premise for me where it's losing me a little bit is that it is so obvious that she's going to end up with Jason Knightley. I wish there was a little bit more ambiguity with it. Like I wish maybe we'll get it with the next state. No way. I wish that one or two of these actually went really well. You know, like I would like, obviously guys married, not going to end up with him. Sebastian just sucks. Jerk. Yeah. Not good.

[00:13:51] Like, so it's just like, and then every time she's with Jason Knightley, he's a, he's amazing. And I kind of wish there was a little bit more of an actual love triangle involved here, but that might be a little bit too tough to do with six episodes. So I don't know, but I, I do, I did like this episode. I think all the scenes that, uh, uh, her and Jason have together are fantastic. Uh, I love them. Um, and, uh, yeah, overall, uh, I, I'm going to talk about, uh, something in a little bit

[00:14:17] that like, I do think that there's an elevate elevated, uh, T movie making quality, making quality to it. Um, that, that is impressive to me and I really appreciate, but I agree. I think the sister's great and I hope, I don't know if we will, but I would like to see like an episode of her and that guy. I know that she's not the main character, but an episode that's focused on her and the bartender would make me very happy because those she's great.

[00:14:46] And the like one or two scenes that those two have had together have been fantastic. So it was crazy to me that they were like, I'm going to stay in Ireland and just not be here this episode. Uh, hopefully we get more Dano. Yeah, I'm really disappointed. I'm not very different than a bad Hallmark movie. This is not bad. It's not poorly made by any stretch. Lacey's at the top of her game. Scott, Michael Foster. I love what he's doing here. I'll talk more about that in my fields. Um, SMF as you will.

[00:15:12] Um, it's just disappointing that after the premiere of this, the first episode, it has become so incredibly rote and generic like draw bot can one of the best writers for Hallmark. She wrote a, uh, a movie called savoring Paris where Bethany Joy lens went to Paris when she was young and then decides to go back, uh, as when she's a little bit older and then falls in love with a cheesemaker, but also with a younger guy.

[00:15:41] She, she makes out with this younger guy and then ends up having to choose that movie is better, is a better version of what we're getting here. And the reason I know that we're not going to get an episode with just the sister, at least I think very strongly or not is, is unfortunately after that premiere, which was just amazing. It's pretty clear what they're doing. Six episodes, right? They have the premiere, which was different and fun and daring.

[00:16:07] Then we're going to have three episodes, one for each guy she met when she was younger. So that's four. And then we have two episodes left, which will equal about an hour and 21 minutes, which will be our typical Hallmark movie. I will say what's interesting though, Dan, is that next episode is Jason Knightley. Oh, which I know. So maybe they're going to go out of order. Maybe. So to, to, to give us a little bit. So what they're going to do is, is they're going to do. Sparks will fly with Jason Knightley. And then we're going to get the last guy, which is going to be a lot like the first two.

[00:16:37] And then we'll get our conclusion and she's going to marry Jason Knightley. And it could be something like in the 12 days till, till Christmas where the other guy doesn't really suck. Right. And it's like at the very end, something happens where she's like, oh, I know that you're wrong for me. Yeah. And then ends up with the guy that she was supposed to be with. So it might be a similar. And I will say this, like, unfortunately this has become fairly complicated. It is still better than average Hallmark.

[00:17:06] Lacey is great. The supporting cast is great. The sisters great. I pronounced Henry Churney's name wrong last week. Uh, it's Henry Churney. That's her father. Barbara Niven is great. Um, so the cast does elevate the material, but after that very promising, you know, the, the, the first episode was I might watch this show if it wasn't on Hallmark good. And since then we have definitely devolved into a pretty basic Hallmark premise for a TV

[00:17:36] show. And I guess that's to be expected. I don't know what else we should have asked for here. Um, so yeah, I'm not mad at it, but it, it hasn't lived up to what the premiere was for sure for me anyway. And, and so, but I'm happy to watch it over when calls the heart or, you know, the way home even lately, like I'm thrilled to watch this instead of a lot of the television. How do you, how does it, I brought up 12 dates. How does it compare to you? I like 12 dates more.

[00:18:03] I think 12 dates is very unique in what it, what it did. I don't, I think even though you could see the choreographed, you could see it, but it was still the, the dude who is the, uh, you call the, the, the hottest man alive. Yeah. Like there is much more of that in the first three episodes. There's a lot less of the bartender best friends in the first three episodes of 12 dates, at least by my memory. Whereas this is implying very heavily that Jason Knightley is the guy.

[00:18:30] And also like may Whitman has a lot more to figure out with her dad, her dad and Jane Seymour. Like that is better to me than the Henry Churney, Barbara Niven stuff. We're also not getting much. We're not. I, in fact, that would be what sets the bar. That is an interesting parallel. Cause it's the same real issue. Uh, but like may Whitman to me was such a man, a more clearly flawed character or Lacey. Like she has a hard time coming to terms with the fact that her dad is falling back in

[00:18:58] love, but like it's, there's something about it being Lacey Chabert where I'm just like, she can't do anything wrong. So it's like, but may Whitman flawed really well. I think the replacement for the may Whitman with her dad and Jane Seymour is more the sister. Sure. Like we get the sister in, in a Paris is always a good idea. Better than I guess whatever the female sidekick of may Whitman would have been in 12. Her, her friend, her friend.

[00:19:24] And like, but I, I would personally 12 dates is probably the best thing they've made for me. I think that's still, because I think the structure of it was fun. It was different. And there was a little bit more, you know, uh, restraint, I guess with who she's going to end up with. What do you, what do you think Jack's? Yeah. I mean, I think for me, I just, I can forgive everything if the acting is good in the acting is so good in this that it's almost like for me, it's still like firing all cylinders, but

[00:19:53] yeah, 12 dates, the premise of that and how kind of fun and quirky it was that, that really hit for me. I mean, it's more may Whitman on the network. Oh my God. Do you think that's going to happen? Like, do you think she will please? So good. So, so good. Like, and she was like, I, the road, like she played romance really well too. Like it wasn't just that, like she played this like interesting character. It's like, I bought her, like, it was good. Put the throw in a Hallmark Christmas movie. Oh my goodness. What do we do?

[00:20:21] Do you think she's good though? I don't think, I don't think like she's, I don't think she's, I don't think Hallmark is not doing it. Yeah. Really? You think she's been offered and said no, that's probably, I mean, she's a pretty big money. Lacey Chabert is like, it's probably a money thing. I'm sure she got paid better for the show than she would have for a movie. Interesting. I could be wrong, but please Hallmark, if you haven't asked her, please ask her to the dance. Who would, all right.

[00:20:49] Of people that I've been asking Hallmark to hire again, would you rather Vic Michaelis or Mae Whitman? Oh, I can't do that. Right. I'm sorry. It's going to be Vic. It's got to be Vic. I have an answer, but if it's a comedy Vic, if it's a, a, a, a, like a more straight laced romance than Mae Whitman. When I think about the fact that Hallmark, and Mae Whitman's funny by the way, but Vic is one of one. There's no way Hallmark doesn't know that Round and Round is one of the most beloved Hallmark movies of all time, right?

[00:21:18] There's no way they don't know that. They have. Yeah. The fact that they have not hired Vic Michaelis again is a crime against humanity. Do you think that if Vic did a, another, a Hallmark movie, they, and they cast me, they would allow me to open mouth kiss her? I think that movie would. I don't know what her pronoun is. Are their pronouns they or her? Is they them? Would they allow me to open mouth kiss them? Yeah. I would think that's probably a question for Vic. Yeah. Uh, Jax.

[00:21:48] I'll give you probably, we'll give you Vic's contact. You talk about with Vic. Yeah. We'll give you Vic's contact. Yeah. I wouldn't, I wouldn't cold call Vic and say, Hey, can I open mouth kiss you? I think maybe an introduction first and then we'll go from there. But I don't know. I'll do an intro email. I'll CC. I'll be CC so you guys can talk. Yeah. I mean, if you are going to do an intro email, what I need to do is go back and delete all of the DMs that I've sent them so that it doesn't seem weird. I, I Hallmark. What are you doing?

[00:22:18] Hire Vic. Also Vic, Michaelis in a TV series for Hallmark. What like, what are we doing? Just put them on the, put them on the network. Any whom? Sorry. That was a weird detour. Uh, let's get to, uh, let's get to, uh, let's get to all the fields where we're talking about what's in this, uh, episode made us feel things. Jax. Um, look, even from the top when the sisters are sitting there chatting, it's just such

[00:22:48] a real loving fun, but not saccharine conversation. Like right from the top, I was in it. Um, I love how, uh, Scott Michael Foster calls her Martin. I think it's, you know, again, sensual is my Christmas. I think it's very sensual. Um, when Lacey says I'm a spiller, I thought it was so darling and adorable. Um, it just, I didn't want to do like, are you a spiller? And then he remembers it at the end, which is fun. You're a spiller. He remembers it.

[00:23:18] Bran, what do you think I'm a spiller? You do strike me as a spiller. Yeah. I think you've seen me spill all over things. Yeah. I'm a spiller too though. All over myself and others. You're a spiller. I think Dan's not a spiller. Not a spiller. Are you kidding me right now? I knew it. I mean, obviously, obviously you're not a spiller. Jax, do you, do you eat in bed? Oh, that's a good question. I will eat fruit in bed. What a weird answer to that question. What you do in your own time is your personal business, Jax.

[00:23:48] You either say yes or no to that. You don't tell me that I will dip strawberries in chocolate and eat in bed. No, I mean that in a non-sensual way in the sense that like I will. I will hold the cluster of grapes over my head. What are you doing right now? No, you do it. You do it. I will not have a soup in bed, but I will have, for example, like, and I won't have things that have crumbs, but I'll have, and this is not trying to be innuendos, I'll have banana, I'll have blackberries, I'll have raspberries, I'll have blueberries.

[00:24:16] That's a weird line there. No, I see how you guys. I've not heard that answer. Great answer. What about you guys? Do you guys eat in bed while we're here? He is a monster. Which you think that I shouldn't because I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, a spiller. Spillers are usually the ones that eat in bed. If I lay down to go to sleep, Jax, and I can feel a crumb anywhere on my back or shoulder. I don't feel a crumb. I got to change all the shit. I got to get up. I got to change it. Like, I can't, I can't. Like, I'm like, yeah. Bran, Dan is like the princess in the pea. Yeah, whatever. That's true.

[00:24:46] There's a pea under my, I have standards. Can I, can I. I'll eat, I'll eat anything in bed. Oh, okay. Um. Oh, dear God. Well, I'm going to say my final, my final all the feels is when Michael Foster looks at Lacey across the table and says, I can't imagine wanting anything else in the world when you're in that dress. That was almost beyond sensual. I was like, is this okay? Okay. Yeah.

[00:25:15] That's an HR violation if she's not into it. The way he played it. Oh, it was. Okay. Yeah. These are employees. I will. I will. I will. I will. That's a great line. And I didn't think about that until just now that they're coworkers. I think I, yeah, it's tough. I don't want to, I don't want to venture into those waters. Yeah. I think he does clearly like, he feels something there. I don't think two coworkers in a Parisian cafe. I think that's a, you're in, you're at a weird spot to begin with. I think you're, yeah. Yeah. And you're not your weight. You're not really working. I like that's a, that's a different animal altogether.

[00:25:45] I think. Yep. Yep. Yep. Um, I want to give a shout out to a scene in this show where they are on the elevator together. They're going up and we get a little like fast paced walk and talk around a very complicated hallway of this hotel with lots of turns, very tight hallway. And they pulled it off and it looked awesome.

[00:26:12] And I don't know what, what Hallmark was smoking that day where they said, do you want to do a really complicated walk and talk in this hotel? Yeah, let's do it. Um, but they did it. And it was like, I can't imagine like, it's like really tight and like four or five straight turns. You're talking to a couple of West Wing fans. We love a walk and talk. You love a walk and talk. We love a walk and talk. You know, like a Hallmark will do a walk and talk and it's a slow walk on a street, right?

[00:26:37] This was like we coming off of the elevator, backing up, turn, turn, turn, like really cool, really impressive. And in that, uh, uh, article with, uh, Mr. Abbott, not that Abbott. Um, he talked about how that show did cost a good chunk. And I think we're, I think we're seeing some of that as well. He's one of the few names that you can like Lacey Tyler, like those two, you can sell spending more money just kind of on their face alone.

[00:27:05] You really, those are the, well, you're exactly right, Dan. Those are the only two with ornaments. Yeah. Oh, that makes sense. I don't know what, like, and that is not to say that they're the best actors. Like we have a lot of people we love on the network, but it just seems like, you know, just like there are a few movie stars that are bankable movie stars that you can just go to a movie with just their name. Lacey and Tyler are the only two guaranteed. Doesn't matter what you put them in. And then Randy O'Houlihan. Randy O'Houlihan speaks in a minute. It's been about a decade. In fact, which is crazy.

[00:27:34] If you came back. Oh my gosh. With Lacey in a movie. Get out of here. They couldn't air it. No, they couldn't air it. So it's being essential. Well, um, I, I really like what Scott Michael Foster does in this episode. I think, you know, on during the times that we get on Hallmark, our leading lady with a different dude, the guys are so bad at acting. Like it's like overtly jealous, mean, angry.

[00:28:03] And Scott Michael Foster shows a really impressive restraint here. Like he does this thing where if you look close enough, you can tell it bothers him that she is with Sebastian, but he does not give that right. Like he immediately is like, Oh, that is a guy doesn't look Irish or Oh, like, let me like he's there. He's happy to like, he is not going to tell her it bothers him. He's not going to treat her differently. He's not going to be mean.

[00:28:32] He's going to let that simmer below the surface. He's going to process it like an adult. He's going to like go through the paces and he's still going to be a standup dude. And then he's going to wait for his moment and he's going to deliver that dress line. 10 of 10. Like that is amazing. There is nothing that is more pathetic than a dude that is outwardly jealous of something outside of his control. It's not in his control. You're not in charge of her.

[00:28:59] And then now you're going to pitch a fit and you're going to whine and moan because you don't get your way. Not this guy. I love it. Big fan of what this guy's bringing big guy, big, big fan of how he's acting the scene. I don't know if that was on the paper or if that's how he chose to act it, but it is making his character one of the better leading men that I've seen on Hallmark. And I think that along with Lacey is really what's elevating this because it's becoming a little bit more generic when it comes to the plot.

[00:29:28] So big fan of what he's doing. Yes. Okay, let's take a break. We'll come back. We'll get to the way what and the what the Hallmark here on Deck The Hallmark. Hi, everybody. We're talking about Paris is always a good idea. Episode three is time for the way what is where we talk about what in this episode made us go wait what? I'll start with you, Jax. Okay.

[00:29:57] So one of my biggest wait what's was right up top when we find out that she was exchanging messages with, you know, the what are the loves of her life for a couple of weeks, but then it petered out. Let me say this. Let me say this. Let me say this. I met a wonderful man in Belize 11 years ago, and we are still Instagram friends and we exchanged messages. We didn't see each other ever again.

[00:30:27] We didn't even consummate our relationship. We barely kissed. That was more information than I mean like, you know, that's just one that I thought we were getting. You could have let that be mysterious and we would have been like, wow, she met a man 11 years ago in Belize. She's what's that about? And we could have not known. But now you told us. Now I told you because I barely kissed. Well, barely even. Yeah. Now you've got to. You told us. We didn't kiss the way that I would want to kiss Vic. Got you. I see.

[00:30:57] So there was there was a brief kiss. There's there's something that could have just been a greeting and you're in belief. Like, yeah, in Costa Rica, when you hug people, you go cheek to cheek and make a kissing noise. That's true story. Yeah. Are you telling me? Oh, just like that. Can you do it again? No, that was a one time. You didn't even it out. So are you saying Patrick House wasn't wildly attracted to me? Who? His name is Patrick House.

[00:31:27] That's his name. Maybe he'll hear this. The guy from Belize, his name is Patrick House. Patrick House. Yes. I don't believe you. He's a neuroscientist. I don't believe you. He's a neuroscientist. And he wrote a book. Wow. Shout out House. Anyway. Is he Dr. House? Is he the guy from the TV show? I don't believe he's it. No, no, no. But he he certainly had an interesting story. Great. So you're still friend to your point is well taken though.

[00:31:54] Like that's I'm not saying that you would marry that person. No. I'm not saying that you would be exclusive, but for the communication after a mere couple of weeks. That's crazy. That's crazy. To put her out. And not to be like in this day and age, but honestly, yes. Like I do like how they acknowledge it. This guy probably sucks. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, he did meet his future wife mere minutes after Lacey left the train station. That's the, well, that's the Ira. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. That's what she's talking about. Yeah, you're right. Yeah, you're right.

[00:32:24] Oh, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Oh, actually. That makes sense. Dan, so you're right. That's why he was being weird. So this dude moved on quickly. No, you're right. Dan, now you've changed my mind because yeah, that's what was happening. I mean, I did really like her, but she's gone and she's right here. She's right here. Yeah. And I think, I think she'll give up her dreams to stay here with me. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. This, this woman seems like a just be a farmer's wife. So like, that's what you like.

[00:32:54] That's what she seems like she's down for. So let's do that. Onlyfarmers.com. There's nothing wrong with that. No, there's nothing wrong with that. Incredible. Yeah. When I say it sounds incredible, I mean for someone else. Right. And then my final one was, oh, when Sebastian says, I need you to sign. Do I think it was totally made total sense that he wanted her to sign or that he wants it in a retrospective? All of that made complete sense to me.

[00:33:22] That, that was felt like a serial killer moment. Yeah. 100%. I thought she was in danger. I thought she was in danger. Me too. You in danger, girl. Like she was in danger. I thought it was, and it was, yeah. So I don't know if that was in the writing or in the playing or in the directing, but it made me feel frightened. Sure. I get that. I have a couple. One, you know, he says, pick you up at eight. And I said, that's too late for dinner.

[00:33:52] Dude. Turns out. Not in Paris. He didn't want, he went, he didn't want to. He wanted to. Yeah. He didn't want to. So actually in this case, eight makes sense, but you got to communicate that. Yeah. She's in that dress at eight o'clock. She thinks she's going out to eat. She thinks she's going out to eat. At least. Yeah. Yeah. I found it crazy that Jason Knightley has been in Paris for three days and has never even stumbled over to the Eiffel Tower to take a gander at that sucker. Yeah. Wild. Nothing but time on your hands. Nothing but time.

[00:34:19] We were in Brooklyn for four days and we had one morning free and I took the train into Times Square. Just bloop. I literally was by myself. I just did it to walk around. Right. Just because I'm in New York. This guy is right next to the Eiffel Tower in three days. Haven't seen it. He's waiting. He has nothing to do. I haven't seen it. Nothing to do. He's like, well, I don't really need to go there. I don't. What? If I had a guess, I think they might go to the Eiffel Tower together. What? Get out of here. Yeah. Paris is always a good idea. It's always a good idea. Always.

[00:34:48] Then my last one is, I can't tell you how truly ironic and funny it is to hear a character say, aren't dads supposed to be grossed out by their daughters dating on the Hallmark Channel? On the Hallmark Channel. Lacey, have you seen one of your movies? Dude. Oh my gosh. Have you seen a Hallmark Channel movie? That's great. That's a really good one. Dads are never grossed out by their daughters dating lives. No. In fact, they are actively trying to marry them off. That's the network's whole thing.

[00:35:18] That's right. To hear that line made me laugh and go, you should watch some new movies. Do we have an example of a Hallmark movie where the dad is actively trying to get his daughter to stop dating? Yeah. Or just like, I'm just not ready to let her go yet. You know? Like one of those. Give me one. I'm sure it's out there. If you're listening, give me an example. I'd love to have it because I don't want to. No, totally. I think that's a good point. I think the interesting thing is though, there is sort of that thing, especially in certain conservative circles with like the guy with the shotgun. Oh my gosh. That don't work for me.

[00:35:48] But I get what you mean. In the Hallmark universe, that's just not fair. It's just, yeah. Every dad is like, yes. It is weirdly progressive by Hallmark because there is that to most of Hallmark's audience, there is this thing where the dad still needs to give some sort of permission or blessing. And I will say that that does happen in Hallmark. Occasionally you do have to get the dad's blessing, which is, it is antiquated, but it is a thing. I, but Hallmark does do a pretty good job of dads being way more normal. Yeah.

[00:36:15] Oh, what about the dumb wedding movie that they did where they had to do the wedding boot camp and he's trying to break them up? I thought about that one. I, if memory serves, I think he's trying to break him up, break them up because he has someone else in mind. Oh, okay. That'll happen, right? Where it's like, I don't like your guy. What about Johnny? That's right. Yeah. What about the guy? What about the back? Yes, of course. Right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So that'll happen. But the still actively rooting for his daughter to, to get, to get, to marry.

[00:36:45] Please, will you take her off my hands for me? Gosh. Dano? Yeah. I will say the first time that Sebastian and Lacey meets, basically their first, and I know that the dude is hot. I get it. I understand. Their first interaction is, yes, strange man by the river. You can take my picture. As long as you pinky swear, don't post him anywhere. What happens afterwards is the best case scenario there, guys.

[00:37:11] If, if a strange dude says he wants to take your picture with an actual camera and you say yes, but promise me you won't post them. I would say nine times out of 10, that goes really wrong. Uh, this guy somehow, serial killer later, true to his word, never post those pictures. Um, which I couldn't believe. I think that was the best case scenario there.

[00:37:35] I do find it wild that they're doing a retrospective on a 35 year old's career that has only existed in the public space for under a decade. Is he an, is he an NBA star? Like how is this guy at 35? We're supposed to believe that Lacey's right around 34, 35. 10 years ago, this guy wasn't famous. He was taking pictures by the Creek. He had no, like nothing to his name. She was buying him dinner.

[00:38:04] 10 years later, they're doing a career retrospective. He has done enough work in 10 years for them to do a, basically a documentary on how he changed the game. That is not a thing that happens in any professional circle of anything aside from athletics. And the only place that you're really old in your field and need a career retrospective by 35 is athletics.

[00:38:29] I like, I don't like, I just, that plot line took me anything that I was still buying in this episode. That plot line took me out that he needs those photos for his career retrospective. Well, first of all to yes, agree with you fully on that, but also let's pretend he does. Let's just go with it. Um, he wouldn't need the portrait of Lacey. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He just wants it. It isn't like they're not going to make the career retrospective. He doesn't have it.

[00:38:58] No one knows it exists. Yeah. Like you don't know is after 35 photographers, like the next few years, the ACL injuries spike. You want to get that. Yeah. That's like, and filmmakers, they do their best work before 35. Yeah. Most everyone does their best work before. You know what I mean? Like once you're over 35, it's like, what do you have to offer society? Yeah. If you've not had a career retrospective by 35, like just die. You know what I mean? Honestly? Yeah. It's not going to get better.

[00:39:26] Like I'm excited about brands, uh, retrospective that we're going to do. Yeah. You know, in 27. I know. Pretty close. That's right. You're coming up on it. Coming up on it. I'm really excited. How does it feel to be old, Bran? Josh, this is in three years? Four years. Which is a three? Four. Four years. Got it, guys. I thought it was six. Yeah. That's crazy. I know. I seem younger than that. It's crazy. It happens. You're a spiller. I do need, uh, maybe, maybe Aaron Shea or Brian Harreld to give me an accent check on these two bros from Dorchester, Mass.

[00:39:54] Yes, uh, Scott Michael Foster meets a friend of his from high school and they both tell you that they were born and raised in Dorchester, went to Dorchester High and both of them sound New York. They sound very, they've decided that the New York accent and the Boston accents are the same and they're just not the same. Now I could, I would be happy with a correction there. I'm not from up there, but I heard them both talking. I'm like, I don't think either of these folks have ever visited Dorchester.

[00:40:24] It's like, you know, lately because of the Odyssey, you see a ton of Matt Damon interviews and he sounds pretty like a guy that writes for a living, but he and Ben Affleck in a room together, all of a sudden they sound Cambridge. They sound very different. Um, these two guys talking don't sound like they're like have ever been there. So I would love an accent. And then I also need to point out that the last scene of this movie is a classic Parisian diner with French fries.

[00:40:52] Um, guys, maybe the, maybe I'm wrong. I've never been to Paris. Maybe the makers of this show know something that I don't. French fries aren't from France. They're from the United States of America. It is a French cut potato that the United States, one of the few things that they invented. I don't think that a staple of Parisian diners is French fries. Am I wrong there?

[00:41:20] Jack, I got like, I've had, I've had frites in France, but I don't know if it's a staple at a diner. I'll have, I have it everywhere. I got it. No, I'm here for a French fry. These two are sharing a plate of fries, dipping them in ketchup and talking like what's more Parisian than this. Everything. Everything is more Parisian than this. It isn't something that I like. Paris is known for their food, like actual real, like bread, cheese, wine. French fries are an American construct.

[00:41:48] Like I, I just, I couldn't get over this. I know why they did it. They wanted to seem like he gets like they're dressed up nice. It's a casual food. There's this whole thing that they're doing where they're playing jazz and I get it. I just did it. I was like, what's going on here? And maybe I'm wrong. I need to go visit Paris. I would love to. We'll do the finale. We'll do the finale from Paris. Great. I love it. Oh my gosh. Wait, are you flying me too? Could we do Ted's flying you? Could we do a Hallmark My Words while we're there? Yeah. Okay.

[00:42:18] All right. What the Hallmark is where we wonder what could have been. Maybe having us a clear any questions we still have. What are we still wondering about? I'll start with you, Jax. I'm wondering if Hill House, who makes these beautiful nap dresses, which Lacey wore two of them in this episode, was this like a Dunkin' Donuts product placement or was that just your wardrobe? This has to win the deckie if it's allowed. If the Dunkin' Donuts from the first episode that we are now into, or Jax recalling it there,

[00:42:48] like it was so, it's gotta be. Yeah. Hold it? Okay, good. Yeah. Maybe Dunkin' will sponsor like Kings of Wine did last year. I think that would be big for us. I would love if they did. That'd be big. I love the culotta. Big if true. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, I kind of already said mine, but will we, like how much more of the sister and the bartender will we get? I'm more invested in that than I should be. I don't think anybody, I think, I think we love it, but I don't think you're going to get much more. Maybe.

[00:43:18] You know, they put it on the previously on, like the two of them talk. I don't know. I thought I was going to get some of it in this episode and they just never went. He's definitely going to be at the wedding. You would think so. Yeah. But like she, you know, we get a scene of her talking to her dad on like sitting out by the water, but we never see the guy in this episode. Like, are we going to get any more of this? I don't know. Probably not, but I'd like to think so. Dano?

[00:43:43] So the Groomsman trilogy, BJ Britt, Jonathan Bennett, Tyler Hines does a Groomsman Philadelphia. They do a bit where they're at like at the beginning of every movie, they're at, they're leaving a wedding or at a wedding or that morning and you're supposed to try to figure out whose wedding it is and who's the bride, who's the groom. It's the daughter. It's the daughter, spoiler alert. But that is a, they conceal that at least pretty well. We figured it out, but I think they still want it to be a secret.

[00:44:11] Like there's no secret here with who Lacey's marrying, right? Like we would all be floored if it's anyone other than Knightley, right? Like we would all be. The only thing that I don't understand is why she's telling this story into a song. Correct. So that is my, that's my, what the hallmark, which is. Cause it seems like she's telling him. So there is, it is, it just is, they've done a poor job of concealing who the love story is.

[00:44:40] Like the love story is between Lacey and Scott Michael Foster. And we know it. Everyone knows that they have the best chemistry. We know that they're getting married. We know that, but they're continuing to run this gambit at us and we're halfway through. What, why are they doing that? Is there another secret that we don't know about or is it just bad television? And I'm, I think it might just be bad television and there's no reason for it, but I'm hoping that there's another secret.

[00:45:05] Is there any way that like, I, I'm trying to remember like, like the, who she's talking to on the, like, is there a chance that this is how I met your mother? I think like, this is how I met your father. And she's like, right. Recording it all for her kid, her daughter. Like that's her daughter. It could be her like talking to her mom, like from beyond the grave and her doing this thing to like process. I also think that what they're going to do since Jason Knightley is episode four is they're going to do a bit where they go Knightley forward.

[00:45:34] Then they're going to introduce you to the last guy who should be the heavy hitter. Like should be the guy that if there's anyone that has a chance that isn't Knightley, it's him and then the last one, you have a wedding and everyone's there. All the, all three of those dudes will be at that wedding, which is hysterical. The Irish guy is going to make it with his whole family. It's going to be so dumb. They might add a couple more kids. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The dude, the bartender, he'll be there. The, the photographer, we know he's there. Knightley is going to marry her. Then this third guy.

[00:46:04] So I like, I don't think they have anything else up their sleeve, but I'm at least wondering why they're keeping up this conceit if they don't. Yeah. No, I would, I, there's no way that it's her like daughter's wedding because. No, she's getting, she is getting married. Yes. I was just trying to think of any other, like why she would be telling the story. And he already knows the whole story. I know. He knows it. I know. I just don't. Yeah. It doesn't make sense. But it can't be the daughter. It can't like be in the future because she signed off on the photos being used for the

[00:46:33] retrospective so that he, I mean, maybe in the future, like, Hey, I'll sign. If in the future you take pictures of my daughter's wedding and maybe this is the daughter and she's doing it. This is how I met your father in situation in the chat. People think that it's some people think it's not her wedding. Okay. Do they think it's a sister's wedding? Oh, it could be the sister's wedding. She looked like she was in a bridesmaid. But then who is she talking to? Maybe to her sister. And like, Hey, here's, I don't know. Her sister. No, they talk every day.

[00:47:03] That would make less sense. But she doesn't really know the story of the three guys. Like she knows at least one of them. And she talked to her about the other one on the phone in the episode this week. She does. I don't know. That's a tough one. We'll find out. Yeah. It's gotta be. I wouldn't know. I mean, the only like it could be for her. Right. Because she listens to herself. She records like her speeches, Dan, like that she's got or like so she can practice.

[00:47:30] Maybe she's just recording it because she likes to like re-listen. Maren in the chat says it's the dad's wedding. That makes sense. The dad's wedding. The dad's wedding. Yeah. Oh, that's. Oh, good job. Yeah. I hate to say this, but I literally got chills. Thank you, Maren. I bet it is the dad's wedding. Yeah. That makes sense. I didn't. Oh, I love that. Yeah. But who's she talking to? Who's she talking to? That's the thing. Okay. Love is in the air because of her dad's wedding.

[00:48:00] I think she is maybe. I don't think that Scott Michael Foster really knows the full, full story. Okay. That's true. Possibly. Because she's preparing it for him. Maybe. All right. Sure. That would be a kind of. That would be a disappointment. We're so dumb for not thinking about the dad's wedding. No, wait. Wait, hang on. He said he's photographing the dress. You never photographed the dress for like a bridesmaid at a wedding. The guy came in. I mean, she.

[00:48:28] In the first episode, I almost brought it up the way it was. She said, I'm trying to fend off the circus for another 45 minutes. And I was like, you're the bride. Like the circus is, you're the circus. Like, what do you mean fend off the circus? Yeah. The whole thing is timed around you. Yeah. Like, so it would make sense. It would make sense that if she's not. Dad's wedding. The bride. Right. Which is the only, like, only wedding or marriage that they've talked about in this show. So it makes sense that it would be the dad's wedding.

[00:48:57] I just don't know who she's telling the story to. But that's fine. Maybe she's telling it to us. And she's going to look at the camera and she'd be like, I hope you like my story. Bye. Maren said she read the book. Okay. The book doesn't use this plot device. Okay. Doesn't use it. So it's news to all. But there is a plot point that is the dad is getting married. Okay. All right. So she tends to think that. That makes sense. All right. Very good. That feels right. Thank you, Maren. Well, we're going to be back next week. The new episode of the show airs tomorrow on the Hallmark Plus.

[00:49:27] So watch it at some point over the next week or so. We're going to be back next Wednesday with another recap. Come on back for that. And then, obviously, tomorrow. Tomorrow, Hallmark Awards. If you missed it live, you can check it out then. Until then, I'm the first to wish you a Merry Christmas. It's Deck the Hallmark. It's a Bramble Jam podcast produced by Brandon Gray. And you have that Greenville, South Carolina. For more information on the show, you can go to DeckTheHallmark.com. Follow us on the socials at DeckTheHallmark. And leave us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts. So for others, find the show. And then head on over to Bramble Jam Plus to find the best corner of the internet.

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[00:50:27] Happy day.