Sleuthers regularly go to social media about the changes between Alison Sweeney’s Hallmark Mystery series Murder She Baked and Hannah Swensen. Both are from the same Joanne Fluke series, however, they are distinctively different.
Here is what we know.
Why Is ‘Murder She Baked’ Different From ‘Hannah Swensen’?
On Saturday, Hallmark is premiering Dish Served Cold: A Hannah Swensen Mystery. This is from from the long-running mystery series that began as Murder She Baked, took a four-year hiatus, and then returned as Hannah Swensen.
While they are the same mystery series, there are some differences. However, there has not been a full explanation on what transpired that forced them to rename the series.
This likely had to be for legal reasons. This franchise series name change is quite drastic. It would be as if halfway though the Mission Impossible series, they renamed it Ethan Hunt. That sort of change generally only happens when it comes to legal reasons. No one changes the name of a successful series unless they are forced to.
For example, Hallmark did not even change the name of Aurora Teagarden Mysteries when they brought it back as a prequel. That sort of branding is valuable.
The first sign of concern about the series being canceled was sometime around 2018, when Joanne Fluke sent out emails asking her mystery novel fans to ask Hallmark for more of these mystery movies.
Next, Alison Sweeney starred in four movies in The Chronicles Mysteries, along with Benjamin Ayres. In this popular series that she created, she portrayed a true crime podcaster.
But, when Alison Sweeney, Cameron Mathison, and Barbara Niven returned with Sweet Revenge: A Hannah Swensen Mystery, Sleuthers were thrilled.
But, there were some distinct changes. First, the small town of Lake Eden was suddenly a mid-size city. Next, The Cookie Jar was no longer a quaint cafe, and now a Starbucks-sized establishment. It was hard to believe that Hannah managed to make money considering how many baked goods she exchanged for information.
What became obvious is that the cozy was gone.
Was this done on purpose? It seems very likely there needed to be a new look for the reinvention of Murder She Baked. They not only changed the name of the series, they changed the look of the series and diminished the cozy feeling.
Cast Changes In Murder She Baked Reboot
Lastly, there were some major cast changes when Murder She Baked was rebooted as Hannah Swensen. Cameron Mathison, who portrayed Hannah’s fiancé Mike Kingston left Hallmark for GAF. Hallmark chose not to do a recast, and instead added Victor Webster as Chad Norton.
Next, Sleuthers became concerned that Hannah’s sisters were missing. Lisa Durupt who portrays Andrea was not in every episode. Toby Levins, who portrayed Andrea’s husband Bill was totally missing. Toby has gone on to star in Allegiance. However, Bill has been off-screen since the update.
The other big change that has been controversial is Barbara Niven’s character Delores Swensen. She has been living her dream as an actress, and is now a private detective.
Many fans love the added humor. Barbara Niven has really embraced the wackiness of Delores as a detective. However, some viewers find this portrayal too much.
Alison Sweeney Stars In Dish Served Cold: A Hannah Swensen Mystery
The premiere of Best Served Cold: A Hannah Swensen Mystery is on Saturday, May 16, at 8 p.m. Eastern, on the Hallmark Channel.
This movie will be available to stream the next day on Hallmark+.
The Hallmark Mystery Channel premiere is on Friday, May 22, at 8 p.m. Eastern. There is a Hannah Swensen mini-marathon on the Mystery Channel that day starting at 2 p.m. Eastern.
Be sure to watch Alison Sweeney’s scene with Moishe in this upcoming Hallmark mystery.
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