Entertainment NOW

Entertainment Now | May 15 - 21, By Kyla Brewer TV Media T elevision has been wield- ing its own special brand of magic for decades, offering viewers a welcome escape from the everyday, especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This month, a beloved benevolent witch is about to cast her spell over audiences yet again. Catherine Bell ("JAG") is set to charm TV viewers when she re- turns as witch Cassie Nightingale in Season 7 of "Good Witch," pre- miering Sunday, May 16, on Hall- mark Channel. Set in the idyllic small town of Middleton, the pop- ular fantasy series also stars James Denton ("Desperate Housewives") as Cassie's hus- band, Dr. Sam Radford. The fantasy drama is based on a series of seven TV movies that kicked off in 2008 with Bell in the title role. Five more movie-length specials have aired since the se - ries premiered in 2015, all of them around Halloween. Unfortunately, the cast wasn't able to do a Halloween special this year due to COVID-19 — while the show was not in pro- duction when the pandemic swept the globe last March, pro- duction was delayed and filming didn't get underway until October 2020, which didn't leave much time for a Halloween installment. On the bright side, filming for Sea- son 7 continued until February 2021, and "Good Witch" is now ready to air. In the television series, as in the film franchise, Cassie often uses her magic to help the residents of Middleton. Her saga also involves her romance with her now-hus- band Sam, an ongoing mystery and a number of curses linked to her lineage. While not everyone has welcomed her with open arms, Cassie has made many friends over the years and the show often focuses on their sto- ries as well. Season 7 will contin- ue to chronicle the lives of Mid- dleton's residents. "More than a decade after first meeting Cassie and the colorful characters of Middleton, viewers continue to be enchanted by their stories," said Michelle Vicary, ex- ecutive vice-president of pro- gramming for Crown Media Fami- ly Networks, in an official news re- lease. "The new season has more magic, love and adventure in store for viewers than ever before, and we're excited to share it with fans." Cassie's latest adventure ap- pears to be a family affair, accord- ing to the official teaser released by Hallmark Channel in April. At the end of last season, the Merri- wick-Davenport curse was finally broken. However, it wasn't long before a new mystery came to light. Near the end of the Season 6 fi- nale, Cassie and her cousins Abi- gail (Sarah Power, "Killjoys") and Joy (Katherine Barrell, "Wynonna Earp") each received small purple velvet pouches filled with soil. De- spite her psychic abilities, even Cassie was at a loss to explain who delivered the bags. As the cousins try to unravel the mystery in Season 7, they reflect on their pasts and how certain life events have shaped them. The Hallmark Channel has also promised viewers "the usual Mid- dleton fun" in the show's seventh season, which will feature new re- lationships, personal challenges and, of course, romance. "Good Witch" has offered viewers a mix of romance, mys- tery and drama throughout its first six seasons and many films. When the TV series began in Feb- ruary 2015, Cassie was living with her teenage daughter, Grace (Bailee Madison, "Once Upon a Time"), who shared her mother's charms. Grace has since left for college, but Cassie is far from lonely. In addition to Cassie, Sam, Joy and Abigail, other major players in Middleton include Cassie's friend Stephanie Borden (Kylee Evans, "The Strain"), as well as Stepha- nie's love interest, local pastor Adam (Scott Cavalheiro, "The In- dian Detective"). Fans are likely eager to know what will become of the couple, who ended their relationship at the end of Season 6 after Adam accepted a mission in South Afri- ca. Donovan Davenport (Marc Bendavid, "Murdoch Mysteries"), mayor of neighboring town Blair- ville, had better luck last season. When he proposed to his love, Ab- igail, she accepted, breaking a long-standing curse. Middleton's Mayor Martha Tinsdale (Cathe- rine Disher, "Snakes and Lad- ders") is also slated to return in Season 7. Given the current popularity of the fantasy genre and of witches in particular, thanks to shows such as Disney's "Wanda- Vision" and CW's "Charmed" reboot, this could be a banner year for Hallmark's "Good Witch." Unfortunately, over the course of the first six seasons, the show has been largely overlooked by critics and major awards shows. Still, the series has been a solid performer in the ratings, which speak for themselves. It has bol- stered Hallmark's Sunday night ratings and even won weekly ratings wars against more ac- claimed series such as "VEEP," "Fargo" and "Pretty Little Liars." "Good Witch" has not gone completely ignored by industry pundits, however. The show was recognized by the American So- ciety of Composers, Authors and Publishers with an ASCAP Award for Top TV Series in 2018. In 2019, the series earned a nomi- nation for a Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Television Series. "Good Witch" has a ch seems to appeal to almos groups, while maintainin tation for being less cynic many other modern serie son 7 kicks off, Cassie and tempt to enjoy a long-ove date, but things soon go a they find themselves stra an island. Elsewhere, Joy dream about her parents Watch as the "Good W gins another enchanted s Sunday, May 16, on Hallm Channel. Scott Cavalheiro, Catherine Bell, Katherine Barrell and James Denton as seen in "G Witch" Bewitched: Catherine Bell casts a spell in 'Good Witch' 2 | Cover story A/Grindstone Charlie's B/Norris Insurance 1 x 4" Moore's Home Health 5 x 2"

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