Entertainment Extra

2 ENTERTAINMENT EXTRA By Kyla Brewer TV Media T elevision has been wielding its own special brand of magic for decades, offering viewers a welcome escape from the every- day, 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 returns as witch Cassie Nightingale in Season 7 of "Good Witch," premiering Sunday, May 16, on Hallmark Channel. Set in the idyllic small town of Middleton, the popular 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 series 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 Season 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 resi- dents of Middleton. Her saga also involves her romance with her now-husband Sam, an ongo- ing mystery and a number of curses linked to her lineage. While not everyone has wel- comed her with open arms, Cassie has made many friends over the years and the show often focuses on their stories as well. Season 7 will continue to chronicle the lives of Middleton's residents. "More than a decade after first meeting Cassie and the col- orful characters of Middleton, viewers continue to be enchant- ed by their stories," said Michelle Vicary, executive vice-president of programming for Crown Media Family Networks, in an official news release. "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 appears to be a family affair, according to the official teaser released by Hallmark Channel in April. At the end of last season, the Merriwick-Davenport curse was finally broken. However, it wasn't long before a new mys- tery came to light. Near the end of the Season 6 finale, Cassie and her cousins Abigail (Sarah Power, "Killjoys") and Joy (Katherine Barrell, "Wynonna Earp") each received small purple velvet pouches filled with soil. Despite her psychic abilities, even Cassie was at a loss to explain who delivered the bags. As the cousins try to unrav- el 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 Middleton fun" in the show's seventh season, which will fea- ture new relationships, 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 February 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 Stephanie's love interest, local pastor Adam (Scott Cavalheiro, "The Indian 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 Africa. Donovan Davenport (Marc Bendavid, "Murdoch Mysteries"), mayor of neighboring town Blairville, had better luck last season. When he proposed to his love, Abigail, she accepted, breaking a long-standing curse. Middleton's Mayor Martha Tinsdale (Catherine Disher, "Snakes and Ladders") 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 "WandaVision" 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 over- looked by critics and major awards shows. Still, the series has been a solid performer in the ratings, which speak for themselves. It has bolstered Hallmark's Sunday night ratings and even won weekly ratings wars against more acclaimed series such as "VEEP," "Fargo" and "Pretty Little Liars." YMCA 2 x 2" Pear Tree Gallery 3 x 2" On the Cover Scott Cavalheiro, Catherine Bell, Katherine Barrell and James Denton as seen in "Good Witch" Catherine Bell casts a spell in 'Good Witch' Chase Center 3 x 2" American Legion Post 60 2 x 3" Thrifty Muffler 2 x 2.5"

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