Luke Macfarlane is a very familiar face for Hallmark viewers, particularly around the holiday season with TV movies like Christmas in My Heart, Chateau Christmas, and A Shoe Addict’s Christmas, to name just a few. Just under a year ago, the actor dropped some comments that suggested his time at Hallmark was ending. Now, he’s just weeks away from returning, so we do not have to add him to the list of Hallmark stars who jumped ship for GAF!
You can find Macfarlane’s next project on Hallmark in mid-September as part of the network’s annual Fall Into Love event. TV Insider reports that he stars in the new TV movie called Notes of Autumn to play Leo, a famous author with a successful book series but who is struggling with writer’s block. His best friend is Ellie (Ashley Williams), a hotel worker who loves fun but once had a passion for piano, in which she is classically trained. In a very Hallmark twist, they decide to swap places for the fall, and newfound friendships could lead in some unexpected directions. Notes of Autumn also stars Marcus Rosner and Peter Porte.
This network may be primarily known for the Christmas movies (many of which are available streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription) and long-running series When Calls the Heart, but Luke Macfarlane’s fall return to Hallmark movies is certainly welcome. This is particularly true in light of some comments that he dropped back in September of last year, when he said that he thinks he’d “told his story for now with those folks” at Hallmark.
Given the Hallmark star exodus over to GAF, it seemed likely that he could pop up over on Candace Cameron Bure’s network, even in light of the controversy she generated with comments of her own. Luke Macfarlane did step away from movies on the small screen in 2022, but not to go to a rival network of his longtime home at Hallmark. He co-starred opposite Billy Eichner in the film Bros, and even explained why his Hallmark fans would enjoy the movie.
Notes of Autumn will premiere as Macfarlane’s return to the network on Saturday, September 16 at 8 p.m. ET on Hallmark. Mid-September is around when most networks would normally be getting ready to launch the fall portion of the 2023 TV schedule, but the WGA writers strike and SAG-AFTRA actors strike have pushed back the network TV premieres. So, the time couldn’t be better to enjoy some new releases on Hallmark!
Hallmark’s Fall Into Love 2023 kicks off on Saturday, September 2 and will continue with new TV movies on Saturday nights through the end of the month. The temperature cooling down and fall ending inevitably means that Hallmark Christmas movie season is on the way, but you can celebrate the fall with Luke Macfarlane and Notes of Autumn.