‘THE WAY HOME,’ SEASON ONE: THE FIRST TV SHOW IN HALLMARK’S REBRAND
Part of the content rebrand Hallmark seems to be undergoing, The Way Home is one of two new series they’re debuting. the way home season one
The Way Home, Season One (2023) TV Review
In the aftermath of her crumbling marriage, Katherine Landry (Chyler Leigh) decides to move back home. This presents more than one challenge because she hasn’t been home in twenty years and she and her mother (Andie MacDowell) barely speak. Additionally, she’s bringing a rebellious and opinionated teenage daughter named Alice (Sadie Laflamme-Snow) back to her hometown.
When back home Kat discovers she still cannot talk with her mother and she sees her mom has erased all memories of her father and young brother. Everything changes for Alice as well when she discovers a secret that could change her present.
Replacing their former drama Chesapeake Shores, this is one of those series that didn’t really appeal to me during its promotion. It takes a lot for me to like this type of story and while this does turn out better in some aspects, I don’t unequivocally love The Way Home. The story, though also more than this, is primarily about a fractured family who don’t know how to support. In fairness to them, they do have reasons why but until these secrets peal back, they can seem unreasonable.
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Hallmark assembles a solid cast who give their characters some depth. I’m not the biggest fan of Leigh’s character but we do have to give her grace given what the writing reveals about her past. While I like several characters without hesitation, the obsession with the past is annoying. On one hand I understand, but on the other, I think the actors and the writers depict these reasons more selfish than selfless. I like everyone but not all in a standout years-to-come kind of way. I get that Kat has gone through it. But this doesn’t give license to disregard the hearts of those who are there. And in trying to deal with her pain, she disrespects people. There are these pivots that give me hope they’ll move on, but then another episode undoes this. Some characters do make strides to be in the present and I admire this. the way home season one
What is lots of fun is the nostalgia. From the music (which is fabulous) to the retro vibes that were a simpler time minus the absurd addiction with one’s cell phone. While I don’t think this show manages to capture everything it should, it’s a good watch. My greatest “bother” is that this doesn’t have show longevity. Something Hallmark has, more recently, been known to do is leave things hanging. It has been renewed for a second season already. This is good news for anyone who should grow and gives the writer’s the chance to prove this to us.
Another thing this does exceedingly well is leading to a trope that sort of swerves and puts its own exclamation point on it. Here’s the thing. Is this good? Yes. Is it some of the better (TV show) writing from the network recently? Objectively, sure. (Though the popular “trending” lines they add are annoying.) Nonetheless, the fact that so much of the past comes at the further determent of the present does annoy me as a viewer.
Photos: Hallmark Channel / Hallmark Media / Crown Media
love The Way Home? read our season two review of the popular show
QUICK FACTS
CAST: Jefferson Brown, Chyler Leigh, Andie MacDowell, Sadie Laflamme-Snow, Evan Williams
RATING: TV-PG
CONTENT: One character has same sex parents who appear in episode four. They show up again in episode five and eight with a minor same sex kiss in both. A guy lives with a woman several years younger than him. A woman goes to stay with someone she likes.
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