My Comfort TV With… ‘MatchMaker Mysteries’ Star Danica McKellar
Q&A
Ready to dive back into the world of mystery and matchmaking with Angie Dove?
Danica McKellar returns to juggle her care and another case in a second installment of her Hallmark series. (She’s also an executive producer.) In MatchMaker Mysteries: A Fatal Romance — during the premiere on both the Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, the star will be live-tweeting and sharing behind-the-scenes details — her character’s ex-boyfriend, Ethan (Dan Payne), is the prime suspect in the murder investigation.
As a romance expert, matchmaker Angie Dove is asked to moderate a panel of romance writers at a convention. One of them, a client of the publishing house at which Ethan is the editor, ends up dead; she was poisoned. “Since he’s a suspect, Angie gets involved and is putting her nose where it shouldn’t be again,” McKellar told TV Insider.
If you think having her ex in town means a love triangle with Detective Kyle Carter (Victor Webster) very much in the picture, you’d be right. “There’s a lot of little great fun banter between Angie and Kyle as they both try to figure out who really did this,” McKellar previewed. But during the investigation, Angie and Ethan are out to dinner when Kyle shows up to arrest him.
(David Dolsen/Crown Media)
“I have to think in any love triangle, if one of the guys has the opportunity to arrest the other guy, that’s gotta be pretty darn satisfying and pretty frustrating for the woman,” she laughed. “There are a couple great scenes where Angie’s just wondering, ‘Is there more to do this? Is there a reason Kyle is so quick to arrest Ethan?’ Of course, Kyle’s being completely professional.”
The slow-burn romance of this mystery series is obviously between Angie and Kyle, but it will take them some time to get there. “They’re both becoming a bit more intrigued” with each other, McKellar said. “It’ll probably be a while before anything manifests, but there’s definitely some mutual respect growing and maybe a little more.”
Because while Angie may have a strong grasp of other people’s love lives as a matchmaker, the same is not true when it comes to her own. “Whether she’s talking to Ethan and he’s asking her out, or she’s talking to Kyle and there might be a double entendre, Angie is not prepared to handle it in any sort of mature way,” the star explained. That duality in her character is something she’d like to continue to explore in future installments, perhaps by seeing what Angie’s like on a blind date.
But she is growing as an investigator, and that includes getting better at going undercover. (In the first movie, she tried to do so while standing next to a bench advertising her TV show.) “She’s got her crafty ways,” McKellar said. “She and Kyle are getting along better because he realizes that she actually is an asset and really can help.”
(David Dolsen/Crown Media)
“Kyle has seen that Angie, even though she’s a little goofy and has some extreme methods that he doesn’t necessarily condone, she is helpful, so he gives her a little bit more leeway, and they actually even question a few people together,” she continued.
Angie also knows what she’s doing when it comes to her TV show and clients. In this case, she’s dealing with a woman who is so sure she knows what she wants, she has a double-sided page with her list of requirements. The matchmaker knows better. “Angie sees through that and she’s like, ‘this woman, she’s a successful professional, and she wants perfection, but what she really needs is somebody who understands her heart,'” McKellar said.
Finally, A Fatal Romance begins what she’s expecting to be a recurring theme throughout future movies: her father (Bruce Boxleitner), a retired police detective, trying different hobbies. In this case, it’s painting, and he’s “not very good,” she admitted. “That provides some fun humor and sweetness between Nick and his daughter.”
If you’re in the mood for more heartwarming, feel-good television, read on for McKellar’s picks for Comfort TV (and stay tuned for more “My Comfort TV With…” more of your favorite TV Stars on TV Insider)!
Danica McKellar’s Comfort TV
Guilty Pleasure Show You Turn to Right Now
“Well, not Tiger King, haha. We tried, but it wasn’t for us! I would have said Insatiable, but we finished that show. Time to find a new guilty pleasure, I guess!”
Hallmark Rom-Com (Yours or Not!) You Love to Rewatch
“Love and Sunshine. I just love the strong themes of loyalty and service to others… plus the dog is adorable!”
Love and Sunshine (Ryan Plummer/Crown Media)
Entire Series You’re Excited to Binge
“The Office. I had seen a few episodes back when it first came out, but I wasn’t really watching tv back then. Now during quarantine, my husband and I have been making our way through the series and we just can’t get enough!”
Favorite Hallmark Mystery Series to Spend an Afternoon Watching
“All of them! And I’m so honored to have joined the ranks of these great mystery movies with MatchMaker Mysteries.”
The Show You’ve Gotten All Your Friends to Watch
“Barry. My actor friends and I can totally relate to those acting classes, etc. — we’ve all been there! Although not appropriate for kids because of the violence, that show is hilarious!”
The Wonder Years Episode You Watch for a Quick Pick-Me-Up
“The Pilot Episode. We spent 9 days shooting just a 22 minute episode of television, and it shows. And on a personal note, although I didn’t have many lines in that episode, I did have my first kiss — in real life!”
TV Show That’s Always on in Your House
“Monk. I’m a sucker for a good mystery, and I love comedy. It’s the perfect combo! And that show actually has inspired the tone of Matchmaker Mysteries — comedy sprinkled throughout a fun whodunit.”
Most Comforting TV Theme Song or Opening Credits
“Golden Girls. Growing up, my sister and I loved watching this show with my grandmother, so it brings me back to those days.”
TV Show (Classic or Current) That Always Makes You Laugh
“Friends. When I was writing my book Kiss My Math back in 2008, I remember binging that show every night to help me unwind. I love the dynamics between all the characters so much, and it came through for me with good laughs.”
Favorite TV Show Revival or Reboot
“Dallas. Growing up, my mom and sister and I would watch the original together. So when the reboot happened (10 years ago?) we couldn’t resist… and it did not disappoint!”
MatchMaker Mysteries: A Fatal Romance, Movie Premiere, Saturday, April 25, 9/8c, Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
