Jodie Sweetin Recalls A Touching Fan Moment Over Hallmark's Merry & Bright
Hallmark's ever-growing lineup of Christmas movies tends to follow the same plotline: single girl meets single boy in a quaint town that's chock-full of holiday cheer. By the end, they're madly in love. Despite the repetitiveness, these feel-good flicks and their guaranteed happy endings keep viewers coming back for more. In fact, these films have become ingrained in many fans' seasonal memories.
In an interview with TV Guide, Jodie Sweetin reflected on one young man who holds her 2019 film "Merry & Bright" — a story of a struggling candy cane business — close to his heart. He told Sweetin that he and his grandmother would always sit and watch Hallmark Christmas movies together, but she got very sick before the holidays that year. "Merry & Bright" was the final one he got to enjoy with his grandmother, who was a fan of Sweetin from her years on "Full House."
"He said, 'But I just want you to know you're a part of a very special last memory with my grandma,'" recalled Sweetin. "That was such an honor to think that these movies and these traditions, they really do have a special place in people's hearts."
There are several reasons why audiences feel so strongly about Hallmark movies
During the same TV Guide interview, Jodie Sweetin's "Merry & Bright" co-star Andrew Walker, who plays Cate's love interest Gabe, agreed that these Hallmark films have a way of bringing some joy to audiences during dark times, whether they're grieving the loss of a loved one, battling their own health troubles, or just dealing with some holiday blues.
In fact, there's some psychological evidence as to why so many turn to Hallmark each year. Pamela Rutledge, a behavioral scientist, explained to NBC News that the simple, predictable plotlines serve as a needed escape from the stress of the real world. Rutledge said, "The movies provide simplistic solutions to all those stressors that the holidays can bring: family conflict, isolation or financial pressures." Additionally, seeing the characters overcome an obstacle and have a happy ending can actually decrease feelings of anxiety and depression.
Sweetin added in the interview with TV Guide, "You walk away from it feeling like everything's gonna be okay with the world."