FIRST LOOK: How Do Peacock’s Hallmark Hub and Live Channels Work?

Light-hearted, lean-back rom-com fans, you officially have a new way to stream all of your favorite low-stakes, feel-good favorites from the Hallmark Channel. On Wednesday, Nov. 2, NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock debuted a new hub for content from all three of Hallmark’s cable channels — also including [Hallmark Movies & Mysteries] and [Hallmark Drama] — as well as a library of some of the networks’ best film and series titles.

The debut of the Hallmark hub comes just two days after its announcement and less than two weeks after the start of the channel’s beloved annual Countdown to Christmas movie marathon. As The Streamable’s self-appointed resident Hallmark movie obsessive, I went over to Peacock today in order to get an idea as to how the hub will work and how it compares to other Hallmark viewing options, including the network’s own streamer Hallmark Movies Now.

Hub Discovery

At launch, Peacock is making it very easy to find its latest content additions, and presumably will for at least the duration of Countdown to Christmas season. Currently, the Hallmark hub is at the front of the carousel on the top of the home page across all platforms and the Hallmark Channel is highlighted at the top of the guide on the “Channels” tab.

However, while it makes sense for Peacock to keep Hallmark in that hero rotation during the holidays, there’s no guarantee of how long it will remain up top once the calendar flips to 2023. So, if you are unable to find the Hallmark hub at the top of the page, the channel does have its own tile in the “Featured Brands” section if you scroll down a little bit.

Live Viewing

One of the best things about the Hallmark Channel is that — outside of the overnight hours during non-holiday months — there is always a movie on, and whether you’ve seen it before, or you tune in halfway through, you are still able to enjoy it for all of the comfy, cozy vibes that it brings — it also helps that most of them share nearly the exact same satisfying plot structure.

So, one of the best aspects of this Peacock integration is that it puts all three Hallmark channels into the streamer’s live viewing guide, so viewers can tune in to whatever is airing live, removing the often paralyzing stress of having to make a decision about which streaming title to select.

Currently, the three Hallmark networks are pinned to the top of the guide, but presumably, they will eventually work their way down amongst the other NBC branded live and FAST (free, ad-supported TV) channels as the seasons change.

However, what is most valuable about this feature of the partnership is that Hallmark fans will be able to watch the new movies that are a part of Countdown to Christmas live as they initially air. These new films will also be available on demand — moving forward, on the day of their linear premiere — but only for 72 hours after their initial release. Peacock does note that they will continue to be available via the live viewing option whenever they air on the Hallmark cable channels.

2022 Countdown to Christmas Original Movie Schedule

• Nov. 4: A Magical Christmas Village, 2022 
• Nov. 5: Lights, Camera, Christmas!, 2022 
• Nov. 6: All Saints Christmas, 2022 
• Nov. 11: In Merry Measure, 2022 
• Nov. 12: Our Italian Christmas Memories, 2022 
• Nov. 12: The Royal Nanny, 2022 
• Nov. 13: Christmas at the Golden Dragon, 2022 
• Nov. 18: Inventing the Christmas Prince, 2022 
• Nov. 19: Long Lost Christmas, 2022 
• Nov. 19: Three Wise Men and a Baby, 2022 
• Nov. 20: When I Think of Christmas, 2022 
• Nov. 24: My Southern Family Christmas, 2022 
• Nov. 25: A Royal Corgi Christmas, 2022 
• Nov. 25: #Xmas, 2022 
• Nov. 26: Haul Out the Holly, 2022 
• Nov. 26: A Tale of Two Christmases, 2022 
• Nov. 26: Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas, 2022 
• Nov. 27: A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe, 2022 
• Nov. 27: A Holiday Spectacular, 2022 
• Dec. 2: A Big Fat Family Christmas, 2022 
• Dec. 3: A Fabled Holiday, 2022 
• Dec. 3: The Holiday Stocking, 2022 
• Dec. 4: Undercover Holiday, 2022 
• Dec. 9: The Most Colorful Time of the Year, 2022 
• Dec. 10: Christmas Class Reunion, 2022 
• Dec. 10: The Gift of Peace, 2022 
• Dec. 11: The Holiday Sitter, 2022 
• Dec. 16: Holiday Heritage, 2022 
• Dec. 17: Five More Minutes: Moments Like These, 2022 
• Dec. 17: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, 2022 
• Dec. 18: Hanukkah on Rye, 2022 

Click here to check out a full list of Christmas movies from every major channel and streaming platform.

On-Demand Library

This is the aspect of this partnership that I was most looking forward to, but was ultimately disappointed by — although, it is likely in no way the fault of Peacock. Because the Hallmark Channel is, at its core, a linear cable channel, the on-demand offerings from various platforms — including Hallmark Movies Now — has always been fairly underwhelming with many of my favorite titles unavailable to stream without paying to rent or buy them from a premium on-demand platform.

I assume that the reason for this has to do with contracts made with various filmmakers, talent, and production companies, in many cases before the idea of subscription streaming was ever imagined. But, for a brand that is known for its familiar, repeat-viewability, it has always been a bit frustrating that the on-demand offerings are so limited.

At launch, Peacock will offer 73 films from the past 25 years and the last three seasons of popular period drama “When Calls the Heart,” with another 40 archive titles coming at the end of November and beginning of December, though some of the films will be exiting the platform over the next six weeks. Mixed in throughout the month will be all of this season’s new Hallmark films, but again, they will only be available on-demand for 72 hours before they disappear.

Hallmark is set to release 31 new movies in the course of two months during this year’s Countdown to Christmas. For there to only be roughly 115 films available after the three-day windows close on each of the season’s new movies seems like a significant missed opportunity to get Hallmark devotees to make Peacock a destination for rom-com viewing.

In addition to all of the films, the entire six-season run of “Chesapeake Shores” will also be made available on demand on Nov. 15.

Hallmark on Peacock Release Schedule

* = leaving after 72 hours
** = leaving Peacock Nov. 30
*** = leaving Peacock Dec. 16 

November 2 

• Angel of Christmas, 2015 
• Angels and Ornaments, 2014 
• At Home in Mitford, 2017 
• A Beautiful Place to Die: A Martha’s Vineyard Mystery, 2020 
• Beyond the Blackboard, 2011 
• Broadcasting Christmas, 2016 
• Campfire Kiss, 2017 
• Christmas at Graceland, 2018 (Spanish Language)
• Christmas Comes Home to Canaan, 2011***
• Christmas Festival of Ice, 2017 
• The Christmas Heart, 2012 
• Christmas in Conway, 2013 
• Christmas in Evergreen, 2017 (Spanish Language)
• The Christmas Parade, 2014 
• The Christmas Spirit, 2013 
• The Christmas Train, 2017 
• Christmas with Tucker, 2013 
• The Color of Rain, 2014 
• Crossword Mysteries: A Puzzle to Die For, 2019 
• Debbie Macomber’s Mr. Miracle, 2014 
• A Dog Named Christmas, 2009
• Duke, 2012**
• Emma Fielding Mysteries: Site Unseen, 2017 
• Fallen Angel, 1998 
• Falling for Look Lodge, 2020**
• A Family Thanksgiving, 2010 
• Fixer Upper Mysteries: Framed for Murder, 2017**
• Follow Your Heart, 2020 
• For Love & Honor, 2016 
• Front of the Class, 2008 
• Gourmet Detective Pilot, 2015 
• Harvest Moon, 2015 
• Hallmark Channel’s Christmas Concert, 2019 
• Hitched for the Holidays, 2012 
• Ice Sculpture Christmas, 2015 
• In Love and War, 1997 
• Karen Kingsbury’s A Time to Dance, 2016 
• Karen Kingsbury’s The Bridge, 2015 
• The Lost Valentine, 2011 
• Love in the Sun, 2019**
• Love on a Limb, 2016 
• Lucky Christmas, 2011 
• A Majestic Christmas, 2018 
• Midnight Masquerade, 2014 
• Morning Show Mysteries: Mortal Mishaps, 2018 
• Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery, 2015**
• Murder, She Baked: A Plum Pudding Mystery, 2015 
• My Best Friend’s Bouquet, 2020 
• My Boyfriends’ Dogs, 2014 
• Mystery 101: Pilot, 2019 
• The National Tree, 2009 
• Naughty or Nice, 2012 
• Northpole, 2014 
• November Christmas, 2010 
• A Nutcracker Christmas, 2016 
• One Christmas Eve, 2014
• Picture Perfect Mysteries: Exit Stage Death, 2020 
• Project Christmas Joy, 2019 
• Pumpkin Pie Wars, 2016**
• A Rose for Christmas, 2017 
• Royal New Year’s Eve, 2017
• The Santa Suit, 2010 
• A Season for Miracles, 1998
• Signed, Sealed, Delivered, 2013 
• Signed, Sealed, Delivered for Christmas, 2014 
• Silver Bells, 2005 
• Switched for Christmas, 2017 (Spanish Language)
• The Town Christmas Forgot, 2010 
• Truly, Madly, Sweetly, 2018 
• The Valley of Light, 2007 
• Wedding at Graceland, 2019**
• When Calls the Heart, Seasons 7-9
• Window Wonderland, 2013 
• The Wishing Tree, 2012 

November 30 

• August Creek, 2017
• Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Real Murders, 2015 
• Christmas Cookie Party, 2019 
• Deck the Halls, 2019 
• Decoration Day, 1990 
• Finding Love in Mountain View, 2021 
• Gingerbread Magic, 2019 
• A Happy & Friends Yule Log, 2019 
• Jingle All the Way, 2011 
• Jingle and Bell’s Christmas Star, 2012 
• Karen Kingsbury’s The Bridge Part 2, 2016 
• Letters to Santa, 2019 
• The Light Before Christmas, 2019 
• Love Struck Café, 2017 
• Love, Take Two, 2019 
• Meet the Peetes, Seasons 1-2
• Morning Show Mysteries: Murder on the Menu, 2018 
• Ms. Matched, 2016 
• Picture Perfect Mysteries: Dead Over Diamonds, 2020 
• Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness, 2019 
• Sandra Brown’s White Hot, 2016 
• A Smile as Big as the Moon, 2012 
• SnowComing, 2022*
• Stranded in Paradise, 2014 
• Taking a Shot at Love, 2021
• Timeless Love, 2020 
• A Very Happy & Friends Yule Log, 2019 
• Walking the Dog, 2017 
• A Winter Getaway, 2021 

December 1 

Ad-Supported and Ad-Free Viewing

One significant positive for watching the available Hallmark films and series on Peacock is that if you subscribe to the Peacock Premium Plus tier, you will be able to enjoy all of the on-demand holiday goodness commercial-free. Obviously, if you are watching the films live via Peacock’s channel guide, you will still have to suffer through the commercials as they appear on the Hallmark cable networks, but otherwise, you will be able to watch each new movie in under an hour and a half, saving you 30 minutes vs. watching live.

That means, if you do a full-day binge, you will be able to watch an extra movie for every three that you watch. So, essentially Peacock is giving you four for the (temporal) price of three.

If you are a Peacock subscriber on the ad-supported Premium tier, you will obviously have the same live viewing experience, but there will also be ads inserted during the traditional commercial breaks originally built into every film and episode.

Hallmark Movies Now Comparison

By my count, there are more than 600 titles currently available on Hallmark Movies Now, including a number of film franchises, behind-the-scenes specials, and sneak peeks. From just my own research, I found more than two dozen Christmas films available on Hallmark Movies Now that are not also on Peacock, and that of course doesn’t account for the many non-holiday films that are almost entirely absent from Peacock.

However, it is important to note that Hallmark Movies Now does not provide a live-viewing option; so there are pros and cons to both platforms.

Features Wishlist

If Peacock wants to become a one-stop shop for Hallmark holiday viewing, it would be helpful to have a menu of this season’s on-demand original films, especially considering that they will only be available for three days. There is already a row dedicated to “Holiday Wish List” films, “Love at First Watch” movies, and “Crack the Case” whodunits, so adding a carousel for all of this season’s originals should be fairly easy, and extremely helpful for those Hallmark completists among us.

On the top of my list for all Hallmark on-demand platforms — be it via cable, Hallmark Movies Now, or Peacock — is the ability to search titles by stars. Anyone who watches these movies knows that we all have our favorite actors and actresses, and it would be nice to be able to seek out all of the titles that are available that they appear in; sometimes you just need a Nikki DeLoach and/or Tyler Hynes marathon.