Family History Mysteries: Buried Past

While this may be another "hallmark movie" this is on a different scale of a 'mystery'. This really hits home for anyone out there who is adopted or has any questions about their heritage. I felt this on a couple different levels. Very good acting for all involved and well written script. As someone (me) who isn't sure of familial history, this made me think of how things could have been different, had I only known. Can't wait for the next episodes as they kinda left us with a cliffhanger with the main actor on this one. This is for sure the best new series on Hallmark by far. And I have seen them all.

Ok the two leads did have chemistry...and I really love Niall Matter...and the concept of hunting down genealogical mysteries is fun (I would love that job!), but I felt like they didn't use as much "genealogy" as I would have liked.

That aside, the story involved Sophie McClure tracking down the presumed dead biological father of her best friend Jonathan and his twin Jackson. Sophie is highly motivated as Jonathan has leukemia and his biological father may be the bone marrow match that could save his life.

Meanwhile Sophie's assistant is working her first case of her own to return love letters found in some floorboards to their rightful owners (I would question what that has to do with genealogy?).

Could be the start of a new hallmark mystery series, but I think they have a few kinks to work out before they get in to the same category as my favorites...Hannah Swensen's Murder She Baked, Aurora Teagarden and Mystery 101, but I am still hopeful.

Sophie McClaren (Janel Parrish) is a genealogist in Buffalo. Her friend Jonathan needs a bone marrow donor. He and his twin brother Jackson (Niall Matter) are lifelong friends. Their mother Dorothy (Sherry Miller) hires Sophie to find their assumed-dead father Clark Higgins who may be still alive.

Sophie has an easy out, but she doesn't take it. She could easily tell the boys that she's looking for any unknown distant relatives for Jonathan's treatment. It's the first indication that the writing isn't good enough. One may have low expectations for a Hallmark movie. I still appreciate stories without giant holes in the writing. The concept has potential and this has a functional mystery. The romance is fine. It's not the worst idea in the world.

The title seems to be a bit of a misnomer. The mystery, such as it is, does not need the skills of a genealogist to solve it, and Sophie shows no signs of any professional skills. As a supposedly successful New York physician, Jackson should be better placed to find a bone marrow match for his brother. And if he is such a hotshot, why hasn't he done so instead of playing second fiddle to the girl he once had a crush on but never admitted it. As in the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, Niall Matter is once again playing the male eye candy sidekick, rather ineffectual love interest meant to be an intellectual equal but only there as an occasional action man's who goes along with the lead taken by the heroine. And he doesn't really get the girl in the end, either; just a chaste high school sweetheart kiss. Not much history, not much mystery and not much chemistry.

Whilst the premise is interesting, the script was terrible. The second half was better, but I found the dialogue to be stilted and awkward for the first. I'm hoping that they continue with the series with tighter writing. I'd give it another chance given the idea seems fresh.

I'm required to write more to submit this review, so I'll tell you that I liked all of the actors and characters in this, especially Niall Matter. I don't recognize the actress in this, but she's likeable, and would probably seem to be a better actor with a better script. I know that the two were supposed to be awkward around each other as they hadn't seen each other in years, but not that awkward.