Cookies weren't the only thing baked up during the premiere of Alison Sweeney (Sami Brady) and Cameron Mathison's (ex-Ryan Lavery, All My Children) film, Murder She Baked -- huge ratings were delivered, as well.
The Saturday, May 2, premiere of the film managed to draw 1.1 million total viewers, making it the most-watched and highest-rated Hallmark Movies & Mysteries debut in the network's history. It was also the network's most social movie premiere on Twitter, garnering the highest unique audience of any new original film in network history (which Soap Central helped generate by hosting a live Twitter chat during the premiere -- a chat that both Sweeney and Mathison joined).
"Since the network's rebrand last fall, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries is resonating more strongly than ever with viewers, as evidenced by the runaway success of Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery," said Michelle Vicary, Executive Vice President, Programming and Network Publicity, in a statement. "With top notch talent like Alison Sweeney and Cameron Mathison, as well as 14 more new originals premiering throughout the rest of the year -- including another installment in the Murder, She Baked movie franchise -- we anticipate that growing excitement and awareness around the network will continue to drive ratings and delivery."
Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery centers on free spirited Hannah Swensen (Sweeney), an expert baker who becomes a culinary detective when her shop, the Cookie Jar, becomes the scene of a crime, just as she is caught in a romantic mystery of her own. The film is based on the New York Times' bestselling book, Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke.
What did you think of Sweeney and Mathison's first film? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
