I always like to separate these cozy Hallmark mystery movies out from the others I watch because they feel like their own thing. In point of fact, most of them feel like the same thing, that is, over-long episodes of Hart to Hart. Still, I kind of like 'em.

28. (1682.) Dead Over Diamonds: Picture Perfect Mysteries (2020)
This is the second of the series, but the first one I watched. Herein, a photographer tries to figure which of too many subjects is involved in a very improbable theft from an art gallery that every police detective could solve over morning coffee.

33. (1687.) Picture Perfect Mysteries: Newlywed and Dead (2019)
The original is..., well, I don't want to say "better" than its sequel, but maybe it is. At least it's more colorful, and I liked that. (See, she's a visual artist, so the color is supposed to represent her artistic sense. That's about as deep as character development gets in these things.)

35. (1689.) Crossword Mysteries: Proposing Murder (2019)
I find Lacey Chabert more irritating than charming in these Crossword Mysteries. Amateur detectives have to be a little pushy, I suppose, but damn, girl. This episode also suffers badly from too much Checkhov's Gun, tipping its hand long before the reveal. Just careless storytelling.

38. (1692.) Riddled with Deceit: A Martha's Vineyard Mystery (2020)
Mom thinks the male lead in this series, Jesse Metcalfe, is good looking, so we watch these regardless of whether the mysteries are any good. This one centers around another improbable art theft. The tacked on twist ending comes out of left field, even assuming you remember the throwaway line in the first act that sets it up. Funny how a bad ending can ruin an otherwise enjoyable adventure. Good thing that guy is good looking.

More to come.

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