Signed, Sealed, Delivered (TV series)

Signed, Sealed, Delivered (original title: Dead Letters[1]), also known as Lost Letter Mysteries,[2] is an American-Canadian drama/romantic comedy television series that aired on the Hallmark Channel from April 20 through June 22, 2014.[3] Created by Touched by an Angel's Martha Williamson, Signed, Sealed, Delivered focuses on four postal workers who take it upon themselves to track down intended recipients of undeliverable mail.[3] It is set in Denver, Colorado but filmed mostly in the Vancouver area. On October 12, 2013, a two-hour backdoor pilot movie aired on Hallmark and was a ratings success. It was the number-one television movie on its airdate and the number-two movie for that week.[4] The movie was watched by 1.72 million viewers.[5] Following one season of the TV series, Hallmark announced Signed, Sealed, Delivered would transition to a series of television films on its Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel.[6]

Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Promotional poster
Genre	Comedy Drama Romance Mystery
Created by	Martha Williamson
Starring	Eric Mabius Kristin Booth Crystal Lowe Geoff Gustafson
Country of origin	United States Canada
Original language	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	10 (plus pilot film)
Production
Executive producers	Martha Williamson Joel S. Rice Scott Smith Michael Prupas
Producer	Harvey Kahn
Running time	76 minutes (pilot); 42 minutes
Production company	Moon Water Productions
Distributor	Muse Entertainment
Release
Original network	Hallmark Channel
Picture format	480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV)
Original release	April 20 – June 22, 2014
External links
Website

Cast

Main

• Eric Mabius as Oliver O'Toole
• Kristin Booth as Shane McInerney
• Crystal Lowe as Rita Haywith-Dorman
• Geoff Gustafson as Norman Xavier Dorman

Guest stars

• Valerie Bertinelli as Rebecca Starkwell
• Carol Burnett as Ardis Paine, Norman's grandmother
• Valerie Harper as Theresa Capodiamonte
• Marilu Henner as Glynis Rucker
• Della Reese as Cora Brandt

Critical reception

Variety's Brian Lowry commented that it was "so old fashioned and hokey that it just might work."[7] David Hinckley of New York Daily News gave it 3 stars out of 5 in 2014 and said that while all the characters were terribly likable, they spoke as if they were reading from Hallmark greeting cards.[8]

Signed, Sealed, Delivered scored 58 out of 100 on Metacritic based on five "mixed or average" reviews.[9]

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Prod. code	U.S. viewers (millions)
—	"Second Chances (Pilot)"	Scott Smith	Martha Williamson	October 12, 2013	#100-120	1.72[5]
Oliver still believes stamped and mailed letters are important to human communication. The humdrum jobs of his dead letter mail experts Rita and Norman change when a technophile named Shane gets mistakenly transferred into their office. Shane inspires them to partake in a risky and unorthodox manner, starting with a chance to clear the name of a wrongfully accused man and reconnect him with the love of his life. Note: Aired as a two-hour television film.
1	"Time to Start Livin'"	Scott Smith	Martha Williamson	April 20, 2014	#1001	1.70[10]
Oliver wants to investigate a letter from ten-year-old boy alerting his grandmother he is running away after being inexplicably separated from her. Meanwhile, Shane, Rita and Norman prepare for new supervisor, Theresa Capodiamonte (Valerie Harper), a winner of the prestigious Dark of Night award, who challenges them to take greater risks with their deliveries. They discover that the boy's life is in danger, and they become determined to find the intended recipient of his letter. Theresa also realizes she has an unfulfilled lifelong dream.
2	"To Whom It May Concern"	Scott Smith	Martha Williamson	April 27, 2014	#1002	1.44[11]
A mangled letter describes a young woman's search for a soldier who saved her life and helped her escape Afghanistan during the War in Afghanistan. The Army officer is untraceable by normal means and the team must find him, even if he does not want to be found. Their search reveals a number of war heroes who not only return to less than a hero's welcome, but are also homeless. Attempts to deliver an orphan's letter to a war hero changes his life while Theresa's pursuit of her dreams inspires the team.
3	"Soulmates"	Kevin Fair	Dawn DeKeyser	May 4, 2014	#1003	1.69[12]
The team discovers an undeliverable love letter, and their investigation initially exposes more questions than answers. Their new supervisor Cora Brandt (Della Reese) also arrives with stricter policies and procedures. The letter contains a passionate plea from ranch owner Sam to his childhood sweetheart. However, a domino effect could occur for its recipient and the people in her life. After an unexpected twist, clues among the team's co-workers bring a resolution to the case.
4	"The Masterpiece"	Kevin Fair	Jeff Eckerle and Marilyn Osborn	May 11, 2014	#1004	1.30[13]
Norman retrieves a package jamming the office mail chute. A letter attached to it is written by a man named Danny to his father. Both were sent to Henry Barrett three years ago. The team learns Henry lost his home and business after a bout with cancer, and he now spends his time living and working at a bar. There, they hear from Henry that he has not spoken to Danny since he left for college ten years ago to be an artist rather than take over the family's auto repair business. To learn more about Danny, the team opens the package to find a piece of art. At a gallery, they learn the piece was part of a triptych detailing Danny's life, which has been cut short when he died in a fire. The mailed piece reveals a baby painted on it. Henry is a grandfather and is asked to bring the piece with him when he meets Danny's wife and daughter.
5	"The Edge of Forever"	Lynne Stopkewich	Katherine Collins	May 18, 2014	#1005	1.44[14]
A large box with an urn and a large envelope arrive in the office. The envelope has the name "Maggie" written on it and contains two separately addressed envelopes inside it. One is for Caitlyn Atkinson, the other is for Vanessa Doherty. The urn contains their mother's remains. Since the large envelope was addressed to someone else, the team searches for her. The women recall visiting a cabin with their mother in their younger days. The cabin belonged to their mother's friend, Maggie, who, when found, sends them on an adventure with their mother's ashes. The family was supposed to take a hike on September 11, 2001, when they learned the father died on one of the hijacked planes. The event caused the whole family to become bitter, even with each other. The daughters scatter their mother's remains when the hike was finally completed.
6	"The Future Me"	Lynne Stopkewich	Kerry Lenhart and John J. Sakmar	May 25, 2014	#1006	1.26[15]
A letter, postmarked with a future date, sets off a chain reaction that leads the team on a surprising, emotional journey. As Rita prepares for the Miss Special Delivery pageant while being threatened by Glynis Rucker (Marilu Henner), an intimidating supervisor whose daughter is also competing, Oliver, Shane, and Norman find themselves in the middle of a couple's struggle for acceptance.
7	"Something Good"	Scott Smith	Dean Batali	June 1, 2014	#1007	1.27[16]
A CD is found in the small bin of items that fell out of unsealed packages. The team listens to it and hears a single studio recording of someone's love song. Norman's cousin, Serge, who has a mental music memory recognizes the woman singing as Linda Hawkins from a local rock band. The male singer is not known. Linda tells the team the singer was very talented, and she hoped he would mail the song to her agent. She gives them the studio's address. Studio manager Jennifer Becker remembers the singer, Billy, with a last name that was difficult to pronounce. She adds he worked there in exchange for time recording. He also owned a vintage motorcycle. Billy Antonopoulos was involved in a motorcycle accident that impaired his memory. Shane believes Jennifer was for whom the song was written. She takes her to see Billy, whom she thought had moved on. She returns his guitar, and, as he slowly plays it, the song returns to him and he sings it for her. Meanwhile, Shane meets her old friend, Rebecca Starkwell (Valerie Bertinelli), the head of Special Projects from the Washington, D.C. post office who is in Denver to help with "awareness, goodwill and an increased reliance on the work of the post office."
8	"Dark of Night"	Scott Smith	Martha Williamson	June 8, 2014	#1008	1.61[17]
A letter found in a stolen Bible makes its way to the Dead Letter Office ten years after it was written. It contains a dark secret that was written the same night the sender died. The letter reveals that Melissa, wife of D.A. Michael Wheeler, was raped the night before their wedding and Abby, their daughter, is the product of said rape. After the letter is delivered without complication, Wheeler, distraught, plans to kill the rapist, Carl Brackner, at a court hearing. Upon learning of his plans, Shane and Oliver take the information to Rebecca Starkwell who decides to reorganize the Dead Letter Office into a special task force reporting directly to her at Special Projects, giving the entire D.L.O. a promotion and Rita creates a nickname for their group - The Postables. To stop Wheeler from killing Brackner, Oliver, Shane, Norman and Rita confront Wheeler at the court hearing and reveal that his daughter needs a kidney from Brackner to survive her injuries from the original accident that killed her mother. Brackner, upon learning of Abby and her plight, donates the kidney and the Dead Letter Office receives not only the Distinguished Service Award from their branch, but the highest postal honor, The Dark of Night Award.
9	"The Treasure Box"	Mike Rohl	Martha Williamson	June 15, 2014	#1009	1.47[18]
While Norman helps Rita prepare for the Miss Special Delivery pageant, Oliver and Shane head to a bank vault with a safe deposit key found in a puzzle box. They are told by vault manager Jason that the box's contents are about to be auctioned off. An alarm sounds while the three check out the box, the vault seals, and the bank clears out. Thinking they have only 13 hours of air, Jason finds the key needed to help open the box. Inside are letters from "January '08", wrapped in a ribbon. They document a long-distance love affair between Jonathan and Katherine, which ultimately reveal she has a rare case of pneumonia. Once free from the vault, Oliver and Shane locate "Jonathan", only to discover that he is the writer's great-grandson, Jonathan Walker IV. The letters were passed down through generations and contain the secret to true love. Back at the pageant, when Rita can't recall all the ways mail can be delivered, Oliver, at Shane's request, prays, and Rita remembers a comment Norman made the night before about mail delivery to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and wins.
10	"A Hope and a Future"	Mike Rohl	Brandi Harkonen	June 22, 2014	#1010	1.52[19]
While the team attempts to reunite a mother with her twin sons that never knew each other, Norman learns about a grandmother (Carol Burnett) he never knew he had. Also, Shane helps Oliver make a decision about contacting his estranged wife.

Made-for-TV films

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Prod. code	U.S. viewers (millions)
1	"Signed, Sealed, Delivered for Christmas"	Kevin Fair	Story : Brandi Harkonen, Kerry Lenhart and John J. Sakmar Teleplay : Martha Williamson	November 23, 2014	#111-120	0.755[20]
An emotional holiday story in which the Postables work overtime to help a struggling family find hope on Christmas Eve. Guest stars include Marion Ross and Rob Estes.[21]
2	"Signed, Sealed, Delivered: From Paris with Love"	Kevin Fair	Story : Martha Williamson and Brandi Harkonen Teleplay : Martha Williamson	June 6, 2015	#112-120	0.830[22]
The Postables deliver divorce papers to a happy couple, as well as Oliver's estranged wife, Holly (Poppy Montgomery), returning from Paris.[6]
3	"Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Truth Be Told"	Kevin Fair	Story : Martha Williamson and Brandi Harkonen Teleplay : Martha Williamson	September 13, 2015	#113-120	0.806[23]
The Postables deliver a soldier's letter from Afghanistan to her daughter, while Oliver's estranged father, Joe (Gregory Harrison), brings him surprising news.
4	"Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Impossible Dream"	Kevin Fair	Story : Martha Williamson and Brandi Harkonen Teleplay : Martha Williamson	October 4, 2015	#114-120	0.798[24]
The Postables travel to Washington, D.C., to bring a letter from an American prisoner of war before a Senate Hearing Committee. Also, Rita competes in the Miss Special Delivery Contest.
5	"Signed, Sealed, Delivered: From the Heart"	Lynne Stopkewich	Story : Martha Williamson and Brandi Harkonen Teleplay : Martha Williamson	February 21, 2016	#115-120	0.807[25]
The discovery of a 200-year-old valentine could change history, while the investigation of a damaged letter leads to a politician who could be brought down by its contents. In the aftermath of Valentine's Day, Oliver, Shane, Norman and Rita each deal with heartbreaking circumstances.
6	"Signed, Sealed, Delivered: One in a Million"	Kevin Fair	Story : Martha Williamson and Brandi Harkonen Teleplay : Martha Williamson	July 24, 2016	#116-120	1.021[26]
Oliver and Shane finally have their first date, where she sees the contrast of their relationship next to the extraordinary dance performances of a couple who express the longing of her heart. As Norman and Rita work alongside each other, their personal relationship hits a bump in the road. Together the Postables are asked to find a letter containing a one-in-a-million lottery ticket. Oliver's father and police officer friend Dale assist the investigation, which ultimately changes one couple's lives forever.
7	"Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Lost Without You"	Kevin Fair	Story : Martha Williamson and Brandi Harkonen Teleplay : Martha Williamson	September 25, 2016	#117-120	0.996[27]
Oliver's Divine Delivery Theory is put to the test when he and the POstables seem to be unable to deliver a damaged letter from a military veteran that's a matter of life and death. They've always been able to deliver mail by the grace of God right at the time it's needed most. While Oliver's faith is not shaken, his father Joe questions this divine theory. As Norman and Rita go on a road trip to pursue leads in the urgent veteran's letter, their trip takes them to the next level of their relationship and leads them to the place they're needed the most. Meanwhile Oliver and Joe go backpacking on a father-son bonding trip during which a serious injury puts both their lives at risk. After Oliver doesn't show up at work, Shane spearheads a rescue mission and calls Oliver's police officer friend Dale to help. When all seems lost, what's most important is found. To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.[28]
8	"Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Higher Ground"	Kevin Fair	Story : Martha Williamson and Brandi Harkonen Teleplay : Martha Williamson	February 19, 2017	#118-120	1.114[29]
The effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans cause handyman and blues singer-songwriter Gabe Recolte (Keb' Mo') to be homeless and broken hearted. The storm arrived before he could express his love for Hattie, a club owner. Forced to evacuate and relocate, Gabe writes a heartfelt letter to her. Years later, The Postables face unusual challenges in solving the mystery. Oliver also grapples with his unexpressed feelings for Shane while Norman and Rita's relationship continues to get stronger.
9	"Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Home Again"	Kevin Fair	Martha Williamson	September 24, 2017	#119-120	1.245[30]
When The Postables discover an antique vase with a letter inside, they trace the package to three little girls who attempted to sell the vase 18 years ago in order to save their family farm. While the vase was an heirloom from many generations ago, the origin is suspicious. With the farm facing financial hardship again, The Postables must choose between doing what’s legal and what’s moral. Norman also meets Rita's parents, Bill (Barry Bostwick) and Sunny (Colleen Camp), while Oliver and Shane go steady.
10	"Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Road Less Travelled"	Kevin Fair	Brandi Harkonen	February 11, 2018	#119-120	1.155[31]
The Postables take a road trip in an old Winnebago in order to track down a small boy who they fear may have been kidnapped. The discovery of a 1980's instant camera and the unusual photographs it contains, send the team on a wild ride across Colorado using the pictures as a guide. Meanwhile, both couples face troubles trying to communicate with their respective partners.
11	"Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar"	Kevin Fair	Martha Williamson	July 15, 2018	#120-120	1.455[32]
Plans for Rita and Norman's long-awaited wedding begin falling apart days before their nuptials. Meanwhile, Shane convinces Oliver that the team should urgently focus on finding clues to deliver a package containing a mother's wedding dress, intended for a daughter separated for years, and sets out to not only deliver the package but orchestrate a reunion as well. Oliver gets guidance from his father as he throws a surprise bachelor party for Norman. The biggest surprise is the return of Norman's grandmother, who joins from halfway around the world in a unique way. During the romantic yet non-traditional ceremony, perfectly suited for Rita and Norman, they and their guests find the miracles they need at the altar.

Characters

• A dark grey cell indicates the character was not in the film.

Character	Title
	Signed, Sealed, Delivered	The Series	For Christmas	From Paris With Love	Truth Be Told	The Impossible Dream	From The Heart	One In A Million	Lost Without You	Higher Ground	Home Again	The Road Less Traveled	To The Altar
Oliver O'Toole	Eric Mabius
Shane McInerney	Kristin Booth
Rita Haywith	Crystal Lowe
Norman Dorman	Geoff Gustafson
Ramon Rodriquez		Zak Santiago		Zak Santiago		Zak Santiago		Zak Santiago		Zak Santiago
Serge		Chris Gauthier					Chris Gauthier
Ardis Paine		Carol Burnett											Carol Burnett
Joe O'Toole					Gregory Harrison			Gregory Harrison					Gregory Harrison
Hazel					Jill Morrison		Jill Morrison					Jill Morrison
Steve Marek						Mark Valley				Mark Valley
Dale Travers							Emilie Ullerup				Emilie Ullerup
Gabe										Keb' Mo'			Keb' Mo'
Bill Haywith											Barry Bostwick		Barry Bostwick

References

1. "Martha Williamson Begins a Highly Anticipated Return to Television with "Dead Letters," (Working Title) a Hallmark Channel Original Movie of the Week and Potential New Primetime Series". The Futon Critic. July 2, 2013. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
2. "Lost Letters Mysteries (aka Signed, Sealed, Delivered) (20 x one hour, HD)". Betafilm. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
3. "Hallmark Channel's Highly Anticipated New Original Series from the Creative Force Behind "Touched by an Angel" Martha Williamson, "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," Will Have Its World Premiere Sunday, April 20th". The Futon Critic. February 19, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
4. "Hallmark Channel's Scripted Series, "Cedar Cove", Closes Out Its First Season with 2.2 HH RTG". The Futon Critic from Hallmark press release. October 15, 2013. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
5. "Saturday's Cable Ratings & Broadcast Finals: ALCS, NASCAR & College Football Top Charts". The Futon Critic. October 15, 2013. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
6. Poppy Montgomery to Guest Star In 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered From Paris, With Love' Sunday, June 14 on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
7. "TV Review: 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered'". variety.com. 10 October 2013.
8. "'Signed, Sealed, Delivered,' TV review". nydailynews.com. 19 April 2014.
9. "Signed, Sealed, Delivered : Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved May 5, 2014.
10. Levin, Gary (April 22, 2014). "Nielsen ratings: 'Scandal' finale up from previous year". USA Today. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
11. Douglas Pucci [@sonofthebronx] (April 30, 2014). "1.44M viewers RT @carstenter Do you have ratings for last Sunday's (04/27) episode of Signed, Sealed, Delivered?" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
12. "Sunday, May 04, 2014". Multichannel News. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
13. Douglas Pucci [@sonofthebronx] (May 14, 2014). "1.303M viewers RT @carstenter Do you have ratings for last Sunday's (05/11) episode of Signed, Sealed, Delivered?" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
14. Douglas Pucci [@sonofthebronx] (May 21, 2014). "1.437M viewers RT @carstenter Do you have ratings for last Sunday's (05/18) episode of Signed, Sealed, Delivered?" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
15. Douglas Pucci [@sonofthebronx] (May 30, 2014). "1.264M total viewers, only 195k adults 18-49 RT @carstenter Do you have ratings for Sunday's (05/25) episode of Signed, Sealed, Delivered?" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
16. Douglas Pucci [@sonofthebronx] (June 4, 2014). "1.273M viewers RT @carstenter Do you have ratings for Sunday's (06/01) episode of Signed, Sealed, Delivered?" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
17. "The Heat Returns For ABC! - Sunday, June 8, 2014". Multichannel News. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
18. "Who Won Sunday Night's Primetime Slugfest? - Sunday, June 15, 2014". Multichannel News. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
19. Douglas Pucci [@sonofthebronx] (June 25, 2014). "@carstenter Signed Sealed Delivered 6/22 1.516M viewers" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
20. Pucci, Douglas (December 1, 2014). "Sunday Final Nationals: NBC Wins Competitive Night". TV Media Insights. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
21. Signed, Sealed, Delivered Christmas
22. Pucci, Douglas (June 9, 2015). "Saturday Final Nationals: 147th Belmont Stakes Fuels NHL Stanley Cup Final Game 2 on NBC". TV Media Insights. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
23. Metcalf, Mitch (September 15, 2015). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 100 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 9.13.2015". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
24. Pucci, Douglas (October 7, 2015). "Sunday Final Nationals: CBS Dramas Down Big from Their Prior Season Premieres". TV Media Insights. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
25. Metcalf, Mitch (February 23, 2016). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 2.21.2016". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
26. Metcalf, Mitch (July 26, 2016). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 7.24.2016". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
27. Pucci, Douglas (September 27, 2016). "Sunday Final Nationals: Lackluster Returns for Various Season Premieres on ABC and Fox". The Programming Insider. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
28. https://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/signed-sealed-delivered/the-movies
29. Metcalf, Mitch (February 21, 2017). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 2.19.2017". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
30. Metcalf, Mitch (September 26, 2017). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 9.24.2017". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
31. Metcalf, Mitch (February 13, 2018). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 2.11.2018". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
32. Metcalf, Mitch (July 17, 2018). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 7.15.2018". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved July 17, 2018.

External links

• Official Signed, Sealed, Delivered website
• Signed, Sealed, Delivered at IMDb