Chesapeake Shores: Season 1

I think I love CHESAPEAKE SHORES as much as I do WHEN CALLS THE HEART. True, Hallmark tends to not ever dial down the schmaltz. But it's why we tune in in the first place, right? Hallmark is television's equivalent of comfort food, for when you want to escape the cynicism and brutality and just sheer meanness so prevalent on the idiot box.Given, the problems our characters face are what I call "first world problems." The picturesque small town of Chesapeake Shores, Maryland can rival Cedar Cove when it comes to idyllic, postcard-perfect imagery. It's where 34-year-old Abby O'Brien (Meghan Ory) rushes to, courtesy of an alarmed phone call from her sister about their ailing grandmother. It's where the rest of the O'Brien siblings end up coming home to roost as the pilot episode unfolds.Abby hasn't called Chesapeake home in years and years. A Wall St. executive, she has a thriving career in bustling New York. She's one of those divorced workaholics that, counterintuitively, owns an app that keeps track of her every minute so that she doesn't miss anything, to which her gran retorts: "Seems to me that if you have to be reminded not to miss something, you might be missing everything."Of course, gran (Diane Ladd) refers to Abby's two darling daughters, a nine-year-old and a seven-year-old. In pursuit of her career, she's missed out some in her girls' lives. Not that she'd meant to. In Chesapeake Shores, as she and her siblings check up on their grandmother, Abby O'Brien takes a deep breath, savoring her momentary slice of respite.Not that it's all chill in Chesapeake. The O'Briens are a fractious fam, and maybe my favorite quote in this series comes from the patriarch, the daunting Mick O'Brien (Treat Williams), who remarks to his squabbling brood, "The reason we Irish fight so much is because we have no other worthy opponents."Maybe some plot spoilers.Oh, there's drama, so much drama. See, Abby takes after her old man. Mick O'Brien was never one to coddle his kids. Abby herself never asked for a thing in her life, except that one time when she was five and couldn't get the lid off the peanut butter jar. Mick spent his five children's formative years as this distant authority figure persistently preooccupied with work. It estranged several of the kids. It for sure estranged his wife (Barbara Niven) who walked out on him AND the kids. Today, you can work out the strained group dynamics.Maybe there should be mention now of Pete Sampras-- I mean, Jesse Metcalfe. He did snag top billing, after all. I wonder how much of his getting cast here comes from his role in A COUNTRY WEDDING? That was a terrific Hallmark flick in which he also plays a country music star. Metcalfe plays Trace Riley, a country music star whose star was on the wane. Partly because Trace gave up his music and a life on the road, the because of it we learn later in the season.Trace is back home in Chesapeake Shores, doing construction, seeking that elusive peace of mind, grown more elusive since Abby's return. See, sixteen years ago, Abby left Trace for New York and didn't bother to say adios. But you and I, we suspect something's about to be rekindled. Because, if nothing else, to quote someone else, "Ory and Metcalf might be the only two people on the planet good-looking enough for each other."I find myself gravitating most towards Laci J Mailey, who plays the youngest sibling, Jess. Jess was only eleven when her mom took off; it's a resentment that festers still. There's also some residual rancor against her dad; she thinks he thinks she's not good enough. Otherwise, Jess is a bubbly, crazy impulsive twenty-something, adventurous enough that she'd just bought a house and converted it into a bed & breakfast. Jess may be my favorite.And then there's Bree (Emilie Ullerup), a stressed playwright plagued with writer's block. And serious Kevin (Brendan Penny) who's on leave from Afghanistan. And the irreverent Connor (Andrew Francis), the aspiring ambulance chaser.It's funny. You tune in to a television series like this on Hallmark, you note the good acting and the longform storytelling. It makes you shake your head at how silly these Hallmark rom-coms are that minimize the actors' skills, actors reduced to talking heads that service the predictable plots and conflicts. Not to say that the storytelling in CHESAPEAKE SHORES is that original or innovative. Except an ongoing show gets to take its time, and gifts you with richer character work, so that you get to know the characters better so that when they do get put thru the mill of the banality of the various story arcs, at least you've grown to care about them and what happens to them. Me, I never thought Brendan Penny had it in him to act the heck out of his dramatic scenes. As well, Emilie Ullerup, who I'm used to in starring in fluffy Hallmark rom-coms like WITH LOVE, CHRISTMAS and CHRISTMAS BELLS ARE RINGING. As Bree, the troubled playwright, she turns in a solid, nuanced performance. Meanwhile, Treat Williams is excellent as the delinquent patriarch who has an epiphany that while he may have missed out on the joys of his children growing up, it's never too late to try to make up for lost time.So, do I recommend this series? Does a bear sh-- in the woods? If you need a break from them brooding, hard-hitting programming, take a load off and soak in this piece of Americana that never was. Where benign parental neglect, a PG-rated love triangle, and *gasp* a touch of embezzlement are considered the heights of impropriety. And where the wise grandma serves up homespun bromides such as "You never forget the things you really care about" and "The love shared around the table is far more important than the meal on top of it." It probably sounds more meaningful if you hear it with gran's Irish accent. That comes and goes, by the way.

I liked the pilot very much and decided to order season 1. Unfortunately Amazon Prime downloaded season 1 but it NEVER SHOWED up on my pc or I Pad ..

I love this show! It’s a good clean show and the whole family can watch. Plus....they seem real. Lots of families have issue and the o’briens do but they they seem to genuinely care about each other. This series is worth watching!!

I love this show! Hallmark Channel almost never disappoints when it comes to small town romance! I've never read the books that this show is based one, but she's a #1 best selling author so I'm not surprised that she's written such a intricate family. It translates well onto the small screen. Megan Ory and Jesse Metcalf have great chemistry and I can't wait to see them continue to fall in love! As well as all the other siblings.

Well, now I know what people mean when they say "Hallmark Channel" as an adjective. How pathetic! And "Chesapeake Shores"??? Since when is the Chesapeake bordered by mountains? Even the family dinner back at mother's house, to give the real flavor of the Chesapeake, they are having crabs for dinner. Only they aren't blue crabs at all, they are snow crab legs.

I love the Chesapeake shores series and can't wait for season two and three and four keep them coming please don't make us wait so long. Looking forward to seeing them all a again very soon I hope.😊

Deserves all the praise for a new series. Characters quickly establish their uniqueness. Hallmark continues to provide exceptional quality programs. Can't wait for next season.

Loved reading Sherryl Woods' series on Chesapeake Shores and am loving watching the Hallmark version of the series. Good cast, good writing, and beautiful scenery. Can't wait for season 2 to start. I'm really happy I purchased season1 so I can watch it over again anytime I want from beginning to end.

Dvd arrived Monday 13th August. I will be relaxing on Friday night Feet up and binge watch. also I have ordered Season 2. I have read the books and now I can enjoy all over again. Thank you so much

Well my daughter loves this show. And the characters have enough variety to be interesting to discuss with a younger - minded audience. In the interest of inclusionary opportunities I would like Hallmark to add subtitle options. Should be required. I "talk" these movies and this would be easier with subtitles. I would also like to see Hallmark better role model​ positive inclusionary relationships. And did anyone else want to know Treat Williams's last joke we didn't hear in the closing moment of the season. Everyone there burst into laughter but we were left out.More of us would like to be let in please.

Ich mag diese Serie total gerne, ist hier in Deutschland natürlich auf Deutsch verfügbar. Da ich aber die Synchronisierung nicht toll finde, habe ich mir die Serie auf Englisch besorgt, sehr viel besser (wer Englisch problemlos verstehen kann, sollte besser das Original nehmen).

Really enjoying these DVD’s. The storyline is never boring and very clean - would even be appropriate for family viewing together. An ongoing story with the lives of the in individuals in a large famil.

I loved reading the books and in spite of the fact of a few licenses with the original stories this show would not disappoint. It is sweet, funny at times, sad in others and a breath of fresh air. It's just wonderful to put a face and a voice to these characters they I love so much. Every actor does its character justice. Waiting expectantly for S2 to air in Canada. Well done!