Hallmark has made a U-turn on its initial plan for The Way Home season 3 following strong backlash from fans. The show, which combines family drama with time travel in a sci-fi setting, ended its second season in a way that left viewers eager for more, setting up a tantalizing continuation. However, the series’ future was put in jeopardy when Hallmark announced that season 3 would premiere solely on its new streaming service, Hallmark+, rather than on cable.
Now, Hallmark has reversed this decision. Instead of debuting on Hallmark+ first, The Way Home season 3 will premiere on The Hallmark Channel on January 3 at 9 PM ET. It will then be available for streaming on Hallmark+ the following day, and this pattern will continue for the remainder of the season. The change came after a flood of angry responses from viewers, especially on Facebook groups, where many expressed dissatisfaction with having to subscribe to another streaming service and even threatened a boycott.
What this reversal means for The Way Home season 3 is that Hallmark is following a model similar to what other channels have done. The upcoming episodes will see some new faces, with Julia Tomasone, Jordan Doww, and Devin Cecchetto joining the cast to play younger versions of Del, Colton, and Evelyn respectively. Moreover, season 2 ended on a crucial note, with Jacob, who had been missing, returning as an adult and ready, with Kat’s help, to reunite with an unaware Del.
Hallmark may have hoped that the unresolved storyline would draw viewers to Hallmark+, which launched just this year. But the plan to keep the season as a streaming exclusive until later in 2025 was an unusual move. In contrast, NBC airs its shows on broadcast first and then on Peacock the next day, and ABC does the same with its primetime shows and Hulu. Thankfully, Hallmark has walked back its decision and opted for a more familiar approach.
Hallmark’s reversal is trying to capitalize on a hit show. The Way Home is one of Hallmark’s top-rated scripted series, with a dedicated fan base eager to see what the creators have in store next. While it makes sense for executives to want to build on its success, an unexpected change and a long streaming exclusivity period were bound to trigger a negative reaction from fans.
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