What We Know About Hallmark’s New Series, ‘The Chicken Sisters’

Hallmark is in the midst of production on an upcoming series titled “The Chicken Sisters,” adapted from K.J. Dell’Antonia’s New York Times bestselling novel. The series features stars like Lea Thompson and Wendie Malick.

Slated for a fall premiere on Hallmark, “The Chicken Sisters” will span eight episodes. Annie Mebane is the showrunner and executive producer, bringing the series to life.

Lisa Hamilton Daly, executive vice president of programming at Hallmark Media, expressed enthusiasm, saying, “Annie Mebane blew us away with her vision for ‘The Chicken Sisters.’ Her unique spin and enthusiasm for this fried chicken feud had us excited from day one.” Daly is confident that the episodes will leave viewers craving more.

“The Chicken Sisters” revolves around a multigenerational feud in the fictional Southern town of Merinac. The story focuses on two rival fried chicken restaurants, Chicken Mimi’s and Chicken Frannie’s, which have competed fiercely for decades to claim the title of the best fried chicken in the state.

This ongoing rivalry not only keeps the founders’ families divided but also involves the townspeople, who take sides. Romance brews amidst the conflict, offering the families opportunities to reconcile.

Showrunner Annie Mebane shared, “When I read ‘The Chicken Sisters’ by KJ Dell’Antonia, I fell in love with these characters. On the surface, the show is about two restaurants competing on a reality show, but it’s really about the baggage we pass down through generations and learning to unpack it. I love telling this multigenerational story focused on women: their frustrations, desires, and ultimately, their healing. We’ve assembled an incredible cast, and we can’t wait to welcome audiences to Merinac.”

The show’s leading cast boasts veterans like Lea Thompson and Margo Martindale, who serves as the narrator. Other notable cast members include:

• Lea Thompson (“Back to the Future,” “Some Kind of Wonderful”)
• Schuyler Fisk (“The Baby-Sitters Club,” “Sam & Kate”)
• Genevieve Angelson (“Good Girls Revolt,” “Backstrom”)
• Wendie Malick (“Young Sheldon,” “Hot in Cleveland”)
• Margo Martindale (“BoJack Horseman,” “Cocaine Bear”)

In December 2020, Reese Witherspoon selected “The Chicken Sisters” as her book club pick of the month. She praised the novel as “a charming, feel-good story about the kind of bonds and rivalries only sisters can share.” Dell’Antonia was thrilled with the recognition, saying it felt like “having your favorite teacher give you a big, fat A.” She added, “It’s enormously gratifying to have somebody that is that great at picking stuff tap her fairy wand on me.”

Witherspoon’s book club has a strong track record of picks that get adapted into TV series and movies. Popular adaptations include “Little Fires Everywhere,” “Where the Crawdads Sing,” and “Daisy Jones & the Six.”

While the official release date of “The Chicken Sisters” hasn’t been announced yet, the series is expected to premiere in mid-September, according to Hallmark.

In conjunction with the series premiere, Hallmark is launching a new streaming platform, Hallmark+. Expected to launch in September, this service will feature “The Chicken Sisters” as one of its debut offerings.

Source: Variety, KSN 16