Cassie and Sam are having fun with one yr of wedded bliss with the added bonus of an empty nest, so Good Witch Season 6 guarantees to focus extra absolutely on the adults in Middleton.
We have chatted beforehand with Catherine Bell, who teased that the newlyweds could be studying much more about one another and interesting in some new hobbies.
Not too long ago, we had the prospect to talk with James Denton, who additionally teased a little bit of the upcoming season.
Like everybody else I’ve had the pleasure to talk with who has an affiliation with the Hallmark networks, James had nothing however reward for the ambiance and the accessibility on all ranges. He is additionally head over heels for Good Witch group.
Fortunately, all of Good Witch was already filmed and produced, so that they did not endure in any respect throughout the coronavirus lockdown, and his household is preserving busy. “Usually, we’re off now. We wrap it at Christmas and return in August. Clearly, we’re not going to return in August, however I am unable to complain, as a result of I did not anticipate to have plenty of work proper now. However it should damage if we will not return.
“However, boy, so many individuals have it a lot worse. We’re wholesome and simply form of holed-up, with plenty of tasks. I do plenty of, kind of house enchancment tasks. Proper now, I am in the midst of a giant rework, so I am ready to do this and never be round anyone, so it retains me busy.”
Sadly, his tasks have hit somewhat snag throughout the pandemic on account of a delayed begin on considered one of his upcoming Hallmark tasks as a part of a three-film manufacturing deal.
“I am undecided if it was referred to as Excellent Melody or Excellent Concord; we have not determined but. I am producing it as a part of my deal,” James mentioned.
“I’ve three films in my deal to supply, and I haven’t got to be in them, however the first one I did with my son, and it was essentially the most rewarding factor I’ve ever carried out. It is referred to as For Love & Honor, and that was about three years in the past.
“Yeah, we had one of the best time, and I assumed he was simply nice. That was his first time ever being in entrance of the digital camera. So I personal two extra. The following one goes to be a few musician, so I am going to get to do some little bit of taking part in.”
James laughed, “I’ve needed to sing somewhat bit; we’ll should Professional Instruments it. I am not a lot of a singer, however it should be cute, the place I meet one other musician, and doubtless, we end-up taking part in weddings collectively, so it is form of a romantic musical story, and that is the following one.
“Then the third one, I am undecided. I feel the third one’s going to be a Christmas film. I’ve obtained a marriage film after which a Christmas film, however gosh, who is aware of after we’ll be capable of do them?”
Understanding that James has musically inclined kids, I puzzled if they could make an look on the now-delayed mission.
Yeah, they’re actually good. My son proper now could be masking your complete Abbey Highway album himself, on all devices and taking part in the bass guitar and keys. He simply lays down one observe after which the opposite, after which the opposite, then the opposite on a storage band on his laptop. I feel he is obtained three songs or 4 songs carried out.
“That is his large mission, which is fairly cool. He is a giant basic rock fan, particularly since he is been 16, it is like, ‘That is enjoyable.’
“My daughter is also a extremely good singer. She’s really studying to play guitar throughout the quarantine. That is been fairly productive for her.”
After dabbling a bit, his daughter has determined that appearing is not in her future, however he is not ruling it out for his son, Sheppard. “He could be on this one. There’s a position for a teen that I would really like for him to do.”
James enjoys his work with Hallmark very a lot. “I’ve had pretty hands-on expertise [with Hallmark] as a result of I used to be a producer on the film. [With] Good Witch, you are kind of in fixed contact with Michelle [Vicary] and Randy [Pope], and even Invoice [Abbott], when he was there.
I miss Invoice loads. The accessibility! Having labored on, I have been a collection common on, I assume, in all places however Fox. ABC and CBS, I keep in mind engaged on a CBS present. ABC, NBC, Hallmark, and it is simply the accessibility.
“After all, it is a smaller community, however it’s very a lot a household ambiance. I am positive that is what each actor tells you. You will get any of them on the cellphone, at any time, discuss your character, or a few storyline, or a location.”
James is in awe of their open-door coverage and the way they’re at all times keen to hearken to any enter from expertise.
“They’re nice like that. We’re fortunate on Good Witch as a result of, even those who aren’t Hallmark folks, Jon Eskenas and Craig Pryce, the 2 govt producers on all the films, and now on the present. We even have Darin Goldberg as our present author. Technically, he is the principle author, however John and Craig run the present in Toronto. They’re simply two of the nicest guys I’ve ever met, and we simply have a ball.
“The solid, I imply, I do know it sounds gross, however the solid, we’ve got a textual content thread with 9 of us on it, that I textual content. Each single day, we’re involved, 9 of us, on this textual content thread. We did a Zoom name a few weeks in the past simply to the touch base.
“It is all actually, actually distinctive, and I actually recognize it. Particularly at this level in my life, I am definitely the previous man within the group, and I do not know if the youthful children understand how uncommon that’s, to have a solid that will get alongside like that, and enjoys one another that a lot.
If here is one factor that James treasures about Good Witch, it is, nicely, it should shock you. “I lastly get to make the corny joke, ‘I am not a physician, however I play one on TV.’ James laughed. “I lastly get to make use of it!”
“It is enjoyable to play a physician. I imply, I performed a physician on a pilot that did not go, approach again within the day, referred to as LA Med for ABC. It is simply enjoyable taking part in a physician. The jargon you get to make use of.
“Medical doctors at all times have this God Complicated, so that they have somewhat little bit of conceitedness that is form of enjoyable to play. So Sam was enjoyable as a result of he was the man coming from town to Middleton, and he is somewhat bit cocky, had somewhat little bit of self-righteousness in the direction of the locals.
“It was enjoyable to observe Cassie kind of work that out of him, after which for him to embrace that form of Mayberry life-style.
“All of the hospital stuff was enjoyable. We have had an awesome storyline this season. For the primary time, there’s a collection common who has a authentic medical difficulty that places some strain on Sam. He looks like, ‘Wow, if I mess this up, this individual may die.’
James laughed, “I used to be a coronary heart surgeon in New York, and all I’ve handled in Middleton is sprained ankles and rotator cuffs. All of the sudden I am an orthopedic man — as a result of none of these are life-threatening. However we lastly have a critical difficulty this season with a collection common.”
Now, we don’t doubt that whoever is struggling will discover their well past the scary second with the succesful Dr. Radford on their facet, however it’s about time we get to see Sam deal with an ailment extra suited to his huge expertise.
“That is the time for Sam to be conflicted and to really feel some strain, and present somewhat … not insecurity, however somewhat little bit of concern that, ‘Wow, that is like I am not loopy about engaged on shut mates or household.’ In order that’s a very good storyline this yr that was plenty of enjoyable.”
James has an in depth pal in Montana that serves because the city’s physician, so he has seen first hand the large strain a physician of that ilk comes beneath. “It is a small city in Montan. He delivers all of the infants. He works ER generally, and yeah, it is robust.
“I can actually relate to him now as a result of I watch him in public and all people comes as much as him and has medical questions. He is by no means off responsibility at eating places, no matter, at a play, the little neighborhood theater, he is at all times on.”
It is good to know that the sharper curiosity we have seen with medical instances, even when they don’t seem to be life-threatening, will not be disappearing any time quickly. As a result of there are large adjustments afoot now that Grace (Bailee Madison) and Nick (Rhys Matthew Bond) have moved away to varsity.
Though James has nothing however affection for Bailee and Rhys, he is wanting to see the extra grownup focus of the present. “They’re nice, however it at all times felt like we have been having to search out storylines for the youngsters. I really feel just like the present has somewhat completely different rhythm this yr as a result of it is all about grownups. Fortunately Nick continues to be there. Rhys nonetheless exhibits up for some episodes.
“It is actually enjoyable, grandfatherly stuff with Peter MacNeill, who any motive to get Peter in a scene, I am going to take as a result of he is such an awesome actor as George. Rhys nonetheless exhibits up for some time, however I feel that this present might be higher served to give attention to a grown-up storyline. It permits us to usher in Kat Barrell, who is an excellent actress.
“Marc Bendavid [Donovan] has a much bigger presence. There are love pursuits. So I am having fun with having extra grownups to work with and having extra interplay, however I do miss each these children as actors, Rhys and Bailee each.
One thing that performed very nicely on Good Witch Season 6 Episode 1 was the burgeoning friendship between Sam and Adam (Scott Cavalheiro). When Sam first got here to Middleton, he struggled a bit discovering his place on the town and had minimal contact with different males as mates. After I talked about it, James perked up.
“It is humorous you mentioned that. We struggled with what to do with Sam’s private experience by a few different writers earlier than Darin [Goldberg] got here in. Each Sue Tenney and Dean Batali are unbelievable and are actually gifted writers and actually nice folks. I like them each, however as a present, we simply did not know what to do with Sam’s private life as a result of he did not have any mates.
“He ended up being somewhat little bit of a pet canine, kind of following Cassie round and having no life outdoors of constructing positive he obtained Cassie the proper reward.
“So I’ve at all times needed it. Invoice Abbott, to his credit score, how usually do you have got a CEO of an organization discuss to you personally about making an attempt to develop your character? However Invoice was large on, ‘We have to discover a pal for Sam. Sam has obtained to have a life.’ Bringing Scott in to play Adam was large. We have had a pair come and go.
“We had Sean Gallagher a few years in the past who performed Liam. He was a extremely tall, dark-haired actor. A very good theater actor, simply unbelievable. However his character form of ran its arc in a single season, so he did not come again.
“So I am actually glad they introduced Scott in, and sure it continues, and it is considered one of my favourite issues concerning the season, the friendship between Sam and Adam as a result of the present was sorely missing that for Sam. If we will make Sam quantity two on the solid sheet, he is obtained to have extra to do than simply observe Cassie round like a pet canine. So this yr we have dealt with that loads higher, I feel.
As a viewer, it usually felt that a number of the peripheral grownup tales have been pushed to the backburner to make sure the storylines for Grace and Nick obtained coated. As such, even the premiere of Good Witch Season 6 had a special really feel, and Cassie and Sam appear to be creating a special dynamic to their relationship.
“That is 100% true, and so just like the dialogue, the witty banter is significantly better this yr as a result of they spend extra time collectively. There’s extra display screen time for them to be doing issues that are not serving to a child with homework.
“Not that I minded that, however they get to have extra of a relationship the place they’re empty nesters. I feel as a result of let’s not child ourselves, Good Witch has been round for what, 15 years with the seven films? It is due to Catherine Bell.
“I imply, I feel individuals are getting extra of Cassie as a human being and as a companion in a relationship. She has some insecurity. This yr, she decides to attempt to get a job as a trainer in school, and he or she’s somewhat bit nervous about it. I feel it permits folks to spend somewhat extra time with Cassie in a approach.
“And naturally, I profit from that, as a result of we do some enjoyable stuff, like she tries to show me to meditate, and I attempt to get her to play ball. And we simply do some issues that vacant nesters do, making an attempt to embrace the opposite’s hobbies, and it goes horribly improper, however it’s enjoyable.”
The results of the slight reset has been for the higher, and even Sam and Cassie’s relationship appears stronger than it ever was earlier than.
“It was a acutely aware determination, however Invoice and I talked about Sam changing into extra like Cassie and having Cassie’s admirable qualities put on off on him. In the beginning, they’d some actual enjoyable. He is wasn’t a fan of Cassie, they’d some good arguments,” James mentioned.
“That they had one actually nice combat, which we have not carried out since, and I form of miss that, the place she was seeing folks virtually like sufferers at The Bell, Guide, and Candle, and getting them tea or a e-book to learn, after which sending them away. And Sam’s like, ‘You are going to get any individual killed since you’re not a physician.’
“It was a extremely nice scene, it was in Gray Home, and it was heated, a heated argument. I made plenty of accusations at Cassie, and I cherished that as a result of it is an Jap drugs, Western drugs form of factor. However now you may see Sam lean on Cassie like he cannot clear up a case, and he begins pondering, ‘What is going on on with the individual emotionally?
“Cassie acknowledges that as ‘That is my affect.’ So that you’re proper. We began it final yr, however it occurs loads this yr, particularly with Sam softening up and realizing that there’s something to the best way Cassie offers with folks.
James laughed that Sam and Cassie’s investigations into the Middleton Treasure and the Davenport/Merriwick curse have made them a bit like a modern-day McMillan and Spouse, an previous detective present from the ’70s during which a husband and spouse investigated crimes collectively.
He says to anticipate much less interplay with random Gray Home friends and extra intrigue with their mates in Middleton. “I feel this yr, we pulled again and do not spend fairly as a lot time on the transient characters, and I feel that is good as a result of individuals are much more focused on like Abigail and Donovan.”
And even higher, there may be loads of room for Sam and Cassie’s relationship to thrive with out ever fearing one thing petty will break them aside.
“I nonetheless suppose Sam and Cassie are simply stable as a rock. We do not mess around with, ‘Will they break up up?’ That is not what Hallmark viewers usually wish to see or what anyone desires to see time and again.
“That, ‘Will they or will not they’ like Moonlighting, and each different present, Cheers, it is a great way to set it up, however we discovered after two or three seasons, these are grown folks of their 50s. Now, they don’t seem to be simply going up to now. They don’t seem to be going up to now and go get ice-cream for 3 years. So we tried to make them actual folks, as shortly as we may and nonetheless not cut-to-the-chase too shortly on getting them collectively.”
James does not imagine he is all that completely different from Sam, particularly because the present has aged, and writers started writing Sam infused together with his persona.
James thought he was Determined Housewives’ Mike Delfino virtually somewhat too completely, however there’s a consolation in figuring out who you are watching is just like a beloved character.
“So, yeah, I am a kind of those who, I am not precisely a chameleon. When folks meet me that do not know me, and so they watch the present, they virtually instantly say, ‘Oh, you are simply precisely the identical as on the present,'” James laughed.
“I am like, ‘Yeah, thanks for the praise.’ However you understand what? I’m at all times, as an actor, all I’ve ever needed is to be believed. I simply wish to be plausible, and if meaning the character just isn’t as sharply honed in a sure approach and made to be like a really particular New Yorker, however it’s extra plausible, and you do not see me appearing, I would moderately default to that.”
One other mission that James has been concerned with Hallmark is the American Human Hero Canine Awards that remember our four-legged mates and the innumerable methods they enrich, defend, and save lives daily.
A earlier host of the present, James places his cash the place his mouth is. When he is not appearing or producing or finishing remodels or being an awesome husband and pop in actual life and on TV (and complimenting every kind of household, mates, and coworkers, and administration), he additionally spends a while with two household canine.
The 2 canine members of the family now are a purebred Nice Dane that the youngsters needed desperately (and about which Jame holds some guilt for not adopting as a rescue) and a rescue named Dodger.
“Yeah, we’ve got two, and I cringe once I say, we’ve got a Nice Dane that may be a purebred as a result of Danes are tough with children, and we obtained her from a vet who’s simply bred his personal canine. So we did not get him from a pet mill or something. However we do have a rescue, we at all times have a rescue.
“Each canine we have had has been a rescue. However the children needed a Dane, we had mates who had Danes, and after doing a little analysis, I used to be afraid to get a rescue Dane,” James hmmed and hawed as he navigated his ideas on selecting a household pet from a person with a love for the breed, however I assured him that all of us agree that each one canine, whether or not bred or rescued, deserve an awesome household.
However of Dodger, he has no qualms bragging. They labored with a rescue that takes canine from the south up north to no-kill states to search out their ceaselessly properties.
“So Dodger got here from the streets, from the imply streets of Alabama,” James laughed, “on a van, and we met him within the parking zone at 10:00 one night time. This simply occurred to be after they rolled in, and we took him sight unseen off of the van. He was already named Dodger, which is ideal as a result of my children are Dodger followers, having lived in LA for thus lengthy.
“Dodger is our present rescue. He is just a bit Lab-mix, however we’ve got at all times nice canine. I imply, I’ve had 4 or 5 in a row. In truth, the Dane is the primary I’ve ever gotten that wasn’t a rescue. So you may inform, I’ve obtained somewhat little bit of guilt about it.”
All of it comes all the way down to this: James Denton actually is every thing we have come to like about him by the charismatic and type characters he performs.
Be sure you tune into Good Witch Sundays at 9/8c on Hallmark Channel to catch him as Dr. Sam Radford. And are available on again right here after every hour for a full evaluation.
And for extra of James because the good-looking, small-town physician, watch Good Witch on-line proper right here by way of TV Fanatic.
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a employees author for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of tv and movie. Observe her on Twitter and e mail her right here at TV Fanatic.