There are all kinds of entertainment out there. We have the Oscar/Emmy variety that is artistically bold and challenges the viewers with stories and other film-making choices. But then there are more vanilla programs that provide escapist simple entertainment. Hallmark Channel’s Chesapeake Shores is definitely the latter variety but it’s enjoyable vanilla.

Set on the dewy shores of Maryland, Chesapeake Shores focuses on the O’Brien family. This is a rich white family with lots of melodrama like many shows that might have been helmed by the late Aaron Spelling.

The stunning Meghan Ory plays Abby, a recently divorced single Mom who is forced to return home to her family on the shore when her Grandmother (Diane Ladd) gets sick. Once at the shore she ends up finding a lot of reasons to stay with her big Irish family- Dad (Treat Williams), estranged Mom (Barbara Niven), sisters Bree (Emilie Ullerup) and Jess (Laci J Mailey), and brothers Kevin (Brendan Penny) and Connor (Andrew Francis).

As in all Hallmark shows, Abby also has a hunky ex-boyfriend waiting at the Shore. This time he is played by the very handsome Jesse Metcaffe who I love. These two have great chemistry together and they look so beautiful together. He also sings throughout the show, which I love.

If you claimed this show is a ‘white privilege’ show you would be completely right. All of these people have beautiful homes with continual water views. They rarely seem to work and have few daily survival problems. The romantic squabbles are also cliched. The corny wisdom from Grandma is very played out and clunky but I didn’t really care about any of that. It’s slickly made without any tawdry elements, and I enjoyed it as silly escapist fare. Although they did push even my limits when twice in the first season children were angry at their parents for giving them major loans to start business. Wouldn’t we all like to be so cursed!

Chesapeake Shores is basically a Hallmark version of a Soap Opera like Days of Our Lives but cleaned up. The acting is on that level with lots of melodrama and beautiful people. If that doesn’t sound like your thing then you won’t like it.

If that sounds like escapist fun than you might like it. I had fun with it.

Overall Grade- B

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