Fans are in for a “treat” this Saturday night. Hallmark Channel’s The Spirit of Halloween premieres October 10 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, and Meghan Ory makes it one to remember.
Ory plays Everly Stone, a talented bridal designer who wants nothing to do with Halloween after a painful night at her hometown’s fire-station party years ago. Then three mischievous spirits arrive, in a playful, modern twist on A Christmas Carol.
Ory’s comedy is pure gold in her scenes with the ghosts, but she gives Everly real heart too. Her sweetest moments come opposite Kevin McGarry as Beau Madison, Everly’s longtime friend. The two click from their very first scene together, with great banter and a few moments that say everything without a word. McGarry plays the yearning beautifully: Beau has his life together and is simply waiting for Everly to catch up.
The pair also pull off the college flashbacks, where a younger Everly gets swept up with the bad boy. McGarry admitted he expected the production to cast someone else as young Beau, but he had nothing but praise for his co-star: “Meghan looks great, like she could be in college no problem.” As for his own college look, McGarry joked, “I feel like Beau had a Justin Bieber thing going on because of the hair and the sweater.”
In an exclusive conversation with Heart in Motion Media, McGarry went further: “She’s great. Hallmark should bring her back in a lot of different things… Meghan was fantastic in that, and I mean, I was just on the other end of it, but I knew it was something special.”
A fantastic supporting cast rounds out the story, including Derek McGrath, Sheila McCarthy, and Lachlan Quarmby as the Ghost of Halloween Future. Hearties will recognize Quarmby as Constable Alexander Vaughn on Hope Valley: 1874. The costumes are a highlight too. Behind the scenes, executive producer Kate Gordon, who also worked on fan favorites Providence Falls and Villa Amore, helps bring it all together. McGarry is a fan: “I had such a great time with her on Villa Amore. And I think her instincts are so great as a producer.”
And that ending? Without giving anything away, it’s one of my favorites: a big moment for Everly and Beau, with a great score to match. It’s also a treat to see all the spirits together in the final scene. As McGarry put it: “Each one of them was so funny. And then it was such a big payoff at the end, too, and we get to see them all in that final scene.”
The Spirit of Halloween is for anyone who loves A Christmas Carol, loves the guy who waits for the girl, and loves a story about someone who refuses to settle. Most of all, it’s proof that Meghan Ory can handle every side of a character.
Watch Saturday, October 10 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Hallmark Channel, or stream it the next day on Hallmark+. Stay tuned for more from Meghan Ory and Kevin McGarry.