'Tis the Season for Setups Cast and Premiere Date
Quick answer: Amanda Schull and Victor Webster star in 'Tis the Season for Setups, which premieres Friday, Oct. 16, at 8/7c on Hallmark Channel. Barbara Niven co-stars, and Hallmark lists it as streaming on Hallmark+ the next day.
It's the opening night of Countdown to Christmas 2026. Below: who plays whom, what the story is, and every airing Hallmark has posted so far.
Who stars in 'Tis the Season for Setups?
Hallmark's cast page bills three actors. The roles below come from that page; the extra credits come from the entertainment press and are marked as such.
| Actor | Role | You may know them from |
|---|---|---|
| Amanda Schull | Lexi | Suits, 12 Monkeys; Hallmark's Project Christmas Wish |
| Victor Webster | Ridge | Days of Our Lives, Mutant X, Continuum; Hallmark's Mystery on Mistletoe Lane |
| Barbara Niven | June | Hallmark's Cedar Cove and the Hannah Swensen mysteries |
Girls Gone Hallmark also lists Verity Marks as Lexi's teenage daughter, Piper, and John B. Lowe as Dan, the lodge owner. Those two aren't on Hallmark's own cast page yet.
What is 'Tis the Season for Setups about?
Lexi is a party planner and a very organized single mom. She takes a job running the annual holiday party at a ski resort, so she, her teenage daughter and her free-spirited mother, June, all spend Christmas there.
Lexi doesn't get along with Ridge, a ski instructor whose father owns the lodge. Then the two of them notice that June and Ridge's dad seem to like each other, and they team up to set the pair up. The plan has complications. We won't spell out where it lands.
Where was 'Tis the Season for Setups filmed?
Hallmark hasn't said where it was shot. The network's page and the press coverage we checked name no location. The setting is a ski resort, and that's as far as the sources go. We'll add the location here once the network or a local outlet confirms it.
When does 'Tis the Season for Setups air again, and where can you stream it?
| Date | ET/PT | Central | Airing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri., Oct. 16 | 8 p.m. | 7 p.m. | Premiere |
| Sat., Oct. 17 | 6 p.m. | 5 p.m. | Encore |
| Thu., Oct. 22 | 10 p.m. | 9 p.m. | Encore |
| Wed., Oct. 28 | 8 p.m. | 7 p.m. | Encore |
| Mon., Nov. 9 | 4 p.m. | 3 p.m. | Encore |
| Sun., Nov. 22 | 10 a.m. | 9 a.m. | Encore |
Those showtimes are from Hallmark Channel's page for the movie, checked Friday, Oct. 2, at 10:15 a.m. ET. Later dates can still move.
Hallmark says the movie streams on Hallmark+ the day after the premiere, Saturday, Oct. 17. Hallmark+ is on demand only. To watch the Friday broadcast you need Hallmark Channel through cable, satellite or a live TV streaming package.
FAQ
What time does 'Tis the Season for Setups start?
8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, 7 p.m. Central, on Friday, Oct. 16. It runs in Hallmark's usual two-hour slot.
Is 'Tis the Season for Setups the first Countdown to Christmas movie of 2026?
Yes. Hallmark's schedule puts it on opening night, ahead of Mystery on Mistletoe Lane at 10 p.m. See the full 2026 schedule and our Holiday Touchdown cast page for the next night's premiere.
Sources
- Hallmark Channel: 'Tis the Season for Setups (showtimes) and its cast page
- Girls Gone Hallmark: premiere date, cast and details
- Yahoo Entertainment: Hallmark's 2026 Christmas movie schedule
- TVLine: 2026 Hallmark Christmas movie schedule
- Wikipedia: Victor Webster (earlier credits)