WITCHY' WOMAN
BELL RINGS IN AS SULTRY SIREN IN FEEL-GOOD FLICK
By ADAM BUCKMAN


January 19, 2008 -- WHAT did you expect from Hallmark - "Macbeth"?

No old crones with warts on their noses and high, conical hats on their heads are seen stirring the contents of great cauldrons in this new TV movie titled "The Good Witch" about a young, beautiful, witchy woman who moves to a small town named Middleton to take up residence in the village's most mysterious house.

She might be a witch, or she might be some kind of magician. But, more likely, she's just more New Age-y than anyone else in this narrow-minded and somewhat mean-spirited little burg - which means some of the local watchdogs don't take kindly to her presence, or her new shop on Main Street, where she sells herbs and potions that strike them as strange.

So, some of the townspeople want to run her out of town. And some other townspeople - the ones who have bothered to get to know her - are lining up on her side.

It's not the weightiest conflict in the world, especially since her store, called Bell, Book & Candle, doesn't seem all that different from shops found everywhere that sell scented candles and essential oils.

Still, this made-for-TV movie represents something in short supply on television - namely, a nice movie with tons of heart that families can watch together in the same room.

And since the big broadcast networks have decided to abandon Saturday nights as not worth their investment, Hallmark (seen on Ch. 84 on Time Warner cable systems in the city) has taken up the slack with TV movies that are consistently among the highest-rated on cable.

This one stars Catherine Bell, formerly of "JAG," as Cassie, the good witch, and Chris Potter, who some may recognize as the star of USA Network's "Wild Card" a few seasons ago, as the chief of the town's two-man police department who takes a shine to this new, enigmatic neighbor.

He shares his household with his two kids - well-played by Matthew Knight (last seen in "The Dresden Files") and Hannah Endicott-Douglas) - but he's been a widower for three years, which will apparently make it OK for him to pursue this witch, or whatever she is.

She doesn't twinkle her nose like Samantha Stephens in "Bewitched" or turn any of the townspeople into goats or donkeys like Samantha's mother, Endora.

She really is a good witch, and she's wholesome enough for the whole family.

Bewitched

The Hallmark Channel entry is "The Good Witch," co-starring Catherine Bell and Chris Potter, at 9.

Bell is probably best known for her role on CBS' "JAG" and more recently in Lifetime's "Army Wives." Potter has done tons of supporting roles in movies, series and soaps, such as "The Young and the Restless."

Tonight Bell plays Cassie Nightingale, a mysterious woman who moves to a haunted mansion in Middleton, Somewhere USA. Bell looks like a younger Cher in the part with long, dark tresses.

Potter is the town police chief, Jake, who is a modern-day Sheriff Andy Taylor. He's a single dad just like Sheriff Andy was and is trying to raise two young-uns on his own. He even has a Barney Fife-like character as a sidekick. Maybe Andy Griffith should sue.

Anyway, the mayor's busybody wife takes an instant disliking to Cassie and organizes a move to run her out of Mayberry, uh, I mean Middleton.

Nobody needs a crystal ball to figure out how all this is going to turn out, but Bell is the best thing about it and maybe a reason to tune in if you get a sudden hankering for a little light romance, Mayberry style.

I just caught "The Good Witch" this evening. I thought it was thoroughtly delightful. I hope everyone else enjoys it too.

Also, on Saturday, Hallmark Channel's "The Good Witch," starring Catherine Bell, averaged a solid 4.23 million viewers, the second biggest aud to date for the preem of an original telepic on the net. And Oxygen set a network record for an original movie Saturday with "Husband for Hire" (1.11 million).