Entertainment

The jury’s out on ‘Cedar Cove,’ but at least it’s predictable

GOWN AND OUT: Andie MacDowell stars as a small-town judge in “Cedar Cove,” based on Debbie Macomber’s best-selling novels. (
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There are about 16 people in the mythical Puget Sound town of Cedar Cove, which is featured in Debbie Macomber’s novels. But every person is nice, white, slim and mostly untroubled.

Or at least they aren’t so troubled that their problems can’t be soothed and solved over a good meal and sensible talk.

Tomorrow night, Hallmark Channel launches its first-ever prime time series, which is based on Macomber’s novels. She’s sold 150 million of her feelgood books, which makes the new series a guaranteed win for Hallmark.

The almost-action in “Cedar Cove” revolves around town judge Olivia (Andie MacDowell), her grown daughter Justine (Sarah Smyth) as well as Olivia’s mother, Charlotte (Paula Shaw) and Olivia’s best friend, Grace (Teryl Rothery).

New to town is the editor of the town paper, the handsome and conveniently unmarried Jack (Dylan Neal).

Handsome is a good thing for Jack, seeing how he doesn’t seem to be much of a newspaper guy. For example, he is unconcerned that the town is in an uproar about Justine’s fiance Warren’s (Brennan Elliott) plans to tear down — heaven forbid! — the town lighthouse. Jack finally gets it and says, “So this is a big story!”

Considering that the price of cat food would be a big story in Cedar Cove, the answer would be, “Duh!”

There’s an attraction between divorced Olivia and handsome Jack, but there’s no kissing — at least not on the first date. Ditto for daughter Justine, who breaks up with the big, bad developer and falls instead for a local fisherman.

Meantime, Olivia figures out a perfect way to save the lighthouse and keep Warren happy without much conflict. Riveting!

In the second episode, Charlotte, a hospital volunteer, tends to a “John Doe” who suffered a stroke upon entering town and cannot speak.

Before he dies, however, he gives a key to Charlotte. But, well, who knows what it’s for?

It takes about 20 seconds to figure out that it’s a key for a storage facility. It takes 14 more seconds to find its exact location. Even though Olivia at first has a problem — legally — with opening the storage unit, she accompanies her mom anyway and they discover the secret of the lonely man who died.

All the folks in Cedar Cove have found peace in the town, sure, but, as it turns out, most of them come with big baggage.

We learn, for example, that Olivia had another child, a son, who died.

We learn, too, that Jack had a drinking problem — which is revealed when his long-lost son Eric (Tom Stevens) comes to town seeking a place to live.

It ain’t brain surgery and nobody’s going to win any Emmys, but that’s not why fans watch Hallmark.

They watch it because it’s cheaper than a tranquilizer and not as addictive.