Mrs. Miracle

6.4/10 · 3,533 ratings20091h 30mChristmasWeirdness 7/10Bingo card

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The premise

Overwhelmed widower Seth Webster is searching for a housekeeper to help him with his unruly six year old twin sons. Mrs. Miracle mysteriously appears and quickly becomes an irreplaceable nanny, chef, friend... and matchmaker.

How unusual is it?

More than most. Angels/heaven, magic and an actual miracle push it well past the usual Hallmark template — the strangest 12% of everything we've logged.

Who’s in it

Behind the camera

Show

Wait, what?

The quirks and curveballs that make this one a little weirder than your average Hallmark. No spoilers, promise.

  • Mrs. Merkle appears to have reality-warping powers, such as making a pianist win a trip to Fiji just to create a vacancy.
  • The twins claim Mrs. Merkle's name is written on their foreheads.
  • Mrs. Merkle implies she is an angelic or supernatural being who travels from family to family.

Every trope, all in one place

Here’s everything this one has going on, from the setting to the way it wraps up. Tap any of the 37 to find more movies that do the same thing.

Why we’d put this one on

A genuine angel-among-us comfort classic, and Doris Roberts is wonderful as the mysterious Mrs. Merkle, who appears out of nowhere to wrangle a widowed architect's unruly twin sons. James Van Der Beek plays Seth, the overwhelmed dad, and Erin Karpluk is Reba, the woman Mrs. Merkle quietly sets him up with. The fun is in her reality-warping nudges, like sending a rival pianist off to Fiji just to clear a vacancy, while the twins insist her name is written on their foreheads. Weirdness 7, faith and forgiveness throughout, and at 6.7 a reliably warm Christmas watch.

How it all plays out

Already seen it, or just can’t wait? Open this up for the whole story, ending included.

Full story (spoilers)
The film opens with Seth Webster, a widower and architect, losing yet another housekeeper due to the 'high-spirited' antics of his six-year-old twins, Judd and Jason. His neighbor and the school staff suggest he needs a miracle. Meanwhile, Reba Maxwell, a travel agent and former theater actress, is pressured by her mother to reconcile with her sister, Vicki, who betrayed her four years ago by running off with Reba's fiancé. Reba refuses, preferring to keep her distance from her family during the holidays. A mysterious woman named Emily Merkle (whom the boys quickly dub 'Mrs. Miracle') appears at Seth's door, claiming to be from an agency. She immediately wins over the boys with her firm but kind demeanor and magical ability to clean the house and cook perfect meals. Seth meets Reba when he visits her travel agency to plan a trip, and they later cross paths at the school where Reba has been talked into directing the Christmas pageant. Mrs. Merkle begins subtly pushing them together, even suggesting a specific Greek restaurant for their first date. During their courtship, Seth reveals he stopped playing the piano the day his wife, Pamela, died because the music was too painful a reminder. Reba shares the story of her sister's betrayal, explaining that she cannot forgive the woman who stole her future. As the pageant approaches, the production faces a crisis when the regular pianist suddenly wins a trip to Fiji—an event orchestrated by Mrs. Merkle's 'luck.' Reba asks Seth to play, but he initially refuses, leading to a heated argument where they both accuse the other of being trapped by their past. Mrs. Merkle intervenes with wisdom, telling Reba that she shouldn't let anger control her life. Reba eventually reconciles with Vicki, realizing that her sister truly regrets her actions. Inspired by Reba's growth, Seth decides to play the piano for the pageant, finally sharing his wife's memory with his sons. The pageant is a massive success. After the show, Mrs. Merkle quietly slips away, telling the boys that other families need her help, leaving Seth and Reba to start a new life together as a family.

Beat by beat

  1. Opening

    Seth Webster's latest housekeeper quits due to his twins' behavior, and he is told he needs a 'miracle' to manage his household.

  2. Inciting Incident

    Mrs. Merkle arrives unannounced at Seth's house, claiming to be the new housekeeper, and immediately brings order to the chaos.

  3. Midpoint

    Seth and Reba begin dating, but their relationship is strained by their individual traumas: Seth's grief over his wife and Reba's resentment toward her sister.

  4. Climax

    The pageant pianist 'randomly' wins a trip to Fiji, forcing Seth to choose between his fear of the past and helping Reba and his sons.

  5. Resolution

    Seth plays the piano at the pageant, Reba reconciles with her sister, and Mrs. Merkle disappears to help another family.

37 tropes in one movie

We counted 37 distinct Hallmark tropes packed into this one — a genuine greatest-hits reel.

How it stacks up

Where this one’s rating lands against every other rated Hallmark movie.

Rating 6.4 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 6.4567

Higher-rated than 45% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog Mrs. Miracle belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.

Debbie Macomber's Mrs. MiraclePart of the 5-film Debbie Macomber's Mrs. Miracle series.

Lines worth quoting

The lines that stuck with us — the ones you’ll be repeating after the credits roll.

  • “You don't need a housekeeper. You need a miracle.”
    — Mrs. HampstonThe previous housekeeper quitting after being pranked by the twins.
  • “I stopped playing the piano the day my wife died.”
    — Seth WebsterExplaining his trauma to Reba during their date.
  • “I want you to forgive. Let go of the anger. Get on with your life.”
    — Seth WebsterSeth confronting Reba about her relationship with her sister.
  • “Everything's going to turn out all right from now on. I definitely promise.”
    — Mrs. MerkleHer final goodbye to the twins before disappearing.

Meet the characters

Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.

  • Seth Webster

    Lead

    Architect

    GrievingOverwhelmedKindMusical
  • Reba Maxwell

    Love interest

    Travel Agent

    Love interest

    TalentedResentfulProtectiveArtistic
  • Mrs. Merkle (Mrs. Miracle)

    Supporting

    Housekeeper / Magical Matchmaker

    Housekeeper and mentor

    MysteriousWiseManipulative (benevolent)Cheerful
  • Judd and Jason Webster

    Supporting

    Students

    Sons

    MischievousEnergeticObservant
  • Vicki

    Supporting

    Estranged sister of Reba

    RegretfulPersistent

Questions people ask about Mrs. Miracle

Where can I watch Mrs. Miracle?

Mrs. Miracle is available via fuboTV, Amazon Video, and Apple TV Store. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

Is there a sequel to Mrs. Miracle?

Yes. Mrs. Miracle is followed by Debbie Macomber's Call Me Mrs. Miracle.

How long is Mrs. Miracle?

Mrs. Miracle runs about 1 hour and 30 minutes, and was released in 2009.

Is Mrs. Miracle a Christmas movie?

Yes. Mrs. Miracle is a Hallmark Christmas movie, set during the holiday season.

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Data and sources

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Sources:IMDbTMDB