Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Higher Ground

Name: Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Higher Ground
Genre: Big City, Second Chance Romance, Proposal Ending, Colleagues/Coworkers
Released: 2017-01-01
Duration: 1 h 24 min
Rating: 7.5
Cast: Eric Mabius, Kristin Booth, Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe, Geoff Gustafson, Gregory Harrison

7.5/10 · 1,141 ratings20171h 24mWeirdness 3/10Bingo card

Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Higher Ground poster

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The premise

The postal detectives reunite a couple separated by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Themes:Faith and perseverance Surviving tragedy The power of music Commitment and marriage Unfinished business

How unusual is it?

Mostly classic comfort-watch, give or take a second-chance romance.

A rare specific

Tap to find the other Hallmark movies that share it.

Southern United States setting1 of only 4

Who’s in it

Our Guy

Eric Mabius

as Oliver O'Toole

Our Girl

Kristin Booth

as Shane McInerney

You’ve seen this pairing before: Eric Mabius and Kristin Booth have made 15 Hallmark movies together.

Alongside them

Show all 10 cast

Behind the camera

Show

Directed by

Kevin Fair

Written by

Wait, what?

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

The team 'adopts' a pet potato named Charlene that belonged to their deceased supervisor
A character is whisked away by Homeland Security in the middle of a Hallmark romance
A man waits on the exact same step of a building for 12 years based on a pun about altitude
The obsession with a specific kombucha smoothie recipe as a plot point

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 24 to find more movies that do the same thing.

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 the chaos of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Gabe, a handyman and musician who lost his family in a fire years prior, finds a connection with Hattie, the owner of 'Hattie's Backstreet Blues Club.' Before their relationship can blossom, the storm forces a mandatory evacuation. Gabe is sent to Denver and writes a letter to Hattie promising to wait for her at 'higher ground,' but the letter is returned as the club no longer exists. In the present day, the Dead Letter Office (DLO) team—Oliver, Shane, Rita, and Norman—are clearing out the desk of their late supervisor, Eleanor. They find Gabe's letter and a 'pet potato' named Charlene that Eleanor kept. The team begins investigating Hattie's whereabouts, but records initially suggest she is missing and presumed dead. The investigation is interrupted when Steve Marek, Shane's ex-boyfriend and a government agent, arrives to recruit Shane for a high-stakes cyber-security mission in D.C., requiring three months of total radio silence. During Shane's absence, Oliver, Rita, and Norman continue the search. They realize Gabe's signature 'Mile High' refers to the 13th step of the Colorado State Capitol, which is exactly 5,280 feet above sea level. They find Gabe, known locally as the '52-80 man,' who has played guitar on those steps every Sunday for twelve years, hoping Hattie would find him. Meanwhile, Shane uses her government resources in D.C. to discover that Hattie survived the Superdome evacuation and is living in Austin, Texas. Oliver travels to Austin to deliver the letter and convinces Hattie to return to Denver. The film culminates in a reunion at the Mailbox Grille where Gabe and Hattie perform together. Following the success, Norman proposes to Rita with a gold owl ring, and Shane returns to Denver to reconcile with Oliver, revealing the letters they wrote to each other during their time apart.

Beat by beat

Opening
A flashback to Hurricane Katrina shows Gabe and Hattie being separated after a brief but intense connection at her blues club.
Midpoint
Shane is recruited by her ex-boyfriend Steve Marek for a secret Homeland Security mission, leaving Oliver and the team for three months.
Midpoint
The team discovers Gabe is the '52-80 man' who has been waiting on the steps of the Colorado State Capitol every Sunday for 12 years.
Climax
Oliver finds Hattie in Austin, Texas, and brings her back to Denver to reunite with Gabe during a blues performance.
Resolution
Norman proposes to Rita with a gold owl ring, and Shane returns to the DLO to share her secret letters with Oliver.

24 tropes in one movie

We counted 24 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.

Higher-rated than 99% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Higher Ground belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.

Signed, Sealed, DeliveredPart of the 15-film Signed, Sealed, Delivered series.

BINGOThe leads start out at oddsA heartfelt love confessionA prince, princess or royal appearsA cup of cocoa, coffee or ciderSomeone races to catch the other before they leaveA best friend who has all the answersThe team clears out a late supervisor's deskThe town pulls together for one of its ownA nickname turns out to be a clueA wise elder dispenses adviceA second chance worth takingA musical number or live performance★A scenic spot becomes their meeting placeA warm hug that lingersA musician waits on the same stepsThe two leads are forced to work togetherA misunderstanding nearly ruins everythingA slow-burn romanceThe leads kissHomeland Security recruits a clerkA pet potato is treated like familyA heart-to-heart on a porch or benchA classic Hallmark meet-cuteA charming local cafe or diner

Hallmark Bingo

Your Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Higher Ground card is dealt.

Twenty-four squares pulled from this movie’s own quirks — the cosy classics, a few only-in-this-one curveballs, and a couple of decoys. Mark them as you watch.

Open your card

Lines worth quoting

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

“I'm gonna find my higher ground, and I'll be there every Sunday morning, waiting for the rest of my life.”
— GabeThe contents of the letter Gabe wrote to Hattie after Katrina.
“Jazz is not about the notes that you hear, it's about the notes that you don't hear.”
— ShaneExplaining the difference between jazz and blues to Oliver.
“Will you marry me? ... I want us to get married and be together forever, and have more than... potatoes.”
— NormanNorman's proposal to Rita.

Meet the characters

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

Oliver O'Toole
Lead
Postal Detective
TraditionalPrincipledArticulatePatient
Shane McInerney
Love interest
Technological Expert
Romantic interest and colleague
ModernBrilliantLoyalDetermined
Norman Dorman
Supporting
Postal Detective
Colleague and friend
QuirkyScientificSocially awkwardKind-hearted
Rita Haywith
Supporting
Postal Detective
Colleague and friend
Photographic memoryOptimisticWhimsical
Gabe
Supporting
Musician/Handyman
Subject of the dead letter investigation
FaithfulGrievingTalented

Questions people ask about Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Higher Ground

Where can I watch Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Higher Ground?

Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Higher Ground is available via fuboTV, Philo, and Hallmark+ Amazon Channel. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Higher Ground?

Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Higher Ground runs about 1 hour and 24 minutes, and was released in 2017.

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