Here’s today’s dispatch from the crossroads of faith, media and culture.

My Boyfriends’ Dogs airs tomorrow (10/18) @ 9:00 PM ET on Hallmark Channel.
Synopsis (from the Hallmark Channel website): Bailey Daley (Erika Christensen) is a hapless young bride who has run away from the altar with not one, but three dogs she adopted from past relationships. Running into a small diner one rainy evening in a soaked wedding dress with her dogs at her feet, Bailey launches into the story of her strange predicament to the restaurant owners, Louie (Michael Kopsa) and Nikki (Joyce DeWitt). She explains that she hasn’t been able to find the right love, always longing for the more loyal, stable companionship she finds in her ex-boyfriends’ canine companions. Against the knowing advice of her mother Dina (Teryl Rothery) and best friend Amber (Emily Holmes), Bailey tries to transform herself into the perfect fit for each new guy she meets. As each relationship ends, Bailey adopts her ex’s dogs, but remains hopelessly single. Will a twist of fate that stormy night lead her to realize that true puppy love happens only after one stops searching for it?

Review: Sure, it’s about dogs but what we really have here is the ultimate chick flick. But, that’s okay. I happen to be a guy who loves dogs. And, even as a guy, I can appreciate a well-told romantic comedy — especially one with dogs. And that’s exactly what we have here. A story about a likable woman’s quest to find that special someone. Erika Christensen (Parenthood) is delightfully intelligent, funny and vulnerable as the story takes her through three doomed-to-fail relationships. Besides the dogs, the film also features Joyce DeWitt (Three’s Company) and Michael Kopsa as an older married to whom she tells her story. Their scenes work well as a means of tying the story together and of gently portraying how nice and snugly comfortable a marriage an enduring marriage can be. That, in itself, is something that should be portrayed more on television.

Probably the best and sweetest (in a good way) scenes, however, are the ones between Bailey and her mother (Teryl Rothery, interviewed below).  There’s some genuine chemistry between the two actresses and the sense of a mother and daughter who truly love each other is honestly touching.

The bottom line is this. Though you’ll see the ending coming almost before the movie even begins, it’s satisfying and makes you feel good. On a relaxing Saturday night, after a hard week of work, sometimes that’s all you want. Mission accomplished. My Boyfriends Dogs is a treat and recommended.

Talking with Teryl Rothery (Hallmark’s My Boyfriends’ Dogs, Cedar Cove)

(Left to Right): Teryl Rothery, Erika Christensen
Photo Credit: Copyright 2014 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Brenda Falvey

JWK: You’re a very busy actress with role ongoing role in a successful TV series.Why did you choose to take on the role of Bailey’s mother in My Boyfriends’ Dogs?

TERYL ROTHERY: The script! I absolutely loved the storyline! It was funny. It was warm. It made me laugh out loud. It made me smile.  I just knew deep down inside I had to be a part of it.

JWK: Are you a dog lover yourself?

TR: Huge! It’s ridiculous!

JWK: Do you have any pets at home?

TR: I do. I have two dogs, two birds, two fish and, as you can (in the background), a very loud five-year old…So, it’s a handful.

JWK: Checking out your IMDB page, you’ve done a lot of sci-fi and fantasy projects. Besides you’re roll on Stargate SG-1 (one of my favorite shows) and Arrow,  your credits include roles on Supernatural, Eureka, Smallville, Caprica and, most recently, CW’s Arrow? Are you attracted to sci-f projects?

TR: I haven’t been locked into just the sci-fi although I love it — mostly for the fans…It’s tremendous to go out and do all these conventions and thank them for supporting the show. But it’s been a mix…I mean I (also) love the warm and fuzzies (like Cedar Cove and My Best Friends’ Dogs).

JWK: What TV shows do you watch?

TR: That’s a hard one because right now it seems that all I’m watching is Teletoons and Nickelodeon. You know what I love? I love Criminal Minds. I love CSI. Those are my kind of shows. I also love Modern Family…MasterChef, I’m huge into that. I’m a big Gordon Ramsay fan…I don’t get a whole lot of time to watch anything but, if I can, those are some of the ones that I do tend to watch.

JWK: It’s interesting that you like shows like Criminal Minds and CSI which would hardly be described as “warm and fuzzy” yet you also enjoy some of the gentler stuff.

TR: Absolutely. My favorite movies are all romantic comedies. I love the romantic comedies.

JWK: Do you have a favorite romantic comedy?

TR: I’d still have to say Pretty Woman. I still think that it’s one of the best ever.

JWK: What’s next on your professional agenda?

TR: Well, right now I’m working on Cedar Cove which is another Hallmark project. So, I’m really excited and very happy doing that. I’m loving the character.

JWK: Beyond Cedar Cove, what kind of roles are you looking to do?

TR: I love comedy. I love to make people laugh. (But) anything that’s telling a good story makes me happy. So, I just like to be part of the storytelling process.

JWK: And it looks like you have a great relationship going with Hallmark.

TR: Oh, how grateful am I! It’s an absolute joy to work with these people. It’s seriously like you would think. It’s that family feel. I’m seriously blessed to be a part of that series. I really am. I’m so grateful to Hallmark.

Note: Cedar Cove  airs  Saturdays @  8:00 PM ET on Hallmark Channel.

Encourage one another and build each other up – 1 Thessalonians 5:11