General Cupcake
Colonel Griff Carson (Dean Cain - Broadcasting Christmas) has dedicated his life to serving in the Army; spending most of his time stationed overseas, and is now looking at a promotion to General. Whilst Griff has been abroad, his wife, Janet (Kristy Swanson - The Bouquet), has raised their two children, set up a successful cupcake shop, and is about to open her second. So when Griff comes home on 2 months leave, whilst considering whether to retire or not, it is a culture shock for everyone as Griff struggles to adapt to civilian life and his family having their own lives. Seeing that Griff is at a loss Janet puts him in charge of one of her bakeries, but Griff's attempts to do things the military way doesn't work and leads to problems. But for Griff failure is not an option.
I think the biggest smile on my face whilst watching "Operation Cupcake" was that I found it both familiar and fresh. Opposites I know but I can't think of another comedy I have watched, let alone a Hallmark one, about a military man trying to acclimatize himself to a civilian life whilst also being a father who having been absent is struggling to feel part of the family. Yet both of these things are frankly familiar with some culture clash comedy when it comes to an army man trying to be a civilian and the whole father struggling with not feeling part of the family and no longer needed. It means that with "Operation Cupcake" Hallmark have again delivered a predictable but entertaining comedy which works for all the family.
Of course the casting helps and Dean Cain gets the whole military vibe thing perfectly and makes the comedy of him trying and failing to acclimatize to civilian life entertaining. But Dean Cain also works well with Kristy Swanson as she buzzes around him leading the life she has lived with the family whilst he has been serving abroad. I wouldn't go as far as saying that Dean Cain and Kristy Swanson have the comic chemistry of say Doris Day and Rock Hudson but they certainly have some comic chemistry which they bring to "Operation Cupcake".
What this all boils down to is that "Operation Cupcake" is some fun family entertainment with the sort of clean humour you expect from a Hallmark movie. Yes at its heart it is nothing new but the way it has been put together works for its intended audience.
