Two for Tee is a new Hallmark Channel romance starring network regular Janel Parrish as a pottery artist named Tee who actually makes teapots. And then when she meets a handsome new single dad who’s just moved to town, the two of them hit it off and, well, I think you’re picking up what up putting down, this title has a lot of layers.
TWO FOR TEE: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?
The Gist: Tee (Parrish) teaches pottery at the local community center where Will (Chris McNally) has just been hired as the handyman. Tee is not just a pottery teacher though, she also aspires to be a serious artist and have her work shown at a local gallery, but she’s turned away when the owner tells her he doesn’t really feel that her work shows her true identity.
Tee, whose mother Leigh Anne (Lillian Lim) emigrated to the U.S. from China, starts to tap into her roots after her mother tells her the cultural significance of the teapot they use at home, and how the design and clay are unique to her hometown in China. Invigorated with fresh ideas that highlight her heritage, Tee starts to create a line of pottery inspired by the teapot. At the same time, she forges a relationship with Will, who has recently moved to town with his daughter Natalie, and Will and Natalie are instantly welcomed into Tee’s whole world.
When Tee and Will learn that the community center where they both work is at risk of shutting down due to budget cuts, they, along with several of Tee’s students, come together to try and save it. While Two for Tee initially begins as a gentle romance, it becomes an underdog story about a scrappy community fighting for their beloved artist space. And of course, everything works out in the end.
Courtney Julien
What Movies Will It Remind You Of? Two for Tee feels reminiscent of several other Hallmark movies about a community that bands together to save the local [insert beloved public space here], but what makes this movie so unique is the mother-daughter relationship between Tee and Leigh Anne that brings to mind the cultural and familial stories of The Joy Luck Club.
Performance Worth Watching: David Kaye, who plays Tee’s cousin Theo, brings just the right about of witty sidekick energy to the role.
Sex And Skin: None.
Courtney Julien
Our Take: It seems like there’s a lot going on in Two for Tee, but the story never seems convoluted or complicated while you’re watching. Sure, Tee is starting a relationship with Will, attempting to pursue her passion as an artist, and trying to save the beloved community center where she volunteers (while also working at the vintage store she and her cousin Theo own), but somehow, even though the movie is juggling a lot, it all feels grounded, calm and cozy.
Credit where credit is due: Janel Parrish is a versatile performer who has always delivered great performances, both dramatic and comedic, and she keeps Tee grounded and big-hearted, even when the chips are down. Parrish has chemistry with all of her co-stars: romantic chemistry with McNally, a BFF vibe with Kaye, who plays cousin Theo, and the heartfelt, mother-daughter relationship she shares with Leigh Anne (Lillian Lim, who is wonderfully realistic as Tee’s mom), which is at the heart of the movie.
It’s Tee and Leeanne’s relationship that sets this movie apart from so many others like it; Tee receives a lesson in her Chinese culture, and the film plays up her Chinese-American heritage, something we haven’t seen very often in a Hallmark movie. It’s a welcome change of pace and a reminder that even small nods to cultural diversity matter. This is still very much a typical Hallmark romance, but when Tee and her mom share conversations that are subtitled, when they go out to eat chicken feet, or some of the needle drops are not in English, it feels exciting to watch something that’s reflecting a point of view we don’t see much of.
Our Call: Two for Tee is one of those movies that you want to live in. The ensemble is filled with people you want to spend time with: everyone is looking out for each other, differences are celebrated, and community comes together when times are grim. It’s an idealized world, and the perfect escape for these not-always-ideal times. STREAM IT!
Liz Kocan is a pop culture writer living in Massachusetts. Her biggest claim to fame is the time she won on the game show Chain Reaction.
