If you’ve ever sat down on a rainy Sunday, flipped on Hallmark, and found yourself staring at Catherine Bell wondering why she’s suddenly living in a massive grey house with a teenage daughter you didn't know she had, you aren't alone. Keeping track of the order of the good witch movies is a legitimate challenge. It isn't just a TV show. It isn't just a movie series. It's this sprawling, decade-long cozy universe that Hallmark built brick by brick, starting way back in 2008.
Most people mess this up because they jump straight into the Netflix series. Bad move. If you do that, you're basically starting a book on chapter ten. You miss the whole "Stranger in Town" vibe that made Cassie Nightingale so mysterious in the first place. You miss the actual origin of Grey House. To really get it, you have to go back to the beginning—before the bistro, before the Sam Radford era, and definitely before the Merriwick cousins became a central plot point.
Why the Release Date is Your Best Friend
Look, some folks try to watch these chronologically based on the years that pass in Middleton, but that’s a headache. The simplest, most effective way to consume this is by release date.
The journey started with a single film called The Good Witch. It was a gamble for Hallmark. At the time, they weren't sure if audiences would vibe with a character who might—or might not—be actual magic. Cassie Nightingale arrives in Middleton, moves into a haunted-looking mansion, and immediately starts unnerving the local police chief, Jake Russell. It’s peak cozy mystery.
After that first success, they just kept going. Every year, like clockwork, a new movie dropped. You had The Good Witch's Garden in 2009, then The Good Witch's Gift in 2010. By the time we got to The Good Witch's Family in 2011, the world-building was getting serious. We met Cassie’s long-lost cousin Abigail—who, let's be honest, brought a much-needed edge to the sugary sweetness of Middleton.
The Transition Nobody Talks About
There is a weird gap that trips people up. Between 2011 and 2014, Hallmark released The Good Witch's Charm, The Good Witch's Destiny, and The Good Witch's Wonder. These movies are essential because they bridge the gap between Cassie being a newcomer and Cassie becoming the matriarch of the town.
Then things changed.
📖 Related: Why Grand Funk’s Bad Time is Secretly the Best Pop Song of the 1970s
In 2015, the franchise pivoted to a scripted television series. This is where the confusion peaks. The movies didn't actually stop; they just morphed into "specials" or double-length episodes that usually aired around Halloween. If you ignore the movies and just watch the seasons of the show, you’ll lose huge chunks of the narrative. For instance, the transition from Cassie being a widow to meeting Dr. Sam Radford happens right at the seam of the final movie and the first season.
The Definitive Watch List
Stop guessing. Here is the actual sequence.
Start with the original seven movies. No shortcuts.
- The Good Witch (2008)
- The Good Witch's Garden (2009)
- The Good Witch's Gift (2010)
- The Good Witch's Family (2011)
- The Good Witch's Charm (2012)
- The Good Witch's Destiny (2013)
- The Good Witch's Wonder (2014)
Once you finish The Good Witch's Wonder, you’re ready for the TV series. But wait. It isn't just "Season 1 through 7." Hallmark loved their holiday specials, and they are canon. They aren't just fluff.
- Season 1 (2015)
- Good Witch Halloween (The movie that bridges Season 1 and 2)
- Season 2 (2016)
- Good Witch: Secrets of Grey House (The bridge between Season 2 and 3)
- Season 3 (2017)
- Good Witch: Prophecy (The bridge between Season 3 and 4)
- Season 4 (2018)
- Good Witch: Tale of Two Hearts (The bridge between Season 4 and 5)
- Season 5 (2019)
- Good Witch: Curse from a Rose (The bridge between Season 5 and 6)
- Season 6 (2020)
- Season 7 (2021)
That's it. That is the whole roadmap. If you skip the Halloween movies in between the seasons, you're going to be very confused about why certain characters are suddenly dating or why a massive curse is suddenly the main topic of conversation.
The Jake Russell Dilemma
We have to talk about it. If you’re a newcomer, the disappearance of Jake Russell (Chris Potter) is jarring. He was the co-lead of the first seven movies. Then, when the TV show started, he was... gone.
👉 See also: Why La Mera Mera Radio is Actually Dominating Local Airwaves Right Now
Hallmark made a creative choice. To turn the property into a long-running series, they felt they needed a "fresh start" for Cassie’s romantic life. They wrote Jake out between The Good Witch's Wonder and the premiere of Season 1. This is a point of contention for many "OG" fans. It changes the tone from a family mystery to a lighthearted romantic dramedy. Honestly, if you love the original movies, the first season of the show might feel like a bit of a betrayal at first. Stick with it. James Denton’s Sam Radford eventually finds his footing, and the chemistry settles into something different but equally comfy.
The Magic Isn't What You Think
One of the biggest misconceptions about the order of the good witch movies and the show is that it’s a "witch show" like Charmed or Sabrina. It really isn't. Cassie never casts a spell. She doesn't have a wand. There are no demons.
Instead, it’s about "intuition."
Cassie just happens to have the right tea ready before you ask for it. She knows who is walking through the door before the bell rings. She gives advice that sounds like a riddle but fixes your entire life. As the movies progress into the series, this "magic" becomes a family trait shared by Abigail and eventually Cassie's daughter, Grace. The movies lean into the mystery of it more, while the show treats it as a quirky personality trait.
Where to Stream This Massive Collection
This is the tricky part. Because the rights are split between Hallmark Media and various distributors, it's rarely all in one place.
Usually, the seven original movies live on Hallmark Movies Now or are available for individual purchase on Amazon or Apple. Netflix often has the seasons of the TV series (Season 1-7), but they sometimes exclude the Halloween specials or categorize them as "Episode 0" of the following season.
✨ Don't miss: Why Love Island Season 7 Episode 23 Still Feels Like a Fever Dream
If you're watching on Netflix, double-check the episode counts. If Season 2 starts and you feel like you missed a whole movie, you probably did. Look for the standalone titles like Spellbound or Tale of Two Hearts.
Essential Tips for Your Marathon
Watching these in order is a time commitment. You're looking at seven films plus 70+ episodes of television. Don't rush it. This is "low-stakes" TV. It’s designed to be watched while you’re knitting, cooking, or hiding from a blizzard.
- Pay attention to the kids: Watching Brandon and Lori Russell grow up from the first movie to the series is actually pretty cool. It’s one of the few times a Hallmark franchise has kept that kind of continuity for over a decade.
- The Merriwick Lore: As you get into the later seasons (5, 6, and 7), the show dives deep into the history of the Merriwick family. The movies set the stage for this, particularly The Good Witch's Garden, which introduces the history of Grey House.
- The Mayor: Martha Tinsely is the GOAT. Catherine Disher plays the mayor through the entire run, and her character arc—from Cassie’s biggest skeptic to her best friend—is arguably the best writing in the whole franchise.
Your Next Steps for a Middleton Marathon
To get the most out of this experience, don't just put it on in the background. Start with the 2008 original. It has a much darker, more gothic cinematography than the bright, saturated colors of the later TV seasons. It sets a mood that the rest of the series relies on.
Check your streaming subscriptions specifically for the "Halloween Specials." Many people miss the "Curse from a Rose" special, which features a brilliant performance by Lolita Davidovich. If you skip that, the beginning of Season 6 will make absolutely no sense.
The best way to track your progress is to treat the movies as the "Prequel Era" and the show as the "Current Era." Once you hit Season 1, remember that the timeline skips ahead several years. Cassie is a different person, and the town has changed. Embrace the shift. Middleton is a place where time moves slowly, but the heart stays the same.
Find the original 2008 film first. If you don't like Cassie Nightingale in her first outing, you won't like the 80 hours of content that follows. But if that first chime of the shop bell at "Bell, Book & Candle" hooks you, you've got a lot of cozy viewing ahead.