November 1st usually marks the beginning of a special season: when every person and their mother make derisive jokes about the Hallmark Channel. Those jokes then filter through social media, where they accumulate in my inbox and for-you page.

As someone who studied Hallmark movies (and has watched her fair share for funsies), I am the person people think of when they hear anything related to Hallmark. It’s an honor and a privilege. I am touched that people associate me with something as hopeful and heartwarming as a Hallmark movie. But I cannot stand for misinformation, mindless bandwagoning, and the sense of smugness from people who think their tastes are too refined for Hallmark movies.

But here’s the truth: You are not better than Hallmark. In fact, you should be grateful that in our sad, bleak world, the light of Hallmark is guiding the way.

As you’re reading this, you may think I am singling out a specific person and shaming them for their pretentious tastes, but that’s not true. Before I began my deep dive into the world of Hallmark, I would also mock its content because making fun of Hallmark movies made me feel smart and cultured. Just as Hallmark inspires joy and devotion from its primary audience, it also inspires hatred and condescension from people (like my former self) who’ve never actually watched more than the occasional out-of-context 30-second clip on Instagram.

This joke about Hallmark Scientists discovering a second plot is really funny, but I did a little digging to see who made the joke in the first place (I’m big on attributing jokes to their original sources). I was disheartened and a little concerned when I learned it came from an article by the Babylon Bee, a far-right Christian “news” company known for its satirical content and mean-spirited, anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric. You’re welcome to research the connection yourself, but I will not be linking the original Babylon article here (although the Onion made a very similar joke in 2007). The point that I’m trying to make is that dog-piling on Hallmark movies comes across the political spectrum, which is interesting considering its somewhat conservative ties.

If I felt like it, I could write a long essay as to why Hallmark movies “really aren’t that bad.” I could explain how the former CEO of Hallmark, Wonya Lucas, spent her time at Hallmark greenlighting projects that promoted and celebrated diversity. I could defend Hallmark’s use of narrative staples because people have the right to enjoy stories that feel familiar to them (Is “The Lion King” a bad movie just because it uses the same tropes as “Hamlet”?). I could also talk about how Hallmark is willing to take interesting creative risks, like moving towards comedies like “Three Wise Men and a Baby” and the Williams-sister projects. I could also vent about how nice it is to watch a movie with your grandma and know you won’t have to explain to her what “pegging” is or whatever so that she understands the storyline.

Hallmark movies are not Emmy contenders. I also think the channel should make a greater effort to produce higher-quality works like their “Hall of Fame” films and the miniseries of the early 2000s (which I’ve gushed about in past posts). But let’s give credit where credit is due.

In recent years, after the great Zola controversy of 2019, the channel has produced some good content. Katie Findlay, a nonbinary actor known for shows like “How to Get Away with Murder” and “Man Seeking Woman,” has become something of a Hallmark regular, and their charm and comedic timing instantly elevates any project they participate in (the movie “Love Strikes Twice” is a nice piece of time-travel escapism, and they’re starring in another Hallmark movie debuting this December).

Movies on the Hallmark Channel now almost regularly feature queer storylines, like “Campfire Christmas,” and “An Unexpected Christmas.” And while these movies may not win GLAAD awards, it is important that a channel with as high a volume of viewership as Hallmark regularly feature positive portrayals of these kinds of characters.

So the next time you watch a Hallmark parody about a young businesswoman who gives up her life to marry a small-town nobody during Christmas, you may want to consider actually throwing on one of those maligned movies. You’ll probably find that 1) Hallmark movies don’t feature that trope nearly as often as “fake dating” and “second chance at love,” and 2) they’re entertaining. There’s a good line-up of Hallmark movies debuting this November and December, and if you like Christmas movies, then chances are you’ll enjoy one of them.

And at least they’re better than those God-awful Netflix Christmas movies. Hallmark movies are at least made with “brand protection” and audience enjoyment in mind. Netflix Christmas movies are like the Monstro Elisasue of the Christmas movie world. They’re sad, exploitative copies of what they think Hallmark movies are. Why not watch the real thing instead?

(And to my friends who have read this far and have watched a Hallmark movie based on something I said or did, I both thank you and apologize for involving you in this controversy. Expect the appropriate Hallmark card in the mail soon.)