Finding Mr. Christmas Episode 4: Talent, Twists, and One Big Ick
Warning: This post contains spoilers for Finding Mr. Christmas episode 4 on Hallmark+, including who was eliminated.
Finding Mr. Christmas Episode 4, titled “The Talented Mr. Christmas,” cranks up the holiday charm with a sleigh-load of festive fun! With last week’s elimination still hanging in the air like the scent of freshly baked gingerbread, the remaining hopeful hunks pull out all the stops in the Star Quality Challenge, showing off their talents in front of a live audience. Some dazzle, while others flop harder than a fruitcake at a gift exchange. Adding to the surprises, Jonathan Bennett and Melissa Peterman catch the guys off guard with backstage interviews that bring a few awkward moments. It’s a frosty flurry of competition and talent you won’t want to miss!
Listen to Girls Gone Hallmark Review Finding Mr. Christmas Episode 4!
Look for the Girls Gone Hallmark recap on Finding Mr. Christmas episode 4 on Wednesday, November 20th.
Bro Talk by the Fireplace
Back at the mansion, the remaining six guys gather in the living room, the cozy glow of twinkling lights doing little to lift the mood after last night’s elimination. While a few offer vague sentiments about how “the competition’s getting real,” it’s clear Gage wasn’t exactly anyone’s holiday bestie. Blake points out how tight-knit the group has become, solemnly stating that anyone leaving from here on you “You’re surely losing a brother.” A telling silence follows, suggesting that maybe Gage was more of a distant cousin than a brother to these guys.
Ezra, however, is feeling the pressure after his bottom-two placement, confessing he’s been shaken awake by the close call. “I need to step up my game,” he admits, his tone more serious than ever.
The Festive Face-Off: Christmas Tree Chaos
The guys gather outside as our host Jonathan Bennett reveals their next challenge, dialing up the holiday cheer and the physical stakes: an obstacle course…with a twist. Each contestant must carry a Christmas tree they’ve cut down themselves. And by “cut down,” I mean sawing through a pre-cut tree sitting in a stand covered in fake snow. Classic Hallmark.
Sidenote: Can we get the Survivor challenge team on speed dial? This one’s giving “backyard games.”
Melissa Peterman joins JB in delivering an entertaining play-by-play, keeping the audience engaged with her commentary and quick wit. A handful of Hallmark “super fans” also make an appearance, though none look a day over 30, making me question their “super” status.
The guys line up, and it’s every man for himself. Step one? Retrieve a saw trapped in an ice block. Blake immediately wipes out after freeing his saw, his cowboy boots turning the grass into a slip ’n slide. Elijah “Hulks-out” literally breaking the tree trunk like a twig. Meanwhile, former athlete Jonathan can’t even free his saw from the ice block. Tough break, champ.
The chaos continues as the guys head into the obstacle course, holding their trees. Blake slips yet again, allowing Ezra to pull ahead. JB and Melissa are comedy gold, their commentary paired with guerrilla-style camerawork has me in stitches. The contestants weave through a maze of tangled Christmas lights. Monday morning quarterback observation: An army crawl might have been a faster strategy, but the contestants were focused on powering through their own way.
Ezra and Blake reach the next stage: tossing their trees into Santa’s sleigh and pulling it 30 feet. Blake’s boots betray him again, and his cartoonish slipping really puts him behind. Meanwhile, Ezra’s stylish Golden Goose sneakers (practical and bougie) carry him to victory.
In the final stage—finding a tree topper buried in fake snow—Ezra secures his win after Parker, who had impressively gained ground on Blake and Elijah, accidentally inhales a mouthful of fake snow, slowing him down. It seems that bottom-two placement really lit a fire in Ezra’s fireplace!
Related: How to watch Hallmark+ without a subscription
The Star Quality Challenge: Finding Mr. Talented
The guys huddle together to congratulate Ezra on his victory in the Festive Face-Off, but it doesn’t take long for the conversation to shift to the looming talent show. Elijah kicks things off by teasing Parker, suggesting he tell dad jokes – because, well, he’s a dad. Meanwhile, Blake takes a more cutthroat approach, confidently declaring he’s keeping his talent a secret because, “it’s a competition.” Cue the Top Model-esque “I’m not here to make friends” vibes. Elijah, ever the jokester, quips that Blake’s real talent is his cheesy pickup lines.
The stage is set for the Finding Mr. Talent show. Jonathan Bennett encourages the contestants to channel their inner Hallmark leading man. The guys will perform in front of a live audience, adding a whole new layer of pressure. Ezra learns his Festive Face-Off win comes with two advantages: he picks the performance order and has a secret edge for later. Oh, and did JB just channel Julie Chen with a classic “Expect the unexpected” – my reality TV universes are officially colliding.
Ezra kicks things off with a performance that could headline the Hallmark Christmas Cruise: rollerblading while mixing cocktails, complete with tush-shaking and an impressive split. Ezra then faces his first surprise – a backstage interview with E! News anchor Keltie Knight. His nerves get the best of him, and it’s a total flop, but thanks to his second advantage, Ezra takes a do-over and redeems himself.
Parker steps on stage wearing a “World’s Greatest Husband” t-shirt, ready to showcase his talent: folding a fitted sheet. While it’s technically useful, it’s also painfully boring. His interview doesn’t help matters as he goes on (and on) about his wife.
Former athlete Jonathan brings his track-and-field skills to the stage, aiming to wow with high jumps. His warm-up charms the audience, but his big moment ends with him landing squarely on a decorated Christmas tree. Undeterred, Jonathan wins the crowd back with his charisma. In his interview with Keltie, he nails it, tying his failed jumps to the heartwarming resilience Hallmark heroes are known for.
Hayden taps into his children’s entertainer experience, hyping the audience and performing magic tricks as his alter ego, Captain Fantastic. While his stage presence is top-notch, one trick goes hilariously wrong. In his interview, Keltie presses him on the slip-up, but Hayden brilliantly plays it off, though Keltie doesn’t seem entirely sold.
Elijah hits the stage with an original Christmas rap that has everyone bopping along. Oh, and yes, we’re reminded (again) that he was in Hamilton. His performance is solid, and his interview wows Keltie when he bursts into an impromptu song. Put his guy in front of a crowd (see what I did there?).
Blake, ever the cowboy, takes the stage in boots and a hat to perform a two-step routine. He smartly pulls a volunteer from the audience – a woman of a certain age – earning instant points with the crowd, as JB quips, “know your audience.” Blake’s charm oozes through his interview with Keltie, leaving his confidence soaring higher than Rudolph on Christmas Eve.
When JB and Melissa debrief with Keltie, she shares her thoughts: Hayden had great stage presence but lacked star quality in his interview. Jonathan recovered well after his jumps, and Parker should tone down the marital talk (a topic we’ve debated on the podcast!). Elijah and Blake shone, and Ezra’s second chance paid off.
Then, just as the guys regroup, Blake drops a bombshell: “If winning Mr. Christmas gets me more interviews with beautiful women, then watch out – I’m about to be dialed in.” Cue the collective ick. Looks like Blake’s other talent might be turning cowboy charm into cringe.
Elimination Ceremony
Warning: This post contains spoilers for Episode 4 of Finding Mr. Christmas on Hallmark+, including who was eliminated.
The guys line up for elimination and JB reminds them what the challenge and interview were all about: talent and star quality. Keltie dives in with feedback, starting with Blake, praising his interview as “spectacular.” In his talking-head confessional, Blake’s ego takes a sleigh ride straight into overdrive, dropping a cringy “holla at ya’ boy.” Sound the alarm, the ick has reached DEFCON 5.
Next, Ezra is applauded for his splits and his interview recovery. Elijah earns kudos for his rap and on-the-spot singing. And the winner of the challenge is… Ezra. Again. Apparently, this guy’s chimney is on fire.
Then comes the bottom two: Hayden and Parker. Parker is told his interview was underwhelming – like “folding-a-fitted-sheet” underwhelming – and Hayden gets similar notes about his lack of pizzazz in front of Keltie. Honestly, it’s looking grim for Parker, and sure enough, he’s sent packing.
Hayden, visibly shaken, apologizes like he’s the one holding the elimination card. Parker, to his credit, walks off with his head high, looking every bit like a man ready to star in his own redemption arc.
But wait – plot twist! JB channels his inner Hallmark hero, delivering a bombshell announcement: “Second chances are what Hallmark is all about.” The remaining guys are given a choice – should Parker get another shot, or is his Christmas journey officially over? And just like that, the episode ends on a cliffhanger.
For those of us who’ve watched any reality competition show, this twist isn’t terribly shocking. With two eliminations last week, producers clearly have room to keep the drama – and Parker – around for another episode.
Whether Parker stays or heads home to perfect his fitted-sheet tutorial is anyone’s guess. Until next time, we’re left wondering if the self-proclaimed “World’s Greatest Husband” will get a second chance to prove he’s also Mr. Christmas.
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