Those of us who watch Hallmark Christmas movies every year likely have a list of favorite actors and actresses we'll always tune in for. It doesn't matter if we care about the plot or if we're intrigued by it; if the actors are there, then we're seated, too. Tyler Hynes, for many people, myself included, is one of those actors. His ability to crack a joke and make something lighthearted, then flip a switch to channel believable vulnerability, is one of the main reasons why everything he's in is incredible.
From Three Wise Men and a Baby (2022) to his best performance to date, Time For Him to Come Home for Christmas (2022), here are the best Tyler Hynes Christmas movies, as well as how to watch them on Hallmark+.
8. On the 12th Date of Christmas (2020)
On the 12th Date of Christmas is an absolute blast and an adorable grumpy sunshine romance that pairs Tyler Hynes and Mallory Jansen in a festive game-making workplace romance. This one really hits if you're a fan of the tropes, but it especially works because, in a rare turn of events—spoiler alert—the woman gets the promotion over the man and neither of them has to sacrifice their careers for their relationship. It's a win win.
On the 12th Date of Christmas is a good one to start with for people who aren't generally a fan of small-town dramas and prefer stories set in big cities instead. The chemistry between Hynes and Jansen sparkles throughout, and the entire movie is a lot of fun with thoughtful characterizations and a believable romance at the center.
7. Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story (2024)
Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story is the first sports-related Christmas movie to kickstart this trend of honoring real teams, and while it's a blast, it may not be ideal for people who actually take football seriously and aren't fans of the Kansas City Chiefs. But for those of us who are more casual about it, it's an all-around good time with a hilarious strangers-to-lovers romance with a twist. And not to worry, the movie isn't by any means some weird Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce fanfic.
Instead, it's a love letter to communities, families, and an unyielding love for the sport. Tyler Hynes stars in the film with Hunter King, whose family is trying to find her a match, while he's also the one who's supposed to interview them for the Chiefs' biggest fan contest. It's ridiculous, utterly farcical at times, but the romance is precious in every way, and Hynes does an incredible job stepping away from his typical grump role, proving he can indeed do it all.
6. An Unexpected Christmas (2021)
Starring One Tree Hill (2003) alum Bethany Joy Lenz alongside Tyler Hynes, An Unexpected Romance is a sweet and hilariously thoughtful second chance romance that also involves fake dating with the type of chaos that's so ridiculously fun because of meddling family members. The movie also takes place in an idyllic small town that understands the value of Buffalo plaid in Christmas decor, so that's an automatic win for me, personally.
More than anything, the story works because it understands the mechanisms behind telling a tender second chance romance that's all about the present-day longing. It doesn't rely on telling us what went wrong, but instead it shows us how they're still in love and why it can work this time, all while no one even knows that they've broken up.
5. Christmas Above the Clouds (2025)
Christmas Above the Clouds is a genderbent version of A Christmas Carol that also doubles as a delicious and worthwhile second chance romance. After this, I'm officially deeming Tyler Hynes king of the genre because no one nails the longing that's necessary for the trope quite like Hynes does. It's also the second movie he's in with Erin Krakow, making it even more delightful because the two of them have excellent and familiar chemistry.
And it's this very chemistry that also makes the second chance romance hit, because even while they aren't playing the same characters they did in It Was Always You (2021), they give everything to their roles as Jake and Ella. If you also bawled your eyes out during Hallmark's Ghosts of Christmas Always (2022), then Christmas Above the Clouds is a must. There may not be any ghosts, but it's another solid adaptation of the classic story that deserves its flowers.
4. Three Wise Men and a Baby (2022)
Three Wise Men and a Baby also cements that Tyler Hynes is remarkable at playing a grump, and his role as Taylor Brenner is one of his strongest ones to date. If the original movie was the only one we got, Hynes gives us a full range of emotions throughout as he goes from the seemingly aloof brother to the one who's harboring a plethora of guilt and pain. At the same time, where humor is concerned, this one delivers in spades as Hallmark's sharpest movie to date.
It's not every Hallmark movie that I'd recommend to people who generally don't have the bandwidth for the specific types of narratives, but Three Wise Men and a Baby is something that's an absolute blast and worth watching for everyone. I've said it once, and I stand by it: If you loved 3 Men and a Baby (1987) growing up, Hallmark delivers a real winner here.
3. Three Wise Men and a Boy (2024)
Sequels don't always deliver, but Three Wise Men and a Boy is everything and more as a movie that also gives Tyler Hynes' Taylor a budding relationship with a woman who's his perfect equal. So much of the movie shines as an exploration of career changes and rethinking our goals, making it even more wholesome than the original.
The Brenner brothers get to be twice as ridiculous, and since their roles are more established, it feels even cozier than the original. The Three Wise Men trilogy is in a league of its own on Hallmark, and there's nothing quite like it. The sequel takes all the best parts of the original movie and doubles the emotions, adding layers to the characters that most movies don't get the chance to explore outside of TV shows or bigger franchises.
2. Three Wisest Men (2025)
Of the trilogy, Three Wisest Men is the most emotional one to date. Hynes' Taylor gets to shine in a way he's never done before, delivering the type of relatable character arc that so many of us experience when we're comfortable in our careers and scared to take a risk. As his relationship with Caroline is also tested, it becomes even clearer why they're so perfect for each other, making every beat in this final movie feel more earned.
It's an emotional, achingly tender conclusion to the story that wraps up the trilogy in a realistic and vulnerable bow, allowing all three movies to become even more special when they're watched together. The whole thing really is such a holiday staple now, and if you love romance and relatable familial relationships with different types of siblings all under one roof, this one's a must.
1. Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas (2022)
Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas isn't just Hallmark's most memorable friends-to-lovers romance, but it's a gorgeous, heartbreaking exploration of grief and all the ways it changes people. Tyler Hynes and Holland Roden make the perfect team as two best friends who secretly have feelings for each other, but a misunderstanding forces them apart on the same day that their other best friend passes away in a tragic accident.
There are two romances throughout that make it worthwhile, but the longing we get between Josh and Elizabeth is so heart-piercing that if you're a sap like me, chances are you'll sob through the whole thing. Hynes and Roden both deliver breathtaking performances that show us how much pain is buried in the characters, and the entire thing shines as a thoughtfully well-written romance about forgiveness, love, and second chances. Plus, he's extra grumpy in this one, and it scratches a very specific itch that makes the longing even more palpable.
