EXCLUSIVE: Kristin Booth on ‘Signed, Sealed Delivered,’ a Season Renewal & Her ‘Orphan Black’ Role

Every Sunday, Hallmark’s new series ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered’ brings an entirely new meaning to investigating and your typical detective show.

Revolving around a group appropriately dubbed the POstables, these four co-workers and friends work in the Dead Letter Office where they return mail to its rightful owner(s). But, of course, it’s more than about delivering mail and packages, as the series brings a heartwarming element to people’s stories whether they’re looking for love, reuniting with a friend or finding the importance of family.

RELATED NEWS: Eric Mabius Chats Hallmark’s New Series ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered’ and TV Today

One of the stars of the show is actress Kristin Booth (who I best know for playing that witch on a ‘Supernatural’ episode, but trust me, she’s not like that role -- at all), who plays Shane McInerney, the newest member of the team. Considered a technophile who brings a bit of the 21st century to the group, Shane is also a romantic at heart and is willing to go above and beyond to get the job done.

Just the other day I chatted with Booth about the new series, the importance of the written word and also her gig on a BBC show you might have heard of -- ‘Orphan Black.’

TVRage: Despite your character being the tech-savvy one of the POstables, the show is refreshing as it reintroduces the handwritten letter, rather than focusing heavily on technology, like most shows do nowadays. Is that something that attracted you to the show?

Kristin Booth: Definitely. You know, I’m not gonna lie I’m a bit of a romantic at heart, and my grandmother used to write me letters all the time. I had such a wonderful relationship with her. I remember reading the first script and it reminded me of her commitment to beautiful letter writing, in a way. I could see parts of her in Oliver [Eric Mabius]. It just really reminded me of how important the written word is. There’s nothing like getting a letter in the mail, in an envelope, with your name on written on it and you don’t know what it is. There’s a whole ritual. Oliver definitely takes it to a new level in ‘Signed, Sealed,’ but there is a ritual. You open it and you don’t know what’s inside and it’s very exciting. It is a lost art, or is becoming a lost art, and I really hope that our show can bring some life back into letter writing, the personal touch, because it definitely makes a difference. It’s a very different experience than opening a text or an email.

TVRage: I recently spoke with Eric about the show and his character. He said he appreciates the show because it's different than anything on TV today. It puts a positive message out there vs. all of the scandal and death and murder and dark things that are happening in other shows. Do you feel the same way?

Booth: Definitely. There is a place for those shows, and some of my favorite shows are those types of shows -- ‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘Orphan Black.’ But, those shows are not shows you can sit down with your family, whether it be your grandmother or your daughter or your son. This show you can sit down with your family, of any age, and everyone will get something out of it, and everyone, in the end, will have something to talk about. That will either be a positive message or questions of what the character went through or the guest stars went through, as a result of the letter and what that meant to them. All that kinds of stuff. So many things to spark a conversation with your family after one of our episodes. That’s one of the things I love about the show and definitely one of the things that made me want to be a part of it.

TVRage: Let’s talk about Shane and Oliver. Obviously, there’s an attraction there and it’s slowly developing. What’s ahead for them for the rest of the season? What can fans expect?

Booth: Fans can definitely expect to see Shane and Oliver...well, we started last week, in Episode 3, dance classes together. I like to say our relationship throughout this first season is very much a dance -- metaphorically speaking. There are times where Shane and Oliver will become very close both emotionally and physically and then be pulled apart again. That’s one of the things that make television so great and watching these characters so interesting, you don’t know quite where they’re going to go together and what obstacles are going to be thrown in their way. Shane and Oliver...there’s no question that there’s a mutual attraction, a mutual respect, but as far as where they’ll end up that has to be left as a surprise for the audience that’s for sure.

TVRage: I assume his personal issues with his wife leaving him will come into play somehow.

Booth: Well, we can certainly promise we will not leave that unresolved. In some way, shape or form Oliver’s estranged wife will be addressed. (laughs)

TVRage: Now, will we learn a little bit more about Shane, as the season goes on -- more about her background and history?

Booth: Yes, we will. We touched on some things in the pilot about Shane and her relationship with her father. As Season 1 continues, you’ll see how the B story, and I call it the B story because it doesn’t have directly anything to do with the foursome, and it’s generally the letter is what I call the B story. You’ll see how the B story affects each character, and as the stories are told or as these letters that we search for the right owner for unfold, you see how that affects each of the characters. And, Shane is certainly affected and we learn about her as a result of how she’s affected by certain letters.

TVRage: What else can we expect from upcoming episodes? Can you tease a little about storylines that will be happening?

Booth: As any of our fans know, we have [rotating] supervisors now. So, with each guest star that comes in -- I believe Marilu Henner is up next after Della Reese. As our new supervisors come in, certainly these new supervisors affect the DLO [Dead Letter Office] and, obviously, Rita [Crystal Lowe] and Norman [Geoff Gustafson] and Oliver and Shane are affected by them as well. So, there’s lots of surprises there. The exciting thing about the show and about these characters too in trying to find the right recipient of a lost letter or a lost package, they get further and further outside the post office and the DLO. One thing that audience members and fans can count on seeing is that by the end of this season, and hopefully into next, seeing the foursome travel a little bit more, and, perhaps, get out of Denver.

TVRage: You also have a role in the 'Orphan Black.’ Can you tell me a little bit about your character?

Booth: Sure. For people that follow the show they know that there is a group of, almost like a cult group of religious fanatics, called the Proletheans. I happen to be a member of that sect. Our interaction with the cult is with Helena, and I believe it’s Episode 4 this week, so that has already sort of started and audience members have seen what they can expect to see from my character, in particular, and the Proletheans is that, perhaps, what you see is not what you get and there may be some other hidden motivations and actions that will reveal itself in upcoming episodes. So, it will be exciting for fans to watch and to see these characters in the group of the Proletheans reveal their true motivations.

TVRage: I actually just started watching ‘Orphan Black,’ and I really like what I’ve seen so far. I’m anxious to catch up and see your role and see how everything plays out.

Booth: Fans will be excited, in the sense that, fans of mine anyway, that I play almost the polar opposite character of Shane in ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered.’ It’s exciting to see a different side of who I am as an actor, that’s for sure. My character wears little to no makeup and the last thing on her mind is fashion and as the episodes continue you get to see more and more of who this woman is and what makes her tick -- certainly not anything like Shane. (laughs)

TVRage: Lastly, you just wrapped Season 1 of ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered,’ has there been any word on a renewal? Is it looking good?

Booth: Nothing has been decided for sure, but I know that our show started so strongly and the audience continues to grow each week. I know that Hallmark is very happy. Obviously, there are no guarantees in life about anything, but I’d have to say I would be quite surprised if you didn’t see Shane, Oliver, Rita and Norman again next season. … I don’t think anybody will be disappointed. I think we’ll be back. We are all very much looking forward to that, and we’re all very hopeful.

You can catch 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered' on Sundays at 8/7c on Hallmark.