Monday, November 27, 2006

Holiday Television Programming: Nov. 27 - Dec. 1

Yes, yes! This week's holiday television programming includes some old favorites, as well as new holiday-themed episodes of current shows. The latter is always fun for me. How can I think of holiday television shows without thinking of Mary Tyler Moore volunteering to work all alone on Christmas Eve at WJM-TV, only to find her friends truly cared about her? Alas, I'm not seeing the episode ("Christmas and the Hard Luck Kid II" - orginally aired in December, 1970) anywhere in the listings. Oh, well. I have it on videotape somewhere.

Although this list isn't all-inclusive and doesn't cover local programming specific to areas outside of NYC, here's what I found for this week:

Monday, November 27:
  • 8 PM ET/PT - A Holiday to Remember (movie) on the cable station ABC Family.
  • 9 PM ET/PT - Unwrapped "Holiday Treats" - the FOOD Network.
  • QVC seems all holiday-themed, all around the clock.

Tuesday, November 28:

  • 7 PM ET/PT - Elf (the movie) on the USA Network
  • Get ready to do your Snoopy dance - A Charlie Brown Christmas airs on ABC at 8 PM ET/PT. For sentimental reasons, this has always been a favorite of mine.
  • 8 PM ET/PT - Scrooged with Bill Murray on the ABC Family Network.
  • 9 PM ET/PT - USA Network, The Great American Christmas - six diverse families discuss the meaning of the holiday.
  • 9 PM ET/PT - Road Tasted "Gift Guide" - holiday food gifts on the FOOD Network.
  • 10 PM ET/PT (repeated the next hour, too) - The Nip/Tuck holiday episode on FX Network.

Wednesday, November 29:

  • The USA Network has holiday movies galore with Stealing Christmas at noon (ET/PT) and Elf at 2 PM ET/PT.
  • Starting at 6 PM ET/PT, although not holiday-related, the SciFi Channel is having a Heroes marathon, beginning with the pilot episode. So, if you've missed Heroes, here's your chance to save the cheerleader, save the world.
  • 7 PM ET, local NBC affiliate WNBC (NYC) - Christmas in Rockerfeller Center - the tree lighting ceremony. I could go, I guess. But it's a lot less crowded and hassle-free to watch it on TV.
  • 8 PM ET/PT - Christmas in Rockerfeller Center - the national version of the above show with the glitz, glitter, and singing pop stars. NBC
  • 8 PM ET/PT - Mr. St. Nick (movie) on ABC Family Network.
  • 10:30 PM ET/PT - Ham on the Street, unique food gifts. FOOD Network.

Thursday, November 30:

  • 8 PM ET/PT - Santa Claus: The Movie on the ABC Family channel.
  • 9 PM ET/PT - Golf and Christmas? It's A Miracle on the 17th Green on the Lifetime cable channel.
  • 10 PM ET/PT - Men in Trees - Thanksgiving-themed episode on ABC.

Friday, December 1:

  • 12 PM ET/PT - I'll be Home For Christmas (movie), Lifetime cable channel.
  • 2 PM ET/PT - Eve's Christmas (movie), also on Lifetime.
  • 7 PM ET/PT - Frosty's Winter Wonderland, narrated by Andy Griffiths, on ABC Family cable network.
  • 7:30 PM ET/PT - ABC Family Network kicks off a Harry Potter-infused weekend with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
  • 8 PM ET/PT - The Polar Express on ABC TV, a welcome addition to the holiday line-up!
  • 8 PM ET/PT - Emeril's Happy Happy Holidays on the FOOD Network. Hmmm, I've never had goose for the holiday.
  • 9 PM ET/PT - Noel (movie) on the Lifetime cable channel.

Now, if I could just stay home and watch it all!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

JACKIE!!! HEROES TONIGHT! It's mid ep and they are revealing so many things!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Yeeay, they said the next episode is the last "til the new year" which means they will not make us wait til next fall... I think cable changed forever how network "seasons" define themselves. They know they have a hit on their hands and are going to go for it... and I heard it here first! Thanks Jackie.

Jackie S. said...

Ah, yes... Sylar's the Watchmaker, eh? I felt bad for Hiro. And, yes... both Heroes and Jericho will be having last "fall" episodes next week (maybe this week for Jericho - I can't recall) and both will return in the winter.

Anonymous said...

I think you are right that Jericho is doing the last ep next week. Am I just a grown up or do these seasons fly more than they did when we were kids? I mean, aren't these things 13 weeks? And has 13 weeks passed already? I guess so. I wonder if Bewitched and Family Affair and Gilligans Island were all onyl picked up for 13 eps a season. Was Mash and Cheers and ER seasons that short even a decade ago? Is this a trivia question I'm asking????

Last ep of Bach tonite

Anonymous said...

Hey J -- sorry to bother you here but I posted twice during the Bachelor finale tongiht on the meet up place you set up... while both register in the comments on my computer, when I go back to refresh to your blog main page then click the link to Bach/N/T, it does not show either -- there were 85 comments before I tried this tonight, and of course the last comment was from me, just dated a few days ago. I wonder if 85 is the max comments it will show?

Anonymous said...

What are the networks doing? First, LOST...now Heroes and Jericho having "FALL FINALES"!?
Probably fancy names for no re-runs for you. IMAO

One of my favs of the holiday season is Scrooged with Bill Murray, glad to see it listed. Thanks Jackie!

Anonymous said...

Jackie - How did the Richard Simmons Ep go?

I have a funny Richard Simmons story -- I was living in LA at the time (where else could this happen?) and
wa drivingto the airport when a big stretch limo with darkened windows pulls up beside me on the drivers side. I can't glance at one of those without wondering if, instead of prom kids or something, this might be the car carrying Mick Jagger behind that smoky glass. Well, as the precice moment this is going through my mind the window begins to slide open and ...

Richard Simmons with his curly clownlike hair (god love 'im) pops out and he waves at me to open my window... which I of course do, and he points below the car door and yells "honey, your scarf is cawt in the doooowr". It was one of those moments in life that you still laugh about, a perfect cliche but also just perfect. I thanked him with a big smile and waved as the car drove off, the window sliding shut as it went. THANK YOU RICHARD!!!!!!

Friday Night Lights and Charlie Brown tonight!

Anonymous said...

I'm back from vacation....and did I miss all you guys soooo much! I missed Nate getting booted off and I almost cried when the BQ's didn't get booted from TAR on Sunday! I was so out of touch,but all it took was a few minutes with Jackie and her updates and I knew what had happened while I was away.JACKIE...you are a God send!

I also hate these new "fall finales".I don't know if I hate the reruns or the big gaps in shows more!

I did get to watch "Gilmore Girls" without interuption tonight and that was fun,but I sure do miss Mario and those dimples on DWTS. I was so glad on GG that Luke finally grew some and stood up to Anna about April. It seemed so much like karma that after he had screwed up his chance with Lorilai,that he would get April taken away from him. And as much as I like Chris,I don't think he's the man for Lorilai.........that's Luke.

Watched "The Big Day" and tho it was lame in parts,so loved Wendy Malick on it. I have missed her since she and Nina ended on "Just Shoot Me". I just love her work. And I have been seeing Marla Sokoloff in the promos and it was driving me crazy who she was........from "The Practice",of course!

Well, Boston Legal is about to start and have to go see if that wacko offs Shirley Schmitt..lol. So glad to be back and thanks again,Jackie....here's a big,wet one.............<3,<3!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Jackie,
Hope you had a good Thanksgiving. I hear Amazing Race will be having Rob and Amber, Joyce and Uchenna and David and Mary on their "All Star" show. Can't wait for that. Sorry to see the Chos leave, but their game had seriously fallen off. Was shocked at the "girls" last week. A close call for them. We'll have to see if they can step it up...they won't have the help that David and Mary were able to get because everyone liked them. Sadly, it looks like the ex-druggies, who seem to feel that is their claim to fame, will win. Can't say I'm crazy about the girls, but for once I'd like to see a female team on top at the end and these two have been really playing hard and seemingly having a good time too.

Anonymous said...

Jackie- I have been reading your blogs for a few months now. You know everything about tv and all the holiday programming. I am extremely impressed.Every year I used to love to watch a holiday show called "The Gathering". It was from the 70's and starred Ed Asner and Maureen Stapleton. It was one of those made for tv movies that just made you love to cry at the end. I haven't been able to find it on tv the last few years. Do you know when it might be on if at all? How can I find out?

Jackie S. said...

Anon @ 12:24 - I know the film ('The Gathering'), but I'm not seeing it listed for anytime soon. If you have a highspeed computer connection, AOL has it available (for free, I believe you don't have to be a member) listed at http://television.aol.com/in2tv/christmas