1) “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” 8 p.m., CBS. The original reindeer star is back, leading into a new one (see next paragraph and separate story) at 9. This cartoon (shown here) has been around since 1964; people who grew up with it are willing to overlook any flaws, including how much the story is stretched to fill out an hour. Read more…
A logical mind might expect that all Adam Reeds are the same.
Or, at least, that all Adam Reeds who make animated TV shows are the same.
Not so. One such Adam Reed makes “Archer,” which is a popular Emmy-winner … and ripples with cynicism. The other is the creative force behind “Reindeer in Here” (shown here), which debuts at 9 p.m. Tuesday (Nov. 29) on CBS, with abundant optimism.
“I couldn’t find a positive Christmas” book, the latter Reed said. He was particularly down on “Elf on the Shelf,” which he has called “creepy.” So he wrote a thoroughly non-creepy, non-cynical book. The basic notion, Reed said, is that “every child, at some point, feels different.” In this case, it’s a boy who has moved a lot and feels alone. Read more…
1) “The Great Christmas Lights Fight” opener (shown here), 8-10 p.m., ABC. For six hours (over three Mondays), we’ll see supersized holiday displays. Each hour has four homes, with one chosen as the winner. Tonight has a piano and a mini-golf course, both playable, and a ride through Lollipop Land. One display sprawls over a 90-acre farm; another (on a mere four acres) glows with 250,000 lights. Read more…
1) “Magical Musical Celebration,” 8-10 p.m., ABC. Now ABC seizes the holiday. It debuts “Mickey Saves Christmas” (simulcast on Disney cable channels) at 7, reruns “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” at 7:30, then has two hours in Disney parks. There’s music from Derek Hough (shown here) and his sister Julianne Hough, who are the hosts, pluys Maren Morris, Ne-Yo, Meghan Trainor, Becky G, Jordin Sparks, Il Volo, Chloe Flower, Black Eyed Peas, Run DMC and David Foster and Katharine McPhee. Read more…
The Chippendales world began modestly enough, 43 years ago. A failing night club tried some strip shows using male dancers.
Then things soared in odd ways. There were huge crowds, big profits, creative differences … and investigations for murder and arson and more.
That’s already been the subject of movies, books and, last year, a four-part Discovery+ documentary. Now there’s the “Welcome to Chippendales” mini-serie (shown here), on Hulu. The third episode is Nov. 29, with the others on the next five Tuesdays.
This is a true story, peppered with odd details. “It has this glossy, kind of campy overlay, because it’s the Chippendale dancers,” said, Annale Ashford, who co-stars. “And then underneath that, there’s the belly of everything that was happening socially.” Read more…
1) “TheGrio Awards,” 8-10 p.m., CBS. In a late switch, CBS has pushed two Christmas cartoons to next Saturday. Instead, it debuts these awards for Black icons (plus “Jeffersons” producer Norman Lear). Patti LaBelle (shown here) will sing and receive an award. Also singing are Yolanda Adams, Tyrese and Fantasia. Other awardees are Dave Chappelle, Jennifer Hudson, Kenan Thompson, Queen Latifah, Tyler Perry, Ben Crump, Allyson Felix and more. Read more…
When the Thanksgiving Day parade (shown here) begins, one thing will be clear: TV’s Christmas season has begun.
Yes, some cable channels have slipped in some new movies early. They’re like that.
But the rush begins on Nov. 24-27. During those four days, the Christmas line-up includes at least 20 new cable or streaming movies … three new music specials … one new cartoon special, plus eight classics (including “Grinch” and “Frosty”) … and a few classic big-screen movies, including “Wizard of Oz” (twice), “Polar Express” (twice) and all-day marathons of “Elf” and “Christmas Vacation.”
And all of that is before the Freeform channel starts its annual “25 Days of Christmas” rush. Read more…
1) “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” 8 p.m., NBC. One of TV’s greatest half-hours(shown here) sprang from a convergence of genius. Dr. Seuss wrote the witty story and Chuck Jones – a mastermind behind Bugs Bunny and the Road Runner – animated it brilliantly. Boris Karloff narrated and Thurl Ravenscroft (the voice of Tony the Tiger) sang about a mean one, Mr. Grinch. Read more…
As the holiday week unfolds, some stars grab our attention.
There are a couple of Grammers and a couple of “Dr. Quinn” alumni. Mario Lopez shows up three times; so do the Rockettes (shown here). Here are some glimpses: Read more…
1) “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and more. For 58 years, Rudolph has been TV’s top reindeer; now CBS has a three-deer week. “Rudolph” airs at 8 p.m. Tuesday, followed at 9 by the debut of “Reindeer in Here” (shown here). The bumbling Bliz (Adam Devine) may have ruined Christmas; he tries to save it, with the help of his oversharing friend and a lonely boy. And the witty “Robbie the Reindeer,” bumped last week by an awards show, is 8 p.m. Saturday. Read more…
