CBS will kick off its 2017 special holiday programming on November 23rd with the Thanksgiving Day Parade hosted by Entertainment Tonight‘s Kevin Frazier and correspondent Keltie Knight. The network’s holiday lineup also includes Bruno Mars’ first primetime television special and a special look back at The Carol Burnett Show with Carol Burnett, Vicki Lawrence, and Lyle Waggoner.
CBS’s holiday lineup includes a one-hour I Love Lucy Christmas Special made up of the colorized “Christmas Episode” and the newly colorized “The Fashion Show” episode. Two newly colorized episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show will air in The Dick Van Dyke Show – Now in Living Color! special airing Friday, December 22nd. The episodes were personally selected by the series’ creator, Carl Reiner, and represent the two episodes he believes are Mary Tyler Moore’s best.
CBS will also rebroadcast the holiday classics Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Frosty Returns, The Story of Santa Claus, and Robbie the Reindeer.
Thursday, Nov. 23:
THE THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE ON CBS (9:00 AM-12:00 PM, live ET/8:00-11:00 AM, live CT/7:00-10:00 AM, live MT/9:00 AM-12:00 PM, delayed PT)
A CBS Thanksgiving tradition in its 57th year, the special, to be anchored by ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT host Kevin Frazier and correspondent Keltie Knight, will feature portions of the 91st annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, live from New York City. Performers during the parade will include GRAMMY® Award nominated recording artist Kelsea Ballerini and the casts of the Broadway hit musicals “Come From Away” and “Waitress,” featuring GRAMMY® Award winner Jason Mraz. (New)
Friday, Nov. 24:
FROSTY THE SNOWMAN (8:00-8:30 PM, ET/PT)
Frosty, that “jolly, happy soul” whose old silk hat full of magic has turned him into a musical Christmas legend, once again demonstrates his unique showmanship. Narrated by Jimmy Durante, the special also includes the voices of Jackie Vernon (as Frosty) and Billy De Wolfe (as Professor Hinkle). (Rebroadcast)
FROSTY RETURNS (8:30-9:00 PM, ET/PT)
The magic still in his old silk hat, the holiday season’s perennially popular original dancing snowman continues his adventure and skates on the edge of danger. Jonathan Winters is the narrator with John Goodman as the voice of Frosty. (Rebroadcast)
GRAMMYS® GREATEST STORIES: A 60TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT)
In this special, CBS, The Recording Academy® and AEG Ehrlich Ventures celebrate epic moments from the past 59 years of GRAMMY® history. This first all-encompassing retrospective will feature rare archival footage, exclusive interviews and special appearances by multi-GRAMMY Award winners Christina Aguilera, Mary J. Blige, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, Dave Grohl, Elton John, Bruno Mars, Chris Martin, Paul McCartney, Ed Sheeran, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, U2 and Keith Urban, among others. The special will also take viewers behind the scenes of “Music’s Biggest Night®,” revealing secrets about the remarkable performances and unique “GRAMMY Moments” only seen on the GRAMMY Awards. (New)
Saturday, Nov. 25:
ROBBIE THE REINDEER: HOOVES OF FIRE (8:00-8:30 PM, ET/PT)
In this animated special, Robbie (voiced by Ben Stiller) must train to compete in the Reindeer Races to become a part of the sleigh team for Santa (voiced by Jim Belushi). (Rebroadcast)
ROBBIE THE REINDEER: LEGEND OF THE LOST TRIBE (8:30-9:00 PM, ET/PT)
In the second of the two specials, Robbie battles Blitzen (voiced by Hugh Grant) in an effort to stop his nemesis’s launch of a reindeer theme park. Britney Spears, James Woods, Leah Remini and Jerry Stiller are among the additional stars to lend their voices. (Rebroadcast)
THE STORY OF SANTA CLAUS (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT)
This animated musical holiday special revolves around a gentle toymaker (voiced by Ed Asner) whose only wish is to deliver a toy to every child on Christmas. The voices of Betty White and Tim Curry are also featured. (Rebroadcast)
Tuesday, Nov. 28:
RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT)
Narrated by Burl Ives, who is also heard as the voice of Sam the Snowman, this favorite is a music story based on the popular song of the same name by Johnny Marks. It recounts the tale of a shy reindeer whose Christmas spirit is dampened because his shiny nose has made him the laughing stock of all of Christmasville. (Rebroadcast)
THE VICTORIA’S SECRET FASHION SHOW (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT)
Filmed in Shanghai, China for the first time, the all-star line-up of Victoria’s Secret Angels will include returning favorites Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Candice Swanepoel, Lily Aldridge, Elsa Hosk, Jasmine Tookes, Josephine Skriver, Lais Ribeiro, Martha Hunt, Romee Strijd, Sara Sampaio, Stella Maxwell and Taylor Hill, as well as new faces. Merging fashion, fantasy and entertainment, the lingerie runway show will include pink carpet interviews, model profiles, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the show, and musical performances that will be announced at a later date. (New)
Wednesday, Nov. 29:
BRUNO MARS: 24K MAGIC LIVE AT THE APOLLO (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT)
CBS and Atlantic Records have partnered with multiple GRAMMY® Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, director, musician and two-time Super Bowl Halftime performer Bruno Mars to premiere his first primetime television special, which was taped at the legendary Apollo Theater in New York City. Mars kicks off the electrifying special in spectacular style with an epic performance atop the Apollo’s landmark marquee. Also, Mars and his band the Hooligans take to the streets, visiting, singing and entertaining locals in exciting, intimate, must-see moments. (New)
Sunday, Dec. 3:
THE CAROL BURNETT 50TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT)
CBS celebrates the 50th anniversary of Carol Burnett’s classic, award-winning comedy series “The Carol Burnett Show,” which premiered on Sept. 11, 1967. In this special, filmed on the show’s original soundstage (Stage 33 at CBS Television City in Los Angeles), Burnett reminisces about her favorite sketches, Q&As with the studio audience, guest stars, her memorable wardrobe and bloopers, as well as the tremendous effect the show continues to have on television today as a true pioneer of sketch comedy. The special will also feature original cast members Vicki Lawrence and Lyle Waggoner, costume designer Bob Mackie, as well as comedians, comic actors and friends, including Jim Carrey, Kristin Chenoweth, Stephen Colbert, Harry Connick Jr., Bill Hader, Jay Leno, Jane Lynch, Bernadette Peters, Maya Rudolph and Martin Short, who will join Burnett to discuss how the revolutionary series paved the way for them and impacted their careers. (New)
Friday, Dec. 22:
I LOVE LUCY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT)
Featuring two back-to-back episodes of the classic series, the colorized “Christmas Episode” (first presented in black and white on Christmas Eve, 1956) is paired with the newly colorized “The Fashion Show.” In this episode (first presented on Feb. 28, 1955), Lucy convinces Ricky to allow her to spend up to $100 on a dress at the fashionable Don Loper Salon in Beverly Hills. However, when an opportunity arises for Lucy to participate in a Loper fashion show featuring glamorous movie star wives, Lucy winds up spending five times that! Lucy hopes that if she gets a mild sunburn, Ricky will feel sorry for her and forgive her for spending so much, though, as always, she goes a bit too far! (New)
THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW – NOW IN LIVING COLOR! (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT)
The two newly colorized back-to-back episodes of this memorable series were selected by series creator Carl Reiner as two of Mary Tyler Moore’s best episodes. In “My Blonde-Haired Brunette” (first presented on Oct. 10, 1961 during the series’ first season), Laura dyes her hair blonde when she fears the romance between Rob and her is fading. In “October Eve” (initially presented on April 8, 1964 during Season Three), a painting of Laura returns to haunt her…despite having posed fully clothed, the artist (played by Carl Reiner) took the liberty of “undraping” her. (New)
Tuesday, Dec. 26:
THE 40TH ANNUAL KENNEDY CENTER HONORS (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT)
Actress, dancer and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade, singer-songwriter and actress Gloria Estefan, hip hop artist LL COOL J, television writer and producer Norman Lear and renowned musician and record producer Lionel Richie will receive honors. CBS has broadcast the special each year since its debut 40 years ago. The host will be announced at a later date. (New)
Guillermo del Toro took part in his first Facebook Live event to answer questions from fans about his upcoming film, The Shape of Water. He also used the live event to introduce the third and final theatrical trailer for the romantic fantasy featuring a fish man caged in a laboratory.
Guillermo del Toro’s fairy tale film is generating Oscar buzz and is currently sitting at an incredible 97% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Out of 67 reviews registered on the site, only two are negative. The majority of critics rank The Shape of Water as one of Guillermo del Toro’s best films, with Alistair Ryder from Film Inquiry saying it’s “del Toro’s finest film since Pan’s Labyrinth, and certainly the best film he has ever made in the English language.”
Sarah Kurchak from Consequence of Sound describes the R-rated drama as “both a love story and a love letter to monster movies, musicals, and classic cinema.”
Written, produced, and directed by del Toro, The Shape of Water stars Sally Hawkins (Maudie, Godzilla), Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals, Elvis & Nixon), Richard Jenkins (Olive Kitteridge), Doug Jones (Crimson Peak, Pan’s Labyrinth), Michael Stuhlbarg (Fargo, Call Me by Your Name), and Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures, Gifted). Vanessa Taylor co-wrote the screenplay. J. Miles Dale produced and Liz Sayre executive produced.
Fox Searchlight has set an awards season theatrical release date of December 8, 2017.
The Plot: From master story teller, Guillermo del Toro, comes The Shape of Water – an other-worldly fairy tale, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962. In the hidden high-security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa (Sally Hawkins) is trapped in a life of isolation. Elisa’s life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer) discover a secret classified experiment.
Gwendoline Christie, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Director Rian Johnson, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern and Benicio del Toro from ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ at Disney’s D23 EXPO 2017 (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)Rian Johnson will be continuing his journey into a galaxy far, far away. Lucasfilm announced Star Wars: The Last Jedi writer/director Rian Johnson will slip back into the Star Wars world with a brand new trilogy.
Johnson has committed to creating a new Star Wars Trilogy, and will write and direct the first of the three films. His longtime collaborator Ram Bergman will produce.
“We all loved working with Rian on The Last Jedi,” stated Kathleen Kennedy, President of Lucasfilm. “He’s a creative force, and watching him craft The Last Jedi from start to finish was one of the great joys of my career. Rian will do amazing things with the blank canvas of this new trilogy.”
“We had the time of our lives collaborating with Lucasfilm and Disney on The Last Jedi,” said Johnson and Bergman in a joint statement. “Star Wars is the greatest modern mythology and we feel very lucky to have contributed to it. We can’t wait to continue with this new series of films.”
According to the official announcement, the new trilogy is separate from the episodic Skywalker saga and will include brand new characters. Lucasfilm dropped the hint the characters will be “from a corner of the galaxy that Star Wars lore has never before explored.”
Lucasfilm and Disney haven’t announced any additional details on the cast, production dates, or when they expect the first film of the new trilogy to open in theaters.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is written and directed by Rian Johnson and will premiere in theaters on December 15, 2017. The cast includes Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern, and Benicio Del Toro.
The Plot: In Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the Skywalker saga continues as the heroes of The Force Awakens join the galactic legends in an epic adventure that unlocks age-old mysteries of the Force and shocking revelations of the past.
ABC just announced its winter holidays primetime lineup which will include The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration, The Great Christmas Light Fight, and The Great American Baking Show. The annual “25 Days of Christmas” celebration will also feature holiday-themed episodes of shows including Speechless, The Middle, Fresh Off the Boat, and black-ish.
Holiday favorites returning as part of the special programming lineup include The Sound of Music, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, and A Charlie Brown Christmas. ABC’s “25 Days of Christmas” finishes up with Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2018.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 22
LIGHTS, CAMERA, CHRISTMAS! INSIDE HOLIDAY MOVIE CLASSICS – A special edition of ABC News’ “20/20,” features actor Peter Billingsley, best known as the character Ralphie in the seasonal hit movie “A Christmas Story.” This one-hour special will kick off the holiday season by bringing together the stars from classic holiday movies, and featuring behind-the-scenes looks at the most memorable moments from these films. (10:00-11:00 p.m.)
FRIDAY, NOV. 24
SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN – In the perennial favorite created in 1970 by Rankin-Bass Productions (“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman”), Fred Astaire narrates this timeless tale of Kris Kringle (Mickey Rooney), a young boy with an immense desire to do good things for others. The vocal cast features Mickey Rooney as Kris Kringle; Keenan Wynn as Winter; Paul Frees as Burgermeister Meisterburger, Grimsby, the soldiers and the townsmen; Joan Gardner as Tanta Kringle; Robie Lester as Jessica and Andrea Sacino; Dina Lynn, Gary White and Greg Thomas as the children. (8:00-9:01 p.m.)
MONDAY, NOV. 27
CMA COUNTRY CHRISTMAS – Country music queen Reba McEntire will debut as host for the eighth annual “CMA Country Christmas” event from Nashville’s famed Grand Ole Opry House. The two-hour holiday music celebration will feature performances by McEntire and a lineup of today’s best in country sharing their favorite sounds of the season. (8:00-10:01 p.m.)
THURSDAY, NOV. 30
A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS – Celebrate the joy of the holidays with the classic animated Christmas-themed PEANUTS special, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” created by the late cartoonist Charles M. Schulz. In the digitally re-mastered 1965 special, Charlie Brown complains about the overwhelming materialism that he sees everywhere during the Christmas season. Lucy suggests that he become director of the school Christmas pageant and Charlie Brown accepts, but it proves to be a frustrating struggle. When an attempt to restore the proper spirit with a forlorn little fir Christmas tree fails, Charlie Brown needs Linus’ help to learn what the real meaning of Christmas is. (8:00-9:00 p.m.)
Cinderella’s Castle at Magic Kingdom Park in Lake Buena Vista, Florida during a taping of ‘The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration’ (ABC/Todd Anderson)
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY: MAGICAL HOLIDAY CELEBRATION – Join Emmy® Award-winner Julianne Hough along with multiplatinum recording artist Nick Lachey as they host the magical two-hour event from the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. The primetime special kicks off the holiday season in a way only Disney can, showcasing incredible music performances, special appearances and some unforgettable Disney magic moments. (9:00-11:00 p.m.)
MONDAY, DEC. 4
THE GREAT CHRISTMAS LIGHT FIGHT – Season Premiere – “The Great Christmas Light Fight” returns for its fifth season, showcasing the most spectacular and over-the-top Christmas displays in America. In each episode, four families compete to win the coveted Light Fight trophy and a $50,000 prize, with a total of $300,000 given away for the season.
Along with the incredible displays, this season also features the first-ever neighbors vs. neighbors episode, where side-by-side neighbors team up to compete against other side-by-side neighbors in a doubly epic battle of the bulbs! The series will air back-to-back episodes for three consecutive weeks. (8:00-10:00 p.m.)
THURSDAY, DEC. 7
SHREK THE HALLS – DreamWorks Animation’s “Shrek the Halls,” a half-hour of entertainment starring America’s favorite ogre and his friends and featuring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas. Just when Shrek thought he could finally sit back, relax and enjoy his happily ever after with his new family, the most joyous of all holidays arrives. It’s Christmas Eve and everyone is filled with holiday cheer – except for Shrek. He isn’t exactly the picture of yuletide joy, but for the sake of Fiona and the kids, he tries to get into the spirit of things as only an ogre can.
Unfortunately, everyone seems to have their own ideas about what Christmas is all about, so when Donkey, Puss In Boots, Gingerbread Man and the whole gang try to join in on the fun, Shrek’s plans for a cozy family celebration end up spiraling into one truly unforgettable Christmas. (8:00-8:30 p.m.)
TOY STORY THAT TIME FORGOT – Pixar Animation Studios’ special for television, “Toy Story That Time Forgot,” features your favorite characters from the “Toy Story” films. During a post-Christmas play date, the “Toy Story” gang finds themselves in uncharted territory when the coolest set of action figures ever turn out to be dangerously delusional. It’s all up to Trixie, the triceratops, if the gang hopes to return to Bonnie’s room in this “Toy Story That Time Forgot.”
The cast of “Toy Story That Time Forgot” includes Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz, Kristen Schaal as Trixie, Kevin McKidd (“Grey’s Anatomy”) as Reptillus Maximus, Wallace Shawn as Rex, Timothy Dalton as Mr. Pricklepants, Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head and Joan Cusack as Jessie. (8:30-9:00 p.m.)
THE GREAT AMERICAN BAKING SHOW – Season Premiere – “Cake Week” & “Morning Treats” – On your marks, get set, bake! The most festive and friendliest competition on television is back. In a two-hour season premiere, “The Great American Baking Show” (formerly “The Great Holiday Baking Show”) returns with slices of cake and delicious morning treats.
Based on the hit U.K. series “The Great British Bake Off,” “The Great American Baking Show” features bakers from across the country battling through 18 total challenges with six challenges throughout each two-hour themed episode, all in the hopes of being crowned “America’s Best Amateur Baker.” Ayesha Curry and Anthony “Spice” Adams host. James Beard Award-winning pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini returns with best-selling cookbook author and baker Paul Hollywood as judges. (9:00-11:00 p.m.)
SATURDAY, DEC. 9
MARY POPPINS – Set in Edwardian London, the film features no-nonsense nanny Mary Poppins, who flies out of the windy London skies and into the home of two mischievous children of the wealthy and strict Banks family, Jane (Karen Dotrice) and Michael (Matthew Garber). With the help of a carefree chimney sweep named Bert (Dick Van Dyke), the spirited nanny sets off on a series of fantastic adventures with Bert and the children, and teaches their parents some lessons about love along the way. (8:00-11:00 p.m.)
SUNDAY, DEC. 10
AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS — This week’s video highlights feature holiday-themed clips – including an ugly Christmas sweater that lights up and shorts the electricity in the house, and a toddler who tries to jump on the photo of the mini-trampoline she got for Christmas. Also, a little boy obliviously walks around his Christmas gift without realizing it’s right in front of him, a little girl is afraid of a face filter that turns her into a witch, and a dog’s collar gets entangled in the dishwasher causing a kitchen calamity, in a new holiday-themed episode. Also, host Alfonso Ribeiro presents a check to two Marines for the Marines Toys for Tots Foundation. (7:00–8:00 p.m.)
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY – “Frozen” – Disney’s Academy Award®-winning “Frozen,” the highest-grossing animated movie of all time, airs on The Wonderful World of Disney. In “Frozen,” fearless optimist Anna (Kristen Bell) teams up with rugged mountain man Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and his loyal reindeer, Sven, in an epic journey, encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf (Josh Gad) in a race to find Anna’s sister, Elsa (Idina Menzel), whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Can Anna save her sister and bring sunshine back to their home? Or will Arendelle be frozen forever? (8:00-10:00 p.m.)
MONDAY, DEC. 11
THE GREAT CHRISTMAS LIGHT FIGHT – “The Great Christmas Light Fight” showcases the most spectacular and over-the-top Christmas displays in America. (8:00-10:00 p.m.)
TUESDAY, DEC. 12
THE MIDDLE – “The Christmas Miracle” – It’s Christmastime, and Frankie and Sue are devastated after Axl informs them that he’s not going to church this year because he’s beginning to question his faith. Meanwhile, Mike goes to war with the Glossner kids after they keep defacing his new, giant inflatable snowman; and Brick goes all out in an attempt to wrap his first present for a planned Christmas Yankee Swap. (8:00-8:30 p.m.)
FRESH OFF THE BOAT – “Do You Hear What I Hear?” – As head of the HOA Christmas committee, Jessica threatens to cut the neighborhood caroling this year due to last year’s rocky performance. However, Deirdre says that her friend Holly (guest star Paula Abdul), who teaches “Performance and Movement,” will help get everyone into tip-top, melodic shape. Meanwhile, Marvin becomes suspicious of Honey when she goes to see “Titanic” at the movies without him; Nicole develops her first girl crush and struggles with how to get her attention. (8:30-9:00 p.m.)
BLACK-ISH – “Sugar Daddy” – Dre is diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and after talking to Pops, he’s resolved to curing himself. Meanwhile, Jack is convinced that baby Devante hates him, so he enlists Junior and Diane’s help. (9:00–9:30 p.m.)
THE MAYOR – “Grey Christmas” – After visiting a homeless shelter on Christmas Eve, Courtney realizes things for the needy could be improved and pledges to make it a joyous Christmas that every family deserves. But when he learns he doesn’t have the budget to deliver on his promise, Courtney loses hope and his holiday spirit which leads to a magical “It’s A Wonderful Life” moment that makes him realize he has the gift needed to pull off a Christmas miracle. David Spade guest stars. (9:30-10:00 p.m.)
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 13
SPEECHLESS – “S-I–SILENT NIGHT” – After leveraging JJ in an attempt to land a family dog, Dylan takes a vow of silence to better understand what it is to be her brother. Ray brokers a meeting between his girlfriend’s mother, Melanie (guest star Sarah Chalke), and Maya, only to realize they have a history. Jimmy drives Kenneth crazy by gaming a supermarket giveaway to score free Christmas turkeys. (8:30-9:00 p.m.)
AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE – “Blue Christmas” – When Doris goes into labor and Katie heads to the hospital to be with her, the Ottos struggle to be in the same place at the same time in order to open their Christmas presents together, as is the Otto family tradition. Meanwhile, Taylor coaches Oliver on the best way to ask out a crush, starting with the gift shop clerk. (9:31-10:00 p.m.)
THURSDAY, DEC. 14
DISNEY PREP & LANDING – Walt Disney Animation Studios brings you a half-hour holiday special tale of an elite unit of Elves known as Prep & Landing. After working tirelessly on Prep & Landing for 227 years, an elf named Wayne is upset when he doesn’t receive an expected promotion to be the Director of Naughty List Intelligence. Instead, Magee, the North Pole Christmas Eve Command Center Coordinator (NPCECCC for short), partners Wayne with Lanny, an idealistic rookie who has an undying enthusiasm for Christmas.
During their Christmas Eve mission, Wayne and Lanny encounter unexpected challenges that push them to their limits. Will the elves be able to guide Dasher, Dancer and the rest of the reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh through a raging snowstorm to ensure a Merry Christmas for all? (8:30-9:00 p.m.)
THE GREAT AMERICAN BAKING SHOW – “Desserts” & “Cookies” – On your marks, get set, bake! Tonight, “The Great American Baking Show” (formerly “The Great Holiday Baking Show”) showcases desserts and cookies. Based on the hit U.K. series “The Great British Bake Off,” “The Great American Baking Show” features bakers from across the country battling through 18 total challenges with six challenges throughout each two-hour themed episode, all in the hopes of being crowned “America’s Best Amateur Baker.”
Ayesha Curry and Anthony “Spice” Adams host. James Beard Award-winning pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini returns with best-selling cookbook author and baker Paul Hollywood as judges. This week’s episode has the bakers working on delicious surprises, including showstopper challenges of towers of macarons and gingerbread houses you won’t want to miss. (9:00-11:00 p.m.)
SATURDAY, DEC. 16
I WANT A DOG FOR CHRISTMAS, CHARLIE BROWN! – “I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown!” centers on ReRun, the lovable but ever-skeptical younger brother of Linus and Lucy. It’s Christmas vacation and, as usual, ReRun’s big sister is stressing him out, so he decides to turn to his best friend, Snoopy, for amusement and holiday cheer. However, his faithful but unpredictable beagle companion has plans of his own, giving ReRun reason to ask Snoopy to invite his canine brother, Spike, for a visit.
The cast of “I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown!” includes Jimmy Bennett as ReRun, Adam Taylor Gordon as Charlie Brown, Ashley Rose Orr as Lucy Van Pelt, Corey Padnos as Linus Van Pelt, Hannah Leigh Dworkin as Sally, Nick Price as Schroeder, Jake Miner as Pig Pen/Franklin, Kaitlyn Maggio as the little girl and Bill Melendez as Snoopy. (8:00-9:00 p.m.)
SUNDAY, DEC. 17
THE SOUND OF MUSIC – The ABC Television Network will air “The Sound of Music,” the Rodgers & Hammerstein cinematic treasure. Celebrate the Oscar®-winning classic with popular favorites “Edelweiss,” ”My Favorite Things,” “Climb Every Mountain,” “Do-Re-Mi,” Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” “The Lonely Goatherd,” and “The Sound of Music.” (7:00-11:00 p.m.)
MONDAY, DEC. 18
THE GREAT CHRISTMAS LIGHT FIGHT – Season Finale – “The Great Christmas Light Fight” showcases the most spectacular and over-the-top Christmas displays in America. (8:00-10:00 p.m.)
TUESDAY, DEC. 19
PREP & LANDING 2: NAUGHTY VS. NICE – The yuletide adventures of Christmas elves Lanny and Wayne continue. With the Big 2-5 fast approaching, Wayne and Lanny must race to recover classified North Pole technology that has fallen into the hands of a computer-hacking Naughty Kid! Desperate to prevent Christmas from descending into chaos, Wayne seeks out the foremost Naughty Kid expert to aid in the mission, a bombastic member of the Coal Elf Brigade who also happens to be his estranged brother, Noel. (8:30-9:00 p.m.)
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 20
A SPECIAL EDITION OF 20/20: CHRISTMAS CRIBS – A special edition of ABC News’ “20/20,” goes inside the homes of celebrities to reveal their festive holiday décor and favorite family traditions. This one-hour special will also go behind the scenes to explore how the sets of ABC comedies transform for the holiday season. (10:00-11:00 p.m.)
THURSDAY, DEC. 21
THE GREAT AMERICAN BAKING SHOW – Season Finale – “French” & “Finals” – On your marks, get set, bake! The temperature is rising in the kitchen this week as the remaining bakers enter French & Finals week where they will face their toughest challenges yet. From French fare to showstoppers like a tower of treats and numerous timed bakes, the heat is on, where only one baker will be named “America’s Best Amateur Baker” on the season finale. (9:00-11:00 p.m.)
MONDAY, DEC. 25
DISNEY PARKS MAGICAL CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION – This Christmas, Disney Parks celebrates the joy of the holiday season, as hosts Julianne Hough and Nick Lachey take viewers on a magical ride down Main Street, U.S.A. and beyond. The Christmas Day celebration will be brighter than ever before, bringing together the beloved Christmas Day parade, magical musical performances, surprise celebrity guests and heart-warming family stories to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. (10:00 a.m.-Noon)
TUESDAY, DEC. 26
HAPPY NEW YEAR, CHARLIE BROWN – The ABC Television Network and the PEANUTS gang will ring in the new year with the animated PEANUTS special, “Happy New Year, Charlie Brown,” created by late cartoonist Charles M. Schulz, along with “She’s a Good Skate, Charlie Brown.” In “Happy New Year, Charlie Brown,” the PEANUTS gang is ringing in 1986 and Marcie and Peppermint Patty are throwing a big New Year’s Eve bash. Charlie Brown plans to celebrate the holiday by curling up with a big book that weighs nearly as much as he does, Tolstoy’s “War and Peace.”
The book’s weight doesn’t stop him from lugging it to Lucy’s pre-party dance class, where he cuts a mean rug with a rollicking Patty. With just 1131 pages to go, Charlie Brown takes another break, this time for the party, and summons the courage to invite his true love, the little red-haired girl. She doesn’t respond, but hapless Chuck shows up anyway – with Tolstoy in tow. Then, he settles down with the book – on a porch swing in a snowstorm, and in so doing, misses the evening’s big surprise. In “She’s a Good Skate, Charlie Brown,” disaster strikes as Peppermint Patty heads to her first major ice-skating competition with coach Snoopy and faithful companion, Marcie, by her side. As always, the unassuming Woodstock flies in to save the day. (8:00-9:00 p.m.)
RUDOLPH’S SHINY NEW YEAR – It’s Rudolph to the rescue when Happy, the Baby New Year, goes missing, in “Rudolph’s Shiny New Year,” the classic Rankin/Bass stop-motion animated holiday special. Red Skelton narrates and voices Father Time, while Frank Gorshin and Morey Amsterdam also provide voices for characters. Father Time asks the most famous reindeer of all, Rudolph, to find the next Baby New Year before midnight on New Year’s Eve. (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
SUNDAY, DEC. 31
DICK CLARK’S NEW YEAR’S ROCKIN’ EVE – ABC will ring in the new year with the 46th annual “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2018.” The iconic holiday special, live from Times Square in New York City, will feature special performances and reports on New Year’s festivities from around the globe. Ryan Seacrest will lead the celebrated countdown to midnight, along with actress and comedian Jenny McCarthy, beginning at 8 p.m. Special performances to be announced soon. (Beginning at 8 p.m.)
The first teaser trailer’s arrived for Game Night, New Line Cinema’s action comedy directed by Vacation helmers John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. The teaser trailer features a bloody dog, death by an airplane engine, car chases, bad karaoke, kidnappings, accidental shootings, and one annoying squeaky toy. It also features characters who have no idea what’s part of a bizarre game and what’s real.
The cast includes Jason Bateman (the Horrible Bosses films, Arrested Development), Rachel McAdams (Dr. Strange, True Detective), Billy Magnussen (American Crime Story, Bridge of Spies), Sharon Horgan (Catastrophe, BoJack Horseman), Lamorne Morris (New Girl, Barbershop: The Next Cut), Kylie Bunbury (Pitch, Under the Dome), Jesse Plemons (Fargo, Breaking Bad), Danny Huston (Wonder Woman), Michael C. Hall (Dexter, Six Feet Under), and Kyle Chandler (Bloodline, Friday Night Lights).
Mark Perez (Accepted) wrote the screenplay and John Davis (Joy), John Fox (The Blacklist), Jason Bateman, and Jim Garavente (Bad Words) produced the comedy. New Line Cinema’s planning a March 2, 2018 worldwide theatrical release.
The Game Night Plot: Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams star as Max and Annie, whose weekly couples game night gets kicked up a notch when Max’s charismatic brother, Brooks (Kyle Chandler), arranges a murder mystery party, complete with fake thugs and faux federal agents. So when Brooks gets kidnapped, it’s all part of the game…right? But as the six uber-competitive gamers set out to solve the case and win, they begin to discover that neither this “game”—nor Brooks—are what they seem to be.
Over the course of one chaotic night, the friends find themselves increasingly in over their heads as each twist leads to another unexpected turn. With no rules, no points, and no idea who all the players are, this could turn out to be the most fun they’ve ever had…or game over.
Patti LaBelle and Brandy Norwood (Photos Courtesy of Fox)
Fox announced Grammy winners Patti LaBelle and Brandy Norwood will be appearing in guest starring roles in season two of Star. LaBelle and Norwood’s characters will appear in multi-episode arcs during the current season of the music-driven drama.
According to Fox’s announcement, Patti LaBelle will play “Carlotta Brown’s (Queen Latifah) tough but loving mother, Christine.” Brandy Norwood will guest star as Carlotta’s younger sister, Cassie.
Star season two airs on Wednesdays at 9pm ET/PT. The cast includes Queen Latifah, Jude Demorest, Ryan Destiny, Brittany O’Grady, Benjamin Bratt, Luke James, Amiyah Scott, Michael Michele, and Stephen Dorff.
The series was created by Lee Daniels and Tom Donaghy and is executive produced by Daniels, Donaghy, Pamela Oas Williams, and Karin Gist. Gist also serves as the season two showrunner.
More on Patti LaBelle, Courtesy of Fox:
With a career that spans more than 50 years, Patti LaBelle has earned 13 Grammy Award nominations and two wins, and sold more than 50 million albums worldwide. She was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Apollo Theater Legends Hall of Fame and the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2005, she was awarded the “Legend Award” by the World Music Awards.
In addition to her success as a music artist, LaBelle is a bestselling author, actress, humanitarian and entrepreneur, with a successful product line, Patti’s Good Life. Her most recent projects include the cookbook Desserts LaBelle (April 2017), jazz album Bel Hommage (May 2017) and forthcoming holiday album Patti LaBelle and Friends – Home for the Holidays (November 24, 2017).
Brandy Norwood Brief Biography, Courtesy of Fox:
Brandy Norwood is a multi-Platinum, Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and actress. She was one of the most successful multi-media stars of the past two decades, with a constant presence on pop and R&B charts, the hit sitcom Moesha and the TV movie phenomenon Cinderella. Her additional film and TV credits include horror film I Still Know What You Did Last Summer and TV series The Game and America’s Got Talent. Norwood made her Broadway debut as “Roxie Hart” in the Tony Award-winning musical Chicago and recently appeared on FOX’s My Kitchen Rules.
CBS All Access will kick off the second chapter of Star Trek: Discovery‘s first season on Sunday, January 7, 2018. Chapter one of the sci-fi series will finish up on Sunday, November 12, 2017 with episode nine. CBS revealed chapter two’s first episode (episode 10) is titled “Despite Yourself.”
Chapter two will consist of six new episodes.
The season one finale is set for Sunday, February 11, 2018. All previous episodes of the latest addition to the Star Trek series are currently available for binge-watching on CBS All Access.
CBS All Access has given the show a second season order, however they haven’t released any cast or premiere date details. The season one cast includes Sonequa Martin-Green (First Officer Michael Burnham), Doug Jones (Lieutenant Saru), Jason Isaacs (Captain Gabriel Lorca), Shazad Latif (Lieutenant Ash Tyler), Anthony Rapp (Lieutenant Paul Stamets), Michelle Yeoh (Captain Philippa Georgiou), Mary Wiseman (Cadet Sylvia Tilly), Chris Obi (T’Kuvma), Mary Chieffo (L’Rell), James Frain (Ambassador Sarek), Rainn Wilson (Harry Mudd), Terry Serpico (Admiral Anderson), Maulik Pancholy (Doctor Nambue), Damon Runyan (Ujilli), Rekha Sharma (Commander Landry), Kenneth Mitchell (Kol), Clare McConnell (Dennas), and Sam Vartholomeos (Ensign Connor).
Star Trek: Discovery is executive produced by Alex Kurtzman, Bryan Fuller, Heather Kadin, Gretchen J. Berg, Aaron Harberts, Akiva Goldsman, Rod Roddenberry, and Trevor Roth.
The Season One Plot:Star Trek: Discovery follows the voyages of Starfleet on their missions to discover new worlds and new life forms, and one Starfleet officer who must learn that to truly understand all things alien, you must first understand yourself. The series will feature a new ship and new characters, while embracing the same ideology and hope for the future that inspired a generation of dreamers and doers.
The Season Two Plot: While in unfamiliar territory, the U.S.S. Discovery crew is forced to get creative in their next efforts to survive opposing and unprecedented forces and return home.
Amazon has published their annual list of the best books as selected by Amazon’s book editors, with 2017’s list topped by Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. David Grann’s nonfiction bestseller was named the Best Book of the Year, marking the first time a nonfiction book has topped the list in seven years. 2010’s The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks was the last nonfiction book to earn the coveted honor.
According to Amazon, the top 10 books on the list were written by authors from six different countries.
“In a year when there were many strong contenders for Best of the Year, David Grann’s book offered readers something exceptional,” stated Sarah Harrison Smith, Editorial Director of Books and Kindle at Amazon.com. “Killers of the Flower Moon tells the largely unknown true story of big oil and serial murder in Osage County, Oklahoma, in the 1920s. It’s meticulously researched and shines an important light on what is at once an unsurprising and yet unbelievable chapter in American history.”
Amazon Editorial Team’s Top 10 Books:
1. Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann: Grann’s account of a 1920s investigation into the murders of oil-rich members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma has the grim excitement of film noir, the heady intellectual pleasure of well-told history and writing worthy of The New Yorker, where Grann is on staff. Though Killers of the Flower Moon is set in the past, the bigotry, greed and corruption Grann exposes feel relevant to our times. Grann’s previous books include The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon.
2. Little Fires Everywhere: A Novel by Celeste Ng: In this tightly woven, emotionally fraught novel set in a picture-perfect suburb of Cleveland, Ng addresses timely issues of motherhood, privilege and race. Ng’s debut novel, Everything I Never Told You, was Amazon’s Best of the Year choice for 2014; her new book continues her compelling exploration of the tension between established social order and cultural change.
3. Beartown: A Novel by Fredrik Backman: Backman explores community, loyalty and its limits in this eminently readable, compassionate novel set in a small town that comes together over ice hockey and then comes apart over allegations of sexual violence. Backman’s previous books include A Man Called Ove.
4. Exit West: A Novel by Mohsin Hamid: In this fable-like tale, in which two lovers flee their war-ravaged homeland to seek refuge abroad, Hamid upends our cultural assumptions and stakes an optimistic claim for the enduring pleasures of imagination and narrative, even in the midst of war. Hamid’s previous books include The Reluctant Fundamentalist.
5. Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari: Harari’s look at humanity’s possible future (the dark, technocratic version) is fascinating, provocative and illuminating. Harari is also the author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind.
6. Lincoln in the Bardo: A Novel by George Saunders: Saunders’s stylistically inventive, ribald and poignant first novel, narrated almost entirely by ghosts, veers from hilarious to heartbreaking. Saunders’s previous books include Tenth of December: Stories.
7. The Heart’s Invisible Furies: A Novel by John Boyne: In this sweeping and magnetic novel set in post-war Ireland, Boyne dexterously expands the story of one man’s life into a portrait of a culture in transition. Boyne’s previous books include The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.
8. You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me: A Memoir by Sherman Alexie: In Alexie’s extraordinary memoir of his whip-smart, sometimes cruel mother, he connects her turbulent life to the widespread American Indian experience of violence and oppression. Alexie’s previous books include The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.
9. Sourdough: A Novel by Robin Sloan: Sloan’s delightful novel about a software engineer who finds her true calling when she is bequeathed a sourdough starter with magical properties has an inspiring message about the importance of finding work you love. Sloan’s previous books include Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore: A Novel.
10. The Dry: A Novel by Jane Harper: In her gripping debut novel, the only mystery among this year’s top 10, Harper masterfully evokes the atmosphere of a drought-stricken farm town where lies told in the past may be linked to the violent deaths of a young local family.
To see the full list of Amazon’s Top 100 books of the year plus Top 20 lists in other categories, visit https://amazon.com/bestbooks2017.
The CW’s Riverdale season two episode five was definitely a game-changer. Betty was stalked by the Black Hood who apparently watches not only her every move, but also those of her family and friends. The mysterious Black Hood forced Betty to humiliate Veronica and push her out of her life. She also had to embarrass her mom, something she accomplished by publicizing her mom’s mugshot. And then the most devastating blow arrived when the Black Hood made her break off her relationship with Jughead.
Fortunately, Betty confided in Archie and he helped her out by telling Jughead she didn’t want to see him ever again. Unfortunately, the Black Hood knew she told Archie about their phone conversations. At the end of the episode she had to make the choice between the safety of her family or giving the Black Hood the name of someone who was guilty. She choose to name Nick St. Clair, Veronica’s rich friend who deserved punishment after attempting to date rape Cheryl. Oh, and Jughead officially became a Serpent and kissed Tony! It was truly a jam-packed episode.
Up next, Riverdale season two episode six titled “Death Proof.” Directed by Maggie Kiley from a script by Tessa Leigh Williams and Arabella Anderson, “Death Proof” will air on November 15, 2017.
The season two cast includes KJ Apa as Archie Andrews, Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper, Camila Mendes as Veronica Lodge, Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones, Madelaine Petsch as Cheryl Blossom, Marisol Nichols as Hermione Lodge, Mӓdchen Amick as Alice Cooper, Luke Perry as Fred Andrews, Casey Cott as Kevin Keller, Ashleigh Murray as Josie McCoy, Mark Consuelos as Hiram Lodge, and Skeet Ulrich as FP Jones.
The “Chapter Nineteen: Death Proof” Plot: THE SUGARMAN — After a charge led by Mayor McCoy (guest star Robin Givens) threatens to further escalate tensions between the North and Southside, Jughead (Sprouse), along with Archie (Apa), tries to put a stop to a dangerous alliance being considered between the Serpents and a long-time rival. Betty (Reinhart) turns to Veronica (Mendes) for help when she’s thrust into the center of a burgeoning mystery surrounding The Sugarman. Finally, Cheryl (Petsch) confronts her mother Penelope (guest star Nathalie Boltt) after a traumatic run-in forces her to make a stark realization.
Netflix has unveiled a new poster for the action film, Bright. The new poster features the film’s stars Will Smith (Collateral Beauty, Concussion) and Joel Edgerton (It Comes At Night, The Gift) who are paired up to patrol the streets as part of the Los Angeles Police Department. The twist is Will Smith’s character’s a human but his partner played by Joel Edgerton is an orc.
The cast of the action thriller also includes Noomi Rapace (Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows), Lucy Fry (Wolf Creek), Edgar Ramirez (The Girl on the Train), Ike Barinholtz (The Mindy Project), Enrique Murciano (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes), Jay Hernandez (A Bad Mom’s Christmas), Andrea Navedo (Jane the Virgin), Veronica Ngo (The Lost Dragon), Alex Meraz (Animal Kingdom), Margaret Cho (Drop Dead Diva), Brad William Henke (Orange is the New Black), Dawn Oliveri (Secrets and Lies), and Kenneth Choi (The Last Man on Earth).
Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency‘s Max Landis wrote the script and director David Ayer, Eric Newman (Hemlock Grove, Narcos), and Bryan Unkeless (The Hunger Games film franchise) produced the dramatic thriller. Netflix has set a December 22, 2017 release date.
The Bright Plot: Set in an alternate present-day, this action-thriller directed by David Ayer (Suicide Squad, End of Watch, writer of Training Day) follows two cops from very different backgrounds (Ward, a human played by Will Smith, and Jakoby, an orc played by Joel Edgerton) who embark on a routine patrol night that will ultimately alter the future as their world knows it. Battling both their own personal differences as well as an onslaught of enemies, they must work together to protect a thought-to-be-forgotten relic, which in the wrong hands could destroy everything.
Check out the second full trailer for Bright featuring more action and more on the human/orc partner relationship.
