monday – christmas eve
Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Thanks so much for reading. Wishing you and those you care about a great holiday and a wonderful 2002.
Picks for Tuesday, December 25th (a.k.a. Christmas Day) follow today’s picks.
Christmas episode of C.H.I.P.S. (TNT, 5am). Heh.
The Rockettes, Destiny’s Child, Will Smith on The Early Show (CBS, 7am-9am).
Patrick Stewart, Liev Schreiber, Jada Pinkett Smith on The Today Show (NBC, 7am-10am).
Christmas episode of Lois and Clark (TNT, 7am). Howie Mandel guest stars.
Holiday episodes of Family Matters (TBS, 7am) and A Different World (TBS, 7:30am, 8am).
Top 50 of 2001 (VH1, 7am-11am). Countdown of the Top 50 videos of 2001.
Christmas episodes of Jesse (USA, 7:30am), Martin (USA, 8am), Living Single (USA, 8:30am), Veronica’s Closet (USA, 9am), and Wings (USA, 9:30am).
The Golden Girls (Lifetime, 8:30am) are taken hostage by Santa.
There’s No Business Like Show Business (AMC, 8:30am).
Cartoon Network has holiday cartoons for a lot of the day. And ABC Family Channel continues airing holiday specials and movies. Disney Channel has holiday specials all day, too.
Court TV airs holiday theme episodes of the shows in their lineups, including the “Night of the Dead Living” episode of Homicide: Life on the Street (Court TV, 11am) which doesn’t take place at Christmastime, but does feature a cameo appearance by Santa Claus.
Fred MacMurray, Frank Sinatra in The Miracle of the Bells (TCM, 11am).
“All Through the House” is not only a great holiday episode of Homicide: Life on the Street (Court TV, 2pm), it’s also one of my favorite episodes, period.
Christmas episode of Promised Land (PAX, 2pm).
Holiday mini-marathon of Ally McBeal (FX, 2pm-7pm).
“The Documentary” is a really cool episode of Homicide (Court TV, 3pm) that takes place (more or less) on New Year’s Eve.
Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck in Frank Capra’s Meet John Doe (TCM, 3pm).
Christmas episodes of Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper (TNN, 3pm, 3:30pm).
Christmas episodes of Mama’s Family (TBS, 3pm and 3:30pm), Full House (TBS, 4pm and 4:30pm), and Roseanne (TBS, 5pm, 5:30pm).
“All Is Bright” is a decent holiday episode from the sixth season of Homicide: Life on the Street (Court TV, 4pm).
Scrooged (TNT, 4pm).
Expect holiday episodes of a lot of syndicated series, too (check your local listings). And expect holiday editions of shows on the Food Network and Home & Garden TV.
Sissy Spacek, Maggie Smith on The Rosie O’Donnell Show (syndicated, check your local listings).
Woo! Holiday axe murders on Profiler (Court TV, 5pm). That’s what my TV guide says (except without the “woo!” part).
Prancer (USA, 6pm, 10pm) is followed by a new movie Prancer Returns (USA, 8pm, midnight).
TNT airs A Christmas Story (TNT, 6pm Monday – 6pm Tuesday). A lot of times. For 24 hours.
Christmas Across America 2001 (HGTV, 7pm-10pm; 10pm-1am). Holiday music, celebrations across the country.
James Stewart stars in Frank Capra’s It’s A Wonderful Life (NBC, 7pm). Chock full of more commercials than you can stand.
Yes Virginia, there is . . . well, you know. AMC begins airing Miracle on 34th Street a whole bunch, with the episode of Backstory about the film in between airings. AMC, 7pm Monday – 7pm Tuesday.
Holiday installment of It’s a Miracle (PAX, 7pm).
The Rise of Christianity: The First 1000 Years (A&E, 7pm-11pm; 11pm-3am).
Little Women (TCM, 7pm, 1am).
“Amends” is a very cool and moving holiday episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (FX, 7pm). Though it won’t work for you if you’re new to Buffy and haven’t seen what comes before.
Christmas reruns of The King of Queens (CBS, 7pm), Everybody Loves Raymond (CBS, 8pm), and Becker (CBS, 8:30pm). Plus a non-holiday rerun of The Ellen Show (CBS, 7:30pm).
Rerun of the eighth episode ever of Boston Public (FOX, 7pm). Maybe it’s last year’s Christmas episode? Oh, it features Joey Slotnick a lot.
Aw. A nice rerun of Gilmore Girls (WB, 8pm). It’s the one where Rory asks Dean to a formal dance, from last year.
Rerun of the “Nine-One-One” episode of Ally McBeal (FOX, 8pm) that just aired a couple of weeks ago. It’s a holiday episode that also tries to address the events of September in a way. Works out alright, I guess (though it could’ve been better). Tom Berenger and Peter Scolari guest star.
The Ref (TBS, 9pm, 1:30am) is one of my favorite holiday movies. Denis Leary, Kevin Spacey, and Judy Davis star in this film from director Ted Demme.
Christmas In Connecticut (TCM, 9pm).
One last airing (this week) of the 5am-6am episode of 24 (FX, 9pm).
“Night of the Dead Living” episode of Homicide: Life on the Street (Court TV, 9pm). One of my favorite episodes, it’s all about the characters (and not about any plot).
And “All Through The House” is an even better episode of Homicide (Court TV, 10pm). One of my favorite holiday episodes of any series.
A Bing Crosby Christmas: Like the Ones We Used to Know (Bravo, 10pm-11pm).
The most depressing holiday X-Files ever, the episodes “Christmas Carol” (FX, 10pm) and “Emily” (FX, 11pm).
No Late Show or Late Late Show, instead expect a Christmas church service and other specials (CBS, check your local listings).
No Tonight Show or Late Night, instead a holiday concert called The Greatest Gift and Christmas Eve at Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome (NBC, check your local listings). In most markets.
Don’t miss A Space Ghost Christmas (Cartoon Network, midnight).
“Omerta” is a wonderful holiday episode of Millennium (FX, midnight). I know, who’d've thunk it? Magical, you don’t need to have seen the rest of the series to appreciate this. Jon Polito guest stars. One of my favorite holiday episodes of any series.
Tuesday, December 25th
Merry Christmas!
Some really cool marathons (and other stuff) today, I can’t decide whether to tape the Young Indiana Jones marathon or the Nero Wolfe marathon or to somehow try and record both.
TNT continues to air A Christmas Story over and over again (until 7pm).
TCM continues to air Miracle on 34th Street over and over again, along with a special about the movie (until 7pm).
Nothing but holiday cartoons on the Cartoon Network this morning.
“Yes Virginia, There is a Liberace” episode of Simon & Simon (A&E, 3am).
Nothing but Christmas Videos (VH1, 5am-7am).
Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Ann Miller, and Vera-Ellen in On The Town (TCM, 5:30am).
Nick has holiday cartoons all morning and afternoon.
Yikes! It’s a marathon of Christmas episodes of Beverly Hills, 90210 (FX, 6am-2pm).
A Very Special Christmas (VH1, 7am-8:30am).
Wow! This is cool. A&E has a Nero Wolfe marathon (A&E, 7am-7pm).
Tony Bennett, Colin Cowie, Andreas Bocelli on The Early Show (CBS, 7am-9am).
Expect lots of Christmas songs on The Today Show (NBC, 7am-10am).
Joy Philbin hosts A White House Christmas (HGTV, 7am, 1pm, 7pm, 10pm). Behind the scenes look at what went into decorating the White House this year.
Holiday episodes of Saturday Night Live (Comedy Central, 7am-10pm). I still have the holiday jingle for this merry-thon stuck in my head from several years ago.
Now this is a nifty marathon– it’s of installments of Young Indiana Jone (Sci-Fi, 7am-5pm). This was a cool, often overlooked series that’s a lot of fun.
“Blue Christmas” episode of Picket Fences (TNN, 8am).
The staff of The Alan Brady Show puts on a holiday show on The Dick Van Dyke Show (TV Land, 8am).
Regis and Kelly host The Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade (ABC, 9am-11am).
Enjoy footage of holiday decorations and celebrations from 39 cities across the U.S. on Christmas Across America 2001 (HGTV, 9am-Noon; 2pm-5pm). Hosted by Willard Scott.
A Bing Crosby Christmas: Like The Ones We Used To Know (Bravo, 11am, 5pm).
Trading Spaces marathon (TLC, 11am-2am).
CBS will air “classic” episodes of their various soap operas (all on CBS, check your local listings). The Young and The Restless episode will be from December 24, 1991 (when Nikki was resigned to Christmas alone ’til Victor surprised her at the ranch). The Bold and the Beautiful episode will be the one with Brooke and Eric’s wedding. As The World Turns will air a not-very-old episode at all (darnit), from June 2, 2000 that was Bob & Lisa’s anniversary on the series (very cool). And Guiding Light will air an episode from July 14, 1989 which featured preparations for Josh & Reva’s wedding at Cross Creek.
If I read things right, the NBC soaps will feature clips and/or castmembers talking about great holiday moments from years gone by.
ABC soaps are preempted.
The Making of a Legend: Gone With the Wind (TCM, 12:30pm).
Two holiday episodes of M*A*S*H (FX, 2pm, 2:30pm).
One of my all-time favorite movies: Gone With The Wind (TCM, 3pm-).
A Celebration of Christmas With Jose Carreras, Natalie Cole and Placido Domingo (Bravo, 3pm).
VH1 reruns the very very long (but pretty darn cool, especially if you watch on tape or Tivo so you can fast forward through some of the dull bits) The Concert for New York City (VH1, 3pm-8:30pm).
Ed Asner and Lily Tomlin guest star in the “How The Ghosts Stole Christmas” episode of The X-Files (FX, 4pm and midnight). It’s bloody, but heartwarming.
The “Amends” episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (FX, 5pm). Where Angel is confronted by the evil he’s done. A dark episode, with a holiday ending of sorts.
Holiday cartoons (Nick, 6pm-8pm).
Biography: Irving Berlin: An American Song (A&E, 7pm-9pm; 11pm-1am).
Rerun of Gilmore Girls (WB, 7pm) that continues where last night’s rerun left off. With the girls all at the hospital with Richard.
Rerun of the first episode of last season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (UPN, 7pm). Where Buffy faces Dracula. If only it were half as interesting as it should’ve been.
Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn in The African Queen (AMC, 7pm, 2:30am).
Bing Crosby is fabulous in Going My Way (TCM, 7pm), The Bells of St. Marys (TCM, 9pm), A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (TCM, 11:30pm), High Society (TCM, 1:30am), and Going Hollywood (TCM, 3:30am).
Bill Murray is Scrooged (TNT, 7pm, 10pm).
Christmas episodes of M*A*S*H (FX, 7pm, 7:30pm).
Rerun of this year’s Christmas episodes of The Simpsons (FOX, 7:30pm), The Bernie Mac Show (FOX, 8pm), and Malcolm in the Middle (FOX, 8:30pm).
Small Town Christmas (HGTV, 8pm and 11pm) celebrations.
Christmas episodes of The Brady Bunch (Nick, 8pm) and Family Ties (Nick, 8:30pm).
Clark faces an “icy enemy” on a rerun of Smallville (WB, 8pm).
Scholars go in search of proof on In Search of Christmas (History Channel, 8pm-10pm; midnight-2am).
Christmas: Behind The Traditions (HGTV, 9pm and midnight).
Reed Diamond guest stars on a rerun of Judging Amy (CBS, 9pm). It’s the one where he has a (gasp) heart attack.
Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr in An Affair To Remember (AMC, 10pm, 4:30am). That’s the one where they vow to meet at the top of the Empire State Building. And boy are they better than Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan (no offense intended to the latter two).
Christmas episode of Barney Miller (TV Land, 10:30pm).
Richard Harris, George Carlin on a rerun of The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm).
Will Smith, Neil Diamond on a rerun of The Tonight Show (NBC, 10:35pm).
Matthew Broderick; Rachel Weisz on a rerun of Late Night with Conan (NBC, 11:35pm).
Marlee Matlin, Seth Green, the Beta Band on a cool rerun of The Late Late Show (CBS, check your local listings).
