Program Planner: Dec. 21-27
Sunday’s Oklahoman, which includes TV Week, hits the newsstands in the Oklahoma City area on Saturday afternoon. And it arrives at the doorstep (or hopefully nearby) early Sunday morning.
But for those who can’t wait to begin planning the upcoming week around the best TV has to offer, here is a sneak peek at programs worth watching the week of Dec. 21:
SUNDAY, DEC. 21
◊“America’s Funniest Home Videos” (6 p.m. on ABC): Holiday-themed clips include a montage of Santa mishaps (26 Santa falls in 35 seconds) and a boy who loses some loose teeth when he tries to open gift wrapping with his mouth.
◊“A Christmas Proposal” (8 p.m. on Lifetime): Nicole Eggert (”Baywatch”) and Tom Arnold (”Roseanne”) star in this 2008 holiday film about an attorney who will do whatever it takes to stop the demolition of the small ski town of Fillmore.
◊“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (7 p.m. on ABC): Host Ty Pennington and his crew rescue an animal-loving Wyoming family from their toxic home filled with life-threatening radon gases. Pro soccer player David Beckham presents a soccer scholarship to a member of the family, and singer Wynonna performs for the volunteers.
◊“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (8 p.m. on ABC): The Jonas Brothers (“Living the Dream”) and Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo make an appearance in the “Akers Family” episode. Two of the Akers girls were diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, and the “Home” crew builds a more accessible home for them.
◊“Million Dollar Password” (7 p.m. on CBS): The modern update of the classic game show returns for a second season with Regis Philbin as host. William Shatner (”Boston Legal”) and Aisha Tyler (”Ghost Whisperer”) are the celebrity players in the season premiere.
◊“Skins” (9 p.m. on BBC America): In the first-season finale, it’s the day of gang’s exam results and Chris’s funeral. They have all made a pact not to look at their grades until after they’ve said goodbye to Chris.
MONDAY, DEC. 22
◊“Antiques Roadshow” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): The special edition “Roadshow Remembers” celebrates the best appraisals of the show’s first decade, including a collection of original Franki Lloyd Wright sketches and planning documents valued between $100,000 and $125,000.
◊“Christmas at Luther: Night of Glory, Dawn of Peace” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): The symphony orchestra, hand bell choir and Christmas Brass and Percussion Ensemble from Luther College in Iowa perform holiday favorites in this annual holiday concert.
◊“Forbes’ Celebrity 100 2008: Who Made Bank” (9:30 p.m. on E!): Forbes Magazine picks its top 100 stars, ranking them according to income, web hits and pop culture popularity in the year ending June 2008.
◊“The Hills” (9 p.m. on MTV): When Lauren and Heidi have a run-in, they put their feud aside and remember why they used to be friends on the fourth-season finale. It is followed by a live “after show” featuring a performance by The Pussycat Dolls.
◊“Jesus in India” (8 p.m. on Sundance): This new documentary explores questions surrounding Jesus’ whereabouts from the ages of 12 to 30. It also delves into the legend that Jesus survived the crucifixion and secretly returned to India, where he lived out his days.
◊“The Life a House Built: The 25th Anniversary of the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): This new documentary celebrates the quarter century that the former president and his wife have spent working with Habitat for Humanity, which uses volunteer labor from the community to build homes for the needy.
◊“Momma’s Boys” (8 p.m. on NBC): Dana White, Ultimate Fighting Championship president, and some of the UFC’s top trainers and fighters put the 32 women through a demanding challenge as the Moms look on to determine which of the young women are the best mates for their sons.
◊“Prison Break” (8 p.m. on Fox): In the show’s fall finale, Lincoln and his new partners arrive in Miami to recover Scylla from its shocking new owner, and Sarah searches for a missing Michael, who learns some surprising information about his past.
◊“UFC 92 Countdown” (10 p.m. on SPIKE): This special provides a glimpse into the preparation and training camps of the fighters set to headline the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
◊The University of Oklahoma takes on Rice in men’s college basketball action airing live at 7 p.m. on FSOK.
TUESDAY, DEC. 23
◊10th Annual A Home for the Holidays With Faith Hill (7 p.m. on CBS): The country singer will host the latest edition of the annual special that advocates adoption. Other performers include Melissa Etheridge, Jamie Foxx and Tim McGraw. Presenting stories about foster care adoption will be Kristin Chenoweth (“Pushing Daisies”), Patricia Heaton (“Everybody Loves Raymond”) and Martin Short (“Saturday Night Live”).
◊“Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (7 p.m. on ABC): The original 1966 animated special featuring Boris Karloff as the narrator and The Grinch, will air with additional footage from a “making of” documentary. Among those interviewed for the documentary was Theodore “Dr. Seuss” Geisel.
◊“Frank TV” (10 p.m. on TBS): Impressionist Frank Caliendo spoofs Donald Trump taking over Tom Hanks’ role in Forrest Gump, William Shatner trying to weasel his way into the new “Star Trek” movie and Jack Nicholson following up his sorority pillow-fight workout video with a sorority pillow-fight kit.
◊“Funniest Commercials of the Year: 2008″ (8 p.m. on TBS): Kevin Nealon (”Weeds”) returns as host for the fourth annual event that features up to 50 spots, 10 of which were voted as the year’s best commercials.
◊“Independent Lens” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): “Grey Gardens: From East Hampton to Broadway” traces the impact of the lives of Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter, “Little Edie,” on art, fashion and popular culture.
◊“Rediscovered” (8 p.m. on ABC): The producers of this new special went through decades of audition tapes from young hopefuls and brought five of them, now grown, to Los Angeles for another chance to show their stuff. Donny and Marie Osmond host the special, which also has clips from the very early work of Britney Spears and others who did make it big.
◊“ABC’s The List” (9 p.m. on ABC): Australia’s popular TV personality Rove Hough will host this new special that will take viewers on a funny, informative and provocative countdown through everything that’s happening in the world of entertainment and pop culture.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 24
◊“A Christmas Story” (7 p.m. on TBS): This 1983 comedy will air nonstop for the next 24 hours. Peter Billingsley stars as Ralphie, whose desire for a Red Ryder BB gun leads to hilarious complications. It is based on the writings of Jean Shepherd, who also narrates the movie.
◊“Christmas on Mars” (11 p.m. on Sundance): This unconventional holiday film from the Oklahoma-based art-rock group The Flaming Lips makes its world television premiere. The Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne directed the film with Bradley Beesley and George Salisbury and wrote the screenplay.
◊“Christmas With the Mormon Tabernacle Choir” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): The King’s Singers, England’s premier vocal choral ensemble, join the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra for a Christmas celebration.
◊“It’s a Wonderful Life” (7 p.m. on NBC): This 1946 holiday classic stars James Stewart as the financially ruined family man who wants to end it all … until an apprentice angel (Henry Travers) shows him how much worse off the world would be without him.
◊“Yule Log: The Golden Age of Christmas” (8 p.m. on WGN): Listen to nine hours of classic radio programs while watching the flames burn on the Yule Long hearth. Among the radio versions of classic Christmas programs are “Burns & Allen,” “Fibber McGee & Molly” and “The Great Gildersleeve.”
THURSDAY, DEC. 25
◊“2 Movie Guys Holiday Countdown Spectacular” (6:30 p.m. on KFOR-4, 9 p.m. on KAUT-43): Ryan and Lucas host a half-hour holiday special featuring appearances by Oklahoma celebrities, including the All American Rejects, the OKC Thunder Girls, Count Gregore, Jason White, Bart Connor and Nadia Comaneci.
◊“Hallmark Heroes With Regis Philbin” (7 p.m. on Hallmark): This new special honors ordinary people with extraordinary hearts. Jane Seymour (“Dear Prudence”) is also recognized for her effort on behalf of the Measles Initiative of the American Red Cross.
◊“Heroes at Home” (7 p.m. on My Network TV): In this special, six veterans of the war in Iraq — five men and one woman — share their experiences. All were injured in the line of duty and are struggling to put their lives back together and care for their families.
◊“The Price Is Right” (10 a.m. on CBS): A repeat of the show’s 2007 Christmas episode.
◊“Supernatural” (8 p.m. on CW): It’s Christmas time, and Sam and Dean investigate a series of murders where the victims were pulled up through the chimney.
◊“Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade” (9 a.m. on ABC): Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa (”Live With Regis and Kelly”) co-host the festivities from Orlando, Fla., while Ryan Seacrest (”American Idol”) handles the duties at Disney World’s Calfornia counterpart. Scheduled performers during the 25th annual parade are Miley Cyrus (”Hannah Montana”), Tulsa resident David Cook (”American Idol”) and the Jonas Brothers (”Camp Rock”).
◊TCM Birthday Tribute: Humphrey Bogart was born on this day in 1899, and TCM celebrates by airing five of his films, including 1942’s “Casablanca” (7 p.m.) and 1941’s “The Maltese Falcon” (11 p.m.).
FRIDAY, DEC. 26
◊“Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” (7 p.m. on Fox): A bank teller who can’t pass the class gets a second chance at cash when “Don’t Forget the Lyrics” host Wayne Brady invites her to carry a tune and sing for money on this speciall crossover edition.
◊“CMT Online Awards 2008″ (2:30 p.m. on CMT): Kellie Pickler (”American Idol”) hosts the third annual event. The winner in each category received the highest number of streams, clicks and views on www.CMT.com. Presenters include Jessica Simpson (”The Dukes of Hazzard”), Larry the Cable Guy (”Witless Protection”) and Hulk Hogan (”American Gladiators”).
◊“E! Special: Jennifer Aniston” (8 p.m. on E!): A profile of the former “Friends” star who has appeared in a string of blockbuster movies.
◊“Ghost Whisperer” (7 p.m. on CBS): A ghost who believes he is Santa Claus (Gordon Clapp, “NYPD Blue”) has lost touch with the true meaning of Christmas, and it is up to Melinda to help him discover the true gift of giving.
◊“NUMB3RS” (9 p.m. on CBS): Charlie works to find an extremely rare comic that was stolen during a deadly robbery at a comic book convention Christopher Lloyd (”Taxi”) guest stars.
SATURDAY, DEC. 27
◊“30 Minute Meals” (9 a.m. on Food Network): Host Rachael Ray whips up a quick and casual New Year’s Eve meal. She starts with steakhouse sliders with a side of mini steak fries. As a side, she makes a gorgonzola spinich artichoke dip.
◊“CMT Top 20 Countdown of the Year” (10 a.m. on CMT): Host Lance Smith counts down the year’s best country music videos. Contenders include Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney and Taylor Swift.
◊“A Kiss at Midnight” (8 p.m. on Hallmark Channel): Faith Ford (”Murphy Brown”) and Dyan Cannon (”Heaven Can Wait”) star in this new romantic comedy about a personal matchmaker who finds herself competing for business against a computer program, while she struggles with her own emotions.
–Penny TV
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
I sent in a check for $12.95 for a subscription to TCM magazine that was a month ago and I still have not received anything. Can you please help me as I do not know where to go next.
Ms June Jaros