Saturday, November 26, 2005

Network Holiday Programming: FOX

Continuing our holiday programming look at the networks, we look at FOX today.

FOX starts it all off with a reality special titled Dear Santa.
With Special Guest Appearances by Clay Aiken & Raven Simone, Dear Santa is a one-hour unscripted holiday special featuring the dramatic and heartwarming stories of children whose letters to Santa will be answered with the help of some very special guests. The U.S. Postal Service teams up with some of today's hottest stars to share some dramatic stories including a girl who wants to make the holidays special for needy children, a young boy who dreams of a safe place to skate, a little girl who hopes her dad will come home for the holidays from his military duties abroad and a girl who wants to further her education on Dear Santa airing Friday, Dec. 9 (8:30-9:00 p.m. ET/PT).

Malcolm in the Middle Holiday Classic: In an encore holiday episode, Broke, Hal and Lois decide that all the Christmas gifts must be homemade. When Hal realizes Lois and the boys have made bigger and better gifts, he fibs about the fabulous present he has in store for them and takes the family on a wild goose chase. Meanwhile, Malcolm feels like his brothers are alienating him and Francis returns home with startling news on the episode "Hal's Christmas Gift" Sunday, Dec. 9 (9:30-10:00 p.m. ET/PT). And for those in the west coast ONLY, a special airing again on Sunday, Dec. 18 (7:00-7:30 p.m. PT).

Bones Christmas: Construction workers find a skeleton in an old fallout shelter from the 1950s and the Jeffersonian is brought in to help identify the remains. When Zack cuts into the bone, he accidentally releases spores of the deadly fungus Valley Fever, causing the team to be quarantined in the lab over Christmas. While everyone tries to maintain the holiday spirit, Brennan buckles down to solve the mystery of the fallout shelter. Booth and Brennan’s team are reminded that this is a rough time of year for Brennan, since her parents went missing right before Christmas when she was a kid. As Brennan works to bring closure to the family of the missing man – something she has yet to receive about her own parents – the time spent together in the lab provides the catalyst for revealing information about all of them in “The Man in the Fallout Shelter” airing Tuesday, Dec. 13 (8:00-9:00 p.m. ET/PT)

The O.C. Holiday Episode: After the gang spends hours picking out the perfect Christmas trees, they devise a special plan to help a friend in need. Meanwhile, the holidays bring out a somber Summer who misses her mom, and Johnny's sudden misfortune forces him to take matters into his own hands. Kirsten, meanwhile, puts the past behind her and reaches out to Julie Cooper. And when a reminiscing Seth vows to put a little "mukkah" into Ryan’s "chris," Ryan gets Bar-Mitz-vahkkahed on the third annual O.C. "Chrismukkah" episode, "The Chrismukkah Bar Mitz-vahkkah," airing Thursday, Dec. 15 (8:00-9:00 p.m. ET/PT)

Cops Go Ho Ho Ho!: When Detective Jason Lando of the Pittsburgh, PA, Bureau of Police investigates suspicious activity in a parking lot frequented by drug users and prostitutes, the parked driver claims to be waiting for her daughter. As the investigation continues, officers recognize the driver’s daughter as someone they encounter frequently. The shaky young girl is found with drug paraphernalia and the situation becomes very emotional as she is detained in front of her mother. On the other side of the country, Sgt. Tom Jenkins of the Las Vegas, NV, Metropolitan Police Department stops a young female behaving suspiciously on the legendary Las Vegas strip. After the female suspect lies to Sgt. Jenkins, she eventually breaks down and admits to working the streets. Another segment features Officer Derek Bishop of the Spokane, WA, Police Department, responding to a call where a female suspect claims to be hitchhiking. Although she was ticketed several weeks before for prostitution, she maintains her innocence. When officers begin to question her credibility, some arresting surprises surface and the suspect attempts to bargain with officers on COPS: HO HO HO! SPECIAL EDITION #3 airing Saturday, Dec. 17 (8:00-8:30 p.m. ET/PT). Last season's Ho Ho Ho! Special Edition #2 follows at 8:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

MADtv is in the Holiday Spirit: Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) plays the new boss when “Sean Gidcomb” (Michael McDonald) decides to leave the office on an all-new holiday episode of MADtv airing Saturday, Dec. 17 (11:00 p.m.-Midnight ET/PT)

King of the Hill Christmas: When an elderly stranger, Ms. Wakefield (Marion Ross), visits the Hill residence during Christmas, Hank is thrilled to show her his house since it was also her childhood home. However, when Ms. Wakefield announces that she wants to die in their house, Hank and Peggy want nothing more than for her to leave. Ms. Wakefield proves to be more difficult to put off in the ”Ms. Wakefield” airing Sunday, Dec. 18 (7:30-8:00 p.m. PT) -- Note West Coast ONLY.

The Simpsons Christmas Episode: The Simpsons deliver holiday cheer in this Christmas-themed trilogy. In “The First (Annoyed Grunt) – El,” when Reverend Lovejoy’s car breaks down en route to Christmas mass, Homer takes over the sermon and delivers his version of the birth of Christ (Bart) to his parents Joseph (Homer) and Mary (Marge). “I Saw Grampa Cussing Santa Claus” finds Grampa reminiscing about his daredevil days as a WWII fighter pilot, when he was stranded on an island alongside his gunner, Burns. Grampa recalls mistaking Santa Claus for an enemy aircraft and gunning him down from the sky. Realizing their mistake, Grampa helps Jolly Ol’ St. Nick to safety, only to have Burns steal the sleigh and escape the island – leaving Grampa stranded again. The final installment, “The Nutcracker … Sweet,” which finds the townspeople of Springfield preparing for Christmas Day, is set to the tune of the famed “Nutcracker” ballet on “Simpsons Christmas Stories” Sunday, Dec. 18 (8:00-8:30 p.m. ET/PT).

FOX has only released information thru 12/18. If they have anything else special, we will post it here. Stay tuned!


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Tuesday, April 29

St. Denis Medical - "This Place Is Our Everything" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
A storm causes chaos in the Emergency Department; Alex is torn between an obligation to her husband and her co-workers' needs; Joyce goes on a spending spree with found money.

Night Court - "Blood Moonstruck" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
On the night of the blood moon, Abby and Gurgs help Julianne with a surprising romantic prospect; Wyatt finds himself in hot water when he fills in as Dan's replacement.

Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Adjust Your Crown, Sis" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Ella sponsors the membership of the new wife of a longtime dea-con into her social club, Incomparable Crowns, she begins to suspect something may be going on behind closed doors in the new marriage.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Ay-Bay-Bay" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Leah wants to try for another baby, but when Jeremy plays hard to get, Leah hatches a plan to seduce him; Mr. Brown has to babysit Kimberly's grandson who appears to be the perfect angel, until he reveals himself to be a mischievous handful.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 28)

Tuesday, April 29

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Watching Ellie/Seinfeld/Day by Day) - Catch Julia on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Mo Amer (Mo/Ramy) - Mo is a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Mary Lynn Rajskub (Rob Riggle's Ski Master Academy/How to Be a Gentleman/Veronica's Closet/The Larry Sanders Show) - Mary appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Tina Fey (The Four Seasons/Only Murders in the Building/30 Rock) - Tina stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. She also talks about The Four Seasons on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
  • Tim Bagley (The Great North/Teachers/Grace and Frankie/Web Therapy/Stril Mall) and Andy Richter (Andy Barker, P.I./Quintuplets/Andy Richter Controls the Universe) - Tim and Andy are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Paul Feig (Sabrina, the Teenage Witch/The Louie Show/The Jackie Thomas Show/Dirty Dancing) - Paul talks about Another Simple Favor on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda talks about the Wanda Sykes: Please & Thank You Tour on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Ed Helms (Rutherford Falls/The Office) - Ed talks about SNAFU: The Definitive Guide to History’s Greatest Screwups on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. He will also be on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Essence Atkins (Poppa's House/Marlon/Mr. Box Office/Are We There Yet?/Half & Half/Smart Guy/Under One Roof) - Essence joins Tamron Hall for a candid conversation on everything from her recent abstinence journey to her career longevity as a working mom, so check your local listings.
  • Bill Bellamy (Mr. Box Office/Men, Women & Dogs/Cousin Skeeter) - Bill will be on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour.
  • Stanley Tucci (Central Park) - Stanley drops by Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Jaleel White (Family Matters/Grown Ups) - Jaleel talks about his CBS game show, Flip Side, and shares stories from his memoir, Growing Up Urkel, on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Erika Alexander (Run the World/Living Single/The Cosby Show) and Kim Coles (Living Single/The Geena Davis Show) - Erika and Kim join Sherri to discuss their latest projects, so check your local listings.
  • Joe Manganiello (How I Met Your Mother) - NBC's Today catches up with Joe in the 9am hour.
  • Will Forte (The Four Seasons/HouseBroken/MacGruber/The Last Man on Earth/The Cleveland Show) and Erika Henningsen (The Four Seasons) - Will and Erika talk about The Four Seasons on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Keegan-Michael Key (Schmigadoon!/Friends from College/Playing House/Gary Unmarried) - Keegan-Michael is a guest on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Harry Hamlin (Movie Stars) - Harry appears on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two

11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season

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