2011 Network TV Holiday Specials; NBC Picks Up Full Season of Grimm, Adds 2 More Up All Night Episodes

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

2011 Network TV Holiday Specials; NBC Picks Up Full Season of Grimm, Adds 2 More Up All Night Episodes

Can you believe the holiday season is nearing? Thanksgiving is um tomorrow, which means Christmas is right around the corner! And then it will be 2012 already a week after Christmas. Time flies! Anyway as I mentioned, I have put together our annual network television (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, The CW) holiday specials list that we all like to watch every year like Frosty the Snowman and A Charlie Brown Christmas, new classics like Shrek the Halls and Disney Prep & Landing and we even get some all-new specials like Disney Prep & Landing 2: Naughty Vs. Nice. Sure the network holiday line-ups are not as detailed as some cable networks like ABC Family, but the main holiday specials are still on network television! These are just actual holiday related specials and movies, not movies or specials airing during the holiday season on broadcast network television, kicking it off tomorrow with A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving on ABC:

ABC
Thursday, Nov. 24, 8-9pm: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving/This is America Charlie Brown: The Mayflower Voyagers
Thursday, Nov. 24, 9:30-11pm: A Very Gaga Thanksgiving (NEW!)
Monday, Nov. 28, 8-9pm: Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (animated) and Shrek the Halls
Thursday, Dec. 1, 8-9pm: Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
Thursday, Dec. 1, 9-11pm ET: CMA Country Christmas (NEW!)
Monday, Dec. 5, 8-9pm: A Charlie Brown Christmas and Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice (NEW!)
Thursday, Dec. 8, 8-9pm: Winter Wipeout: Deck the Balls (NEW!)
Thursday, Dec. 8, 9-10pm: America's Funniest Home Videos Christmas Spectacular (NEW!)
Monday, Dec. 12, 8-9pm: I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown
Thursday, Dec. 15, 8-9pm: A Charlie Brown Christmas/Charlie Brown Christmas Tales plus seven-minute short from Prep & Landing: Operation Secret Santa
Saturday, Dec. 17, 8-9pm: Winter Wipeout: Deck the Balls ENCORE
Saturday, Dec. 17, 9-11pm: CMA Country Christmas ENCORE
Sunday, Dec. 18, 7-8pm: America's Funniest Home Videos Christmas Spectacular ENCORE
Sunday, Dec. 18, 9-11pm: ABC Sunday Movie of the Week: The Santa Clause 3 - The Escape Clause
Monday, Dec. 19, 8-9pm: Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special and A Chipmunk Christmas (Both NEW! to ABC)
Thursday, Dec. 22, 8-9pm: Disney Prep & Landing and Disney Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice ENCORE
Thursday, Dec. 22, 9-10pm: I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown ENCORE
Friday, Dec. 23, 8-9pm: Shrek the Halls ENCORE and Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation
Friday, Dec. 23, 9-10pm: Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs Nice and Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special ENCORES
Saturday, Dec. 24, 8pm: Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (animated) ENCORE
Saturday, Dec. 24, 8:30-11pm: ABC Thursday Movie of the Week: Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Monday, Dec. 27, 8-9pm: Rudolph's Shiny New Year
Thursday, Dec. 29, 8-9pm: Happy New Year, Charlie Brown/She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown
Saturday, Dec. 31, 8-10pm New Year's Rockin' Eve: The 40th Anniversary Party (NEW!)
Saturday, Dec. 31, 10-11pm Dick Clark's Primetime New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2012 (NEW!)
Saturday, Dec. 31, 11:30pm-2:11am Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2012, Parts 1 and 2 (NEW!)
For other non-holiday related movies and specials airing during the holiday season on ABC, view our schedule.

CBS:
Friday, Nov. 25, 8-9pm: Hoops & Yo-Yo Ruin Christmas and Elf on a Shelf: An Elf's Story (NEW!)
Tuesday, Nov. 29, 8-9pm: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Friday, Dec. 9, 8-9pm: Frosty the Snowman and Frosty Returns
Friday, Dec. 9, 9-10pm: Yes, Virginia There Is A Santa Claus and Elf on a Shelf: An Elf's Story ENCORE
Saturday, Dec. 10, 8-9pm: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer ENCORE
Saturday, Dec. 10, 9-10pm: The Flight Before Christmas
Saturday, Dec. 17, 8-9pm: Frosty the Snowman and Frosty Returns ENCORES
Saturday, Dec. 17, 9-10pm: The Story of Santa Claus
Wednesday, Dec. 21, 8-9pm: 13th Annual Home for the Holidays
For other non-holiday related movies and specials airing during the holiday season on CBS, view our schedule.

NBC:
Friday, Nov. 24, 10-11pm: The 85th Anniversary of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (NEW!)
Saturday, Nov. 26, 8-9pm: The 85th Anniversary of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade ENCORE
Wednesday, Nov. 30, 8-9pm: Christmas in Rockefeller Center (NEW!)
Saturday, Dec. 3, 8-11pm: NBC Movie of the Week: It's a Wonderful Life
Monday, Dec. 5, 8-10pm: The Sing-Off Holiday Special (NEW!)
Tuesday, Dec. 6, 8-9pm: A Michael Buble Christmas (NEW!)
Tuesday, Dec. 20, 9-11pm: Saturday Night Live Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas
Saturday, Dec. 24, 8-11pm: NBC Movie of the Week: It's a Wonderful Life ENCORE
For other non-holiday related movies and specials airing during the holiday season on NBC, view our schedule.

Fox:
Thursday, Nov. 24 8-9:30pm: Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas and Happiness is Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown (NEW!)
Friday, Dec. 16 8-9pm: Happiness is Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown ENCORE
Wednesday, Dec. 28, 8:30pm: Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas ENCORE
For other non-holiday related movies and specials airing during the holiday season on Fox, view our schedule.

The CW:
Friday, Nov. 25 8-10pm: Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer and Olive, The Other Reindeer
Wednesday, Nov. 30 8-9pm: A Muppet Christmas: Letters to Santa (NEW! to The CW)
Friday, Dec. 23 8-10pm: Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer and Olive, The Other Reindeer ENCORE
For other non-holiday related movies and specials airing during the holiday season on The CW, view our schedule.

NBC has picked-up a full season of the new Friday drama Grimm. The series has surprisingly done decently for a Friday, either winning its time period or coming in second place over its four airings to date. As a result, NBC has picked-up a full 22 episode season for the series. NBC will also air an all-new episode on a special night and time on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 10pm to try and expand its audience and drive more tune-in to its regular Friday airings. The series has averaged about a 1.8 rating among adults 18-49 in live+same day data.
Also at NBC, two more episodes of new comedy Up All Night have been ordered, bringing the number of episodes from 22 to 24. The single-camera starring Christina Applegate, Will Arnett and Maya Rudolph was picked up for a full season early last month, as we mentioned. The series will be moving to Thursdays after The Office starting January 11. After a decent start, the comedy has plunged in the ratings but NBC will give it a boost by moving it to another night and time. Will it work? We shall see.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, September 17

Shifting Gears - "Gummies" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Riley is horrified when she finds weed gummies in Carter’s pocket, prompting surprising advice from Matt. Meanwhile, Eve inadvertently lands Gabriel and Stitch in hot water after asking them to donate to a charity auction.

Shifting Gears - "Kiss" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Jimmy returns with a new job and a proposition for Riley and the kids to move into his house, Riley is torn between her past and her future. Meanwhile, Matt's feud with Eve flares up once again after she damages his car.

Abbott Elementary - "Rally" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Ava and the Abbott teachers go to the district to plead for Ava's job back; Gregory handles duties as interim principal.

Abbott Elementary - "Please Touch Museum" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Abbott Elementary goes on a schoolwide field trip to the Please Touch Museum, which has some of the older kids skeptical.

The Hospital - "Double or Nothing; Make a Wish" (BET, 11:00PM ET/PT)
Apparently the best spot to gamble during your shift, is in the morgue.

The Hospital - "Lyrical Surgery; Get It Poppin" (BET, 11:30PM ET/PT)
Dr. Do-It-To-Em's mixtape has more bars than a nursing student during finals week.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 15)

Wednesday, September 17

Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Watch Wanda on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Jason Bateman (Arrested Development/George and Leo/Chicago Sons/Simon/The Hogan Family/It's Your Move/Silver Spoons) - Jason appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Ron Howard (Arrested Development/Happy Days/The Andy Griffith Show) - Ron is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Brett Goldstein (Shrinking/Ted Lasso) - Brett stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Rob Reiner (All in the Family/Morton & Hayes) - Rob appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) and Greta Titelman (Fantasmas/Search Party/Los Espookys) - Paul and Greta are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Eva Longoria (Only Murders in the Building/Telenovela) - Eva talks about FX's Necaxa on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Marlon Wayans (Marlon/The Wayans Bros.) - Marlon talks about Him on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Eugene Levy (Schitt's Creek/Greg the Bunny/Hiller and Diller) - Eugene talks about The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
Mark Duplass (Big Mouth/Togetherness/The Mindy Project/The League) - Mark talks about The Morning Show on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
Rosie Perez (Human Resources/Search Party) - Rosie co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Kristin Davis (And Just Like That.../Bad Teacher/Sex and the City) - Kristin dishes on the end of And Just Like That and surprises Drew with an item from the set of Sex and the City on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Jane Lynch (Angel from Hell) - Jane talks about Fox's Celebrity Weakest Link on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Judy Reyes (Scrubs) - Judy is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.