What I imagine a lot of JSA parties look like...
Happy Holidays everybody! As we speed towards New Year’s, let me help steer you towards some interesting TV offerings.
As always, check local listings to verify programming.
Monday, Dec. 26th
• All Night – Being Human [Syfy] (Repeats)
Catch up on the back half of the first season of the American remake. That’s a lot of “of-s.”
• 6:30pm – National Treasure: Book of Secrets [USA] (Movie With Commercials)
• 6:30pm – Starship Troopers [G4] (Movie With Commercials)
Nothing says “Day After Christmas” like giant, brain killer bugs and military propaganda satire.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl [ABC Family] (Movie With Commercials)
• 8pm – Rudolph’s Shiny New Year [ABC] (Animated, Repeat)
And you thought the animated specials were over? Pssh…
• 8:45pm – Lucky Number Slevin [IFC] (Movie With Commercials)
• Hulu Spotlight: Misfits
If you haven’t been watching this British series about teenage delinquents who accidentally get superpowers, here’s a great opportunity to start. Two full seasons and episode 1 of the third are all available to watch right now.
Tuesday, Dec. 27th
• 6pm – The Fury [Fox Movie Channel] (Movie)
Kirk Douglas is on a mission to rescue his telepathic son from a Government agency in this 1978 Brian De Palma flick.
• 6pm – Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory [ABC Family] (Movie With Commercials)
The one, the only, the original. Accept no substitutes.
• 8pm – Close Encounters of the Third Kind [Turner Classic Movies] (Movie)
The 1977 Steven Spielberg classic that gave birth to one of the most famous few notes in pop culture history.
• 8pm – Zombieland [FX] (Movie With Commercials)
Repeats at 10pm.
• 8pm – The Boondock Saints [IFC] (Movie With Commercials)
It’s on IFC so all the cussing and blood should be intact but there will be adverts.
• 9pm – Kennedy Center Honors [CBS]
There’s nothing wrong with a little culture – Barbara Cook, Neil Diamond, Yo-Yo Ma, Sonny Rollins, and Meryl Streep are honored.
• 10:30pm – Earth vs. the Flying Saucers [Turner Classic Movies] (Movie)
1956 flick that has space aliens contacting a scientist as part of a plan to take over Earth. One of the crowns of the “space aliens as Communists” era of science fiction film making.
Wednesday, Dec. 28th
• 7pm – Casper [ABC Family] (Movie With Commercials)
Young Christina Richie and Bill Pullman star in this adaptation of the old cartoon/comic about the titular friendly ghost.
• 8pm – From Dusk Till Dawn [IFC] (Movie With Commercials)
The Quentin Tarantino action/horror film featuring a neck-tattooed George Clooney and the iconic Salma-Hayek-dancing-
with-a-snake scene.
• 11pm – The Postman [Syfy] (Movie With Commercials)
Or, as I like to call it, “Dances With Mail.” Kevin Costner directs himself as a bearded dude in a postal uniform in a post-apocalyptic, Western-ish future.
• Netflix Spotlight: Gojira (aka Godzilla)
The original 1954 Japanese version of the legendary monster flick is available for streaming. There’s also a whole host of other Godzilla adventures from the last 50+ years for your marathon-ing pleasure.
Thursday, Dec. 29th
• All Day – Burn Notice [USA] (Repeats, Marathon)
• 8pm – Happy New Year, Charlie Brown [ABC] (Animated, Repeat)
• 9pm – Three Inches [Syfy] (Premiere, MUST WATCH)
Two-hour intro to the series about a man who develops the power to move objects only three inches and teams up with other unusually powered people. I can’t tell if this is a great idea to premiere it when there’s nothing new on any other channel or confused that they “buried” it in a holiday week when people aren’t around to watch/program their dvrs.
• 10pm – The Incredible Hulk [Syfy] (Movie With Commercials)
The really, really good Edward Norton version that I wish they made a sequel to.
Friday, Dec 30th
• 6pm – Generator Rex [Cartoon Ntwk] (Animated)
Rex loses his goggles in a fight and is on a mission to get them back.
• 6:30pm – Young Justice [Cartoon Ntwk] (Animated, Repeat)
Great episode as Artemis and Robin fight powerful intruders to save the team and their headquarters.
• 8pm – Chuck [NBC] (MUST WATCH)
It’s a Sarah-centric episode as she goes solo to deal with a big, huge secret from her past. Guest stars Tim DeKay of ‘White Collar’ and the glorious Cheryl Ladd.
• 8pm – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button [FX] (Movie With Commercials)
• The Addams Family [AMC] (Movie With Commercials)
• 8pm – V for Vendetta [BBC America] (Movie With Commercials)
• 10pm – Sanctuary [Syfy] (Season Finale)
Henry and Tesla team up to discover what the SCIU have done with some of Tesla’s work meanwhile Bigfoot and Kate check into Caleb. Will and Abby, not to be left out, look into Magnus’ past.
• 10pm – Addams Family Values [AMC] (Movie With Commercials)
“Eat me!” “He’s great for Thanksgiving Day…”
• 11pm – Shaun of the Dead [BBC America] (Movie With Commercials)
Saturday, Dec. 31st
• All Day – The Twilight Zone (Original) Marathon [Syfy] (Repeats)
• 11am-12am – Walking Dead Marathon [AMC] (Repeats)
Ring in the New Year with everyone’s favorite zombie survivors (and the ones everyone hates too).
• 1pm-6:30pm – Adventure Time Mini-Marathon [Cartoon Ntwk] (Repeats)
• 1:30pm – Bedazzled [Fox Movie Channel] (Movie)
Peter Cook and Dudley Moore star as the Devil and a contract signee respectively in this 1967 comedy classic. Was remade surprisingly enjoyably with Brendan Fraser and Elizabeth Hurley.
• 6:30pm – Tropic Thunder [FX] (Movie With Commercials)
• 7pm – True Lies [Fox Movie Channel] (Movie)
Second best Arnold Schwarzenegger flick ever?
• 8pm – Live From Lincoln Center [PBS]
The New York Philharmonic plays songs by Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin. A more cultured alternative to whatever fresh horror is being unleashed on the pop-based New Year’s shows.
• 9:30pm – The Abyss [Fox Movie Channel]
The James Cameron underwater spectacular shown in its extended, three-hour version.
• 10pm – Great Performances [PBS] (Repeat)
It’s the musical side of Hugh Laurie as he showcases the city of New Orleans and its style of Blues music. Guest musicians include Allen Toussaint, Irma Thomas, and Tom Jones.
• Hulu Spotlight: Quantum Leap
Welcome in the future by jumping through the past. Two seasons of the Scott Bakula classic are available for your viewing pleasure.
Sunday, Jan. 1st
• All Day – Absolutely Fabulous Marathon [BBC America] (Repeats)
Everyone’s favorite saucy Brit boozers get the spotlight all day. First ep airs at 7:20am, the last begins at 5:20am on the morning of the 2nd.
• All Day – The Twilight Zone Marathon [Syfy] (Repeats)
Day 2 of the marathon concludes after the 5:30am episode that runs into Jan. 2nd.
• 3pm – Live Free or Die Hard [Fox Movie Channel] (Movie)
Unrated version of the fourth McClane saga which also stars Timothy Olyphant, Justin Long, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Maggie Q.
• 4pm-6pm, 7pm-10pm – Once Upon A Time S1 Marathon [ABC] (Repeats)
It’s also available on Hulu but, if you’ve had a lot of fun on the 31st and don’t feel like getting off the couch, here’s a great option.
• 5:30pm – Close Encounters of the Third Kind [Turner Classic Movie] (Movie)
In case you missed it earlier this week.
• 6pm – Iron Man [Fox Movie Channel aka FXM] (Movie)
Yes, the Robert Downey, Jr. flick. Without commercials or edits. Enjoy. And stay in your pajamas. Repeats at 9pm.
• 9pm – Leverage [TNT] (MUST WATCH)
The team takes on a crooked cash-for-gold organization.
• Hulu Spotlight: BraveStarr and Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers and Voltron: Defender of the Universe
If you’re feeling a little nostalgic and missing Saturday mornings of years past, here are three classic 80s toons with at least a season’s worth of full episodes for you to watch while eating your favorite sugary cereal.
Happy New Year, everyone – I hope 2012 brings you good luck and happiness!
