Premieres and Notables; December 29, 2008- January 4, 2009

Monday, 12/29

Ron Howard: 50 Years in Film; TCM. 7 pm. Special.
TCM (which knows good movies-- and doesn't do tabloid crap) spends 90 minutes talking to Howard about his work.


Tuesday, 12/30

The 31st Annual Kennedy Center Honors; CBS. 8 pm. Special.
Recipients are: Barbra Streisand, Morgan Freeman, George Jones, Twyla Tharp, Pete Townshend, and Roger Daltrey.


Thursday, 1/1

Dear Genevieve; HGTV. 12 noon. Series Premiere.
Genevieve Gorder gets a new show. I think it has something to do with room/house makeovers.
Just 237 more makeover shows, and everyone's house will be perfect...

NBC reairs last season's finale of The Office, which introduced Amy Ryan's HR rep, who is told Kevin is "special" (and. amazingly, Kevin acts no different this ep than others; he's just looked at differently).


Sunday, 1/4

Superstars of Dance; NBC. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
Now that Sunday Night Football is over, NBC decided to steal a little of FOX's American Idol and ABC's Dancing With the Stars to make yet another dance reality competition show.

Masterpiece Classic; PBS. 8 pm (check local listings). Season Premiere.
The newest season begins with Tess of the D'Ubervilles this week and next.

Sex Ed For a New Generation

I hope this works better here than it did on YouTube (don't know if it's my crappy computer or a crappy file). It's amusing.

It's Not Too Late...

...To get the best toy of the year.




What are you waiting for?
Get to your local department store!

Premieres and Notables; December 22-28; 2008

Before I get to the premieres, I just have to say bravo to TV Guide for finally putting a worthy cover out on the stands.

I used to think "pathetic" when I'd flip through the letters from fans gushing over the sexy cover boy (or sometimes girl) on some issue or another. But now I get it. This cover is great for three reasons:

1. How I Met Your Mother needs-- and deserves-- much more attention that it usually gets.

2. Neil Patrick Harris' Barney is the perfect "subject" for a cover like this.

3. Cobie Smulders and Alyson Hannigan are frakkin hot!

So let me say, publicly, "good job" to TV Guide right now.

--But that won't stop me from composing a "Why TV Guide sucks" post some time in the future...

Because it's been a long time coming.

BTW: Entertainment Weekly also has a pictorial of the entire cast of How I Met Your Mother reenacting some scenes from movies and life in 2008. Films include Indiana Jones and the Kingdom blah blah blah, Sex and the City, and then they also did a shot of the Men's Olympic swim team-- and the best: the guys of HIMYM as the Jonas Brothers.

Two major mags giving this show its props in the same week.

Hopefully things are looking up.

Okay, on to the premiere stuff:

Monday, 12/22

One of the best episodes of How I Met Your Mother ever airs tonight (CBS; 7:30 pm). The 2007 "Slapsgiving" celebration finds Marshall terrorizing Barney over a slap that is owed him. After many bluffs, Marshall finally does the deed. And then does something hilarious afterward; just to increase Barney's humiliation. This is must see TV right here, folks.

Prison Break (FOX; 8 pm). Mid-season finale. One of Linc's crew doesn't make it out of the ep alive. Here's my take on it, so if you haven't watched up to this point, skip to the next listing because this is a minor spoiler alert. I don't know anything, but here are my odds of death. Linc: 500-1; T-Bag: 200-1; Gretchen: 10-1; Self: 5-1.

Spoiler over

The Life a House Built; PBS. 8 pm (check local listings). Special.

A look at Jimmy Carter's work with Habitat For Humanity. I work with someone who bought a Habitat house (yes, they do buy them; just at reduced rates and reduced costs due to donated material and labor) last year, and I learned quite a bit about this fantastic program from her. Hopefully some insight can be gained for others with this special.

Tuesday, 12/23

A Home for the Holidays With Faith Hill; CBS. 7 pm. Special.

Frank TV (TBS; 10 pm). Season finale.

If a show airs, but no one gives a crap, does it really exist?

Wednesday, 12/24

A Christmas Story; TBS. 7 pm. marathon.

TBS runs its annual 24 hours of the classic film.

It's a Wonderful Life; NBC. 7 pm. Movie.

Another classic film; but only airing once.

Sunday, 12/28

Summer Heights High (HBO; 9:30) Season Finale.

This is an awesome show. Very much in the spirit of the original The Office and other more subtle comedy. Catch it on reruns or with OnDemand.