ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas 2013 Schedule

It is that time of year ago when you just stay inside with a blanket on and watch Christmas specials for a month straight. And ABC Family is happy to accommodate with its 25 Days of Christmas tomorrow. Some highlights include the world premiere of the ABC Family Original movie Holidaze starring Jennie Garth and Cameron Mathison as well as an all-new Christmas Special of Melissa & Joey and Baby Daddy. Here is the full schedule (all times PM unless otherwise listed):

Sunday, December 1
(7:00 AM) Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas
(8:30 AM) Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas
(10:00 AM) Santa Buddies
(12:00) The Family Man
(3:00) Disney's A Christmas Carol
(5:00) The Polar Express
(7:00) Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Live Action)
Encore Presentation (9:30 PM–12:00 AM ET/PT)

Monday, December 2
(6:00) Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too
(6:30) Mickey's Christmas Carol
(7:00) Jack Frost (1979)
(8:00) The Santa Clause
(10:00 PM–12:00 AM ET/PT) The Santa Clause 3 - The Escape Clause
Encore Presentation (12:00–2:00 AM ET/PT)

Tuesday, December 3
(6:00) The Santa Clause
(8:00) Scrooged
(10:00) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
(12:00 AM) Three Days

Wednesday, December 4
(6:00) Scrooged
(8:00–10:00 PM ET/PT) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
(10:00 PM) Deck the Halls — ABC Family Premiere
(12:00–2:00 AM ET/PT) A Very Brady Christmas

Thursday, December 5
(6:00) Rudolph's Shiny New Year
(7:00) The Polar Express
Encore Presentation (12:00AM)
(9:00) The Muppet Christmas Carol

Friday, December 6
(6:00) Frosty's Winter Wonderland
(6:30) The Muppet Christmas Carol
(8:30) Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Live Action)
(12:00 AM) Prancer

Saturday, December 7
(7:00 AM) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys
(8:30 AM) Home Alone: The Holiday Heist
(10:30 AM) Prancer
(12:30) All I Want For Christmas
(2:30) Disney's A Christmas Carol
(4:30) Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas
(7:00) The Santa Clause
(9:00) The Santa Clause 3 - The Escape Clause
(11:00 PM) Deck the Halls

Sunday, December 8
(7:00 AM) Jack Frost (1979)
(8:00 AM) Christmas Cupid
(10:00 AM) Snowglobe
(12:00) Santa Baby
(2:00) Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe
(4:00) 12 Dates of Christmas
(6:00) The Mistle-Tones
(8:00) Holidaze — ABC Family Original Movie Premiere
(10:00 PM) Holiday in Handcuffs

Monday, December 9
(6:00) Holidaze
(8:00) Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Live Action)
(10:30) Dr. Seuss' The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat

Tuesday, December 10
(6:00) A Chipmunk Christmas
(6:30) Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Live Action)
(9:00) The Year Without a Santa Claus
(10:00) Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
(12:00) Snowglobe

Wednesday, December 11
(6:00) Holiday in Handcuffs
Encore Presentation (12:00 AM)
(8:00) Melissa and Joey – All New Christmas Special
(8:30) Babby Daddy – All New Christmas Special
(9:00) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Thursday, December 12
(6:00) Baby Daddy
(6:30) Melissa and Joey
(7:00) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
(9:00) Scrooged
(12:00) All I Want For Christmas

Friday, December 13
(4:00) Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too
(4:30) Dinsney∙Pixar’s Toy Story
(6:20) Disney∙Pixar’s Toy Story 2
(8:20) Disney∙Pixar’s Toy Story 3
(10:30) Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story of Terror!
(12:00) Chasing Christmas

Saturday, December 14
(7:00 AM) Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day
(7:30 AM) Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too
(8:00 AM) Winnie The Pooh — ABC Family Premiere
(9:30 AM) Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too
(10:00 AM) Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas
(11:30 AM) Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas
(1:00) Mickey's Christmas Carol
(1:30) Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story of Terror!
(2:00) Dinsney∙Pixar’s Toy Story
(3:50) Disney∙Pixar’s Toy Story 2
(5:50) Disney∙Pixar’s Toy Story 3
(8:00) Disney's The Little Mermaid — ABC Family Premiere
Encore Presentation (9:45–11:30 PM ET/PT)
(11:30 PM) The Muppet Christmas Carol

Sunday, December 15
(7:30 AM) Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas
(9:00 AM) Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas
(10:30 AM) Disney Prep and Landing
(11:00 AM) Disney Prep and Landing: Naughty vs. Nice
(11:30 AM) Mickey's Christmas Carol
(12:00) – I'll Be Home for Christmas
(2:00) All I Want For Christmas
(4:00) Deck the Halls
(6:00) The Muppet Christmas Carol
(8:00) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
(10:00) Scrooged

Monday, December 16
(7:00 AM) Snow
(7:00) The Santa Clause
(9:00) The Santa Clause 2
(11:00) The Santa Clause 3 - The Escape Clause
(1:00 AM) Disney Prep and Landing
(1:30 AM) Disney Prep and Landing: Naughty vs. Nice

Tuesday, December 17
(7:00 AM) Three Days
(11:00 AM) Unlikely Angel
(1:00) Prancer
(3:00) – I'll Be Home for Christmas
Encore Presentation (12:00 AM)
(5:00) The Santa Clause
(7:00) The Santa Clause 2
(9:00) The Polar Express

Wednesday, December 18
(7:00 AM) Holidaze
(9:00n AM) Secret Santa
(11:00 AM) The Mistle-Tones
(1:00) Santa Baby
Encore Presentation (12:00 AM)
(3:00) Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe
(5:00) The Polar Express
(7:00) Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too
(7:30) Mickey's Christmas Carol
(8:00) Mary Poppins

Thursday, December 19
(7:00 AM) Eloise at Christmastime
(9:00 AM) Mary Poppins
(12:00) 12 Dates of Christmas
(2:00) Holiday in Handcuffs
(4:00) The Family Man
(7:00) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys
(8:30) Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas
(12:00) Deck the Halls

Friday, December 20
(7:00 AM) Chasing Christmas
(9:00 AM) Christmas Every Day
Encore Presentation (12:00–2:00 AM ET/PT)
(11:00 AM) Christmas Do-Over
(1:00) The Family Man
(4:00) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys
(5:30) Frosty's Winter Wonderland
(6:00) A Chipmunk Christmas
(6:30) Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Live Action)
(9:00) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Saturday, December 21
(7:00 AM) Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey
(7:30 AM) The Little Drummer Boy
(8:00 AM) Pinocchio's Christmas
(9:00 AM) The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
(10:00 AM ) 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
(10:30 AM) Rudolph's Shiny New Year
(11:30 AM) Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July
(1:30) The Year Without a Santa Claus
(2:30) Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
(3:30) A Chipmunk Christmas
(4:00) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
(6:00) The Santa Clause
(8:00) The Santa Clause 2
(10:00 PM) The Santa Clause 3 - The Escape Clause
(12:00) The Mistle-Tones

Sunday, December 22
(7:00 AM) The Year Without a Santa Claus
(8:00 AM) Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
(9:00 AM) I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
(11:00 AM) Unaccompanied Minors
(1:00) The Santa Clause
(3:00) The Santa Clause 2
(5:00 PM) The Santa Clause 3 - The Escape Clause
(7:00) Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Live Action)
Encore Presentation (9:30 PM–12:00 AM ET/PT)

Monday, December 23
(7:00 AM) I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
(9:00 AM) A Dennis the Menace Christmas
(11:00 AM) Home Alone: The Holiday Heist
(1:00) Deck the Halls
(3:00) Disney's A Christmas Carol
(5:00) Jack Frost (1979)
(6:00) Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
(7:00) The Year Without a Santa Claus
(8:00) The Muppet Christmas Carol
(10:00 PM) The Polar Express
(12:00 AM) Scrooged

Tuesday, December 24
(7:00 AM) A Very Brady Christmas
(9:00 AM) 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
(11:00 AM) Scrooged
(1:00) The Polar Express
(3:00) The Muppet Christmas Carol
(5:00) The Santa Clause
(7:00) The Santa Clause 2
(9:00) The Santa Clause 3 - The Escape Clause
(12:00 AM) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Wednesday, December 25
(7:00 AM) Frosty's Winter Wonderland
(7:30 AM) The Year Without a Santa Claus
(8:30 AM) Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
(11:00 AM) The Muppet Christmas Carol
Encore Presentation (12:00–2:00 AM ET/PT)
(1:00) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Encore Presentation (9:00–11:00 PM ET/PT)
(3:00) The Santa Clause
(5:00) The Santa Clause 2
(7:00) The Santa Clause 3 - The Escape Clause

2013 9th Green Holiday Schedule

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, or as those outside the U.S. like to call it, Thursday. So I hope you have (or had, depending on when you read this) a great Turkey Day. Just a heads up with the holidays upon us, here’s a look at the schedule the 9th Green will be taking the next couple weeks as well as a list of the best of 2013 and on day that are not listed, they will be filled by the regular reviews and such you have come to find at the 9th Green (card subject to change):


November 28-29 - Off for Thanksgiving
November 30 – ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas Schedule
December 2 - Induction into the Scooter Hall of Fame
December 19 - Lyrics Quiz: Best of 2013
December 21 - Worst Songs of 2013
December 22 – Best Performances of 2013
December 23 - Best Albums of 2013
December 24-25 - Off for Christmas
December 26 - Best Videos of 2013
December 27 - Best Mash-ups of 2013
December 28 - The Most Entertaining People of 2013
December 29 – 9th Green’s Reader’s Favorite Songs of 2013*
December 30 - 100 Best Songs of 2013
December 31/January 1 - Off for New Years
January 2 - Induction into the Scooter Hall of Fame
January 3 - Best Movies of 2013


*As you may have noticed, on the 29th I will have a Reader’s poll on what you all thought were the best songs of the year.

All you have to do is fill out the form below. If you have problems with it, feel free to e-mail me, ScooterMcGavin9thGreen(at)gmail(dot)com, your list. So if you would sometime time before Christmas fill out the form below, I will put a link at the top of the sidebar if you want to think about it. And as an added bonus, if you send me your list this year you can win a $5 Gift Certificate to iTunes. Please note, only people with American accounts can win but foreigners are still welcome to voice their opinions. Winners will be contacted sometime between Christmas and New Years.


If you need a refresher of songs from the last twelve months, check out the list of the albums I reviewed, just look at the labels in the side bar. All the songs from those albums are eligible, look through the music videos I highlighted the past year and of course any song released this year is okay too even if I didn’t talk about it. Your nominations will be confidential and I won’t disclose it here at the 9th Green, so if you enjoy the 9th Green please fill out the form by December 26.

Previewing Boston's Finest and Marshal Law: Texas

Even though they were not filming during Patriots Day, the Boston Bombing looms large after the first episode of the new season of Boston’s Finest. It opens on July 4, the first major event since the bombing at the Boston Marathon and the cops and the general public is hesitant about the festivities. Of course the Boston Police Department has deployed extra forces and most of the officers you met last season are on duty. This includes Jenn Penton, who joined the force after a military stint on Afghanistan; Diamantino “D” Araujo and Manny Canuto, members of the gang squad (gangs use the holiday to mask gunshots with the sound of firecrackers); and Greg and Nancy Dankers who work opposite shifts. This season we also go on Boston Harbor where there are different difficulties from their land stricken breather.

After Boston’s Finest, TNT will travel almost 2,000 miles southwest to Houston for their newest show Marshal Law: Texas. Nope, Governor Rick Perry has not declared Martial law for a reality series, despite the similar sounding phrase this show follows the U.S. Marshal Service located in Houston, Texas. Think Justified: The Reality Series. But where Raylan Givens never leaves the headquarters without his trusty hat, these Marshals routinely go on the hunt looking more like S.W.A.T. teams compete with helmets and bulletproof vests.

Business is booming for the Marshal Service in Houston with 30,000 fugitives on the lamb in the city, some of them for very violent crimes. But much like Raylan, these Marshals are not messing around. For instance, in tonight’s premiere, they corner a fugitive in a house currently for sale and bust out most windows, tearing down blinds to get a better looked at an armed man who is wanted for shooting his girlfriend and go in armed with semi-automatic weapons. To give each case deeper importance, we also get to hear from victims of the fugitives or their family. If you enjoyed the first season of Boston’s Finest, you will definitely want to stick around for Marshal Law: Texas.

Boston’s Finest airs Tuesdays at 9:00 on TNT followed by Marshal Law: Texas at 10:00. You can download Boston's Finest on iTunes

Previewing Major Crimes: Season 2 Winter Half

Major Crimes returns tonight to close out its last eight episodes of the season tonight. This past summer, Raydor and the detectives in the squad finally settled into a good working relationship. But they are now under the watchful eye of Deputy District Attorney Emma Rios, who has been assigned to shadow investigations and work with Raydor’s team to build successful cases and secure plea deals whenever possible. Then there was Rusty who struggled to come to terms with his past and pushed away a female classmate without explanation.

The winter season starts off with a double murder of two teenagers who get caught with the new drug of choice, molly, laced with a little something extra. This of course brings in the local NARC to help solve the case. Next week’s installment entitled Jailbait bring a new double meaning to the term when a juvenile rapist is murdered and the team is tasked with finding the murderer. Usually on shows like this I can spot the perp a half an hour before the reveal, but this episode was one of the few times I was legitimately shocked by who did it.

The detectives also follow a money trail full of surprises when a body turns up at a posh country club. These episodes also promise to reveal the mysterious person sending letters to Rusty and Raydor, while Rusty finally testifies against Phillip Stroh. Jon Tenney will also return to direct the December 16 episode and will appear as FBI Agent Fritz Howard in two episodes.

Major Crimes airs Mondays at 9:00 on TNT. You can also download Major Crimes on iTunes.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 11/24/13

Once Upon a Time: Just when I thought they could not ruin Peter Pan anymore, they make his origin story an adult. Sure it makes absolutely no sense that Peter Pan’s shadow predates Peter Pan, but that is the kind of writing you get on this show. And even though I doubt that either will stick, but I have no problem with Henry dying or Rumplestilkin getting trapped in Pandora’s Box. And though the promo monkeys suggested not guessing what happens next, they bring Henry back to life and the second half of the season is Henry becoming the new leader of the Lost Boys.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Once Upon a Time on iTunes.

Homeland: I was hoping he would just rot in the half finished building for the rest of eternity but it looks like Brody will be back on American soil by next episode. And he will probably get a full pardon even though he is a known associate of Abu Nazir, tried to blow up the Vice President and other high ranking officials, and they succeeded in killing the Vice President the following season. Maybe if we are lucky, they will ship him overseas to help their asset in Iran.

The Walking Dead: Where has the fake cop been this whole time? Of course like every interesting character this show introduces, I fully expect her to be dead by the end of next episode. I do wonder if these new people are cousins to the Greene family because it is distracting how much the one looks exactly like Maggie.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

Revenge: When the promo monkeys hyped someone from Emily’s past coming back, I rolled my eyes when her gay husband showed up. Oops, he was not it. Then when the reporter got all Deep Throat meeting in a parking garage, I just assumed the British chick was back in town. Nope, Lydia is back from the dead. Wait, what? I thought she was dead, except I do not remember how. I remember he falling off her balcony onto a car but I thought she survived that. (I had to look it up, she was supposed to be on the airplane that exploded at the end of season one. So Lydia was not on it, Victoria was not on it, who exactly was on the airplane?)
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Revenge on iTunes.

Masters of Sex: An episode of Masters of Sex without any sex. Unless you consider seeing the inside of a lady count. I do now wonder if Dr. Haas and Vivian will meet each other again in the sex study. Now that she has had an orgasm it seems like she would try to reenroll (unless she was too embarrassed by the first rejection). And I wonder if Barton himself will ever partake in some sort a way even if it is just a way to “cure” himself.

Castle: Number one rule of television: if you do not find a body, they are not dead. And even if you do find a body, there is still a fifteen percent chance they still not turn out to be dead. So I never for a moment thought the serial killer was actually dead. And now that he has a plastic surgeon girlfriend, he could end up being anyone. He may even show up as Ryan’s doppelganger at some point.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Castle on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: I was worried when they said the episode would tie into the movie because I do not like going to movies and prefer to watch them from the comforts of the couch. Thankfully they did not spoil anything (sure they were cleaning up after London was destroyed but you could tell from the trailer a city was getting destroyed; that an a city inevitably gets destroyed in every superhero movie). But it was a bit disappointing that they had a movie tie in episode and none of the characters from the movie showed up. They really could not have run into Natalie Pirtman for a second or two?
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

Sons of Anarchy: Wow, they actually killed off Clay. He had to die at some point, but after he survived two gunshot to the chest from Opie I assumed he was going to manage to survive until closer the series finale. But here he is shot by Jax during the antepenultimate episode of the penultimate season. So now what? The series has always been about a power struggle between Jax and Clay and now with Clay off the board for the reminder of the series there is a gaping hole. The rest of the series cannot possibly be about the power struggle between Tara and Gemma could it?
You can download Sons of Anarchy on iTunes.

Survivor: Blood vs. Water: If I had not seen just the day before a dude shoot his step-father in the throat in front of his mother and wife, what Ciera did to her mother would have been the most coldblooded thing on television this week. It is one thing to vote your mother out, it is other to writer her name down then put “mom” in parentheses so she, and everyone in the world, knows that you shot your mother in the throat. And it was awesome and almost makes this horrible Blood vs. Water idea worth it. The most bizarre thing is that Ciera could be in the driver’s seat. The promo monkeys make it seem like the newbies are going to ban together to oust the veterans. The she could easily get in the final three. Once there she could actually win because people may be weary of voting for Caleb (because Colton is evil) and Hayden (who already won a rival reality show). Of course whenever the promo monkeys suggests something, it almost always goes wrong, which means one of the newbies will either not flip on the veterans or let the veterans get wind and Tyson will use his Idol.
You can stream recent episodes on cbs.com. You can also download Survivor: Blood vs. Water on iTunes.

Nashville: If I were Rayna I would have totally let the police arrest me and then win the war in the court of public opinion. I really doubt a digital single is really going to completely placate the head of the record label.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Nashville on iTunes.

The Big Bang Theory: It doe not even matter if Amy pointed out how wrong it was, the writers should have never have heldon make the slavery comparison, it just was not funny. It did not help that this episode just aired after Sarah Palin also made a very inappropriate slavery comparison.
You can stream recent episodes on cbs.com. You can also download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.

Parenthood: Max is typically my least favorite character on the show, but Max asking out Hank’s daughter and the uncomfortable position that put Hank in was hilarious. Can’t they just have Hank’s daughter move back to California permanently? It would completely make up for the downer that the Julia storyline has been this season.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Parenthood on iTunes.

Best of the Week: 11/23/13

Quote of the Week: I had people yell “Show me your boobs” so much you’d have thought it was hit song. (Rayna James, Nashville)

Song of the Week: Sabotage - Beastie Boys (How I Met Your Mother)

Scene of the Week:


Big News of the Week: The CW May Have Started Trying: I like to ding The CW because it is so easy. In successive years after its creation they canceled they only quality programs they inherited Veronica Mars and Everybody Hates Chris yet continued to renew crap like One Tree Hill and Supernatural past their decade mark. Now that the network is closing in on a decade itself, it routinely gets out rated by basic cable programs mostly because it continues to green light trashy teen focused dramas. Then news broke this week they were developing not one, but two Homeland type-show. Hopefully whichever one makes it to air stars Lyla Garrity as it could easily be one of the greatest hate watching shows of all time. Add this to the Rob Thomas / zombie show, and The CW may actually become watchable for the first time in eight seasons. But then again, these three shows will probably not make it to air but the proposed Fred Durst bio-series will instead.

Preview Picture of the Week:

Christmas Bounty, Tuesday at 8:00 on ABC Family

Free Download and Deal of the Week: 90’s Discount (Google Play): Last week Google had a rock fire sale and this week they go back into the nineties with free tracks and albums as low as $3.99 from artists like Boyz II Men, Mary J. Blige, 2 Pac, and Alanis Morrissette.

New Album Release of the Week: Foreverly - Billy Joe Armstrong and Norah Jones

New DVD Release of the Week: Breaking Bad: The Complete Series

Video of the Week: R. Kelly has a new album coming out next week and there really is only two things Kells is known for: Trapped in the Closet and weird sex songs. Unfortunately Black Panties does not have any new chapters of Trapped in the Closet but it does have songs entitled Crazy Sex and Marry That (Expletive Deleted) (the Deluxe Edition also has Show Ya (Expletive Deleted) and Every Position). So Rolling Stone tested the theory that Robert could write sex songs about anything and gave him three challenges. And they were awesome.


Next Week Pick of the Week: Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday at 9:00 A.M. on NBC: Thanksgiving just is not Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce from a can and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This year will feature apprences and performances from Big Apple Circus, Kristin Chenoweth, Cherokee National Youth Choir, Chica and the gang from Sprout, Cirque du Soleil, Gavin DeGraw, Brett Eldredge, Fall Out Boy, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots with the cast of "Sesame Street," Fifth Harmony, Florida Georgia Line, Goo Goo Dolls, Ariana Grande, Jack Hannah, Megan Hilty, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings, Sandra Lee, Cher Lloyd, Austin Mahone, Mannheim Steamroller, Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri, NFL legends Bart Oates, Amani Toomer and Hines Ward, NHL legends Cam Neely and Mike Richter, as well as Kellie Pickler, The Robertson family from A&E's hit series "Duck Dynasty," Debby Ryan, Richard Simmons, and The Summer Set.

Around the Tubes: 11/22/13

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Getting On, Ja’mie: Private School Girl, Barbra Streisand: Back to Brooklyn, Party On, Face Off, Dallas, and Being Human.

- HBO’s latest series Getting On premieres this Sunday at 10:00 which will be followed by Ja’mie: Private School Girl. Check out a preview for both below:




- Barbra Streisand's heralded hometown return at the brand new 19,000-seat, billion-dollar Barclays Center, Barbra Streisand: Back to Brooklyn, airs on THIRTEEN's Great Performances Friday, November 29 at 9 p.m. as part of the PBS Arts Fall Festival (check local listings). Mixing her trademark classics with rarer older material and selections from her more recent albums, Streisand, in her first concert appearance in six years, and backed by a 60-piece orchestra led by William Ross, keeps the capacity house enthralled. In all, she sings 27 songs, nine of which she never before performed live, and three which she sings in different ways; that is, either with different arrangements or with newly composed lyrics. Streisand masterfully holds the stage for two hours, joined by special guests Il Volo, trumpeter Chris Botti, and (making it a true family affair) son Jason Gould, who thrilled the audience singing solo and in a duet with his mother.

- Oscar® nominee, three-time Emmy® winner and Tony Award® winner Hugh Jackman is set to host TNT's annual holiday spectacular Christmas in Washington. Jackman will introduce this year's lineup of musical performers, including Backstreet Boys, Sheryl Crow, Anna Kendrick, Janelle Monáe and Pat Monahan. In addition, the concert will feature a special guest appearance by NBA Hall of Famer and analyst for TNT's Inside the NBA Charles Barkley. The star-studded Christmas in Washington will premiere Friday, Dec. 20, at 8:00, exclusively on TNT.

- E!'s new show, Party On, which takes viewers into the world's most glamorous destinations and huge A-list hotspots, hosted by The Bold and the Beautiful's Jacqueline M. Wood, will be premiering December 5th at 10:00. Each week, Jackie takes viewers to a new destination like the Croatian Island of Hvar, St. Tropez, and Istanbul, and Turkey. Get a sneak peek of some of the beautiful locations


- Syfy’s smash hit and acclaimed unscripted series, Face Off, is back for a bold and extreme sixth season Tuesday, January 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Fifteen up-and-coming special effects make-up artists are introduced, all eager for the opportunity to achieve success in the competitive special effects makeup field. And in a Face Off first, the contestants travel to the other side of the globe for a special episode shot in Tokyo, Japan, where they are tasked with creating a stylized anime character based on their own alter ego.

- Dallas now has a third season premiere date: Monday February 24 at 9:00 on TNT.

- If you like the music you hear on Being Human, now you can listen to the songs all in once place on the Being Human playlist on Spotify.

Previewing Nashville 2.0: The Rise of Americana

When you think of the Nashville music scene, it probably conjures up images of rednecks in a beat up pick truck blaring music that is played at the CMA’s but the city has been attracting more and more musicians that do not fit in the traditional country ideals like Jack White and The Black Keys. Nashville 2.0: The Rise of Americana premiering tomorrow on PBS (check your local listings) takes a look at that burgeoning sub-genre of country music: neo-folk from Emmylou Harris up to the new boom that bands like Mumford and Sons created.

The special includes an impressive list of artist performances and discussions about the genre and songwriting in general including Alabama Shakes, The Avett Brothers, Billy Bragg, Laura Cantrell, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Rosanne Cash, The Civil Wars, Elizabeth Cook, Rodney Crowell, Dawes, Jerry Douglas, John Fullbright, Shakey Graves, Emmylou Harris, The James Hunter Six, Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires, Jim Lauderdale, The Lone Bellow, The Mavericks, The Milk Carton Kids, Buddy Miller, Mumford and Sons, Shovels & Rope, Richard Thompson, and Dwight Yoakam. You may want to keep that list handy because I found myself searching many of them out after watching the special. Nashville 2.0: The Rise of Americana is a much watch for any fan of the genre or anyone who needs a deep dive into the scene. Sure there were a few holes (Fleet Foxes, Ryan Adams) and I was hoping it would take more of an Metal Evolution approach to storytelling where they took a deep dive into the lineage, but still a great watch.

Nashville 2.0 kicks off the “PBS Americana Music Weekend,” which pairs this documentary with an Americana music concert from PBS’ iconic Austin City Limits (ACL) series. In a special episode, ACL travels to Nashville to capture performance highlights from the 2013 Americana Music Association Honors & Awards. ACL Presents: Americana Music Festival 2013 airs November 23rd on PBS in select markets (check local listings for broadcast dates and times) with an incredible line-up of artists that highlights the best of Americana. Recorded in September at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium, the program -- like Nashville 2.0 -- showcases both established and rising stars. Many of the Americana Music Association award winners perform and participate in musical collaborations. ACL Presents features Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, Shovels & Rope, Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison, The Milk Carton Kids, Old Crow Medicine Show, Holly Williams, Dr. John, Duane Eddy, John Fullbright, Stephen Stills, Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale. Full ACL episodes are available online at acltv.com following their initial broadcast.

Nashville 2.0: The Rise of Americana premieres tomorrow (Friday) at 8:00 on PBS (check your local listings).

Previewing Big Cat Week

Next week is Thanksgivings and for those who are smart enough to stay in on Black Friday, you can cuddle up next to the television and watch another species go wild with the start of Nat Geo Wild’s Big Cat Week. First off at 9:00 is a showdown between two of the fastest humans, Tennessee Titans Chris Johnson and Chicago Bears Hester go head to head in a foot race… with a cheetah. Also showing up during Big Cat Week is Betty White. Here is a complete run down of all the new programming airing during the fourth annual Big Cat Week:

Man v. Cheetah
Premieres Friday, November 29, 2013, at 9:00
Take nature’s fastest land mammal vs. two of the quickest and most elusive athletes in all of professional sports: who wins ... and what shocking secrets are revealed? Nat Geo WILD gets a front row seat as the Tennessee Titans’ Chris Johnson — the NFL’s fastest running back — and the Chicago Bears’ Devin Hester — the super-agile wide receiver and kick returner — take part in an extraordinary first-ever one-on-one challenge against a cheetah. It’s the race of a lifetime that has never been attempted before as cheetahs from Busch Gardens Tampa’s Cheetah Run attraction race NFL’s finest. Who will win? Could a human beat the animal kingdom’s fastest cat? Anything is possible.

Super Cat
Premieres Friday, November 29, 2013, at 10:00
Take Kobe Bryant’s ability to jump, add Michelle Kwan’s grace and beauty, then mix well with Stephen Hawking’s problem-solving genius — and you’ve got the recipe for Super Cat. We’ve combined the most amazing features of big cats to showcase the most awe-inspiring capabilities ever seen in action. Watch this ultimate feline live all nine lives as its superpowers of strength, endurance and stealth are put to the test.

Killer Queen
Premieres Saturday, November 30, 2013, at 9:00
Soon after the summer rains have fallen, lioness Manyari’s pride faces trouble when two nomadic males seek a pride of their own to lead. With a sixth sense for imminent trouble, Manyari makes a bid to escape to ensure the survival of her young cubs. Forced to fend for herself and her cubs alone in the wild, Manyari sacrifices her own security for her offspring’s safety. Constantly looking for food and shelter, and doing her best to stay out of marauders’ lines of sight, this former queen and her cubs make the odyssey to find safety and security.

Cougar v. Wolf
Premieres Saturday, November 30, 2013, at 10:00
Wolves and cougars are increasingly at war because wolf packs continue to multiply and spread into parts of the Rocky Mountains dominated for decades by cougars. Now, big cat wrangler Boone Smith tracks the most recent wolf and cat skirmishes as he delves into why these two big predators carry on the cats vs. dogs rivalry. In his big cat forensic investigation, Boone’s goal is to pinpoint the places where cougar-wolf conflicts most often occur by gathering clues about each creature’s hunting, feeding and fighting behaviors. Boone applies all the skills he’s acquired tracking big cats around the world to unravel the truth about what happens in a cougar v. wolf showdown.

Game of Lions
Premieres Sunday, December 1, 2013, at 10:00
From award-winning filmmakers and National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence Dereck and Beverly Joubert comes their next feature film, exclusively for Nat Geo WILD. According to Dereck Joubert, there are 20,000 lions left on Earth. Only 3,500 of those are males. Although they are born at a 50/50 ratio, by the time they reach maturity, only one in eight male lions survive. We follow the journey of the lives of young males in the African bush and their potential to be king. From the birth of a male to his exile from his pride, our cameras follow along as males roam the jungles in an effort to spread their bloodlines through the kingdom. The Jouberts take an unflinching look at what happens to these lions in this spirited, moving and heartbreaking film.

Betty White Goes Wild!
Premieres Tuesday, December 3, 2013, at 9:00
“If it hadn’t been for Hollywood, I’d have fulfilled my other childhood dream … to be a zookeeper,” says Betty White when speaking about her love for animals. We take a rare look into one of White’s true passions — big cats! Head with her to the Los Angeles and San Diego zoos to get up close to big cats. White weaves her natural wit as we look at the cats’ individual behavioral traits and learn where they live, how many are left in the wild and the challenges they face.

Additional programming to air during Big Cat Week includes Swamp Lions, Cat Wars, The Last Lions, Built for Kill: Lions, Tiger Dynasty, Lion Army, Cheetah: Fatal Instinct and Lion Battle Zone.

Feed Your iPod LXXIX: Don't Follow

With the new album by Pearl Jam and the 20th anniversary of In Utero (Nirvana Unplugged was also recorded twenty years ago yesterday) I have been thinking about grunge lately and let’s face it: the genre has not aged well. Sure you can blame it on the second wave of grunge acts like Bush and Candlebox and it got completely bastardized by the time Nickelback co-opted the sound. Lackluster reunions recently by Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and Stone Temple Pilots certainly did not help either (at least Bush has stayed retired). Despite the unnecessary reunion, Alice in Chains is one of the few grunge acts I still look back fondly at. Would? remains my favorite grunge song of all time (naturally it was on the Single soundtrack). The band also has some deep cut that need to be rediscovered mostly on their two lesser owned EP. Don’t Follow on the Jar of Flies EP is the rare power balled from the band that even had a down south vibe to it thanks to a well placed harmonica.

Don’t Follow – Alice in Chains

I Want My Music Television: 11/18/13

There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.

Hard Out Here – Lily Allen


Oh Lily Allen, it has been too long. At least she came back hard ripping on the duo who were responsible for the most embarrassing Video Music Award performance ever Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke. Sure the lyrics veer very close to that other song of 2013 Royals, Lily is much more cheechy in her delivery than Lorde. Here is hoping a full album will soon follow. The musical landscape really needs Lilly Allen right now.


Wake Me Up (Acoustic) - Aloe Blacc


I did not mind the Avicii version of Wake Me Up (but I was glad when Aloe Blacc released an acoustic version) but I hated the music video with a fiery passion as it co-opted the theme of No Rain and make the bee girl an impossibly hot chick and her annoyingly cute sister (brought to you by some product I refuse to mention because I am not getting any of that money), Blacc version is much more touching dealing with the real life implications of our current immigration policies.


What Now – Rihanna


If it is fall it is time for a new Rihanna album, she has released one in November each of the past four years. Except it is already fall and there is no release date. And she is certainly not the type of artist to drop an album within a month of announcing it like Jay-Z or Radiohead, she needs that promotional machine going for two to three months first. Instead she has just released the fifth single off her last album, and, um, it sounds like a fifth single off an album by a singer who usually only has two to three good songs per album. The video recalls her creepier efforts like Disturbia complete with The Last Exorcism contortion bending over backwards pose. But I do wonder with a lackluster fifth single being released in the fall instead of a new single off a new album, if we are witnessing the end of the Rihanna era as biggest pop star in the land.


Country Girl - Carolina Chocolate Drops


Over the weekend I watched a screener for PSB’s Nashville 2.0 premiering Friday about the rise of Americana music from Emmylou Harris to Mumford & Sons. I will have a full review later this week. But one new artist that caught my eye was Carolina Chocolate Drops which mixes Americana with soul music. Here is a music video for their first single, but if you have the time I highly recommend looking up their countrified version of Hit 'Em Up Style which was also featured in the special.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 11/17/13

Once Upon a Time: So the Darling boys grew old enough to be in their twenties before Peter Pan kept them in a un-aging state, but Wendy looks exactly the same she did the last time we saw her. Alrighty.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Once Upon a Time on iTunes.

Homeland: Most shows have a point of view character, someone who speaks for the viewers, usually a newbie to the team, who asks the questions that the people watching would want to know. I am beginning to think Senator Lockhart is such the character on Homeland. He is the new guy to the CIA and looks around and asks, what the frack is wrong with you people and they ends the episode locked in the dark. Yep, that pretty much sums up the viewing experience of this season on Homeland.

The Walking Dead: Just like Brody on Homeland, it was only a matter of time before The Governor showed up. Brody was given pretty much a whole episode, three into the season (and has not been seen since) whereas The Governor only got a cameo at the end of episode five. Last week I predicted he would run into Carol, but it looks like he did not travel that far away from the prison. So that puts him in play for feeding the zombies rats that we saw early in the season.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

Masters of Sex: Well that was the least sexy sex scene ever. At least between two relatively attractive people. I never thought anything involving Lizzy Caplan would be possible. I do wonder who Masters will impregnate first, his wife or his assistant. I am a little surmised the talk of contraception has yet to come up in the research. Did they even have readily available contraception back in the fifties?

The Voice: It is hard to quit the show cold turkey because I need something to watch between 2 Broke Girls and the Blacklist and The Goldbergs and Sons of Anarchy so I half watched those hour and a half while flipping around and making pithy comments on Twitter (#VoiceSave Holly Henry). I was a little interested to how the Instant Save turned out hoping it failed miserably. And it kind of did. After making my pithy comment I decided to scroll the hashtag results and saw about 80-90% of them for Jonny, Blake even pointed this out when Carson asked him who he thought America would save. Even the retweet of The Voice’s official tweets were the most for Jonny (followed by Josh with Kat in the hole). Yet the first person eliminated with the lowest amount of tweets was Jonny. Huh? My first thought was there must have been a lot of tweeters who misspelled his name (most people would naturally want to put an “h” in it like Johnny Cash) but supposedle the show allows five different misspellings (people like Jonny, Jaquie, and Tessann need such a thing but it is funny to see the five ways you are allowed to misspell Ray). This just does not pass the sniff test. Unfortunately the Instant Save will not be going anywhere, at least no time soon because the ratings were way up from last week’s results show which was a series low for the show and even matched last week’s Tuesday performance show. Hopefully the novelty wears off and ratings drop again like I thought would when you pull a stunt that alienates half the country and it is scrapped for next season. But really all I want next season is better talent than what makes up this top ten.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download songs performed this week with the widget at right.

The Blacklist: I thought the promo monkeys said there was going to be a big reveal this week? Did I miss it? All I saw was more speculation that Red is really Lizzie’s father but no real confirmation.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download The Blacklist on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Yep, Simmons is quickly becoming the most entertaining character by a long mile on the show. Her awkward encounter with Agent Sitwell was hilarious.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

Sons of Anarchy: Oh Tara, I told you that you should have turned on the club while you were in jail instead of concocting this elaborate plan that fell like a house of cards once you recruited a junkie and friend of the club. But now that she is at her breaking point, anything is possible with her. Speaking of anything is possible; Jax really tangled a web trying to get out of guns. Is he really going to turn rat and sell out both the Irish and the Koreans?
You can download Sons of Anarchy on iTunes.

Survivor: Blood vs. Water: I like when they start doubling up Tribal Councils post merge, especially when the votes are as obvious as Vytas and Tina. I also liked Vystas just throwing bombs all over Tribal on his way out. He called out Monica, pointed out the chicks could easily take over the game. I am surprised more people do not do it when they know their number is up. And though I am glad they retired the gross eating challenge seasons ago, I am glad they brought it back for Gervase to have to partake in it again. And he almost won this time. I wonder if he spent the last decade eating strange delicacies for this very moment.
You can stream recent episodes on cbs.com. You can also download Survivor: Blood vs. Water on iTunes.

Parenthood: It is weird the election storyline is expanding well past the real world elections. But I wonder if there will be a point where Amber goes to the press without Kristina’s consent. I was kind of assuming that was going to happen this week.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Parenthood on iTunes.

Best of the Week: 11/16/13

Quote of the Week: Oh and the last thing was Olivia Gondek, it says that I wanted to eat her (expletive deleted). Olivia Gondek. I’ve never said that in my life to her. I would never do that. I’m happily married. I’ve got more than enough to eat at home. (Toronto Mayor Rob Ford)

Song of the Week: Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now – Starship (The Goldbergs)

Scene of the Week:


Big News of the Week: The Typhoon in the Philippines: As usual in situations like this, if you have anything to give in this season of Thanksgiving, please donate to the redcross.org.

Preview Picture of the Week:

“Scared to Death” Ravenswood Fall Finale, Tuesday at 8:00 on ABC Family

Free Download / Deal of the Week: Google Play is having a rock classics sale where you can get music from Guns and Roses, Weezer, Bon Jovi, and The Velvet Underground for as low as $3.99 and free songs from each of those artists and six others.

New Album Release of the Week: Crossroads Guitar Festival 2013

New DVD Release of the Week: We're the Millers

Video of the Week: The quote of the week is usually reserved for the funniest or most poignant statement uttered on television over the past seven days, but no words were said this week than those of the crack smoking, black-out drunk mayor of Toronto. But the written words just does not do the quote justice, watch it with the whole segment on the mayor on The Daily Show where John Stewart reacts to the quote the way I, and I am sure everyone else responded the first time they heard the quote.


Next Week Pick of the Week: You Oughta Know Live, Thursday at 9:00 on VH1: Ever since the nineties, it seems like VH1 tries a new yearly live show every three years or so. First there was Divas Live, then Big In (insert year here) Awards, then Hip Hop snd Rock Honors (I wish they would bring back the Hip-Hop Honors). Now they are trotting out the You Oughta Know Live concert featuring artists that VH1 have highlighted over the past couple years (it is basically VH1’s version of Buzzworthy dating back to 2005 with Anna Nalick as the first artist that you should have known). Performing are The Lumineers, Lorde, Ed Sheeran, Haim, Matt Nathanson, Emeli Sandé, and someone named Johnnyswim (apparently they did not do a very good job getting the word out on that last group).There will also be some surprise collaborations. A video of Haim being joined on stage by Lorde to sing Sheryl Crow in the internet this week but was quickly taken down. Note to VH1: if you do not want your concert to hit the web before you air it, do not film the concert ten days in advance.

Around the Tubes: 11/15/13

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Secrets of Scotland Yard, Chicago PD, Syfy programming, Rizzoli and Isles, Perception, Cougar Town, Soul Train Awards, Duck Quacks Don’t Echo, and Arrested Development.

- This Sunday, Secrets of Scotland Yard concluding this fall’s series of Secrets of... specials. From Dickens to Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie to James Bond - no police institution in the world has caught the public imagination in quite the same way as Scotland Yard. The name has become synonymous with the police force itself - but actually derives from the location of the original London Metropolitan Police HQ. Its officers and ‘Bobbies’ can be seen not only as characters in fiction but also on the news, standing beside the Royal Family or other officials in their role as protectors. Above all else however, Scotland Yard is associated with a particular type of professional police officer–the Detective. By meeting with some modern-day sleuths we’ll uncover the secrets of what it takes to become a contemporary Sherlock as well as finding out all the grim and grisly details of detectives who have gone before.

- Chicago PD, the spinoff of Chicago Fire, does not premiere until January 8, but you can take a first look at the show below:


- Syfy will shake up the Thanksgiving Weekend (November 28-December 1) with its annual two day James Bond marathon featuring a dozen movies starring Sean Connery, Daniel Craig, Pierce Brosnan, Roger Moore and yes -- even Timothy Dalton. The 007-fest fires its first shot with Tomorrow Never Dies on Thursday, November 28 at 1AM (ET/PT) and includes special Thanksgiving primetime presentations of Die Another Day (6PM) and Casino Royale (9PM), concluding Friday, November 29. For those viewers who like their action in space, Syfy will beam down six Star Trek movies on Saturday, November 30, highlighted by Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (6:30PM) and Star Trek VII: Generations (9PM). The holiday movie festival ends on Sunday, December 1 at 8PM with Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.-

- Set your calendars, Rizzoli and Isles returns Tuesday, February 25 at 9:00 followed by new episodes of Perception at 10:00 on TNT.

- Four-time Emmy® nominee Matthew Perry is set to reunite with Friends co-star Courteney Cox this winter in an episode of the TBS's hit comedy Cougar Town. TBS is set to launch the fifth season of Cougar Town on Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 10:00.

- In anticipation of the upcoming Soul Train Awards 2013, CENTRIC, a BET Network, has kicked off the Soul Train Effect Tour(#soultraineffect). Throughout November, CENTRIC’s Soul Train video team is taking over top clubs in six east coast cities and inviting locals to show their old school flavor in front of the cameras. The best moves from each night will be hosted on video clips airing on bet.com/soultraineffect.

- National Geographic Channel this week announced Michael Ian Black, Tom Papa, and Seth Herzog as co-hosts of the new series Duck Quacks Don’t Echo. With production set to begin in New York City, Duck Quacks Don’t Echo puts an entertaining spin on assessing the validity of weird, unusual and over-the-top hypotheses through a series of interactive, original scientific tests. As co-hosts of the series, Black, Papa and Herzog will challenge each other by presenting their best theories — ranging from “Can shrimp run longer than the average human?” to “Is it impossible for a blindfolded person to walk, swim or drive in a straight line?” — and then put them to the test with real, in-studio and field experiments.

Relive all your favorite “Arrested Development” moments with this must-have companion book to the ground-breaking comedy series entitled Arrested Development: And That’s Why . . .You Always Leave a Note. Full of the most memorable quotes and images from some of the best moments from the original three seasons of the show, Arrested Development offers valuable life lessons and wisdom from Michael, G.O.B., Lucille, George Sr., Lindsay, George Michael, Tobias, and the rest of the Bluth gang with chapters including: Family First, Huge Mistakes, Parental Guidance, Risky Business, and more.