The Lookback: Christmas: Yes Virginia , There is a Santa Claus

Christmas  The Flashback 

          "Yes Virginia , There is a Santa Claus" is probably one of the most famous Christmas stories and the fact that it's a true story even makes it more appealing to adapt into media. This time, we look at the 1974 special for ABC of the same name based off the story of Virginia O' Hanlon who at the age asked the The New York Sun newspaper  if Santa Claus was real and the newspaper  gave a philosophy instead.   The media we are looking at is an animated short based off this story.   This special must have been good it won a prime time Emmy in 1975 for outstanding , Children's program  beating "Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown", "The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown", and "Dr.Seuss Hoober Bloob Highway". (All great programming)  There is a connection to the two Charlie Brown specials to this special as well, you will notice how it looks, and Bill Melendez was a director and producer in this special so, he had at 75% of winning the award that year. (That's how you do it)

            So here we go.

           It starts with the narrator telling us that he wishes all things on Earth were as easy to fix as that crooked "h" spelling Earth was.    Meanwhile. at school in the 1890's  the teacher, Ms. Taylor, wants her class to write an essay about Christmas.  Virginia says she is going to write about why she believes in Santa Claus and the other kids laugh at her. (Because 1890's kids were  also mean like children are). The teacher tells them to pipe down(that's our words not hers) and let's Virginia continue. Virginia says she is unsure that Santa exists or not.

       Later on, kids make fun of Virginia some more.  A kid named Billy tells her that his older brother says there's no Santa because he's 14 and knows everything. (So a normal 14 year old) Virigina tries ask some kids if any of them believe in Santa. So far, none of them believe in except a couple.  So, she asks a policeman and he doesn't know Santa Claus is real then he calls his Sargent but that doesn't work. Then she asks the candyman if he knows if there's a Santa. I don't think this works. Then the Chinese restaurant man , he's no help either. ( Also what? )  She then asks her father and he says that people are out there have always been out there don't believe in anything they don't see. Just because you don't see something doesn't mean it's not there.

            The paperboy believes in Santa.  He also says the  same thing her father says too, and he suggests that you ask the editor of the New York Sun about Santa he'll give the definitive answer. (That's some paper)  We also find out the paper boy doesn't go to school because 1890s.  Her father thinks that is also a great idea to write the paper. 

    So, she decides to write the letter.  Meanwhile. editor Scrooge (he gives the words Bah humbug)  even his sectary calls him that, doesn't want to read an eight year old girl's letter.  Virginia waits for her letter to be in the paper, her father says just wait. The  paperboy from earlier named Tommy Keegan comes into Mr.Church's office , that's the editor, and convinces him to take the letter and write back.

      Mr.Church stews over what to write for awhile. While Virginia waits for answer. Then eventually,  at the school the Teacher reads the editorial that answers the question that Virginia asked.  The special does the full editorial , of course.  The other kids apologize to her. 

   There's an addendum where they talk mention some of the figures are real people and their names weren't changed to protect the innocent. Also, Santa was the narrator.
   

       That's it. I think it's an alright special it does do a nice take on the famous story that works well to keep you interested.   This special did fall off the television way side at some point. The story was also later used for 1990 movie which I am not sure how they took something kind of short and made it longer than this one tried, and there  was a CGI special in 2010.  

   That's our lookback tune in next time, when we wonder if there is a New Year's goblin. 

   If this is our last post before Christmas , then we Wish You A Merry Christmas from us here at Joshuaonline.  

NBC Midseason 2019: Four Returning Series and 2 New Series

NBC  Midseason 2019

           NBC has announced their mid season premiere dates for 4 returning shows and 2 new dramas. 

       The Voice returns  on Monday, February 25th at 8-10pmet. Tuesdays will run a little different with it  airing Tuesday episodes from  8-9pmet ,  on February 26th and March 5th, then no new Tuesday episodes until April 23rd.    

    Following, The Voice is  a new drama called ,The Enemy Within it premieres on February 25th at 10pmet.  World of Dance returns on Tuesday, February 26th from 9-11pmet,  and the it's regular  Sunday, March 3rd 8-10pmet,.  Airing Sundays 8-10pmet.    Good Girls returns on Sunday, March 3 at 10pmet.  A.P Bio returns Thursday March 7 at 8:30pmet.   New series The Village premieres March 12th at 10pmet, it moves to 9pmet on April 2nd. 

   Details 

   

Mondays starting Monday, February 25  

8PM  The Voice  (season premiere) 

10pm The Enemy Within (series premiere)

Tuesday, February 26

8PM  The Voice  

9PM  World of Dance (premiere)  

Sunday, March 3

8PM  World of Dance (regular time slot) 

10pm  Good Girls (season premiere) 

Tuesday, March 5

8PM The Voice 

Thursday, March 7

8:30pm A.P Bio  (season premiere)

Tuesday, March 12

10pm  The Village (Series premiere)

Tuesday, April 2

9pm The Village (time period change) 

Tuesday, April 23 

8pm The Voice (back on Tuesdays) 

 

press release after the jump

Christmas and Arthur : Arthur's Perfect Christmas

Christmas   The Flashback

 
     We return to an old friend, "Arthur" so they give us a Christmas special  interestingly enough, not one based off the book "Arthur's Christmas".  This one is called "Arthur's Perfect Christmas".   This special came out in 2000, why did they wait nearly 4 years into the series to have a Christmas special?  Why did they not use the book?  Nobody knows. To place the special in the "Arthur" cannon it was aired during or around the 5th season. I think it's the first Arthur hour long special as well.  This was the final time the original voice of Arthur Read, Michael Yarmush, voiced the character.

   Anyway let's take a look, is Arthur's Christmas perfect? Ehhh.

       It's starts with Christmas happening around Elwood City  so you know that it's Christmas time.  Then it's Arthur playing piano and he starts singing. (I'm out, get back over  you will finish this!)   It's his fan tasty and also he hates tinsel. (I'm out) Arthur wants his Christmas to be perfect (hense the title)  Oh it's 3 Days before Christmas.  D.W asks Arthur to help her write her wish list to Santa. I guess she does because the next cut she's mailing something.

Don't confuse him with Santa Claus in the east pole/ Copyright WGBH 

       Tina the talking tabby.  Now we are at the elementary school with Muffy and Francine. Muffy is going to have  a Christmas party and Francine keeps trying to say she can't go but, Muffy doesn't listen. So, why can't Francine go?  Let's have Arthur ask her.    Her family celebrates the last night of Hanukkah.  Arthur states the obvious but, again Muffy doesn't listen.  George talks about Christmas in Sweden.  Binky  talks about his Christmas tradition of helping at a soup kitchen and mmm pecan pie. (He needs to shell them)  Mr. Ratburn, the teacher, has decided to still give homework because he's addicted to teaching.   Buster has a problem his mother keeps waking him up early thinking it's Christmas because she's nervous that she might miss it. (She should watch the news first to find out the date)

Merry Not Christmas/ Copyright WGBH 

more after the jump

Christmas : Charlie Brown Christmas Tales

Peanuts  Christmas  


            "Charlie Brown Christmas Tales" is not really a Peanuts special as much as it's filler that is used to fill in ABC's broadcast of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" If you want Charlie Brown Christmas  to be aired without any cuts because, commercials can't be cut?, is to fill in a gap that needs to be filled in that's "Charlie Brown Christmas Tales"
 
              The special is 18 minutes long (minus commercials) meaning that it fits in with the broadcast of the original special which usually runs from :00 to :32-34 past the hour.  The special first aired in 2002 , the second year ABC had rights to Peanuts specials.

    It's like Peanuts strips that were brought to animation. They were lifted from the comic strip and just animated.  It is split into different segments based on different characters: Snoopy, Linus,Sally, Lucy, and Charlie Brown.  Even though, the special doesn't have a plot and is usually just the hour filler I think it has a charm to it. There are some entertaining things in this special. 

 Look how they spelled Santa Claus / Copyright Peanuts 

      I had this sentiment in my "It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown"  nothing will match up to the original Christmas special and that's fine.  It really is fun to see the Peanuts characters celebrating Christmas in different ways in these specials.    One of the segments I love in this special, is the one where Sally just stares at a Christmas tree hoping it falls down and it does. 

Yeah she's  a witch! 

     I think it's an alright special because it exhibits a kind of fun you get from the strips The animation is fine and there are moments.  I mostly say watch this when it airs on TV, not really go out and seek it out unless you buy a DVD and it's somehow included or want to own all the specials. I think it's alright and really it's filler but it's tasty filler around the good  cookies of the original special.  

    

Tune in next time when we wonder what do we do with all the trees that we looked at and fell over. 

Christmas : The Small One

   
 There are some things that I think get kind of lost in the track of memory or  time. This time I want to talk about a Disney animated special called "The Small One"  , I've kind of wanted to talk about this special for sometime, I never got to it though.  I found out that this year is it's 40th anniversary , so I thought this would be a good time talk about it.  The special comes from a book of the same name and was dircted by Don Bluth. It came out as a short with Pinocchio  when that movie was re-released in theaters (something done before home sales were a thing).  Here's our look at this special.

         It's a 26 minute in length special meaning that people most likely watched this while waiting to see "Pinocchio" (imagine that).  It takes place in countryside near Nazareth during biblical times of course.  There's a donkey named Small One, who is beloved by a boy named , uhh, Boy.  Small One is getting older and weaker and  past what his purpose is at a farm that needs donkeys for plowing and etc.   There's a montage of the father noticing this about Small One, especially when Boy chooses do some of the donkey's work.  His father tells him that Small One can't do work enough to pay of his food so, it's time to sell him.

A Boy and his donkey , to be separated by circumstance /Copyright Disney

      That brings us the main plot of the special. Boy is unhappy that Small One has to go.  Boy decides that he should be the one to take him, his father says yes but he has to be sold. Boy promises that he will find Small  One a good , gentle, and kind owner.  The next day, they set out to the city to see who wants a donkey.  The city guard recommends someone who turns out to be a tanner meaning that he wouldn't want S.O as a friend.   They have to go find someone else who doesn't want to make the donkey into a car seat, or whatever people did with leather then.  Another montage of people not really wanting the donkey.

Does it look like I want a Donkey?/ Copyright Disney 

 
     Oh there's some music in the special as well.  One song is Boy telling Small One that he'll  find a kind gentle owner.  Also, a song with some merchants or whatever who cut a long a song with Boy singing "Small One for Sale".  I think they help him by saying he should go the auctioneer instead.   This doesn't help because nobody wants the scrawny donkey and also not a horse.  The auctioneer decides to spend his time making fun of the donkey and keeps pulling his tail but when he pushes Boy the donkey gets angry and pushes the auctioneer of the platform.

You mess with the small one, you get kicked by the donkey/Copyright Disney 

      While the two of them spend their time dejected a man  talks to him. The man offers him a coin and promises that he will have a good home. Boy and Small One part their ways and the man takes him.      The purpose the man has for the donkey is to take his wife to Bethlehem.  It ends with a shot of the famous Christmas star.

     You could probably presume that the man was Joseph and his wife would be Mary.

   I don't why this special really hasn't been 'loved' by Disney. Now, first there are ways to get this you can buy it on prime video (when this post was written) and some other streaming formats. Maybe Disney will put it on their own service when that comes out. (This is really going to date this post) They have it on "Mickey's Christmas Carol" DVD as well.  It hasn't aired on TV though, in the United States  not on Disney Channel, Freeform, Disney XD, Disney Junior, ABC , Toon Disney (when that existed), Soap net (when that existed) , anywhere. I don't now why really. Before someone says well it's relgious, I would like to add that Freeform has aired Rankin Bass'  "Nestor, the Long-Eared ,Christmas Donkey" which has a similar story about a donkey that end up being Mary's riding donkey.    They have also aired "The Little Drummer  Boy" which also has a religious tone to it. 

   I think this special , I think it paces pretty well. I can feel the boy's pain and struggle when he's trying to figure out the right person for Small One, you can see that he's trying hard to see if he can help.  He wasn't being immature trying to keep the donkey  he understood that since the farm uses donkeys as work animals for their lively-hood he knew he had to give him up.  He also could have just given his donkey to the first person but, he really felt that Small One deserves something better I think that his decision to do the hard thing both times really shows something in his character.   I do tear up at the end watching when the two of them separate.
 
     That's our lookback , tune in next time  when we find a  Christmas special  that has  a boy having to give up his cow for the greater good. 

ABC mid season premiere dates

ABC  Mid Season Primetime 

        ABC has released their mid season premiere dates and times.  

             "A Million Little Things" moves to Thursdays , if you like America's Funniest Home Videos and Shark Tank well then there's more coming.  Return dates for all your favorite shows. 

  Friday, January 4

  8pm Fresh off the Boat 

  8:30pm Speechless

 9pm   20/20 (NEW time) (2 hours ) 

  Sunday, January 6 

   7-9PM   America's Funniest Home Videos (2 hours) 

    9-11pm   Shark Tank (new time) (2 hours)

  Tuesday, January 8

  8PM The Connors

  8:30pm  The Kids are Alright Right 

   9pm   Black-ish 

   9:30pm Splitting up Together 

   10pm  The Rookie 

  Wednesday, January 9

  8PM The Goldbergs 

   8:30pm  Schooled (Series premiere) 

   9pm  Modern Family 

   9:30pm  Single Parents 

  10pm   Match Game  (Season Premiere) 

Thursday, January 17th

8pm  Grey's Anatomy 

9:01pm  "A Million Little Things" (New Day and Time) 

10pm  How to Get away with Murder 

Tuesday, February 5

8PM   American Housewife (new time 

Wednesday, February 27 

10PM  Whiskey Cavalier 

Sunday, March 3 

7PM  America's Funniest Home Videos (One Hour ) 

8PM  American Idol (new season) 

10:01pm Shark Tank (new time)

Thursday, March 7

9:01pm Station 19 (new season ) 

10pm  For the People (new season) 

Monday, March 18

10PM The Fix (New series) 

Monday, June 17th 

10pm  Grand Hotel (new series) 

Full press release after the jump 

Christmas Flashback : Feels like the very first Christmas to me How Sponge bob Celebrates Christmas

Nickelodeon  The Flashback Christmas 

                This blog post was made before the sad news of the passing of the creator of "Spongebob" but  we dedicate it to  Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of Spongebob  (1961-2018) Thanks for the memories and for bringing us this great series.   


      It's kind of funny that I haven't really talked about Spongebob Squarepants on this blog , really ever.  It's such a big show , and is still popular in it's nearly 20th year running, yet I haven't really touched it. Well this time for Christmas I look at Spongebob for a blog post, where we see what happens when Spongebob finds out what Christmas  is.

 
      The theme song is even done in Christmas choral version with a the addition of the word Spongebob Christmas special.   The episode starts with Patchy the pirate doing some Christmas stuff of his own and he is our host for this special since all specials need hosts.  He tells us what the inhabitants of Bikini Bottom are doing for Christmas and his flying bird wants his cookie dough.  3 Bells ring and that means fan letters. (yay?!)  The letter brings Patchy to talk about them not always having Christmas in  Bikini Bottom bring us to our main plot of the special.

Bird mail/ Copyright Viacom 

     Since Sandy was a land dweller she knows about Christmas which leads her to explain what it is to Spongebob who doesn't know.  He then spreads the message to the other people in Bikini Bottom. Including who Santa Claus is , and Mr. Krabs likes this because free stuff.   Everyone seems enthusiastic  but Squidward of course. So, Spongebob sends all the letters of the various citizens into above the sea where they kind of just float above. Now we get  a song, which is something that I very much remember from this special and even used part of the lyrics in the title of this post.  This is probably one of the best  "Spongebob" songs.

can you hear it? / Copyright Viacom 

       The song segways us to Christmas Eve but Spongebob realizes that Squidward hasn't written a letter to Spongebob , but Squidward doesn't want it, and he doesn't believe in Santa Claus.  Everyone else waits for Santa to come and sing all night but then Santa doesn't come.  ( I will also note it is very interesting that Sandy isn't seen in this special after she tells Spongebob about Christmas.)  Everyone leaves angrily while, Spongebob says he's just running late and tries to wait some more.  Squidward wakes up and makes fun of Spongebob , who is depressed. This special also does  a great job of doing a subtle joke you get when you get it .  Spongebob starts crying but he gives Squidward a gift so he wouldn't feel left out.  It's a nice clarinet made of driftwood by hand. (Spongebob has many talents)

Made with love/Copyright Viacom 

       That makes Squidward feel guilty  and he decides to make it right. Which gives us a great Squidward moment in the entire series. He pretends to be Santa Claus to surprise Spongebob and make his Christmas great.   It doesn't stop there, a little kid asks Squidward Claus if he has gift for her, and so he ends up giving away something from his house. This continues where ends up giving pretty much everything he owns to the people of Bikini Bottom.  The real Santa says thankyou to Squidward in a letter than he shows up and goes insane. 

he's lost it! / Copyright Viacom 

 Patchy ends up unable to end the special so French narrator  does instead. 

            Spongebob's Christmas is  a fun Christmas special that has a sweetness to it. Spongebob is the most optimistic character and was willing to spread Christmas around Bikini Bottom. Squidward plays a good foil to the sponge with his normal grumpiness. He does become quite mean to him but when he feels bad after Spongebob gives him the gift he really embraces that Christmas spirit and in great way.   The main song is great and very re memorable. Patchy's segments are also quite fun and not too much to take away from the plot of the main special.  I think this is a great special for Christmas watching.

  Tune in next time, we tell all the animals of the world about Christmas  .

The Loud House Celebrates Christmas

Nickeloden The Loud House  Christmas 

    Fun note first: Since, we might be writing more about this TV series we have a made a blog label  for it now ! Now back to our post.

      This time, we look at an episode of  "The Loud House" that  I think will one day be considered a Christmas special classic.  The episode is called " 11 Loud a Leapin'".  If you don't know what "The Loud House" is ,it's an  animated series from Nickelodeon  that first premiered in 2016 it is about a family called the Louds who have 11 children, 10 of which are girls.  Much of the show focuses on center child , Lincoln, who also happens to be the only boy.   Other episodes focus on other members of the family or the family as a whole in a slice of life with comedy show. I have written about this series before ,you can check out those posts too.    For those that know the series, thanks for standing by to introduce those who haven't.

         It's Christmas Eve Lincoln tells the audience.  Luna, the musically inclined older sister, is trying to write a Christmas song. The rest of the Louds are going about their Christmas business  and this is a good way to set up the atmosphere of the holiday at the Loud House.  The next door neighbor named Mr. Grouse is kind of grouchy around Christmas  more on that later.  Lincoln has decided to go outside and ride is sled in the snow and it lands in Mr.Grouse's backyard and he's the kind of neighbor that takes stuff that lands in his yard.   Lincoln enlists his friend ,Clyde, to help get the sled back.

Don't worry sled, I'll save you ! / Copyright Viacom 

 
      Some other fun happenings in this episode are  Luan, the jokester older sister, making up 12 puns of Christmas, Lola, the pageant girl  younger sister, trying to be nice for Santa,  Lori, the oldest sister, trying not to open presents which she has problem of not doing, Leni, the 2nd oldest sister, trying to make a holiday outfit and using decorations to do so, Lana, Lola's twin sister, setting reindeer traps, Lynn and Lucy trying to find the hidden Christmas gifts, Lisa, the really smart one, telling Lola that Santa isn't real because science.

This formula proves Santa doesn't exist, I think, math is hard/ Copyright Viacom 

      Back to the sled plot, Clyde distracts Mr.Grouse while Lincoln sneaks into the backyard to get "Big Red" , the sled. ( like the rhyme) but this goes bad  and he takes the sled.  Lincoln decides when Mr. Grouse leaves to enter into Mr.Grouse's house.  Since, Clyde was catapulted by a reindeer trap he couldn't warn Lincoln that Mr. Grouse has come home. Eventually, he gets caught and the sled broke.   Lincoln overhears Mr.Grouse's phone call and finds out that that he can't go on a trip to see his family for Christmas. Grouse kicks him out and Lincoln gets an idea.

 Out of Context shot/ Copyright Viacom 

      Lincoln tries to get his family to pay attention for a second and tells them Mr. Grouse's predicament.  This also inspires, Luna to write her Christmas song.   Later on, the Louds and Clyde's family carol at Mr.Grouse's door  and Luna's song is the one they use.  Every Christmas special needs a song and this is great song.  They present Mr.Grouse  with  a bus ticket so he can see his family. Also notable for this episode, this was the first episode to show the Loud parents' faces  before that the were obscured.   The Louds present that they want him to spend Christmas Eve with them.

Merry Christmas / Copyright Viacom 

     In a show of kindness back to everyone he gives them back their stuff that he has collected with them.  Also, Lori really should have opened her present earlier because Bobby , her boyfriend wrapped himself up as a gift.  Lisa believes in Santa now, because she got proof.  Lincoln gets a new sled and he runs to thank Mr.Grouse.  We get the ending where Lincoln breaks a window by accident and Luan gets her last pun and Lana captures Luan in a reindeer trap.

        I have to say as an episode it can stand alone as a special for Christmas it's strong in that sense.   It's a nice main plot that goes from one thing you think it would be to something else that causes our main grouchy character to  have  a change. It's not a new idea for a Christmas story , but the execution  of it counts and this is executed well.  The fun thing show wise, is that after this episode , Mr. Grouse did soften up as a character.   The song was pretty good and original which gives it something many Christmas specials have. The comedy was also pretty good as well it gave me a lot of laughs.   Even if you haven't seen the Loud House this is a good episode to watch ,by itself, as a holiday tradition too.

      [  I've written about the Halloween and Thanksgiving episodes too. ]

   Tune in next time after we return all these sleds that landed in our yard.

2019 Golden Globes Awards nominations

Golden Globes  Awards 

   

   The 76th annual Golden Globes awards nominations have been announced , the awards air Sunday, January 6th on NBC at 8PMET/5PT. 

Best Motion Picture, Drama
A Star Is Born
Black Panther
If Beale Street Could Talk
BlacKkKlansman
Bohemian Rhapsody

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
The Favourite
Green Book
Mary Poppins Returns
Crazy Rich Asians
Vice

Best Actor, Motion Picture, Drama
Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born
Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody
Willem Dafoe, At Eternity's Gate
Lucas Hedges, Boy Erased
John David Washington, BlacKkKlansman

Best Actress, Motion Picture, Drama
Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born
Glenn Close, The Wife
Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Nicole Kidman, Destroyer
Rosamund Pike, A Private War

Best Actor, Motion Picture, Comedy
Christian Bale, Vice
Viggo Mortensen, Green Book
Robert Redford, The Old Man & the Gun
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Poppins Returns
John C. Reilly, Stan & Ollie

Best Actress, Motion Picture, Comedy
Olivia Colman, The Favourite
Emily Blunt, Mary Poppins Returns
Charlize Theron, Tully
Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade
Constance Wu, Crazy Rich Asians

Best Supporting Actor, Motion Picture
Timothée Chalamet, Beautiful Boy
Sam Rockwell, Vice
Mahershala Ali, Green Book
Adam Driver, BlacKkKlansman
Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Best Supporting Actress, Motion Picture
Amy Adams, Vice
Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk
Claire Foy, First Man
Emma Stone, The Favourite
Rachel Weisz, The Favourite

Best Director
Alfonso Cuaron, Roma
Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born
Peter Farrelly, Green Book
Adam McKay, Vice
Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman

Best Screenplay
Alfonso Cuaron, Roma
Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, The Favourite
Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk
Adam McKay, Vice
Peter Farrelly, Nick Vallelonga, and Brian Hayes Currie, Green Book

Best Animated Feature
Incredibles 2
Isle of Dogs
Ralph Breaks the Internet
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Mirai

Best Foreign-Language Film
Capernaum
Girl
Never Look Away
Roma
Shoplifters

Best Original Song
"All The Stars," Black Panther
"Girl in the Movies," Dumplin'
"Revelation," Boy Erased
"Requiem For A Private War," A Private War
"Shallow," A Star Is Born

Best Original Score
Marco Beltrami, A Quiet Place
Alexandre Desplat, Isle of Dogs
Ludwig Göransson, Black Panther
Justin Hurwitz, First Man
Marc Shaiman, Mary Poppins Returns




Best Television Series, Drama
The Americans
Bodyguard
Homecoming
Killing Eve
Pose

Best Television Series, Comedy
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
The Kominsky Method
Barry
The Good Place
Kidding

Best Limited Series or Television Movie
The Alienist
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Escape at Dannemora
Sharp Objects
A Very English Scandal

Best Actor, Television Series, Drama
Jason Bateman, Ozark
Stephan James, Homecoming
Richard Madden, Bodyguard
Billy Porter, Pose
Matthew Rhys, The Americans

Best Actress, Television Series, Drama
Sandra Oh, Killing Eve
Caitriona Balfe, Outlander
Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid's Tale
Julia Roberts, Homecoming
Keri Russell, The Americans

Best Actor, Television Series, Comedy
Sacha Baron Cohen, Who Is America
Jim Carrey, Kidding
Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method
Donald Glover, Atlanta
Bill Hader, Barry

Best Actress, Television Series, Comedy
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Kristen Bell, The Good Place
Candace Bergen, Murphy Brown
Alison Brie, GLOW
Debra Messing, Will &Grace

Best Actor, Limited Series or Television Movie
Antonio Banderas, Genius: Picasso
Daniel Bruhl, The Alienist
Darren Criss, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick Melrose
Hugh Grant, A Very English Scandal

Best Actress, Limited Series or Television Movie
Amy Adams, Sharp Objects
Patricia Arquette, Escape at Dannemora
Connie Britton, Dirty John
Laura Dern, The Tale
Regina King, Seven Seconds

Best Supporting Actor, Television Series
Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method
Kieran Culkin, Succession
Edgar Ramirez, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Ben Whishaw, A Very English Scandal
Henry Winkler, Barry

Best Supporting Actress, Television Series
Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Patricia Clarkson, Sharp Objects
Penélope Cruz, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Thandie Newton, Westworld
Yvonne Strahovski, The Handmaid's Tale

But First These Messages: Christmas!

Commercials  Christmas 


           So this is Christmas something something I really not going to finish that.  Anyway, everyone is watching Christmas specials and movies on TV but there's something in between them that also have the Christmas spirit, that's the commercials. 

We'll get back to the Christmas special , But First These Messages


  Time for some clothing but where should I go for some clothes?



  Fine we've gone to Mervyn's.

This isn't even her family, she's just giving  away shirts for some reason . please help her!

  Alright, does Meryvn's have anything I can get? I really hate stores this time of year. 

      

Cookware! Why of course!  That's a great gift , I am glad they have it at same store too, makes the trip much easier.  Plus look at those prices I mean ,not bad.

better why some cleaner too, this is going to be murder to clean

 I need something to give to someone I love at Christmas , where can I go for that? 

 Well, Meryvn's is just keeping me at their store aren't they. Yes Jewelry is the perfect gift, but I also need it 40% off , so yes I love saving money.

That's fine and all but what are you doing in my house?! 

  I need to get out of this department store, it  looks like it's about to close!  I need something where I can capture Christmas moments , hiring a painter is too much so maybe a camera will do. 

     
 In this fast paced world of ours, I can't wait  an hour for my pictures to be developed so it's a great that these instant cameras exist.  Thanks Polaroid, you are the pinnacle and cameras and nothing will ever be more instant than your cameras.

   

 They later sold this picture to the National Enquirer.  

   Where else can I buy stuff for Christmas? Like books, DVD's and  anything else , but I don't feel like moving from a chair.   

           
    I am not sure how this internet shopping thing works , hope they got my money alright, I don't think this Amazon.com place will catch on  though, but it's a nice novelty.

 

Is this true? I mean can someone in Bowling Green confirm this for me. 

  more after this from your local station  jump 

Yes, this is about A Charlie Brown Christmas

Peanuts CHRISTMAS 

         When I started on this blog doing Peanuts lookbacks back during the 65th anniversary year of "Peanuts" in 2015. There also was a second anniversary that year, that being the 50th for "A Charlie Brown Christmas".    When I started the lookbacks my primary goal wasn't to look at holiday specials because one I assumed that people knew most of those already and would be retreading ground (which could be a wrong assumption) and 2, to give a look at specials that don't get talked about much.     This year while not doing look back's per-say I decided to talk about the holiday specials in their own special sub-section of my Peanuts topics. 

      This special is about Charlie Brown and Christmas (yeah yeah stay with me) his relationship with Christmas.  What does Christmas mean to him?  He goes through the special trying to answer that question.  There's no him explicitly telling the others they are celebrating wrong  he doesn't like that the holiday seems overly commercialized and wonders maybe he's doing something wrong because he's not feeling the same way as the other kids are feeling. 

       Backing away from Charlie Brown to overall talk about the special. This was the first Peanuts media on television that wasn't a commercial.   It first premiered on CBS on December 9th 1965, later cementing a relationship with CBS where every special until 1992 , premiered on the network. While , " A Charlie Brown Christmas" repeated every year from 1965 to 2001 then continued rerunning on ABC as of this writing. (in 2018)  Every thing about this special shouldn't have worked. CBS didn't like the idea of using actual children to voice the children, CBS didn't like the idea of the bible verse being stated , the music was jazz music which seemed to be annoying to someone.  They had only 6 months to make this special, this is with hand drawn animation,  no computers for help at all and  when even now it takes about 9 months to make cartoon episodes.   I am also glad Schulz rejected the idea of having a laugh track.  It shouldn't have worked , it should have been on the dust bin of history and I would be writing about a lost Christmas special right now instead of the most popular one.  Yet, even though it was a little rough on the sides,  and contradicted some popular trends of the time it  made it . Which  is a little like Charlie Brown himself.     The voices being genuine and mostly non Hollywood kids  gives it something more  because the little mistakes and way things are said are more fitting and less polished. In away fits the special even more that the simpleness of the story.

         The special also shows how good a friend Linus is to Charlie someone who doesn't mock Charlie Brown and goes along with him  when needed.  When Charlie Brown gets that famous Christmas tree the one that nobody else  would see as anything but some weird thing that was picked by accident.  Ironically to me, the Christmas trees in the background look awful compared to this little guy.  Linus comments , "Do they still make wooden Christmas trees, anymore?".  Fun fact : this special killed aluminum Christmas trees. (source) The tree is kind of like Charlie Brown not much to look and people might not see worth to him yet, there's is so much potential plus this shows shows us Charlie Brown's characterization as  someone who sees the best in things that others wouldn't. The other kids (though I will note that Linus and Schroeder don't) make fun of Charlie Brown for picking that tree.

     The other main point, is Linus doing the bible verse from Luke chapter 2, The place where it's written in and they way it's kind of central to the special means that it's edit proof. Though if a network tried they'd probably not have a good few days.   That is the simple core reason Christmas exits there would be no it with out it. (that's my kind of sentence)  Charlie Brown feels determined to have his simple Christmas takes the little tree with him. He's still Charlie Brown so when puts a heavy bubble on it , it does bends over in the weight leaving C.B slightly dejected. Linus comes by and sees it and puts his treasured blanket around the bottom and the other kids some how make the look like a nice little tree.  Charlie comes back and they all wish him a Happy Charlie Brown.

        Looking at the animation, it's simple works  and fits again with the them unintentionally. It's not a preachy special and doesn't say anyway you celebrate Christmas is wrong or right.  It criticizes the over commercialization of it  where people tend to lose the true theme of the holiday.  This is a great Christmas special and I am glad that it exists.  Glad it's been running each year non stop for over 50 years and  hope it runs another 50 more plus.

  Thanks for reading, tune in next time when we find out if Christmas trees can be made from wood.

CBS mid season for Realtiy and Comedy

CBS Midseason TV Winter 2019

    CBS is kind of being interesting with the releasing of midseason information. They have released details of their reality shows then details about their comedies separately.   I have decided to combine the two. Now,if CBS announces their dramas next , that will be its own post.

     
      Thursdays from January 10th
     8PM  The Big Bang Theory
     8:30pm Young Sheldon
     9PM     Mom
    9:30pm   Fam (New Series) (Premieres January 10th)
     10PMET S.W.A.T


Monday, February 4th and 11th
8PM  The Neighborhod
8:30PM  Man with a Plan (New Season -Premieres February 4th)
9PM  Big Brother Celebrity Edition
10pm Bull

Mondays starting February 18th
8PM The  Neighborhood
8:30PM Man with a Plan
9PM  Magnum P.I
10PM  Bull


Reality Show details
 
Monday January 21st to Friday January 25th
  8-9PM Big Brother Celebrity Edition (new season starts January 21st)

Sunday January 21st to Wednesday January 27th
8-9PM Big Brother Celebrity Edition

Saturday, February 2nd
8-9PM  Big Brother :Celebrity Edition

Sunday, February 3rd
7-10PM / 4-7pt  (starting at 6:30pmet Super Bowl LIII)
10pm/7-8pt  (whenever Super Bowl ends)  The World's Best (Series Premiere)

Monday, February 4th
9PM Big Brother : Celebrity Edition

Wednesday, February 6th
8-10pm  The World's Best (2 hours new episode)

Thursday, February 7th
9PM   Big Brother Celebrity Edition )

Friday, February 8th
8-10PM  Big Brother Celebrity Edition  (2 hrs)

Monday, February 11th
9-10PM  Big Brother Celebrity Edition

Wednesday, February 13th
8PM The World's Best
9-11pm  Bigh Brother: Celebrity Edition (2nd Season finale)

Wednesdays starting February 20th
8PM Survivor (new season)
9PM  The World's Best

Wednesday, March 13th
10-11PM  Seal Team (New Time Period )


Wednesdays starting March 27th
8PM  Survivor
9pm  Million Dollar Mile (series premiere)

Wednesday, May 15th
8-10pm  Survivor (season finale)
10pm Survivor Reunion Special

Wednesday, May 22nd
8pm  The Amazing Race (new season)
9pm  Million Dollar Mile



Press releases after the jump

The Lookback : The Grinch and Cat in the Hat together.

The Lookback 

            You know what? The Grinch and the Cat in the Hat are probably the most famous Dr.Seuss figures ever  so what do you do when you have two big figures?  Combine them!  That's what we are looking at this time.  The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat ,  also known as "The Grinch Vs. The Cat in the Hat  (or Grinch vs Cat Deathmatch! Well not that)  This is s 1982  Dr.Seuss special  that ran on ABC. It has the usual people working on it with  Friz Freleng and Dr.Seuss.  So, let's take a look at whatever this is.

        The narrator says that  it's morning time and that the Whitzling birds are whtizling and even the Grinch was Whitzling. (Well I'm scared)  So the Grinch talks to his mirror and the grinch in the mirror  is displeased that the Grinch is in a good mood and makes him take the Grinch oath. (I didn't know there were more than one grinch and or an oath. )  Max, the dog isn't happy with  the Grinch being un happied. (that's not word)  So, the Grinch goes out in his car (yes the Grinch has a car) and he decides to choke some birds with car exhaust. (The Lorax won't like that)

This car gets 3 mpg but it also shoots smoke so.../ Copyright Marvel Picutres

    Meanwhile, the Cat in the Hat is in a good moon as he sings making a picnic  and gets in his car. He sets up his picnic and prepares for an enjoyable time when guess who drives by?   The Grinch is not happy the Cat in the Hat blocked the path so he starts hitting the car with his because that was reasonable.  Cat (we are  shortening it to Cat because yes)  apologizes for blocking the way and tries to make it right by packing up his picnic.   Then Cat calls Grinch "Green Face" and this apparently, is  touchy term to the Grinch because he starts stalking Cat in a road rage.  Cat does get away and goes back home to relax.

Private Eyes are watching you/ Copyright Marvel Productions 

    Cat sings a song when some sort of lazer thing keeps stopping him. The Grinch found him at home and shows him his sound vacuum  machine that stops sounds from the next 50 miles. The Grinch states that he will control all the sounds that Cat can hear.   Grinch then goes home and decides to continue a war against Cat.  The next thing he uses is something called  a dark house and use this machine to make Cat not be able to see around because it blocks out all light. (this special got dark)   Cat wonders what's wrong with the Grinch and decides to psycho-analyze  the Grinch in a dream cloud.
             

On the next Dr. Cat/ Copyright Marvel 

   He figures the best way to figure out the Grinch is to go to him directly, and we get a chase of the dark light and Cat's car.  The Machine also doesn't just make things dark it has filter that makes things pink (because of course).  Also the Grinch has cameras than can follow the Cat everywhere. (creepy) He uses this to bother the Cat at dinner at a restaurant.   The Grinch plays around with color and really some physiological warfare on the Cat.  This part  also an amazing use of animated color and sound usage.

What did I drink?/ Copyright Marvel 

   Cat wonders if there's a weakness in the Grinch to make him soft.  So, Cat brings a group of people to sing at the Grinch to remember his mother.  (Woah Cat fights dirty)  The song makes the Grinch cry.  His mother speaks to him in his tear puddle because why not?  The Grinch decides to take apart his machines and everything is happy.

   That was a strange special  but, glad it exists.   The people at the Emmys felt the same way and gave it an award in 1982.  It's kind of interesting to see the Grinch have a force that wants him to do misery versus him just wanting to be happy. I am not sure what continuity this would be with any of the other Grinch specials (Written about "Halloween is Grinch Night" before)  and used probably don't want to over think that.  It also keeps the Cat in character too and he tries to figure out how to help stop the Grinch from grinching by finding something that would help him stop.  The songs are alright , and the animation is really good as per normal in these specials. It's a great cross crossover with a simple yet , effective story.

 That's our lookback, tune in next time when we see  Tom (from Tom and Jerry) vs the Cat in the Hat.

The Lookback : Nickelodeon's Thanksgiving Fest

The Flashback  Thanksgiving  Nickelodeon 

     Last Christmas  , I talked about  Nickelodeon's first attempt at original animation , "Christmas in Tattertown" . Then I gave it away. (I quit)   So Nickelodeon dipped their toes into original animation now they were going to dip their whole foot in. (stop)  Anyway, We've had Christmas so now it's time to talk about the most famous holiday of all, Thanksgiving. ( You are really going all out on this)


      I think something important about this special and the one before it was that yes, Nickelodeon was looking for something different to do then it ever has done before.  These two specials were them trying to see how it worked and what they wanted to do. These are the linchpins into  what eventually became the Nicktoons.   So, now  to look at this special that came out on November 22nd 1989. (Unless someone else corrects this date)

        The special starts with a voice over telling us that Thanksgiving is a special holiday. Then the same narrator talks about Cranberry sauce  when he asks a person working at a factory and we get a joke about Cram berries. (get it get it?)  This special has mini segments as wrap-arounds with two main segments, which I will get to in this post umm now.   The first main segment is called  "Thanksgiving Nightmare"  this one starts with a family eating Thanksgiving dinner and there's a mouse who wants to steal the meal. There's also a cockroach that wants to steal the meal. The family decides to "three bears" it and go out and walk off the dinner.  This causes the mouse and roach to jump into action.  I've also learned that mice and roaches are mortal enemies.  The family has a cat because of course. One of lady family members sees the cat with a bone and she tells him that if she catches him so much as even a pea she's going to throw him out permanently. (bit harsh there)

No, please don't you see I am not an average cat! / Copyright Viacom 

       The mouse has a mouse gang and he talks about how bad roaches are (the great roach vs rat war hadn't begun yet) meanwhile the roaches also have a large meeting and talk about how bad the mice are. (So umm the people  in this house need to call an exterminator. )  The cat decides to watch TV. The mice decide  that this would be a good time to capture the turkey.  Meanwhile the roaches do their plan of attack  as well.   This has become a mouse versus roach war.  The cat sees all the mess and decides to use a vacuum cleaner to take care of it. (This cat is not from our Earth)   The rodents and roaches are sucked up except the head roach and mouse. 

Mice. Rodents want to the rule the world/ Copyright Viacom 

      The people come back and the house is a mess and guess who gets blamed for the mess? (Yep, the roach.) Yes, the cat and woman throws him out.  He seems alright since he has  a drumstick. I guess.  Back to a mini segment. There's a hunter he's shooting carrots because sure.  Now, it's time to see how animals celebrate Thanksgiving.  (We get a rabbit multiplies like rabbits joke here)
There's a second long segment called "Thanksgiving Dreams" I  see what they did there. It has an interesting animation start where it airs in like slow moving  still picture book animation. It starts with the Great Depression.   This one has a mom and her two kids ( a boy and a girl) and we talk about how it hard it is for food.  The kids names are Sam and Emily.   This animation style doesn't last too long because at least to me it feels like headache maker.  The kids awake over the night hearing a noise then they start shrinking.  They make it to kitchen where everything is dancing.

I think this is real/ copyright Viacom 

    The carrots even dance and have faces as they dip themselves into boiling water. A loto of the food starts preparing themselves. (food is weird)  I'm not going  through every single little thing.  This sequence is kind of like an old fashioned cartoon  with the movement of objects and dancing.   Anyway, there's a dough monster because when you add  to much yeast this happens. Sam gets pepper all of the kitchen and causes everything to sneeze. This does make the dough monster sneeze  and shrink back down.  Then Sam and Emily wake up and apparently food magically appeared.  The mother is confused but she's happy and it's a happy ending.

Where did this food come from? I don't question it! /Copyright Viacom 

    More wrap-around astronauts have dehydrated Thanksgiving.  Some older people watch some football. What do turkeys eat for Thanksgiving?    They eat man!!!!

   I think that was an alright Thanksgiving special. I liked how it talks about the traditions of Thanksgiving and does some light humor in  the wrap-arounds.  The first long segment was quite  fun though if you feel that cat got a real deal that might turn you off.  The concept was an interesting one.  I think the 2nd one was pretty fun too, though the start was a little much because of the animation the rest of it was a nice little story and was a nice hint of throwback to old style animation.    The animation in the special is well done and crisp so Nick wasn't cutting any corners here. 


 Tune in next time  when we found out that  the reason we eat turkey is because they'll eat us first.

Powerpuff Girls 20 : Every Superhero has an Origin Story

Cartoon Network  The Flashback 

       The Powerpuff Girls  first premiered in November of 1998 on Cartoon Network (though pilots for the series were featured a few years earlier).   Personal note : PPG is one of my favorite Cartoon Network series and was when it first ran too.  I have written about Powerpuff Girls Z when the remake series was starting in 2016 so, this time I decided to look at the Powerpuff Girls Movie that came out in theaters in 2002. (Yes I call this  a TV blog, but it's more than that it's just easier to say TV blog plus, this is based on a TV show)  This movie is an origin story of the Powerpuff Girls, even though the intro does explain how they were made this movie sets to explain how they became Townsville's  dedicated heroes.   As the title stays,  Superheroes do need origin stories. Apparently, this movie is the reason Cartoon Network seems weary of releasing anymore of their TV series to theaters.

    The narrator is in the movie too!  He starts with mentioning that Townsville is riddled with crime (why? no body knows)  and he asks if there's anyone in this town that can help make this better.  It brings us to the professor who does sciencey-science things.  There's also a monkey who's destroying his lab because the professor doesn't believe in cages for some reason.  The mixture in the open re-acts the intro of the Powerpuff Girls where chemical x is added to the mixture Professor Utonium was working on , and it explodes.   Bringing us the title card of the movie.

Woah I created life! / Copyright Warner Media 

     Three girls appear from the explosion and ask the professor what is his name.  They suggest that he gives them names.  He gives them names Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup.  He quickly decides to get them gifts because it's their birthday. There's something different about these girls- they have superpowers. (what?!)  There's a green money with his brain protruding out and dramatic music, that'll probably bring nothing later.  There's a montage of the professor and the girls getting to know each other and setting up their lives.  Since, they weren't born babies the next day is for school. Everyone at the Poke Oaks Kindergarten seems to like the girls.   There are somethings to learn about though, like what is tag?

That'll buff out/ Copyright Warner Media 

    This tag game goes wrong when the girls do  a long chase around the city causing some destruction.  This tag thing does take up a good long chunk of this 73 minute long movie (yeah it's not that long)  The mayor , who called Mayor in the series and movie sees that girls causing destruction actually, he wants  pickles. This is his favorite thing in the series too,  and the girls stop him from enjoying his pickle (that sounds wrong some how).  Professor  Utonium tells them when putting them to bed, that they should try not use their powers around town.

Girls. don't destroy the town next time. / Copyright Warner Media 

     The  next day, the girls go to school, which shouldn't be open because who runs a school while there's a river of water running through it with rebuilding work going on ?  There's some health and safety problems somewhere there.  The other kids don't like the girls anymore. (Also, this school has no electricity who does this?)  Meanwhile, the Mayor forms and angry mob because that's what mayors do , to arrest the professor.  Meaning he can't pick up the girls from school  and the girls start  to think the Professor hates them now.  The news media in the town call the girls freaks because bad people. Plot convenience time  : the girls see the TV videos calling them freaks , but don' t see the news report that the professor is in jail.

     The three of them try to walk home but get lost.   This is when they run into a gang called the Gang Green Gang but they are saved by a shadowy figure. It's the monkey from before. ( I'm shocked)   His name is JoJo.  He gets the girls to help him with his plan to "make the town better".   Will this  make the  town better?  Find out after the jump!