The Lookback: A Garfield Christmas

The Flashback  Christmas Garfield 

    As part our our new found Garfield specials kick, we look at his Christmas special, which turns 30 this year.   It came out in 1987  on the CBS television network  and would rerun until 2000, and sadly no one re airs. I think there was once where ABC Family aired it (now Freeform) because I have it recorded, but otherwise it's kind of been un loved airing on our TV screens, but it is on  DVD and possibly some streaming sites.(depending on when you are reading this.)

   Now let's take a look at this special.

   Looks like animation budget took a hit  (this is a joke).  Garfield is dreaming that he getting a trail of lasagnas to the Christmas tree and then Jon gives him a giant gift that he had to bring in with a fork lift.  Garfield opens the gift it's a machine that gives gifts and will give you whatever you think.  Then the theme music starts. (Hey Lou Rawls)   The animation gets better because the dream is over.

Needs more decorations/ copyright Film Roman

    Jon wakes up Garfield and tells him that it's Christmas Eve Morning and they are packing up  and going to the farm to see the family.  (Don't worry Garfield is not going to THAT FARM) Garfield is his usual grumpy self. So cut, they are in the car on the way to the farm,  and Jon is happy.  Then we get a song by Jon remembering his childhood Christmas, with Garfield giving his two cents. Only Garfield and Jon could have a joined song with out one character just thinking the words. 

Sing a long / Copyright Film Roman

   They make it to the farm and are greeted by Jon's family : his mother, father, brother-- Doc Boy, and Grandma (who you may remember from thanksgiving).  She asks Jon to hit her in the stomach , which Jon distracts from by showing her Garfield. (Sorry, Grandma I can't punch you right now, would be a strange sentence) 

So when's the Baby due?/Copyright Film Roman 

   It's finally Christmas Eve dinner. (yum)  Grandma is nice enough to sneak some food to  Odie and Garfield.  Then it's time to trim the tree, which the family does together, while Grandma talks to Garfield on her rocking chair. Jon asks Garfield to climb up the tree and put the star on. (don't do this at home, folks)  Poor Garfield looks nervous as he looks down, but puts the star on and falls down the way he came.
                         

I am the Christmas tree. don't fear me! / Copyright Film Roman 

     Grandma once again steals the show and makes " O Christmas Tree" jazzy.  Then Mom takes over with a slow song and this is our next over lay song.  Garfield decides to  sit with Grandma who is sitting next to the window in her chair.  She mentions how she misses Grandpa  and this is the sweetest  part of the special.

                                             AWWWW/ Copyright Film Roman

     Now it's story time with Binky the Clown who saved Christmas. (what?)  Father reads the story as Jon and Doc Boy listen.  (spoiler: Binky saves Christmas)   Meanwhile, we get more Odie collecting stuff, for who knows what.   Odie checks to see if Garfield is alseep and he wonders off ,then Garfield wakes up and wonders where he went.  Odie puts the stuff he collected together as Garfield spies.

Odie is smarter than you think/ Copyright Film Roman

   A box of letters falls on Garfield and they are around 50 years old , as he remarks.   Now It's Christmas morning and Jon and Doc Boy want to open their gifs at  1:30 in the morning. (dang boys calm down!)  Now finally, it's Christmas morning  and it's time to open gifts.  Garfield decides to give Grandma the letters he found which are love letters from Grandpa to Grandma when they were courting. (aww) She is happy that he found them. Odie wants Garfield to follow him , the thing he made was a Christmas gift , a back scratchier, for Garfield.

Merry Christmas to all/ Copyright Film Roman

   Garfield says Christmas is not about the getting or giving it's about the loving. Then a song.


 That's our lookback. I am not sure how to explain it , but to me this special just feels like Christmas it emits the feelings of Christmas. I did tear up with the Grandma -Garfield scene it was  a sweet scene with a great emotion to it.  The songs were good and the animation was nice and fluid.  It is a shame that this special  isn't run on TV anymore, it needs to be it fits right up there with the other classics.

 Tune in next time when we wonder get down from this Christmas tree.

   

Fox Winter Schedule 2018

Fox  Winter 2018 

    Editors Note: Meant to post this earlier but it got lost in the drafts.

    FOX released its winter schedule. There are some changes to schedules with a new vocal competition series , with FOX back  in the game of having one  called  "The Four"  the series will air Thursdays meaning  that  "Gotham" and "The Orville" are being moved from that day.  The return of "The X-Files" and new series ," 9-1-1" get Wednesdays with "Empire" and "Star" returning in Spring.

             -"Gotham" return date hasn't been announced yet.
            - "The Gifted" has a season finale on January 15th
             - Tuesday series get shifted for "LA to Vegas"


  Here's a look at  the full schedule.
Monday, January 1st
8/7c  Lucifer
9/8c  The Gifted

Tuesdays starting January 2nd
8/7c  Lethal Weapon
9/8c  LA to Vegas (Series Premiere)
9:30/8:30c  The Mick (Time Period Premiere)

Wednesday starting January 3rd
8/7c  The X-Files (Series Premiere)
9/8c  9-1-1  (Series Premiere)

Thursdays, starting January 4th
8/7c  The Four : Battle for Stardom (Series Premiere)

Sunday , January 7th
7:30/6:30c: Bob's Burgers
8/7c: The Simpsons
8:30/7:30c: Ghosted
9/8c: Family Guy
9:30/8:30c: The Last Man on Earth

Monday, January 15th
8/7c: The Gifted (Two-Hour Season Finale)

Sunday, January 21st
6/5c: NFC Championship
10/9c: The Resident (Special Premiere)

Mondays, beginning January 22nd
8/7: Lucifer
9/8: The Resident (Time Period Premiere)

Press release after the jump

The Lookback: Cosmic Christmas

The Flashback Christmas 


         We had back into Nelvana specials because that's what we do here, dip back into things related to things we've  done before. But instead of Thanksgiving , it's Christmas.   But timing is good too, because this special is 40 Years old , it came out in 1977,  December 4th to be exact. (Yes the 80's are nearing 40 year old territory now)   A Cosmic Christmas , aired in Canada on the CBC Television (guess which C stands for Canada, and Shout out to Joshuaonline Canada)  Let's take a look at this Christmas special and wish it a proper birthday!

        It starts in space as something is preparing to land on Earth on the date of December 24th. (Wonder what is going on that date?)  Meanwhile there is boy looking for  someone called Lucy while he's a store that's filled with procrastinators. Oh, Lucy is a goose  alright then and his name is Peter.  Peter sees something moving in the sky and people apparently don't care. (darn people)  Some bully kids make fun of him for thinking he saw a space ship.

   Nothing from space.. but us  maybe? /Copyright Nelvana 

       Peter leaves that and still sees the space ship but now it lands on our earth as an orb. (orbs are scary) The orb opens with awesome electronic music and 3 space beings come out  and their little space "pet" finds Lucy and they spot Peter. He doesn't run but instead says who he is and where he lives. (Hey you aren't supposed to talk to strangers, Peter!)  But they don't eat him , oh they understand his language and they tell him not to be afraid.  One of the beings says that they  saw a great star (Dick Van Dyke?)  you know the one from the Christmas story.   They are on Earth to find the meaning of the star.  Peter tells them about Christmas .

   Hello, we mean you no harm , I guess/ Copyright Nelvana 

    So Peter shows them around town to look at Christmas stuff.  There's also town talk about a UFO landing. (ha ha that's silly)  Then he takes him to town hall where apparently they are being inundated with calls about said UFO.   But first, I think the space pet and Lucy are falling in love?

Love is in the air? / Copyright Nelvana

   Peter decides to take them to his house , his parents and grandma are getting everything all Christmas ready. Grandma is making an angel , and the mother remarks that people don't make things anymore , you buy them. (Hmmmm) They also think space folk are nonsense well until well ....  (Also father took our strangers line)  The parents seem a bit nervous but Grandma decides to roll with it and gladly let them in.  Also the long haired bully boy (who is called Marvin, we later find out )  is lurking.  Grandma tells a Christmas story to the aliens and the family.  Then the aliens decorate the Christmas tree with magic. Then they make more Christmas show up with food , but it was all a hologram.

mmm low calorie food/ copyright Nelvana 

    Marvin goose naps ,  Lucy because we'll find out later.  Meanwhile the mayor and some townsfolk decided to approach the space orb.  While, Peter's family chase after Marvin.  Marvin then falls into an ice lake and he can't swim or get out. Peter paces on the frozen lake bed as it cracks to try and save Marvin, but Peter and Lucy can't do it alone. The towns people form a chance , and ask the aliens to help but of course they wander what help means then help anyway.  Marvin and Peter don't die and are rescued.  When the towns people shame Marvin and hate on him because he took the goose, Grandma then brings up "maybe he was hungry".  The aliens wonder how he could be hungry on Christmas.  Grandma says because they were wondering about themselves and not other people,  Peter and his family ask to share some Christmas with them. The townspeople offer stuff too.

His heart grew three sizes that day, wait wrong show/ Copyright Nelvana 

  Marvin and his friends, along with townsfolk have met up at Peter's house to have Christmas.   The Aliens then leave, with mission finished, I guess.  They make a cool angel light show too.

     I will have to say it's a nice warm Christmas special. that's what I got from it. Where those in the story learn about what Christmas is, while the visitors from outer space help the people of this town learn about it.   I enjoyed this one very much it had a heart too it.   I think it's worthy of being  a classic.  

    That's our lookback , if you look after the jump there's something special there, otherwise tune in next time ,when we look for where our goose went. 

CBS Winter Schedule 2018

TV Look Winter   CBS 

              CBS has released their winter programming. Some things of note :  A Celebrity version of "Big Brother" starts nights before  the winter Olympics and will run during the Olympics. The winter also is the return of "The Amazing Race".    There are also the two new series slated to start new Comedy , "Living Biblically" and new drama " Instinct".   Both these shows are taking spots of shows that didn't get full season orders "9JKL" and  "Wisdom of the Crowd" respectively.   Survivor also gets a return , still no decisions on if and when  "Elementary", "Code Black" , and "Undercover  Boss" return. 

Here's the winter schedule


Wednesday, January 3
8PM ET  The Amazing Race (New Season )
9PM  Seal Team
10PM  Criminal Minds

Wednesday, January 24
8PM  The Amazing Race (2 hours)

Wednesday, February 7
8PM  Big Brother (Celebrity Edition Premiere)
9PM  The Amazing Race (2 hours)


Thursday, February 8
8PM Big Brother

Friday , February 9
8PM   Big Brother (2 Hours )

Sunday, February 11
8PM  Big Brother 

Monday, February 12
8PM Big Brother

Wednesday, February 14
8PM Big Brother
9PM  The Amazing Race (2 hours)

Friday, February 16
8PM Big Brother (2 hours)

Sunday, February 18
8PM Big Brother

Monday, February 19
8PM  Big Brother

Wednesday, February 21
8PM  Big Brother
9PM  The Amazing Race (2 hours)

Friday,  February 23
8PM  Big Brother (2 hours)

Saturday, February 24
8PM   Big Brother

Sunday, February 25
8PM  Big Brother  (2 Hour finale)

Monday, February 26
8PM Kevin Can Wait
8:30  Man With A Plan
9PM   Superior Donuts
9:30   Living Biblically (Series Premiere)
10pm  Scorpion

Wednesday, February 28
8PM  Survivor (2 hour season premiere)
10pm  Seal Team

Wednesdays  starting March 7
8PM Survivor
9PM  Seal Team
10PM  Criminal Minds

Sunday, March 11
8PM  Instinct (series premiere)
9PM  NCIS: Los Angeles
10PM   Madam Secretary 


Press release after the Jump

Charlie Brown has Christmas Again : Christmas Time Again, Charlie Brown

Peanuts Christmas 

     I have to point out that this is not a Peanuts lookback in our official rule about not doing holiday specials, but this counts as a look at a holiday special that just happens to have Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang.  The second note  there are like 4 Peanuts Christmas specials, one of them is filler for ABC's broadcast of the big one, while there's one for Rerun as well.  This one doesn't really get any air time at all. (In the U.S)

 Note 2: I happen to Like "I want a Dog for Christmas , Charlie Brown".

      It's Christmas Time Again , Charlie Brown  was first broadcast on November 27th 1992 on the CBS television network. (We missed the 25th anniversary exact date by a few days)   It was the last  new one for CBS , as they decided to give up or something.


    It was divided up into segments and based directly from different story lines in the strips, so no single story like the first one.

   The special starts with Linus trying to sled down a snow bank with a box and resulting in various degrees of failure.  Then Charlie Brown is out door to door selling Christmas wreaths before Thanksgiving.  (Insert joke about commercialization of Christmas here) In fact Franklin tells him that yes he is adding to the over commercialization of Christmas.  (woah alright then)

packing peanuts... I am ashamed of this joke / Copyright Peanuts 

    Sally decides to help and she does help sell at least one on air.  This special uses Guaradi music arranged by David Benoit , this was his first time doing Peanuts specials.   Now we skip to some Peppermint Patty where she has to read A Tale of Two Cities (advanced schools in the Peanuts world.) she of course doesn't want to read it.  She procrastinates.

 Only Peppermint Patty could wear shorts and sandals in the snow/copyright Peanuts 

  Marcie and Peppermint Patty attend  a performance of  Handel's Messiah. Snoopy is ringing bells to collect money , but he switches to a horn after someone makes a remark.  It also consists of people saying he's not the real Santa Claus.

   Something about you seems not real Santa-ish/ Copyright Peanuts 

     Sally is writing for English , about how Christmas is the season of getting as Charlie Brown tries to correct her to say it is the season of giving.  Then she's making a Christmas list and writing to Santa.   Sally then wants  Linus to tell her about Christmas and he tries to read her from Luke chapter 2 but she continues with her thoughts on disliking shopping.  Later on she doesn't like the 12 days of Christmas and she wonders what a calling bird is , as Linus tries to explain she goes back to her thoughts of socks.

She killed him/ Copyright Peanuts 

     Charlie Brown wants to get a pair of gloves for Peggy Jean but he doesn't have $25 for gloves. (He gave up on the little red haired girl I see) Linus tell her she will love anything he gives her, if she cares about him, Lucy is not helpful though.  He tries to sell his signed baseball but that doesn't work very well. So he decides instead to sell his comic books.

   Is that enough, comic books, Charlie Brown? /Copyright Peanuts

         He sold his whole collection to buy them , but then she comes in the same store to show that her mother bought her, the same gloves. He decides not to give them to her because she already head them. (Guessing No returns ?)

              Charlie Brown's life is fun / Copyright Peanuts 

       Peppermint Patty wants to be Mary in the play , Marcie says she was already chosen , it takes her asking the teacher to find out what Marcie said.  Peppermint Patty has to play a sheep instead.  Sally has been asked to be in the same play and  be an angel.   She continues her practicing  while Charlie Brown holds the same hockey stick as before.

      Why did never know much about Charlie Brown's Hockey career/ Copyright Peanuts 

      Peppermint Patty doesn't take kindly to being a sheep. (baaadd choice?) Linus and Charlie Brown watch the play as it happens. Peppermint Patty starts constantly baaing and Franklin and Marcie wonderfully master it.  The next part she forgets her baaa and starts making random noises and the audience laughs as Marcie drags her off. Linus says it's been a good play so far. (Alright then)    Sally forgets her hark line , and she says hockey stick. (I like how they built up the joke)  Also her mention of Harold Angel to find out that's a real person.

Marcie's not a good Shepard/ Copyright Peanuts 

Harold Angel/ Copyright Peanuts 

    The last part Lucy wants to take Linus' spot at the TV but he uses something she said against her and she leaves.   The end.

more after the jump

The Lookback : Intergalactic Thanksgiving

The Flashback   Thanksgiving 

       We get to dive into the  Nelvana specials  it's  a trek we haven't delved into much, but it's time to do such a thing.   Our special is from 1979 , it's called "Intergalactic Thanksgiving" or also known as "Please Don't Eat the Planet".  Let's dive in to this fun Canadian animated special.

or pick a title and stick with it 

     Human farmers are leaving earth are in space looking for a place to farm and the focus of our special  is a farming family with their daughter named Victoria and dog who looks at full spread pictures of trees. (what?) 

Space Convoy / Copyright Nelvana

       The mother thinks that her husband is driving to slow and he decides to speed up and they of course crash into a planet.  (oops)  This planet is filled with beings and one of them warns everyone that the "aliens are coming" and he goes to tell the king.   The farmer and his family decide to live there  (because why not?)  and they get their farm already (well if they have space travel they can have portable farms too).   The planet inhabitants think the farmers are funny. The farmer says he brings good will and peace and the king says welcome to the planet , Laugh-a-lot. The king is named Gucci (I don't know how he spells it)    The family is called Spademinder.  Meanwhile Victoria meets Not Funny Enough (that's the prince's name). 

Welcome to our planet, please don't eat it.  / Copyright Nelvana

    The Spademinders start their farming , NFE (it's easier this way)  decides to take Victoria on trip with him and show her the planet. (how romantic)   And he takes her around the planet in musical montage. (the best way to go)

montage/ Copyright Nelvana

      10 minutes in the title is still confusing , there's no Thanksgiving so far, and no trying to eat the planet. Victoria says her family is focused on hard work  and there's no time for fun , while NFE tells her that on their planet , they mine food.  In the evening , they make it back to her farm and she kisses him on the cheek. (I was joking about the romantic thing, special!) 


    It's another day and the Gucci is not wondering where everyone has gone.  (They have lives of their own , king!)  Then he asks the mirror from "Snow White" (that's not a joke) who's the funniest of them of all, then it switches to a different figure.  It has good news that everyone is laughing, but not laughing at the king. (oops) Apparently, farming is funnier. Gucci tries to make the people laugh at him again but this doesn't work.   He gets mad and tires to do the hitting the mallet in the dirt, but he did it so hard that that the land cracks and NFE , Victoria, and her dog fall into a hole.

This poor dog, thought they were dead for a second/ copyright Nelvana

    Meanwhile, in the hole, they are still alive. (otherwise this would be a dark special)  They find the food mines too.  Meanwhile above ground they create a search party. While those in the underground find a talking flea like thing  and he asks them to help  prop up the planet because the mining makes it unstable.  They are propping it up in song. (the best way to do it!)   Victoria and NFE  say they have to warn everyone.

All hail the bug overloards / Copyright Nelvana

   Above ground , giant vegetables grow.  (Apparently , the Spademinders are good farmers) NFE makes it up  and they all search for Victoria and Cromwell (the dog) . This was by pulling up the giant vegetables.   They find them.  Anyway, every year they have a feast on the planet (like Thanksgiving) and the planet is saved from caving in, they grow their own food now , and the Spademinders sometimes have fun now, and stop being so serious and the Laugh a lotters have serious sides now. (yay!)  That was a rushed ending.

How'd they get turkey? /Copyright Nelvana 

      Yes, I get the titles,  it's like Thanksgiving, and  also they were kind of eating their planet.  I though it was enjoyable enough  some of the gags were great.  It does have that message of "Hey you serious people-- loosen up a little , hey you loose people, serious is sometimes needed too." Which you can't fault it for doing.   The animation is alright too  if limited , but the special uses that in a good manner.  It does have some repeat animation but that's standard for this era, and  could be worse.   It's an interesting twist for Thanksgiving and not a bad one.  

Tune in next time when we move to a new planet and try to eat it. 

 

   

 

Cozi's Holidozi 2017

COZI, CLASSICSTV  Christmas 

       COZI TV has released their Holiday programming schedule  it starts December 4th.   
    Find COZI in your area here.


 Here's their schedule via press release


December 4
8:00PM Frasier - “Miracle on Third or Fourth Street”

December 5
8:00PM Frasier - “Perspectives On Christmas”

December 6
8:00PM Frasier - “The Fight Before Christmas”

December 7

8:00PM Frasier - “We Two Kings”

December 8
8:00PM Frasier - “Frasier Grinch”

December 11
8:00PM Frasier - “Merry Christmas, Mrs. Moskowitz”

December 12
8:00PM Frasier - “Mary Christmas”

December 13
8:00PM Frasier - “High Holidays”

December 14
8:00PM Frasier - “Frasier Grinch”

December 15
8:00PM Frasier - “Miracle on Third or Fourth”

December 18
10:00PM Will & Grace - “Jingle Balls”

December 19
10:00PM Will & Grace - “All About Christmas Eve”

December 20
10:00PM Will & Grace - “Fanilow”

December 21
10:00PM Will & Grace - “Christmas Break”

December 22
10:00PM Will & Grace - “A Little Christmas Queer”

December 24
6:00 AM Make Room For Daddy – “Christmas and Clowns”
6:30 AM Make Room For Daddy – “Christmas Story”
7:00 AM The Real McCoys – “The Diamond Ring”
7:30 AM Lone Ranger – “Christmas Story”
8:00 AM Lassie – “The Christmas Story”
8:30 AM Lassie – “The Christmas Story”
9:00 AM Lassie – “Yochim’s Christmas”
9:30 AM Lassie – “The Little Christmas Tree”
1:00 PM Little House On The Prairie – “Christmas At Plum Creek”
2:00 PM Little House On The Prairie – “Blizzard”
3:00 PM Murder, She Wrote – “A Christmas Secret”
4:00 PM The Six Million Dollar Man – “A Bionic Christmas Carol”
5:00 PM Kojak – “How Cruel The Frost, How Bright The Stars”
6:00 PM Quantum Leap – “A Little Miracle”
7:00 PM Quantum Leap – “Promised Land”
8:00 PM Frasier – “Merry Christmas, Mrs. Moskowitz”
8:30 PM Frasier – “Mary Christmas”
9:00 PM Frasier – “High Holidays”
9:30 PM Will & Grace – “All About Christmas Eve”
10:00 PM Will & Grace – “Fanilow”
10:30 PM Will & Grace – “Christmas Break”
11:00 PM Baywatch – “Silent Night, Baywatch Night: Part 1”
12:00 AM Baywatch – “Silent Night, Baywatch Night: Part 2”

The CW Midseason dates

The CW  Midseason 2018

    The CW has released when it's new series "Black Lighting" will start and the dates of series to return after their mid season breaks.  The Dates and times are as follows:

 note: alll the shows are returning unless other wise noted

Monday, January 1st
9PMET    Valor 

Friday, January 5th
8PM ET  Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Tuesday, January 16th
8PMET  The Flash
9PMET  Black Lightning (new series premiere)

Wednesday, January 17th
8PMET  Riverdale
9PMET  Dynasty

Thursday, January 18th
8PMET  Supernatural
9PMET   Arrow

Friday, January 26th
9PMET Jane the Virgin

Dates for the season premieres of  "The Originals", "The 100"  , and "iZombie"  or the new series , "Life Sentence" have been announced as of yet.

Note 2: Dates and or times or subject to change


press release after the jump