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