Christmas: A Very Casagrande Christmas

Nickelodeon  Christmas  Casagrandes 

             "The Loud House" spinoff, "The Casagrnades" follows its parent show in having a Christmas 22 minute special during its 2nd season.  This series premiered in October of 2019 on Nickelodeon and entered its 2nd Season in October of 2020.  The episode we are looking at is season 2 episode 2,  "A Very Casagrande Christmas" 

 

             (You can read our Casagrande episode posts here) 

             The episode starts with a nice Christmas scene, it really starts great for a special Christmas set. Ronnie Anne, her father, and brother are walking   Las Posadas, a  Christmas tradition that happens between December 16th and 24th. Ronnie Anne really hopes that the final night goes great, as the idea is to go around with the family and sing Christmas songs.  There's some other hints of things going on, like Carl wanting to rig a piñata to easily get candy.  Also, Bobby sings through this episode, and it's wonderfully fun to see.   

Christmas fun/ Copyright Viacom CBS 

   

       The plot starts with Sid's family coming over after their Christmas dinner was ruined by their monkey and snake. (That's a sentence) Rosa allows them in, but  has Arturo leave to the store to get more ingredients. He's not going to have fun. Ronnie Anne misses her father Nakamura and his son, Cory,  come over after their sweater party was ruined and Rosa lets them join dinner. (Poor Arturo score card 2) 

Hey there, we're here/ Copyright Viacom CBS

              Ronnie Anne gets more frustrated by the situation,  and more neighbors show up. I do like how Arturo tries to keep optimistic as he keeps having to get more stuff at the store on a crazy night. More chaos ensues at the Casagrande apartment.    More family members can't go out , they have to fix more stuff.  Ronnie Anne and Bobby work together and try to fix the problems of the neighbors.   It's kind inventive and cool how they resolve that solution.  (I always like these characters working together) 

        

 

            Now now, this is a 22 minute episode, that means.... oh no Arturo is stuck under all the food he bought and trapped in the now locked store. First half over.  (kind of dark) 

Give him a hand/ Copyright Viacom CBS 

             The first half sets up everything well, the environment is felt well, and the idea of the plot is set up well. It is relatable to feel like Ronnie Anne when you want to do a tradition, especially at Christmas and it doesn't go to plan. Bobby singing stuff was nice bit of levity and the comedy moments were fun without distracting the half so far.   

      More after the jump 

Christmas: The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus

The Flashback  Christmas 

         There are many takes on the origin story of Santa Claus, so one from the man who created Wizard of Oz, I expect nothing else.  In 1902, L. Frank Baum's book "The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus" come out , and it's not as well known as his "Oz" series.  The concept is where does Santa Claus come from? And How does he live so long?  While, also trying to give it's own twists on where Christmas traditions come from.

    Rankin-Bass made an adaptation to the book which came out in 1985, pretty much the end of Rankin Bass and their stop motion work, at least.   I'm not going to compare to the book in this post because ,that's not really the purpose  of this blog post. We are just going look at the special on it's own. 


     This special first aired on  CBS on December 17th, and unlike Rankin Bass' other Santa origin story, it doesn't rerun on a network, just on cable.

            First off, this special starts in a forest called the forest of Burzee , and a figure named "The Great Ak" and apparently some members of the immortals are coming for a special occasion.  Ak wants to convince them something or else Santa's gonna die.  The intro is amazing, the music is grand I love it so much, it's so unnecessary but, yet awesome anyway.  Each immortal figure is introduced.  The Great Ak says that he thinks Santa deserves to be immortal  and is trying to convince the other immortals  to be allowed to continue his good work, and bestow him the mantel of immortality.

The moon light is right/ Copyright Warner Bros because they own the special. 

     The rest of the special is flashback of Ak telling them about the morals, and how one day he found a baby in the woods. He took the baby in and gave it to a lioness named Shiegra. (Uhhh what?) He made sure the child shouldn't be harmed or else lion is going to lion. He bursts into a dramatic song about how they can live forever and don't have children. (What?)  The music is on a dramatic level this special it's amazing! 
   

Her giant cat , don't the ate the baby, k thanx bye/ Copyright Warner Bros. 

    A fairy woman finds the baby and decides to take him.  Her name is Necile, and she wants to take care of the baby.  She sings a song about her wanting to take care of a child.  Eventually, Ak decides to let her take care and raise the child. They name him Claus, because that's the name that was attached to him. (That could have been where he was made or something, silly immortals)
   

My baby now/ Copyright Warner Bros. 

        There's a montage of Claus growing up with another song.  The song mentions that he will eventually have to face the mortal world and this care-free life will end in the future.  Ak decides to show Claus the mortal world.  This special isn't shying away from how the world is, it's take place before our modern times, but it sets up a more dour world.  He's shown while being invisible the different dour things in the world. Like people working for a feudal lord.  Then they go a rich family and see's how they live. Going to boys training to be samurai for war. Claus wants children to be happy and playing. 

    This gives him a drive to want to help children. When, it comes time for him to leave the forest that's what he sets to do. Tingler and Shiegra join him.  The special presents how Claus got his place to live, his "ho, ho,ho" and how he lives in a snowy spot.  Then we get a montage of Claus working with children like reading and playing with them.  As he gets older. In fact it takes a long time in his life to get the idea of doing something else, making toys. 

Remember that guy above? This is him now, feel old yet?

         An orphan boy named Weekum falls into  a snow drift and Claus saves him. He makes him a wooden cat, that becomes known as a toy.  Another song, this one about orphans wanting a big surprise like that cat toy.   This inspires him to make more toys. So he has different creatures helping him with toy making.

Where'd they get the signs?  Copyright Warner Bros.

   There are villains brought in called the Awgwas, they are make children do bad things.  They also can be invisible, which makes it easier to animate. (Joke)  They kidnap the Santa Claus but since he knows nook calls, he's freed by the nooks. The awgwas take his toys instead, alot. Great Ak calls up the awgwas to get them to stop.  They say no, so they go to war instead.


more after the jump

NBC 2021 Midseason Premieres

NBC Primetime  Winter TV 

       NBC has released their mid season 2021 premiere dates.  Some shows that were planned are still not on the schedule yet, but that's to be understood.   There is the return of the series ,Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist.   The series that are held off for now are : New Amsterdam, Brookyln Nine-Nine, Good Girls, Manifest, and Law & Order: Organized Crime. 

            "Zoey's Playlist" will be taking a Tuesday slot, after being a Sunday series, the last season.  The series will lead into "This  is Us".  Meanwhile, NBC has acquired another series to fill the gap that will air Mondays starting December 7th; it will fill out the Tuesday line up

       New Comedy Series, Mr. Mayor will lead the Thursday comedy block.  Starting January 7th 

Here's the schedule.  (All Times ET) 

MONDAY, JAN. 4

8 pm Ellen’s Game of Games (Season premiere)
9 pm Ellen’s Game of Games
10 pm The Wall (Season premiere)

TUESDAY, JAN. 5
8 pm Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (Season premiere)
9 pm This Is Us
10 pm Nurses (new timeslot)

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 6
8 pm Chicago Med
9 pm Chicago Fire
10 pm Chicago P.D.

THURSDAY, JAN. 7
8 pm Mr. Mayor (Series premiere)
8:30 pm Mr. Mayor
9 pm Law & Order: SVU
10 pm Dateline NBC

MONDAY, JAN. 11

8 pm Ellen’s Game of Games

9 pm The Wall (Regular timeslot)

10 pm Weakest Link

THURSDAY, JAN. 14
8 pm: Mr. Mayor
8:30 pm Superstore (New timeslot)
9 pm Law & Order: SVU
10 pm Dateline NBC

FRIDAY, JAN. 22
8 pm The Blacklist
9 pm Dateline NBC

Press release after the jump

Thanksgiving: An Arthur Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Arthur PBS 

      I'm surprised, really surprised, that it took "Arthur" 24 years to have a Thanksgiving episode/special. I mean it took 4 for it to have Christmas but 24 years? "Arthur" which started as a book series has a Thanksgiving book, they didn't even adapt that at any point, what were you doing?   Premiering on November 16, 2020, a Thanksgiving special called "An Arthur Thanksgiving" ( I should have waited 24 years to write this post)  

     

     It's an hour long (kind of) special so buckle up and take chances , get messy. (wrong show, you!)  Arthur starts the episode talking about why there's a bunch of people over for Thanksgiving, besides his family, and that it's  still current year on the show that's been running for over 20 years. 

   

        Arthur wakes up at 7:30 in the morning, his father is cooking Thanksgiving dinner (the man is stressed).   They are also setting up something about Arthur's dog, Pal, being grabby or something. (So he's working for Hollywood) Their father's sister , Minnie, is coming over (is she bringing Mickey?) glad we he heard that. Arthur tries to tire his dog out so the dog can spend Thanksgiving with the family and not in his room.  

Good Morning Father, where is my daily food intake?/ Copyright WGBH

    

     The special really is driving something about the dog, earlier Arthur's Mom because of Arthur's Dad, moves his cheesy bacon Brussel sprouts to a different dish to reuse the plate, because he wouldn't  let her use a new plate, so Arthur finishes eating and let's Pal lick the spaghetti sauce off the plate, to which Arthur's Dad, not knowing that the cheesy bacon things were moved thinks the dog ate his stuff. Arthur's Dad tells Arthur that he thinks that Pal ate the stuff.  Since apparently, nobody checks things around here, that's smart. (What  kind of cook is he? Not checking every detail)  

Don't eat the dog , sir / Copyright WGBH

         Aunt Minnie shows up, she seems kind of awkward and doesn't even remember her own nephew. (She's fun) Pal's been punished for reasons.  They started this thing many many seasons ago where the animals could to talk to each other, because that's what this show needed, and so yeah the animals are talking to each other, (they can't talk to the humans, uhhh wait a minute.... don't question it, just consume special)  Nemo, Francine's cat, (not the fish) antagonizes  Pal because cat reasons. Nemo tells Pal that Arthur is mean, then Pal breaks free and chases Nemo.

    

Cats and Dogs being cats and dogs/ Copyright WGBH

         D.W has a subplot with Bud(Character they added in like season 16, because adding characters is fun) where D.W wonders about this "mystery aunt".  Minnie did show up an earlier special, that I haven't gotten to writing about yet, but that's not important right now.(Thanks for wasting my time!)  Arthur is going to be a clock in the Thanksgiving parade. (Brought you by Woolworth)

Always find guests that match the furniture/ Copyrigh WGBH

          I like that Minnie brings up what the meaning of Hickery Dickory Dock is.  Meanwhile, Arthur's Mom tells Arthur's Father that she thought she put the cheesy Brussel sprouts in a container which surprises the father.  D.W and Bud meet Aunt Minnie. Arthur and his Dad figure out that Pal was wrongfully jailed, but Pal is gone after chasing that cat. (meow) 

We need to communicate better/ Copyright WGBH

        more after the jump

Peanuts Thanksgiving and Christmas Special to air on PBS

News Peanuts 

     Previously on the blog, we told you that the Peanuts holiday specials were leaving ABC and going to Apple TV + exclusively.  It was move that wasn't  completely embraced  by people.  The "Great Pumpkin"  didn't air on TV this year, and was Apple TV Plus, there was a free two day window. They also offered  free windows for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  That free offering still requires an apple ID and  credit/debit card number that's not used for payment , but still.

       Wednesday, it was announced that the Thanksgiving special and Christmas special will be airing on TV after all, the network being PBS.  Yes, that PBS. PBS will be airing "A Charlie Brown" Thanksgiving Sunday, November 22nd at 7:30e/ 6:30c.  " A Charlie Brown Christmas" will air Sunday, December 13th at 7:30/6:30c. 

We’re feeling very thankful to team up with @AppleTV to share #ACharlieBrownThanksgiving with you this year! Tune in to this special one-night event on PBS and @PBSKIDS on Sun, Nov 22 at 7:30/6:30c. pic.twitter.com/ADW1R0FvCv

— PBS (@PBS) November 18, 2020

    These specials will air on PBS and the PBS Kids channel (which is on many PBS sub channels and website/app) The specials will still be on Apple TV Plus with the free window dates (Thanksgiving November 25th to 27; Christmas December 11-13).  This is a good move and you will be seeing Peanuts specials un edited without ads on PBS! 

      Sadly, the traditional broadcasts of  "Mayflower Voyages", "I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown", and "Happy New Year, Charlie Brown" have been mentioned for anything.  

Press release after the jump 

My Network TV on Tubi TV

My Network TV 

         This is  a blog post, I don't think anyone else will do in entire society, that means we get the monopoly on the most niche thing ever.   I found out by looking around that the free, ad supported, streaming service that was purchased by FOX earlier this year.  My Network TV is also owned by FOX. (Math!)    

     My Network TV's original plan was "Oh Crap UPN is shutting down, and we need stuff for these random stations in major markets, we need to do something!" Then decided that the best idea was to be Telemundo but in English and make English telenovelas with shows that were going to be in the syndication market and air them five nights a week on your local station that would use a finny name like My20.

MY 20! It' s my station! Mine (they don't even use this logo anymore, they gave up years ago) 

          They had the original plan of every 3 months they would cycle in 2 new telenovelas, each one running 65 episodes. (Syndication!)   This plan lasted until like March 2007. (They gave up too easily, like cowards!) They didn't even let the cycle 3 shows finish! 

           After that, My Network TV gave up and withered and still exists as  our yearly posts of their fall line up of shows you can find on Ion and USA show you. They're older shows never really ended up anywhere, as much. ( They did put like one show on Hulu)  

   

    I assumed that Disney owned the shows currently because of them ending up with 20th Television in the FOX fire sale. The parts of FOX that aren't owned of Disney, like Fox Network and My Network, bought this random streaming service called Tubi.  I remember them for a few years, they seem like one of those places that stream the stuff but not legally, but in fact are legal and have ads! (Good thing they aren't paying us, that was awful promo work) 

                  I did wonder if Disney was going to put these shows somewhere, because tens of people would like to know the status of obscure series that ran on a network, most don't even know exists. I was looking through Tubi, because is a nice service, has some things that are interesting and is free!  I found they added 4 of the 6 My Network TV telenovelas. 

       Desire (September-December 2006) 

   As Tubi describes as : 

      

Two brothers who get run out of town because of their passions end up in a love triangle that brings murder, betrayal and lust to a flashpoint.

     That sounds fun!  It was based off a Columbian show and has a Sheryl Crow theme song! 

       Fashion House (September-December 2006)

      Sadly, it's not sitcom about a family of Fashion conscious people getting into weird situations. 

Tubi says: 

      A fashion industry titan protects her company and reputation from her ruthlessly ambitious rival who will do whatever it takes to win.

      It stars  Bo Derek and Morgan Fairchild, and is based off a Cuban series 

    Wicked Wicked Games (December 2006- March 2007) 

  Tubi says 

   

   A woman whose husband left her for another woman with wealth 25 years ago plots her revenge to take him down in a way he won't soon forget.

     That sounds hard to stretch out over 65 days but if  daytime soaps can do it, this show can.  It starts Tatum O' Neal.

          Someone on Wikipedia was hoping for something with this line 

   

It focuses on a bitter, obsessed woman's vendetta against her former lover. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has not announced plans to release this series on DVD and/or Blu-ray.

Watch over Me (December 2006- March 2007)  

Tubi says 

A young bodyguard working for a ruthless industrialist gets involved with people in the unscrupulous business of researching biological viruses.

What?  

   Like I said,  they only have 4 of the 6 My Network TV telenovelas. Someone needs to release the series (including the un aired episodes) of "American Heiress"  and "Saints and Sinners" get on that!  

You can check out these 4 if you are curious (this is news not really a recommendation)  on Tubi for free.  On the app available on almost everything, you go to the channels section and select FOX.  If you on computer, the links in this blog post will take you there. 

       That's it for now!   

Update 4/13/2021: 

      Previously, when I wrote this post, they only 4 of the 6 series , well now they have all 6! That's right they've added the spring 2007  and final two telenovela series.  

      American Heiress  (March to June 2007)

   Tubi describes the show 

A rich debutant struggles to survive after a plane crash in the Guatemalan jungle, while her cruel brother at home tries to seize the family empire.

A note about this series: they gave up on the 13-week 5 day a week programming schedule  and went weekly but after week 13, they just gave up and left about 39 episodes un aired. (ooops)  Tubi, as of this writing, has 54 episodes.  Not sure why don't have episodes 55-65, but this is more than what  aired on US TV, so maybe they'll add the rest, get on that! 

     Saints and Sinners  

      Someone on Wikipedia describes this

This modern-day Romeo-and-Juliet story revolves around two Miami Beach families – the Capshaws and the Martins – who are plagued by a long, bitter rivalry. Julia Capshaw (Tyler Kain) falls is in love with Roman Martin (Scott Bailey), the man accused of killing her father. They find themselves caught between their feuding hotel-owner families, who will stop at nothing to succeed.

   A note about this series,  they also ended after 13 weeks and only 13 episodes aired . Tubi has up to 50 so 51-65 are missing.

 This is a a development though and a surprising one.   Now, that's it for now! 

 

NBC's 2020 Holiday Programming

Thanksgiving Christmas  NBC

   

     NBC has released their 2020 holiday programming for Thanksgiving to New Years'.   (Note: NBC says more will be announce if necessary) 

                  NBC will air the Dreamworks film (sister division to NBC)  "The Croods"  on Saturday, November 21st at 8pmet 

   

                 The night before Thanksgiving they will be airing the traditional "A Saturday Night Live Thanksgiving special" from  9-11pmet

        Even though, it's slightly different due to the pandemic, The 94th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade airs on NBC Thanksgiving Day 9 to Noon ET , repeating  2pmet  (same times all time zones) 

      The National Dog show also a Thanksgiving tradition airs after the parade at NoonET. (All time zones) 

  

         How the Grinch stole Christmas, the classic 1966 special airs on Friday, November 27 at 8pmet with a repeat on December 25th at 8pmet.

      

      A new special called "Illumination Presents Minions Holiday Special"  This will air on November 27 at 8:30pmet/ 7:30c and mt.

      The Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting tradition continues as well.  "The 88th Annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center"   airs Wednesday, December 2 8-10pmet/7-9pm ct. 

        Followed by the Radio City Christmas Spectacular at 10pmet. 

• The Voice Holiday Celebration  / Thursday December 3 at 8-9pmet , repeating December 16 and 22nd) 
• Dr. Seuss' The Grinch Musical! / Wednesday December 9 at  8-10pmet , repeating  December 21 at 8pmet
• A Saturday Night Live Christmas special/  Wednesday  December 16 at 9-11pmet , repeating December 22nd at 9pmet
•  Global Citizen Prize/ Saturday December 19 at  8-9pmet 

  The Traditional airing of "It's a Wonderful Life" will air December 24 at 8pmet. 

Christmas Eve Mass, Christmas Eve 11:30pm-1amet 

How the Grinch Stole Christmas  (Movie)  Friday, December 25 at 8:30pm

Countdown to 2021  , a highlights special on the year 2021 airs Thursday , December 31st at 8pm

NBC New Year's Eve Special (part 1)  10-11pmet  and  Part 2  11:30-12:30am ET 

The Rose Parade New Year's Celebration    Friday  January 1, 2021,  11:30am-1pmet

Press Release after the Jump 

The Lookback: Sheep in the Big City

Cartoon Network  The Flashback 
              

           On November 17th, 2000 Cartoon Network premiered a new show that was starring a simple farm animal, some call this animal  a sheep, those people are correct.   Sheep in the Big City is about a sheep named Sheep who moves to the big city.  It was created by Mo Willems, who had previously worked on Nickelodeon's "The Off Beats"  which aired on "Kablam" but didn't become a series.  He also some other accomplishments like working on Sesame street and "Code Name Kids Next Door".

   "Sheep in the Big City" is one of those Cartoon Network series that seems to have been forgotten about in the life of Cartoon Network.  To be honest, they had lot of shows that were popular and some shows just kind of slipped under the radar.  This  is a good series that didn't seem to last long.

    The premise of the series is Sheep, the sheep, is a happy sheep with a farmer named Farmer John (he's a farmer). His favorite sheep seems to be Sheep. There's a secret government organization (don't lose us now) run by General Specific (get it?)  and has a new giant ray gun. Also there's an angry scientist because this show is doing a reference to the difference between mad and angry.  The ray is powered by using a sheep. Guess what Sheep is, that's right (a horse?)  a sheep.  Only one sheep can fit it and well guess who? The general threatens Farmer if he doesn't give up Sheep, he'll destroy the farm.  Sheep decides to leave the farm to make sure he's safe and the farm isn't destroyed.  After he escapes , General Specific's right hand man, Private Public.

     Farmer goes out to look for Sheep and the military is looking for Sheep as well. Sheep has  to figure out life in the big city.   The series will mostly about Sheep living in the Big City and running from General Specific.

    Most episodes start with a fake show that ends up being something Sheep is watching  then he changes the channel and theme plays.    The show divides it's  22 minute stories into 3 segments, that's right it doesn't do two 11 eleven minute stories, each episode is the full length.    The titles of the different segments of episodes are sheep based puns because of course they , ewe wouldn't want it to not have sheep based puns, you'd lamb-bast the show.   Most of the show's  comedy is in word play.  There is some slip stick , especially with Sheep being hit , and characters hitting , punching, falling and other things.  Other parts of the show has it's own style with  commercials they do in the show, mostly from a company  called Oxy-Moron. (Get it ) Like how one ad  makes a viewer think they are doing a roach killing ad, instead doing a product that makes the angry roaches, happy.   It also incorporates other segments of different sketches.

             Going back to the words of the show, they use a high vocabulary set of words, as part of the show's nature.  This isn't really a talk down to an audience show. They have the narrator be part of the show, where he interacts with characters and events to the show and also does things for other the skits as well.

        One of the episodes. I really enjoyed was "To Sheep, Perchance to Dream!" ,which takes the idea of  a dream episode makes fun of it then accelerates into the most outrageous and funniest thing ever. It's a good example of the show's humor. 

          Funny enough, the other characters around Sheep are the interesting ones, since Sheep is a sheep who mostly functions as a sheep and does mostly normal sheep things.  So General Specific, Lady Richington for example are interesting characters. Lady Richington has a dog named Swanky , who Sheep is in love with ,but she doesn't like him so she hits him with her metal wig.  (That's a sentence) She finds new inventive ways to get Sheep away from her.  The angry scientist  doesn't like being called mad, that makes him angry.

             The show's look is very retro in design. The homages to old style advertising in the episodes fit the show well. I like it, it's something we don't see much even in this day and age.   The show has distinct design that makes it stand out. 


more after the jump