Christmas: Santa Claus is Comin' to Town

Christmas  The Flashback 

                                                        

             Rankin Bass trying to create a special based off a song is kind of par of the course, they already did that with Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snoweman and if you want to be pedantic, "Winter Wonderland " but with Frosty.   This year if you are reading this in 2020 (congrats you made it!) it's the 50th anniversary of this special, "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town"  which first aired on ABC on December 14th 1970.

       The title is based off the popular Christmas song of the same name.  The song has a sad history behind it, which I wrote about here.  The special does something else, it gives us an origin story to Santa Claus because we all need origin stories.  There are so many origin stories of Santa Claus, and  you can just make your own up because he's  a character you can just use and not get sued....yet.  (Santa grabbed Geraldine passionately, what oh yeah...)  Rankin Bass set out to make an origin story.


        I personally think this is Rankin Bass' master piece Christmas special, their best special, and best work. Yes, even better than 1964's Rudolph. (good now, that some have left this post in anger, the rest of us can go along with the fun) 
   
          The special starts with a mail man named Special delivery Kluger, or S.D (Scooby Doo?) for short.  He's the narrator, because Rankin Bass Christmas specials need narrators. He is voiced by the legendary  Fred Astaire. Astaire brings a great voice to this character and since he can sing, that works too!   Kluger decides to commit felonies (unless North Pole is different) and open the mail that was meant of Santa.  Many children have questions about old Claus and apparently, Kluger knows all about him. (Because he's a stalker , help!)

I know where you live/ Copyright Rankin Bass

             So he tells the kids (off screen kids) the story of the origins of Santa. (Santa was walking down the street with his parents who were then ....oh wait that's  Abe Lincoln)  It starts in a town called Sombertown. (If you named a town that you'd be somber too) It's run by man named Burgermeister Meisterburger and he's our villain. (I'd be mad too, if that was my name) One of the burgermeister's minions, comes in with a baby. (Where do Babies come from, Rankin Bass won't tell you the truth!)  B M M B doesn't like babies and orders that it gets sent the orphan asylum.

                  

Baby? I don't order that , send it back! / Copyright Rankin-Bass

          Yeah, Santa's an orphan, because parents would just get in the way. (What?)  The only clue to the baby's name is a tag (the run away parents had time to make tag?)  with the name Claus on it. See, he's Claus.  The minion loses the baby because  of course he does. A wind blew the baby and the sled the baby was on through the forest. (Oooh alright) There's a second looming villain in this special called the Winter Warlock.  The animals keep Claus safe and they put his sled in front of a house. A group of elves live there and they are called Kringles. See, origin special, why is he called Kris Kringle. (With a k?)   The Kringles also were these Santa suits because you can put 2 and 2 together. (That's right, they are hippies)

We drink Pespi, so this is strange/Copyright Rankin Bass 

          Cut... It is fun to see in this special how a majority of it you won't be seeing classic Santa. I mean with the big white beard, fat, old, stuff. It's a nice thing to see something a little different for Santa Claus. 

            The Kringles are happy to have the baby live with them and since baby Santa isn't very interesting, they grow him up to competent child Santa. The Kringles taught him how to read, write, count stars on a crystal night, and make toys. (As yes, the 2 rs , a c and a m)  This special has some good memorable songs like "Toymakes to the King" about the Kringles being big Royal toy makers. I do get confused, because where's the king now? Were they exiled, was this a France situation, the burgermeister was called the mayor earlier, none of this is explained. (odd for a special trying to explain things)


             This special liked this song they used it twice, and swapped the lyrics, more on that later.  Anyway, Kris also learned from the animals, because the animals.  The Seals though him to go ho ho ho because they had to find a strange way to explain that. Kris is man now. (He has manly needs!)
                        

I'm  giant! Help me/ Copyright  Rankin Bass 

                Kris is going to Sombertown to deliver toys. He also gets a real Kringle suit  because we already know why. Now Santa Kris is going to Sombertown.  He runs into a penguin that go so lost somehow.  He names the penguin Topper.  Yeah that second villain shows up and warns Kris to go back , which is kind of nice of him.  Kris runs to Sombertown.  (yay!)  In Sombertown, B M M B trips over a toy and broke a bone and thus he decides to ban toys. (logical)  The special uses the same song from before but swaps the lyrics for the Burgermeiser.

                             

Penguin/ Copyright Rankin Bass 

             Cut.. Also Mickey Rooney plays Kris/ Santa in this special and his voice is really good for Santa, and R and B used him later for another Santa role. It's a very earnest sounding Santa, but still has an authority to his voice.  Paul Frees, a Rankin Bass frequently used actor, is here to be the Burger Meister, the minion named Grimsley, Topper the Penguin, and pretty much anybody else they need.

  

             Anyway, the toys are rounded up and nobody stops the man. (He has a broken leg, they could have just said no and killed him) I like the Sombertown look of it being mostly gray and dark colors.  The people also wearing gray and dark colors works too.  It  makes  Kris' colorful outfit and red hair pop out as he's bringing color to their dark lives. (Symbolism!) Kris is trying to say hello and everyone is grumpy at him. My favorite is the guy that says "Don't Hi me!" .  He mentions toys and the everyone runs away like he was offending their mothers.   The kids are washing stockings, ( this is foreshadowing) and he tells the kids don't be glum.
          

You'd  be sad too in this town/ Copyright Rankin Bass 

     

               He says the line from the song and gives them toys. Toys are illegal though.  There's a school teacher named Jessica, she also has red hair. Hmmm. yes...  She tells Kris, not to give kids toys because they are immoral and illegal.  He gives her a China doll and she melts like butter.  The moral is give people toys and they won't be mad anymore. (World peace) 

 

            

I'm no longer mad/Copyright Rankin Bass 

            Now it's time for Kris to sing a song about sitting on his lap or something. Yeah, they are referencing why you sit on his lap at the mall. (Profit!) Rooney's a good singer too. (What's a mall?) The Burgermeister sees children playing with their toys and is going to arrest them. (He's tough on crime, but murder is way down)  Kris tries his give a toy thing again, but Grimsley tells him he's breaking his own law. (Couldn't he just undo his own law?)  

more after the jump

Christmas: Hey Arnold's Christmas

Christmas Nickelodeon

              Christmas specials have different forms, and can bring in different types of stories. Many attain to what is Christmas about, while  not going with the religious context of the holiday. Christmas is about family, friends, it's not about presents, it's not about fancy stuff, it's about love and caring; that's the messages many specials try to give.  

               The "Hey Arnold" Christmas episode/ special is a very special, special, though I'm not here to over sell it, and  it has been seen by a lot of people already it came in the mid 90's.  It does have something in common with the Peanuts Christmas special in the sense of it's atmosphere. The atmosphere of the special  has a very more sedate dower experience. It's not brightly lit, doesn't have a bunch of songs,  and it's focus isn't on Santa and stuff like that. In terms Nickelodeon specials it's different from most of the others just because how it looks and feels.  

  

                The special starts differently than most "Hey Arnold" episodes, it doesn't have the theme song, it just has the title with Christmas music and showing scenes around the city the show takes place. It has snow because, of course, but it's  quiet mostly with the Christmas music playing and the sounds of the kids doing winter things.  That's only for the intro, the special itself looks like the snow is mostly gone and just hints  of it around. 

  

            Helga has a plot in this special and she is actually the first character, with Phoebe we see, even before Arnold, and he has the main plot ,not her, but she's important to the plot as well.  It sets up what Helga's ambition for Christmas. she loves the presents, especially, she really wants Nancy Spumoni   (funny their Dean Martin  expry has a daughter or something famous like Frank Sentra?).  The song is kind of catchy.  It sets up that Helga really wants that one gift, it's also the hottest gift of the season, every girl and their mother wants those boots.  Even Rhonda the rich girl has had a hard time getting them.  

Everybody Loves Boots/ Copyright ViacomCBS 

           We finally see Arnold with Gerald. (Gerald likes to get everyone ties)  Arnold gives one of the  main ideas for the special, "if you give someone a present it should be unique"  that will drive what he does in the special as much as anything.  It inspires Gerald to change some gifts around.  Arnold crosses Helga's path,  a good way to show their paths will insect later on, and for Helga to do her classic lusting over Arnold monologue. (I think we used the wrong verb)   She wants to find the perfect gift for Arnold. That's another plot for this special, that drives Helga, and they will connect all this perfectly.

Computer time? What do they sell there? Hammers? / Copyright ViacomCBS 

       In speaking of plots, the main main plot is about a secret Santa at the boarding house. The boarders pick a name for a gift to give someone else, Arnold gets Mr. Hyunh for his gift selection process. (we made that sound clinical)  Arnold doesn't know what to get man; Gerald offers a great idea.(Mr. Hyunh owns a few sweaters)   Because this is a special from the 1990's and I mean that because of the time period, not as knock, there is something of importance to that time frame.  Mr. Hyunh talks about an event with Arnold that happened years before.  Back in his home country, he had a daughter named Mai.  There was a war in the country and it was getting closer and closer to where he lived every day.  He made a decision to leave with his daughter, and he goes to an American embassy to get them out, they only had room for one of them,  Mr. Hyunh made the decision to get his daughter out of there, to help her get away from the situation, and  he'd go to find her.   20 years later, he's able to leave and goes to find her, that's why he's living here.  It's an emotional scene, that really does bring tears.   

   

          Even though it is kept abstract, the special is mentioning the Vietnam War, the time framing fits it well.  The idea to keep it abstract works too, it makes the show timeless a little more. (Even though, maybe some modern tech would change how it works, but still) It's not really about the war as much as it as about a father who had to make a tough decision to make sure his daughter was safe.  I will say it's  mature for a children's program, but that's not exactly the correct thing to say. I mean  that it respects it's audience, it knows the Nickelodeon target audience are children, but it respects that to understand they want deep stories with some emotional weight and isn't afraid to do show them that.  The older people watching, especially then, would get it even more deeper.   It's doing something that makes it memorable long long after it first aired.  Not all TV episodes and Christmas specials have to be deep and have a story in them like this, that would make it boring, and we need a nice mixture of stories for Christmas and in general.  I'm glad someone decided to make a story like this to be part of our Christmas specials canon.

                                  

     

         Arnold gets an idea, he wants to help find Mr. Hyunh's daughter, and there's tension because it's the day before Christmas.  That's right, the stakes are high and time is not their side. I do like how Gerald is skeptical but still willing to help as much as he can. He's a good friend.  The special tries to bring some levity with Helga trying to find a present for Arnold.  Arnold goes to the office of information, where apparently government at work is drunk.  Except one dude, who is busy on his computer, named Mr. Bailey.   He's grumpy because he's working on Christmas Eve, I guess.(And he's not drunk)   Arnold overhears, Mr. Bailey talking to Mrs. Bailey and gets the idea to his Christmas shopping for him, in exchange for helping him.

              He agrees (and gives the kids 300  American Dollars) and says if the get ALL  the stuff on the list. (That all is an important all, the all in this part is not important) Arnold learns the other lesson many wait years to learn, Christmas Eve shopping is a miserable experience. How's Helga doing?  (Bob, on the scene here and...)   Stinky some how was able to mention Arnold, while Helga was shopping for Arnold.  Arnold and Gerald shop through montage format with "Good King Wenceslas" in jazz form.   Hey Arnold was really cool at using jazz for it's background, it gave the series  a nice vibe.  

 

         Apparently for Helga, money was no object, she was going to buy a game that cost $99.95 (I think those were 9's). It's funnyto see how Gerald kills her idea before she buys it, it is also fun to see Gerald took Arnold's message to heart.  This interaction wasn't with waste!   It's plot important.  Arnold has one item left on the list.  Nancy Spumoni snow boots.  He accidently drops the list, Helga finds it.  

Buy a whole dang fire engine?/ Copyright ViacomCBS

       Arnold didn't know that, play the tape:

                    Earlier in the episode: "You and every other girl in the city, Helga. The stores are practically sold out, there just aren't enough for everybody." ---Rhonda. 

 

              Ah yes, supply and demand, make it scarce and people want it more.  (Thank you, CNBC, can we get back to the episode now?) 

  

             A shoe store guy takes his time to get his co-workers just to laugh at Arnold. ( Hey! I don't pay for to laugh!  You don't pay at us at all! Sssh! ) Arnold can't find the shoes at all, and Mr. Bailey is like NO DEAL I wanted the shoes or my daughter will hate me or something. (He wants the good retirement home) Thanks to Helga being a stalker, (That's a sentence) she over hears the reason why Arnold wants the boots. (He'll look good in them)  

               Helga comes home and in a surprise twist, her parents remember her name and listened to her because they got her the snow boots. Helga's  happy. (Her mother stood 18 hours apparently)  Helga then remembers what we just saw a  minute ago.  She's now faced with what she wants to do. She decides to go to Mr. Bailey and gives him the boots, she works to convince him to help.  It has to be one of the most genuine and sweetest things Helga does for Arnold.  It's a great emotional scene. (Get these tears out of here!) 

  

                 It's Christmas morning, Arnold feels bad, until the doorbell rings and the guest happens to be Mr.Hyunh's daughter. It's pouring on the emotion. Arnold doesn't know how this  happened, Gerald says don't question it, like Arnold said earlier, Christmas has miracles. Maybe he has a Christmas angel.  It cuts to final shot, with Helga standing outside, socks on, no boots,  whispering "Merry Christmas, Arnold".   

 

                    It tied everything together very well, giving an arc for Helga to see Christmas in a different way and yet she wanted to get Arnold something special that would mean a lot to him, and she did. While the gift was that wanted was important the story as much as anything. It was a really nice touch, and well executed. It plays well into Arnold's optimistic characterization.  Stealing something from another Christmas special. This episode does a good job at the "Even a miracle needs a hand."  Arnold did the work to help get Mr. Hyunh and Mai reunited, and later, Helga does her own push to get it done.  Because it's Helga, it was interesting to see her mother, put so much work into giving Helga the gift she wanted, it does show that maybe she does care, even though it's not shown much.  

              This special is remembered and it should be, the quality is top notch and it's a well done special from it's atmosphere and music, to plot line, to plot line interlacing. Does it tell a good Christmas story and moral? Yes,  it brings the idea that Christmas is a time to think about others and how we see them and care for them. Arnold didn't know that  Mr. Hyunh had a daughter or much else about him, but he wanted to give a unique gift as he told Gerald should do with his gifts.  I like that message.   It's a good special, it belongs in the best Christmas specials in time. 

       That's our look back, tune in next time when we mop up these tears 

 

                            

                        

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!