2024 Oscar Nominations announced

Oscars Award Shows 

        The 96th Annual Academy Awards are around the corner, this March.  Oppenheimer gets a nice lead of 13 nominations- including for Best Picture.  Poor Things comes in second with 11.  Barbie gets 8.  

    The award show airs on Sunday, March 10 at 7PMET on ABC. Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. 

NewsNation expanding Weekend Programming, Making Weekday Changes

News Nation 

      

     Nexstar cable news network, NewsNation, is expanding weekend news programming. Currently the network programs weekend primetime,  with the morning through daytime being reruns of the drama Blue Bloods.   

            The network announced, Thursday, that from  Saturday, January 27,  Morning in America will be getting a weekend version anchored by  Hena Doba, airing Saturday and Sundays from 7-10am ET. Doba comes to NewsNation from the business news channel, Cheddar. 

      Also announced, from Monday, January 22, the network will make some changes to its weekday programming.  

         Morning in America is being reduced back down to 3 hours and will air from 6-9AMET, Markie Martin will become solo anchor with , Adrienne Bankert, becoming a special projects anchor for the network.  

        News Nation Live with Marni Hughes is pushed down 1hour starting at 9AMET and finishing at Noon ET.  Nichole Berlie's edition of News Nation Now moves its start time to Noon ET and will run 3 hours sill finishing at 3PM ET. 

        The Hill on News Nation and Elizabeth Vargas Reports flip timeslots  Vargas moves up to 5PMET and Hill moves down to 6pm ET.  

Here's the week day line up from January 22

all Times ET 

6-9 AM – Morning in America with anchor Markie Martin
9 AM-noon – NewsNation Live with Marni Hughes
Noon-3 PM – NewsNation Now with Nichole Berlie
3-5 PM  – NewsNation Now with Connell McShane
5-6 PM – Elizabeth Vargas Reports
6-7 PM – The Hill with moderator Blake Burman
7-8 PM– On Balance with Leland Vittert
8-9 PM – CUOMO hosted by Chris Cuomo
9-10 PM – Dan Abrams Live hosted by Dan Abrams
10-11 PM  – Banfield hosted by Ashleigh Banfield

Christmas: Nestor, The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey

Christmas The Flashback 

         I've written about Disney's The Small One , which is a special about a donkey in biblical times, that came out in 1978. This is a Rankin-Bass special about a donkey in biblical times, also around the first Christmas.  Nestor, The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey first aired on ABC on December 3, 1977. The special is written by Romeo Muller, like a few other R-B specials.  It's apparently based off a 1975 Gene Autry song. 

       

         The special starts in "present time" with Santa's Donkey, Spieltoe, who explains to us why Santa has a donkey. (Not having a Ford pick truck do his snow plowing apparently) Spieltoe is voiced by country singer-songwriter, Roger Miller. That's the man who did "King of the Road" . This special goes with a Nashville Sound country singer for its narrator which is something different than other R-B specials. 

Santa has a donkey instead of using a Toyota Tundra / Copyright Warner

             He mentions a great ancestor of his named Nestor.  Nestor was a donkey with a unique   feature- really long ears. They are  a bane to existence, he trips over them, the other animals make fun of him, even the stable owner is rude. It's like Rudolph but if Santa also beat him up. Rankin Bass specials do have sense of harshness in them sometimes. They have a boy get his parents killed off to drive the plot and have him hate humans. This special gives Nestor some trails to go through. 

   

        Nestor is made fun of, but then at wintertime (remember no Christmas yet) the animals give gifts and apologize to Nestor. His sweet mother, the only one who really showed him care, gives him some things to put on his ears to keep the warm and apparently from dragging on the ground. This special is 24 minutes long , without ads (wow) so this being like in the first quarter means we're not done yet. 

   

       Those sock like things on ears cause a problem when some Roman soldiers come  and donkeys, when they grab Nestor and notice that his ears are long when the sock thing falls off they think they were being scammed, and take all the donkeys for free. The stable owner is mad and throws Nestor in the snow; Nestor's mother joins him, she covers him and the snow and dies.  That's right, they killed off Nestor's loving donkey mother.  His mother was voiced by Linda Gray She worked on Hanna-Barbera projects, she was also the voice of Muffy Vanderschmere in TaleSpin. Her voice provides a nice balance of motherly affection and some sternness when needed to make a good mother.   

         Nestor has to continue off alone to find a purpose in life. It's a brutal special to a point and really wants to you to hope the best for Nestor.  (of course, this special spoils what happens at  the end  in the first song, so good work)  Nestor meets a cherub named Tilly who tells him God (though they don't say that outright, which is interesting) has a plan for him thanks to his special ears.  It's a message of God giving you something that is supposed to be something you can use to do great things.   Tilly is voiced Brenda Vaccaro , a Broadway actress, TV and movie actress as well.  Her husky-voice is great for the role of Tilly. 

            They also use Miller to do the songs for the specials because why not?   Tilly and Nestor end up near Bethlehem, but it's not time to be there in Bethlehem yet  so he's a stable. The things we saw at start where animals are rude to him continues. This time, Nestor is being patient but he really does want to get away from this place.

             Just then a couple, hmm I wonder, come around looking for a donkey, they want Nestor and this couple happened to be Mary and Joseph.  The stable owner tries to commit price gouging  but then he's seen the light and gives Mary- Nestor for free.  There's a big sandstorm and  he uses his large ears to be guided by the voice of his mother and angels to get to Bethlehem without seeing where he is going. It's a beautiful scene.   Mary and Joseph are able to make it to the city, Nestor even helps them find a stable. 

            I think would have been a great ending, but apparently there's like 2 minutes left and Nestor decides to back to the place he started from -for some reason.  Apparently, the first stable owner got his donkeys back?  And Everyone knows he helped Mary and Joseph? Then it cuts back to the North Pole where everyone is dancing around and the Nestor song finishes.  

 

 

             This is another religious based Rankin-Bass special, which weren't many but they did do them. Like "The Small One" it goes for a donkey that is somewhat out of the normal for a donkey. Too small or too long ears, in this case. Then it connects the donkey that Mary would have ridden to the story here. In this case it's the Rudolph like story Nestor is ridiculed by others because of his long-ears, but also doesn't know his own purpose.  

            This special is again tough in the sense it not sugar coating. Nestor's mother dies in a brutal cold death, that is just harsh. It leaves Nestor without the one person who supported him, it was nice he was able to hear her spirit later on, as she guided him to show the idea she's always apart of him. The special using country music is interesting, but you get a country music signer, you sure as heck do country.  It might not fit with the time the story is taking place, but they had characters sing White Christmas before the song was even made so... let them have some fun.   There are somethings you probably shouldn't question about this special, you'd be here all week and go mad.  With that, I do recommend this one as much as "The Small One" so I'm glad we have two great donkey  and biblical based Christmas specials. 

    That's it for now, tune in next time when we meet Santa's Chevy Silverado that's built like a rock. 

Christmas: A Flintstone Family Christmas

Christmas

        The Flintstones and Christmas are an odd idea. And we aren't going to ask questions that don't really want to be answered. (But if the Flintstones are pre-historic then how can they have Christmas?)  Especially for a show where they had TV sets and cars. 

        This time, we are looking at a later "Flintstones" special  as it happens to turns 30 years old in 2023.  This is from the later stage of Hanna-Barbera's existence and really can be seen that way.  Also the title , if Wikipedia is right, it was going to be called "The Flintstones: Christmas Misdemeanors" which um, would have been a choice. I'm sure this title helps it either, like it sounds like an old 70's special with Bing Crosby and his family. I want Fred Flintstone to sing "White Christmas" while wearing a sweater and smoking a pipe. 

           "Family Christmas" first aired on ABC on December 18, 1993.  It would later be rerun on Cartoon Network as part of their Christmas programming , and then on Boomerang network.   It was nominated for an Emmy, so was The Town Santa Forgot -which I've also covered, and both lost to something called the Roman City.  

         This Flintstones special takes place in the timeline of when Pebbles and Bam-Bam are married and apparently have kids. The duo had been aged up a few times over the time and even had a show where they were teenagers.  This seems to be the last time they've done anything with older Pebbles and Bam-Bam and that's kind of a shame.  They aren't the stars of this special or are barely in it. 

      

        Fred is getting ready for Christmas and Fred not being a Scrooge (that's a different special) he's annoying enthused about Christmas. Fred wonders why others aren't as happy and this is a special, where you hear the phrase "drive by stoning".  I don't know how that works and is that better or worse than a shooting? Is that shooting? You get confused by the Flintstones and Christmas, I get confused by how a drive by stoning works.  

What's black and white and red all over, his and will be / Copyright Hanna-Barbera 

            Betty and Wilma wrapping gifts, and Wilma got Fred a portable phone.  How very 1993 of this. I mean, I guess a portable phone would still work as a gift now, uh never mind then. 

         This special has at the time, the current voice of Fred , Henry Corden,  who was the 2nd voice of Fred and had been doing it as the main one since the late 1970's.   Jean Vander Pyl, was still the voice of Wilma, she was the original voice and would continue the role a few more times before her death in 1999. Frank Welker pinch hits as Barney.  B. J. Ward , interestingly enough the B means Betty, did the voice of Betty. She started voicing the character in the 1980's after the retirement of Gay Autterson.  Another cast member, soon. 

Phones in the old days have to breathe / Copyright Hanna-Barbera 

             Wilma tells Fred that Pebbles and Bam-Bam are their way with the grand kids.  Santa is excited he's going to play Santa for the grand children. But first he has errands to do. This is when he meets a kid named Stony. Which is an name, but then again, there's Pebbles and Bam-Bam so...  Stony is voiced by Christine Cavanaugh and does sound like Dexter more than Chuckie robbing Fred Flintstone which how Fred and Stony meet.  He's mugs them in a Santa suit.   

Santa sure gets shorter every year/ Copyright Hanna-Barbera 

            At the police station, Fred and Barney point out the mugger and a social worker mentions he's a cave-less kid.  And is explained a troubled kid. Also the design is very 90's , the backwards had, earring, that was bad in the 1990's or something.  He also is the only character with color eyes instead of either black dots or black dots with white around it; he has blue eyes. (he had blue eyes) Wilma convinces Fred not to let Stony be put in jail.  Also, the special mentions Charlie Manson-Stone, which um is a choice.  There's a Charles Manson guy in this world?  That makes me question things there really should be questions for.  (Hmm was there a World War II here?) Also, was that mention for the adults watching? Like hey! I know who that is, and laugh?  Good thing this wasn't 1995, we'd have  O J Simpstone.  

         "I'm not doing that, and that's final!" then ha ha ha , it happened cut.  The Flintstones have taken in Stony.   They put a porn channel joke in this special. A Family Christmas indeed. Fred knows this is airing on ABC, so channel change, and there's a Flintstones version of "It's a Wonderful Life".  It's even in black and white.  Stony isn't happy and doesn't have Christmas spirit, with good reason.  Screw it, I'm not going to mention every odd reference they  make after this, they do "The Godfather" reference, so this is going to be a thing.  

We can add Stone-Age to a movie and it's legal/ Copyright Hanna-Barbera 

           Wilma wants Fred to give a little trust to Stony, but things don't go well. (You can say that alot)  At the airport, and Pebbles and Bam-Bam are going to be late because of airport delays.  Fred isn't happy because his grand kids won't see him in the parade.  He tries to help Stony try to embrace Christmas a little more.  The song for the montage is actually kind of nice , original Christmas song.  You see that he does try to do the right things and wants to help the Flintstones have a nice Christmas too, as the special goes on.  Fred ends up in the hospital. (oops) 

more after the jump 

The CW Midseason 2024

The CW  Midseason 2024 

                

            The CW has released their mid-season plans.  

        Since the CW is more non-US made shows they were able to work around the strikes more and they will be able to start most of their mid season before the other networks.  

        The third seasons of comedies Children Ruin Everything, and Son of a Critch will premiere on January 11 and 25, respectively.  

        Detective  series, Wild Cards, will start on January 17th followed by season 3 of legal drama Family Law. 

       The documentaries I am will start on December 30 with  I am Burt Reynolds,  with the next ones rolling out on Saturdays and I Am Martin Luther King Jr. debuts on Monday, January 15. 

        True crime series Crime Nation premieres on Tuesday, February 20th for 2 hours. 

        Here's their full schedule details (yes there some TBA's in there) also all time are ET/ Saint Louis/ Denver/ and Pacific unless otherwise noted. 

       

Saturday, December 30 

4-8pm  2023 Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl 

8-10pm I Am Burt Reynolds 

Saturday, January 6

8-10pm I Am Chris Farley 

Sunday, January 7th

7-9:30pm The Wedding Planner 

Thursday, January 11

8-8:30pm  Son of A Critch (Original episode) 

8:30-9pm  TBA 

9-9:30pm TBA

9:30-10pm Children Ruin Everything (Season 3 Premiere) 

Friday, January 12 

8-9pm Penn and Teller : Fool US (Original Episode) 

9-9:30pm Masters of Illusion (Original Episode) 

9:30-10pm World's Funniest Animals (Original episode) 

Saturday, January 13

8-10pm I Am Paul Walker 

Sunday, January 14 

7-10pm 29th Annual Critic's Choice Awards 

Monday, January 15 

8-10pm I Am  Martin Luther King Jr. 

Wednesday, January 17

8-9pm Wild Cards (Series premiere) 

9-10pm Family Law (Season 3 Premiere) 

Thursday, January 25 

8-8:30pm Son of A Critch (Season 3 Premiere) 

8:30-9pm  TBA 

9-9:30am TBA 

9:30-10am Children Ruin Everything (Original Episode) 

Tuesday, February 20

8-10pm  Crime Nation (Series premiere) 

Press Release after the jump

Weekendering: The Weekenders: Season 3: Episode 13: The Worst Holiday Ever

The Weekenders Disney Holidays 

Episode 13: The Worst Holiday Ever

        I'm jumping ahead, unless you reading this in the future , to do the holiday special for Weekenders. Because if I don't, then there's either going to be awkward post at some other point, or I'd have to hold off on doing this episode until next Christmas season. This is also the end of season 3, but won't do a season review here, that'll be in episode 12's post. 

         This episode aired on UPN on December 2nd, 2001, like I said it's also the season finale. That also means that Weekenders would also be over soon.  

         This episode starts on the task of starting on Friday, which um was a choice.  Tino starts mentioning how December is wintery with snow but since their town is like San Diego they don't get that, but thanks to Lor's Grandma they will be able to enjoy the classic winter affects in the mountains.  Then he mentions that Tish celebrates Hanukkah, he celebrates the winter solstice (don't be surprised , hippy mom),  Lor and Carver celebrate Christmas and then Carver also celebrates Kwanza. This episode was made during the period this was a big thing to do have a kid celebrate holiday A, then have B, find some other ones for C and maybe a D.  

           Because of all that there's only one weekend where they all can spend a holiday together, I wonder which one. Lor's Grandma picks up everyone and there's even a song.  That's different for this show, but I guess they had to for a holiday special.  This episode is called "The Worst Holiday Ever" so I'm expecting something... uh oh something bad has happened. The place they were going is closed off because of a blizzard. (ironic) 

         The group waits with Lor's grandma on her RV and  it's a long wait.  They have to spend the night in there and the next morning too.  Lor worries this might be her worst holiday ever,  but her grandma says remembers she had a worse one. This brings up a story called "The Worst Christmas Ever" 3 years earlier. It's a normal Christmas with her large family and coach from the school comes over and she sees that the coach dropped mashed potatoes and didn't want to eat them.  She didn't eat them and her family ends up sick, and she tells her family why that happened. Then again it might have been her grandma's soup. 

        Tino tells the The Worst Winter Solstice Ever. If you can't tell already, it's a story episode. That's right the characters are stuck somewhere and the best thing they can do is tell stories. This is a setup from clip shows. Let's continue with Tino's story.  His mom switched to solstice celebrating after she and his dad broke up.  She seems to celebrate it like Christmas with stockings, a tree with lights, and things.  It's the first one, so it's younger Tino.  Like Lor's story there's an invited guest, a neighbor we've seen before on the series.  

        The woman has views on divorce.  She also invited her great-great grand nephew for some reason.  What Tino remembers is that was his first time having a sarcastic remark.  He and his mom ended up in the car together to get away from those two. Lor's grandma  says the same thing she said to Lor, at least it was someone he loves.  

        Interrupting snow. Tino says the episode title, break time. Uh buy toys! Back to the episode.  They are now trapped in the blizzard in an RV.  Tish is horrified the most that Lor's Grandma having rabbit jerky. Then she mentions "The Worst Hanukkah Ever" story.  

        Tish gets a "Secret Santa" thing where she has to buy a gift for a someone in the family.  She gets Aunt Geet, who she is happy she picked because that's an easy one to gift.  Her family comes over including cousin Doug (whom we've seen before) and Dougavina. (ok then)  Girl Doug gives Tish a gift, even though she wasn't the picked name. This makes Tish worry because she didn't get anything for Dougavina.  She lies and digs through her closet to find a gift, and finds a sweater with tags on it, uh oh.  It was a gift that Aunt Geet gave both of them of the last year. (oops) Tish felt bad.  

         It's Carver's turn, and worst Kwanzaa time.  His story is that socks didn't match, he wore a gray one and a white one. Very in character for Carver.  

    Sunday time, the blizzard is over but the roads are closed of ice. (not ironic) The kids aren't happy they didn't get to have their winter-y fun. Lor's grandma decides to stop because they are moaning and she decides to tell her own story with a long title.  She and her mother were going to get berries for her soup and then they freed a turkey, but the other turkeys decide to go after them. They had to hide in a cave for a bit, but she said it was a fine Christmas. 

       

      They try to run from the turkeys at night and then they fell down a cavern, but the turkey they freed helped them out. (neat)  That's why the family doesn't eat turkey on Christmas, the other holidays are fine though.  The kids seem to say they got the message about a good thing about the holidays is being with those you love. She does turn around and say her story is about staying away from wild turkeys.  (also a good tip)  

          Finally, she makes them frolic in very low amount of snow.  It finishes with a song.

 

         So again, this was a let's tell stories episode, but it wasn't bad. It was fun seeing younger versions of the characters and seeing some of their life stuff was nice. I think the stories were fun and fitting with the characters.  Lor being scared that coach would fail her if she told about the potatoes fits with how she wouldn't like that as she values athletics. Tino and his mom's very close and strong bond shows up in his story.  Tish and her family dynamic and how she had a relatable problem. Carver of course focusing on something that most don't , funny it wasn't shoe related, but socks instead.  It was also fun seeing Lor's Grandma as she is a fun character and brought things together and did get the message across well. 

            The episode also shows their great friendship bond and wanting to spend sometime together as they value each other too as like family.  It's great that this episode showed that bond and their family bonds to really express holidays and being with those you care about and love, even beyond blood family. Like how Lor's family lets Coach come over ever year.  

       

        Good simple episode. Funny moments and sweet moments mixed it, makes it a valuable seasonal episode and a great season finale too. 

          That's it for now , tune in next time, when we get trapped and have to eat horse jerky. At least I think that was horse jerky.  Later days.    

       

2024: Golden Globes Nominations

Golden Globes 

    

        The Golden Globes have survived , after all, after being not on TV in 2022, and losing NBC as broadcast partner, the show has moved to CBS.  

        A new category has been  added for Best Cinematic and box office achievement,  meanwhile for the TV side awards a new category for best performance in stand-up comedy television.  

        The Award show airs on CBS on Sunday, January 7, 2024 at 5pm PT / 8pm ET

Here's the nominees 

Best Motion Picture – Drama

Anatomy of a Fall (Neon)

Killers of the Flower Moon (Apple Original Films)

Maestro (Netflix)

Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures)

Past Lives (A24)

The Zone of Interest (A24)

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Air (Amazon MGM Studios)

American Fiction (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)

Barbie (Warner Bros. Pictures)

The Holdovers (Focus Features)

May December (Netflix)

Poor Things (Searchlight Pictures)

Best Motion Picture – Animated

The Boy and the Heron (GKids)

Elemental (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Sony Pictures Releasing)

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Universal Pictures)

Suzume (Crunchyroll / Sony Pictures Entertainment)

Wish (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)


Cinematic and Box Office Achievement

Barbie (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

John Wick: Chapter 4 (Lionsgate)

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (Paramount Pictures)

Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures)

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Sony Pictures Releasing)

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Universal Pictures)

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (AMC Theatres Distribution)

Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language

Anatomy of a Fall, France (Neon)

Fallen Leaves, Finland (Mubi)

Io Capitano, Italy (Pathe Distribution)

Past Lives, United States (A24)

Society of the Snow, Spain (Netflix)

The Zone of Interest, United Kingdom/USA (A24)

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Bradley Cooper, Maestro

Leonardo DiCaprio, Killers of the Flower Moon

Colman Domingo, Rustin

Barry Keoghan, Saltburn

Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer

Andrew Scott, All of Us Strangers

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Annette Bening, Nyad

Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon

Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall

Greta Lee, Past Lives

Carey Mulligan, Maestro

Cailee Spaeny, Priscilla

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Fantasia Barrino, The Color Purple

Jennifer Lawrence, No Hard Feelings

Natalie Portman, May December

Alma Pöysti, Fallen Leaves

Margot Robbie, Barbie

Emma Stone, Poor Things

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Nicolas Cage, Dream Scenario

Timothée Chalamet, Wonka

Matt Damon, Air

Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers

Joaquin Phoenix, Beau Is Afraid

Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture

Willem Dafoe, Poor Things

Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon

Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer

Ryan Gosling, Barbie

Charles Melton, May December

Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture

Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer

Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple

Jodie Foster, Nyad

Julianne Moore, May December

Rosamund Pike, Saltburn

Da'Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers

Best Director - Motion Picture

Bradley Cooper, Maestro

Greta Gerwig, Barbie

Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things

Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer

Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon

Celine Song, Past Lives

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach, Barbie

Tony McNamara, Poor Things

Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer

Eric Roth, Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon

Celine Song, Past Lives

Justine Triet, Arthur Harari, Anatomy of a Fall

Best Original Song – Motion Picture

"Addicted to Romance," She Came to Me, Music and lyrics by Bruce Springsteen

"Dance the Night," Barbie, Music and lyrics by Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, Dua Lipa, Caroline Ailin

"I'm Just Ken," Barbie, Music and lyrics by Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt

"Peaches," The Super Mario Bros. Move, Music and lyrics by Jack Black, Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Eric Osmond, John Spiker

"Road to Freedom," Rustin, Music and lyrics by Lenny Kravitz

"What Was I Made For?" Barbie, Music and lyrics by Billie Eilish, Finneas

Best Original Score – Motion Picture

Jerskin Fendrix, Poor Things

Ludwig Göransson, Oppenheimer

Joe Hisaishi, The Boy and the Heron

Mica Levi, The Zone of Interest

Daniel Pemberton, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Robbie Robertson, Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Television Series – Drama

1923 (Paramount+)

The Crown (Netflix)

The Diplomat (Netflix)

The Last of Us (HBO/Max)

The Morning Show (Apple TV+)

Succession (HBO/Max)

Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Barry (HBO/Max)

The Bear (FX)

Jury Duty (Amazon Freevee)

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

All the Light We Cannot See (Netflix)

Beef (Netflix)

Daisy Jones & the Six (Prime Video)

Fargo (FX)

Fellow Travelers (Showtime)

Lessons in Chemistry (Apple TV+)

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series – Drama

Helen Mirren, 1923

Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us

Keri Russell, The Diplomat

Sarah Snook, Succession

Imelda Staunton, The Crown

Emma Stone, The Curse

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series – Drama

Brian Cox, Succession

Kieran Culkin, Succession

Gary Oldman, Slow Horses

Pedro Pascal, The Last of Us

Jeremy Strong, Succession

Dominic West, The Crown

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary

Ayo Edebiri, The Bear

Elle Fanning, The Great

Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building

Natasha Lyonne, Poker Face

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Bill Hader, Barry

Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building

Jason Segel, Shrinking

Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building

Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso

Jeremy Allen White, The Bear

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television

Riley Keough, Daisy Jones & the Six

Brie Larson, Lessons in Chemistry

Elizabeth Olsen, Love & Death

Juno Temple, Fargo

Rachel Weisz, Dead Ringers

Ali Wong, Beef

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television

Matt Bomer, Fellow Travelers

Sam Claflin, Daisy Jones & the Six

Jon Hamm, Fargo

Woody Harrelson, White House Plumbers

David Oyelowo, Lawmen: Bass Reeves

Steven Yeun, Beef

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role on Television

Elizabeth Debicki, The Crown

Abby Elliott, The Bear

Christina Ricci, Yellowjackets

J. Smith-Cameron, Succession

Meryl Streep, Only Murders in the Building

Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role on Television

Billy Crudup, The Morning Show

Matthew Macfadyen, Succession

James Marsden, Jury Duty

Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear

Alan Ruck, Succession

Alexander Skarsgard, Succession

Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television

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Chris Rock, Chris Rock: Selective Outrage

Amy Schumer, Amy Schumer: Emergency Contact

Sarah Silverman, Sarah Silverman: Someone You Love

Wanda Sykes, Wanda Sykes: I'm an Entertainer

Christmas: The Little Drummer Boy: Book II

Christmas 

             Another Rankin-Bass sequel.  "The Little Drummer Boy: Book II" (classy with the roman numerals came out 8 years after the first special also aired on NBC. 1976 seemed to be the year of  Rankin Bass going back to things they've made before like with  "Frosty's Winter Wonderland" , "Rudolph's Shiny New Year" and this.  

             The first special wrapped up pretty nicely, Aaron's character arc has him finding about love and ends on Christmas, the very first Christmas.  The story of this second one has to be amazing for it to work and well... this feels kind of flat, but not bad. 

             It starts right after the last special and one of the wise man, Melchior, takes Aaron with him to a man named Simeon to tell him about the birth of Christ. Simeon  has made special bells to announce the birth, but they were taken by Roman tax collectors whose leader is named Brutus.  Aaron decides to help and get the bells back. The special really has a simple plot of bells get taken, bells have to get un taken. That's it.  There's not much investment for like Aarron since there's not much a big goal from him, except that he's helping to announce the birth of Jesus, by getting the bells back.  King Melchior doesn't add much either, he really is there because the plot needed him to connect to Simeon who is there because bells.   

   

         Brutus becomes the most interesting thing in this special. His mannerisms are  quirky, he's snarky, he loves money and also likes to call his 2nd in command in a fool.  Plus he sings a great song, that they liked so much they give a reprise to Aaron to continue it.   

I'm here for your taxes, tax collectors/ Copyright Warner 

     The plot wants to be mean, because the collectors need a fire to melt the bells into silver bricks so they'll be easier to transport. Guess what? That's right they burn Aaron's drum. That part annoys me. Remember that was last thing he had from his parents, so screw you special.  I think the writers didn't it on purpose just to make up drama or something. It's just mean.  (Somehow meaner than killing his parents) 

         The sentient animals that belong to Aaron are able to sneak the bells off whilst the fire is happening.  (Fun fact it takes  961.8°C for silver to melt)  Anyway, they are able to hide the bells. Brutus is unhappy but, like the first special, it's 30 minutes so that's not going anywhere. The bells are safe and oh Aaron gets a new drum and Aaron is happy now, so that works.  The ending with the children's choir doing the song "Do you Hear what I hear?"  is nice and well done.  It ends with "The Little Drummer Boy" song because yes. 

Anyway, these angels me not to go back / Copyright Warner 

                I don't this one is bad, I think it's mostly weak because it's mostly a story going the motions. Rankin-Bass usually makes an interesting story/concepts , interesting characters or both. Here they have characters who are there for the plot and have the plot just be the plot. Their villain only works for a second and really has not much going on either.   It is a downgrade from the first one, which I think is well done,  this one really just goes through the  motions. It is sad since this one was written by Jules Bass himself, under a different name (oh), yet there's not much that it really gives as a special, except that money song. I am happy to hear Greer Garson back for the narration role.   I don't think it shouldn't be watched, but don't expect too much from it. 

        That's it for now , tune in next time when we melt silver bells, silver bells.