WASHINGTON, December 23, 2012 –It seems every TV channel is devoted to filling its schedule with reruns through the Christmas holiday. There’s no Homeland or The Walking Dead tonight, so it looks like The Sound of Music at 7 p.m. on ABC. A wonderful film, but hardly as gripping as the usual Sunday night fare.
Looking ahead to Christmas Eve, as far as the eye can see there is nothing but reruns. Even the hottest basic cable shows are running marathon repeats. And that is how it should be. We should all be spending time with our loved ones and giving TV the night off. Even the networks seem to realize this, although they continue to pack every tired rerun with a blizzard of ads.
Then again, the end-of-year blizzard of football games starts to blow into focus with tonight’s Sunday Night Football game, featuring a battle of the quarterbacks, with the Seahawks’ Russell Wilson facing off against the 49ers’ Colin Kapernick (photo above).
Count on it: this and other NFL and college contributions toward Santa’s annual grab-bag of man-cave/couch potato end-of-year TV treats will reign supreme for the next week or so, forcing wives, significant others and kiddies alike to wrestle 24/7 for that remote. As a defensive measure, be sure to lay in an adequate supply of salty snacks, salsa, and brewskis for those inevitable drop-ins. And have the kids teach you how to work that Tivo, Hopper, or whatever. The best offense is still a good defense.
Outside the tube, it’s a crazy world, and it’s getting crazier every day. My advice: Seek the company of your loved ones and revel in it. Get the love and energy that only family and loved ones can provide and be grateful for this, even if they are all crazy like mine. After pondering recent events, we could all certainly use a little more joy in our lives.
On the plus side, the world did not end, Congress didn’t shock us by actually doing something productive, and 2013 looms ahead, likely chock full of the usual unexpected surprises.
In any event, it’s time for this column to take a little time off like everybody else. I’ll be back the day after Christmas, hopefully with some TV programming worth writing about. Until then, be safe, be kind, and be thankful.
Tonight’s viewing:
All Times are EST
7 p.m.
ABC: The Sound of Music: A novitiate leaves her convent and becomes governess to Capt. Von Trapp’s seven children in Austria before World War II.
CBS: 60 Minutes: (New) 60 Minutes presents a special hour devoted to vocal artists including British singing-sensation Adele, singer-songwriter Rodriguez and Taylor Swift.
8 p.m.
CBS: Blue Bloods: (Repeat) Erin and Danny face off in court when he is put on the stand in a murder case Erin is prosecuting, which centers on a woman accused of killing her husband. Danny gets involved when the defendant’s attorney is murdered, and he investigates.
FOX: The Simpsons: (Repeat) Marge wants to have another baby.
NBC: Sunday Night Football: 49ers at Seahawks
8:30 p.m.
FOX: The Simpsons: (Repeat) Homer loses Santa’s Little Helper.
9 p.m.
CBS: The Good Wife: (Repeat) The fourth season begins with Kalinda’s estranged husband forcing his way back into her life. Meanwhile, Alicia fights for Zach’s rights when he is targeted by an overzealous state trooper; and Diane and Will try to rescue the firm from financial ruin.
FOX: Family Guy: (New) Peter tells his own version of the Nativity story.
9:30 p.m.
FOX: American Dad: (New) A local talk show IDs Francine as “Baby Franny,” a toddler who once fell down a well and was rescued by a fireman. On the anniversary of her being saved, she winds up falling down the same well, and making an alarming discovery.
10 p.m.
CBS: The Mentalist: (Repeat) A police chief is murdered in a resort town, and the case leads Lisbon to reunite with her brother, a bounty hunter who’s searching for a bail-jumper.
Basic cable:
New episodes of:
Sugar Dome at 8 p.m. on Food Channel
The Next Iron Chef at 9 p. m. on Food Channel
The Real Housewives of Atlanta at 9 p.m. on BRAVO
X-Ray: Yellowstone at 9 p.m. on DSC
Ax Men at 9 p.m. on History Channel
Drugs Inc. at 9 p.m. on DSC
Sister Wives at 9 p.m. on TLC
Bamazon at 10 p.m. on History Channel
Alaska State Troopers at 10 p.m. on NGC
Sin City Rules at 10 p.m. on TLC
For movie lovers:
8 p.m.
Miracle on 34th Street on AMC
The Shawshank Redemption on BIO
Heartbreak Ridge on ENC
Barbershop on SHO
Good Morning, Vietnam on SUND
Even Almighty on TBS
9 p.m.
Elektra on HBO
The Rundown on MOMAX
Van Helsing on STARZ
Traffic at 9:05 p.m. on SHO
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