Hi kids! This is going to be my last post of the year — sorta. I mean, I’m still going to have daily TV listings and cute animals, and I’ll probably (hopefully) get my Bachelorette recap up soon, but as far as TV news goes, this is it for 2021. I hope you have a lovely and SAFE holiday with the people you love and I will see you in 2022. Here’s to wishing that year is a happier and healthier one for all of us.
All Other TV News
Hey, don’t be alarmed to see Jeff Garlin in the remaining episodes of The Goldbergs. It’s all CGI science magic.
Saying that Malignant is the best movie of 2021 is a choice, and while I certainly don’t agree, I definitely respect it.
Stephen Colbert and I share this in common: we don’t want to ever use Former Turd Knuckle’s name again. But Colbert has a whole world of fans he can turn to for more imaginative monikers. Here are some of the best:
Merry future holidays from Brian Kilmeade! (Seriously, what is he on here?)
Going Viral
Sorry to be a bummer, but we have to talk about this before we sign off for the year:
Last Week:
This Week:
Omicron is no joke. It is 73% of all COVID cases, and climbing. Quickly. It is being described as contagious as the measles and one of the most transmissible respiratory diseases ever. While early data suggests that the variant is less severe in terms of symptoms, it is still going to infect more people, which means more people will be going to the hospitals which are already overwhelmed. Deaths will rise. The first known U.S. Omicron death was right here in Harris County — a man in his 50s who was not vaccinated.
Get boosted. And my God, wear a mask. I know you’re tired of this — we’re all tired of this — but it is disconcerting to go to the grocery store and find that half of everyone there is maskless. Masks aren’t foolproof, but they absolutely do slow the spread. We’re not done, and this wave is going to be bad. But if you’re fully vaxxed — as in triple vaxxed — there’s every reason to believe you’ll be OK.
The Biden administration has announced a heightened response to this threat, while also trying to reassure Americans that as long as they are vaccinated and return to mask-wearing, they should be fine. They have set into motion plans to get more shots into arms, help out overwhelmed hospitals with manpower and much-needed supplies, and starting next month, they will send COVID tests to those who request them for free. I wish they had a plan for free tests earlier — it’s probably too late in relation to omicron, but it’s something.
On the other hand, the same people who won’t get vaccinated aren’t going to be requesting free tests, either. There’s just a solid 30% of this country who refuses to believe in science and reason and I don’t see how we get through to them. Not when Fox News celebrities are making thinly veiled death threats on Dr. Fauci and when Former President Divider and Bill O’Reilly are being booed by supporters for revealing they’ve been boosted. What a stupid time to be alive.
90 Day Fiancé star Jason Hitch has died of COVID. He was not vaccinated.
Washington State Senator Doug Ericksen, and vehement anti-vaxxer, has died of COVID.
Senators Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker have both tested positive with mild cases. This follows a hearing in which Southwest Airlines Gary Kelly testified that masks might not be necessary on flights — a hearing in which Kelly coughed his way through, and after tested positive himself.
After testifying for over 3 hours in a Senate hearing where he suggested masks may not be necessary on flights, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly tested positive for covid. Sitting with him were CEOs of Delta, United, American, and Pres of Flight Attend. Here he is.pic.twitter.com/W422yv4SEb
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) December 18, 2021
Andy Cohen tested positive again and had to go into quarantine.
Jim Cramer has tested positive and will host Mad Money from his home.
Queen guitarist Brian May has tested positive.
NO, DENISE RICHARDS, A HEAVY COAT IS NOT THE SAME THING AS A MASK, GODDAMMIT.
Buffalo Bills player Cole Beasley has COVID, after saying that he’d rather die than get the vaccine.
Speaking of sports, COVID is wreaking havoc again. The NFL had to reschedule a bunch of games — last week over 100 players tested positive; the NBA has had to postpone games as some teams are barely able to field five players; the NHL has also postponed games and paused the season and the U.S. Hockey team is pulling out of the 2022 Winter Olympics.
In the world of television, shows are shutting down again: including Ghosts on CBS; The Crown on Netflix; and Dead to Me on Netflix. Fortunately, all three shows were close to the winter break anyway, so it’s just an earlier holiday. As you probably know by now, this past Saturday Night Live also had to get creative after an outbreak. They scrapped filming in front of an audience and the musical performances, but aired some pre-taped bits along with some classic SNL sketches.
And in New Year’s Eve news, Fox has canceled Fox’s New Year’s Eve Toast & Roast 2022, the New Year’s Eve programming they planned to film from Times Square. Frankly, I’m shocked any Times Square events are still on the schedule. We’ll see.
CNN’s offices have returned to “2020 protocols”; the Starz and Lionsgate offices have shut down again; and in a highly ironic move from a network whose stars regularly rant about vaccine mandates, Fox News is now requiring staffers who come to the building to be vaccinated — the testing option has been eliminated altogether. Meaning: Fox News’ mandate is stricter than the government mandate which still allows for the unvaccinated to test.
Over on Broadway, Hamilton; Moulin Rouge!; Mrs. Doubtfire; MJ; Tina – The Tina Turner Musical have all canceled performances, as have Waitress; Aladdin and Six. And Jagged Little Pill is shutting down permanently. Over in Los Angeles, A Christmas Carol has been canceled — as it has here in Houston, too.
The Jingle Ball Miami concert has been canceled; The Palm Springs International Film Awards have been canceled; The Realscreen Summit in Austin has been postponed; The AFI Awards have been postponed; But the Critics Choice Awards are still, somehow, set to happen on January 9. OK.
In Development
- An animated series based on DC’s Legion Of Superheroes is in the works at HBO Max.
- The Binge 2: It’s A Wonderful Binge has been greenlit at Hulu.
- Churchill’s Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: The Mavericks Who Plotted Hitler’s Defeat is being adapted into a TV series.
- Nothing Special, a Russian drama series, has been ordered at Netflix.
Mark Your Calendars
- HBO has dropped a sizzle reel with footage from a bunch of stuff, including House of Dragon; Westworld; and The White House Plumbers:
- Search Party returns on HBO Max on January 7.
- The Super Bob Einstein Movie will premiere on HBO on December 28.
- A Discovery of Witches returns on Sundance Now on January 8.
- Batwoman returns on The CW on January 12.
The seeds have been planted…new villains emerge 🌿👀🃏 @BridgetRegan @NickCreegan
Destiny awaits in Gotham when all-new episodes of #Batwoman return Wednesday, January 12th! pic.twitter.com/9M8IxylepT
— CW18 Milwaukee (@CW18Milwaukee) December 21, 2021
- The Royal Treatment premieres on Netflix on January 20.
- A Closer Look with Anthony Hamilton will debut on ALLBLK on December 23.
- I Am Georgina will debut on Netflix on January 27.
- Devotion, A Story of Love and Desire will premiere on Netflix on February 14.
- ABC News has announced their programming about the January 6 insurrection.
- Magnolia, which will take over the DIY Channel on January 5, has released its first slate of programs.
- Snowfall returns to FX on February 23.
- Single Black Female will premiere on Lifetime on February 5; Line Sisters on February 12; Caught in His Web on February 19; and Girl in the Shed: The Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez on February 26.
- Vengeance: Killer Newlyweds returns to HLN on January 2.
- Mary Makes It Easy premieres on Food Network on February 5.
R.I.P.
Sally Ann Howes, Actress in Chitty Chitty, Bang Bang among many other musical productions.
Jack Hedley, Actor in For Your Eyes Only and Lawrence of Arabia, among many others
WATCH THIS
The Matrix Resurrections: Neo is forced to confront the Matrix again in this fourth installment of the ground-breaking series. I know the sequels were disappointing, but I don’t care, I am ALL IN. Premiere. HBO Max
as keanu said "no cgi" for this scene in #TheMatrixResurrections pic.twitter.com/9Wh5m4PoH9
— ☁️ (@keanyssance) December 16, 2021
The 44th Annual Kennedy Center Honors: Operatic bass-baritone Justino Díaz; Motown founder, songwriter, producer, and director Berry Gordy; Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels; stage and screen icon Bette Midler; and singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell are celebrated this year and the President of the United States even attended! (Unlike the previous four years when that asshole couldn’t be bothered since he wasn’t the focus of attention.) 8 p.m., CBS
Emily in Paris: Season two of this. Netflix
The Masked Singer Christmas Singalong: Not just Christmas songs, but bloopers, too. 7 p.m., Fox
Yearly Departed: Insecure‘s Yvonne Orji hosts, with eulogies delivered by Jane Fonda, X Mayo, Aparna Nancherla, Chelsea Peretti, Dulcé Sloan, and Megan Stalter, and a musical performance by Alessia Cara. Premiere. Amazon
| WEDS. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | Live in Front of a Studio Audience: ‘The Facts of Life’ and ‘Diff’rent Strokes’ (repeat) |
Home Economics (repeat) |
The Chase |
| CBS | The Price Is Right At Night (new) |
The 44th Annual Kennedy Center Honors (new) |
| CW | Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer | Masters of Illusion: Christmas Magic 2021 | Local |
| FOX | The Masked Singer (new) |
News/Local |
| NBC | Dr. Seuss’ the Grinch | Michael Bublé’s Christmas In The City |
Just got boosted today. Hope y’all have a safe and happy holiday week!
Yay! Happy holidays to you and yours! Stay safe!
-T