An empty pre-holiday weekend means we all have to pretend we like Grimm if we want to stay in
Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Friday, December 16, and Saturday, December 17. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Grimm (9 p.m., Friday): It’s finally come to this. TV is mostly shut down. Hollywood has mostly emptied out, as all of the transient fly-by-nights who call it home are off doing God knows what for the holidays—it being California, it probably involves something godless—and now we’re going to recommend the Rapunzel episode of Grimm for you to watch tonight because there’s literally nothing else on. Won’t you join Kevin McFarland and let down your hair?
REGULAR COVERAGE
Late-night round-up (7 p.m., Friday): We were going to drop in on Jimmy Fallon for the final late-night round-up of the year, but then Phil Nugent informed us that he was in reruns. So, instead, we’re checking out Jimmy “The Other Jimmy” Kimmel.
Chuck (NBC, 8 p.m., Friday): Ryan McGee checks out Rebecca Romijn’s villainous turn, while “a perilous case of mistaken identity upends Ellie and Awesome’s date night.” All plots are now Three’s Company plots with the word “spy” wedged in there.
Saturday Night Live (NBC, 11:30 p.m., Saturday): The reason Jimmy Fallon couldn’t take part in late-night round-up this week? Other than his utter inability to understand our needs? He’s hosting SNL. David Sims is giddy with anticipation.
TV CLUB CLASSIC
Veronica Mars (11 a.m., Friday): How many TV shows have ripped off 12 Angry Men? It’s gotta be five or six dozen, right? Anyway, Rowan Kaiser checks out this show’s homage, “One Angry Veronica,” then goes for a “Donut Run.”
The Adventures Of Pete And Pete (3 p.m., Friday): Once again, Pete And Pete asks a question we’ve, ourselves, wondered several times: Just who is the person inspecting your underwear? Marah Eakin joins Little Pete to find out.
The Twilight Zone (1 p.m., Saturday): A career criminal decides he’s made it to Heaven based on precious little evidence—and ignoring the fact that he’s starring in The Twilight Zone—in one of the episodes Zack Handlen covers this week.
Cowboy Bebop (3 p.m., Saturday): It’s the last Cowboy Bebop write-up of 2011, so Simon Abrams had better make it count. We’re expecting dancing girls, an elephant balancing on a ball, and all sorts of other cool stuff. C’mon, Simon! Make it happen!
Star Trek: The Next Generation (7 p.m., Saturday): It’s a TV Club Classic special, as Zack Handlen and Rowan Kaiser join all of you crazy people to live chat the final Star Trek movie before the big, J.J. Abrams reboot, Star Trek: Nemesis.
TV CLUB ADVENT CALENDAR
How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Thursday): Zack Handlen—if you say his name three times, you summon him—checks into one of the best Christmas specials ever made and looks into just why it’s had such amazing staying power over the years.
WHAT ELSE IS ON?
Bama Glama (Food, 8 p.m., Friday): We’re not entirely sure just why this new design show is on the Food Network—unless everything is being made out of Fruit Roll-Ups—but, again, there’s nothing else on. So watch this, we guess.
The Last Lions (National Geographic Wild, 8 p.m., Friday): Rowan Kaiser checks out this new special about some adorable lion cubs, and… shut up, you guys… there’s just something in his eye. He’s been chopping onions, okay? You guys are such dicks.
The Life And Times Of Tim (HBO, 9 p.m., Friday): HBO apparently just remembered it hasn’t canceled this show, but it’s done such a poor job of publicizing that it’s coming back that we were caught off-guard too. Somebody will cover, etc.
Steve Niles’ Remains (Chiller, 10 p.m., Friday): The increasingly TV movie friendly Will Harris checks out Lance Reddick—yes Cedric Daniels/Lt. Broyles himself—in some sort of weird, post-apocalyptic zombie thing. But aren’t they all?
Christmas Comes Home To Canaan (Hallmark, 8 p.m., Saturday): Billy Ray Cyrus starring in a Hallmark Christmas movie? Your grandmother just started having heart palpitations! We hope he performs “Some Gave All.”
Method To The Madness Of Jerry Lewis (Encore, 8 p.m., Saturday): Steve Heisler checks out this acclaimed new documentary about the life and times of funny man Jerry Lewis. And, no, we’re not going to put funny in quotation marks, all right?
The Bishop’s Wife (TCM, 8 p.m., Friday): Cary Grant and Loretta Young star in one of our favorite, less-seen Christmas flicks. It does make us ask one thing: Why are angels always butting into everybody else’s lives at Christmas? We want equal time!
Christmas With The Kranks (FX, 8 p.m., Friday): Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis are hounded by an insane Dan Aykroyd after they decide they’re not going to do the whole Christmas thing this year in an absolutely terrible, but so, so mockable film.
Raising Arizona (HBO Signature, 7:15 p.m., Saturday): If you just don’t give a shit about Christmas this weekend—and we don’t blame you—why not settle in with Nicolas Cage at his daffiest in one of the most quotable movies ever made?
Bringing Up Baby/The Philadelphia Story (TCM, 8 p.m., Saturday): Or if you’ve never seen either of these wonderful screwball comedies, TCM has a whole night of great laughs planned out for you as well. Bonus: Leopards! And Jimmy Stewart!
NCAA Division III Football Championship: Mount Union vs. Wisconsin (Whitewater) (7 p.m., Friday): We will be very surprised if any of you have a serious rooting interest in this one. That said, go UWW! Fight, fight, fight!
New Orleans Bowl: Louisiana (Lafayette) vs. San Diego State (ESPN, 9 p.m., Saturday): It’s finally time for Bowl Season, mostly notable because it will let us totally zone out on the “What To Watch” sports pick for weeks and weeks to come. (This one’s preceded by the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl! We know you’re excited!)
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Burn Notice (Thursday): And so the year draws to a close, and with it, comes the end of another season of Burn Notice. Scott Von Doviak sniffs his glass of brandy thoughtfully and discusses the show’s fifth year before a roaring fireplace.