The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Holiday TV: Movies, specials, Charlie Brown
Supply-chain woes are this year’s Grinch, threatening to steal gifts and good cheer. But TV is overstocked with holiday specials and rom-coms.
Here’s a sampling of what to watch while sipping nog and nibbling on roasted chestnuts — if available on store shelves. All air times are Eastern.
“A Rich Christmas,” streaming now on BET+. A self-absorbed socialite gets a new perspective on life when she’s forced to work at a family homeless shelter. Bill Bellamy and Tyler Abron star.
“A Kiss Before Christmas,” Hallmark Channel, 8 tonight. James Denton, Teri Hatcher and Marilu Henner star in the tale of a man who gets the alternate life he wished for, and tries to give it back.
“Who Is Christmas Eve?” Bounce, 8 tonight. A young woman (Paige Audrey-Marie Hurd) abandoned as an infant delves into her past with help from her boyfriend (Romeo Miller) and an investigative genealogist.
“Reba McEntire’s Christmas in Tune,” Lifetime, 8 p.m. Friday. Georgia (McEntire) and Joe ( John Schneider) broke up as a couple and a singing duo years ago, but their daughter wants a reunion for charity.
“Christmas Again,” Disney Channel, Friday, Dec. 3. Teenager Rowena is caught living the holiday over and over again after wishing that she could reclaim her life before her parents’ divorce. Scarlett Estevez stars.
“It’s a Wonderful Life,” NBC, 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, and Friday, Dec. 24. Jimmy Stewart stars as a despairing man who finds value in his life with the help of an aspiring angel, Clarence.
“Our Christmas Journey,” Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, 10:01 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4. Holly Robinson Peete stars as a single mom who faces an independent new chapter for her teenage son with autism and herself. Peete and her husband, former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete, are parents of a son with autism. The actor said on Twitter that “I have wanted to make a movie about an #autism family making transitions at #Christmas for a while.”
“The Christmas Thief,” ION Television, 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5. A novice private eye, home for the holidays and trying to solve burglaries blamed on Santa Claus, clashes with a local detective. Michelle Borth and Vivica A. Fox co-star.
TV specials
“A Charlie Brown Christmas,” now on Apple TV+ and on PBS, Sunday, Dec. 19 (check local listings for time). Is Christmas all about the goods or good-heartedness? The question unsettles Charlie Brown.
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” CBS, 8 p.m. Monday. A reindeer finds that being different is worthwhile in this 1964 special that’s based on the Johnny Marks song and narrated by Burl Ives.
“How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” NBC, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 25. Horror movie king Boris Karloff provided the voice for Dr. Seuss’ infamous Grinch for the enduring 1966 cartoon.
“’Twas the Fight Before Christmas,” Apple TV+, Friday. A documentary about an Idaho neighborhood that became a battleground for a man with a large-scale holiday obsession and his foes, aka other homeowners.
“A Home for the Holidays,” CBS, 9 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5. In the special’s 23rd annual broadcast, inspiring stories of youngsters adopted from foster care are joined with performances by pop artists.