This week: a ‘Willow’ series, a holiday movie with Dolly, and an affectionate look at ‘Love Actually’
1. What’s this, a Disney+ show that has nothing to do with “Star Wars” or Marvel? Still, it’s a reboot, lest you think the streamer is suddenly looking beyond its own IP, and it’s an odd one at that. “Willow” is a series adaptation of the 1988 Ron Howard movie, which was about Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis) and his quest to protect a baby from an evil queen. Davis returns as Willow, and he sets out on a different quest this time. Fantasy adventure, this is your TV moment. Amer Chadha-Patel and Ellie Bamber costar. The series debuts Wednesday.
2. The great, stupendous, lovely, sane, earnest, funny, generous Dolly Parton is here for the holidays with “Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas.” She stars as herself in this meta movie, rushing around trying to put together a holiday special. In the process, she reflects on her past and gets back in touch with what really matters in life. Tom Everett Scott and Ana Gasteyer costar, and Willie Nelson, Miley Cyrus, and Jimmy Fallon are musical guest stars. It premieres on Thursday at 8 p.m. on NBC.
3. In “George & Tammy,” a six-episode miniseries, Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain play country music legends George Jones and Tammy Wynette. The biographical story also features Steve Zahn, Walton Goggins, and Kelly McCormack, and it’s based on the 2011 memoir by George and Tammy’s daughter, Georgette Jones. It premieres Sunday at 9 p.m. on Showtime.
4. A self-made businessman who owns a cosmetics empire has a stroke, and the family fight for control over his empire begins. “Riches” sounds “Succession”-esque, as the children from his two marriages begin to collide. The six-episode British drama, which premieres Friday on Amazon, was created by Abby Ajayi of “How to Get Away With Murder” and “The First Lady.” Stars include Hugh Quarshie, Brendan Coyle, and Sarah Niles (from “Ted Lasso”).
5. “Love Actually” came out in 2003; Diane Sawyer is hosting ABC’s “The Laughter & Secrets of ‘Love Actually’: 20 Years Later” on Tuesday at 8 p.m. The one-hour special features interviews with the stars from the film, including Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Laura Linney, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Bill Nighy, as well as writer and director Richard Curtis.
6. “Irreverent” is a light, 10-episode Australian drama about a Chicago criminal (Colin Donnell) who botches a mob heist and goes on the run. He winds up in small-town Australia, posing as the local church’s reverend. He starts to like playing the role, but those Chicago gangsters are still tracking him down. It premieres on Wednesday on Peacock.