Thursday 13Les Miserables (TCM 6 p.m.) TCM celebrates the theatrical release of Les Mis with a look back at the 1935 version, the 1952 version and the 1934 version of Victor Hugo’s classic. “Nightmare Christmas” (ID 8 p.m.) The blood-and-spousal-abuse-loving Investigation Discovery channel gives us a warm, fuzzy Christmas special to cuddle up with.Friday 14“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (KRQE-13 7 p.m.) The perennial Rankin / Bass stop-motion special from 1964 gets hauled out of the attic like your grandmother’s angel tree-topper.“Winter in Portlandia” (IFC 8:30 p.m.) Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein drop by Portland to see what their hipster, sketch-comedy characters are doing for the holidays.Saturday 15The Merry In-Laws (Lifetime 6 p.m.) A single mother is understandably nervous when she meets her fiancé’s parents for the first time—and they turn out to be Mr. and Mrs. Claus (George Wendt and Shelley Long from “Cheers”). Frankly, that qualifies for ID’s “Nightmare Christmas.”“Six Little McGhees” (OWN 8 p.m.) Parents with six kids? Six kids? Oh my god! Somebody get these freaks of nature a reality show quick!“Live From The Rolling Stones” (E! 9 p.m.) E! broadcasts live from the backstage pre-show of The Rolling Stones’ final 50th anniversary concert.“The Year Without a Santa Claus” (ABC Family 9 p.m.) This is the gold standard: the Rankin / Bass special with the Heatmiser / Coldmiser song.Sunday 16“Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir” (KNME-5 7 p.m.) Jane Seymour shows up. Mitt Romney is nowhere to be seen. All in all, it could have been a better Christmas for the Mormons.Monday 17“DreamWorks Dragons: Gift of the Night Fury” (KASA-2 7 p.m.) It’s always awkward when somebody tries to shoehorn a Christmas special into a fantasy-based series. (See for reference “He-Man & She-Ra: A Christmas Special”)“1600 Penn” (KOB-4 8:30 p.m.) NBC tries out a White House-based sitcom starring Bill Pullman and Jenna Elfman.Tuesday 18“Hardcore Pawn: Chicago” (truTV 7:30 p.m.) In the proud tradition of “Cajun Pawn Stars,” “Storage Wars: Texas” and the brand new “Storage Wars: New York” comes a familiar reality show set in a different city.“Ramsay’s Cookalong: Christmas” (BBC America 8 p.m.) This is the one television Christmas special that might actually have as much yelling as your own Christmas celebration. Wednesday 19“A Home for the Holidays with Rascal Flatts” (KRQE-13 7 p.m.) Rascal Flatts, Melissa Ethridge and Matchbox Twenty encourage you to adopt children. They make great stocking stuffers.“2012 Miss Universe Pageant” (KOB-4 7 p.m.) Andy Cohen and Giuliana Rancic host. And this isn’t on E! because …“WWE Tribute to the Troops” (USA 7 p.m.) Eh, it beats a visit from the Blue Collar Comedy Tour.“Alaskan Brawlers” (truTV 9 p.m.) You see, Alaska gives huge tax breaks to film and TV production, so basically any reality show you shoot in Alaska is free. Hence, the unending parade of reality shows with the word “Alaska” in the title.
Week In Sloth: Les Miz X 3, “Christmas With The Mormon Tabernacle Choir,” “The Year Without A Santa Claus”
The Week In Sloth
Alibi
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3 min read
