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Your Xmas TV Survival Guide

And here are some select highlights that dot our television guides for the next few days. They include specials, a few repeats and some classic films.

Did you know we have the Royal Variety Performance 2007 on Pay TV? Junior Eurovision 2007 on SBS. A new episode of The Office. A Charlie Chaplin classic. And for true TV buffs, a repeat of the excellent documentary that tells us how show like Friends, Seinfeld, Sex And The City, The Sopranos and ER got to air – Hollywood: The Rise of Television Series.

Here is the pick of the crop:

SUNDAY DEC 23
[ABC/7:30pm] Wind in the Willows. Matt Lucas, Mark Gatiss, Bob Hoskins, Imelda Staunton and Anna Maxwell Martin bring Kenneth Grahame’s classic story to life in Lee Hall’s lavish adaptation of one of the most popular children’s books ever written. Tired of spring-cleaning his underground home, Mole (Lee Ingleby) goes in search of fresh air and is struck by the beauty of the outside world, with its idyllic riverbank bathed in sunlight. He is befriended by the industrious Rat (Mark Gatiss), gruff Badger (Bob Hoskins) and the wild, irrepressible Mr Toad (Matt Lucas). A lover of all things new and exciting, Toad is obsessed with the latest invention, the motor car. But it’s not long before he becomes a road hog. Fearing he will be badly hurt, Rat and Mole beg Badger to help them stop his antics.

[Seven/8:30pm] Hogfather. From the bestselling novel by Terry Pratchett comes the enchanting story of a world where reality is stretched to its limit, a world filled with magic and mystery, a world that exists in the Discworld universe. It is the night before Hogswatch, usually a time of joy, when overexcited children are kept awake by the thoughts of what presents they may find inside their stockings. But this year, all is not right with the holiday season. The beloved Hogfather – the jolly bearer of glee and pork-related gifts for children everywhere – has vanished. Suddenly, the stability of the Discworld’s entire mythical system is under threat, for if the children stop believing in the Hogfather, the sun will not rise again.

[SBS/7:30pm] Who Do You Think You Are. Nigela Lawson.

[Comedy/10:30pm] The League of Gentlemen. Christmas Special. Reverend Bernice is in a typically non-festive mood at Christmas time, haunted by a terrible Christmas memory. Dark and twisted tales of Christmas unfold when three visitors appear at her church, each with a chilling tale to tell.

[World Movies/8:30pm] Movie: C.R.A.Z.Y. (Canada 2005) Featuring a sensational soundtrack this feel-good coming-of-age drama follows the trials and tribulations of growing up gay during the turbulent ’60s and ’70s. Winner of 11 Genie Awards including Best Film of 2006.

MONDAY DEC 24
[SBS/4:30pm] Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2007

[Seven/8:30pm] Hogfather. Pt 2.

[Biography/8:30pm] Shirley Jones: Hollywood’s Musical Mum. Blessed with an angelic singing voice, Shirley Jones found instant success on Broadway and in Hollywood. In Shirley Jones: Hollywood’s Musical Mum, spectacular film and television clips, home movies, candid photographs and intimate interviews with family and friends document the life of this gifted and beautiful actress. Followed by David Cassidy: The Reluctant Idol.

[ABC/8:30pm] Edinburgh Miltary Tattoo 2007. Music, colour and spectacle are assured at this year’s 58th Edinburgh Tattoo when 500 musicians, 200 dancers, a 150-strong Taiwanese group, 35 motorcycles and 30 horses come together against the famous backdrop of Edinburgh Castle. While 2007’s showpiece military extravaganza is set to pay tribute to the Diamond Wedding Anniversary of HM The Queen and HRH Prince Philip as well as celebrating 150 years of military music, the mood will be noticeably multinational as participants from as far afield as Africa, America and Asia enrich proceedings.

[Nine/8:30pm] Shrek the Halls. Rpt.

[Nine/9:00pm] Carols by Candelight. Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight this year marks the 70th anniversary which is enjoyed by millions across Australia. Ray Martin will host for his 18th year and performers include Anthony Callea, Marina Prior, Silvie Paladino, The McClymounts, Magda Szubanski, The Choir of Hard Knocks, Denis Walter, Ian Stenlake and Rachael Beck. Repeated 1:30pm Xmas Day.

[TEN/10:40pm] The Office. New Episode. Andy does the impossible – he makes everyone in the office miss Dwight, who is forced to take a job at Staples. Meanwhile, Oscar comes back to the office and Michael predictably throws a stereotypical Mexican party to celebrate

TUESDAY Dec 25
[SBS/1:00pm] Movie: Modern Times (US 1936) Charlie Chaplin’s last great Little Tramp.

[Fox Classics/1:30pm] Movie: It’s a Wonderful Life (US 1946). An angel helps a compassionate but despairingly frustrated businessman by showing what life would had been like if he never existed. Rpt.

[TEN/5:30pm] Movie: Babe. (Aus 1995) Babe is a little pig who doesn’t quite know his place in the world. With a bunch of odd friends, like Ferdinand the duck who thinks he is a rooster and Fly the dog, Babe realises that he has the makings to become the greatest sheep pig of all time. Rpt.

[ABC/7:20pm] Queens Xmas Message.

[ABC/7:30pm] Compass. Three Faces of Xmas. In this Christmas Day special episode of Compass, triple J presenter Robbie Buck meets three different families from three different faiths, all celebrating the festive season in different ways.

[Seven/7:30pm] Australian Dancesport Championships 2007. Hosted by Sonia Kruger. A spectacle of colour and movement as dancers tango, foxtrot, quickstep, waltz, rumba, cha-cha, samba, paso doble and jive in a battle of grace, flexibility and endurance.

[Nine/7:30pm] Movie: National Lampoon’s Xmas Vacation (US 1989) The Griswold family’s plans for a big family Christmas predictably turn into a big disaster. Rpt.

[Arena/8:00pm] Royal Variety Performance 2007. The very best of British talent, as well as international stars from the world of entertainment perform by royal command for Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh in Liverpool, England. The star-studded spectacular will include performances by Jon Bon Jovi, Enrique Iglesias and James Blunt, Joan Rivers, Kiri Te Kanawa, Stephen K. Amos and the UK cast of Hairspray.

[TEN/8:30pm] The Panel’s Xmas Wrap. Rob Sitch, Tom Gleisner, Santo Cilauro, Kate Langbroek, Glenn Robbins. Guests: Mick Molloy, The Chaser, Kath & Kim stars, Sneaky Sound System, Thirsty Merc.

[SBS/9:15pm] Movie: Howl’s Moving Castle (Japan 2004)A love story between an 18-year-old girl named Sofî, cursed by a witch into an old woman’s body, and a magician named Hauru. Under the curse, Sofî sets out to seek her fortune, which takes her to Hauru’s strange moving castle. In the castle, Sophie meets Hauru’s fire demon, named Karishifâ. Seeing that she is under a curse, the demon makes a deal with Sophie – if she breaks the contract he is under with Hauru, then Karushifâ will lift the curse that Sophie is under, and she will return to her 18-year-old shape. Rpt.

[Comedy/9:30pm] Saturday Night Live. Justin Timberlake. Sketches include Santa’s My Boyfriend, Homelessville, Target Greatland, D*** in a Box , The Barry Gibb Talk Show, Dry Eyes, Hip Hop Kids, Elf Auditions, and A Holiday Message from Nancy Grace.

[SBS/11:20pm] Movie: Godzilla Final Wars (Japan 2004) Evil Space Aliens called the Xilians unleashes all the Earth’s monsters to lay waste to most of the world’s major cities, including Tokyo, New York, Sydney, Shanghai and Paris. It is up to Godzilla and the Earth Defense Force to vanquish the monsters and aliens to rescue the world in the ultimate “Save the Earth” battle. Rpt.

[Nine/11:55pm] Queens Xmas Message.

[SBS/1:30am Dec 26] Hollywood: The Rise of Television Series. My Kingdom for a Series. This documentary looks at the difficult job of producing a hit television series. The stars of shows such as Friends, Seinfeld, Sex And The City, The Sopranos and ER become household names. Even LA, the ultimate movie town, has been taken over by TV series mania, and writers are under pressure to produce the next hit shows. This documentary looks at what is involved in getting a new series chosen by one of the networks. Unlike cinema, where the director calls the shots, television is a writer’s medium, because the writer/producer is in control of the script, although their freedom of expression varies according to the channel where the series is shown. Rpt.

8 Responses

  1. David, Congratulations as your blog winds up its first year.. it has been a fantastic coverage of all things TV.. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and Happy new Year!
    Cheers..!!

  2. don’t forget there’s also a new ep of The Office on after the Panel on christmas night.. two new episodse in one week! Oh Ten, how you love to spoil us..

  3. David, just wishing you a merry christmas and a fantastic new year, thanks for all these constant updates on whats been happening on tv. Keep up the great work.

  4. For me the highlight of Christmas Eve is the Vision Australia Carols by Candlelight at Sidney Myer Music Bowl. There is always something magical and special about them, and what a stellar line up, should be great.

  5. For me the highlights are Modern Times which I have heard much about but never seen. Also the doco on the making of a tv series looks fascinating. I prefer the animated versions of The Wind In The Willows and The Panel will be a mixed bag of entertaining and cringe worthy(panto).

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