Sunday TV: Making Christmas Special(s)
The British tradition of big TV specials on Christmas hits home with simultaneous presentation of “Doctor Who” (BBC America, 9 p.m.), a feature length episode in which the doctor teams…
Saturday TV: Silent Night, 399 Channels
The annual 24 hours of “A Christmas Story” (TBS, TNT, 8 p.m.) may seem like overkill, as Ralphie relives his holiday woes a dozen times, but at least it’s not…
Friday TV: A ‘Sense8’ Christmas Special
Standalone Christmas episodes of popular TV series is more of a British thing. One is coming this weekend with “Doctor Who” (and BBC America is binging previous episodes until then).…
Thursday TV: That Charlie Brown Tree
Get all your holiday wisdom and cool Vince Guaraldi jazz with the umpteenth showing of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (ABC, 8 p.m.), a cartoon gem that has more truth in…
Wednesday TV: Singing and More Singing
A couple of interesting specials herald in the holiday season. On “Surprise! Instant Christmas Carol” (TBS, 10 p.m.), groups of celebrities show up in the public in an effort to…
Tuesday TV: Tony Bennett Marks His 90th
A recording artist for 64 years, the former Anthony Dominick Benedetto had his biggest hit in 1962 — at least until he recorded duets with contemporary artists this century. By…
Monday TV: Coupla Powerhouses Talking
“Oprah Winfrey Special: First Lady Michelle Obama Says Farewell to the White House” (CBS, 8 p.m.) is an awfully long-winded title for two women sitting with each other by a…
Sunday TV: Cumberbatch Seeking Crown
Why wait for New year’s Day to catch him in a new episode of “Sherlock”? Benedict Cumberbatch stars on public television tonight as the ambitious Richard III in the second…
Saturday TV: Don Cheadle as Miles Davis
Don Cheadle’s portrayal of the mercurial jazz star Miles Davis gets its premium cable premiere with “Miles Ahead” (Starz, 9 p.m.). Also new tonight is Jeff Nichols’ sci-fi “Midnight Special”…
Friday TV: ‘Man in the High Castle’ Returns
It’s based on a Philip K. Dick novel from over a half century ago, but “The Man in the High Castle” (Amazon, streaming) has an uncomfortably contemporary chill to it,…