Rueben's Ramblings

Here is the long list of the programming options to expect on TV this coming week:

On November 22, the holiday movie The Christmas Challenge will debut online on UP Faith & Family. Laura Ross (Jennica Schwartzman), who is also one of the producers of the movie) as the host of the regionally respected and successful podcast “Modernly Independent,” which chronicles her independent lifestyle through all types of modern and old-fashioned traditions and activities. Laura engages and inspires listeners to be themselves, choose their own path and not fear the life of a single person. Her Producer, Paul (Zack Gold), is beloved by listeners and entertains Laura to no end. They are the best of friends. And have big ambitions for their podcasting future. Complications arise once they are offered a chance to be picked up by a national podcast network as they aim to impress the charming network exec (Galadriel Stineman) who joins their team for the month of December. Once an anonymous listener submits a daily “Christmas Spirit Challenge,” an advent calendar of activities to get someone truly into the Christmas spirit of togetherness, their podcasting relationship is challenged to make room for new traditions.

The Hulu drama Welcome to Chippendales will debut online on November 22. This true-crime saga tells the outrageous story of Somen “Steve” Banerjee (Kumail Nanjiani), an Indian immigrant who became the unlikely founder of the world’s greatest male-stripping empire. The cast includes Andrew Rannells, Dan Stevens, Juliette Lewis, Nicola Peltz Beckham and Murray Bartlett.

On November 23, the new series Echo 3 will premiere online on Apple TV+. This action-packed thriller, set in South America, follows Amber Chesborough (Jessica Ann Collins), a brilliant young scientist who is the emotional heart of a small American family. When Amber goes missing along the Colombia-Venezuela border, her brother, Bambi (Luke Evans), and her husband, Prince (Michiel Huisman) – two men with deep military experience and complicated pasts – struggle to find her in a layered personal drama, set against the explosive backdrop of a secret war. The cast includes Bradley Whitford and Juan Pablo Raba.

The new series Wednesday, based on the character from The Addams Family, will debut online on Netflix on November 23. This live-action coming-of age “comedy” about Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega), and her years as a student at the Nevermore Academy where she attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a monstrous killing spree that has terrorized the local town and solve the supernatural mystery that embroiled her parents 25 years ago – all while navigating her new and very tangled relationships of the strange and diverse student body. The ensemble cast includes Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzman, Jamie McShane, Gwendoline Christie and Thora Birch along with Christina Ricci (who played the title role in the box office movie).

On November 23, the season finale on Andor will air online on Disney+.

The first 2 episodes of Criminal Minds: Evolution will debut online on Paramount+ on November 24. You can also see the first episode on CBS at 10 PM. In this reboot of the long-running series, the FBI’s elite team of criminal profilers come up against their greatest threat yet, an UnSub who has used the pandemic to build a network of other serial killers. As the world opens back up and the network goes operational, the team must hunt them down, one murder at a time. Original cast members reprising their roles include Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster. Zach Gilford joins the dynamic cast as a recurring guest star in a season-long arc.

On November 24, the holiday movies The Christmas Clapback, Holiday Hideaway and The Sound of Christmas will debut online on BET+:

* The Christmas Clapback: Every year the three Miles sisters, Jasmine, Kira and Tisha, battle each other for a chance to win the neighborhood Christmas Church Cook-Off competition. But when Aaliyah, the vivacious social media influencer, enters the competition, the sisters must choose to rise together, or fall divided. The cast includes Nadine Ellis, Porscha Coleman, Candace Maxwell, Kara Royster, Eltony Williams, Brandon Sutton and Lisa Arrindell.

* Holiday Hideaway: Carly is the queen of holiday celebrations, but her mistletoe misstep sends her running to a Holiday Hideaway that teaches her the importance of family forgiveness and fighting for love. The film stars Camille Winbush, Vivica A. Fox, Leonard Earl Howze and Rodney Van Johnson.

* The Sound of Christmas: A down-on-her-luck music teacher leads a wealthy widower away from his gold-digging girlfriend and back to love and music during the Christmas holidays. The cast includes Ne-Yo, Serayah, Draya Michele, Michael Bless and Alijah Kai.

The FOX Nation movie Christmas at the Greenbrier will debut online on November 24. Widowed mother Abby (Alicia Leigh Willis) and former professional football player Ben (Josh Murray) dated previously but ended their relationship when Ben turned pro. The two unexpectedly reunite during a stay at The Greenbrier and spend time together enjoying the magical holiday activities that resort has to offer. Abby is hesitant as she has not dated anyone since her husband died and wants to protect her son Carter from another heartbreak. This forces Ben to do some soul searching to discover where his priorities lie, his career or true love.

On November 24, the HBO Max holiday film A Christmas Mystery will debut online. One hundred years ago, a strip of Santa’s magical jingle bells were discovered by a young boy in Pleasant Bay, Oregon, bringing about a century of prosperity and peace for the small town. Now, just days before Christmas, the bells are missing, and it’s up to a group of intrepid kids to solve the case, find the bells and restore the Christmas magic to Pleasant Bay and its citizens. The cast includes Violet McGraw and Eddie Cibrian.

The other HBO Max holiday movie Holiday Harmony will debut online on November 24. Singer-songwriter Gail lands an opportunity to compete for a once-in-a-lifetime shot at the big time, and heads cross country—only getting as far as Harmony Springs, Oklahoma, when her ride, her budget and all her hopes are stalled. With just two weeks to get to the iHeartRadio Christmas Eve performance of her dreams, she takes the advice of local Jack-of-all-trades, Jeremy, and takes on a group of misfit kids hoping to perform in a Christmas Eve Gala of their own. Gail and Jeremy grow close, but if she’s going to fulfill her lifelong dream, she may have to leave him and the town she’s grown to love behind. The film stars Brooke Shields, Annelise Cepero, Jeremy Sumpter, Carla Jimenez and Sisanie.

On November 24, the Lifetime movie Baking All the Way will debut at 8 PM. Julia Wilson (Cory Lee), an accomplished pastry chef from Chicago, heads to a small town bakery famous for their gingerbread to complete her Christmas cookbook. There she finds herself at odds with Kris Thompson (Yannick Bisson), the bakery’s charming but private owner, who is ambivalent about sharing his secret recipe.

The Hallmark Channel movie My Southern Family Christmas will debut on November 24 at 8 PM. Under the guise of a journalist, Campbell (Jaicy Elliot) has a chance to get to know her biological father for the first time — without him ever knowing who she really is. As she spends time with him and his family, as well as with the town’s record keeper, she realizes that families are messy, wonderful things. In the end, Campbell must decide if she’s going to keep her identity a secret or reveal the truth to her father — a decision that will change their family Christmas forever. The movie co-stars Bruce Campbell, Ryan Rottman, Moira Kelly and Brian McNamara.

On November 24, the Netflix feature film The Noel Diary will debut online. When best-selling author Jake Turner (Justin Hartley) returns home at Christmas to settle his estranged mother’s estate, he discovers a diary that may hold secrets to his own past and that of Rachel (Barrett Doss) — an intriguing young woman on a mission of her own. Together, they embark on a journey to confront their pasts and discover a future that’s totally unexpected. Essence Atkins, Bonnie Bedelia and James Remar also stars.

The season finale of Pennyworth will air online on HBO Max on November 24.

On November 25, the roughly 40-minute Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special will debut online on Disney+. Determined to get the perfect Christmas present for Peter to cheer him up as he’s still mourning the loss of Gamora, Drax and Mantis head to Hollywood to bring the one and only Kevin Bacon back to space with them, though the actor [obviously] won’t be all that thrilled about the aliens breaking into his home. The events of this movie is set after Thor: Love and Thunder but before the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 that is set to hit theatres in May 2023.

The Hallmark Channel movies #Xmas will both debut on November 25 at 6 PM followed by the debut of the holiday movie A Royal Corgi Christmas at 8 PM:

* #Xmas: When Jen (Clare Bowen) gets the chance to enter a brand’s design contest, she poses as a family influencer, enlisting the help of her best friend, Max (Brant Daugherty) and her baby nephew. When her video is selected as a finalist, Jen is torn on whether to go on with her perfect ‘family’ or reveal the truth.

* A Royal Corgi Christmas: Reluctant Crown Prince Edmond returns home just before Christmas in anticipation of being named successor to the throne. To ingratiate himself to his mother the Queen, he gifts her with ‘Mistletoe,’ a rambunctious Corgi in need of some serious training. After several doggy disasters, Edmond turns to Cecily, a canine behavior expert from America for help — but to his great surprise, Cecily demands that he take an active part in the daily dog training sessions. Sparks fly between them as the pair work together to get Mistletoe ready to present at the annual Christmas Ball. Just as the precious pup captures their hearts, they discover that love can grow in the most unexpected places, leading them to question what they really want. The movie stars Hunter King and Jordan Renzo.

On November 25, the Disney+ holiday movie The Hip Hop Nutcracker will debut online. In this reimagining of The Nutcracker ballet, the story is set in New York City on the night of the annual New Year’s Eve block party. Maria-Clara’s (Cache Melvin) mom and pop (Allison Holker Boss and Stephen “tWitch’ Boss) aren’t getting along and it’s bringing her down. Maria-Clara embarks on a holiday adventure to bring her parents back together. DMC’s Rev Run also stars.

The Great American Family movie Christmas at the Drive-In will debut on November 25 at 8 PM. A property lawyer (Danica McKellar) fights to save her hometown’s local drive-in theater, never imagining her opposition is the late owner’s son (Neal Bledsoe) and her first love.

On November 25, the Lifetime movie Steppin’ Into the Holiday will debut at 8 PM. Former Broadway star Billy Holiday (Mario Lopez) returns to his hometown for Christmas after being abruptly fired as the host-producer-judge of the hit TV series Celebrity Dance Off. While there, he encounters Rae (Jana Kramer), the charismatic owner of the local dance studio, where Billy’s 12-year-old nephew is her standout student. This Christmas, Rae is planning a dance recital fundraiser with the goal of taking her students to see a Broadway show in New York City. Billy volunteers to help Rae with the recital by reviving the town’s traditional Christmas Eve show, which was once a showcase for local talent. With Billy’s knack for producing and Rae’s knowledge of all things local, their collaboration clicks and romantic sparks start flying! Cheri Oteri co-stars.

The Hallmark Channel movies A Tale of Two Christmases will debut on November 26 at 6 PM followed by the debut of Haul Out the Holly at 8 PM:

* A Tale of Two Christmases: Thanks to some Christmas magic, Emma gets to experience two different Christmases — one where she stays in the city and celebrates with a new crush and his friends, and one where she returns home for all the traditions with her family… and Drew, a longtime friend who may have feelings for her. Emma’s double holiday ultimately helps her discover what will truly make her happy in life as well as in love. Kat Barrell, Chandler Massey and Evan Roderick star.

* Haul Out the Holly: Emily (Lacey Chabert) arrives home, hoping to visit her parents, only to discover that they are leaving on a trip of their own. As she stays at their house for the holidays, their HOA is determined to get Emily to participate in the neighborhood’s many Christmas festivities. Wes Brown also stars.

On November 26, the Lifetime movie The 12 Days of Christmas Eve will debut at 8 PM. The movie follows the story of Brian Conway (Kelsey Grammer), a successful businessman whose relationships with those around him have really suffered. While this Christmas season has been the most successful for his business, he’s divorced, his relationship with his daughter Michelle (Spencer Grammer) is strained and he doesn’t have a meaningful connection with his only granddaughter. After Brian gets into a car accident on Christmas Eve, Santa gives him twelve chances to re-do the day and repair the relationships in his life to find the true meaning of Christmas. For Brian, these twelve days are a journey of self-realization about life, love and happiness as he attempts to right the wrongs of his life in pursuit of the Christmas spirit.

The Great American Family holiday movie I’m Glad It’s Christmas will debut on November 26 at 8 PM. An aspiring Broadway hopeful (Jessica Lowndes) is running out of time to land the role of her life on the Great White Way. While awaiting a call back on her dream job, she declines an opportunity to star in a local musical. Will she miss out on love along the way? Paul Greene and legendary singer Gladys Knight co-star.

On November 26, the Bounce holiday movie Faith Heist: A Christmas Caper will debut at 8 PM. This sequel takes place on Christmas Eve, where Pastor Benjamin (Jonathan Langdon) and his motley crew of congregants find themselves locked in the local mall, just as a fearsome team of armed thieves breaks into rob the place – and all the money raised by the church for a worthy Christmas charity. Unable to flee or signal for help, the Pastor and his friends realize it’s up to them to battle the crooks and save the mall – all before Christmas morning.

The Hallmark Movies & Mysteries holiday movie Time For Him to Come Home For Christmas will debut at 10 PM on November 26. In the 5th installment of the popular movie franchise, four days before Christmas, Elizabeth Athens (Holland Roden) receives a voicemail from a number she doesn’t recognize. In the message, a man she doesn’t know makes one final plea to the love of his life for a second chance. Tyler Hynes and Tenille Townes also star.

On November 27, the Hallmark Channel movie A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe will debut at 6 PM followed by the movie A Holiday Spectacular that will debut at 8 PM:

* A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe: Annie Cooper (Rachel Boston) has big shoes to fill when she takes over as CEO of her late grandmother’s small-town cookie company and is doing her best to help their struggling business get back on track. That task gets more daunting when her grandmother’s secret recipe is stolen during the Christmas party. As Annie tries to crack the case and uncover the culprit she works with Sam (Victor Webster), the owner of a local bakery, to recreate the recipe in the hope of saving the company and her job. As Annie and Sam bake batch after batch in pursuit of the perfect one, they begin to learn that their lives go together like milk and cookies.

* A Holiday Spectacular: In 1958, Maggie is an heiress from Philadelphia who puts her high-society wedding plans on hold in order to sneak up to New York City and make her secret dream come true: dancing live on stage in the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. The film stars Ginna Claire Mason, Derek Klena, Eve Plumb and Ann-Margret.

The ION holiday movie Dognapped: Hound for the Holidays will debut on November 27 at 8 PM. When an egotistical social media influencer’s dog is kidnapped overnight, her long-suffering assistant Emily (Sara Ball) teams up with charming local vet Jonathan (Noah Fearnley) to find the puppy before Christmas. As the two investigate suspects, including a rival influencer and a crazed fan, they form a romantic bond along the way – until she suspects her charming vet isn’t all he seems to be.

On November 27, the Lifetime movie A Christmas Spark will debut at 8 PM. Recently widowed Molly (Jane Seymour) has lost her zest for life and given up on ever finding love again. But when she decides to visit her daughter for Christmas, she has no idea what holiday magic is in store for her. A former drama teacher, Molly reluctantly takes on the job of directing the town’s Christmas pageant and soon finds herself falling for her leading man, Hank (Joe Lando), the town’s most eligible bachelor. As Molly and the irrepressible Hank fall in love, she rediscovers her inner free spirit and finds a new lease on life. And when the star of the pageant loses her voice moments before the show, it will be up to Molly to step into the spotlight and shine brightly for the first time in her life.

The Great American Family movie Candace Cameron Bure Present: A Christmas…Present will debut on November 27 at 8 PM. Maggie and Eric are busy parents of teenagers who embark on a trip to the home of Maggie’s widowed brother to celebrate Christmas. Everyone has different expectations of the perfect holiday. Through a series of events, Maggie learns to embrace the season. Candace Cameron Bure and Marc Blucas star.

Lastly also on November 27, the FOX Nation movie Country Roads Christmas will debut online. Country music executive Skye Sanderson (Lanie McAuley) hesitantly accepts a job from her handsome rival, Ryan Avery (Bo Yokely), to join him on her estranged father’s concert tour. While on the road, the spirit of the season opens her heart to forgiveness and new love.

Mark your calendars!