Rueben's Ramblings

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

On November 20, the Hulu series Spellbound will air its season finale online.

The 5th season premiere of Fargo will air on November 21 at 10 PM on FX.

On November 21, the animated movie Leo will debut online on Netflix. Jaded 74-year-old lizard Leo (voice by Adam Sandler) has been stuck in the same Florida classroom for decades with his terrarium-mate turtle (voiced by Bill Burr). When Leo learns he only has one year left to live, he plans to escape to experience life on the outside but instead gets caught up in the problems of his anxious students — including an impossibly mean substitute teacher. It ends up being the strangest but most rewarding bucket list ever.

The Peacock original movie Genie will debut online on November 22. The movie tells the story of Bernard (Paapa Essiedu), a man whose life is falling apart, who forges a friendship with a genie named Flora (Melissa Mccarthy) that is more than he could ever wish for. Consumed by work, Bernard loses his connection with his wife Julie and their daughter Eve. When he misses Eve’s birthday and gets fired by his boss, Julie calls for a trial separation. Alone in his New York City apartment, Bernard stumbles upon a mysterious jewelry box that has entrapped Flora the genie for a long 2,000 years. Flora is used to granting wishes of gold doubloons and hot babes to the greedy men who’ve found her jewelry box over the years, but Bernard is different. Flora might be Bernard’s last hope of getting his family back, but even with her magic, it’s a long shot. In the process, Flora and Bernard discover that love, and an unexpected friendship, can unleash a special holiday magic all its own. The cast includes Alan Cumming, Marc Maron, Luis Guzmán, Tate Ellington and Tony winner LaChanze.

On November 22, the Apple TV+ 40-minute special The Velveteen Rabbit will debut online. Based on the classic children’s book by Margery Williams, this special celebrates the magic of unconditional love. When 7-year-old William (Phoenix Laroche) receives a new favorite toy for Christmas, he discovers a lifelong friend and unlocks a world of magic. The voice cast includes Alex Lawther, Helena Bonham Carter, Nicola Coughlan, Bethany Antonia, Lois Chimimba, Paterson Joseph, Clive Rowe, Nathaniel Parker, Tilly Vosburgh (“Inside Man”). Samantha Colley will play Mother.

The Disney movie The Naughty Nine will debut on November 22 at 8 PM. The movie follows 5th grader Andy (Winslow Fegley), who has been a bit of a troublemaker this year. When Christmas morning rolls around and Andy gets stiffed by Santa (Danny Glover), he realizes he’s on the “naughty list.” Feeling unfairly maligned, Andy pulls together a crack team of fellow “naughty listers” to execute an elaborate heist to get the presents he and the others feel they deserve. The determined ensemble includes Dulce (Camila Rodriguez), Andy’s best friend and archery expert; North Pole conspiracy theorist Lewis (Anthony John Joo); daredevil “wheel woman” Ha-Yoon (Imogen Cohen); animal whisperer Rose (Clara Stack); master-of-disguise Jon Anthony (Deric McCabe); adorable charmer Albert (Ayden Elijah); and Andy’s older sister, Laurel (Madilyn Kellam), a talented gymnast seeking to regain her confidence. Andy also enlists the help of Bruno (Derek Theler), a disgruntled cargo pilot who claims to have witnessed Santa’s sleigh. However, in the process of finding their gifts, the gang begins to realize that Christmas is more about giving than taking.

On November 22, the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries movie A Season for Family will debut at 8 PM. Maddy’s (Stacey Farber) adopted son Wesley has just one Christmas wish: to meet his brother Cody, who was adopted into a different family. Cody’s father Paul (Brendan Penny) is a widower who is not ready to have this conversation with his son, so he turns down a meeting. However, circumstances bring the two brothers unknowingly together and they become fast friends, while sparks fly between Maddy and Paul.

The holiday movie So Fly Christmas will debut online on BET+ on November 23. After being left at the altar on Christmas Eve, a woman and her best friend renounce love. Things become complicated when the woman’s best friend falls for a record-store owner and tries to keep it under wraps. The movie stars Tichina Arnold, Jackée Harry, Tommy Davidson, Tami Roman, Robert Christopher Riley and Darien Sills-Evans.

On November 23, the season finale of The Vanishing Triangle will air online on Sundance Now.

The Hallmark Channel movie Catch Me If You Claus will debut at 8 PM on November 23. Avery Quinn’s (Italia Ricci) shot at anchoring news clashes with a Santa-suited intruder, Chris (Luke MacFarlane), who insists he’s Santa’s son on a first Christmas mission. They unravel a career-making story together.

On November 24, the season finale of Lessons in Chemistry will air online on Apple TV+.

The Great American Family movie My Christmas Hero will debut on November 24 at 8 PM. US Army reservist and orthopedic physician, Nicole Ramsey (Candace Cameron Bure) is dedicated to serving military service members and their families at the Joint Military Base in Lacey, Washington, home of I Corps and the 62nd Airlift Wing. This Christmas, with the help of many dedicated heroes, Dr. Ramsey is on a mission to honor a special fallen soldier and bring much needed healing to her own family. Gabriel Hogan co-stars.

On November 24, the Hallmark Channel movie Letters to Santa will debut at 6 PM followed by the debut of the movie Holiday Road at 8 PM. Letters to Santa focuses on what happens When young siblings receive a magic pen from Santa that appears to be granting wishes. They request a Christmas gift they want more than anything – for their separated parents to reunite. The movie stars Katie Leclerc and Rafael de la Fuente. Meanwhile, Holiday Road focuses on nine strangers, who are stranded at an airport during the holidays. They unite for a Christmas road trip to Denver. Misadventures lead to unexpected bonds and heartfelt conversations. The cast includes Warren Christie and Sara Canning.

The Lifetime movie Christmas at the Chalet will debut on November 25 at 8 PM. When ex-TV host and socialite Lex (Teri Hatcher) finds herself faced with the possibility of spending Christmas sharing a luxury chalet with her son, ex-husband, and his new girlfriend, she volunteers to work in the chalet to avoid things getting too close to home, while documenting her every move for a new wave of followers who are loving this new chapter of her life. William deVry co-stars

On November 25, the Hallmark Channel movie Christmas in Notting Hill will debut at 6 PM followed by the debut of the sequel movie Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up at 8 PM. Christmas in Notting Hill is about famous soccer star, Graham Savoy (William Moseley), who has always been too busy for love, but when he comes home to Notting Hill for Christmas, he changes his mind after meeting Georgia (Sarah Ramos), a visiting American and the one person who has no idea who he is. Meanwhile, the sequel movie Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up finds Emily and Jared (Lacey Chabert and Wes Brown) looking forward to celebrating the holidays together again, this time as a couple. Emily, now embracing Evergreen Lane’s uniquely festive spirit, is ready to work with Jared, Ned (Stephen Tobolowsky), Mary Louise (Ellen Travolta) and Pamela (Melissa Peterman) to make this year’s Christmas celebrations the best yet – even if being the HOA president’s girlfriend doesn’t stop those dreaded decorating citations. When a house on the block goes up for sale, it causes quite a stir with residents. When the soon-to-be neighbors turn out to be holiday royalty, it looks like this year’s competition is about to heat up. As the welcoming committee prepares for the new arrivals, only one thing is certain: this Christmas, Evergreen Lane is going to sleigh. The cast also includes Seth Morris and Jennifer Aspen.

The Great American Family movie A Royal Date for Christmas will debut at 8 PM on November 25. Bella Sparks (Danica McKellar), owner of Bella Sparks Couture, takes on a demanding new client Stefan (Damon Runyan) to outfit for a week of high stakes meetings and events after his luggage goes missing. Stefan asks Bella to be his “official plus one” for many of the formal soirees, a request Bella accepts with good humor. Imagine Bella’s reaction when she accidentally discovers Stefan is actually Stefan William Francis Brown, the Duke of Tangford.

On November 25, the three Doctor Who specials, honoring the 60th anniversary of the long-running series will get started today, airing over the course of three weeks on Disney+. The specials, which will feature the return of David Tennant as the Doctor and Catherine Tate as Donna Temple-Noble, find them battling the Toymaker (Neil Patrick Harris). Jacqueline King (Sylvia Noble), Karl Collins (Shaun Temple) and Jemma Redgrave (Kate Lethbridge-Stewart) reprise their roles from past seasons with Yasmin Finney, Miriam Margolyes and Ruth Madeley also starring. This first special will be entitled “The Star Beast.” The second special entitled “Wild Blue Yonder” will air on December 2 and the final special entitled “The Giggle” will air on December 9. The 15th Doctor will be played by Ncuti Gatwa, starting sometime in 2024.

The Hallmark Channel movie Our Christmas Mural will debut on November 26 at 6 PM followed by the new movie A Biltmore Christmas set to debut at 8 PM. Our Christmas Mural focuses on Olivia (Alex Paxton-Beesley), a single mom, who returns home for Christmas. Her mom secretly enters her into a mural contest; she wins but partners with teacher Will (Dan Jeannotte) to create a Christmas masterpiece. Meanwhile, A Biltmore Christmas is about Lucy Hardgrove (Bethany Joy Lenz) a screenwriter who lands the job of a lifetime when she’s hired to pen the script for a remake of the beloved holiday movie, His Merry Wife. First filmed in 1947 at beautiful, historic Biltmore House, it has long been considered a Christmas classic. When the head of the studio isn’t satisfied with the ending Lucy wrote because it deviates from the original’s feel-good conclusion, he sends Lucy to Biltmore Estate for research and inspiration. While there, she unwittingly discovers the ability to travel to the 1947 set of the classic film through the help of an hourglass. After shaking off the initial shock of this turn of events, Lucy embraces this as her chance to uncover the truth about the movie’s original ending. While on set, she and Jack Huston (Kristoffer Polaha), one of the film’s stars, spend time together and become close. But her sudden appearance has set off a chain of events that put the production in jeopardy. Before she can return to the present, Lucy must make things right or threaten to alter the future forever.

On November 26, the holiday movie Mistletoe Connection will debut on UPtv at 7 PM. Kate Snow (Jessica Sipos) loves everything about the holidays. From Christmas sweaters to Christmas crafts, Kate loves it all, but what really makes her jolly is Christmas time at her shop, Treasures from the Heart, that’s been in her family for generations. This year, however, a developer is moving into her quaint neighborhood and trying to turn everything she loves upside down. To make matters worse, Kate had an electric moment with a handsome stranger on a bus, but never got his name and now has no way to find him. Mark Goodwin (Markian Tarasiuk) may wear expensive suits and has a big job, but underneath it all, he loves Christmas and everything that comes with it. When he has a moment of connection with a particularly beautiful stranger – dressed as a Christmas elf no less – he goes on a mission to discover exactly who she is to make his holiday romance dreams come true. But when Mark and Kate discover that they are on opposite sides of a very personal battle, it will take all the Christmas magic in the world to bring these two together in time for a truly magical holiday.

The Great American Family movie A Christmas for the Ages will debut on November 26 at 8 PM. Prompted by their youngest granddaughter (Natasha Bure, daughter of Candace Cameron Bure), four generations celebrate family and what Christmas was like in the 40s, 60s, 90s and present day. The film also stars Anna Ferguson, Kate Craven and Charlie’s Angels alum Cheryl Ladd.

Lastly, also on November 26, the Lifetime movie Laughing All the Way will debut at 8 PM. When ghostwriter and aspiring comedian Aubri Wilson (Paniz Zade) is placed in charge of the Christmas variety show, she worries she might not have what it takes to pull off this make-or-break moment in her career. With Christmas just weeks away, Aubri is in pursuit of the perfect headliner for the event. That is, until famous Hollywood comedian Mike Baxter (Jake Epstein) returns to the comedy club that launched his career. There, Mike rediscovers his stand-up roots, and Aubri shows the world her inner funny girl, and as their journeys collide, they fall hopelessly and hilariously in love, laughing all the way.

Mark your calendars!