Here is the long list of the programming options to expect on TV this coming week:
On November 13, the three-part special event BlackBerry will debut at 10 PM on AMC, airing today as well as November 14 and November 15. This series tells the story of the meteoric rise and catastrophic demise of the world’s first smartphone. The cast includes Jay Baruchel, Cary Elwes, Martin Donovan, Saul Rubinek, Rich Sommer and Michael Ironside. All 3 parts of this special event series will also be available on AMC+ on November 13.
The Australian spin-off series NCIS: Sydney will debut on CBS on November 14 at 8 PM. With rising international tensions in the Indo-Pacific, a brilliant and eclectic team of U.S. NCIS agents and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) are grafted into a multinational taskforce to keep naval crimes in check in the most contested patch of ocean on the planet. The cast includes Olivia Swann, Todd Lasance, Tuuli Narkle, Sean Sagar, Mavournee Hazel and William McInnes.
On November 14, the new series A Murder at the End of the World will debut its first two episodes online on FX on Hulu. This mystery series finds a Gen Z amateur sleuth and tech-savvy hacker named Darby Hart (Emma Corrin), along with eight other guests, invited by a reclusive billionaire (Clive Owen) to participate in a retreat at a remote and dazzling location. When one of the other guests is found dead, Darby must use all of her skills to prove it was murder against a tide of competing interests and before the killer takes another life. The cast includes Alice Braga, Brit Marling and Joan Chen [among others].
The holiday movie A World Record Christmas will debut online on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries on November 16 at 8 PM. Charlie (Aias Dalman) is an autistic boy determined to set a Guinness World Record by stacking 1400 Jenga blocks. His mother Marissa (Nikki DeLoach) and stepfather Eric (Lucas Bryant) encourage him to reach for his dream and they all celebrate when he gets the good news that he’ll have his chance on Christmas Eve. In the spirit of the holiday, they organize a fundraiser giving the townspeople an opportunity to donate and decorate a Jenga block, with the proceeds going to benefit kids with autism. Charlie’s journey to setting the Jenga world record gives them all the chance to learn more not just about themselves, but about what family really means.
On November 16, the BET+ movie Sworn Justice: Taken Before Christmas will debut online. A detective and her DA boyfriend are both informed that the other has been kidnapped. Ahead of the holiday, they are locked out of their computers and phones and must follow the demands of a menacing voice giving them orders. The movie stars Mishael Morgan, Leland B. Martin, Zak Santiago, Benz Antoine and Vivica A. Fox.
The Netflix movie Best.Christmas.Ever! will debut online on November 16. The movie follows two longtime frenemies who are reunited over the holidays in a twist of fate. Every Christmas, Jackie (Brandy) sends a boastful holiday newsletter that makes her old college friend Charlotte (Heather Graham) feel like a lump of coal. But when Charlotte lands on Jackie’s snowy doorstep just days before Christmas, she seizes the opportunity to prove her old friend’s life can’t possibly be that perfect. The cast includes Jason Biggs and Matt Cedeno.
On November 16, the 6th season premiere of The Crown will air online today on Netflix; while that same day, the season finale of Little Bird will air on PBS at 9 PM.
The Sundance Now series The Long Shadow will debut online on November 16. This true crime drama takes viewers back to the 1970s and 1980s, following the victims and survivors of the infamous serial killer, the Yorkshire Ripper, aka Peter Sutcliffe. It starts when mother of four, Wilma McCann, is found murdered near her home in October 1975 and a desperate cat and mouse game ensues. The series stars David Morrissey and Toby Jones.
On November 17, the Freevee holiday movie Exmas will debut online. Robbie Amell plays Graham, who decides to surprise his family by traveling home for the holidays, only to encounter an unexpected guest of honor, Ali (Leighton Meester), who also happens to be his ex-fiancée. The two exes battle it out to see who the family will pick to stay through Christmas Day, and who must go.
The new Apple TV+ series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will debut its first two episodes online on November 17. This dramatic saga tracks two siblings following in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw (played by both Kurt Russell and his real-life son Wyatt Russell), taking place in the 1950s and half a century later where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows. The cast includes Mari Yamamoto, Kiersey Clemons and Joe Tippett [among others].
On November 17, the season finale of Bosch: Legacy will air online on Freevee; while on that same day, the season finale of the new version of Goosebumps will air online on both Hulu and Disney+.
The Disney+ movie Dashing Through the Snow will debut online on November 17. The movie tells the story of a divorced social worker for the Atlanta police department who despises Christmas due to a painful childhood memory. When sent on a call while spending Christmas Eve with his daughter, he inadvertently evokes the wrath of a local politician but meets a man who helps him understand the joy and magic of Christmas. The cast includes Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Lil Rel Howery, Mary Lynn Rajskub and Teyonah Parris.
Also on November 17, the new 5-episode romantic comedy series The Holiday Shift will debut online on The Roku Channel. The series follows the intersecting love stories of young mall employees during the holiday season. The ensemble cast includes Varun Saranga, Jean-Luc Bilodeau, Devyn Nekoda, Nadine Bhabha, Brielle Robillard and Michael Delleva.
The holiday movie Navigating Christmas will debut on the Hallmark Channel on November 17 at 8 PM. Recently divorced Melanie (Chelsea Hobbs) and her son Jason visit a remote island for Christmas, only to find themselves running a real working lighthouse where she connects with the curt but cute owner Peter (Stephen Huszar).
On November 17, the new movie Rustin will debut online on Netflix. Activist Bayard Rustin (Colman Domingo) faces racism and homophobia as he helps change the course of Civil Rights history by orchestrating the 1963 March on Washington. The film also stars Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Aml Ameen, CCH Pounder, Michael Potts, Audra McDonald and Jeffrey Wright.
The new sci-fi flick Biosphere will debut online on AMC+ on November 17. The movie follows the final two remaining individuals (Mark Duplass and Sterling K. Brown) in a claustrophobic man-made dome. Once the only female fish in a pond dies, the two men are left grappling with the notion that they will no longer have food to sustain themselves.
On November 18, the Lifetime movie Christmas Plus One will debut at 8 PM. When sisters Cara (Emily Alatalo) and Amy (Vanessa Smythe) make a pact to find their soulmates by next Christmas, they’re not expecting anything to come from it. However, one year later, Amy’s winter wedding is approaching, and Cara finally finds her own perfect man, Chase (Andrew Bushell), who agrees to attend as her plus one. But after immediately losing his number, all hope is lost. Will she find him in time to make her Christmas wish come true? Or does love have other plans for Cara when magazine writer Michael (Corey Sevier) signs on to help her in her quest?
The new holiday movie A Merry Scottish Christmas will debut on the Hallmark Channel on November 18 at 8 PM. When estranged siblings, Lindsay and Brad Morgan (former Party of Five co-stars Lacey Chabert and Scott Wolf) travel to Scotland at Christmas to reunite with their mother Jo, a big family secret is revealed.
On November 18, the Great American Family movie Santa, Maybe will debut at 8 PM. Can theater director Lila (Aubrey Reynolds) rise to the challenge of putting on the perfect Christmas ballet, while also discovering her office Secret Santa in the process? Samuel Whitten co-stars.
The series finale of All Rise will air on OWN at 9 PM on November 18.
On November 19, the UPtv movie Country Hearts Christmas will debut at 7 PM. In the sequel, it’s days until Christmas, and the Jameson Family are all off chasing their dreams. Tori and June (Lanie McAuley and Katerina Maria) are in Nashville recording their first album while Bones (Chris Jericho) is home on the farm getting everything ready for the whole family to be together at Christmas. But when the sisters get a chance to be on a live Christmas Eve show, one that will supercharge their budding career, they are faced with a difficult decision; they could do the show and get a much-needed boost in the industry, but it means not spending a very special Christmas with their family. Added complications arise when Tori’s heart doesn’t know if she should choose an old flame or an old friend, and June is struggling with a long-distance marriage. In the end it’s remembering that family, faith and love is the answer to any big decision. The cast includes Michelle Nolden, David Pinard, Brendan Morgan, Jeff Irving, Neil Whitely and Craig Strickland.
The Hallmark Channel movie Holiday Hotline will debut on November 19 at 8 PM. After leaving London, Abby connects with an anonymous caller while working at a cooking hotline. The caller is single dad “John” who Abby unknowingly has become smitten with in real life. The movie stars Emily Tennant and Niall Matter.
On November 19, the Great American Family holiday movie A Paris Christmas Waltz will debut at 8 PM. Emma (Jen Lilley) relinquishes her job so a colleague with a family will keep his. Contemplating life’s next steps, Emma meets a professional dancer, Leo (Matthew Morrison) whose love for competitive dancing is waning, until a once in a lifetime opportunity arises for the novice to join the pro and sweep all of Paris off its feet.
The Lifetime holiday movie Planes, Trains and Christmas Trees will debut at 8 PM on November 19. During a business trip to Indiana, event planner Kayley (Kathryn Davis) and sports agent Brett (Olivier Renaud) find themselves unable to fly home for Christmas due to a terrible snowstorm. Determined to get back to New York by Christmas Eve, the two team up and try to make their own way home, but when the storm hits, they’re forced to seek refuge in the sleepy town of Redwood, Ohio; a place that ignites some much-needed Christmas magic in their hearts.
Lastly also on November 19, the season finales of Hotel Portofino, World on Fire and Annika will air on PBS at 8, 9 and 10 PM respectively; while on that same day, the series finale of Fear the Walking Dead will air at 10 PM on AMC and it will also air online on AMC+.
Mark your calendars!
Rueben's Ramblings 