Rueben's Ramblings

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

On December 1, the linear TV debut of the HBO Max drama The Pitt will air on TNT at 9 PM, airing three back-to-back episodes each night.  Please note that each episode will be uncut, in other words, not edited for content. Also, that same night, the fall finale of Brilliant Minds will air at 10 PM on NBC.

The Netflix documentary All the Empty Rooms will debut online on December 1. This documentary is by Oscar-nominated Joshua Seftel and headed by CBS News broadcast journalist Steve Harman who spent seven years traveling around America to visit families affected by gun violence. Hartman stepped away from his heartwarming human interest stories and, unbeknownst to his network’s bosses, pursued a piece on absence, memory and the unseen ripples of America’s gun violence epidemic. As these senseless incidents claimed more young lives than any other cause in America, these quiet bedrooms revealed truths more powerful than statistics ever could.

On December 2, the season finale of Murder in a Small Town will air on FOX at 8 PM.

The season finale of Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent will air at 8 PM on the CW on December 3.

On December 3, the Amazon Prime movie Oh. What. Fun. will debut online. Claire Clauster (Michelle Pfeiffer) makes the Christmas magic happen every year for her family but her children and grandchildren don’t realize the effort it takes, until she goes missing. The cast includes Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Danielle Brooks, Denis Leary, Maude Apatow, Jason Schwartzman, Joan Chen, Devery Jacobs,Eva Longoria and Dominic Sessa.

The holiday movie My Secret Santa will debut online on December 3 on Netflix. After losing her job, a desperate single mother (Alexandra Breckenridge) resorts to disguising herself as an elderly man to get hired as a local ski resort’s Santa Claus for the holidays. Things become complicated when the resort manager begins to suspect her and she falls in love with the owner’s handsome son. Ryan Eggold, Tia Mowry and Diana Maria Riva co-star.

On December 4, the BET+ holiday movie Love After Holidays will debut online. The film follows a talk show host battling alcohol addiction and personal demons, who loses everything she holds dear – her faith, career and custody of her daughter. On her journey of self-discovery, she must confront her past, rebuild relationships and transform her pain into purpose to find healing and redemption. The cast includes Jacinth Headlam, Jeremy Meeks and Malik Yoba.

The Netflix western series The Abandons will debut online on December 4. Washington Territory – 1854 – The matriarchs of two very different families – one of wealth and privilege bound by blood, the other a found family of orphans and outcasts bound by love and necessity – find their fates linked by two crimes, an awful secret, a star-crossed love, and a piece of land with silver underneath. The collision echoes the American struggle of the haves and have-nots, in a place just beyond the reach of justice. The cast includes Gillian Anderson, Lena Headey, Lucas Till, Michiel Huisman, Nick Robinson, Patton Oswalt and Ryan Hurst.

On December 5, the season finale of The Last Frontier will air online today on Apple TV.

The HBO Max movie The Family McMullen will debut online on December 5. The movie is a sequel to The Brothers McMullen from 1995, focusing on a close-knit family as they navigate life’s ups and downs, confronting personal struggles and evolving bonds. As they face unexpected hurdles, their connections are tested, revealing the complexities of love, loyalty, and growth within a family. The cast includes Edward Burns, Connie Britton, Michael McGlone, reprising their roles from the first film along with Tracee Ellis Ross, Halston Sage, Juliana Canfield, Pico Alexander and Brian d’Arcy James.

On December 5, the feature film Jay Kelly will debut online on Netflix. Famous movie actor Jay Kelly (George Clooney) embarks on a journey of self-discovery, confronting his past and present with his devoted manager Ron (Adam Sandler). The ensemble cast includes Isla Fisher, Billy Crudup, Louis Partridge, Laura Dern, Patrick Wilson, Eve Hewson, Emily Mortimer, Riley Keough, Greta Gerwig, Jim Broadbent, Kyle Soller and Stacy Keach.

The new Hallmark Channel series Twelve Dates Til Christmas will debut on December 5 at 8 PM. Based on the book by Jenni Bayliss, Mae Whitman stars as Kate, a Saville Row textile pattern designer, living in the quaint village of Blexford, England. When her best friend Laura (Lucy Eaton) signs her up for The 12 Dates of Christmas, a festively themed matchmaking program in the days leading up to the holiday featuring carefully curated, yuletide dating experiences, Kate is forced to get out of her rut. As she wends her way through the 12 dates, she takes a circuitous route to romance while also making some important discoveries about herself. The cast includes Jane Seymour, Julian Morris, Mary McDonnell and Nathaniel Parker.

On December 5, the new series Spartacus: House of Ashur will debut back-to-back episodes on Starz starting at 9 PM. In a world where he survived the events of Spartacus, Ashur (Nick E. Tarabay) clawed his way to power, owning the same ludus that once owned him. Allying with a fierce gladiatrix, Ashur ignites a new kind of spectacle that offends the elite. The cast includes Claudia Black, Graham McTavish, Ivana Baquero and Lucy Lawless.

The Lifetime holiday movies Jingle All the Way to Love and A Christmas Cookbook will air on December 5 at 8 and 10:03 PM respectively. Jingle All the Way will be about Andi (Erin Agostino), who receives a lucky sleigh bell from a handsome stranger at a New Year’s party, only to pass it on. Years later, she wins a radio contest and the host, Jake (Romaine Waite), turns her story into a segment. Meanwhile, A Christmas Cookbook focuses on newly single at Christmas, Veronica Cearley (Ashley Newbrough), who finds unexpected comfort in The X-Mas Club, a festive group of food lovers who cook, give back, and celebrate the season solo. But when sparks fly with the club’s warm-hearted founder, Cullen Murdock (Franco Lo Presti), she realizes that the best part of Christmas might not be the food or the traditions—but the people who feel like home.

On December 6, the OWN holiday movie The Christmas Showdown will debut at 9 PM. Former childhood best friends, April (Corbin Reid) and Chastity (Amber Stevens West), haven’t spoken ever since April bailed on their plan to move to New York, choosing Paris instead to chase her dream as an event producer. When her career fizzles, April returns home and unexpectedly crosses paths with Chastity, who is also out of work, and desperate for a fresh start. Both women set their sights on the same event design job for the upcoming Sugar Heights Christmas Eve Spectacular. But to impress Hen (Loretta Devine), the event producer overseeing the show, they’ll need to mend old wounds and work as a team. What begins as a friendly rivalry, quickly escalates to an all-out holiday showdown. The cast includes Obba Babatunde, Carla Renata and Sterling Sulieman.

The Lifetime holiday movies Deck the Hallways and Merry Missed Connection will debut on December 6 at 8 and 10:03 PM respectively. Deck the Hallways will focus on Zoe (Naika Toussaint), who teams up with her charming childhood crush, Jace (Jaime M. Callica), and their 5th Floor neighbors to revive a holiday celebration. Loretta Devine also stars. Meanwhile, Merry Missed Connection is about Marie (Emily Alatalo), who accidentally swaps diaries with a stranger at speed dating. As Christmas approaches, the holiday magic helps her find the right diary, and the right man, to make her Christmas season truly unforgettable. Andrew Bushell and Noah Berc co-star.

On December 6, the holiday movie Paws in the City will debut on the CW at 8 PM. A woman lands a job caring for a dachshund diva whose bark is worse than her bite, much like the dog’s reclusive and handsome owner. What starts as a way to keep a roof over her head soon turns into an opportunity for lifelong success and love. The movie stars Emeraude Toubia and Carter Jenkins.

The Hallmark Channel movie She’s Making a List will debut at 8 PM followed by the one-hour-long special The Hallmark Christmas Experience: A Hometown Holiday Christmas Special at 10 PM. She’s Making a List is about a Naughty-or-Nice inspector, evaluating a girl’s Christmas status, who falls for her widowed father, making her question the strict rules of her consulting firm and forcing her to choose between protocol and love. The movie stars Lacey Chabert, Andrew Walker and Steve Bacic. Here are details about the Hallmark Christmas special: No one knows Christmas like Hallmark, and now for the first time on television, we’re bringing viewers behind the scenes to show how we do it in our hometown of Kansas City, Missouri. Join Hallmark stars BJ Britt, Robert Buckley, Paul Campbell, Taylor Cole, Rhiannon Fish, Tyler Hynes, Jessy Schram, Kimberley Sustad, Andrew Walker, and Jonathan Bennett as well as host Benjamin Ayres as they explore this one-of-a-kind Christmas wonderland, interact with fans, enjoy special musical performances, catch exclusive clips from Hallmark series both beloved and brand-new, and see a jaw dropping Christmas tree lighting extravaganza.

On December 7, the UPtv holiday movie A Christmas Murder Mystery will debut at 7 PM. Vera Vexley (Morgan Bradley) is the editor of the Metropolitan Ledger’s puzzle section, and a part-time consulting detective for the local sheriff’s office. This year, she has been invited to spend the holidays with family friends the Sterlings, a wealthy family who appears to be hiding enough secrets to stuff a sleigh. Vera soon finds herself helming a murder investigation when someone is found dead on Christmas morning, putting her at odds with the quick-tempered and distraught family members. Can Vera find the culprit before the holidays turn even more deadly? The movie also stars Vivica A. Fox and Rob Mayes.

Lastly, the holiday movie Single on the 25th will debut on December 7 at 8 PM on Hallmark Channel. For Nell Duke (Lyndsy Fonseca), nothing is worse than being single at Christmastime because everywhere she looks, couples are kissing under the mistletoe. After her family cancels holiday plans at the last minute, Nell decides to spend the week of Christmas having fun on her own! When she crosses paths with her neighbor Cooper (Daniel Lissing), a financial analyst who prides himself on being happily unattached, he notices Nell struggling with being alone and decides to share tips on how to keep the holidays festive. Cooper inspires Nell to challenge her insecurities and find happiness in being on her own. In turn, Nell helps Cooper realize he’s missing out on real connection. In the fun partnership that forms, the friendly singles’ Christmas together starts to feel like something more. Their special connection falls apart when Nell finds out Cooper only offered to help because he felt sorry Nell had to spend the holidays alone. To make Christmas truly magical this year, Cooper must show real growth of character while Nell finds her own strength in being single during the holidays.

Mark your calendars!