Trying to figure out what to watch tonight? Be it new episodes of the TV season, reairs of cable series or a movie, here are some suggestions:
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
NOTE: There will be a marathon of episodes of Doctor Who on BBC America today while the new holiday special Doctor Who: Joy to the World will debut online on Disney+. And, the holiday movie Blended Christmas will debut online on BET+ today.
5:30 PM: White Christmas (classic) movie on Sundance TV
5:50 PM: Back to the Future Part III movie on Syfy
6 PM: Following Yonder Star movie on Hallmark Channel (Encore) Make or Bake Christmas movie on Lifetime (Encore) Time for Us to Come Home for Christmas movie on Hallmark Mystery (Reair) E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie on Encore Home Alone movie on Freeform
6:10 PM: Wanted movie on Cinemax
6:15 PM: Descendants: Rise of Red movie on Disney (Encore)
6:40 PM: The Matrix movie on Showtime 2
6:45 PM: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 movie on USA network
7 PM: Toy Story (animated) movie on FX Meet Me in St. Louis (classic) movie on MOVIES! Clueless movie on VH1
7:30 PM: Barbie (2023) movie on HBO 2 Top Gun: Maverick movie on Paramount Network
8 PM: Call the Midwife Holiday Special movie on PBS (DEBUT) Santa Tell Me movie on Hallmark Channel (Encore) Christmas in the Spotlight movie on Lifetime (Encore) 12 Dares of Christmas movie on UPtv (Encore) NCIS on CBS (Reair) The Christmas Promise movie on Hallmark Mysteries (Reair) Deadpool movie on Cinemax E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie on Encore IF (2024) movie on MGM+
8:15 PM: Miracle on 34th Street (classic) movie on Sundance TV
8:25 PM: Superman Returns movie on HBO
9 PM: 24-Karat Christmas movie on OWN (Encore) NCIS on CBS (Reair) Toy Story 2 (animated) movie on FX Blade Runner 2049 movie on Showtime 2 Borderlands (2024) movie on Starz
9:15 PM: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 movie on USA Network
9:50 PM: Robocop (2014) movie on Cinemax
10 PM: Jingle Bell Run movie on Hallmark Channel (Encore) Christmas at Plumhill Manor movie on Lifetime (Encore) A Novel Christmas movie on UPtv (Encore) NCIS on CBS (Reair) ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas movie on Hallmark Mystery (Reair) Ghostbusters: Afterlife movie on Encore Finding Neverland movie on TMC
It was another interesting year at the movieplex this year with a very wide array of movies available, especially the juggernaut movies Wicked, Part 1 and Gladiator 2 that capped off the year, becoming known as “Glicked” (much like how Barbie and Oppenheimer became known as Barbenheimer last summer).
There was also the late 2023 release of the R-rated rom-com Anyone But You, starring ubiquitous stars Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney. This movie became the highest-grossing R-rated rom-com in almost a decade, becoming more than a sleeper hit as the new year broke, crossing well over $100 million at the worldwide box office.
It was also the year of animated films with Despicable Me (it’s latest version: Despicable Me 4 was released in July) becoming the first animated franchise in movie history to cross over the $5 billion mark at the international box office while Inside Out 2 became the first animated film to hit $1 billion at the worldwide market.
The reverse could be said about the prequel series Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, which stumbled badly at the box office, creating the worst record for the Memorial Day weekend in nearly three decades and the sequel film Joker: Folie a Deux bombed as well, being set to lose at least $150 million to $200 million in its theatrical run.
Speaking of Joker (the 2019 movie starring Joaquin Phoenix), that movie had been the highest-grossing R-rated movie in history, but it was overshadowed by the Ryan Reynolds-Hugh Jackman-led Deadpool & Wolverine, which generated over $1 billion dollars in the box office during its first 23 days of release.
As for Deadpool & Wolverine, that was one of a handful of movies that I got to see at the theatre this year, as rising ticket costs and a general lack of extra time to go to the movies put a damper on what I was able to see this year.
I was fortunate enough to see The Fall Guy and Wicked, Part 1 in the theatre, and I highly recommend both!
I also got to see Argylle, starring Henry Cavill and Bryce Dallas Howard (among others), and while I know that movie didn’t perform all that well in the theatres, and received its fair share of less-than-flattering reviews, I found it to be a fun movie to watch (even if it was a little hard to believe at times).
Now let’s take a look at the top 30 box office winners from this year (up through Saturday, December 14 that is):
1. Inside Out 2 – 653 million
2. Deadpool & Wolverine – 637 million
3. Despicable Me 4 – 361 million
4. Wicked – 286 million
5. Moana 2 – 248 million
6. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – 294 million
7. Dune: Part Two – 282 million
8. Twisters – 268 million
9. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire – 196 million
10. Kung Fu Panda 4 – 193.59 million
11. Bad Boys: Ride or Die – 193.57 million
12. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes – 171 million
13. It Ends with Us – 149 million
14. Gladiator II – 146 million
15. The Wild Robot – 143 million
16. Venom: The Last Dance – 140 million
17. A Quiet Place: Day One – 139 million
18. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire – 113 million
19. IF – 111 million
20. Alien: Romulus – 105 million
21. Bob Marley: One Love- 97 million
22. The Fall Guy – 92.9 million
23. Red One – 92.6 million
24. The Garfield Movie – 92 million
25. Wonka – 85 million
26. Longlegs – 74 million
27. Migration – 73 million
28. Mean Girls – 72 million
29. Smile 2 – 68.9 million
30. Civil War – 68.6 million
On the other spectrum are the movies that were either a disappointment in the box office due to poor ticket sales or, more importantly, had a horrible trailer that made me completely uninterested in seeing them.
They appear in alphabetical order below:
Abigail Anora Arcadian Blink Twice Brothers Challengers Imaginery Joker: Folie à Deux Kraven the Hunter Kinds of Kindness Lisa Frankenstein Longlegs Megalopolis Monkey Man Nightbitch Poolman Smile 2 Speak No Evil Stopmotion Terrifier 3 The End The First Omen Trap Venom: The Last Dance
I’ve shared for many years now how much music has played a key part in my life. As far back as I can remember, music was always playing in my childhood home. It all started when I was a little girl, listening to music while sitting in the middle of my big brothers’ shared bedroom on their old 1970’s turntable then listening to my big boom box and later the Walkman I had in the 1980’s all the way through to my iPod in the 2000’s to now with my Pandora and Spotify accounts.
I wake up to music every morning rather than a buzzing alarm; and then I go to bed with music. Music may not mean to everyone what it means to me, but it does play a crucial part in television, Broadway, theatre and the box office.
The following are just some of the top performers for 2024:
Most Moving Video (Prior to the Election) – “What Happens When a Woman Takes Power”
This song became the anthem for women all across the country during the Harris-Walz campaign with lots of different female groups recording their versions of the song. Admittedly, it was very disappointing for half of the population that we didn’t get the election result we were hoping for, but this song at least made a difference to a lot of us when we needed it most.
Best New Male Artist – Benson Boone
Benson auditioned for season 19 of American Idol in 2021 and made it into the Top 24, but he actually dropped out to consider his career. He obviously made the right decision because his first single “Beautiful Things,” which came out in January of this year, became the biggest song of the year, accurring 1.434 billion on-demand audio streams worldwide. The single topped various singles-focused charts including U.S. top digital song consumption and U.S. top song: on-demand streaming for both audio and audio plus video.
Best Song of the Year – Lady Gaga and Brun Mars, “Die With a Smile”
This soulful song was released in August of this year, featuring the singers in a duet that became an instant smash and a classic tune all at the same time. Their 70’s Nashville style video also helped launch the song into the stratosphere. It’s a tune that you simply can’t get out of your head once you’ve heard it, and the best kind of earworm.
Best New Female Artist – Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan is on a massive hot streak this year with her freshman album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” which hit number 2 on the charts just behind Taylor Swift. While the album came out in 2023, it became a sleeper hit earlier this year, showcasing Roan’s “campy” style that is heavily influenced by drag queens, 1980s synth-pop and 2000s pop songs.
Earworm Hit – Sabrina Carpenter, “Feather”
This actress-singer has been working professionally for the past 13 years between television series and movies, but it was her 6th studio album “Short n’ Sweet” – which was released this summer – that had her hitting number one on the charts and making it the summer of Sabrina Carpenter.
A Most Welcome Return – Linkin Park
This rock band has been together since 1996, and has had a successful run in the music industry that is until the sad and untimely death by suicide of its lead singer Chester Bennington in 2017, causing the band to enter an indefinite hiatus. This year the band came back with a brand new studio album and a new lead singer in the form of female rocker Emily Armstrong.
Best New Duo – Royel Otis
While this Australian duo, comprised of Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic, has been together since 2019, and they’ve released three EPs, it was their first studio alum Pratts & Pain, which was released in February of this year that put them on the map. But it’s been their covers of “Murder on the Dancefloor” and “Linger” that have placed them on the top of the charts. The former single, original done in 2001 by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, has attained nearly 50 million streams on Spotify and first went big on TikTok with over 13 million views.
TV Star Turned Music Artist – Djo, “End of Beginning”
TV viewers will recognize Djo as Joe Keery from Netflix’s Stranger Things and the box office movie Free Guy, but acting isn’t his only hustle. In 2019, Djo released his debut album and in 2022 his second album was released. From that sophomore effort, albeit two years after its release, the single “End of Beginning” hit the airwaves, gaining popularity and becoming viral on social media.
Big Musical Announcement of the Year – Oasis Reunion
After 15 years of brotherly war, Oasis members Liam and Noel Gallagher announced a reunion tour. The announcement was made two days before the 30th anniversary of their debut album. The tour will get underway on July 4, 2025 and will end on November 23, 2025. Their single “Wonderwall” was released on October 30, 1995 and while it never actually made it to number one, it is their most popular single, and you can be assured that when the brothers perform this single, and all their other songs, at the reunion tour, fans are going to go crazy.
Best Way to End 2024 – Wicked
The box office version of the immensely popular Broadway musical Wicked opened in theatres on November 22, starring Cynthia Erivo and Arianna Grande in the lead roles of Elphaba and Glinda, the earlier versions of the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the North. The video clips above are just small snippets of the first part of this blockbuster that will have people humming these songs (and more) from the movie far beyond the holidays.
What singer or band has been your “go-to” music during the past year? Which singles were the stand-outs for you this year? What song did you get sick of hearing on the radio? What was the top album in your opinion? Please share your thoughts on the music of 2024 below.
Trying to figure out what to watch tonight? Be it new episodes of the TV season, reairs of cable series or a movie, here are some suggestions:
NOTE: The Hallmark+ series Holidazed will air its finale online today.
5:30 PM: Guardians of the Galaxy movie on FX Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban movie on USA Network
6 PM: The Christmas Charade movie on Hallmark Channel (Encore) Mistletoe & Matrimony movie on OWN Time for You to Come Home for Christmas movie on Hallmark Mystery (Reair)
6:20 PM: Lady Bird movie on HBO 2
6:25 PM: Austenland movie on Cinemax
7 PM: Mission: Impossible II movie on Showtime 2
7:30 PM: Back to the Future movie on Syfy
7:50 PM: Get Millie Black on HBO (Encore)
8 PM: The Christmas Quest movie on Hallmark Channel (Encore) Trading Up Christmas movie on Hallmark Mystery (Encore) A Season to Remember movie on OWN (Encore) Home Alone movie on ABC It’s a Wonderful Life (classic) movie on NBC Captain America: The Winter Soldier movie on Encore Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special on FX Walking Tall (2004) movie on VICE
8:30 PM: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire movie on USA Network
9 PM: The Martian movie on HBO 2
9:15 PM: Mission: Impossible III movie on Showtime 2
10 PM: Happy Howlidays movie on Hallmark Mystery (Encore) 24-Karat Christmas movie on OWN (Encore) Christmas in Montana movie on Hallmark Channel (Reair) The Avengers: Age of Ultron movie on Encore Blade Runner 2049 movie on Showtime Back to the Future Part II movie on Syfy Walking Tall (2004) movie on VICE
Here is the list of the programming options to expect on TV this coming week:
On December 23, the finale of Get Millie Black will air at 9 PM on HBO.
The Hallmark+ holiday series Holidazed will air its season finale online on December 24.
On December 25, the BET+ holiday movie Blended Christmas will debut online. After a freak accident, a new bride cancels her tropical Christmas honeymoon to take care of her husband’s ex-wife and kids with a little help from a holiday angel. The movie stars Jennifer Freeman, Anthony Dalton, Dream Doll and Victoria Rowell.
The feature film Dear Santa will debut online on Paramount+ on December 25. When a young boy mails his Christmas wish list to Santa with one crucial spelling error (that would be Satan), a devilish Jack Black arrives to wreak havoc on the holidays. The cast includes Robert Timothy Smith, Keegan-Michael Key, Brianne Howey, Hayes MacArthur, Post Malone and P.J. Byrne.
On December 25, the annual Call the Midwife Holiday Special will debut on PBS at 8 PM. As 1969 comes to an end, the folks in Poplar are amusing themselves with a funfair and a holiday concert, but not all is merry and bright. A flu outbreak and news of an escaped inmate put the East End London neighborhood on edge.
The special Doctor Who: Joy to the World will debut online on Disney+ on December 25. This new holiday special finds the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) traveling on his own now that Ruby Sunday has returned home. However, as is always the case when the Doctor is traveling solo, his solitude won’t last long. This Christmas special will see the Time Lord joined by a new friend: Bridgerton alum Nicola Coughlan will star in the special as Joy.
On December 26, the second season of Squid Game will premiere online on Netflix.
Lastly, the series finale of What If…? will air online on Disney+ on December 29.
Trying to figure out what to watch tonight? Be it new episodes of the TV season, reairs of cable series or a movie, here are some suggestions:
5:45 PM: The Greatest Showman movie on TNT
6 PM: A Very Merry Beauty Salon movie on Lifetime (Encore) The Nine Lives of Christmas movie on Hallmark Channel (Reair) Time for Me to Come Home for Christmas movie on Hallmark Mystery (Reair)
6:15 PM: Tombstone movie on Sundance TV
6:30 PM: Get Millie Black on HBO 2 (Encore)
7 PM: The Agency on Showtime (Encore)
7:30 PM: Get Millie Black on HBO 2 (Encore)
8 PM: The Holiday Junkie movie on Lifetime (Encore) Our Royal Holiday movie on Hallmark Channel (Reair) The Christmas Secret movie on Hallmark Mystery (Reair)
8:15 PM: Get Mille Black on HBO 2 (Encore)
9 PM: NCIS on CBS (Encore) Get Mille Black on HBO (NEW – Finale)
10 PM: NCIS: Origins on CBS (Encore) Get Mille Black on HBO (Encore) A Carpenter Christmas Romance movie on Lifetime (Encore) Rogue Heroes on MGM+ (Reair) Three Wise Men and a Baby movie on Hallmark Channel (Reair) Five Star Christmas movie on Hallmark Mystery (Reair) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone movie on USA Network
With the strikes out of the way and productions back in full swing, there were a LOT of programming options for TV viewers, covering all facets of stories and genres, whether it was on the major or cable networks as well as the ever-growing streaming services.
Throughout the year, TV fans have been able to enjoy their favorite shows, good, bad or otherwise along with new shows for which we became obsessed with; outstanding performances, lots of streaming shows to get hooked on, unexpected departures and much, much more.
Please join me as I focus on the top highlights for 2024 (listed in no particular order):
Top Actress – Juno Temple, Fargo (FX)
The FX series, now in its 5th season, found former child actress Juno Temple becoming the standout, delivering what has been described as “perfect comedic timing, charm and range, making a mostly engaging experience” as Dorothy “Dot” Lyon, a “wonderfully unhinged” character who brought “not only perfect…zingers but also the necessary charm to ground the chaos that began unfolding” around her. [Source: Collider]
Fresh New Face (Actress) – Anna Sawai, Shogun and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (FX and Apple TV)
Anna took the industry by storm this year, starring in the remake of Shogun, earning an Emmy as Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her performance as Lady Mariko, becoming the first Japanese actress to win the category. Her performance has been “thoroughly convincing and captivating [Source: The New York Times]; and she also starred as Cate Randa, a San Francisco school teacher dealing with PTSD whose search for her missing father led her to uncover his involvement with Monarch in the Apple TV+ series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters at the end of 2023, leading into January of this year.
Standout Performance – Kenneth Choi, 9-1-1 (ABC)
Getting to the church on time took a whole new meaning for Howard “Chimney” Hahn in the May episode of 9-1-1 entitled “There Goes the Groom” for Kenneth Choi. Chimney had to overcome not only an undiagnosed case of viral encephalitis, which led to brain swelling and memory loss, causing him to completely forget about his bride-to-be (series regular Jennifer Love Hewitt). Acting out the hallucinations Chimney was experiencing could have taken a bad turn if not for the incredible talent of Choi.
Top Actor – Tom Hollander, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans (FX)
Hollander literally disappeared into his role of the one-and-only Truman Capote in the FX anthology series Feud that focused on the literary “genius” and The Swans, a socialite group of New York City high society, consisting of Babe Paley, the wife of William S. Paley, the man who founded CBS, Lady Nancy ‘Slim’ Keith, fashion icon C. Z. Guest, Lee Radziwill, the younger sister of Jackie O, former showgirl Ann Woodward and Joanne Carson, ex-wife of late night talk show host Johnny Carson.
Highest Rated Drama – Matlock (CBS)
This new series is only reminiscent of the popular 1980s to 1990s legal drama in name only. Kathy Bates plays Matty Matlock, nee wealthy retired attorney Madeline Kingston, in this revitalized and intriguing new CBS drama that includes a great ensemble cast. The series has been averaging well over 6 million viewers a week, ranking higher than any other new drama on any of the major networks.
Most Reviled New Drama – Doctor Odyssey (ABC)
Despite being a close second, nee third, in terms of viewership for a new drama this TV season, Doctor Odyssey seems to have far more haters out there than fans. There has also been this crazy theory that the Odyssey (the ship on which the show is based) is a dream of Dr. Max Bankman, played by Dawson’s Creek alum Joshua Jackson, as viewers, at least after a few episodes, came to believe he is still sick from COVID and everything that has happened on the Odyssey is nothing more than a dream of his coma-like state.
Most Disappointing Final Season – The Umbrella Academy (Netflix)
The Umbrella Academy came to an end in August after four seasons on Netflix, airing only six episodes, which for many of its devoted fans – who, for the most part, enjoyed the previous seasons – felt were six episodes too many. What should have been a great swan song for this irreverent and outlandishly enjoyable series turned into an excruciating trip down the strangest rabbit hole of warped storylines and a stuck in an alternate world love affair that tainted the viewers love for the series. The Umbrella Academy deserved more than the disturbing end that they received.
Best Couple – Joanne and Noah, Nobody Wants This (Netflix)
Kristin Bell and Adam Brody each have their own devoted (so to speak) fanbase because of their previous TV roles in Veronica Mars and The O.C. (respectively) [don’t get me started, though, on the vitriol from fans because of what happened in season four of Veronica Mars, ok?!] In this “based on somewhat true events” in the life of series creator, actress Erin Foster, Bell and Brody play Joanne and Noah, an agnostic podcaster and rabbi (no this isn’t the start of some weird joke), an unlikely pair who quickly became a swoon-worthy couple [how about that first kiss, am I right?! They put the chemistry between Chenford, Lucy Chen and Tim Bradford from The Rookie, my choice for Best Couple last year, to shame.
Honorable Mention – Brian Dietzen, NCIS (CBS)
The episode entitled “The Stories We Leave Behind,” paying tribute to Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard (and in essence the actor who portrayed him, David McCallum) on the CBS drama NCIS, was written by long-time series star Brian Dietzen. And what a moving tribute to the man it was! Dietzen not only honored the man he had acted beside for over two decades with a touching episode but also found a way to tie the story back to the long-running show’s pilot episode. As the folks over at TV Line shared, “Dietzen skillfully communicat(ed) the incredibly deep loss felt by Dr. Jimmy Palmer.” If you weren’t at least a little bit moved by the flashbacks and tribute paid to McCallum/Ducky, then you aren’t really a fan of the show.
Best Line – Wild Cards (CW)
From the debut episode, entitled “The Infinity Thief,” of the Canadian transplant series Wild Cards on CW, which stars Riverdale alum Vanessa Morgan as con woman Max Mitchell and Grey’s Anatomy hunk Giacomo Gianniotti as demoted detective Cole Ellis, in their first “case” together:
Max to Cole: “Damn that was amazing. We’re like Bones and that dude from Buffy or Castle and that hot girl.”
Best Awards Show Performance – Ryan Gosling, The 2024 Oscars (ABC)
Ryan Gosling took center stage at this year’s Oscars, belting out the song “I’m Just Ken” from the award-winning box office movie Barbie to not only a packed audience at the Dolby Theatre in the heart of Hollywood but also to the countless viewers watching, nee salivating, at home. He proudly wore sunglasses and a bejeweled pink suit, and with the help of dozens of Kens (including Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa and Shang-Chi star Simu Liu, among others), Gosling delivered what TV Line called a “deliriously fun performance (which) captured what made Barbie so entertaining on the big screen.”
Bittersweet Endings (TIE): Series Finale of Superman & Lois (CW) and Season Finale of Will Trent (ABC)
Superman & Lois came to an end on December 2 with an emotional series finale especially for those who stuck with the show for its four seasons on CW. The final 10-minutes packed a wallop, including seeing the twins as grown men (including series lead Bitsie Tulloch’s real-life husband David Giuntoli from Grimm and A Million Little Things fame playing Jonathan), seeing Clark as an older man and even Krypto the dog not to mention Lois in that knock-out red dress. If you don’t cry over the video below, well, then you just don’t have heart:
Whereas, the season finale of season two of Will Trent aired on May 21 and the last, roughly 6 minutes of the episode was surprising, sweet, tender and then heartbreaking, as Will envisioned his future with his on-again off-again love Angie Polaski as they got married, had two daughters, a foster son and grew old together until he had to do his job and arrest Angie.
Here is the full season finale of Will Trent, but you can watch that specific scene starting at the 38:06 minute-mark and watch to the end, and judge for yourself.
Fun New Cast Addition – Edi Patterson, Resident Alien (Syfy)
Edi Patterson played Heather, the Blue Avian alien paramour (see the inset picture to the right), to Alan Tudyk’s literally out-of-this-world Harry Vanderspeigle. She was able to keep pace with Tudyk, who is known for his improv, managing to rival his outlandish performance in every scene until Heather broke Harry’s heart, and she left back to her own world.
Why Was This Show So Popular – Baby Reindeer, Netflix
This series became a surprise hit back in April at the streaming service (for some reason) despite its harrowing, or more to the point, excruciatingly disturbing subject matter. Scottish comedian Richard Gadd played a fictionalized version of himself, recounting the ordeal he dealt with after being stalked by a middle-aged woman who claimed to be a fan, which in turn made him face a buried trauma that he had been sexually assaulted by an older male TV industry mentor. Like I said, harrowing and disturbing and for some reason, it received 85 million views. ARGH!
Best Parodies – Scarlett Johansson and Maya Rudolph, Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Both actresses were dead-on in their parodies of Alabama Senator Katie Britt and Vice President Kamala Harris (respectively). As TV Line stated, Johansson “perfectly channeled Britt’s frenzied delivery (of her State of the Union response), predicting doom and gloom with a smile from her family kitchen.” Britt herself was criticized for her “performance” in that response because it was so eerie and disturbing, but Johansson turned it into just a great performance.
Whereas, Rudolph got every head tilt, voice pattern and even the laugh of our should-have-been-voted to President of the United States Harris down pat even working alongside the actual Vice President in a close-to-election day appearance where they were mirror images of each other. It was something to behold.
Most Disappointing Cancellation – So Help Me Todd (CBS)
This legal dramedy, starring Marcia Gay Harden and Skylar Astin, was pulled from the CBS line-up after only two seasons; and while many of the scenes between these two, who played mother and son, were outlandish and, quite frankly, a bit over-the-top at times, the series was actually performing fairly well ratings-wise and was leading up to quite an interesting third season.
Handsome Newcomer – Deniz Akdeniz, High Potential (ABC)
Akdeniz plays Lev “Oz” Osman on the wildly popular new ABC drama High Potential. He may be a little better know in his home country of Australia, but he has had guest appearances in quite a number of American dramas like Jane the Virgin, Once Upon a Time, S.W.A.T. and most recently The Flight Attendant and he even had a recurring role in the short-lived spin-off series The Rookie: Feds.
What have been the stand-out moments on the small screen (networks or streaming) for you? Who was your favorite actor for the year? What series, special or TV event disappointed you the most? Please share your thoughts on TV from this year below.
Here are the entertainment news items for this past week:
RENEWALS/CANCELLATIONS
The Netflix comedy series A Man on the Inside starring Cheers and The Good Place alum Ted Dnason has been picked up for a second season. (TV Line)
Apple TV+ has given its post-apocalyptic drama Silo a renewal for two more seasons, meaning it’ll be back for a third season and then a fourth and final season. (TV Line)
It’s the end of the road for the streaming series Girls5eva, which aired for two seasons on Peacock and then aired on Netflix for its third season. The show is not being picked up for a fourth. (TV Line and Variety)
Paramount+ has given a fourth season renewal to the Jeremy Renner-led drama Mayor of Kingstown. (TV Line)
The FX drama starring Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow, The Old Man, has come to the end of the line as the series is not being picked up for a third season. (TV Line and Deadline)
HBO has given a second season renewal to the prequel series Dune: Prophecy. (TV Line)
Hulu has given a third season renewal to the drama Tell Me Lies. (TV Line)
Apple TV+ has pulled the plug on the Rashida Jones-led drama Sunny after one season. (TV Line)
Peacock has given a second season renewal to the Eddie Redmayne-led drama The Day of the Jackal. (Variety)
DEVELOPMENT NEWS
Series creator Matt Nix (Burn Notice and The Gifted) is developing the new NBC drama series Vacationland with series creators Tess Gerritsen (Rizzoli & Isles) and Dan Rosen (The Last Supper and Dead Man’s Curve). The series, if it moves forward, would follow top LAPD detective Grace Chen after she resigns from her job in disgust. She retires to the quirky village of Serenity, Maine, determined to put it all behind her. When Serenity’s Sheriff is murdered, however, Grace finds herself dragged back into crime fighting by Joey, a local veterinarian and amateur sleuth determined to protect the town she loves. Between Grace’s big-city detective skills and Joey’s understanding of Maine, they turn out to be a surprisingly effective team … and a very unlikely pair of friends. (MSN)
MOVIE IN DEVELOPMENT NEWS
It looks like Jessica Fletcher just might be coming to a big screen near you. Universal Pictures is putting together an untitled feature film around the small screen legend from the long-running TV series Murder, She Wrote. And, it looks like veteran actress Jamie Lee Curtis just might be taking on the mantle of the mystery writer and crime solver. (MSN)
TV CASTING NEWS
The Resident and Providence alum Melina Kanakaredes will make a guest appearance in an upcoming January episode of the long-running CBS drama NCIS, playing the owner of the favorite bakery of Alden Parker (series regular Gary Cole). (TV Insider)
BOX OFFICE MOVIE NEWS
Game of Thrones alum Emilia Clarke, Edgar Ramirez, who just starred in this year’s box office flick Emilia Perez and Poldark cast member Jack Farthing will star in the upcoming box office movie Next Life that tells the love story of Ivy (Clarke), who finds herself confronted with parallel universes in which her life unspools in very different ways set against the modern London jazz scene. (Variety)
This Is Us star Milo Ventimiglia will appear in the sequel film I Can Only Imagine 2 that will find John Michael Finley returning in the role of Bart Millard. Other cast members returning will include Dennis Quaid and Trace Adkins. Ventimiglia will appear as singer-songwriter Tim Timmons. (Variety)
Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett will star alongside Anne Hathaway in the upcoming film adaptation Verity, based on the best-selling book by Colleen Hoover. Johnson will play Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime — to complete the remaining books in a successful series by best-selling thriller author Verity Crawford (Hathaway). Hartnett will play Verity’s husband Jeremy, who hires Lowen after his wife is unable to finish the books after a mysterious accident. (Variety)
Oscar-winner Jared Leto has joined the cast of the upcoming live-action film Masters of the Universe, based on the animated series. He will play Skeletor, the skull-faced archenemy of Eternia’s greatest warrior, He-Man (Nicholas Galitzine). The cast already includes Alison Brie (GLOW and Community) as Skeletor’s lieutenant, Evil-Lyn; Camila Mendes (Riverdale) as He-Man’s trusted compatriot, Teela; and Idris Elba (Luthor and Hijack) as Teela’s father, Man-at-Arms. (Variety)
LIMTED SERIES NEWS
Peacock has cast Rose Byrne (Physical and Damages) and Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus and The Bold Type) to play the lead roles in the upcoming Peacok limited series The Good Daughter, which is based on a Novel by Karin Slaughter. The series will center on two sisters, Charlotte (Fahy) and Samantha (Byrne) Quinn, who have spent the last 28 years trying to piece together the lives that were fractured by a single night of violence. When another attack splinters the small town of Pikeville, Charlotte is the first witness on the scene. A lawyer like her father, she’s forced to confront her own demons as the case twists through shocking revelations, and both she and Samantha wonder if the price of being the good daughter was worth it. (The Hollywood Reporter)
Trying to figure out what to watch tonight? Be it new episodes of the TV season, reairs of cable series or a movie, here are some suggestions:
NOTE: The third and final season of What If…? will premiere online on Disney+ today.
5 PM: Live Free or Die Hard movie on TNT
5:15 PM: Blade Runner 2049 movie on Showtime
5:40 PM: Star Wars: The Force Awakens movie on Starz
6 PM: Happy Howlidays movie on Hallmark Channel (Encore) A Carpenter Christmas Romance movie on Lifetime (Encore) A Veteran’s Christmas movie on Hallmark Mystery (Reair) Toy Story 4 (animated) movie on FX
6:10 PM: The Devil Wears Prada movie on Cinemax
6:15 PM: How to Train Your Dragon 2 (animated) movie on Syfy
6:30 PM: Point Break (original) movie on Sundance TV
6:50 PM: Dune: Prophecy on HBO (Encore)
7 PM: North By North Pole: A Dial S Mystery movie on UPtv (DEBUT) 1923 on Paramount Network (Encore) The Beekeeper movie on MGM+
7:55 PM: Dune: Prophecy on HBO (Encore)
8 PM: 1923 on Paramount Network (NEW) Outlander on Starz (NEW – Check Your Local Listings) A Royal Christmas Ballet movie on Great American Family (DEBUT) Three Wiser Men and a Boy: Extended Cut movie on Hallmark Channel (DEBUT) Engaged by Christmas movie on Lifetime (DEBUT) A Christmas Melody movie on Hallmark Mystery (Reair) Enchanted movie on Disney The Lion King (2019) movie on FX Die Hard movie on TNT
9 PM: Dune: Prophecy on HBO (NEW – Finale) The Agency on Showtime (NEW) Outlander on Starz (Encore) All Creatures Great and Small on Masterpiece on PBS (Reair) X-Men: First Class movie on FXM
10 PM: Dexter: Original Sin on Showtime (NEW) Trading Up Christmas movie on Hallmark Mystery (Encore) All Creatures Great and Small on Masterpiece on PBS (Reair) Sealed With a List movie on Hallmark Channel (Reair) A Fiancee for Christmas movie on Lifetime (Reair)
We are now on the precipice of a galactic-sized change in our democracy, and not necessarily for the better for at least half of the population of the United States of America (however long we remain that), thanks to the misguided votes by the other half of the population of this country, who saw fit to elect an unhinged dictator-wanna-be into the highest position in the land. God help us all!
Before that regretful time is thrust upon us, though, it’s time to look back at the events that took place in 2024.
The following are just some of the top stories for this year, broken down by month:
January
Tsunami warnings in Japan after powerful 7.6 earthquake
Earthquake in Long Beach, California on New Years Day
1.7 earthquake hit New York
Teenager killed a 6th grader and injured several others before killing himself in an Iowa school
Trump received millions from foreign governments as President (the very “crime” the GOP had been trying to pin on President Biden)
Trump rebuked the judge in his court case, but his lawyers were told to “control your client”
2023 Emmys tie record for most winning actors of color
First active-duty military member Madison Marsh crowned Miss America
Elton John becomes 19th person to become an EGOT (winner of an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony)
Trump was ordered to pay E. Jean Carroll over $83 million for defamation after she accused him of rape
February
King Charles III was diagnosed with cancer
36-year-old Genesse Ivonne Moreno opened fire in Joel Osteen’s megachurch; she was killed by off-duty officers and her son was critically injured in the gunfire.
Major winter storm hit the Northeast
Senate Republicans block bipartisan border deal (primarily because Donald Trump told them to)
Ex-FBI Informant charged with lying about President Biden and his son Hunter
Trump order to pay over $350 million and barred from running a business in New York for 3 years
Senator Mitch McConnell to step down as GOP leader at end of 2024
People in Gaza killed in horrible Aid Convoy accident
Tornado warnings in Illinois, Ohio and Indiana
Massive fire in Texas
March
France makes world history, becoming first country to explicitly enshrine abortion rights in their Constitution
Alabama lawmakers pass bill to protect IVF
Hannah Gutierrez Reed found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in Rust movie set accidental shooting
Alabama Senator Katie Britt’s creepy State of the Union GOP rebuttal
Terrifying subway shooting in New York despite National Guard being stationed at subway system
Kamala Harris was first Vice President to visit a women’s health clinic
Picture controversy of the Royal family with fingers being pointed at Princess Kate
Trump spurned by 30 companies as he sought bond in $454 million judgment
Princess Kate revealed cancer diagnosis
Gunmen killed 40 people and injured more than 100 people at Moscow Concert Hall
Members of Ghost Army, after decades of being classified, receive Congressional Gold Medal
Federal Agents raid home of Sean “Diddy” Combs
Francis Scott Key Bridge hit by massive cargo ship, killing six city workers
Gag order imposed on Trump during Manhattan Criminal Trial
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison for orchestrating fraud
April
Major earthquakes in Taiwan
Kanye West accused of anti-black racism in lawsuit filed by ex-employee
Country singer Morgan Wallen arrested in Nashville after throwing chair from rooftop
Jennifer and James Crumbley, parents of teenage Ethan Crumbley, the Michigan school shooter, were sentenced to prison for manslaughter
A man lit himself on fire, caught on camera by CNN during live coverage of Trump’s NYC trial
Massive college protests over Israel-Palestine crisis, some turning violent
New York Appeals Court overturned Harry Weinstein’s rape case
May
David DePape, the man who bludgeoned Nancy Pelosi’s husband receives 30-year prison sentence
Hard-line President of Iran and numerous of his right-hand men killed in helicopter crash
Disturbing 2016 hotel video of Sean “Diddy” Combs beating his former girlfriend released
Severe plane turbulence on Boeing plane
(Corrupt) Supreme Court sides with Republicans over South Carolina voting map
Flag controversy connected to United States Supreme Court Judge Samuel Alito
Trump CONVICTED of all 34 felony counts in hush money trial
June
Mexico elects first female President, Claudia Sheinbaum
Singer Syndie Christmas (yes, that’s her real last name), won Britain’s Got Talent
Georgia Appeals Court stays (basically freezes) Trump’s election case in Georgia at least through the presidential election in November
80th Anniversary of Normandy Invasion celebrated with three surviving World War II vets
Long-time Trump advisor Steve Bannon ordered to surrender for his prison term
Pat Sajak bids farewell to Wheel of Fortune after 41 years as the game show host
Four Israeli hostages freed
Hunter Biden found guilty in gun case
Arkansas grocery store shooting
July
Disastrous Biden-Trump debate
Middle school students in Pennsylvania posted racist and homophobic video on TikTok, first known mass attack of its kind in the United States
Tropical Storm Beryl hit Houston, Texas
A Russian missile destroyed Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital in Kyiv
Massive heat wave hits all throughout the United States
Alec Baldwin’s Rust movie set case dismissed
Attempted assassination of Donald Trump at Pennsylvania Rally
(Corrupt) Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed Trump’s classified documents case
Trump chose Ohio Senator and “Hillbilly Elegy” author J.D. Vance as his running mate
Worldwide tech outage that ground business to a massive halt at airlines, hospitals, banks, transit companies and the 9-1-1 system
President Joe Biden dropped out of the Presidential election and endorsed VP Kamala Harris
New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez set to resign after corruption conviction
Secret Service Director, Kimberley Cheatle, resigned after Trump assassination attempt
Arson attack caused travel chaos ahead of Olympics opening ceremony in Paris
Venezuela authoritarian leader, Nicolas Maduro, declared winner in tainted election
Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and U.S. Team reclaim throne with gold medals at Paris Olympics
14 people arrested at San Diego Comic Con in anti-human trafficking case
9-11 plotter and accomplices plead guilty to conspiracy charges in exchange for life sentences
August
Multi-country prisoner swap freed Russian prisoners Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan (among others)
Historic storms and flooding in Florida, Georgia and other southern states
Pakistani man charged in alleged plot to kill U.S. leaders
Vice President Kamala Harris named Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her Vice-Presidential running mate
Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna canceled after two men arrested in ISIS-connected terrorist plot
Utah banned books, including works by Judy Blume and Margaret Atwood
62 passengers killed in plane crash in Brazil
Capitol riot assaulter David Dempsey sentenced to 20 years in federal prison
4.4 earthquake hit Los Angeles, California
Personal assistant and doctors charged in actor Matthew Perry’s accidental drug overdose death
Republican Congressman George Santos plead guilty to wire fraud and identity theft
Two American astronauts on the International Space Station stuck there until 2025
Israel launched airstrikes in Lebanon
Brazil blocked social media site X after owner Elon Musk ignored court order
September
Israeli citizens flood streets in protest to demand a deal after bodies of 6 hostages in Gaza were discovered
Another school shooting in Georgia High School
Colin Gray, father of teenage shooter at Georgia High School, arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter
Hunter Biden entered surprise plea in tax case
Manhattan judge delayed Trump’s sentencing until after election day
SpaceX civilians perform historic first spacewalk with Polaris crew
Second failed “attempted assassination” of Trump at Florida Golf Course
Sean “Diddy” Combs arrested in New York
New York City Mayor Eric Adams indicted on federal charges
Long-time Today co-anchor Hoda Kotb announced she’ll be leaving news show in early 2025
October
Both Hurricane Helene and Hurrican Milton hit southern states, causing massive destruction and countless deaths
Iran launched over 100 ballistic missiles against Israel
Former President Jimmy Carter turned 100 years old, becoming the longest-living President in U.S. history
Dockworkers on East and Gulf Coasts went on strike
Judge unsealed new evidence in January 6 case against Trump
Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar, killed in Gaza fighting
Former Abercrombie CEO, Michael Jeffries, arrested in sex-trafficking case
Federal Judge ordered Rudy Giuliani to forfeit millions in assets to election workers he defamed
Chinese hackers targeted phones used by Trump and Vance campaign
Two people, both heavily weaponized, attacked Turkish defense firm
Comic Tony Hinchcliffe called Puerto Rico “a floating island of garbage” at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally
E. coli outbreak with onions used in McDonald’s Quarter Pounder beef patties
Los Angeles Dodgers win World Series
November
Spain flooding caused the death of over 200 people
Election night disaster with Donald Trump being announced as winner
Jewish soccer fans were assaulted in Amsterdam
Wildfires raging in New Jersey, Massachusetts and New York with an 18-year-old parks worker losing his life in the struggle
Another big wildfire hit California
Over 40 monkeys used at a South Carolina research center escaped with about half captured in the middle of the month
Shooting at Tuskegee University, killing one and injuring at least 16 others
John Krasinski was named People’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2024
Republicans won the Senate, the House and the White House, a disappointing trifecta to the other side hoping for a future of joy and prosperity
Matt Gaetz, selected as United States Attorney General, withdrew his candidacy
Disgraced actor Jussie Smollett had his 2021 conviction overturned by the Illinois Supreme Court
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel and Yoav Gallant, the former Defense Minister
It’s the time of “Glicked” with moviegoers hitting theatres in droves to watch Wicked and Gladiator II (think about Barbenheimer from last year when people were doing double features of Barbie and Oppenheimer)
Three Americans held as prisoners in China were finally released thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration
A US-brokered cease-fire agreement was made between Israel and Hezbollah
December
President Biden pardoned his son Hunter Biden of his conviction much to the consternation of the Republican Party and MAGA
South Korean Leader, Yoon Suk Yeol, declared martial law, but due to immediate protests by the South Korean people and its Parliament, that order was rescinded and Yeol narrowly diverted an impeachment
United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot to death in New York by MIA gunman
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake rattled Northern California
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s brutal reign over the country came crashing down after 13 years when rebel fighters stormed the capital of Damascus, claiming victory and sending Assad off to Russia where he claimed asylum
Wildfire in Malibu, California prompting mass evacuations
Current FBI Director Christopher Wray to step down
President Biden pardons nearly 1,500 Americans, a record for one day; many of them placed in home confinement during the Pandemic
Another school shooting this time in Madison, Wisconsin by a 15-year-old girl
New York judge denied Trump’s big to throw out his 34-felony convictions over immunity ruling
Matt Gaetz ethics report was to be released after House Panel’s secret vote
Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in Kazakhstan
Jeju Air jet from Thailand crashed in South Korea
That is quite the list of just some of the top news items throughout the year, wouldn’t you say?!
I hope that you will join me through the end of this year, as I focus on the best and the worst of 2024 in the worlds of TV and movies, TV ratings and so much more.
NOTE: I apologize in advance for any omissions, spelling errors or oversights I might have made, but I definitely don’t apologize for any choices I made.
Rueben's Ramblings 