NBC close to home on ‘Christmas’
November sweeps end tonight, but the holiday specials have just begun. The folks at the Peacock Network don’t have far to go to document the beginning of the holiday season in midtown Manhattan.
“Christmas in Rockefeller Center” (8 p.m., NBC) takes place just outside the windows of NBC’s corporate headquarters.
CBS broadcasts “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer” (8 p.m., CBS). A favorite since 1964, this animated tale was digitally remastered in 1998. Several songs that had been cut or truncated over the years were also restored.
“Rudolph” is based on the famous holiday song written by Johnny Marks and the hit record by Gene Autry released in 1949. Marks composed seven additional songs for the special: “Holly Jolly Christmas,” “Silver and Gold,” “We Are Santa’s Elves,” “We’re a Couple of Misfits,” “Jingle Jingle Jingle,” “There’s Always Tomorrow” and “The Most Wonderful Day of the Year.”
Speaking of heartwarming songs, who can forget the immortal “Pressed Rat and Warthog”? “Great Performances” (9 p.m., KSPS) presents the “Cream Reunion Concert” recorded some months back at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Cream, consisting of Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker, performed for only a few years during the late 1960s. The reunited blues-rock trio, now all in their seventh decade, perform such favorites as “Badge,” “White Room,” “Crossroads,” “I’m So Glad” and their biggest hit, “Sunshine of Your Love.”
And yes, they do let Baker warble the absurd nursery rhyme lyrics to “Pressed Rat and Warthog,” too. Sing along with me: “Selling atonal apples, amplified heat, and pressed rat’s collection of dog legs and feet!”
While the “Cream Reunion” is a memorable and unique event worthy of “Great Performances” status, it might be confused with the onslaught of oldies acts that make up entirely too much of every PBS pledge drive. Note: These musical offerings are broadcast at varying nights and times, completely at the whim of individual stations, sparing me the opportunity to review or mention them in this, a nationally syndicated column.
But they are difficult to miss. As time goes by, musical styles change to reflect the tastes of a younger pledge-giving demographic. We’ve seen crooners give way to doo-op to folk-rock and psychedelic music and funk legends.
One can only speculate (and cringe) at the thought of PBS fund-raisers in decades to come.
Other highlights
Hyde’s wife shakes things up on “That ‘70s Show” (8 p.m., Fox).
Popularity can be deadly on “Criminal Minds” (9 p.m., CBS).
Designers in the driver’s seat on “The Apprentice: Martha Stewart” (9 p.m., NBC).
A showdown in Utah on “Trading Spouses” (9 p.m., Fox).
Kate’s past resurfaces as one of the stranded is laid to rest on “Lost” (9 p.m., ABC).
Veronica sees her mother in a new light on “Veronica Mars” (11 p.m., UPN).
Richard and Emily renew their vows on a memorable repeat of “Gilmore Girls” (9 p.m., WB).
After the death of a friend’s daughter, Van Buren takes drastic action on “Law & Order” (10 p.m., NBC).
Dave is abducted on “Invasion” (10 p.m., ABC).
Cult choice
A gangster (Jimmy Cagney) with serious mommy issues goes out with a bang in the memorable 1949 gangster picture “White Heat” (3 p.m., Turner Classic Movies).
Series notes
Benny’s new look on “George Lopez” (8 p.m., ABC) … Tyra Banks hosts “America’s Next Top Model” (10 p.m., UPN) … Hardball on the hardwood on “One Tree Hill” (8 p.m., WB) … Carmen Electra guest-stars on “Stacked” (8:30 p.m., Fox) … A rare visit from Dad (Esai Morales) on “Freddie” (8:30 p.m., ABC) … Dark doings in the five boroughs on “CSI: NY” (10 p.m., CBS).
Late night
Charlize Theron and Maureen Dowd appear on “Late Show with David Letterman” (11:35 p.m., CBS) … Jay Leno hosts Snoop Dogg, politician Howard Dean and music by Faith Evans on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) … Alanis Morissette appears on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (12:05 a.m., ABC).