Some TV joy for your holidays. A variety of #SetTheVCR recommendations that’ll fill you with cheer. Christmas or otherwise.
Monday, December 20
MacGruber: Season 1 (Anytime / Peacock)
Based on a recurring “Saturday Night Live” sketch that was eventually made into a 2010 movie, Will Forte returns to the small screen as American hero MacGruber. After serving over a decade in a maximum security prison, MacGruber is called upon by General Barrett Fasoose to take on a suicide mission.
~~
Sammy Suggestion: Power On: The Story of Xbox (Anytime / YouTube)
Xbox almost didn’t happen. Find out why in this behind-the-scenes, six-part series that takes you back to the scrappy beginnings of Microsoft’s video game console. It’s the untold story of the people behind the box, glitches and all.
~~~~
The few years have given us a number of notable video documentaries: Console Wars, High Score, From Bedrooms to Billions: The Playstation Revolution and many others. Well now Xbox has earned a Last Dance. (It’s directed by Andrew Stephan who has directed two 30 for 30s so that works well.) First announced on November 15 as part of Microsoft’s 20th-anniversary Xbox celebrations, the documentary was created to mirror a superhero origin story. “This behind-the-scenes, six-part series that takes you back to the scrappy beginnings of Microsoft’s video game console. It’s the untold story of the people behind the box, glitches and all. Here’s Chapter 1: The Renegades.” All 6 chapters are free to enjoy on YouTube.
Tuesday, December 21
Prisoners of the Ghostland (Anytime / Crave)
In the treacherous frontier city of Samurai Town, a ruthless bank robber (Nicolas Cage) is sprung from jail by a wealthy warlord, The Governor (Bill Moseley), whose adopted granddaughter Bernice (Sofia Boutella) has run away. Strapped into a leather suit that will self-destruct within five days if he doesn’t find the missing girl, the bandit sets off on a journey to find the young woman — and his own path to redemption.
~~
Sammy Suggestion: Being The Ricardos (Anytime / Prime Video)
During one production week of “I Love Lucy” — from Monday table read through Friday audience taping — Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) and Desi Arnaz (Javier Bardem) face a series of personal and professional crises that threaten their show, their careers and their marriage, in writer-director Aaron Sorkin’s behind-the-scenes drama.
~~~~
Do you love Lucy? Because I Love Lucy. “A revealing glimpse of the couple’s complex romantic and professional relationship, the film takes audiences into the writers’ room, onto the soundstage and behind closed doors with Ball and Arnaz during one critical production week of their groundbreaking sitcom I Love Lucy.” Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin Being The Ricardos stars Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball and Javier Bardem as Desi Arnaz. Often I prefer a documentary to these biopics but that’s not always possible. Still it’s great considering Aaron Sorkin has written and directed yet another classic American story like he did with Social Network, A Few Good Men, Moneyball and The West Wing.
Wednesday, December 22
The 44th Annual Kennedy Center Honors (9 p.m. / CBS)
CBS presents THE 44th ANNUAL KENNEDY CENTER HONORS, hosted by Emmy® Award-winning television host, comedian, writer, and producer David Letterman. Operatic bass-baritone Justino Díaz; Motown founder, songwriter, producer, and director Berry Gordy; “Saturday Night Live” creator Lorne Michaels; legendary stage and screen icon Bette Midler; and singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell will be honored for their lifetime of artistic achievement at this star-studded ceremony.
~~
Sammy Suggestion: Jim Gaffigan: Comedy Monster (Anytime / Netflix)
Comedy icon Jim Gaffigan offers some thoughts on the hot mess that was 2021, as well as his takes on marching bands, billionaires in space and more.
~~~~
I recommend the Big & Bold: Chicken Bacon Ranch Hot Pocket for this new Jim Gaffigan comedy special. What do you think? Which Hot Pocket pairs well with new Jim Gaffigan?
Thursday, December 23
The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek (10 p.m. / Crave)
Episode 6 of the Star Trek docuseries is added to Crave to today for Canadians. (Americans can check out the series on History Vault.)
~~
Sammy Suggestion: The Suicide Squad (Anytime / HBO Max)
The government sends the most dangerous supervillains in the world — Bloodsport, Peacemaker, King Shark, Harley Quinn and others — to the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese. Armed with high-tech weapons, they trek through the dangerous jungle on a search-and-destroy mission, with only Col. Rick Flag on the ground to make them behave.
~~~~
“Belle Reve, the prison with the highest mortality rate in the country, houses the worst Super-Villains, including Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Captain Boomerang, Ratcatcher 2, Savant, King Shark, Blackguard, Javelin, and Harley Quinn. When the prisoners join Task Force X in exchange for their freedom, they are heavily armed and dropped on the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese to destroy evidence of the giant alien starfish Starro the Conqueror.” While not as fun as James Gunn’s Guardian movies this is one of the better DC Films and you don’t hear that statement that often. It’s a Christmas Miracle!
Friday, December 24
The Suicide Squad (Anytime / Crave)
The government sends the most dangerous supervillains in the world — Bloodsport, Peacemaker, King Shark, Harley Quinn and others — to the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese. Armed with high-tech weapons, they trek through the dangerous jungle on a search-and-destroy mission, with only Col. Rick Flag on the ground to make them behave.
~~
Sammy Suggestion: Don’t Look Up (Anytime / Netflix)
Two astronomers go on a media tour to warn humankind of a planet-killing comet hurtling toward Earth. The response from a distracted world: Meh.
~~~~
Netflix has upped their big budget game with Michael Bay’s 6 Underground, Red Notice, The Old Guard and Bright among many other films. The latest big budget spectacle (and granted most of the budget may be devoted to hiring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Jonah Hill and many others rather than classic Independence Day blow-up-ness…) “tells the story of two low-level astronomers who must go on a giant media tour to warn mankind of an approaching comet that will destroy planet Earth.” Look, it’s Christmas Eve. Do you want to watch It’s A Wonderful Life (again?!) or do you want a movie written and directed by Adam McKay? Now that is a wonderful life.
Saturday, December 25
NBA Christmas Games Slate (Various times/channels…starting at Noon.)
NFL gets Thanksgiving. NBA gets Christmas: 5 games starting with Hawks at Knicks and concluding with Mavs at Jazz.
~~
Sammy Suggestion: Dealer’s Choice: Fade To Shane Black Christmasy Movie Magic! (Anytime / Various Channels)
Action cinema legend Shane Black has set everything from Lethal Weapon to The Nice Guys at Christmas, but why does he love festive action movies?
~~~~
Sigh. Okay so on December 18 I recommended an actual totally legit for real Christmas movie: Last Train To Christmas. And people who know me as a charming Grinch were shocked. So today on Christmas Day…baby Jesus, Santa Claus all of it…what am I gonna recommend? Why any Shane Black movie of course. As a filmmaker his hallmark is Christmas. Christmas has been used as a backdrop in Lethal Weapon, Last Action Hero, The Long Kiss Goodnight, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Iron Man 3 and The Nice Guys. Even his original script for The Last Boy Scout featured Christmas (less so the released movie). He said this in 2016 in EW: “Christmas represents a little stutter in the march of days, a hush in which we have a chance to assess and retrospect our lives. I tend to think also that it just informs as a backdrop. I also think that Christmas is just a thing of beauty, especially as it applies to places like Los Angeles, where it’s not so obvious, and you have to dig for it, like little nuggets. One night, on Christmas Eve, I walked past a Mexican lunch wagon serving tacos, and I saw this little string, and on it was a little broken plastic figurine, with a light bulb inside it, of the Virgin Mary. And I thought, that’s just a little hidden piece of magic. You know, all around the city are little slices, little icons of Christmas, that are as effective and beautiful in and of themselves as any 40-foot Christmas tree on the lawn of the White House. So that, in a lot of words, is the answer.” So there ya go…seek little slices of Christmas magic in movies Shane Black has written and/or directed. “Love, Actually, Is All Around.”
Sunday, December 26
Letterkenny: Season 10 (Anytime / Hulu)
The residents of Letterkenny belong to one of three groups: the Hicks, the Skids, and the Hockey Players, who are constantly feuding with each other over seemingly trivial matters that often end with someone getting their ass kicked.
~~
Sammy Suggestion: Dead Man’s Switch (Anytime / Discovery+)
In 2018, Gerry Cotten, a shrewd cryptocurrency mogul, dies suddenly, losing the passwords to customer accounts worth more than $215,000,000. Now, journalists, regulators, and account holders want to know if Cotten is really dead — or on the run.
~~~~
A riveting cryptocurrency thriller (new genre alert!) unravels the story of a Canadian blockchain wizard (new business card alert!) who mysteriously died on his honeymoon in India and the fate of his investors’ $200 million. Did it vanish into the digital void or does it remain locked away in password-protected accounts? You know how frustrating it is to get into Facebook or IG if you’ve forgotten your password? Imagine not having the password to an account with hundreds of millions of dollars.
–28-
Sammy Younan is the affable host of My Summer Lair: think NPR’s Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.
