Do you hear what I hear? TV trumpets
the sound of these new holiday programs
By Jay Bobbin and John Crook
DEC. 8
3 p.m. on Freeform
Holiday Joy
At just 15, Joy Hockstatter (Bailee
Madison, “Good Witch”) already has
put in a few years helping her dad hold
their struggling family together since
the death of Joy’s mother, so it’s not
surprising she sometimes wishes she
were part of the perfect Wellman family,
who live just across the street. When she
awakens to find that somehow this wish
has come true, however, her happiness
over her new life is muted by seeing her
“old” family taking a serious turn for the
worse in this new 2016 holiday fantasy.
PREMIERE
DEC. 8
Crackle
SuperMansion: War on Christmas
In this decidedly unconventional
holiday special, the endlessly bickering
superheroes from this stop-motion
animated comedy series must set aside
their differences to save Christmas,
when the holiday is threatened by Mr.
Skibumpers (voice of Jim Parsons, ``The
Big Bang Theory’’), an interstellar imp,
and a real-life Santa Claus (voice of
Gary Anthony Williams), who is going
through a serious existential crisis. Voice
actors Bryan Cranston, Keegan-Michael
Key, Seth Green, Jillian Bell and Tucker
Gilmore are among the series regulars
reprising their characters for this special.
NEW
DEC. 14
8 p.m. on The CW
Top 12 Greatest Christmas
Movies of All Time
Host Dean Cain readily admits his favorite
seasonal film is “It’s a Wonderful Life,”
but he’s not giving up whether it tops the
list in this new special. Chances are good
that if a classic yuletide movie is your
viewing preference for this time of year,
it’ll place somewhere among this dozen,
from which familiar scenes are excerpted.
Other good bets: “White Christmas,”
“Miracle on 34th Street,” “A Christmas
Story” and some version of “A Christmas
Carol.” NEW
DEC. 19
8 p.m. on NBC
America’s Got Talent
It’s not the usual time of year for this
show to appear, but since the holiday
is made for welcoming familiar faces,
why not? Some of the standouts of the
contest’s past season return for this new
special – including the winner, young
singer-songwriter Grace VanderWaal
– along with such veterans of the show
as Jackie Evancho and Terry Fator.
Host Nick Cannon and judges Mel B,
Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum and Howie
Mandel are on hand. Pentatonix also is
featured. NEW
DEC. 14
8 p.m. on NBC
A Pentatonix Christmas Special
Used to being guests on others’ holiday
shows, the members of the Grammy-
winning a cappella singing group instead
get the chance to play the hosts in this
new special. They certainly can draw
from seasonal selections they’re familiar
with, given this year’s release of their
third album, “A Pentatonix Christmas.”
Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson are
among the announced guests, and “other
surprises” are promised. NEW
DEC. 20
8 p.m. on The CW
Terry Crews Saves Christmas
You – and Santa – didn’t know Crews
was needed to salvage the holiday, right?
In this new miniseries airing on four
consecutive nights, the “Brooklyn Nine-
Nine” co-star steps in to give pointers
to someone who thought he or she was
ready to stage a Yuletide celebration ...
but, ultimately, not so much. Crews brings
along a team of experts in food and
design, prepped and ready to help each
of the featured citizens host a Christmas
to remember. SERIES PREMIERE
pg 6 GRACENOTE - 2016 HOLIDAY PREVIEW
MORE NEW &
UNWRAPPED TV GIFTS:
DEC. 1
The Great American Baking Show (ABC, 9
p.m.) SEASON PREMIERE
DEC. 2
I Love Lucy Christmas Special (CBS, 8 p.m.)
DEC. 3
A Dream of Christmas (Hallmark, 8 p.m.)
A Firehouse Christmas (ION, 9 p.m.)
DEC. 4
Holiday Movie Skating Spectacular: Where
Did They Film That? The Holiday Music Journey
(ABC, 3 p.m.)
Looks Like Christmas (Hallmark, 8 p.m.)
Hearts of Christmas (HM+M, 9 p.m.)
A Cinderella Christmas (ION, 9 p.m.)
DEC. 5
National Christmas Tree Lighting (Hallmark, 7
p.m.)
DEC. 8
Taraji’s White Hot Holidays (Fox, 8 p.m.)
DEC. 10
A Nutcracker Christmas (Hallmark, 8 p.m.)
Christmas With the Andersons (ION, 9 p.m.)
DEC. 11
Love You Like Christmas (Hallmark, 8 p.m.)
A Husband for Christmas (ION, 9 p.m.)
DEC. 12
The Great Christmas Light Fight (ABC, 8 p.m.)
SEASON PREMIERE
Greatest Holiday Commercials Countdown
2016 (The CW, 9 p.m.)
DEC. 13
The Middle (ABC, 8 p.m.)
American Housewife (ABC, 8:30 p.m.)
Fresh Off the Boat (ABC, 9 p.m.)
The Real O’Neals (ABC, 9:30 p.m.
DEC. 14
The Goldbergs (ABC, 8 p.m.)
Speechless (ABC, 8:30 p.m.)
blackish (ABC, 9:31 p.m.)
DEC. 15
iHeartRadio Jingle Ball (The CW, 8 p.m.)
DEC. 16
The 85th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade
(The CW, 8 p.m.)
Lidia Celebrates America (PBS, 10 p.m.)
DEC. 17
My Christmas Love (Hallmark, 8 p.m.)
DEC. 18
Sleigh Bells (Hallmark, 8 p.m.)
DEC. 19
Christmas With the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Featuring Laura Osnes and Martin Jarvis (PBS,
9 p.m.)
DEC. 23
A Home for the Holidays (CBS, 8 p.m.)
DEC. 24
Christmas Eve Mass (NBC, 11:30 p.m.)
DEC. 25
The Disney Parks Magical Christmas
Celebration (ABC, 10 a.m.)
When Calls the Heart (Hallmark, 8 p.m.)
Doctor Who (BBC America, 9 p.m.)
DEC. 31
Dick Clark’s Primetime New Year’s Rockin’ Eve
With Ryan Seacrest 2017 (ABC, 8 p.m.)
New Year’s Eve Special (NBC, 10 p.m.)
Pitbull’s New Year’s Revolution (Fox, 11 p.m.)