Holiday Tidings on Your Television! Plus, it's TV on DVD Monday!

I know I promised some thoughts on last night's Desperate Housewives, but human error led to a TiVo error, and needless to say, I missed it (yeah, I forgot to record it, but never fear it is season passed now). I'll be downloading it tonight from iTunes for $1.99 (and people laughed at iTunes and ABC when they struck this deal!), so I'll bring you my thoughts tomorrow. In the meantime, I thought it would be the perfect time to bring you a guide to some of the holidays' television offerings. So, here's a handy schedule of the classics, the newer offerings, and some holiday themed episodes of your favorite shows that you can catch in between the shopping, decorating and wrapping (all times are EST).

Monday, 12/5
Jack Frost - (movie) 8 p.m. ABC Family

Tuesday, 12/6
Charlie Brown Christmas - 8 p.m ABC
My Name is Earl - (special Christmas themed episode) 9 p.m. NBC

Wednesday, 12/7
Santa Claus is Coming to Town - 8 p.m ABC Family
E-Ring - (special Christmas themed episode) 8 p.m. NBC
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys - 9 p.m ABC Family

Thursday, 12/8
Will & Grace - (special Christmas themed episode) 8:30 p.m. NBC
ER - (special Christmas themed episode) 10 p.m. NBC

Friday, 12/9
Prancer - (movie) 8 p.m. ABC Family
I Want a Dog for Christmas Charlie Brown - 8 p.m. ABC

Saturday, 12/10
It's a Wonderful Life - (movie) 8 p.m. NBC
Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas - (live-action movie) 8:30 p.m. ABC

Sunday, 12/11
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - (special Christmas themed episode) 8 p.m. ABC
Grey's Anatomy - (special Christmas episode) 10 p.m. ABC

Monday, 12/12
7th Heaven - (special Christmas themed episode) 8 p.m. WB
Related - (special Christmas themed episode) 9 p.m. WB

Tuesday, 12/13
Bones - (special Christmas themed episode) 8 p.m. Fox
According to Jim - (special Christmas themed episode) 8 p.m. ABC
Hope & Faith - (special Christmas themed episode) 8:30 p.m. ABC

Wednesday, 12/14
George Lopez - (special Christmas themed episode) 8 p.m. ABC
Freddie- (special Christmas themed episode) 8:30 p.m. ABC
One Magic Christmas - (movie) 9 p.m. Hallmark

Thursday, 12/15
The Santa Clause - (movie) 8 p.m. ABC
Everybody Hates Chris - (special Christmas themed episode) 8:30 p.m. UPN
The O.C. - (special Christmas themed episode) 8 p.m. Fox
Joey - (special Christmas themed episode) 8:30 p.m. NBC (an episode airs before this one that is not holiday themed)
Reunion - (special Christmas themed episode) 9 p.m. Fox

Friday, 12/16
Jingle All the Way - (movie) 8 p.m. ABC Family

Saturday, 12/17
Robbie the Reindeer - 9 p.m. CBS

Sunday, 12/18
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation - (movie) 9 p.m. NBC
The Simpsons - (special Christmas themed episode) 8 p.m. Fox
The Christmas Blessing - (movie) 9 p.m. CBS

Monday, 12/19
Two and a Half Men - (special Christmas themed episode) 9 p.m. CBS

Wednesday, 12/21
A Home for the Holidays - (special) 8 p.m. CBS

Saturday, 12/24
I'll Be Home for Christmas - (movie) 8 p.m. ABC
It's a Wonderful Life - (movie) 8 p.m. NBC

Well, that's the list thus far. I'll try to keep you as up-to-date as possible, so be sure to check Primetime Pass everyday because starting today, you'll notice a special holiday section.


About Last Night... CBS started out on top with the second half of 60 Minutes and the first half of Cold Case (rerun), followed by Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on ABC and Fox comedies The Simpsons and The War at Home. At 9, ABC landed in first with Desperate Housewives, followed by NBC's Law & Order: Criminal Intent and the second half of CBS's Cold Case (r)/movie Pope John Paul II. The final hour of the night went to ABC's Grey's Anatomy, followed by Crossing Jordan on NBC and the conclusion of CBS's movie. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - Michael plans to marry Rita (guest star Charlize Theron), but George Sr. worries that she's after the family's money on Fox's Arrested Development. At 8:30 on Fox, Michael Vartan guest stars on an all-new Kitchen Confidential.

@9 p.m. - A televised national poker tournament takes over the Montecito and Danny and Mike get the feeling that someone might be cheating on NBC's Las Vegas.




Jack Frost - Michael Keeton stars in this 1998 Christmas movie. Keeton plays a man who dies on Christmas eve, but returns to his family one year later as a snowman. 8 p.m. ABC Family



QUICK CUTS

*There's even more bad news for fans of Fox's Reunion. Last week, you read here that Fox was canceling the freshman murder mystery series, and now comes word that the show's mystery will not be resolved before it goes off the air. Creator Jon Harmon Feldman says that the structure makes it impossible to wrap up the story in the remaining few episodes that will take the show through January. The last episode will leave viewers in 1998. For more from creator Feldman, click on over to Zap2it.

*Actor Kerr Smith is joining the cast of NBC's E-Ring. He'll reprise his earlier role of Bobby Wilkerson, the gung-ho member of the Pentagon's Special Ops team. Smith also starred in Dawson's Creek. He'll begin his regular role on E-Ring immediately.

*And finally, it's TV on DVD Monday! Look for the fourth season of 24 (with a special season 5 prequel) to hit shelves tomorrow along with Everybody Loves Raymond (season 5), Full House (season 2), Law & Order (season 4), Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica (final season), The Rockford Files (season 1) and The West Wing (season 5). For a complete list of tomorrow's releases, visit tvshowsondvd.com.

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for thoughts on Desperate Housewives (finally!) and more holiday programming! Plus, all the latest television news!