This really is my favorite week of the year. We get to spend quality time with people whose company we've come to know and love. We're surrounded by all kinds of irresistible treats we might not indulge in at other times of the year. Plus, there are plenty of turkeys and hams around. I'm referring, of course, to the Thanksgiving television schedule. Sure there are other fun parts about this holiday, but the unbridled television viewing that it encourages is the most important thing to celebrate in between bites of sweet potato and sausage stuffing (my favorite recipe…which I have to say is the best Thanksgiving food ever…take that, Rachael Ray!). And there's something for everyone on this week's TV menu….
Friends, Nickelodeon, Wednesday, 9 p.m./8 p.m. CT
Nick At Night is serving up leftovers even before you get to the main meal. The network has cable rerun rights to this NBC sit-com, and it will be dishing out a holiday marathon starting with the pilot episode. And, to paraphrase Chandler Bing, could their hair and clothing styles and cultural references seem any more dated?
The Biggest Loser: Where Are They Now, NBC, Wednesday, 9 p.m./8 p.m. CT
Depending on how much you plan on eating Thursday, the timing for this special edition of the long-running NBC weight loss reality show couldn't be better (or worse). The two-hour special will catch up with past fan favorites like Abby Rika, Ali Vincent and Tara Costa, learning how their lives and diets have gone since their time on the show ended. There's also going to be a "surprise announcement" from a well-known former contestant. What if it turns out to be my stuffing recipe?
Top 30 Family Videos For Thanksgiving, CMT, Thursday, 6 a.m./5 a.m. CT
I realize that by saying this, I verge into Crabby Old Man Yelling At Neighborhood Kids To Get Off His Lawn territory. But I can't help it….I remember a time when music videos were fun. I remember a time when there even weremusic videos. These days, when you do find them, they often contain racier content than most movies did back when music videos were first popular. Hence, on this ultimate family day, the idea of starting the morning with a few videos that don't involve scantily-clad women and music that makes my cat howl seems kind of nice.
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, NBC, Thursday, 9 a.m./8 a.m. CT
And once that puts you in a good mood, it's time for the best Thanksgiving tradition this side of….well….sweet potato and sausage stuffing. I'm usually not big on parades, perhaps because I had enough of high school marching bands when I was in high school. But from the Snoopy balloon to the Best Of Broadway song and dance numbers to the confused NBC celebrities waving from floats, there are few things more entertaining to watch on a holiday. (And I love how throughout the broadcast, they promote the arrival of Santa at Macy's with the same fervor as if he's George Clooney about to do a walk-on on The Tonight Show.) Although come to think of it, Santa is kind of like the Clooney of the North Pole.
The National Dog Show, NBC, Thursday, 12 p.m./11 a.m. CT
You know who gets shortchanged every Thanksgiving? Your pets. Sure you throw them the occasional scrap of turkey, or even slip them your unfortunate helping Aunt Emily's ambrosia under the table. Still, while everyone else has something to watch that caters to their interests, the family pooch at least usedto get nothing. Now that has slowly started to change, thanks to the yearly airing of the National Dog Show. It's the one chance for pets (and the children who love them) to be entertained by their own kind. And to howl at the humans who parade around with their pups on camera, wearing even sillier costumes or hairstyles than the pet on the other end of the leash.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, ABC, Thursday, 8 p.m./7 p.m. CT
Snoopy's Owner, Take One: This is the classic Charlie Brown cartoon, wherein Chuck (Peppermint Patty's in this one, so I figure it's okay to call him that) and his friends try to prepare their own holiday meal. There's also a special bonus: a new cartoon in honor of the day called This Is America, Charlie Brown: The Mayflower Voyagers.
Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas, Fox, Thursday, 8 p.m./7 p.m. CT
It's Thanksgiving, so that can only mean one thing. We're already way too late in starting the Christmas celebration. C'mon, the wrapping paper and Santa hats have been on sale at my local Target since sometime around Flag Day. So it's about time that network TV got on the bandwagon, with this holiday spin on the characters from the Ice Agefilms. Can Santa sledding on a Norelco razor be far behind?
Happiness Is A Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown, Fox, Thursday, 8:30 p.m./7:30 p.m CT
Lucy's Favorite Victim, Take Two: Like, say, sweet potato and sausage, you can't just have one serving of Charlie Brown on a holiday. That's why Fox has this new special on its menu, even though it isn't exactly Thanksgiving-oriented. It follows Linus as he discovers his blanket-hating Grandma is coming for a visit, requiring his friends help him learn to cope without the comfort of his blue fleecy.
San Francisco 49ers vs. Baltimore Ravens, NFL Network, Thursday, 8 p.m/7 p.m. CT
The other day, I asked my son what he wanted on the menu for Thanksgiving. He had two answers. The first was, of course, sweet potato and sausage stuffing. And the second? Football. At some point during our lifetimes, football has become synonymous with Thanksgiving. And Christmas. And New Year's Day. And, well, pretty much any day from August through February. I realize that turning on a football game is going to chase some family from the television, but at least this year's big Turkey Day game is all about family. San Francisco rookie coach Jim Harbaugh will take on his brother John in this key match-up to two top contenders. For my son, this will be an entertaining game. For the rest of the Harbaugh family, it might be better to just stick around the dinner table and watch something else in order to avoid the stress.
A Very Gaga Thanksgiving, ABC, Thursday, 9:30 p.m./8:30 p.m. CT
Which is where this musical special comes in. The audience for a holiday songfest featuring Lady Gaga is pretty much the exact opposite of the audience eager to watch football, so hopefully you've got two sets in the house. In this show, Gaga welcomes the likes of Tony Bennett and Katie Couric as she sings plenty of her costumes. I just wonder if the woman who showed up at the MTV Music Awards in a dress made of meat will at least put on a turkey pant suit or something for this holiday extravaganza.
For more shows you should be watching, check out:
Hell On Wheels, Pan Am, Two And A Half Men
Bones, Chuck, Once Upon A Time
Grimm, The Simpsons, The Walking Dead
Parenthood, Psych, The X Factor
Enlightened, Last Man Standing, American Horror Story
Terra Nova, Suburgatory, A Gifted Man
Unforgettable, Person Of Interest, Prime Suspect
2 Broke Girls, New Girl, Up All Night
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia