Merry Christmas in July! It is Day #3 in the month-long celebration
of Christmas entertainment. As announced before, each day this month I
will be sharing brief reminisces about Christmas TV episodes, specials,
and movies with a IT'S A WONDERFUL SUMMER
attitude. Yes--this month I'm sharing brief essays about TV adaptations
of the 1946 movie "It's a Wonderful Life" along with TV programs with
significant references to the movie. Just a little something different
and a
way for me to show off the diversity of holiday stories I've collected
in the encyclopedia Tis the Season TV (the updated and expanded 2nd edition being released soon).
Today's discussion is on the ninth season Christmas episode of the sitcom The Facts of Life entitled "It's a Wonderful Christmas." In this story, Beverly Ann is invited to spend Christmas with her best friend back in her hometown of Appleton but she decides she wants to spend the holiday with her new family in Peekskill. However, the girls all have plans of their own for Christmas and Beverly Ann begins to feel unneeded. In this adaptation of the 1946 movie It’s a Wonderful Life, Santa Claus offers to show Beverly Ann what life would have been like if she had never come to Peekskill.
The later years cast of The Facts of Life: George Clooney, Nancy McKeon, Mackenzie Astin, Lisa Whelchel, Kim Fields, Cloris Leachman, and Mindy Cohn.
Beverly Ann sees that Pippa would be a punk rock drop-out; Tootie would have broken up with her true love Jeff; Blair would have acted on her investment whims and would be broke; Natalie would be mistaken for a criminal and would be in jail; Andy would still be an orphan; and, Jo would have been killed in a motorcycle accident on the ice. In the end, the girls and the orphans at Jo’s Christmas party gather to sing “Silent Night.”
The cast includes Lisa Whelchel as Blair Warner, Nancy McKeon as Jo
Polniaczek, Kim Fields as Tootie Ramsey, Mindy Cohn as Natalie Green,
Cloris Leachman as Beverly Ann Stickle, Mackenzie Astin as Andy, Sherrie
Krenn as Pippa, and Chuck McCann as Santa Claus.
Video: Jo, Blair, Tootie, Natalie, Pippa, and Andy react to Beverly Ann's concern for them.
Interestingly, Beverly Ann's guardian angel in this sitcom adaptation is interpreted as Santa Claus. This story becomes even more special when one remembers that Cloris Leachman appears in another TV adaptation of It’s a Wonderful Life--in 1977’s TV movie It Happened One Christmas as the guardian angel Clara Oddbody. See the discussion about that movie again HERE.
This is just one of five holiday episodes on The Facts of Life--got another favorite? Feel free to leave your comments below. Merry Christmas in July!
Joanna Wilson is a TV researcher and book author specializing
in Christmas entertainment. More about the TV programs mentioned on this website can
be found in her book "Tis the Season TV: the Encyclopedia of Christmas-themed Episodes, Specials, and Made-for-TV Movies." Her latest book "Triple Dog Dare:
Watching--& Surviving--the 24-Hour Marathon of A Christmas Story"
was released in 2016. She is currently updating and expanding the
encyclopedia for an upcoming release. Her books can be found at the publisher's website:
1701 press.com
*Support this website and its research by purchasing the books at 1701 press.com
Merry Christmas in July! It is Day #2 in the month-long celebration
of Christmas entertainment. As announced before, each day this month I
will be sharing brief reminisces about Christmas TV episodes, specials,
and movies with a IT'S A WONDERFUL SUMMER
attitude. Yes--this month I'm sharing brief essays about TV adaptations
of the 1946 movie "It's a Wonderful Life" along with TV programs with
significant references to the movie. Just a little something different
and a
way for me to show off the diversity of holiday stories I've collected
in the encyclopedia Tis the Season TV (the updated and expanded 2nd edition being released soon).
Today's discussion is on the third season episode of the teen soap Beverly Hills, 90210 entitled "It's a Totally Happening Life." The story is organized around two angels named Miriam and Clarence looking over the 90210 gang, worried about the teens’ Christmas spirit. Andrea Zuckerman has been accepted at Yale but her boyfriend breaks up with her and she’s depressed. Brandon Walsh’s girlfriend breaks up with him and he’s upset. Steve Sanders feels left out because he’s unable to participate in school activities due to his detention. Kelly Taylor, Brenda Walsh, and Dylan McKay are upset with each other because their friendship is in jeopardy due to their failed romances. David Silver worries about his friends graduating and moving on without him. And, Donna Martin is responsible for a children’s Christmas party and her distracted friends aren’t much help.
A miraculous intervention sees the gang supernaturally escape a bus accident with a drunk driver on their way to the children’s charity Christmas party. The humbling event causes the friends to rethink their selfish problems and look to help each other.
Top left to right: David, Donna, Brenda, Steve. Bottom Left to right: Brandon, Andrea, Kelly and Dylan.
This episode includes guardian angels, several instances of the characters watching the 1946 movie “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Donna hearing a bell ringing from a tree, and the end of the episode includes the black-and-white footage of the bell ringing from the ending of the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Although this episode’s story is not an adaptation of the movie--no one wishes they were never born and experiences what life would be like for their friends and family if this were true. However, this fun episode certainly makes many meaningful references to the movie’s story.
The cast includes Jason Priestley as Brandon Walsh, Shannen Doherty as Brenda Walsh, Jennie Garth as Kelly Taylor, Ian Ziering as Steve Sanders, Gabrielle Carteris as Andrea Zuckerman, Luke Perry as Dylan McKay, Brian Austin Green as David Silver, Tori Spelling as Donna Martin. Robert Costanzo is the voice of Clarence, and Bonnie Urseth is the voice of Miriam.
Were you a fan of the hugely successful Fox network teen drama? Feel free to leave your comments below. Merry Christmas in July!
Joanna Wilson is a TV researcher and book author specializing
in Christmas entertainment. More about the TV programs mentioned on this website can
be found in her book "Tis the Season TV: the Encyclopedia of Christmas-themed Episodes, Specials, and Made-for-TV Movies." Her latest book "Triple Dog Dare:
Watching--& Surviving--the 24-Hour Marathon of A Christmas Story"
was released in 2016. She is currently updating and expanding the
encyclopedia for an upcoming release. Her books can be found at the publisher's website:
1701 press.com
*Support this website and its research by purchasing the books at 1701 press.com
Merry Christmas in July! Today begins the month-long celebration
of Christmas entertainment. As announced before, each day this month I
will be sharing brief reminisces about Christmas TV episodes, specials,
and movies with a IT'S A WONDERFUL SUMMER
attitude. Yes--this month I'm sharing brief essays about TV adaptations of the 1946 movie "It's a Wonderful Life" along with TV programs with significant references to the movie. Just a little something different and a
way for me to show off the diversity of holiday stories I've collected
in the encyclopedia Tis the Season TV (the updated and expanded 2nd edition being released soon).
Original TV Guide magazine ad from 1977.
Let's kick off July with a discussion of the 1977 Christmas TV movie "It Happened One Christmas" which made its debut December 11, 1977 on ABC. This is a feature-length, made-for-TV adaptation of the classic 1946 film “It’s a Wonderful Life.” This version features several characters cast in different gendered roles. For example, the lead role here is Mary Bailey, instead of George Bailey. However, the spirit of the story remains the same. In this version, Mary Bailey spends her life setting aside her own goals and ambitions to help her family business and the residents of her small town better their lives. After a life spent making sacrifices for others, Mary comes to question if her choices were all worth it. Mary’s guardian angel Clara arrives and shows Mary what life would be like for the people in Bedford Falls if she had not been there to help them and continually challenge the wealthy Mr. Potter’s influence.
The cast includes Marlo Thomas as Mary Bailey Hatch, Wayne Rogers as her
husband George, Orson Welles as Mr. Potter, Cloris Leachman as the
angel Clara Oddbody, Christopher Guest as brother Harry Bailey, Doris
Roberts as mother, and Barney Martin as Uncle Willie.
TV critics panned this movie and it quietly disappeared from television. This remake seems to be missing some of the charm and chemistry of the original movie, however any adaptation will feel challenged to match the magic of Frank Capra’s hand.
Marlo Thomas didn’t just star in this film--she also co-produced it. Switching the traditional gendered roles of three major characters seems in keeping with her feminism and 1970s TV movies in general. The production was nominated for two Emmys--one for Outstanding Art Direction, and Cloris Leachman earned another for Outstanding Supporting Actress.
Don't forget--I'll be posting each day throughout the month of July about programs inspired by "It's a Wonderful Life." Enjoy your summer!
Joanna Wilson is a TV researcher and book author specializing
in Christmas entertainment. More about the TV programs mentioned on this website can
be found in her book "Tis the Season TV: the Encyclopedia of Christmas-themed Episodes, Specials, and Made-for-TV Movies." Her latest book "Triple Dog Dare:
Watching--& Surviving--the 24-Hour Marathon of A Christmas Story"
was released in 2016. She is currently updating and expanding the
encyclopedia for an upcoming release. Her books can be found at the publisher's website:
1701 press.com
*Support this website and its research by purchasing the books at 1701 press.com
Happy Summer! The annual Christmas in July party I host each
year on this blog is
happening again soon. If you've been around awhile, you may remember
that the summer time party is a little different each year. I try to do
something
special in July because we all get very busy in December
and it's fun to have a get-together when we aren't in the midst of
the holiday season. This is the 8th year we've come together to do
this--THANK YOU for joining in again!
I'm going to do Christmas in July this year in a similar manner to last year's event. I'll be sharing brief, daily
reminisces about Christmas TV episodes, specials, and movies--but this year, I'll be sharing programs inspired by the 1946 movie "It's a Wonderful Life." Yup--I'll be sharing adaptations and programs with significant references to "It's a Wonderful Life." The programs I'm selecting for the July posts are NOT an exhaustive list of adaptations and references to "It's a Wonderful Life"--there are far more than 31. This is just be a fun treat and a
way for me to show off the diversity of holiday stories I've collected
in the encyclopedia Tis the Season TV.
To participate, all you have to do is follow along. I'll be sharing a different "It's a Wonderful Life"
TV programs or movies everyday. Feel free to follow along daily or
weekly. Maybe you're the type to check back on July 31st to see them all
after the end of the party. It is all good! However you want to follow,
I appreciate you. Everyone is welcome. I'll also be sharing the daily
content through social media: on the Facebook page Christmas TV History, on twitter: @TistheSeasonTV, and on Instagram: @TistheSeasonTV.
The fun starts on July 1st and will continue through the last day of the
month. Think you know what I'm going to talk about this July? You
might--but I'm certain there will be some surprises too. See you in July!
Joanna Wilson is a TV researcher and book author specializing
in Christmas entertainment. More about the TV programs mentioned on this website can
be found in her book "Tis the Season TV: the Encyclopedia of Christmas-themed Episodes, Specials, and Made-for-TV Movies." Her latest book "Triple Dog Dare:
Watching--& Surviving--the 24-Hour Marathon of A Christmas Story"
was released in 2016. She is currently updating and expanding the
encyclopedia for an upcoming release. Her books can be found at the publisher's website:
1701 press.com
*Support this website and its research by purchasing the books at 1701 press.com
It's the most wonderful time of the year, isn't it? The Christmas TV
movies have already begun airing, Christmas music is playing on local
radio stations, the days are growing shorter, and the air outside is
crisp.
The
viewing options for Christmas movies and specials during November
and December each year are overwhelming--even for me. Last year, I counted over
400 new Christmas and New Year's TV programs and movies released and this year is already well beyond last year's numbers. Let
me help you
with the details of where to find the best holiday programming for 2021.
This is not an exhaustive list and new information is still being released. However, this is where you will find the majority of new holiday programming airing this year.
(Click on image to enlarge)
Christmas TV Movies:
For many holiday movie fans, the Hallmark Channel is the
first name in Christmas TV movies. This year alone, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, and their streaming platform Hallmark Movies NOW are debuting 41 new
Christmas TV movies, alongside many previously released classics from their archives. If you
didn't already know, the movie marathon has already begun--Hallmark started
Friday, October 22th--and continues all day and all night through the
end
of December. Hallmark typically debuts their new holiday movies on Friday, Saturday
and Sunday
nights. Hallmark Movies & Mysteries' new movies debut this year on Saturday nights. Hallmark Movies NOW streaming platform will debut their one new movie "Every Time a Bell Rings" on Nov. 18th.
HERE
is link to a checklist of Hallmark's Christmas TV movie premieres. The daily
schedule of their holiday movies can be found on their website HERE.
Click HERE to see the checklist of Hallmark Movies & Mysteries' new Christmas movies for 2021. HERE is the link to HMM daily schedule on their website.
The 41 new movies by Hallmark this year are across all three platforms (Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, and Hallmark Movies NOW). If you don't have cable TV, you can also watch Hallmark Christmas movies on several apps including Frndly, YouTubeTV, and Hallmark Movies NOW.
(Click to enlarge)
Lifetime is debuting 35 new Christmas TV movies in 2021 as well. I
know, right? In order to stay competitive, Lifetime has scheduled their movies in a clever way. They don't start debuting movies until Nov. 12th, on Saturday and Sunday night. Then starting on Thanksgiving Night, they debut a new Christmas TV movie EVERY NIGHT until Christmas! EVERY NIGHT! Yes, every night. Check the schedule and see for yourself. No more reruns on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday nights.
HERE is a link to Lifetime's website with more info about their movies this year.
A new cable network rebranded this September as GAC Family is also jumping into the Christmas TV movie game. They are debuting 12 new movies this year--and one Christmas episode of the series When Hope Calls (a former Hallmark series picked up by GAC). There's a tremendous amount of buzz about these twelve new Christmas movies because GAC Family has worked with several production film companies to get their movies--the same companies that also make movies for Hallmark. So many of these GAC Family Christmas movies feature the same actors and creatives from other Hallmark Christmas movies.
If you don't have cable TV to watch GAC Family, you can also use the app Frndly to watch their new Christmas movies. HERE is a link to the GAC family website with more info on their movies and schedule.
(Click to enlarge image)
The streaming service Netflix is all-in on Christmas movies and series this year too. They have 12 new movies, several Christmas series, and series' episodes. One of the things I love about Netflix is the ability to click on a Christmas movie within the platform before it's even released and save it in your queue. Thanks Netflix! The movie Love Hard has already been released and I've seen it. It's definitely made for people who love Christmas movies--hint hint.
BET and their streaming platform BET+ are committed to Christmas TV movies. After a huge success last year, they are debuting 8 new Christmas movies in 2021. Click HERE for a list of those movies.
(Click on image to enlarge)
As usual UpTV is also debuting a full schedule of Christmas TV movies too. For those that love Christmas movies about royalty, this year UpTV is premiering the third movie in the franchise Christmas with a Prince: The Royal Baby. Click HERE for a link to the cable channel's website with more info about their Christmas TV movies.
OWN usually debuts several Christmas TV movies and this year is no different. They have three new movies and The Big Holiday Food Fight series--a cooking competition show, hosted by comedian Kim Whitley. I like those holiday cooking competition series--this should be good. OWN's holiday programming airs on Tuesday nights too which makes it easier to watch. There are TOO MANY holiday programs on Sunday nights--amiright?
Ion Television is debuting four new Christmas movies and airing their previously released ones too. You can find these movies airing on Sunday nights, Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Click HERE for the Ion TV schedule on their website.
Click on image to enlarge
Freeform is once again airing their 25 Days of Christmas programming block. Unlike in years past, I don't see any new original programming on the schedule this year. That's okay--Freeform is owned by Disney, and ABC and Disney+ are premiering new programming.
AMC is also airing their Best Christmas Ever holiday programming block again this year. It too doesn't include any new original programming--just classic Christmas movies and TV specials. The streaming subscription service AMC+ will debut the movie Silent Night starring Keira Knightley starting Dec. 3rd.
And, the Food Network is rolling out their holiday programming too. Their baking competition series have already started, including Holiday Baking Champions, Holiday Wars, Christmas Cookie Challenge, The Big Bake: Holiday, and more. These series are mostly airing on Mondays and Thursday, but repeat throughout the week.
Major Networks:
Of course, the major networks have their holiday programming as well. NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center airs Wed. Dec. 1st. The annual tree lighting ceremony and live concert always airs the first Wednesday after Thanksgiving. That TV special is followed this year by Kelly Clarkson Presents When Christmas Comes Around music special. The annual Saturday Night Live Christmas clip show airs this year on Thursday, Dec. 16th. And, the 1946 movie It's a Wonderful Life will once again air on Christmas Eve.
ABC's holiday programming includes the home decorating series The Great Christmas Light Fight which starts Sunday, Nov. 28th. The annual concert special The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration is also airing on Nov. 28th, and CMA Country Christmas is Monday Nov. 29th. On Dec. 6th, ABC is airing A Very Boy Band Holiday music special. And on Dec. 31st, ABC airs the annual music concert and countdown to the New Year on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest. Among these new programs, ABC is also showing older favorites including Rankin/Bass' Santa Claus is Comin' to Town on Nov. 26th, Olaf's Frozen Adventure and Toy Story That Time Forgot on Dec. 2nd. And, on Christmas Eve, ABC is showing Shrek the Halls and both Prep & Landing TV specials. Lots of good stuff.
On CBS, viewers can once again enjoy Rankin/Bass' Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer on Nov. 22nd, the animated classics Frosty the Snowman and Frosty Returns airing on Nov. 26th, two Robbie the Reindeer animated specials and The Story of Santa Claus will air on Nov. 27th, the annual music concert that pays tribute to adoptive and foster families A Home for the Holidays and The National Tree Lighting Ceremony and concert are on Dec. 5th. Dec. 31st there's a New Year's music special New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash. This year, CBS is also debuting two new Christmas TV movies: A Christmas Proposal on Dec. 12th, and Christmas Takes Flight on Dec. 19th. It's been a long while since CBS premiered holiday TV movies so this is a must-see experience.
And, A Charlie Brown Christmas which is available on Apple+ will also air on PBS this year on Dec. 19th.
The CW is debuting a TV movie The Walton's Homecoming--a remake of the 1971 TV movie The Homecoming: A Christmas Story airing on Nov. 28th. On Dec. 1st, they're airing Beebo Saves Christmas, Christmas Around the World on Dec. 8th, The Greatest Holiday Commercials on Dec. 12th, and more.
Diginets are also airing classic Christmas episodes from the past. Me TV is once again airing holiday blocks of Thanksgiving and Christmas episodes from its list of programs. See the Me TV schedule here.
Stay close to my social media links for more announcements about
fantastic holiday programming. If you'd like reminders of the new
Christmas TV movie debuts and other
exciting holiday TV programming, don't forget to follow my Facebook
page Tis The Season TV and/or my tweets at @TisTheSeasonTV.
Where on the metaphorical television dial do you watch your favorite
Christmas movies and specials? Feel free to share in the comments below.
Joanna Wilson is a TV researcher and book author specializing
in Christmas entertainment. More about the TV programs mentioned on this website can
be found in her book "Tis the Season TV: the Encyclopedia of Christmas-themed Episodes, Specials, and Made-for-TV Movies." Her latest book "Triple Dog Dare:
Watching--& Surviving--the 24-Hour Marathon of A Christmas Story"
was released in 2016. She is currently updating and expanding the
encyclopedia for a 2022 release. Her books can be found at the publisher's website:
1701 press.com
*Support this website and its research by purchasing the books at 1701 press.com
Apocalypse is the 8th season of the horror anthology series on FX.
As Halloween approaches, many TV viewers love indulging in Christmas horror stories this time of year too. One episode of the horror series American Horror Story: Apocalypse caught my attention.
If you haven't yet seen it, season 8's Apocalypse series centers on witches and warlocks caught in a fight for survival during a nuclear apocalypse. The seventh episode "Traitor" includes several scenes serving as backstory on the witch character Bubbles McGee, played by Joan Collins. While the episode "Traitor" is not set at Christmas, the backstory scenes about Bubbles take place on set while filming a Christmas horror movie.
Within the episode, we see Bubbles filming the horror movie "A Christmas to Dismember."
The wife character is unhappy with her husband at Christmas--any of this sound familiar?
On Christmas Eve, the wife gets her revenge on her cheating husband.
Yes, Joan Collins as Bubbles McGee stars in a horror movie in which she plays a wife who murders her husband at Christmas time. While cleaning up his corpse, there's an unexpected knock at the door!
Her granddaughter upstairs is eagerly awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus.
There's an unexpected Santa Claus at the door but the wife refuses him entry. She later hears on the radio that a dangerous man has escaped from a nearby asylum.
The wife refuses entry to the Santa Claus at the door.
The scenes of the filming of the Christmas horror movie in "Traitor" end with the dangerous Santa Claus coming at the wife, the director calling "Cut!" and then Bubbles McGee walking off set. She's approached by her colleague who nastily quips that McGee has made the same tired movie before, even mentioning 1972.
a scene from 1972's Tales from the Crypt.
Any of this sound familiar? It should. This is a delicious nod to the Christmas segment in the 1972 movie Tales from the Crypt starring Joan Collins as a murderous wife and a killer Santa Claus. I wrote about that movie on this website before--click HERE to see it again.
The 1989 version stars Mary Ellen Trainor as the murderous wife.
The same story was adapted again for the HBO series Tales from the Crypt in 1989 in an episode entitled "And All Through the House." Click HERE to see what I wrote about the TV series adaptation.
These few scenes of Joan Collins revising this role are a must-see for Christmas horror fans.
Joan Collins participating in a tribute to this Christmas horror classic is amazing! Even though this is just a small bit within the episode, and a brief moment within the overall series--it's a memorable nod to an influential horror movie. It's also a significant TV mention of a fan-favorite Christmas horror story.
Did you catch this reference to the 1972 movie Tales from the Crypt when you watched the eighth season of American Horror Story? Are you a Christmas horror fan? Let me know in the comments below. Happy Halloween!
Joanna Wilson is a TV researcher and book author specializing
in Christmas entertainment. More about the TV programs mentioned on this website can
be found in her book "Tis the Season TV: the Encyclopedia of Christmas-themed Episodes, Specials, and Made-for-TV Movies." Her latest book "Triple Dog Dare:
Watching--& Surviving--the 24-Hour Marathon of A Christmas Story"
was released in 2016. She is currently updating and expanding the
encyclopedia for a 2022 release. Her books can be found at the publisher's website:
1701 press.com
*Support this website and its research by purchasing the books at 1701 press.com
Did you check out all the daily posts during the Christmas in July marathon? In case you were late to the party this summer, here's
your chance to catch up. Below is a complete list
of links to each of discussions on Christmas entertainment with a FUN IN THE SUN attitude. The month goes by
quickly, doesn't it?
Thanks to everyone who followed along and to all who
left comments. If you would still like to leave comments, please feel
free to do so--the discussion doesn't have to end just because the marathon is
over. And, keep your eyes open--the expanded and updated encyclopedia Tis the Season TV is coming this holiday season. Merry Christmas in July!
Joanna Wilson is a TV researcher and book author specializing
in Christmas entertainment. More about the TV programs mentioned on this website can
be found in her book "Tis the Season TV: the Encyclopedia of Christmas-themed Episodes, Specials, and Made-for-TV Movies." Her latest book "Triple Dog Dare:
Watching--& Surviving--the 24-Hour Marathon of A Christmas Story"
was released in 2016. She is currently updating and expanding the
encyclopedia for a 2021 release. Her books can be found at the publisher's website:
1701 press.com
*Support this website and its research by purchasing the books at 1701 press.com
.jpeg)
