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Next Week in TV 12/17: The Future is Bright with Netflix

By DRWHO42, Alyssa, Mario Wario

The holiday season is in full swing and the forecast for TV this week is a mixture of fall finales, a healthy dose of new entries on Netflix, and a ramping up of winter sports as athletes prepare for the Winter Olympic Games.

The bulk of the fall series have gone on winter break and this week is the perfect time to catch up on the DVR backlog, check out OnDemand, or spend time with the family watching holiday-theme movies. We highlighted a few of the holiday entries this week in Blue (a special thanks to NerdMuch site for their excellent list of holiday movies).

Netflix will be the place to be this week. The highlight if the week, better yet the year, is the film Bright which stars Will Smith. The premise of a Los Angeles inhabited by humans, elves, and orcs is interesting for starters and the trailers look fantastic. Also on Netflix is the return of Peaky Blinders for its 4th season and a few international series which may be appealing to try out including La Casa De Papel & Hello, My Twenties!   

Gunpowder, a three-part HBO mini-series starring Kit Harrington depicting the events of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605 London, is a highlight for those looking for a change of pace.  

Looking back at the fall series The Walking Dead left is screaming at the TV as it was revealed Carl was bitten by a walker. Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has been impressive and will have its fall finale this week (yup – it’s only been a few weeks since the premiere). Blindspot, which is also heading into its winter break, has been fun and interesting in its third season. The Gifted finished off its fall run with a gripping episode and has earned high marks from many in its freshman run (if you have not had the chance to see this series it is highly recommended).  

On the season finale front, Z Nation will wrap up its 4th season this week.  

As always, if you want to talk about your favorite television series, just click here to visit the FoCC forum. Have a great week and happy viewing everyone!

Editor’s note: Nerd/geek interest are highlighted in RED. Holiday movies are highlighted in BLUE.

DRWHO42’s picks:
New: Bright, Gunpowder
On-going: Agents of Shield, Blindspot, Supergirl, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Mr. Robot, Fresh of the Boat, Black-ish, Ghost Wars, Gotham, Big Bang Theory, The Punisher, and Superstition.
Binge / Stack: Hawaii 5-0, Westworld, Glitch, Elementary, Voltron, The Magicians, Supernatural, iZombie

Mario Wario’s picks:
New: Librarians.
On-going: Agents of Shield, Vikings, Shameless, and Dragon Ball Super (subtitled and English dub).
Binge / Stack: [Nothing at the moment.]

Alyssa’s picks:
New & Watching Live:  Happy!, Survivor, Runaways, and Wisdom of the Crowd.
Binging: Designated Survivor and Christmas Movies

 

Sunday – December 17, 2017
3:01 am
CBSAA No Activity

Set over the course of a major drug cartel bust, No Activity follows the misadventures of two low-ranking cops who spend way too much time together; two criminals who are kept in the dark; two dispatch workers who haven’t really clicked; and two Mexican tunnelers who get stuck in a space unsuitable for a pair of relative strangers.
From comedy titans Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, No Activity is based on the Australian series of the same name. No Activity is produced by CBS Television Studios in association with McKay and Ferrell’s production company Gary Sanchez and Funny Or Die. Patrick Brammall, Trent O’Donnell, Jason Burrows, and Joe Farrell will also serve as Executive Producers. Click for more information

10:40 AM
FREEFORM The Nightmare Before Christmas [Check for additional show times]
5:35 pm
FREEFORM Dr. Suess’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas [Check for additional show times]
7:00 pm
FOX A Christmas Story [Original Telefilm]

A Christmas Story Live! — Enjoy this three-hour live musical television event, which like the original movie focuses on 9-year-old Ralphie (Andy Walken), a boy who incessantly dreams of getting a Red Ryder Range Model Carbine Action BB Gun for Christmas.

8:00 pm
PBS Last Tango In Halifax: Holiday Special, Part 1 [1-hour Special Presentation]
8:15pm
FREEFORM Frozen [Check for additional show times]
8:30 pm
CBS Wisdom Of The Crowd: Alpha Test [1st Season Finale]
9:30 pm
CBS NCIS: Los Angeles: All Is Bright [9st Season Fall Finale]
10:00 pm
TNT Good Behavior: Letty Raines, In The Mansion, With The Gun [2nd Season Finale]
TBS Search Party: Frenzy / Psychosis [1-hour 2nd Season Finale]
10:30 pm
CBS Madam Secretary: Women Transform The World [4th Season Fall Finale]
10:45
FREEFORM National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation [Check for additional show times]

Monday – December 18, 2017
3:01 am
NETFLIX Special: Hello, My Twenties!: Season 2 [Special Presentation]
12:50pm
FREEFORM Charlie and the Chocolate Factory [Check for additional show times]
8:00 pm
ABC The Great Christmas Light Fight: [2-hour 5th Season Finale]
CBS Kevin Can Wait: The Might’ve Before Christmas [2nd Season Fall Finale]
8:30 pm
CBS Man With A Plan: Adam Gets Neighborly [2nd Season Fall Finale]
9:00 pm
CBS Superior Donuts: Electile Dysfunction [2nd Season Fall Finale]
FREEFORM Elf [Check for additional show times]
9:30 pm
CBS 9jkl: It Happened One Night [1st Season Fall Finale]
10:00 pm
HBO Gunpowder: Episode #1 [Series Premiere]

Gunpowder, a three-part thriller based on the 17th century events that led to Guy Fawkes Day, is coming to HBO. The miniseries, written by Ronan Bennet (Top Boy) and directed by J Blakeson (The Disappearance of Alice Creed) stars Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) as Robert Catesby, who was the driving force behind the Gunpowder Plot in 1605 London.
Originally presented on BBC One “Gunpowder has been hugely popular .. in the U.K.,” says Kudos CEO Diederick Santer.

The story focuses on Catesby, a committed Catholic at a time when Protestant England persecuted Catholics relentlessly, as his refusal to abandon his religion brings him to the edge of financial, social and psychological ruin. Mark Gatiss (Game of Thrones, Sherlock) plays Robert Cecil, King James’ spymaster, who directs efforts to hunt down, torture and kill priests, while rank-and-file Catholics are subject to oppression and the loss of their property.

The cast also features Peter Mullan (Cinemax’s Quarry) as the Jesuit Father Garnet, who advocates peaceful protestation, and Liv Tyler (The Leftovers) as Catesby’s astute and capable cousin, Anne Vaux, who becomes suspicious about his activities and fears the consequences will be the exact opposite of what Catesby intends. Click for more information

CBS Scorpion: A Christmas Car-roll [4th Season Fall Finale]
10:30 pm
SHOWTIME Ill Behaviour [1st Season Finale]
TBS Tarantula: Frog Flog

Set at the Tierra Chula Resident Hotel, Tarantula centers on Echo Johnson, a respected but uncertified tattoo artist. Echo’s poetic ramblings tell tales of misadventures with the other residents as they partake in party crashing, dumpster diving and other socially dubious acts of mischief. click for more information

Tuesday – December 19, 2017
3:01 am
NETFLIX  Special: The Indian Detective: Season 1 [Special Presentation]

The Indian Detective is a Canadian comedy-drama series, debuting on CTV and Netflix in 2017. The show stars Russell Peters as Doug D’Mello, a police officer from Toronto who becomes embroiled in a murder investigation while visiting his father (Anupam Kher) in Mumbai while serving a one month suspension for incompetence. click for more information

6:40pm
FREEFORM Christmas With the Kranks [Check for additional show times]
8:00 pm
PBS Finding Your Roots: Funny Business [4th Season Finale]
9:00 pm
TNT Major Crimes: Conspiracy Theory: Part 3 [100th Episode]
10:00 pm
SCIENCE Strange Evidence: Episode 10 [1st Season Finale]
NGC Long Road Home: Always Dream Of Me [1st Season Finale]

Wednesday – December 20, 2017
3:01 am
NETFLIX Special: La Casa De Papel: Season 1 [Special Presentation]

Eight thieves take hostages and lock themselves in the Royal Mint of Spain as a criminal mastermind manipulates the police to carry out his plan. click for more information

8:00 pm
TNT Librarians: And The Christmas Thief

Thursday – December 21, 2017

3:01 am
NETFLIX Peaky Blinders: Complete Fourth Season [4th Season Premiere]
8:31 pm
CBS Young Sheldon: Spock, Kirk, And Testicular Hernia [1st Season Fall Finale]
9:01 pm
CBS Mom: An Epi-pen And A Security Cat
9:30 pm
CBS Life In Pieces: The Twelve Shorts Of Christmas
10:00 pm
CBS S.W.A.T.: Miracle [1st Season Fall Finale]

Friday – December 22, 2017
3:01 am
NETFLIX Fuller House: Episode 10-18 [3rd Season Finale]
AMAZON The Last Post: Complete First Season [Series Premiere]

Aden 1965. This is the story of a British army unit fighting a Yemeni insurgency in the Middle East and the women and children who were there with them.

NETFLIX Feature Film: Bright [Special Presentation]

In an LA rife with inter-species tensions, humans, orcs, elves, and fairies have been coexisting since the beginning of time. Two police officers, one a human, the other an orc, embark on a routine night patrol that will alter the future of their world as they know it. Battling both their own personal differences as well as an onslaught of enemies, they must work together to protect a young female elf and a thought-to-be-forgotten relic, which, in the wrong hands, could destroy everything. Starring: Will Smith, Joel Edgerton, Noomi Rapace. Director: David Ayer Click for more information

NETFLIX Special: 72 Dangerous Animals: Latin America: Season 1 [Special Presentation]
NETFLIX Special: The Toys That Made Us: Season 1 [Special Presentation]

An 8-episode Netflix documentary series about the history of important toy lines. click for more information

8:00 pm
NBC Blindspot: City Folks Under Wraps [3rd Season Fall Finale]
9:00 pm
SYFY Z Nation: The Black Rainbow [4th Season Finale]
9:01 pm
ABC Marvel’s Agents Of Shield: Rewind [5th Season Fall Finale]

Saturday – December 23, 2017
8:20 pm
NBC Sunday Night Football: Minnesota Vikings At Green Bay Packers [Special Night]

Mario Wario

Scott is a Spidey/Funko/video game fanatic, yet going to a pop culture convention is always his goal. Yes, he is also a fan of Mario and Wario. You can follow him on Twitter @ScottyTheWise.