What's On Tonight (Friday): Have Yourself a Merry Little Batman...

    

Merry Little Batman

Today's Top Pick is the very silly looking holiday animated film, Merry Little Batman.  Featuring the voices of Luke Wilson as Batman, James Cromwell as Alfred and newcomer Yonas Kibreab in as Damien Wayne, this looks like a lot of fun in a way that I wish more DC and Marvel stuff was. This is aimed at a younger audience, but if something is truly entertaining it doesn't matter who it's intended audience is.  

I do have one question though: why is this on Amazon Prime and not Max?  Apparently, this is more Zaslav nonsense (Amazon also picked up a spin-off series, Bat Family, along with another new series, Batman: Caped Crusader).  This is an original, fully animated, feature length (90 minutes) Christmas-themed Batman story.  This should be something for Max to crow about.  I suppose I should be happy it was sold off rather than being scrapped completely, but I just don't understand the logic.

TOP PICK

⭐🎄🎥 Merry Little Batman (Max Amazon, 12:01 AM) 'This Christmas, Damian Wayne wants to be a superhero like his dad – the one and only Batman. When Damian is left home alone while Batman takes on Gotham's worst supervillains on Christmas Eve, he stumbles upon a villainous plot to steal Christmas and leaps at the chance to save the day.'

*Netflix has the streaming premiere of the new star-studded film, Leave the World Behind.  I'm not entirely sure what this movie is about.  There appears to be some sort of global catastrophe going on, but it's unclear from the trailer what exactly it is or how widespread.  One thing that is clear is Netflix is bringing the star power with a cast that features Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Mahershala Ali and Kevin Bacon.  Reviews are decent if not stellar, but I might check it out just to find out what the mystery is.

*Were you one of the people who watched Your Christmas or Mine last year?  Then you are one of the reasons Amazon is premiering a sequel today, Your Christmas or Mine 2.   Was the first one good?  I don't know!  Was it popular?  Apparently!  At least this definitely looks like a cut above the normal "original" Christmas films that get churned out this time of year.  And it has David Bradley!  That's gotta count for something!

*You know who was a big fan of the old USA series, Monk?  My mom.  You know who won't get to see the new film, Monk's Last Case?  My mom.  She doesn't subscribe to any streamers and probably doesn't even know this film exists unless Shaloub went on Fox News to promote it.  What's the matter with you, Shaloub?  Don't you know the MAGA cult are also Monkamaniacs?  You're just shooting yourself in the foot.

*Baby Shark has a new movie debuting today on Nickelodeon.  This has been your warning.

PREMIERES

Culprits

🔔 Culprits (Hulu, 12:01 AM) SEASON ONE. 'Kicks off where most crime stories end: after a high-stakes heist, when the crew of elite criminals have gone their separate ways and have tried to leave their old lives behind. Past and present collide when a ruthless assassin starts targeting them one by one.'

🎥 Blood Vessel (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'Brought together by chance, six people fleeing a town devastated by oil pollution stow away on a mysterious ship - not realizing the dangers that await.'

🎥 Leave the World Behind (Netflix, 3:01 AM) 'A family's getaway to a luxurious rental home takes an ominous turn when a cyberattack knocks out their devices - and two stranders appear at their door.  Starring Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke and Kevin Bacon.'

🎥 Baby Skark's Big Movie! (Nickelodeon, 12:00 PM) 'Following Baby Shark and his family as they move to Chomp City, the big city of sharks.'

🏠 Backyards Gone Wild (HGTV, 9:00 PM) SPECIAL PRESENTATION. 'From sizzling outdoor kitchens with the coolest tech, to gargantuan spaces boasting top-speed waterslides for adrenaline junkies, David Bromstad checks out the most mind-blowing, tricked-out backyards in America.'

🎄NEVER TOO EARLY FOR XMAS PREMIERES🎄

Your Christmas or Mine 2

🎄🎥 Your Christmas or Mine 2 (Amazon, 12:01 AM) 'James’ father has invited the Taylors to spend Christmas in a luxury ski resort in the Austrian Alps, so they can meet his new American girlfriend. However, Hayley’s dad Geoff insisted on handling his family’s side of the booking and something clearly got lost in translation. After a mix-up with transport at the airport, the two tribes end up at each other’s accommodations, on different sides of a valley and opposite ends of the Tripadvisor ratings scale.'

🎄🎥 Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever (Disney+, 3:01 AM) 'After accidentally damaging a snowplow while making a snowman with best friend Rowley Jefferson, Greg worries he won’t get the new video game console he so desperately wants for Christmas. To make matters worse, he gets snowed in with his family, including his grumpy older brother Rodrick and annoying younger brother Manny.'

🎄🍰 The Great British Baking Show: Holidays (Netflix, 3:01 AM) SEASON SIX.

🎄🎥 The Sacrifice Game (Shudder, 3:01 AM) 'The Blackvale School for Girls, 1971. It's bad enough that students Samantha and Clara can't go home for the holidays, but things take a deadly turn when a gang of cult killers arrives at their doorstep--just in time for Christmas.'

🎄🔔 The Smurfs (Nickelodeon, 2:00 PM) "A Smurfy Christmas"

🎄🦈 Shark Tank (ABC, 8:00 PM) '"Shark Tank" rings in the holiday season as the sharks look to spread festive cheer to four new entrepreneurs.'

🎄🎥 Magic in Mistletoe (Hallmark, 8:00 PM) 'Harrington is a reclusive author whose recent comments on social media have ruffled some feathers. As his publicist works hard to spin damage control, she tries to unlock his guarded heart and help him rediscover the spirit of the holidays.'

🎄🎵 A Very Demi Holiday Special (Roku, 8:00 PM) 'A heartwarming, captivating special featuring music and plenty of out-of-this-world surprises, “A Very Demi Holiday Special” will fill your home and heart with a very Demi Lovato twist on the festive spirit.'

🎄🐻 The Adventures of Paddington (Nick Jr, 8:21 PM) 'Paddington's Special Visitor; Paddington Celebrates Hanukkah'

🎄🐻 Bossy Bear (Nick Jr, 8:48 PM) "Candle With Care; Happy Froofenfröögle!; The Winter Gift Swap"

 

🎄💀 Homicide for the Holidays (Oxygen, 8:00 PM) 'Christmas Eve Killing'

RETURNING SHOWS

🎥 Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie (Peacock, 3:01 AM) 'Monk returns to solve one last, very personal case involving his beloved stepdaughter Molly, a journalist preparing for her wedding.'

Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie

STREAMING

🔔 In Your Dreams (Amazon, 12:01 AM)

🚀 For All Mankind (Apple, 12:01 AM) "Goldilocks" 

👹 Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (Apple, 12:01 AM) "The Way Out" 

🏠 Diary of an Old Home (Discovery+ and Max, 3:01 AM) 

🔨 First Time Fixer (Discovery+ & Max, 3:01 AM) 

💖 Love Island: Australia (Hulu, 3:01 AM) 

🔔 Who's Talking to Chris Wallace (Max, 3:01 AM) 

🔔 The Curse (Paramount, 3:01 AM) "It's a Good Day" 

🔔 Fellow Travelers (Paramount, 3:01 AM) "White Nights" 

😈 My Demon (Netflix, 8:01 AM) 

🔔 Undead Unluck (Hulu, 2:01 PM) 

👮‍♂️ Cops (Fox Nation, 6:00 PM) 

LIVE SPORTSBALL TODAY/TONIGHT

🏌️‍♂️ 2023 World Champions Cup: Day 2 (ESPN, 12:00 PM)

⚽ Men's College Soccer: NCAA Tournament: Clemson vs. West Virginia (ESPNU, 6:00 PM)

🥊 One Fight Night 17: Tawanchai vs. Superbon (Amazon, 8:00 PM)

⚽ Men's College Soccer: NCAA Tournament: Notre Dame vs. Oregon State (ESPNU, 8:45 PM)

🏈 College Football: FCS Division I Championship: Furman at Montana (ESPN2. 9:00 PM)

🏀 NBA Basketball: Los Angeles Clippers at Utah Jazz (ESPN, 10:00 PM)

🏀 Boys High School Basketball: Teams TBA (ESPNU, 11:00 PM)

Leave the World Behind

🕗 EARLY PRIMETIME 🕗

🧛‍♀️ Monster High (Nickelodeon, 7:00 OM) SEASON FINALE. 'Clawdeen leads the monster representatives in the Blood Moon Eclipse ceremony in the hopes of bringing her mom back; Clawdeen, Draculaura, Frankie and the rest of the boo crew must save the Monster Ball -- and the world!'

🐷 Peppa Pig (Nick Jr., 7:00 PM) 'At the playground, Pedro and Penny's glasses fall off; both think that their glasses are broken, as they cannot see very well; Madame Gazelle shows Pedro and Penny different types of objects with lenses.'

💲 Hey Yahoo! (GSN, 3:00 PM) 
😂 Ridiculousness (MTV, 7:00 PM) 

🕗 8:00 EASTERN / 🕖 7:00 CENTRAL

🔔 Penn & Teller: Fool Us (CW, 8:00 PM) 'Featured magicians include Ramo and Alegria, Bryan Saint, Sion and Vilgot Michelin.'

🔔 Power Book III: Raising Kanan (Starz, 8:00 PM) 'Raq continues her farewell tour with one last job for the Mafia while Kanan dives further into the drug game with an innovative business idea; Howard faces a new threat at the precinct.'

🐻 The Adventures of Paddington (Nick Jr, 8:21 PM) 'Paddington has a special visitor that Jonathan and Judy help come from afar; it's the last night of Hanukkah and Mr. Gruber's Hanukkiah breaks before he can light the final candle.'

🎄🦈 Shark Tank (ABC, 8:00 PM)
💲 The Price is Right at Night (CBS, 8:00 PM) 
🤼‍♂️ WWE's Friday Night Smackdown (Fox, 8:00 PM) 
🤠 The Last Cowboy (CMT, 8:00 PM) 
💰 Gold Rush (Discovery, 8:00 PM) 
🎄🎥 Magic in Mistletoe (Hallmark, 8:00 PM) 
🚗 Roadkill Garage (Motortrend, 8:00 PM) 
😂 Ridiculousness (MTV, 8:00 PM) 
💖 Ready to Love: Make a Move (OWN, 8:00 PM) 
🎄💀 Homicide for the Holidays (Oxygen, 8:00 PM) 
👮‍♂️ On Patrol: First Shift (Reelz, 8:00 PM) 
🏈 The World According to Football (Showtime, 8:00 PM) 
🎄🐻 Bossy Bear (Nick Jr, 8:48 PM) 

🕗 9:00 EASTERN / 🕖 8:00 CENTRAL

👽 The Unexplained (History, 9:00 PM) 'There's nothing more fascinating than a code that can't be cracked.'

💲 Raid the Cage (CBS, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 Fboy Island (CW, 9:00 PM) SEASON FINALE. 
💀 Killer Cases (A&E, 9:00 PM) 
💰 Bering Sea Gold (Discovery Channel, 9:00 PM) 
🍴 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives (Food, 9:00 PM) 
🏠 Backyards Gone Wild (HGTV, 9:00 PM) 
😂 Ridiculousness (MTV, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 Belle Collective (OWN, 9:00 PM) 
💀 Real Murders of Los Angeles (Oxygen, 9:00 PM) 
👮‍♂️ On Patrol: Live (Reelz, 9:00 PM) 
💖 Love After Lockup (WE, 9:00 PM) 
🔔 20/20 (ABC, 9:01 PM) 

Blood Vessel

🕗 10:00 EASTERN / 🕖 9:00 CENTRAL

👽 The Unbelievable with Dan Aykroyd (History, 10:04 PM) 'In Boston, a 25-foot tidal wave of molasses; a dancing plague that kills 100 people; a surgery with a 300% mortality rate; searching the globe for the strangest and most bizarre deaths on record.'

💀 Dateline NBC (NBC, 10:00 PM) 
🔔 Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, 10:00 PM) 
🚗 Super Street Garage (Motortrend, 10:00 PM) 
🤼‍♂️ All Elite Wrestling: Rampage (TNT, 10:00 PM) 
💀 Murder in the 21st Century (A&E, 10:01 PM) SEASON FINALE. 

LATE NIGHT

🔔 Mysteries of the Abandoned (Discovery Channel, 11:00 PM) 'A building in Colorado is still marked with bullet holes from a Wild West shootout between union members and state militia; the ruins of the old mining town tell the heated story of a labor dispute that ended in sabotage and murder.'

🔔 The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (NBC, 11:34 PM) 'Actress Anne Hathaway; actor Peter Sarsgaard; chef Daniel Humm; comic Fumi Abe.'

🔔 Late Night with Seth Myers (NBC, 12:35 PM) 'TV personality Gayle King; actor Brian Cox; actress Da'Vine Joy Randolph; Bryan Carter sits in with the 8G Band.'

🤼‍♂️ All Elite Wrestling: Rampage (TNT, 11:00 PM) 
🔔 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS, 11:35 PM) 
🔔 Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC, 12:05 PM) 
🔔 Nightline (ABC, 12:37 AM)
🔔 The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS, 12:37 AM) 

📺Broadcast/Cable/Satellite - RETRO BINGE📺

The Andy Griffith Show (Sundance, 6:00 AM - 1:00 PM); Law & Order (Pop, 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM); M*A*S*H* (TVLand, 8:30 AM - 10:45 AM); Roseanne (CMT, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM); Living Single (TVOne, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM); Hawaii Five-0 (Ion, 10:00 AM - 2:00 AM); South Park (Comedy Central, 10:10 AM - 2:00 PM); Gunsmoke (TVLand, 11:50 AM - 4:00 PM); Seinfeld (Comedy Central, 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM); The Andy Griffith Show (TVLand, 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM); Family Ties (Antenna, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM); One Day at a Time (Antenna, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM); The Office (Comedy Central, 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM); Three's Company (Antenna, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM); Everybody Loves Raymond (TVLand, 7:00 PM - 11:05 PM); The Jeffersons (Antenna, 8:00 PM -9:00 PM); Barney Miller (Antennae, 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM); The King of Queens (TVLand, 11:05 PM - 2:00 AM); Designing Women (Antenna, 11:30 PM); Becker (Antenna, 12:00 AM - 1:00 AM); Wings (Antennae, 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM); Alice (Antenna, 2:00 AM - 3:00 AM); Mom (TVLand, 2:00 AM - 3:36 AM); Benson (Antenna, 3:00 AM - 4:00 AM)

📺 Johnny Carson (Antenna, 10:00 PM) 'Dean Martin; Bob Hope; Charles Nelson Reilly; Carol Wayne; The Might Carson Art Players.'

Baby Shark's Big Movie!

Key Sources: The Futon Critic; Zap2it; Netflix; Wikipedia; Horrornews.net; Sysfy.com; hollywoodreporter.com

⭐: Top Pick
💲: Game show
🎥: Movie
📺: Throwback
✔️: Video/gif/photo included