Re: Selected programming for Nov. 16-17, 2024

On 11/16/24 6:21 PM, Robin Miller wrote:

Note: The news for the week will be posted later tonight, and the list of programming for Monday through Friday will be posted on Sunday.
            Saturday, Nov. 16
       Streaming:
  Widow Clicquot     (movie)      (3:01 am, Netflix)
 After her husband's death, a widow strives to preserve his vineyard, facing financial hardships and societal prejudices that question her abilities. 2024 film; 1hr 30m. Stars Haley Bennett, Tom Sturridge, Sam Riley, Anson Boon, Leo Suter, and Paul Rhys.
 IMDb: The story behind the Veuve Clicquot champagne family and business that began in the late 18th century.

You think their blurb might have included the time period, right!?!!  >:/

https://www.netflix.com/title/81771907
 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3234122/

Look, I like Haley Bennett, but this seems like a stretch...

     Broadcast and cable:
  Christmas at Plumhill Manor      (movie)       (8 pm, Lifetime Channel)
 Margot Stone, a beautiful rising architect in New York, discovers a magical Christmas secret in an English countryside manor she unexpectedly inherits. Experiencing Christmas across the pond may make Margot a fish out of water, but an unforeseen romance and sense of belonging give her a breathtaking new blueprint for love. Stars Maria Menounos and Kyle Pryor.
 https://www.mylifetime.com/movies/christmas-at-plumhill-manor
 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32501660/

The Maria Menounos of about a decade ago could have gotten me to watch this. But she's in her mid-40s now...

Jingle Bell Run       (movie)          (8 pm, Hallmark Channel)
 Avery is an unadventurous schoolteacher whose sister secretly signs her up for The Great Holiday Dash, a Christmas-themed reality competition show where she's paired with former hockey player Wes. Despite clashing at first, Avery’s puzzle-solving skills and Wes’ physical prowess help them excel as they travel from city to city and compete in festive feats that have a local flavor. It’s not long before a real connection between these opposites begins to blossom. But when Avery overhears a conversation between Wes and a show producer it threatens to derail their budding romance. Keeping their eyes on the prize, the duo continues to dash to the finish line but there may be a more personal adventure for them still in store. Stars Ashley Williams and Andrew Walker.

No Ashley Williams, *EVER*!!!  :p

A Christmas Less Traveled         (movie)            (8 pm, Great American Family)
 “The Dine and Dash” diner has a stack of mounting unpaid bills, forcing its owner, Desi (Candace Cameron Bure)...

And you lost me!
(Another one - the Candace Cameron of 15 years ago could get me to overlook a lot of what I don't like about her. Now? I just kind of don't like her, and haven't for about a decade...)

         Sunday, Nov. 17
  Landman         [new]          (3:01 am, Paramount+)
 The latest series from Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan is adapted from the Texas Monthly-produced podcast Boomtown and follows a group of blue-collar oil workers and the billionaire executives who employ them in West Texas oil country. Billy Bob Thornton heads a cast that also includes Jon Hamm, Demi Moore, Andy Garcia, Ali Larter, Michael Pena, Michelle Randolph, and Jacob Lofland. The first two (of 10) episodes stream today, followed by weekly episodes through Jan. 12. Limited series.

Considering how far behind I am on all the other streaming shows, there is no way I can fit this one in.

A Very English Christmas         (movie)          (7 pm, UPtv)
 Christmas in the English countryside wasn’t in Emma’s plans until her sister, Amy, plans her wedding for Christmas eve. Dylan, Amy’s co-Christmas market owner, teams up with Emma to bring order to the whirlwind wedding. Stars Kimberly Nixon, Lewis Griffiths and Poppy Gilbert.
 https://uptv.com/movies/a-very-english-christmas/
 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28505029/

So, this was released last X-Mas (2023) in the UK, and it was originally called "Christmas in the Cotswolds" apparently.
Amazingly, JustWatch doesn't have an entry for this one at all.

Holiday in Happy Hollow         (movie)       (8 pm, Lifetime Channel)
 Real estate developer Gracie’s ambitious new project faces an unexpected roadblock when she stumbles upon a quirky detail from the past: the charming Christmas tree farm she has purchased once raffled off tiny one-foot deeds to local families, each holding a sentimental piece of the land. To salvage her vision, she must team up with local historian Jack, embarking on a heartfelt quest to track down these families and persuade them to part with their cherished slices of the farm. Stars Tamara Almeida and Cody Ray Thompson. Originally titled "Christmas at Carbell Family Farm."
 https://www.mylifetime.com/movies/holiday-in-happy-hollow
 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30227353/

Maybe. (I liked Tamara Almeida in "Secrets at the Inn".) But no promises.

Confessions of a Christmas Letter      (movie)       (8 pm, Hallmark Channel)
 Settie Rose, a quirky family matriarch, enters her town’s annual holiday letter-writing contest but needs help, so she hires struggling novelist Juan to craft the perfect letter. When a mix-up leads to the rumor that Juan is engaged to Settie’s daughter Lily, the whole family scrambles to keep up the charade. As Juan bonds with the Roses and overcomes his writer’s block, Settie learns that embracing her imperfect family is what truly makes her story special. Stars Angela Kinsey, Lillian Doucet-Roche and Alec Santos.
 https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/confessions-of-a-christmas-letter
 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33401152/

So, who the hell is Lillian Doucet-Roche?! She was apparently in an episode of "Wu Assassins", so I've actually seen her before. She was also in two of the "A Cinderella Story" flicks, including the one with Bailee Madison - the ones I have never seen.

A Cozy Christmas Quilt       (movie)         (8 pm, Great American Family)
 Liam, a fireman, and Amy, a quilting teacher, team up to make the perfect quilt for Liam’s sister Lauren’s Christmas wedding. After a rocky start, the pair is forced to put differences aside and decide what is most important this Christmas. Stars Ferelith Young, Harmon Walsh and Alia Desantis. Originally titled "The Fabric of Christmas."

Meh.  [roll]

Dune: Prophecy         [new]           (9 pm, HBO)
 Once an HBO Max (then Max) original called Dune: Sisterhood (when it was first ordered to series five years ago), this TV series prequel to Denis Villeneuve's recent big-screen Dune franchise reboot now bears the HBO brand and the title you see above. Villeneuve was once set to direct the series—based on the 2012 novel Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson—as well but is no longer directly involved in the project, nor is much of the original creative team (or, for that matter, the second version of the creative team). Set 10,000 years before the events of the films, Prophecy is now under the guidance of former Westworld executive producer Alison Schapker and stars Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, Jodhi May, Travis Fimmel, and Mark Strong. Season 1 will run for just six episodes through Dec. 22.

Another one that I won't be touching until December...

The Marlow Murder Club       (season 1 finale; renewed for season 2)    (9 pm, PBS)

Yay?...