Thanksgiving week won't be all reruns of Christmas classics like How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Elf, A Year Without Santa and The Polar Express.
If you like a parade, NBC has added a half-hour to its Macy's Thanksgiving Parade by starting live coverage at 8:30 a.m. Thursday. NBC also again will air a one-hour parade preview 8 p.m. Wednesday.
If you want to see the annual Fountain Square tree lighting, watch WLWT-TV's live Light Up the Square Saturday (6:30-7:30 p.m., Channel 5) with Sheree Paolello and Mike Dardis.
If you don't mind the pledge breaks, PBS stations on Saturday offer Johnny Cash: Man in Black — Live in Denmark 1971 (8 p.m., Channel 16); Andrea Bocelli on Great Performances (7 p.m., CET Arts Channel 48.3); a Celtic Woman 20th Anniversary Concert filmed in Dublin in August (8 p.m., Channel 48); Neil Diamond: Thank You Australia from 1976 (9:30 p.m., Channel 16); and Joe Bonamassa: Tales of Time (10 p.m., Channel 48).
Public radio also brings back its Thanksgiving favorites: Andrea Blain's Every Good Thing (8 p.m. Wednesday on WGUC-FM; 8 p.m. Thursday on WVXU-FM); Francis Lam's Turkey Confidential to help Thanksgiving cooks (noon Thursday on WVXU-FM 91.7); and John Birge's annual reflective Giving Thanks (5 p.m. Thursday on WGUC-FM 90.9).
If you want to binge on some of your favorite old TV shows — The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, Friends, All In The Family and The Waltons — or your favorite holiday movies, you won't be disappointed Thanksgiving week. You'll even find a few movies new to cable TV this year, such as Office Christmas Party with Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston from 2016, and 8-Bit Christmas about a Chicago boy in 1980 who wants a new video game system.
Here are my Thanksgiving week highlights. Watch for my Holiday Program Guide for programs Nov. 26 through Christmas to be posted here at WVXU Nov. 26.
SUNDAY, NOV. 19
A Year Without Santa Claus (noon, TBS): Animated. A disgusted Santa (John Goodman) considers taking the year off.
Office Christmas Party (1 p.m., TBS): A manager (Jason Bateman) throws an epic party to keep the CEO (Jennifer Aniston) from closing his office.
Fred Claus (2 p.m., TNT): Santa (Paul Giamatti) bails out his brother (Vince Vaughn) in 2007.
Four Christmases (3:15 p.m., TBS): A couple (Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn) spends Christmas with each of their four divorced parents.
The Polar Express (4:27 p.m., TNT): A train conductor takes a boy to the North Pole in 2004.
Elf (5 p.m., TBS): An elf (Will Ferrell) searches for his family.
A Boy Named Charlie Brown (6 p.m., ME TV): Charlie Brown wins the school spelling bee and a trip to New York in this first feature length "Peanuts" movie in 1969.
A Year Without Santa Claus (6:27 p.m., TNT): Animated. A disgusted Santa (John Goodman) considers taking the year off.
Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas (7:30 p.m., TNT): Boris Karloff narrates the 1966 classic cartoon.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (8 p.m., TNT): A Griswold family Christmas with Chevy Chase in 1989.
All in the Family (8 p.m., Me TV): Archie goes to church after an accident on the loading dock.
All In The Family (8:30 p.m., Me TV): Thanksgiving dinner erupts in a fight after Mike and Gloria say they don't want to impose religion on their baby.
MONDAY, NOV. 20
Arthur Thanksgiving (1 p.m., Channels 48, 16): Arthur and friends prepare for the Thanksgiving parade.
JFK: Breaking the News (10 p.m., Channels 16): Jane Pauley looks at television coverage of the Kennedy assassination in 1963.
TUESDAY, NOV. 21
Arthur Thanksgiving (1 p.m., Channels 48, 16): Arthur and friends prepare for the Thanksgiving parade.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 22
The Waltons (noon, MeTV): The Thanksgiving Story, Part 1: A turkey shoot, a school play about the Pilgrims and the big dinner.
Arthur Thanksgiving (1 p.m., Channels 48, 16): Arthur and friends prepare for the Thanksgiving parade.
Countdown to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (8 p.m., NBC): Sneak peek at the floats, balloons and bands in Thursday's parade.
Every Good Thing (8 p.m., WGUC-FM 90.0): Host Andrea Blain and classical music fans give thanks and celebrate the gift of music.
Saturday Night Live Thanksgiving Special (9 p.m., NBC): The best Thanksgiving sketches from 47 seasons.
THANKSGIVING
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (Get a free seven-day trial to Apple TV+ to watch): Charlie Brown’s 1973 toast and popcorn dinner for the Peanuts gang.
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (8:30 a.m.-noon, NBC): Early start to live coverage of the 97th annual parade through New York City featuring Cher, Brandy, Jon Batiste, the cast of Back To The Future: The Musical and new Beagle Scout Snoopy balloon.
Thanksgiving Day Parade (9 a.m.-noon, CBS): CBS' live telecast of New York City's parade (see talent in 8:30 NBC listing).
Friends (10 a.m.-3:30 p.m., TBS): Marathon of Thanksgiving episodes.
Jack Frost (noon, TNT): A dead man (Michael Keaton) returns as a snowman in 1998.
National Dog Show Presented By Purina (noon, NBC, Peacock): With commentary by John O'Hurley and David Frei.
The Waltons (noon, MeTV): The Thanksgiving Story, Part 2: Conclusion of Wednesday's episode.
Turkey Confidential, (noon-2 p.m., WVXU-FM 91.7): Annual turkey triage special from the Splendid Table host Francis Lam and friends.
The Polar Express (2:12 p.m., TNT): A train conductor takes a boy to the North Pole in 2004.
Modern Family (3:30 p.m.-6 p.m., TBS): Marathon of Thanksgiving episodes.
Giving Thanks (5 p.m., WGUC-FM 90.9): John Birge's annual presentation of classical music and stories of gratitude.
Big Bang Theory (6-8 p.m., TBS): Marathon of Thanksgiving episodes.
Elf (7 p.m., TNT): An elf (Will Ferrell) searches for his family.
Every Good Thing (8 p.m., WVXU-FM 91.7): Host Andrea Blain and classical music fans give thanks and celebrate the gift of music.
The Wizard of Oz (8 p.m., TBS): Dorothy (Judy Garland) and dog Toto discover they're not in Kansas any more in 1939.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (9 p.m., TNT): A Griswold family Christmas with Chevy Chase in 1989.
The Polar Express (10:15 p.m., TBS): A train conductor takes a boy to the North Pole in 2004.
FRIDAY, NOV. 24
Arthur Christmas (8:30 a.m., TBS): Santa's clumsy son help the elves deliver a misplaced present.
Four Christmases (1 p.m., TBS): A couple (Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn) spends Christmas with each of their four divorced parents.
The Polar Express (2:45 p.m., TBS): A train conductor takes a boy to the North Pole in 2004.
Elf (3:30 p.m., TNT): An elf (Will Ferrell) searches for his family.
A Year Without Santa Claus (4:45 p.m., TBS): Animated. A disgusted Santa (John Goodman) considers taking the year off.
The Wizard of Oz (5:45 p.m., TBS): Dorothy (Judy Garland) and dog Toto discover they're not in Kansas any more in 1939.
Light Up the Square (6:30-7:30 p.m., Channel 5): Sheree Paolello and Mike Dardis host the Macy’s Light Up the Square live from Fountain Square.
Elf (8 p.m., TBS): Marathon with Elf repeating every two hours until 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25.
Greatest @Home Videos (8 p.m., CBS): Cedric the Entertainer and his video-seeking "elves" deliver a sleigh full of hilarious holiday-themed home videos.
Inside the Warren Commission (9 p.m., Channel 14): A look at the Warren Commission report on the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963.
SATURDAY, NOV. 25
Great Performances: Andrea Bocelli (7 p.m., CET Arts Channel 48.3): Andrea Bocelli performs songs from his Believe albums.
Johnny Cash: Man in Black — Live in Denmark 1971 (8 p.m., Channel 16): The country music icon performs his greatest hits.
8-Bit Christmas (8 p.m., TBS): A Chicago boy wants a new video game system in 1980.
Celtic Woman 20th Anniversary Concert (8 p.m., Channel 48): Filmed in August in Dublin.
National Dog Show Presented By Purina (8 p.m., NBC): Repeat of the Thanksgiving show with commentary by John O’Hurley and David Frei.
Neil Diamond: Thank You Australia (9:30 p.m., Channel 16): Diamond's 1976 concert at Sydney Sports Stadium.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (10 p.m., TNT): Marathon with the movie repeating every two hours until 10 p.m. Sunday Nov. 26.
8-Bit Christmas (10:15 p.m., TBS): A Chicago boy wants a new video game system in 1980.
