I'm making my lists, and checking them twice. First comes the list below of Thanksgiving and Christmas specials filling TV and radio airwaves the week of Nov. 24, and then my huge annual Holiday Program Guide posting Sunday, Dec. 1.
First things first: Viewers will see several changes this year.
For the first time in decades, CBS will not broadcast the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade from New York. Instead CBS will air its regular weekday lineup of Let’s Make A Deal and The Price is Right.
Only NBC, which has the Macy’s-branded telecast, will air the parade. Live coverage of the 98th Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade starts at 8:30 a.m., like last year. Dan + Shay, Idina Menzel, The Temptations, The War and Treaty, Coco Jones, and Jimmy Fallon & The Roots are among the scheduled participants.
You can preview the parade with NBC’s one-hour special 8 p.m. Wednesday. And for the first time, NBC repeats the parade at 2 p.m. Thursday opposite CBS’ Lions-Bears NFL game.
New this year are the crowning of a new Dancing with the Stars champion (8-11 p.m. Tuesday, ABC); WLWT-TV’s syndicated America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Celebration parade from Plymouth, Mass. (12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Channel 5); and The Untold Story of Mary Poppins (9-11 p.m., ABC). The beloved Julie Andrews film airs on Thanksgiving (8-11 p.m., ABC).
PBS celebrates the centennial of composer Henry Mancini’s birth Friday with Great Performances: Henry Mancini 100 at the Hollywood Bowl (9-11 p.m., Channels 48, 16). Performing with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra are Michael Buble, Dave Koz, Cynthia Erivo and Monica Mancini.
Mancini’s “The Pink Panther,” “Moon River” and other hits kick off 10 days of public TV fundraising musical specials with Willie Nelson, Whitney Houston, Leon Russell and Clive Davis, the producer and record executive who launched the careers of Houston, Bruce Springsteen, Janis Joplin and Aerosmith.
WLWT-TV again will broadcast Light Up The Square live from Fountain Square (6:30-7:30 p.m. Friday).
Public radio will bring you Andrea Blain’s Every Good Thing Thanksgiving reflections (8 p.m. Wednesday, WGUC-FM 90.9); Francis Lam’s annual Turkey Confidential advice for Thanksgiving cooks (noon Thursday, WVXU-FM 91.7); and The Spirit of Jim Thorpe, a one-hour look at the Native American athlete (and former Reds outfielder) airing twice Friday (noon and 8 p.m., WVXU-FM 91.7).
Thanksgiving week includes many of your holiday favorites: The Polar Express, Elf, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, The Wizard of Oz, Four Christmases and The Year Without A Santa Claus. (The rest will air or stream in December.)
And you’ll see a lot of your old TV friends with repeats of holiday episodes of Modern Family, M*A*S*H, The Big Bang Theory, Happy Days, All in the Family, The Waltons, Beverly Hillbillies and, of course, Friends.
P.S.: Don’t be afraid to turn off the TV, and put down your phone, to enjoy holiday gatherings with family and friends.
SUNDAY, NOV. 24
Happy Days (11 a.m., MeTV Ch 5.2): Mrs. Cunningham tells the story of the first Thanksgiving.
Christmas at the Holly Hotel (2 p.m., Ch 64): A New York food critic (Jesi Jensen) falls in love with a police officer while home for Christmas in 2022.
The Year Without A Santa Claus (2:27 p.m., TNT): 1974 animated show about a disgruntled Santa (Mickey Rooney) who considers taking the year off.
Beverly Hillbillies (2:30 p.m., MeTV Ch 5.2): The Clampetts spend Thanksgiving in Hooterville
The Polar Express (3:30 p.m., TNT): A train conductor (Tom Hanks) takes a boy to the North Pole.
Four Christmases (5:30 p.m., TNT): A couple (Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn) spends Christmas with each of their four divorced parents.
A Boy Named Charlie Brown (6 p.m., MeTV Ch 5.2): Charlie Brown wins the school spelling bee and a trip to New York in this first feature length "Peanuts" movie in 1969.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (7:30 p.m., TNT): A Griswold family Christmas with Chevy Chase in 1989.
All In The Family (8 p.m., MeTV Ch 5.2): Archie has a religious awakening after being nearly crushed by a falling crate at work.
MONDAY, NOV. 25
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (6 p.m., TNT): A Griswold family Christmas with Chevy Chase in 1989.
Elf (8 p.m., TNT): An elf (Will Ferrell) searches for his family.
TUESDAY, NOV. 26
The Waltons (noon, MeTV Ch 5.2): The family spends Thanksgiving in a Virginia hospital with John-Boy whose plane was shot down over Belgium in World War II.
Dancing with the Stars (8 p.m., ABC): Finalists compete one last time for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
The Voice (9 p.m., NBC): Singers compete to advance to the live shows in December.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 27
Friends (10:30 a.m., TBS): Marathon of Thanksgiving-themed episodes.
The Waltons (noon, MeTV Ch 5.2): Thanksgiving on Walton’s mountain (part one). Concludes noon Thursday.
America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Celebration (12:30 p.m., Ch 5): Annual America's Hometown Thanksgiving Celebration parade in Plymouth, Mass., home of the original Thanksgiving.
Countdown to Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (8 p.m., NBC): Preview of the floats and balloons in Thursday’s parade.
Every Good Thing (8 p.m., WGUC-FM 90.9): Andrea Blain hosts an hour of stories and music to celebrate Thanksgiving.
The Untold Story of Mary Poppins (9 p.m., ABC): A two-hour 20/20 special celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Disney film starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.
Saturday Night Live Thanksgiving (9 p.m., NBC): 50 years of memorable Thanksgiving-themed sketches.
THURSDAY, NOV. 28
98th Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade (8:30 a.m., NBC): Live coverage of the floats, balloons and the stars, including Dan + Shay, Idina Menzel, The Temptations, The War and Treaty, Coco Jones and Jimmy Fallon & The Roots. (Repeats at 2 p.m.)
Modern Family (10 a.m., TBS): Marathon of Thanksgiving-themed episodes.
Elf (11:30 a.m., TNT): An elf (Will Ferrell) searches for his family.
National Dog Show (noon, NBC): With John O’Hurley, Mary Carillo, and David Frei.
Turkey Confidential (noon, WVXU-FM 91.7): The Splendid Table host Francis Lam and guests talk turkey on Thanksgiving.
The Waltons (noon, MeTV Ch 5.2): Conclusion of Thanksgiving on Walton’s mountain.
Friends (12:30 p.m., TBS): Marathon of Thanksgiving-themed episodes.
Fred Claus (1:30 p.m., TNT): Santa (Paul Giamatti) bails out his brother (Vince Vaughn) in 2007.
98th Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade (2 p.m., NBC): Repeat of 8:30 a.m. telecast.
This Land: Thanksgiving with the American Sound (3 p.m., WGUC-FM 90.9): Host Jennifer Hambrick gives thanks for our nation’s diverse music.
Elf (4 p.m., TNT): An elf (Will Ferrell) searches for his family.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (6 p.m., TNT): Start of a 24-hour marathon on TNT through 6 p.m. Friday.
The Big Bang Theory (6 p.m., TBS): Marathon of Thanksgiving-themed episodes.
M*A*S*H (7 p.m., MeTV Ch 5.2): Most in the camp get sick after eating Klinger's Thanksgiving turkey.
Holiday Toolkit: Gratitude and Conversation (8 p.m., WVXU-FM 91.7): Grammy winner Amy Grant offers tips on enjoying harmonious holidays.
Mary Poppins (8 p.m., ABC): It’s a jolly holiday! Viewers can spend Thanksgiving with the 1964 Oscar-winning film starring Julie Andrews as a magical nanny in London.
The Wizard of Oz (8-p.m., TBS): Dorothy (Judy Garland) and dog Toto aren’t in Kansas anymore in 1939.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (8 p.m., TNT): A Griswold family Christmas with Chevy Chase in 1989.
Beverly Hillbillies (9 p.m., MeTV Ch 5.2): Elly won't let the family kill the Thanksgiving turkey.
FRIDAY, NOV. 29
Nutcrackers (Hulu): The Ben Stiller Christmas comedy filmed a year ago near Blanchester with local brothers Homer, Ulysses, Arlo and Atlas Janson premieres on the Hulu streaming service today.
The Spirit of Jim Thorpe (noon, WVXU-FM 91.7): The life and legacy of the Native American athlete (and former Reds outfielder) who broke records in three sports.
The Polar Express (2:42 p.m., TBS): A train conductor (Tom Hanks) takes a boy to the North Pole.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (4 p.m., TNT): A Griswold family Christmas with Chevy Chase in 1989.
The Year Without A Santa Claus (4:42 p.m., TBS): 1974 animated show about a disgruntled Santa (Mickey Rooney) who considers taking the year off.
The Wizard of Oz (5:45-p.m., TBS): Dorothy (Judy Garland) and dog Toto aren’t in Kansas anymore in 1939.
Light Up the Square (6:30 p.m., Ch 5): Mike Dardis and Sheree Paolello host the Fountain Square tree-lighting ceremony with dance teams from the University of Cincinnati and Lakota West High School; the Northern Kentucky skating club; songs performed by Southern Gateway Choir, Second Wind and retired WLWT-TV anchor Courtis Fuller; and fireworks.
Elf (8 p.m., TBS): Marathon of Will Ferrell’s movie airs every two hours through 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30.
The Spirit of Jim Thorpe (8 p.m., WVXU-FM 91.7): The life and legacy of the Native American athlete (and former Reds outfielder) who broke records in three sports.
Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer (8 p.m., CW): Cartoon based on the novelty Christmas song.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (8 p.m., TBS): A Griswold family Christmas with Chevy Chase in 1989.
Great Performances: Henry Mancini 100 at the Hollywood Bowl (9 p.m., Chs 48, 16): The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra celebrates the centennial of composer Henry Mancini by performing “The Pink Panther,” “Moon River” and other hits with Michael Buble, Dave Koz, Cynthia Erivo, Monica Mancini and host Jeff Goldblum.
SATURDAY, NOV. 30
Clive Davis: The Soundtrack Of Our Lives (3 p.m. and 10 p.m., CET Arts, Ch 48.3): A look at the producer and record executive who launched the careers of Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, Aerosmith and Janis Joplin.
Rick Steves European Christmas (5 p.m, Ch 48): Rick Steves visits Christmas celebrations in England, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Norway.
Elf (6 p.m., TBS): An elf (Will Ferrell) searches for his family.
Reindeer in Here (8 p.m., CBS): A young reindeer named Blizzard saves Christmas.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (8 p.m., TBS): A Griswold family Christmas with Chevy Chase in 1989.
Leon Russell: The Tribute (9 p.m., CET Arts Ch 48.3): The 2019 tribute concert to the pianist and songwriter in his hometown of Tulsa, Okla.
Whitney Houston: The Concert for a New South Africa (10 p.m., Ch 14): Her 1994 concert in Durban, South Africa.
Willie Nelson’s 90th Birthday Celebration (10 p.m, Ch 16): Sheryl Crowe, Dave Matthews, Miranda Lambert, Norah Jones, Snoop Doog and others joined Willie Nelson on CBS in 2023.
