If Allison Williams wanted to fly with an extra project as far-removed from “Girls” as possible – which she did – the title role in “Peter Pan Live!” is about as good as it

gets.The actress (and daughter of weeknight “NBC Nightly

News” anchor Brian Williams) is on board as the network follows last year’s live staging of “The Sound of Music” with another beloved, family-oriented tale Thursday, Dec. 4. Williams has strong casting around her – including Christopher Walken (as sinister Captain Hook), Minnie Driver and Broadway staples Kelli O’Hara and Christian Borle – but she knows how much of the challenge is on her shoulders.

“I’m on cloud nine,” the pleasant Williams maintains of being chosen by musical-producing veterans Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. “It’s one of those things I know I’m happy about because I’m present for every second of it ... and thankful for every second of it. Usually, you kind of check out of things like this just to save energy, but I’m so aware of how this time will fly by.”

Williams continues a tradition of female talents such as Mary Martin, Sandy Duncan and Cathy Rigby playing the most famous resident of Neverland. “This is exactly what I had been waiting for,” she says. “I hadn't taken a role in a movie yet, and I’ve been very selective. I have this incredible

job as Marnie on ‘Girls,’ and the only way to do service to that is to take jobs that are in total juxtaposition. I’ve been waiting for some creative mind to look at me and see someone who’s the complete opposite of Marnie, and this happened.” (“Girls” returns to HBO on Jan. 11.)

“Peter Pan” was very much a part of Williams’ personal entertainment history long before she was cast in it, thanks in large part to watching the animated Disney version. “I knew that I would work my butt off tirelessly and obsessively,” she notes, “to realize this character who could not have meant more to me growing up.”

As much as she must handle in playing Peter Pan, especially on show night, Williams is quick to credit the many others helping her with the performance. She reports they include “people whose job it is to learn every dance, and they’re not even the choreographers. One of them is one of my best friends from college, and I was so surprised and delighted by that.

“Then there are the choreographers who are so wonderful and helpful, and my vocal coach, and the directors – Rob Ashford and Glenn Weiss – and Amanda Green of Comden and Green (the show’s original composers), and my physical trainer. I can’t even tell you how many people are working so hard on this.”

By Jay BoBBin

Editor's choice

Allison Williams has the title role in the special “Peter Pan Live!” Thursday on NBC. Click here for more on this special!

SSTORY

Allison WilliAms flies as Peter Pan

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folio

GinGer Zee of ‘Good Morning America’ on ABC

Your days can be very long when you start them with “Good Morning America” and end them on “ABC World News With David Muir.” How does that go for you?The 15-hour days have been plentiful, but that’s what I like to do. I worked with David on the weekends for two years and got to know him well there, and we have such a great relationship ... and people react to the two of us together.I was on “The View” filling in, and Patrick Duffy of “Dallas” was on. Right in the middle of the interview, he just stopped and said, “I’ve never been more interested in weather than when you and David are on together.” And I was like, “Wow.” It was interesting for me that out of all the people I’m on with, that’s who he chose to say. It was really telling.

Being newly married to reporter Ben Aaron, of New York’s WNBC-TV, do you find his understanding of the business helps when you have those long days?Of course, there are times where he’s like, “Oh, man, I’m gonna miss you,” but the support and love way-overpowers that. If he had to do this, he wouldn’t love it – but he does a different type of reporting, and he’s so into it.I’m very lucky that on so many of those long days, I’ll come home and he’ll be there with a glass of wine and a dinner ready for me. And I have an hour before I go to bed, and that is all I could ever ask for. He knows when it’s going to be one of those days. He can smell it coming.

JAy BoBBin's Q&A

How much did you know about “The Flash,” given the character’s long history in comic books and even a previous television series that starred John Wesley Shipp (who’s now playing your father)?To be honest, I didn’t know too, too much about Barry Allen. I knew what The Flash’s powers were. I kind of knew how he got his power. I didn?t know the specifics of the origin story. This is my favorite character I’ve ever gotten to play thus far in my young career, so I’m having the time of my life. I mean, he’s just so endearing. He’s so sweet. He’s curious. He’s a nerd, and now he’s a superhero. There aren’t that many better characters out there (like that) to play.

How do you view the desire of Barry Allen to be a superhero?Well, he’s always wanted to help people. I mean, his life goal is always to kind of make up for what put his dad in prison and get him out and kind of help his dad in any way he can.It’s just now, he has these powers and he can use them to help other people’s families so nobody has to experience what Barry experienced when he was 11. Do you remember what it was like to do your first scene as The Flash?The first time I shot in the suit was for the pilot was during the tornado moment where I, like, I catch a part of the roof and kind of throw it off me. And it’s raining that night ... I mean, it was just, like, really intense.

GrAnt Gustin of ‘the flash’ on tHe CW

Click here for more on ‘Good Morning America’

GeorGe DiCkie's Q&A

CELEBRITYC

CELEBRITYC

Click here for more of “The Flash”

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GeorGe DiCkie's Q&A

eriC GreenspAn of ‘eric Greenspan is Hungry’ on national Geographic Channel

Had you ever hunted or fished prior to doing your National Geographic Channel series “Eric Greenspan Is Hungry”?Never hunted before. I have two fishing memories. My dad tried to show me how to cast off – he’s not a fisherman either – and hooking my arm and ripping the skin. And then Thailand on my honeymoon, a water taxi guy took a liking to my wife and I and took us out fishing one day and caught some little fish and sailed out to this little island and cooked it for us over a little flame. Those are my only outdoorsman experiences.

On the show, what was your favorite game?I enjoyed turkey the most. I’m a big fan of cooking turkey but coming from a known palate of what turkey is to us and then tasting a wild turkey, to be able to distinguish the differences to clearly was unique. It jumped out at you that that’s not a Butterball. It was not a Butterball at all. And the hunt was so interesting, too. It was like the most boring experience of your life until you dropped the turkey and then it was awesome (laughs).

How did you get him?We were first in a stand. Then for lack of a better word, we set up a turkey nativity scene to try to draw them into these bushes. And then we were sitting at like these crossroads because they walk down the roads, and then we started doing the calls and the feathers in the trees. It was like every trick in the book. We finally caught one with a call and just kept calling it and calling it and calling it. All of a sudden the guy we were with “Bam!” I was like, “Oh my God, we got a turkey!” (laughs)

Click here for more of “Eric Greenspan Is Hungry”

FFOOD FOOD

F

MAxWellsamples the unusual and scary on ‘Booze traveler’

On Travel Channel’s “Booze Traveler,” host Jack Maxwell takes viewers along as he samples the strange and exotic libations of strange and exotic lands.Which can mean that occasionally he’ll have to down something that most of us would consider repugnant.Take, for instance, the concoction he consumes in Monday’s Peru-set episode, the frog smoothy.Yes, it is what it sounds like. Think Bass-O-Matic 76. And he had to drink a quart tankard of the stuff.“It tastes a little odd,” allows Maxwell, an actor by trade who hails from South Boston. “But it (has) molasses in it to make it sweet. There’s tree root, which makes it bitter, and that’s supposed to be good for digestion. Then there’s moonshine for the alcoholic effect. So it tastes like an odd combination of things I’ve never had before. But then in the back of your mind – excuse me, even in

the front of your mind – you know you’re drinking liquefied frog, so you just have to get past that. But it’s not a horrible tasting thing like some other things I’ve had.”Mmmmm, that’s good frog.Season 1 takes Maxwell to Iceland, Armenia, Belize, Mongolia and the scene of last week’s premiere episode, Turkey, to sample their native cocktails and foods, some even more bizarre than the frog smoothy.“It was kind of cool at the end of (the Peru episode) because I got to immerse myself into their culture and do what they do, which is what our show is all about, what makes ‘Booze Traveler’ special,” Maxwell says. “We immerse ourselves into the culture, the people, the places. Everything they do, we do, too. We become locals. We become natives. We are grateful to be there, so we do what they do and happy to do it.”

GeorGe DiCkie's WHAt's for Dinner

What are you currently reading?“I’m reading books about cocktails, about drinks, and I’m also reading one that my friend wrote called ‘Ascending Gallows.’ But I read books about the history of booze around the world and certain cultures.”

What did you have for dinner last night?“I went to Vito’s pizzeria, which is the best pizza in L.A., with an old buddy of mine from the East Coast. ... And we just went and had pizza and salad and just caught up and laughed ... .”What is your next project?

“This. This is my next project. Helping people understand what a fun and exciting show it is. ... And hopefully Season 2 right around the corner.”

When was the last vacation you took – where and why?“It was right before I was going out in April. I went home to see my family. My mother and sister and nieces and stepfather live in Phoenix.”

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niCole Curtisnicole Curtis is the host of Diy and HGtV’s home renovation show “rehab Addict.’’

• “Rehab Addict’’ debuted on the DIY Network on October 14, 2010.• By January 2014 and Season 4, “Rehab Addict’’ was airing on HGTV’s primetime schedule.• Nicole grew up in Lake Orion, Michigan and graduated high school there in 1994.• She is a self-taught home rehabber and designer, a master of salvage picking and a spirited advocate for saving old houses and rebuilding communities. • She is also a licensed realtor with Keller Williams.• Mom to Ethan and a pup named Max.• Nicole is very active on the “Rehab Addict’’ Facebook page and on Twitter. If you have a simple question, please post on either of those sites and you will receive a response from her directly.• When not swinging a hammer, you will most likely find Nicole cheering on the sidelines of her son’s soccer games, coaching the local baseball team or loading that piece of furniture you just threw out into her truck.

Allison Williams of “Peter Pan Live!” on NBC“I haven’t started to watch ‘The Roosevelts:

An Intimate History’ yet ... that’s my No. 1. I am excited to watch ‘The Affair,’ and I’ve been loving ‘Last Week Tonight With John Oliver’ and ‘Project Runway.’ And any ‘Bachelor,’ which is a love that will never die. There’s just so much. I am a television lover, but I haven’t been able to watch since rehearsals (for ‘Peter Pan Live!’) began.”Mandy Moore of “Red Band Society” on Fox“‘Transparent’ ... man alive, am I obsessed with

that. Just the fact that they were able to make that show – it doesn’t have to be a comedy, it doesn’t have to be a drama, it’s its own entity.

Just the fact that it exists in the world makes me so happy.”Anne Heche of “One Christmas Eve” on

Hallmark Channel“I was a little behind on ‘Revenge’ last year,

so I’ve become an addict – and not just because of (James Tupper, her partner, who co-stars on it). I’m really impressed with the acting on that show.” Kristin Chenoweth of “Kristin Chenoweth: Coming Home” on PBS“It’s two things: ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Veep.’

They couldn’t be more different – hello! – but I love them.”

CeleBrities profileD

Celebs’ favorite showsClick here for more of “Rehab Addict.’’

Anne Heche

CCELEBRITY C

CELEBRITY

Even if “Forever” doesn’t last as long as its title suggests, Alana De La Garza is happy to be part of it for whatever its tenure turns out to be.The “Law & Order” alum is enjoying tackling a procedural from a different stance in the Tuesday ABC drama series, which teams her recently widowed NYPD character Jo Martinez with medical examiner Dr. Henry Morgan (Ioan Gruffudd), someone who really knows what “forever” means. He’s destined to live that long, and only antiques dealer Abe (Judd Hirsch) knows that secret ... but Jo realizes there’s definitely something different about Henry.“He’s really kind of a savant,” De La Garza reasons, ”and she knows that. It’s like she says in the pilot: ‘He’s the strangest, creepiest dude I think I’ve ever met ... but man, he’s good at his job.’“Henry is kind of a loner, and he’s damaged like Jo, in the sense that they’ve both lost the loves of their lives. They throw themselves into their work, and they form this unlikely friendship.”When “Forever” had a two-night premiere in September, its ratings went up sharply from the first night to the second. “When I saw that it was better than what they expected, it was wonderful,” De La Garza says. “It’s not often that you read a pilot script and it becomes what you’d read on the screen.”Since the essence of “Forever” largely comes down to the interaction between De La Garza and Gruffudd, she’s grateful for what she terms their “camaraderie” as co-workers.“You know how you meet someone and feel like you’ve known them your whole life? That’s how I feel about him. We’re great friends in real life, and I think that translates to the screen, and that’s hopefully what viewers feel. We have so much fun.”

JAy BoBBin's CeleBrity sCoop

AlAnA De lA GArZA

Click here for more on Alana

Favorite television series you’re not in: “I really like ‘Orphan Black.’ That’s fun.”

Favorite singer: “The first name that pops into my head is Ray LaMontagne. He’s fantastic. When I walked down the aisle when I got married, my cousin played one of his songs on the guitar, and it was lovely.”

Birthdate: June 18, 1976Birthplace: Columbus, OhioCurrent residence: New YorkMarital status: Married; has two childrenPrevious career: Special-needs teacher


http://www.diynetwork.com/rehab-addict/show/

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SSTORY

By GeorGe Dickie

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‘Tis the season ... for Al Roker to be about as busy as he gets each year.

Having again co-hosted the annual coverage of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the weekday weathercaster for NBC’s “Today” and The Weather Channel’s “Wake Up With Al” is only just beginning his holiday duties. He’ll be back at one of New York’s prime gathering spots – which also is his main workplace – as he joins his “Today” colleagues Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie and Natalie Morales to preside over NBC’s traditional “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” special Wednesday, Dec. 3.“I kind of think of myself as Mr. Holiday,” the ever-genial Roker muses. “It really is one of those ‘pinch me’ things to think I’m a part of these traditions for people, and I wear that badge of honor with a lot of pride. People will come up to me and say, ‘I grew up watching you do this.’ ”As usual, a bounty of musical talent will perform before the switch is flipped to light the tree. Included are current “Cheek to Cheek” album-mates Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, plus Trisha Yearwood, LeAnn Rimes, Cyndi Lauper, Tony Award winner (and “Frozen” voice) Idina Menzel and the a cappella group Pentatonix. “Family Guy” and “Ted” mentor Seth MacFarlane also is slated to appear.

“You get to see some of America’s best performing,” Roker reflects. “And it’s such a majestic setting. Some of the acts will be performing up on the roofs of Rockefeller Center with St. Patrick’s Cathedral lit up behind them, or they’ll be on the stage in front of the ice-skating rink. Rockefeller Center is one of the few landmarks that has such art-deco beauty, but it’s also of commerce. It’s an office park, basically, but it’s a gorgeous collection of buildings.”This year’s tree is a Norway Spruce from Hemlock Township, Pa., with roots older than those of “Christmas in Rockefeller Center”: It’s 90 years old, 85 feet tall and approximately 13 tons.“A lot of folks who come down for this aren’t even near the tree,” Roker notes. “They’re down on 48th or 49th Street going toward Sixth Avenue, so they don’t see the tree at the moment it gets lit, but they want to be part of that communal experience ... to say, ‘I was there.’ There are very few events that draw people that way.”Roker’s extra seasonal work carries him through New Year’s Day, when he’ll again cover the Tournament of Roses Parade for NBC in Pasadena, Calif. He enjoys being connected to the entire five weeks of festivities: “It’s really like kicking off the holiday season and ending the holiday season.”

Al Roker co-hosts the annual special “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” Wednesday on NBC.


http://www.nbc.com/christmas-in-rockefeller-center

SSTORY

Anne Heche stars in the new “Halllmark Hall of Fame” offering “One Christmas

Eve” Sunday on Hallmark Channel.By Jay BoBBin

Anne Heche is happy to be able to do Christmas her way, whether she’s at home or on the screen.The former “Men in Trees” star and veteran of numerous movies including “Six Days, Seven

Nights” and “Volcano” has made a holiday project for “Hallmark Hall of Fame” before – “Silver Bells,” in 2005 – and she returns to the long-running franchise as it fully moves from broadcast television to cable’s Hallmark Channel with “One Christmas Eve” Sunday, Nov. 30.

The comedic new tale has an edginess appreciated by the typically lively Heche, who plays a mother-of-two marking her first yuletide as a divorcee. Just about everything that could go wrong does as an accident leads to a hospital visit, a showdown with an argumentative nurse, a carjacking and the potential destruction of a police station.

To put it mildly, what a night.“It was amazing” to see many of the same faces from the last time she worked for Hallmark,

Heche says. “I love family movies and I love what Hallmark does, so I feel very grateful that they came back to me. I still get $1.00 residuals from ‘Silver Bells,’ and it always makes me laugh because I adore that movie. I learned how to ice-skate for it.”

Noting that “One Christmas Eve” has a much different tone, Heche adds, “It’s still a lot of fun, a romp with a happy and cheerful Christmas ending. It starts with this woman’s desire to have the best Christmas ever, and to me, that’s the soup for humor. Of course everything’s going to go wrong, and it just gets worse and worse.”

Clearly, the character must keep prevailing, and Heche likes that her new alter ego “has to find her strength. I’m sure that when you lose your husband, you think, ‘How am I ever going to survive this? How am I going to make it?’ That’s an interesting thing to deal with in a positive way, and I hope I just make people laugh all the way through.”

The partner of actor James Tupper, of ABC’s “Revenge,” Heche has had a busy year. She began it still being seen in a recurring role on NBC’s “The Michael J. Fox Show.” Since then, she’s spent much of her time as an executive producer of NBC’s now-canceled “Bad Judge” and as a co-star of USA Network’s upcoming adventure series “Dig.”

“We’ve been all over the place,” Heche confirms. “We started the year in Winnipeg, doing ‘One Christmas Eve,’ and we’ve been to Israel and Greece and Croatia ... and now, we’re shooting (‘Dig’) in New Mexico. That’s more like a bus ride than going across the world, but it’s been a very exciting year.”

Click here for more on this special!

ANNe heChe’sblue Christmas


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Full Name: William Clay mattheWs iii

Date oF birth: may 14, 1986

height/Weight: 6 Feet 3 iNChes/ 255 pouNDs

Number: 52

College: usC

SSPORTS

BY DAN LADD

In 2013 the Green Bay Packers finished 25th in team defense, yet still won their division, albeit with only eight wins. Coming into this season, improvement was in order. The Pack’s defense may not be among the NFL’s most dominant, but it has improved, being ranked in the top 10 against the pass with much room for improvement against the rush.

Still, the heart of the Pack’s defense remains outside linebacker Clay Matthews. Matthews may not be putting up the numbers he has in years past, but after suffering a thumb injury and missing part of the 2013 season he remains a force to be reckoned with. As part of a defense that now has Julius Peppers and a Pro Bowl form A.J. Hawk, Matthews is on a pace comparable to recent seasons and continues to be a solid contributor. While he may not rush the quarterback as often or with as much success as in his early years, his leadership skills on and off the field are invaluable.

The Packers, meanwhile, are in a fight for the NFC North title and will have their hands full with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in a showcase matchup Sunday, Nov. 30, on CBS. This will surely be a test of the Packers’ improved defense and maybe even a Super Bowl preview. Anything is possible in today’s NFL, where teams are at the top one day and the bottom the next.


JAy BoBBin's tHeAtriCAl MoVie reVieW

When you see graphic news footage on television, it takes someone to record it ... especially in the very late and early morning hours.

The drama movie titled “Nightcrawler” does an effective job – maybe too effective, for those in the business – of profiling one such photographer, a fictional character extremely well-played by a gritty Jake Gyllenhaal. He’s a newbie to the business, attracted to it when he sees someone else (Bill Paxton) filming the graphic results of a car accident.

He decides to get into freelancing with such footage himself, and he has a willing taker in a TV-news producer (Rene Russo) who’s a firm believer in the mantra “If it bleeds, it leads.” In fact, she can’t get enough of such material, prompting Gyllenhaal to cross ethical lines ... sometimes even interfering with crime scenes when no one’s watching, to get more of the visuals she’s looking, and paying, for.

Smartly written by Dan Gilroy (who happens to be co-star Russo’s husband, and also makes his directing debut here), “Nightcrawler” isn’t as far-fetched as some might think, and that’s the scariest part about it.

In this highly competitive era for information sources, everyone is looking to be at the head of the pack. The question is how far they’ll go to get there, and for someone new to the game like Gyllenhaal’s alter ego, the boundaries define themselves anew.

Riz Ahmed also does good work as Gyllenhaal’s assistant, who’s less cutthroat but willing to go along anyway in exploiting tragedy for profit. The picture is something of a revelation for Gyllenhaal. though: He’s taken some big image risks on screen over the past decade, particularly on the independent-film front, but he’s never taken it quite this far to the edge before.

The result is a real tribute to the actor’s versatility, and even if it’s hard to imagine him doing a dozen variations on “Nightcrawler” – since the picture is so unique on the current film front – it certainly reaffirms that he’s game for anything, and quite able to pull it off. And that is something quite exciting to watch.

reVieW

MMOVIES

“DOLPHIN TALE 2” (Dec. 9): The dolphin named Winter needs a new companion of her own kind in this fact-inspired sequel; human cast members Harry Connick Jr., Ashley Judd, Nathan Gamble and Morgan Freeman also return. (PG: AS)

“GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY” (Dec. 9): Thievery-prone rogue Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) leads a ragtag group of would-be heroes in keeping a powerful orb out of the hands of villains. (PG-13: P, V)

“WHEN THE GAME STANDS TALL” (Dec. 9): A high-school football coach (Jim Caviezel) leads a previously obscure squad to a long series of wins in this fact-inspired drama. (PG: AS, V)

“MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT” (Dec. 16): Woody Allen’s comedy casts Colin Firth as a magician who falls for a medium (Emma Stone) he had planned to debunk. (PG-13: AS)

“TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES” (Dec. 16): The “heroes in a half-shell” get a screen rebirth as they try to protect New York; Megan Fox plays their reporter comrade April O’Neil. (PG-13: AS, V)

“THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU” (Dec. 16): The death of their father reunites his four adult children; the ensemble cast includes Tina Fey, Jason Bateman, Rose Byrne and Jane Fonda. (R: AS, P)Nathan

gamble

upCoMinG DVD releAses

Coming Soon on DVD...

JAy BoBBin's MoVie reVieW MoVies to WAtCH

“DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES”

Once again, the tables are turned on the human race, which is small in comparison to the simian population in director Matt Reeves’ (“Cloverfield”) well-staged continuation of the franchise. What remains of mankind in the wake of a devastating virus runs up against smart simian Caesar (“performance capture” work by that category’s king, Andy Serkis) and his ape civilization ... with war a very possible result. Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Jason Clarke and Kirk Acevedo also are in the cast, but as usual in these efforts, the special-effects and makeup masters reign supreme. DVD extras: “making-of” documentary; photo galleries. ››› (PG-13: AS, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray)

Top PickDVD

MOVIESM

Jake Gyllenhaal has a nose for news in ‘nightcrawler’

“NigHTCrAWLEr”


SFAVORITE SHOWS

S10 p.m. on FXSons of AnarchyIn the new episode “Red Rose,” Jax (Charlie Hunnam) reluctantly realizes it’s time for him to make the ultimate decision as tensions mount and some startling truths are finally revealed. Katey Sagal also stars. New

WEDNESDAY9 p.m. on ABCModern FamilyPhil and Claire (Ty Burrell, Julie Bowen) aren’t sure whether to believe Alex (Ariel Winter) when she claims she has a boyfriend in the new episode “Strangers in the Night.” The arrival of Mitch and Cam’s (Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet) new couch coincides with a visit from Mitch’s troubled co-worker (guest star Kristen Johnston). Jay’s (Ed O’Neill) bid to get out of attending a party may be thwarted by Manny (Rico Rodriguez). New

10 p.m. on BRAVOTop ChefIt’s finally time for the fan favorite episode, namely “Restaurant Wars,” in which the chefs are split into two teams and challenged to open their own pop-up restaurant. That includes creating menus, coming up with the theme and decor and training the wait staff to serve 100 discerning diners that include “Top Chef” alums Kristen Kish and Stephanie Cmar, as well as acclaimed restaurateur Barbara Lynch Gruppo, who also serves as guest judge. Padma Lakshmi hosts.

THURSDAY9 p.m. on PBS (check your local listings)Renée Fleming — Christmas in New YorkIn a city she knows well, given the many performances she has offered there, the famed soprano leads a musical salute to the holiday season in this new special. Another staple of the New York arts scene, Broadway veteran Kelli O’Hara, is among the guests. So are Kurt Elling, Gregory Porter and Rufus Wainwright, with the songs backed by some of the most familiar settings associated with the Big Apple. Selections include “Silver Bells” and “Winter Wonderland.” New

SUNDAY9 p.m. on AMCThe Walking DeadNew enemies — and have you noticed how there are ALWAYS new enemies on this show? — pay no regard to rules and morals in flagrant offense to Rick’s (Andrew Lincoln) hopes of finding a peaceful resolution between the two groups in the new episode “Coda” as the series goes on mid-season hiatus tonight. If you missed any of the eight episodes so far this season, no worries: AMC has you covered with a marathon starting Sunday afternoon. New

MONDAY8 p.m. on ABCCMA Country ChristmasJennifer Nettles returns, for the fifth consecutive year, as host of Nashville’s

annual offering of its musical celebration of the season. Carrie Underwood, Hunter Hayes, LeAnn Rimes, Little Big Town, Sara Evans, Lucy Hale (“Pretty Little Liars”) and Michael W. Smith are among those on board to vocalize this time. Not surprisingly, Nettles also will sing — as will Tony winner Idina Menzel, who now has added fame as a voice in “Frozen.” New

TUESDAY 8:30 p.m. on ABCA Charlie Brown ChristmasWhen Charlie Brown complains about the materialism he sees around him during the holidays, Lucy suggests he direct the Christmas pageant. He accepts, but it proves to be a frustrating struggle. When his attempt to restore the proper spirit with a forlorn little

fir tree fails, he needs Linus’ help to learn the real meaning of Christmas in this charming animated classic — which is now one year short of its 50th anniversary. The memorable music score is by Vince Guaraldi. 9:30 p.m. on NBCAbout a BoyFiona’s (Minnie Driver) first date with Mr. Chris (guest star Chris Diamantopoulos) turns complicated in the new episode “About a Duck.” She wants Dakota (guest star Leslie Bibb) to go along — and given his interest in Dakota, Will (David Walton) then becomes a fourth wheel on the date. While that foursome is out on the town, Marcus (Benjamin Stockham) is in the company of Andy and Laurie (Al Madrigal, Annie Mumolo). New

FAVORITE SHOWS

FRIDAY 9 p.m. on NBCGrimmA holiday like no other is marked in the new episode “The Grimm Who Stole Christmas,” as Nick and Hank (David Giuntoli, Russell Hornsby) probe home invasions that have residents of Portland on edge at a time of year that should be festive. Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) has special yuletide plans in store for Rosalee (Bree Turner). Truble (guest star Jacqueline Toboni) has a catharsis that affects many other people. Bitsie Tulloch and Reggie Lee also star. New

SATURDAY8 p.m. on NBCMovie: It’s a Wonderful LifeIf you weren’t aware it’s the holiday season before, you sure will be now. Small-town guy George Bailey (James Stewart) defers one big dream after another to stay home, marry a local girl (Donna Reed) and run the family business. Facing financial ruin, he’s pulled from suicidal despair by angel Clarence (Henry Travers), who shows him how terrible the world would have been if he’d never lived. Lionel Barrymore also stars in director Frank Capra’s 1946 classic.Andrew Lincoln stars in

“The Walking Dead”

Jennifer Nettles hosts “CmA Country Christmas”

Charlie hunnam stars in “sons of Anarchy”

David Walton stars in “About a Boy”

“renée Fleming- Christmas in New york”

Bitsie Tulloch stars in “Grimm”

“It’s a Wonderful Life”

Padma Lakshmi hosts “Top Chef”


tv link for nov. 30-dec. 6, 2014

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