This is probably the quietest week of the year for TV. People are on vacation, hanging with family, off their usual patterns. So only a few shows are airing original episodes this week and nobody is bothering to debut anything.
Notably, Charlie Sheen's "Anger Management" goes quietly in the night Monday on FX after 100 episodes. Using a formula that Tyler Perry took advantage of for his TBS shows "Meet the Browns and "House of Payne," "Anger Management" was tested for 10 episodes. The show opened at an impressive 5 5 million viewers, fueled by curiosity after his blow up with Chuck Lorre and "Two and a Half Men."
FX gave the show 90 more episodes, as part of that agreement with the distributor Debmar Mercury and production company Lionsgate.
But viewership nosedived over time. By episode 15, fewer than 1 million people watched the show live. The most recent episode on Dec. 15 drew a mere 460,000 viewers.
Other similar efforts using this 10/90 formula have not worked out, including sitcoms starring George Lopez ("St. George") and a Martin Lawrence/Kelsey Grammer vehicle "Partners," both on FX as well. I have not heard anybody else try this model since because it focuses on quantity, not quality, as this AVClub story dutifully explains.
And none of these shows really fit FX's edgy brand of comedic voices along the lines of "Louie" and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."
Otherwise, this week features lots of repeats of classic and not-so-classic Christmas films.
These highlights cover Monday, Dec. 22 through Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014.
MONDAY
"The Great Christmas Light Fight" 8 p.m. ABC (second season finale) — Displays are featured from California, Florida and Connecticutt. Georgia is not respresented this year.
"Mike & Molly " 8:30 p.m. CBS — Molly is upset with Vince for trying to alter Christmas traditions.
"Major Crimes " 9 p.m. TNT — A man dressed as Santa robs a bank and gets lost in a Santa flash mob; Sharon's children visit.
"Sorority Sisters " 9 p.m. VH1 — Viewers who posted on Twitter hated this show last week.
" State of Affairs " 10 p.m. NBC — During a trip to Qatar with the president, Charlie deals with a local who claims to be a CIA asset.
"Anger Management " 10:30 p.m. FX (series finale) — Charlie has to make a decision between keeping his group and being a sports psychologist.
TUESDAY
"One Direction: The TV Special" 8 p.m. NBC — Amazingly, this boy band is still a thing though probably not for long.
"The Year: 2014" 9 p.m. ABC — Celebrities, newsmakers and special guests reflect on the events of 2014 with host Robin Roberts.
"Benched " 10 p.m. USA — Nina discovers that Trent and the district attorney's office are involved in a plot.
"Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce " 10 p.m. Bravo — Abby starts to date Nate, a married man with whom she has an emotional connection.
"The Real World " 10 p.m. MTV — When the roommates clash with Madison, she reveals a haunting secret.
WEDNESDAY/CHRISTMAS EVE
"A Christmas Story" 8 p.m. TBS/TNT (24-hour marathon) — "My father worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium, a master." - Ralphie
"It's a Wonderful Life" 8 p.m. NBC — "You've been given a great gift, George: a chance to see what the world would be like without you." - Clarence
"A Fox & Friends Christmas" 8 p.m. Fox News —Performers include Scotty McCreery, Andy Grammer and Jackie Evancho.
"Elf" 9 p.m. ABC Family — "We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup." - Buddy
THURSDAY/CHRISTMAS DAY
"How The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" 8 p.m. ABC — Spoiler alert: it doesn't work!
"How Murray Saved Christmas" 8 p.m. NBC — No, Murray didn't take down the Grinch to save Christmas.
"Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" 9 p.m. Food — Guy visits beloved neighborhoods across the country serving up home-cooked favorites.
"The Carbonaro Effect" 10 p.m. TruTV — A child safety pill bottle with built-in invisibility proves too complicated for adults.
FRIDAY
"Now That's Funny!" 8 p.m. CBS — On the set with TV's hottest comedies.
"Caught on Camera With Nick Cannon" 8 p.m. NBC — Hijinks captures on cell phones, dash cams, security cameras, news crews and camcorders.
"Mysteries at the Museum " 9 p.m. Travel (seventh season finale) — The disappearance of a writer; a Renoir painting; a police ledger.
"Treehouse Masters " 9 p.m. Animal — A 500 square-foot ski lodge treehouse is the gift Santa Pete wants to give the Splinter family.
"Wake Up Call " 9 p.m. TNT — Dwayne calls on chef Rocco DiSpirito to help him examine a family pizza business.
WEEKEND
"Too Cute!" 8 p.m. Saturday Animal — Eloise gets in trouble; Jingle finds his voice; grumpy Humphrey tries to find his holiday spirit.
"A Wife's Nightmare" 8 p.m. Saturday Lifetime — A woman (Jennifer Beals) becomes suspicious of a stranger (Lola Tash) who claims to be the daughter of her husband.
"The Librarians" 8 p.m. Sunday TNT — When the dragons sleeping beneath the earth threaten to awaken, Flynn returns.
"Undercover Boss" 8:30 p.m. Sunday CBS — Hooters and Twin Peaks have been featured. Now: Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill.
"Nanny Cam" 9 p.m. Sunday Lifetime — Linda watches as Heather, their gorgeous new nanny, slowly bonds with her daughter and husband.
"The Mentalist" 9:30 p.m. Sunday CBS —Jane thinks a colonel is hiding something and looks into his wife's death.
"CSI" 10:30 p.m. Sunday CBS — A 10-year-old murder/suicide case is reopened after a survivor claims her father was innocent.
This covers Monday, Dec. 22 through Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014.
MONDAY
"The Great Christmas Light Fight" 8 p.m. ABC (second season finale) — Displays are featured from California, Florida and Connecticutt. Georgia is not respresented this year.
"Mike & Molly " 8:30 p.m. CBS — Molly is upset with Vince for trying to alter Christmas traditions.
"Major Crimes " 9 p.m. TNT — A man dressed as Santa robs a bank and gets lost in a Santa flash mob; Sharon's children visit.
"Sorority Sisters " 9 p.m. VH1 — Viewers who posted on Twitter hated this show last week.
" State of Affairs " 10 p.m. NBC — During a trip to Qatar with the president, Charlie deals with a local who claims to be a CIA asset.
"Anger Management " 10:30 p.m. FX (series finale) — Charlie has to make a decision between keeping his group and being a sports psychologist.
TUESDAY
"One Direction: The TV Special" 8 p.m. NBC — Amazingly, this boy band is still a thing though probably not for long.
"The Year: 2014" 9 p.m. ABC — Celebrities, newsmakers and special guests reflect on the events of 2014 with host Robin Roberts.
"Benched " 10 p.m. USA — Nina discovers that Trent and the district attorney's office are involved in a plot.
"Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce " 10 p.m. Bravo — Abby starts to date Nate, a married man with whom she has an emotional connection.
"The Real World " 10 p.m. MTV — When the roommates clash with Madison, she reveals a haunting secret.
WEDNESDAY/CHRISTMAS EVE
"A Christmas Story" 8 p.m. TBS/TNT (24-hour marathon) — "My father worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium, a master." - Ralphie
"It's a Wonderful Life" 8 p.m. NBC — "You've been given a great gift, George: a chance to see what the world would be like without you." - Clarence
"A Fox & Friends Christmas" 8 p.m. Fox News —Performers include Scotty McCreery, Andy Grammer and Jackie Evancho.
"Elf" 9 p.m. ABC Family — "We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup." - Buddy
THURSDAY/CHRISTMAS DAY
"How The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" 8 p.m. ABC — Spoiler alert: it doesn't work!
"How Murray Saved Christmas" 8 p.m. NBC — No, Murray didn't take down the Grinch to save Christmas.
"Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" 9 p.m. Food — Guy visits beloved neighborhoods across the country serving up home-cooked favorites.
"The Carbonaro Effect" 10 p.m. TruTV — A child safety pill bottle with built-in invisibility proves too complicated for adults.
FRIDAY
"Now That's Funny!" 8 p.m. CBS — On the set with TV's hottest comedies.
"Caught on Camera With Nick Cannon" 8 p.m. NBC — Hijinks captures on cell phones, dash cams, security cameras, news crews and camcorders.
"Mysteries at the Museum " 9 p.m. Travel (seventh season finale) — The disappearance of a writer; a Renoir painting; a police ledger.
"Treehouse Masters " 9 p.m. Animal — A 500 square-foot ski lodge treehouse is the gift Santa Pete wants to give the Splinter family.
"Wake Up Call " 9 p.m. TNT — Dwayne calls on chef Rocco DiSpirito to help him examine a family pizza business.
WEEKEND
"Too Cute!" 8 p.m. Saturday Animal — Eloise gets in trouble; Jingle finds his voice; grumpy Humphrey tries to find his holiday spirit.
"A Wife's Nightmare" 8 p.m. Saturday Lifetime — A woman (Jennifer Beals) becomes suspicious of a stranger (Lola Tash) who claims to be the daughter of her husband.
"The Librarians" 8 p.m. Sunday TNT — When the dragons sleeping beneath the earth threaten to awaken, Flynn returns.
"Undercover Boss" 8:30 p.m. Sunday CBS — Hooters and Twin Peaks have been featured. Now: Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill.
"Nanny Cam" 9 p.m. Sunday Lifetime — Linda watches as Heather, their gorgeous new nanny, slowly bonds with her daughter and husband.
"The Mentalist" 9:30 p.m. Sunday CBS —Jane thinks a colonel is hiding something and looks into his wife's death.
"CSI" 10:30 p.m. Sunday CBS — A 10-year-old murder/suicide case is reopened after a survivor claims her father was innocent.
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