DOUBLE ISSUE • 2 WEEKS OF LISTINGS VOLUME 65 | NUMBER 51 | ISSUE #3413–3414 In This Issue On the Cover 3 Morning Show Meltdown TV news faces a crisis as Charlie Rose and Matt Lauer are fired for inappropriate behavior. Plus: A look at the scripted series that have been halted by the latest allegations. 18 The Year in Cheers & Jeers Our favorite (and least favorite) things about the last 365 days of television, from Outlander and The Good Doctor to Marvel’s missteps and all those awful CBS character deaths. 2 Ask Matt 5 Upfront Inside the new Downton Abbey exhibit; a chat with Crazy 19 Ex-Girlfriend’s choreographer; the ultimate gift guide for TV addicts; Ed Asner remembers his former costar Mary Tyler Moore. Plus: Tributes to David Cassidy and Jim Nabors. The Roush Review: Top 10 of 2017 The Handmaid’s Tale, The Middle and more of Matt Roush’s faves from this year. My Obsessions Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Ming-Na Wen reveals some of her top things. Bianculli Celebrating the 50th anniversary of an underrated Beatles TV special, Magical Mystery Tour. 14 Streaming Fuller House, Will Smith’s Netflix movie Bright and Peaky Blinders. 16 Movies Happening, The Zookeeper’s Wife and a TCM Rex Harrison marathon. 24 Feature: Gunpowder Move over, Jon Snow! Kit Harington returns to HBO with a thrilling historical miniseries. 26 Feature: Man Among Cheetahs Wildlife filmmaker Bob Poole follows a family of big cats. 26 80 Crossword DAY-BY-DAY GUIDE TO THE BEST TELEVISION 29 What’s Worth Watching Week 1 Gwen Stefani’s NBC special You Make It Feel Like Christmas; The Gifted’s midseason finale; black-ish’s unique holiday episode; and Shameless scene stealer Shanola Hampton. 36 Week 1 Primetime Listings 51 What’s Worth Watching Week 2 Scorpion takes inspiration from a holiday classic; why we’re obsessed with Future Man’s Eliza Coupe; Great News’ leading lady Briga Heelan; what you didn’t know about the Yule Log. 58 Week 2 Primetime Listings 82 Week 1 Pacifi c Listings 96 Week 2 Pacifi c Listings ON THE COVER Clockwise from top left: Andrew Eccles/NBC; Jackson Davis/Netflix; 29 FROM TOP: STARZ ENTERTAINMENT; GINA POOLE/NAT GEO; PAUL DRINKWATER/NBCJason Bell/Sony Pictures; HBO; Cliff Lipson/CBS. TV Guide Magazine @TVGuideMagazine @tvguidemagazine Ask Matt @TVGMMattRoush America’s top TV critic Matt Roush PLUS YOUR FEEDBACK answers your burning questions SPREADING CHEER Toni When will Pozios wrote in Kevin (Justin because a certain Hartley) and Yuletide flick his siblings wasn’t included lighten up? in our holiday TV calendar [November 27, page 24]. “I was just looking at the list of programming and there is no mention of Christmas in Connecticut,” she wrote. “It’s disap- pointing that such a typical-of-its-time movie should be omitted from your list. Any reason?” There was simply too much holly-jolly programming to go around! Our main focus was premiere movies and spe- This Is Us has become more of a trial to What’s with Jennifer Hudson cials, with a few longtime favorites sprin- withstand than a pleasure to visit. In throwing shoes or boots at the kled throughout. For those looking to catch the past, I compared it to my beloved Voice contestants after they finish the 1946 classic Christmas in Connecticut, Parenthood, in which every episode a performance? To me, that is it’s on TCM on December 24 at 4/3c. It’s delivered more warmth than angst. But offensive. —Linda also available to stream on Amazon Prime. lately, it’s been giving me the feeling MATT ROUSH: To her, it’s a sign of that I hear some families get during SUPER SMASH Another reader shared ultimate respect, implying that the difficult holidays together. I know I’m her excitement over the latest CW Arrow- performer has knocked her socks off, not alone in my reaction. Can verse crossover, which aired November this be reversed? —Michaela 27–28. “‘Crisis on Earth-X’ was by far the best crossover event ever!” Nancy MATT ROUSH: I get the backlash Fernandez wrote. “Thanks to the over the high percentage of downbeat producers for giving us this action- plotlines recently. Kevin’s substance abuse packed two-night explosion of all my and Kate’s miscarriage are both worthy favorite superheroes. It’s left me stories, but to be happening concurrently wanting so much more!” in the “Number” trilogy does feel like piling on. Still, for every letter I get complaining Email us: about the turmoil, another empathizes Sometimes [email protected] with the characters, who have been Hudson can’t embraced in a way no family drama has curb her been able to achieve in ages (including enthusiasm TOP TWEET PATTON/NBC TRAE TV FESTIVAL; TRIBECA FOR IMAGES KEMPIN/GETTY JASON BATZDORFF/NBC; RON LEFT: TOP FROM CLOCKWISE Parenthood, which I also admired, though it was pretty manipulative too). I’d like to so to speak. Until she actually clobbers She said she was see This Is Us lighten up a bit in the New someone with her footwear, I’d say— just going out to Year. But let’s face it, this show will never as powerful voices have been known get some milk… be a laugh riot like The Middle. to sing—let it go. @halfadams (Suits’ Patrick J. Submit questions to Matt Roush at [email protected] Adams reacts to the engagement TV GUIDE MAGAZINE CUSTOMER SERVICE: [email protected] Call 800-866-1400 Or write: of his costar TV Guide Customer Service, P.O. Box 37360, Boone, IA 50037-0360 ADVERTISING RATES: tvguidemagsales.com Meghan Markle REPRINTS & PERMISSIONS: [email protected] PRESS INQUIRIES: [email protected] to Prince Harry.) 2 TV GUIDE MAGAZINE NEWS, VIEWS, TRENDS AND INDUSTRYTRY SCOOP Upfront Coanchor Guthrie (below left, with Kotb) announced the news that Lauer (left) was out MORNING NEWS MELTDOWN With the shocking firings of Today’s Matt Lauer and CBS This Morning’s Charlie Rose, what’s next for these a.m. institutions in crisis? BY ERIC ANDERSSON NEWS. WEATHER. HUMAN interest. of its kind to rock the morning landscape. sidebar, page 4)—the morning shows must When people watch Today, they have a Just eight days before, veteran newsman go on, even as they become the story. They pretty solid sense of what they’re going to Charlie Rose, who had anchored CBS This are, after all, an integral component of the get. But viewers who tuned in on November Morning since its debut nearly six years schedule—and huge moneymakers. A 29 were in for an unsettling surprise. As the ago, was fired on the heels of eight women report by Kantar Media estimates that broadcast kicked off at 7am from Studio 1A making reports about his behavior. (PBS, Today raked in a staggering $508 million in in New York City, a clearly distraught Savan- where Rose had an eponymous talk show, revenue for NBC last year, while CBS This nah Guthrie sat beside colleague Hoda also severed ties.) Morning made roughly $177 million. Kotb…not her usual coanchor, Matt Lauer. As an unprecedented amount of harass- Considering those numbers, NBC and Struggling to stay composed, Guthrie be- ment allegations sweep through the media CBS desperately need to retain their gan reading a memo that NBC News Chair- industry, repercussions—even those that audiences, which is easier said than done. man Andy Lack had sent to staffers just affect the fate of a crown jewel like Today— The biggest challenge, naturally, is re- moments earlier. “We received a detailed are swift, and can be seen instantly on the creating the rapport that the former complaint…about inappropriate sexual screen. “Companies have adopted a zero- hosts had with their respective coanchors. behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer,” tolerance policy,” media analyst Bill Car- “Morning shows are all about easing the Guthrie relayed. “As a result, we’ve decided roll explains. “If there’s an indication of audience into their day,” Jon Klein, a for- to terminate his employment.” bad behavior, you’re over.” mer president of CNN, noted to Bloom- berg. “A good, smooth chemistry…is TROUBLED TIMES BREAKING NEWS essential. Now the chemistry is disrupted.” The marquee journalist’s sudden ouster Unlike the scripted series that have landed But generating the kind of magic that after two decades may have been jaw- in a similar predicament—where networks Lauer shared with Guthrie and Rose FROM TOP: NATHAN CONGLETON/NBC; NBC CONGLETON/NBC; NATHAN TOP: FROM dropping, but it wasn’t the only bombshell have the option to simply pull the plug (see enjoyed with Gayle King and Norah TVINSIDER.COM 3 Upfront Continued from page 3 kid and the crazy uncle” Carroll says. MORE TV O’Donnell is no small task. “Will you really (That’d be the anchors, the newsreader be able to replicate that?” Carroll wonders. and Al Roker, respectively.) “I assume IN TURMOIL they are likely to stay with that.” HELP WANTED Over at CBS This Morning, Vladimir They’ll certainly have to try. For the first Duthiers, an Emmy- and Peabody-winning three days of Lauer’s absence, 10am host journalist, has been filling in since Rose left Kotb took Lauer’s place—a smart move the building, and he’s reportedly in the lead toward making the audience feel more at for the gig. Anthony Mason, the host of ease during a tumultuous time. Even so, CBS’s Saturday-morning news show, has she may not be the frontrunner for the the requisite chops as well.