The Christmas TV Strategy Guide 2020
Post Christmas hangover done with? If not, get the last of the Christmas leftovers in some tiger bread and get the TV on, it's the only sane thing to do at the moment
1005 - More 4
What better way to start the day than with some prime Guttenberg in his 80s hey day? I mean, there probably are better ways to start the day but specifically today in the context of watching TV this is probably the best
1020 - BBC1
Think we've already had this but it's so good its worth mentioning again
1050 - ITV3
A banger! One of the secret best musicals, especially if you exclude the Golden Age of Hollywood musical and restrict that list to modern musicals. Yes, the kids are great but it's the nuclear grade quality of the songs that really keeps this film alive through the years. And the splurge gun, everyone wants one of those
1255 - Channel 5
You can exclude Matilda if you want to, as it's alway been on the list, so what you have here is either a cracking double bill or a cracking triple bill. Honestly, the 2 Addams Family films are so good with such a great cast there's very little to pick between them. Currently, for me, the first edges it just because it has the sweetest front flip through a window that you'll ever see
1320 - BBC1
Honestly, it's almost at the point that Pixar should be investigated for their cruelty to parents. As if Jessie's Song they hit us with this film about growing up and leaving childhood behind and my god Bing Bong and seriously I just want to watch a film and not be confronted by the inexorable passing of time that ruins everything. It really is a good film
1405 - PBS America
Since you've previously learned about Country and Western music, nows the chance to learn about the Civil War in a similarly long series of TV shows. And yes, I think this is the one that Tom Selleck watched in an episode of Friends but can't be bothered checking
1410 - BBC2
Here's a great Poirot double bill with the 2 films staring Peter Ustinov. The first is probably the best of the 2 but both are still fun takes on the Agatha Christie murder mystery genre
1440 - ITV2
A double bill of ups and downs starting with one of the perfect films of the 90s then an alright sequel to a decent film. Honestly, the best thing about Happy Feet Two is that you can refer to it as "from the director of Mad Max Fury Road" which is always fun
1700 - 5Star
There's probably someone out there for whom these two films are massively nostalgic and all that which is why I've flagged them; watching both in one sitting isn't exactly recommended as the second is far from being a good film. Like, really far
1900 - Sky Arts
Now this looks like fun, a old TV special with Ol' Blue Eyes crooning away with all his holiday pals. We'll have to see how well the bits in between have aged but you probably won't go wrong if you turn up just for the singing
2100 - ITV4
Normally Christmas ITV4 is throwing out all sorts of awesome double bills but not so much this year. In fact, this was one of the only ones to jump out, a 90s action film double bill although The Fugitive is far and away the better film though. 57 is good but I always struggle a bit with Snipes as a straight up good guy, he's always better as a heel if we're honest
2100 - Paramount Network
Speaking of Eastwood westerns, here's the first and one of the best. The stripped down story works perfectly with Eastwood's Man With No Name character making for a great film. Also has one of the best About To Kill The Bad Guys Preambles as Eastwood goes on about his horse being upset by people laughing at him
2230 - BBC1
Shall we say that this is the best of the Cruise/Spielberg team ups? Given that there were only two and the other is War of The Worlds then thats probably right. This is a really good film, mind, with a good twisty plot wrapped up in a superb art style
2250 - Horror Channel
Time for some horror! This has to be one of the cultiest of all cult films, one with a massive legacy despite it's original release being quite small. It was in the VHS libraries where it was found and it's legend grew, defo still worth it's 18 certificate as well
2325 - Film4
Gonzo Nicolas Cage in a blood soaked revenge film liberally covered in LSD inspired hallucinogenic imagery makes for quite the cocktail. It's definitely not for everyone but if it is for your taste then you'll have a wild ride with it