The December television schedule is a holiday grab bag of sorts. Or maybe it’s a white elephant exchange. The crop of shows is a bit random, and while the gifts might not be all that significant, it doesn’t mean they won’t provide a few laughs and some entertainment.
Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce
Bravo, returns Tuesday, Dec. 1
The cable network’s first original scripted series is back for a second season. While I was initially unimpressed, Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce grew into a show I looked forward to each week. Lisa Edelstein (House) stars as Abby McCarthy, a recently separated writer and mom of two. The series follows her struggle to make all the pieces of her life fit together, including her profession, kids, ex-husband, friends and new boyfriend. The show was a bit lazier and more frivolous than I would have liked, as it followed the Sex and the City blueprint a little too closely. However, with the midseason addition of Alanna Ubach (Legally Blonde) as Abby’s college BFF, the writers seemed to realize what they wanted to show to be. Now that the program has a clearer direction and the characters are better established, I’m eager to see what season 2 has in store.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
Bravo, returns Tuesday, Dec. 1
Remember that part in the introduction where I said December TV was more about fun than quality? The Real Housewives franchise is one of my dearest guilty pleasures, and Beverly Hills is the queen bee of them all. Last season we saw plenty of drama, arguments and general pettiness. However, what happened off-screen after the season wrapped is what makes it so intriguing. Cast member and former child actress Kim Richards was fired from the show after getting arrested twice, once for public intoxication and assaulting a police officer and then for stealing $600 of merchandise from Target (that’s a lot of throw pillows). Plus, series favorite Yolanda Foster (mama to supermodels Gigi and Bella Hadid) has been battling Lyme disease and is mostly bedridden. All of this is only a small fraction of the drama surrounding the show. I’m legitimately looking forward to indulging in the California mansions, weather and abundance of conflict.
The Wiz Live!
NBC, Thursday, Dec. 3
With its live musicals the past two years, NBC has made an utter spectacle of itself in the name of ratings. Carrie Underwood took most of the heat for her wooden acting performance in 2013’s The Sound of Music Live. Last year, poor Allison Williams had to endure some shade for Peter Pan Live, even though she was the bright spot of the production (spoiler alert: Christopher Walken can’t sing and only memorized his first three lines). But now we finally get to see a musical that hasn’t been done a zillion times. The cast of The Wiz Live! is pretty insane: Uzo Aduba (Orange Is the New Black), Queen Latifah (Chicago), Common (Selma), David Alan Grier (In Living Color), Amber Riley (Glee), Mary J. Blige (The Help) and Ne-Yo (Empire) are all playing leads. Newcomer Shanice Williams, who was found during an ordinary casting call, will play Dorothy Gale. I’m really glad that NBC is doing something different with The Wiz Live! I think it has the right cast and story to pull this one off.
A Very Murray Christmas
Netflix, premieres Friday, Dec. 4
What’s not to be excited about when it comes to A Very Murray Christmas? It’s Bill freaking Murray. After Tom Hanks, I think Murray is the one celebrity that everyone has affection for. This hour-long special will include “music, mischief and barroom camaraderie.” It’s a smart-ass take on those classic holiday variety programs and is set to feature guests like Miley Cyrus, George Clooney and Amy Poehler. The best part? The show will be on Netflix exclusively, so anticipate some cursing, innuendo and various holiday decorations covering Miley’s junk. It looks to be a fun time for everyone.
Transparent
Amazon, returns Friday, Dec. 11
The groundbreaking Amazon series returns for a second season. Jeffrey Tambor stars as Maura Pfefferman, a father transitioning to being a woman. It’s educational, touching and honestly what people need to see in 2015: a different kind of family. The revelation also leads to other family members discovering their true selves in honest and realistic ways. Plus, it’s created by UW-Madison alumna Jill Soloway and also features Madison native Bradley Whitford (The West Wing). This show is an important one to watch, and probably the only critically acclaimed program to premiere in December.
Adele Live in New York City
NBC, Monday, Dec. 14
For the last few years, Adele has been virtually invisible. But with the recent release of her highly anticipated new album, 25, she’s back in the spotlight. Cue a concert special where Adele sings songs from her latest record at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. There are fewer and fewer performers who can sing live and sound even better than on the album, and Adele is one of them. I can’t wait to hear her ridiculously amazing voice in that iconic venue. Her between-songs dialogue and opinionated and vivacious spirit make the whole occasion even more fun. Not even NBC can mess this one up; pretty much everyone loves Adele. Who wouldn’t want to see her from the comfort of their home?