Weekend TV: Charlie Brown and 'Peanuts' gang celebrate the new year
BY RITA SHERROW World Television Writer
Thursday, December 27, 2012
12/27/12 at 5:11 AM
The weekend between all the new holiday programming and all the New Year's Eve shows is usually fairly bereft of something to watch. But there are a few gems if you don't mind repeats.
Gang's all here
Charlie and his pals in the Peanuts gang ring in the new year in the animated specials "Happy New Year, Charlie Brown" and "She's a Good Skater, Charlie Brown," airing 7-8 p.m. Thursday on ABC, channel 8.
In the first, it's 1986 and Marcie and Peppermint Patty are throwing a big party. But Charlie would rather curl up with Tolstoy's hefty "War and Peace." In the second, Patty heads off to her first major ice skating competition with her coach Snoopy (of course) and best pal Marcie.
Second chance
Friday's rebroadcast of "Shark Tank" on ABC is all about getting a second chance. A Dallas entrepreneur, who previously turned down a deal, returns and asks Samuel Adams beer co-founder Jim Koch for advice when the Sharks offer to invest in his plastic wine-in-a-cup business. Also looking for investors are products that turn generator waste into gold, handcrafted cookies and a T-shirt that reveals a motivational message when the wearer sweats. It airs at 7 p.m. Friday on ABC, channel 8.
History comes alive
Spectacular cave paintings capture prehistoric civilization in the special "Cave of Forgotten Dreams," airing at 9 p.m. Saturday on History, cable 55.
France's Chauvet Cave, which has historically been off limits to visitors and cameras, comes alive in this documentary. The cave contains hundreds of ice age paintings of predatory animals and its floor retains paw prints of prehistoric bears and rounded depressions that are believed to be the "nests" where they slept, according to press information.
'Call the Midwife'
The nuns, nurses and midwives of Nonnatus House in London's East End know well that nature doesn't observe holidays as evidenced in the new "Call the Midwife Holiday Special," airing 6:30-8 p.m. Sunday on PBS, channel 11.
First, a young girl gives birth and leaves the baby on the Nonnatus House, causing the nurses to scramble to care for the child and find its mother. Then Nurse Jenny Lee takes on the care of a homeless elderly woman who has lost everything, and newlywed Chummy gets into the spirit of the season by organizing the children of Poplar for a nativity play.
'Downton' re-deux
And, to prepare for the return of "Downton Abbey" on Jan. 6, PBS is repeating the season two finale of the hugely popular period drama series from 8-10 p.m. Sunday on channel 11.
In 1919, the family gathers at Highclere for a Christmas that will hold revelations, introduce new employees and see one employee reduced to dog theft in a bid for attention. Valet Bates is on trial for murder, Lady Mary is engaged to - yikes! - a newspaper man and viciously ambitious footman Thomas will stop at nothing to gain favor. Ah, life at the manor.
Associated Images:
The Peanuts" gang rings in the new year with the half-hour animated special, "Happy New Year, Charlie Brown," airing at 7 p.m. Thursday on ABC, channel 8.UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE, INC.
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