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From angels gracing the runway to a country Christmas, we round up our top 10 shows to watch this week
You don’t have to be a fashionista to marvel at the hits and chuckle at the misses that happen on Hollywood’s red carpets week to week. Seven years ago, when the now-deceased Joan Rivers first graced the show with her dual senses of humour and style, Fashion Police quickly became a staple for celeb-watchers the world over. Sadly, following Rivers’ death in 2014, things were never quite the same, despite her daughter Melissa eventually taking up the mantle of co-host. This week, the series comes to a close for good with footage from a never-seen-before episode featuring Joan herself, in addition to an homage to all of the biggest red carpet and fashion events of 2017. Along with Melissa, Giuliana Rancic, Brad Goreski, NeNe Leakes and Margaret Cho return as panellists, while producers also promise a number of celebrity guest spots.
It’s no secret that Canada’s own Property Brothers, Jonathan and Drew Scott, have been hot commodities for years now, in both the TV world and the dating pool. That’s why they’ve been asked to do nearly every reality series in the books, from Dancing With the Stars (Drew finally gave in and strapped on his dancing shoes this past season) to The Bachelor, and even appeared on People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive list on more than one occasion. But as viewers of the brothers’ original home-renovation show have no doubt already noticed, Drew is anything but single these days. In fact, his fiancée Linda has been appearing on the show for a while now, pitching in where needed and arguably doing more heavy lifting than her soon-to-be-husband.
This week, the Scott brothers give Linda a big welcome to the family as they endeavour to complete a massive renovation of Drew and Linda’s first home together in Los Angeles, which needs to be remodelled in time for the happy couple to host their pre-wedding party.
Reba McEntire’s history with CMA Country Christmas dates back to the first edition, but now, for the first time, she’s the host.
The timing is good for her, since her seasonal album that had a limited release last year—My Kind of Christmas, encompassing standards from Jingle Bells to O Holy Night—is getting broader distribution this holiday season, with several songs added.
Taped at Nashville’s legendary Grand Ole Opry House, CMA Country Christmas finds McEntire succeeding seven-time host Jennifer Nettles (who says she loves passing that baton to her). Guests include Luke Bryan, Lady Antebellum, Alan Jackson, Little Big Town, Trisha Yearwood, Brett Eldredge, gospel great CeCe Winans and Kelsea Ballerini.
Pentatonix celebrates the season with a brand-new holiday special, featuring a capella performances of Christmas classics. Special guests will include The Voice‘s Jennifer Hudson, former Tonight Show host Jay Leno and America’s Got Talent winner Darci Lynne Farmer.
When it comes to sheer longevity, it’s tough to beat this beloved holiday special that first aired in 1964, and returns to enchant a whole new generation of fans with the timeless tale of a plucky little reindeer whose glowing red nose helps Santa save Christmas. With stop-motion animation filmed in Japan and voice recording done in Toronto, the iconic adventure features a number of Canadian actors in voice roles, including Paul Soles (who also provided the voice of Spider-Man in the 1967 animated series) as Hermey, the misfit elf who longs to leave the North Pole and become a dentist.
Allow us to make a bold proclamation: Randall Pearson is the best character on This Is Us. In an extended family full of fascinatingly flawed people, this type-A former weather trader is the most consistently captivating, the most consistently heart-rending. It’s little wonder his portrayer, Sterling K. Brown, took home an Emmy for the role last September; the guy had us on the verge of tears in practically every season-one episode. The trend has continued this season, as Randall, who’s always struggled with being a child of adoption, and his wife Beth invited a volatile young foster daughter Deja (Lyric Ross) into their family, honouring Randall’s own adoptive father, Jack, and his biological one, William—himself a stranger who spent his final days enriching their home.
Now, with a Kevin-centric and a Kate-centric episode having aired the past two weeks, it seems appropriate that the last new episode of 2017 focuses on Randall and the struggle he, Beth and their two daughters have gone through with young Deja. Where the story ends up remains to be seen, but the two parents are primed to face an impossible choice this week.
As ever, this annual romp down the angel-adorned runway has plenty of worthwhile spectacle in store, including a bra worth $2 million and rumoured performances from Taylor Swift and Harry Styles.
As season five of the historical drama kicks off with a two-hour premiere on Wednesday, the consequences of Ragnar’s death begin to play out as son Ivar asserts his authority over the Great Heathen Army (after murdering his brother Sigurd at the end of last season). Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) reigns as Queen of Kattegat, oldest brother Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig) follows his destiny into the Mediterranean and Floki (Gustaf Skarsgård), distraught over the loss of Helga, also takes to the sea, submitting himself to the will of the gods.
In the new season, there will be surprising alliances, shocking betrayals and plenty of blood as Ivar and the Vikings battle to rule the world.
When it comes to impressive accomplishments, Bruno Mars is no slouch. Boasting seven No. 1 hits in the Billboard Hot 100, the Uptown Funk singer is tied with Elvis Presley, Phil Collins and Frankie Valli, and is ranked as one of the biggest-selling artists of all time, with more than 180 million singles sold worldwide. One thing Mars has yet to do, however, is star in his own primetime network television special. He’ll remedy that with Bruno Mars: 24K Magic Live at the Apollo, his first-ever TV special, recorded at New York City’s legendary Apollo Theater.
Mars kicks off the one-hour special in spectacular style by delivering an explosive performance atop the theatre’s marquee. In addition, viewers will also watch Mars and his band, The Hooligans, as they take to the streets to meet locals, do a little singing with them and generally entertain folks in an intimate, spontaneous setting.
It wasn’t so long ago that it seemed like anthology series were as dead as dinosaurs and dodos, but award-magnet programs FX’s American Horror/Crime Story and Netflix’s Black Mirror have helped revive the format.
While Easy hasn’t yet taken home any Emmys of its own, here’s hoping that its second season serves to change that situation. Created by acclaimed indie filmmaker Joe Swanberg, who also wrote, directed, and executive-produced the season, the series winds its way through Chicago, exploring various vaguely connected characters as they deal with culture, love, sex, technology, and lots of other stuff. In addition to the return of several stars from season one, among them Jane Adams, Ava Cash, Dave Franco, Marc Maron and Kate Micucci, season two will bring plenty of other famous faces, including Aubrey Plaza, Joe Lo Truglio, Michaela Watkins, Judy Greer and even Legolas himself, Orlando Bloom.
