Sanford and Son : Ebenezer Sanford (1975)

Made for NBC, airing December 12th in the US.

Season 5. Episode 12.
The story: It's two days till Christmas and Fred has no Christmas spirit whatsoever.
A kid looking for work approaches Fred, he is willing to do any job Fred will allow him, work day and night just for ten dollars to buy his parents a gift.
Fred agrees but when Lamont finds out he believes his old pop is nothing but a scrooge.
Soon Fred falls asleep and while napping he dreams of 'A Christmas Carol' in which, you guessed it - Fred is Scrooge.
Stars Redd Foxx, Demond Wilson, LaWanda Page, Nathaniel Taylor, Kathryn Jackson, Herbert Ellis, Marc Copage, Lynn Hamilton, Don Bexley, Eric Laneuville, Joe 'Flash' Riley, Adrian Ricard
Directed by James Sheldon
Not rated
COMEDY/SERIES/CHRISTMAS

Phantoms ; Dean R. Koontz' (1998)

Released January 23rd in the US.
Filmed entirely in Colorado.
The story : Jenny has taken her younger sister Lisa out of L.A. and into the old mining town in Colorado where she lives.
Jenny believes this will be a good change of pace for her sister , who she thinks is living a bit too fast.
It's kind of strange when they arrive , as no one is around. Not a soul to be found walking or driving the streets.
Strange yes. But not strange enough to turn back.
They arrive at Jenny's house only to find her housekeeper dead.
Scared to death , they quickly get back to the car , but it wont start.
They walk into town and find more dead people.
Lisa is really starting to lose it now but Jenny keeps her calm.
The two continue to walk on through the town until they are found by the police , who - of course , have no idea what's going on.
The group carries on through town exploring the strange , looking for answers and hoping for help.
Stars Joanna Going , Rose McGowan , Liev Schreiber , Ben Affleck , Nicky Katt , Rich Beall , Peter O'Toole , Clifton Powell , Valerie Chow , Rick Otto , Adam Nelson , Michael DeLorenzo , Robert Knepper , Bo Hopkins , Yvette Nipar , Lucas Elliot Eberl , Judith Drake
Directed by Joe Chappelle
Rated R
MYSTERY/SCIFI/HORROR

"Hey...hey , you wanna see something?"

"What!?"

"You wanna see something?"

"No." *sneer*

The Bernie Mac Show : A Christmas Story (2001)

Made for Fox, airing December 19th in the US.

Season 1. Episode 7.
The story: Bernie loves Christmas.
He thinks it's the best time of the year.
Bernie knows the kids haven't had a really good Christmas' in the past, so he vouches to make this one very special.
Baby Girl finds a dog who happens to be an angel named Buddy.
Buddy tells Baby Girl that if Bernie finds out he is there, he will get rid of him.
When Bernie finds out, he does want to get rid of Buddy.
But instead, he tricks the kids into believing he did.
Stars Bernie Mac, Kellita Smith, Jeremy Suarez, Camille Winbush, Dee Dee Davis, Rif Hutton, Irene Muzzy
Directed by John Fortenberry
Not rated
COMEDY/SERIES/CHRISTMAS

The Bernie Mac Show : Road To Tradition (2003)

Made for Fox airing December 14th in the US.

Season 3. Episode 3.
The story: It's that time of year again and Bernie is all about tradition.
He takes the family to the mall for some shopping and gets the idea that the kids have no idea about what tradition means.
So he decides to teach them.
But it's hopeless.
He has come to realize they have learned nothing about tradition as they are most concerned about what they want.
Stars Bernie Mac, Kellita Smith, Jeremy Suarez, Dee Dee Davis, Camille Winbush, Guilford Adams, John Balma, Aron Kader, Nori Nasso, Matthew Henerson, Rebecca Corry, Jerome Collins
Directed by Ken Whittingham
Not rated
COMEDY/SERIES/CHRISTMAS

"Help. Santa needs help!"

Hart to Hart : 'Tis the Season to be Murdered (1980)

Made for ABC, airing December 16th in the US.

Season 2. Episode 5.
the story: Jonathan meets with a private investigator who works for him.
The P.I. informs Jonathan that someone is making mock-up toys, that look exactly like the toys made by HarToys and calling them their own.
Right after this meeting, the P.I. is killed by a toy that looks identical to one made by HarToys, only it is not one of theirs as it is lethal.
Jonathan and Jennifer go to their company in disguise to see what they can find out.
They take home a bunch of toys to test and end up dodging one that was meant to harm them.
Someone who has connections to HarToys is looking to take out the Harts for good.
Stars Robert Wagner, Stefanie Powers, Lee Wilkof, Roger C. Carmel, Elaine Joyce, Douglas Dirkson, Cynthia Sikes, Jack Riley, Lionel Stander, Kenneth Kimmins
Directed by Earl Bellamy
Not rated
MYSTERY/ADVENTURE/SERIES/CHRISTMAS

Bad Santa (2003)

Released November 26th in the US.
Filmed entirely in California.
The story : Willie is a self-destructive , boozing thief.
He has a knack for cracking safes.
Every year around Christmas time , Willie gets together with his accomplice , Marcus.
Willie and Marcus get themselves the job of Santa and his elf at a random shopping mall.
On Christmas eve they crack the safe and get away loaded and scott free.
This year , is no exception.
Only difference this year is Willie is beginning to see things in a new light because of some new friends.
Stars Billy Bob Thornton , Tony Cox , Cloris Leachman , Brett Kelly , Lauren Tom , Bernie Mac , John Ritter , Lauren Graham , Ajay Naidu , Tom McGowan , Grace Calderon , Christine Pichardo , Max Van Ville , Octavia Spencer , Briana Norton , Natsuko Ohama , Ryan Pinkston
Directed by Terry Zwigoff
Rated R
COMEDY

"Shit happens when you party naked."

PBS Nature : Saving Otter 501 (2013)

Made for PBS, airing October 13th in the US.
filmed in California.
The story: At the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey Bay, California a group of very important, caring people take much pride in nursing back to health abandoned and/or injured sea otters.
People at this aquarium have been doing this since 1984, learning along the way.
It is not unlikely that the aquarium takes in and makes an effort to rehabilitate a baby sea otter, who has lost its mother.
Some babies do not make it or have to be euthanized.
But the survivors are taught everything they need to know about being an otter by the people at the aquarium and live out their lives there.
Here we see the 501st baby otter to be taken in and rehabilitated.
Baby will have to learn everything it will need to know to survive in the wild and we get an idea of how that works.
Stars (voice by) Daniel Stern
Directed by Mark Shelley & Bob Talbot
Not rated
DOCUMENTARY/SERIES