Ferrell and Reynolds Are ‘Spirited,’ Mickey Mouse and Fraggles, Joni Mitchell Songbook, Bros Clash on ‘Fire’ and ‘Bloods’

Can the world deal with, and does it want, an irreverent new twist on A Christmas Carol? (It received’t be the final iteration of the Dickens traditional this yr.) At least Spirited acknowledges the pattern with a self-mocking tone that extends to the flowery Broadway-style musical numbers from Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Dear Evan Hansen, La La Land, The Greatest Showman). Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds are the headliners, with Ferrell an earnest Ghost of Christmas Present and Reynolds his “unredeemable” new corporate-monster goal, who resists change till the Ghost takes a tough have a look at himself. (Tracy Morgan supplies the voice of the sepulchral Ghost of Christmas Yet-To-Come.) It’s all in good enjoyable, however a bit exhausting at greater than two hours.

Helping kick off the a hundredth anniversary of the Walt Disney Company’s founding in 1923, a brand new documentary profiles the plucky animated mouse (initially to be named Mortimer) on which the Disney empire was constructed. The movie from director Jeff Malmberg traces Mickey’s evolution from his breakthrough success within the first sync-sound quick, 1928’s Steamboat Willie, to his iconic standing in movies like Fantasia and, in fact, TV. Included is an unique hand-drawn animated quick, Mickey in a Minute, to remind us that deep down we’re all members of the Mickey Mouse Club.

Legendary singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell receives an eclectic tribute within the newest installment of the live performance collection. The National Symphony Orchestra supplies the backdrop as artists together with Renée Fleming, Lalah Hathaway, Jimmie Herrod, Raul Midón and Aoife O’Donovan discover new shadings in such requirements as River, The Circle Game, A Case of You and Woodstock.

From the primary episode of the freshman drama, we’ve recognized there’s unhealthy blood between former besties Bode (Max Theiriot), the inmate firefighter, and Battalion 1608 engineer Jake (Jordan Calloway), stemming from the tragic car-accident loss of life years earlier of Bode’s sister. It could also be time to lastly bury the hatchet—metaphorically—when the one-time bros try a harmful mountainside rescue collectively of a hiker who fell whereas taking a selfie. The tone of battle continues on Blue Bloods (10/9c) when brothers Danny (Donnie Wahlberg) and Jamie (Will Estes) butt heads over a gang-related capturing.

The Yule Log:

• So a lot vacation programming as we head towards December, and let’s begin with one other Apple TV+ particular: Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, welcoming Hamilton’s Daveed Diggs to Jim Henson’s rollicking Fraggle world as Jamdolin, who urges Wembley to make a want because the Fraggles embark on a quest to search out the brightest mild and the which means of the vacation. And there’s extra:
• Best in Snow (streaming on Disney+): Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) hosts a light-hearted reality-competition through which groups collect in a Snowdome village to create magical sculptures (impressed by Disney, Pixar, Marvel or Muppet themes) out of 10-foot, 20-ton blocks of snow.
• Inventing the Christmas Prince (8/7c, Hallmark): Tamera Mowry-Housley stars as an overworked widowed mother who cajoles her demanding boss (Ronnie Rowe Jr.) to faux to be the Christmas Prince of the tales she tells her daughter.
• A Country Christmas Harmony (8/7c, Lifetime): Brooke Elliott (Drop Dead Diva) is a country-music star who heads dwelling to carry out a dwell Christmas live performance in hopes of jump-starting her fading profession. Guess who she runs into? The former duo accomplice and boyfriend she left behind for the large time!
• Josh Turner: A King Size Manger (7/6c, UPtv): Fess up: You’re already listening to Christmas music earlier than Turkey Day. Even when you aren’t, you would possibly wish to try Grand Old Opry star Josh Turner as he turns his booming baritone on vacation classics and 4 unique songs from his 2021 album.
• Martha Holidays (streaming on The Roku Channel): Martha Stewart shares vacation recipes, reward concepts, adorning and craft initiatives to assist make your own home a winter wonderland.

Inside Friday TV:

• Young Rock (8:30/7:30c, NBC): The future Rock’s dad Rocky (charismatic Joseph Lee Anderson) will get life-changing information in 1985 Hawaii, whereas sooner or later 2033, Dwayne (Dwayne Johnson) considers embarking on a diplomatic mission.
• True Crime Watch: ABC’s 20/20 (9/8c) explores a twisted triangle within the aftermath of the 1999 homicide of 75-year-old Texas businessman Steve Beard, when accused perpetrator Tracey Tarlton confessed that she and the much-younger widow, Celeste, had been lovers. On Dateline NBC (9/8c), Dennis Murphy stories on the 2014 stabbing loss of life in Florida of Jill Halliburton Su, the place footage from the house’s safety digicam helped discover the killer.
• The Last Cowboy (10/9c, CMT): From Yellowstone’s prolific Taylor Sheridan, a 3rd season of the million-dollar horse-reining competitors.
• Real Time with Bill Maher (10/9c, HBO): Friends alum Matthew Perry joins the host for the Season 20 finale.
• The Graham Norton Show (11/10c, BBC America): Fresh from his Tonight Show stint, Bruce Springsteen visits the raucous British chat present, with Florence and The Machine additionally readily available.

On the Stream:

• The Great British Baking Show: Holidays Season 5 (streaming on Netflix): As the finale of the common collection’ Collection 10 airs, judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith preside over a two-episode vacation competitors that includes bakers from previous seasons.
• Central Park (streaming on Apple TV+): The pleasant animated musical wraps its third season with Owen (Leslie Odom Jr.) in full swing together with his “I Heart the Park” marketing campaign, whereas nemesis Bitsy (Stanley Tucci) works her political connections to grab management of the park.
• Emeril Cooks (streaming on The Roku Channel): Iconic Louisiana chef Emeril Legasse trawls New Orleans to search out locals who encourage his savory dishes.
• Slumberland (streaming on Netflix): Jason Momoa stars in a film fantasy because the charming tour information to a dream world the place a younger woman (Marlow Barkley) hopes to search out her father (Kyle Chandler), who’s misplaced at sea. Also on Netflix: Part 2 (eight episodes) of the grownup animated comedy Inside Job, with Severance’s Adam Scott becoming a member of the voice forged as Ron Staedtler, the Chief Mind Erasing skilled for Cognito’s company rival, the Illuminati.
• Blue’s Big City Adventure (streaming on Paramount+): It’s a reunion of all three Blue’s Clues hosts—Josh Dela Cruz, Donovan Patten and Steve Burns—in a feature-length household movie when Josh heads to New York with loyal Blue to audition for Rainbow Puppy’s (Brianna Bryan) Broadway musical. Stage and movie/TV stars stars Ali Stroker, BD Wong, Alex Winter, Phillipa Soo and Steven Pasquale seem in cameos.