‘Beauty and the Beast’ at 30, a ‘Ghost’-ly Hour, Simpsons on the Opera, ‘Parent Test’

Disney invitations you to be their visitor to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the Oscar-winning animated basic, dropped at life in staged live-action performances of the Alan Menken–Howard Ashman rating alongside scenes from the beloved movie. Headliners embrace everybody’s favourite EGOT, Rita Moreno, because the narrator, R&B star H.E.R. as Belle, Josh Groban because the big-voiced Beast, Broadway’s Joshua Henry as Gaston, Martin Short because the irrepressible Lumiere, David Alan Grier because the cantankerous Cogsworth and Shania Twain because the lovable Mrs. Potts.

There are surprises and delights a-plenty in a two-part, hourlong vacation episode of the CBS hit comedy, sparked by Sam’s (Rose McIver) habit to Christmas-themed romcoms. The enjoyable begins when she tries to matchmake husband Jay’s (Utkarsh Ambudkar) visiting sister Bela (Punam Patel) along with her platonic and clearly smitten BFF Eric (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist’s Andrew Leeds). Turns out ghostly bro Trevor (Asher Grodman) has different concepts on the right way to make the vacations merry for Bela, with actually bewitching problems. In a extra poignant subplot, Isaac (Brandon Scott Jones) displays on his previous to attempt to clarify his romantic ambivalence in the direction of fellow Revolutionary War-era ghost Nigel (John Hartman). Ghosts regularly reminds us that passions are alive and kicking within the spirit world.

The newest animated quick produced completely for Disney+ brings The Simpsons into the world of excessive tradition, when Homer unexpectedly surprises Marge with a present for the ages: a musical encounter with opera celebrity Andrea Bocelli and his household, 25-year-old son Matteo and 10-year-old daughter Virginia. Their model of “Feliz Navidad” is being launched at the moment and may be heard on the Bocellis’ new album A Family Christmas. This can also be The Simpsons’ anniversary week, coinciding with the Dec. 17, 1989 premiere of the sequence on Fox. Times and TV have modified, however not these wacky Simpsons.

Ali Wentworth hosts this social experiment with parenting professional Dr. Adolph Brown, in a sequence that contrasts the parenting approaches of 12 households. They’re noticed whereas collaborating in particular challenges meant to spark dialog and debate on how they’re elevating their kids. In a preview episode, earlier than the sequence begins a run on Thursdays at 9/8c in January, the households tackle the High Dive and Yes Day challenges.

The Yule Log:

• The Great Nickmas Tree Sliming… Hosted by That Girl Lay Lay (7/6c, Nickelodeon): The teenage rapper leans on celeb mates together with Drew Barrymore and Keke Palmer when she zaps Santa’s sleigh out of the sky. Expect music (from Lay Lay, Tinashe, Pentatonix and Good NEWZ Girls) and oodles of slime.
• Record Breaking Christmas (8/7c, Lifetime): Michelle Argyis stars as an adjudicator for the Guinness Book-like World Record Bureau, and her task is to take a look at a small city that’s planning to interrupt a number of vacation world information.
• Christmas Around the USA (8/7c, The CW): Dean Cain and Laura McKenzie host a celebration of vacation traditions, customs and seasonal shows from all around the land.
• One Delicious Christmas (8/7c, Food Network): Bobby Flay makes a cameo as a meals critic in a vacation film, beforehand streamed on discovery+, starring Vanessa Marano as a struggling Vermont inn’s proprietor who hires a stylish chef (Alex Mallari Jr.) to boost the menu.
• Dr. Pimple Popper (9/8c, TLC): In the celeb dermatologist’s “With Every Cyst-Mas Card I Write” particular, Dr. Sandra Lee and her medical assistant Kristi relive scenes from their favourite vacation films and make playing cards for sufferers whereas additionally tending to those that hope to be blemish-free for the vacation.
• Top Gear: Driving Home for Christmas (11/10c, BBC America): Doubling because the season finale and a vacation particular, motorheads Chris Harris, Paddy McGuinness and Freddie Flintoff play Secret Santa, selecting autos for each other to journey throughout the U.Okay.
• Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery (streaming on Netflix): The improvisational comedy returns for a vacation particular, with detective Terry Seattle (Will Arnett) enlisting visitor stars Jason Bateman and Maya Rudolph into the hunt to seek out Kris Kringle’s killer.
• A Blackjack Christmas (streaming on BET+): A dramatic vacation story brings collectively two sisters (Dawnn Lewis, Charmin Lee) who grew aside when one moved to the U.S. and the opposite stayed of their native Jamaica.
• Holiday replays embrace Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love on NBC (9/8c) and 1999’s A Christmas Carol starring Patrick Stewart on TNT (8/7 and 10/9c)

Inside Thursday TV:

• CSI: Vegas (10/9c, CBS): There’s no happily-ever-after for 2 attendees of a Regency Romantic Festival who’re discovered murdered. Investigating the crime, the CSI workforce finds shocking hyperlinks to earlier instances.
• The Game (streaming on Paramount+): A gamers’ strike creates pressure in a brand new season of the sports activities dramedy.
• Fleishman Is in Trouble (streaming on Hulu): A reunion get together results in extra soul-searching for the spiraling Toby (Jesse Eisenberg), his stressed BFF Libby (Lizzy Caplan) and their bud Seth (Adam Brody).
• Harry & Meghan (streaming on Netflix): The hit docuseries presents Volume II, with the ultimate three episodes specializing in the couple’s historic break up from the royal household.
• Call Me Miss Cleo (streaming on HBO Max): A documentary from Gunpowder & Sky follows the turbulent historical past of TV call-a-psychic celeb Miss Cleo, whose Psychic Readers Network within the Nineties attracted authorities scrutiny over allegedly misleading enterprise practices. (Cue the joke “We should have seen that coming.”)
• Love for the Ages (streaming on Peacock): Well previous the seven-year itch, three middle-aged Latino {couples} from L.A. commerce of their spouses for a youthful mannequin to check the energy of their relationships in an eight-part sequence (the ultimate 4 episodes drop subsequent Thursday).
• The Spectacular (streaming on Topic): From the Netherlands, a taut four-part drama concerning the investigation into violent IRA assaults on British troopers stationed within the Dutch area of Limberg, Germany.