The TV Column is headed out the door for a long overdue vacation. What does a TV writer do on vacation? He gets caught up on the stuff languishing at the bottom of the DVR list, of course.
At our house that means Adventure Time, an animated series so silly, so wacky, it's sheer genius. Aimed at the kiddies, the series, just like SpongeBob SquarePants, has a sizable cult following among adults.
What's it about? Well, hmm, that's hard to explain. Adventure Time, now in its s̶i̶x̶t̶h seventh season, follows 1̶2̶-̶y̶e̶a̶r̶-̶o̶l̶d 16-year-old* Finn as he battles what passes for evil, in the mystical Land of Ooo. Yes, Ooo.
Finn is assisted by his magical dog, best friend and adoptive brother Jake, who can change size and shape at will.
Finn's usual nemesis in the Land of Ooo is the Ice King, who has the hots for Princess Bubblegum, who is seriously disinterested.
Finn, Jake and Lady Rainicorn (a unicorn/rainbow hybrid) do their best to help Princess Bubblegum whenever they can.
That's enough to get you started. Check out the latest whimsy on Adventure Time at 7 and 7:30 p.m. today on Cartoon Network. They are Parts 7 and 8 of the eight-part mini-series Stakes involving Marceline the Vampire Queen's quest to be undead no more.
Yeah. Fun stuff.
ODDS AND ENDS
• Getting crafty. Season 7 of Craft in America premieres at 9 p.m. Friday on AETN. The episode "Music" focuses on the makers of handmade instruments, including the guitar, ukulele, trumpet, banjo and timpani, and the artists who play them.
• Music awards. The 2015 American Music Awards air live at 7 p.m. Sunday on ABC. Jennifer Lopez will host and Taylor Swift leads with six nominations. Expect the usual flashy performances from the usual suspects to kill three hours.
• Unforgettable. Season 4 of the A&E series starring Poppy Montgomery and Dylan Walsh finally arrives at 7 p.m Nov. 27 with back-to-back episodes. A number of new members will join the cast in a major makeover this season, including Skeet Ulrich (Law and Order: LA) as Carrie's mysterious long-lost husband Eddie Martin.
• Longmire news. Netflix has ordered a fifth season of Longmire. The entirety of Season 4 is currently available on the streaming service.
• Netflix series. Speaking of Netflix, the service has also picked up 13 episodes of a new series based on the young adult novel 13 Reasons Why with Selena Gomez as executive producer. No word on whether Gomez will appear.
The series deals with a high school student who committed suicide and left behind cassette tapes for those who played a part in her decision.
• Hello, Adele. NBC appears to have Adele locked up for the foreseeable future. The Grammy-winning British singer will perform on Saturday Night Live this Saturday, the Tonight show Monday, and the Today show Wednesday.
Adele will also tape a concert at New York's Radio City Music Hall that will be shown in a one-hour special on Dec. 14.
Bonus points: What is Adele's full name? It's Adele Laurie Blue Adkins.
• It's Christmas. For those already watching Christmas movies, Up TV (formerly GMC TV, originally the Gospel Music Channel) debuts Angels in the Snow at 6 p.m. Sunday. It stars Chris Potter and Kristy Swanson as a couple with a troubled marriage who learn the True Meaning of Christmas by being stuck in a blizzard in a cabin with another family.
Also, Northpole: Open for Christmas airs at 7 p.m. Saturday on Hallmark Channel. It stars Lori Loughlin and Dermot Mulroney.
Loughlin plays a woman who inherits her aunt's run-down hotel and decides to sell it, but learns the True Meaning of Christmas when a group of elves on a special mission from Santa arrives to help repair the place.
At 7 p.m. Sunday on the Hallmark Channel, Merry Matrimony stars Jessica Lowndes and Christopher Russell.
Lowndes plays an advertising executive who lands the dream assignment of organizing the perfect Christmas wedding for a fashion magazine. The down side: She's paired with her fashion photographer estranged ex-boyfriend.
I'm betting that somewhere in there somebody learns the True Meaning of Christmas.
Finally, also on Sunday over on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel, Murder She Baked: A Plum Pudding Mystery airs at 8 p.m. starring Alison Sweeney and Cameron Mathison. It has absolutely nothing to do with the True Meaning of Christmas, but there is snow.
Hannah Swensen (Sweeney) is making plum pudding while trying to solve the murder of a man in his own office. It turns out the suspect list is a long one, including a bitter ex-wife and disgruntled investors. Hannah is on the case and also ready for a little holiday romance.
The TV Column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Email:
mstorey@arkansasonline.com
Weekend on 11/19/2015
*CORRECTION: Cartoon Network’s series Adventure Time is in its seventh season. The show’s main character, Finn, is 16 years old. The season number and Finn’s age were incorrect in “The TV Column” in Thursday’s editions.