The TV Column

Alan Cumming plays sappy songbird in special

Alan Cumming performs sappy songs in an entertaining and intimate PBS special at 8 p.m. Friday on AETN.
Alan Cumming performs sappy songs in an entertaining and intimate PBS special at 8 p.m. Friday on AETN.

Into each life a little sap shall fall.

But that's OK if the sap is in sappy songs. They're so ... what's another word for sappy? Maudlin? Mushy? Cloying? Cheesy? Sentimental?

All that and more. That's why viewers need to mark their calendars for 8 p.m. Friday on AETN when PBS presents an especially sappy special, Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs.

This is a front-row seat for the Tony- and Olivier Award-winning Broadway and TV star's acclaimed touring cabaret show in which he performs songs that mark especially poignant moments in his life.

All the songs were written or made famous by artists such as Annie Lennox ("Why"), Rufus Wainwright ("Dinner at Eight"), Keane ("Somewhere Only We Know"), Billy Joel ("Goodnight Saigon") and -- surprise -- Miley Cyrus ("The Climb").

In addition, Cumming performs a medley titled "Someone Like the Edge of Firework" comprised of hits by Adele, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and others.

TV viewers most recently saw the 51-year-old Scottish actor (I was surprised to hear his real accent) as Eli Gold on the CBS drama The Good Wife. That was a role for which he earned an Emmy nomination.

In PBS publicity, spokesman Beth Hoppe notes, Cumming "has entertained millions on Broadway, television and in films, but far fewer people know about his singing career."

Hoppe adds that the special "is the perfect showcase for his trademark energy and boisterous personality." I've previewed most of the hour and agree with her about the intimate setting and the fun Cumming brings to the stage.

The special was filmed live for PBS in Cabaret Jazz at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas.

Ho, ho, ho. You say that even though Thanksgiving is still a week away, you're in the mood for a little Christmas cheer? Well, Hallmark Channel has you covered.

Hallmark lives for this time of year and does its best to put folks into the spirit of buying Christmas cards early and heading to its stores to purchase unnecessary plastic objects and holiday gewgaws to decorate the house.

What better way to get in the mood than to binge-watch sappy (see above) Christmas movies starring folks you probably never heard of, or former stars who are grateful for the paycheck.

You can sit back beginning at 1 p.m. Friday and just let the sappiness flow. It's sure to be a remedy for what ails you and is all part of Hallmark's "Countdown to Christmas" event.

Christmas Incorporated (2015), 1-3 p.m. Riley (Shenae Grimes-Beech) lands a job as an assistant for a fellow forced to play Scrooge by closing one of his factories just before Christmas. Riley convinces him to visit the town and comes up with a plan to keep the factory open.

Shenae who? My point exactly. She was in 90210, but who remembers that?

Crown for Christmas (2015), 3-5 p.m. Danica McKellar (remember The Wonder Years?) plays a governess caring for the daughter of a European king. Sparks fly.

A Christmas Melody (2015), 5-7 p.m. Ooo. There's some star power in this one. Mariah Carey (who also directed) co-stars with Lacey Chabert (Party of Five) in a film about a single mother (Chabert) who moves back to her hometown with her daughter and confronts her old high school rival (Carey).

There's a Christmas variety show, and I'm guessing everyone hugs it out in the end.

One anomaly: Chabert is 34 and Carey is 47. It's a stretch to imagine them in high school at the same time.

A Perfect Christmas (2016), 7-9 p.m. Newlyweds Steve and Cynthia (played by people you never heard of) come home for the holidays with secrets. He's just been laid off, and she's pregnant. They keep things to themselves in hopes of not spoiling the visit.

Nostalgia: Erin Gray from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century plays Cynthia's mom.

Every Christmas Has a Story (2016), 9-11 p.m. More big names in this one. Big, that is, for those of us of a certain age.

While she's on the air, a TV morning talk show host accidentally lets it slip that she doesn't really like Christmas. The network assigns her to visit a small town to film a holiday special to try to repair her image. Surprise! The sappy spirit of Christmas works its magic on her. Oh, yeah. She also reconnects with her lost love from college.

The film stars Lori Loughlin (Full House), Colin Ferguson (Eureka) and Willie Aames (Charles in Charge).

The movies go on and on into the night, but if you've watched all of these, my bet is you'll be eggnog-hungover and in need of sleep.

The TV Column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Email:

mstorey@arkansasonline.com

Weekend on 11/17/2016

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