"What kind of man can't give his family a Christmas?" asks daddy Parton.
"They are happy, and that's what matters," answers mama Parton.
Last year a couple of weeks before Christmas, Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors warmed the hearts of millions of viewers hungry for just what she was serving up -- love and old-fashioned family values.
It was a huge hit. Coat of Many Colors earned almost 16 million viewers. NBC notes that made it the most-watched film on broadcast or cable in nearly seven years.
On her website, dollyparton.com, Dolly says, "I was so overwhelmed and touched by how many people watched Coat of Many Colors and their reaction to it. The song has always been my favorite and has touched so many people through the years, especially me.
"There is so much more to tell because mine truly has been a life of many colors. I hope the viewers will fall in love all over again."
Dolly was speaking about the next chapter of her inspiring true-life story.
Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love, airs at 8 p.m. Wednesday on NBC. Dolly again narrates and it's rated TV-G, so you'll want to gather the entire family to watch, and you might want to record it for whenever you need a pick-me-up.
As a reminder, last year's film was inspired by Dolly's hit 1971 song of the same name. The song was about her childhood and close-knit family in the rugged Tennessee hills and the patchwork coat her mama made for her.
To quote the lyrics:
"Momma sewed the rags together
"Sewin' every piece with love
"She made my coat of many colors
"That I was so proud of."
And later in the tune after her classmates had laughed at her, young Dolly tells how she had tried to explain to them the meaning behind the coat. Naturally, snotty kids being kids, they didn't understand. The song ends,
"Now I know we had no money
"But I was rich as I could be
"In my coat of many colors
"My momma made for me."
The first film took place in 1955 in the Great Smoky Mountains and there was family tragedy to deal with -- the death of a baby brother. Also, the school bullies played a more prominent role, causing Dolly to be ashamed of the coat for a while.
There's depression after the baby's death, and a crop-killing drought. Things are just going quickly downhill.
Ahh, but they had faith. And love. It all worked out.
In Circle of Love, it's still 1955 and the Partons just can't catch a break. There is an unexpected blizzard that threatens the family, and sacrifice is called for in order to have a Christmas.
In the commercials for the film, we see papa Parton heading into a coal mine with the voice over saying, "I'm doing what I think best for this family."
I'm not giving anything away by saying that what comes next (according to the commercials) is a blast in the mine and, well, things don't look good for daddy Parton.
One of the drawbacks about offerings based on real life is that we already know what happened. We know that Dolly's dad did not die in a coal mine disaster, so the film is more about the journey and the message than the destination.
You're guaranteed a feel-good ending. As NBC publicity says, "When they experience a bewildering Christmas miracle, the Partons are drawn closer together than ever, with deepened faith and love for one another."
One of the other major aspects of the sequel: "An important person in little Dolly's life begins to see that her amazing voice and musical gift might just be made for something bigger than rural Tennessee."
We all know how that turned out, but it'll be fun to watch.
Once again, 9-year-old Dolly is played by Alyvia Alyn Lind (Revenge, Transparent), the most adorable child actor on TV.
A brunette Jennifer Nettles is back as mama Avie Lee Parton, and Ricky Schroder again plays Robert Lee Parton, the family patriarch who occasionally has faith issues when life beats him down.
Gerald McRaney portrays Rev. Jake Owens, Avie Lee's father and preacher.
Dolly, who's 70 now, was the fourth of 12 children who grew up in a one-room cabin in Locust Ridge, Tenn. It was her gift of song that raised the family from poverty.
Scorecard: Here's a handy roster for the brothers and sisters who were old enough in 1955 to be depicted in Circle of Love.
Willadeene, Dolly's oldest sister (Kelli Berglund).
David, oldest brother (Parker Sack).
Denver, second-oldest brother (Dylan Michael Rowen).
Stella, younger sister (Farrah Mackenzie).
Bobby, younger brother (Blane Crockarell).
Cassie, younger sister, (Hannah Goergen).
Adding Dolly, that's seven of the 12 eventual Parton kids.
Television on 11/27/2016