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LET IT SNOW!! A BLIZZARD OF HOLIDAY TREATS HITS FOX THIS DECEMBER
FEATURING ALL-NEW SEASONAL INSTALLMENTS OF "BONES" DEC. 13; "THE O.C." AND "REUNION" DEC. 15; "COPS" AND "MADtv" DEC. 17; AND "THE SIMPSONS" DEC. 18
PLUS FESTIVE SPECIALS, INCLUDING "THE 2005 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS" DEC. 6; "DEAR SANTA" DEC. 9; A TWO-NIGHT, FAMILY MOVIE MARATHON FEATURING "ICE AGE" AND "DR. DOLITTLE 2" DEC. 23 AND 24; AND "NEW YEAR'S EVE LIVE" HOSTED BY REGIS PHILBIN DEC. 31
Break out the cold-weather gear and grab a mug of hot cocoa � it's going to be a winter wonderland on FOX this December! The Frosty Weather FOX-cast calls for scattered seasonal specials, a snowed-in family movie marathon and a flurry of holiday episodes of favorite FOX series.
Kicking off the most festive of seasons is an annual FOX tradition � THE 2005 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS! Direct from the legendary Las Vegas Strip and featuring performances and appearances by the year's chart-topping artists, THE 2005 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS (Tuesday, Dec. 6, 8:00-10:00 PM ET Live/PT Tape-Delayed) recognizes the year's leading artists and songs as determined by actual performance on Billboard's weekly charts. The show celebrates the record-buying, Internet-downloading and radio-listening public's favorite songs, albums and performers, creating a true souvenir of the year in music. Join 2005 Artist Achievement Award winner Kanye West; performers Carrie Underwood, Green Day, Toby Keith and R. Kelly; and participants 50 Cent, Lil Jon, Linkin Park, Chris Brown, Carmen Electra, Bo Bice, Nick Cannon, Chingy, Hulk & Brooke Hogan and Blue Man Group for a spectacular, star-studded celebration of the year's best music.
"All I Want for Christmas" becomes a reality on the brand-new, original special DEAR SANTA, premiering Friday, Dec. 9 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). The unscripted holiday hour features heartwarming stories of children whose letters to Santa will be answered. The U.S. Postal Service teams up with Hilary Duff, Clay Aiken and Raven Symone to share the kids' dramatic stories and to fulfill their holiday wishes, including those of a girl who wants to make the holidays special for needy children, a young boy who dreams of a safe place to skate, a little girl who hopes her dad will come home for the holidays from his military duties abroad and a girl who wants to further her education.
Later that wintry night (Friday, Dec. 9, 9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT), in an encore of last year's "Hal's Christmas Gift" episode of MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE, Hal and Lois, strapped for cash, decide that all Christmas gifts will have to be homemade this year. When Hal realizes Lois and the boys have made bigger and better gifts, he fibs about the fabulous present he has in store for them and takes the family on a wild goose chase. Meanwhile, Malcolm feels like his brothers are alienating him, and Francis returns home for the holidays with startling news.
Christmas comes to BONES Tuesday, Dec. 13 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) after construction workers find a skeleton in an old fallout shelter from the 1950s, and the Jeffersonian is brought in to help identify the remains. When Zack cuts into the bone, he accidentally releases spores of the deadly fungus Valley Fever, causing the team to be quarantined in the lab over the holiday. While everyone tries to maintain the spirit of the season, a distracted Brennan � whose parents went missing right before Christmas when she was a child � buckles down to unlock the skeleton's mystery. As she works to bring closure to the family of the missing man � something she has yet to receive about her own parents � the time spent with her friends in the lab provides the catalyst for revealing information about all of them.
In what has become an O.C. yuletide tradition, it's a holiday Bar Mitzvah to remember in the third annual O.C. Chrismukkah-themed episode, "The Chrismukkah Bar Mitz-vahkkah," Thursday, Dec. 15 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). After the gang spends hours picking out the perfect Christmas trees, they devise a special plan to help a friend in need. Meanwhile, the holidays bring out a somber Summer who misses her mom, and Johnny's sudden misfortune forces him to take matters into his own hands. Kirsten puts the past behind her and reaches out to Julie Cooper, and when a reminiscing Seth vows to put a little "mukkah" into Ryan's "Chris," Ryan gets Bar-Mitz-vahkkahed.
The all-new "1994" episode of REUNION, airing Thursday, Dec. 15 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), follows the friends through various events and seasons of the year 1994, beginning on New Year's Eve, when Carla introduces her new boyfriend to the group and Craig announces his candidacy for the State Assembly. Later that year, at Henry's third birthday party, Aaron lets Carla know he still has feelings for her, and Rachel, the secretary with whom Craig had an affair, stalks him and his family, threatening to go to the press with the affair and jeopardizing Craig's political career. In the present day, Marjorino questions Rachel after he finds a restraining order against her from 1994, making her the latest murder suspect.
Knowing exactly who's naughty and nice, FOX offers up an irreverent take on the holidays with an all-new COPS: HO! HO! HO! SPECIAL EDITION #3 (Saturday, Dec. 17, 8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), featuring working girls caught in the act, and an encore of last year's COPS: HO! HO! HO! SPECIAL EDITION #2 (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT), featuring women who in no way are in the holiday spirit.
Neil Patrick Harris ("How I Met Your Mother") guest-stars in an all-new special holiday edition of MADtv Saturday, Dec. 17 (11:00 PM-Midnight ET/PT). In one hilarious skit, Harris plays the new boss when "Sean Gidcomb" (Michael McDonald) decides to leave the office.
On Sunday, Dec. 18 (7:00-7:30 PM PT ONLY), Marion Ross, "Mrs. Cunningham" on "Happy Days," guest-voices in an encore of last year's yuletide installment of KING OF THE HILL. An elderly stranger, Ms. Wakefield (Ross), shows up on the Hill doorstep at Christmas, wanting to take a look at her childhood home. Hank is thrilled to show her around, until Ms. Wakefield announces that she wants to die in their house. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night, indeed! This episode also airs Sunday, Dec. 25 (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT) in all time zones.
Then (Sunday, Dec. 18, 8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), THE SIMPSONS deliver a healthy dose of eggnog-laden cheer in an all-new Christmas-themed trilogy. In "The First (Annoyed Grunt) � El," when Reverend Lovejoy's car breaks down en route to Christmas mass, Homer takes over the sermon and delivers his version of the birth of Christ (Bart) to his parents Joseph (Homer) and Mary (Marge). "I Saw Grampa Cussing Santa Claus" finds Grampa reminiscing about his daredevil days as a World War II fighter pilot, when he was stranded on an island alongside his gunner, Burns. Grampa recalls mistaking Santa Claus for an enemy aircraft and gunning him down from the sky. Realizing their mistake, Grampa helps Jolly Ol' St. Nick to safety, only to have Burns steal the sleigh and escape the island � leaving Grampa stranded again. The final installment, "The Nutcracker � Sweet," which finds the townspeople of Springfield preparing for Christmas Day, is set to the tune of the famed "Nutcracker" ballet.
In an encore of last year's holiday-themed "Damned If You Do" episode of HOUSE Tuesday, Dec. 20 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), when a nun comes into the clinic presenting with swollen arms, rash and bleeding palms, possible signs of the stigmata, Dr. House's diagnosis is a bad allergy. After giving the nun a shot of Benadryl, which causes a heart attack, House's actions come into question. Cuddy pulls him off the case, but her treatment may not be helping any more than his � they're losing the nun. As the twists and turns of the Sister's case unfold, the team has to deal with questions of their own calling, faith and trust.
Kelso mistakes donated Christmas gifts left at the precinct for discarded toys and gives them to the gang to enjoy in an encore episode of THAT '70s SHOW Wednesday, Dec. 21 (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT). Meanwhile, Kitty's nemesis takes over as The Women of Park Place Christmas Event Chair after last year's infamous "punch incident." At the event, Kitty panics when she learns that the donated toys � her only area of responsibility � are missing, putting Christmas in jeopardy.
Get snowed in with THE O.C. when FOX unleashes two classic holiday episodes on Thursday, Dec. 22. First up is "The SnO.C." episode (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT), and the weather outside is (not that) frightful when winter comes to THE O.C. Ryan, Seth, Marissa and Summer attend the annual SnO.C. Winter Ball; Julie and Jimmy spend quality time together chairing the event's host committee; and Sandy closes in on the truth that Caleb has been hiding.
Next in "The Chrismukkah That Almost Wasn't" (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), Seth's favorite holiday, Chrismukkah, is nearly ruined, as secrets are revealed that will change the Cohen family forever. Meanwhile, Caleb's fate is determined when a witness comes forward.
FOX unwraps a two-night, family-movie marathon just in time for Christmas! First up is the animated hit ICE AGE, airing Friday, Dec. 23 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). Back when the Earth was being overrun by glaciers, and animals were scurrying to save themselves from the upcoming Ice Age, a stupid sloth named Sid (John Leguizamo), a woolly mammoth named Manny (Ray Romano), a saber-toothed tiger named Diego (Denis Leary) and an acorn-loving squirrel named Scrat (Chris Wedge) are forced to become unlikely heroes. The four reluctantly come together when they have to return a human child to its father while braving the deadly elements of the impending Ice Age.
The following night, Saturday, Dec. 24 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), things get a little wild during the sequel DR. DOLITTLE 2, starring Eddie Murphy, Raven Symone and a menagerie of animals voiced by Lisa Kudrow, Steve Zahn, Andy Dick, Isaac Hayes, THE WAR AT HOME's Michael Rapaport and many more. Veterinarian Dr. Dolittle (Murphy) is still hearing animals talk, much to the embarrassment of his daughter (Symone), who would prefer to have a normal father. Now he's doing his best to save an endangered bear (Zahn) living in the wild and will have to convince her to mate with a zoo bear (Kudrow).
MADtv keeps the seasonal laughs coming by breaking out last year's classic edition on Saturday, Dec. 24 at 11:00 PM-MIDNIGHT ET/PT. Multi-platinum rapper Nelly becomes Ol' St. Nelly when he gets into the holiday spirit for a seasonal jingle of his own.
Finally, ring in 2006 with legendary television personality Regis Philbin, who will stay up late to capture the energy and excitement from New York City's Times Square, the epicenter of the country's largest New Year's countdown celebration, on NEW YEAR'S EVE LIVE airing Saturday, Dec. 31 (11:00 PM-12:30 AM ET Live/PT Tape-Delayed). Philbin makes his FOX network debut to host the late-night special, which will feature musical performances by today's hottest artists, celebrity interviews and a look back at 2005's most memorable moments in pop culture.
FOX HOLIDAY PROGRAMMING 2005
SCHEDULE AT-A-GLANCE:
Tuesday, Dec. 6
8:00-10:00 PM ET Live/PT Tape-Delayed THE 2005 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS/All-New Special
Friday, Dec. 9
8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT DEAR SANTA/All-New Holiday Special
9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE/Encore Holiday Episode
Tuesday, Dec. 13
8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT BONES/All-New Holiday Episode
Thursday, Dec. 15
8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT THE O.C./All-New Holiday Episode
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT REUNION/All-New Holiday Episode
Saturday, Dec. 17
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT COPS: HO! HO! HO! SPECIAL EDITION #3/All-New Holiday Episode
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT COPS: HO! HO! HO! SPECIAL EDITION #2/Encore Holiday Episode
11:00 PM-MIDNIGHT ET/PT MADtv/All-New Holiday Episode, Guest Star Neil Patrick Harris
Sunday, Dec. 18
7:30-8:00 PM PT ONLY KING OF THE HILL/Encore Holiday Episode, Guest Voice Marion Ross
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT THE SIMPSONS/All-New Holiday Episode
Tuesday, Dec. 20
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT HOUSE/Encore Holiday Episode
Wednesday, Dec. 21
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT THAT '70s SHOW/Encore Holiday Episode
Thursday, Dec. 22
8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT THE O.C./Encore Holiday Episode
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT THE O.C./Encore Holiday Episode
Friday, Dec. 23
8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT FOX MOVIE: ICE AGE/Encore Movie
Saturday, Dec. 24
8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT FOX MOVIE: DR. DOLITTLE 2/Encore Movie
11:00 PM-MIDNIGHT ET/PT MADtv/Encore Holiday Episode, Guest Star Nelly
Sunday, Dec. 25
9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT KING OF THE HILL/Encore Holiday Episode, Guest Voice Marion Ross
Saturday, Dec. 31
11:00 PM-12:30 AM ET Live/PT Tape-Delayed NEW YEAR'S EVE LIVE/All-New Special
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