NBC's celebrates 2006 Christmas and holiday programming by featuring all-new original episodes on Christmas night of game show favorites Deal or No Deal (in a special two-hour episode) and 1 vs 100, plus season-flavored episodes of series favorites The Office, ER, Las Vegas, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, the 60th anniversary of the classic feature film It's a Wonderful Life -- and the new original movie The Year Without a Santa Claus starring John Goodman in the title role.
The holiday season begins tonight with the annual broadcast of Christmas in Rockefeller Center and continues through NBC's traditional coverage of New Year's Eve hosted by Carson Daly, followed by "The Tournament of Roses Parade" on January 1.
Following are days, times (ET) and programming information. Repeats are noted.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}CHRISTMAS IN ROCKEFELLER CENTER (8-9 p.m. ET)
NBC CONTINUES HOLIDAY TRADITION WITH LIVE NATIONAL TELECAST OF CHRISTMAS IN ROCKEFELLER CENTER -- NBC lights up the night with an incredible array of musical performances and the lighting of the world's most famous Christmas tree during the ninth-annual "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" telecast. Hosted by Al Roker and Ann Curry (NBC's "Today"), the 74th tree-lighting extravaganza will feature stars Christina Aguilera, Enya, Taylor Hicks, John Legend, Martina McBride, Sarah McLachlan, and Lionel Richie, all performing current hits and holiday favorites from Rockefeller Center in New York City. Broadcast again in high definition, the special will include the artists' powerful performances from beautifully decorated stages located beneath the iconic statue of Prometheus and in front of the majestic tree. "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" is produced NBC Universal Television Studio, Bob Holmes is the executive producer.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 4{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}"THE CHRISTMAS SHOW" (10-11 p.m. ET)
A holiday show is prepared and Matt (Matthew Perry) is determined to bring Christmas spirit to Los Angeles while Danny (Bradley Whitford) wrestles with his true feelings for Jordan (Amanda Peet). Steven Weber, D.L. Hughley, Sarah Paulson, Nathan Corddry and Timothy Busfield also star.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}ER{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}"CITY OF MERCY" (10-11 p.m. ET)
FULL OF THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT -- A homeless boy comes into the E.R. and convinces Gates (John Stamos) and Ray (Shane West) to help his friend in critical condition. After treating the young victim, Gates goes against his promise and calls child protective services. Curtis Ames (guest star Forest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland)) turns the tables on Dr. Kovac (Goran Visnjic) when he issues a restraining order against him. Dr. Dubenko (Leland Orser) gives Neela (Parminder Nagra) the opportunity to be a part of a very special holiday miracle. Meanwhile, with the holiday spirit in full effect, romances heat up the ER. Maura Tierney, Mekhi Phifer, Linda Cardellini, Shane West and Scott Grimes also star.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 11{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS (9-11 p.m. ET)
NEW CHRISTMAS MOVIE BASED ON HOLIDAY CLASSIC STARS JOHN GOODMAN AS SANTA CLAUS -- An all-star cast brings Christmas cheer to this funny, heartwarming story about Santa Claus and a young boy who help each other believe in Christmas again. Convinced that no one believes in him anymore and people have forgotten the real meaning of Christmas, Santa Claus (John Goodman) decides to take the year off and not deliver any gifts, much to the dismay of Mrs. Claus (Delta Burke), and his two closest elves, Jingle (Ethan Suplee) and Jangle (Eddie Griffin). While Santa's devious head elf Sparky (Chris Kattan) schemes to take over his job, Jingle and Jangle set off on an adventure to find proof that the spirit of Christmas is still alive. But their efforts are complicated by Heatmiser (Harvey Fierstein) and Snowmiser (Michael McKean), the two feuding sons of Mother Nature (Carol Kane), whose help Jingle and Jangle will need if they want to save Christmas. This family Christmas comedy is based on "The Year Without a Santa Claus" by Phyllis McGinley, which was also the basis for the popular 1974 animated holiday classic of the same name.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}THE OFFICE{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}"A BENIHANA CHRISTMAS" (8-9 p.m. ET)
SPECIAL ONE-HOUR HOLIDAY EPISODE DIRECTED BY HAROLD RAMIS -- In a special one-hour holiday episode directed by Harold Ramis, strife on the party planning committee results in two competing Christmas parties, while Michael is dumped for the holidays. Michael (Golden Globe Winner Steve Carell) sends out an inappropriate photoshopped Christmas card and gets his heart broken for the holidays by girlfriend Carol (guest star Nancy Walls). Andy (guest star Ed Helms) takes Michael out drinking, with Dwight (Rainn Wilson) and Jim (John Krasinski), while tensions on the party planning committee between Angela (Angela Kinsey), Pam (Jenna Fischer) and Karen (guest star Rashida Jones) cause rival parties to form. B.J. Novak, Melora Hardin, David Denman, Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Kate Flannery, Angela Kinsey, Oscar Nuñez, Phyllis Smith, Paul Lieberstein and Mindy Kaling also star.
ER{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}"ALL ABOUT CHRISTMAS EVE" (10-11 p.m. ET, repeat)
HARK THE HAROLD ANGELS SING--After a little girl is mistakenly shot, Pratt (Mekhi Phifer) and Weaver (Laura Innes) desperately try to bring her back to life. Meanwhile, nurse Haleh (Yvette Freeman) holds her annual choir tryouts and everyone is surprised at who is chosen to sing the solo. Eve (Kristen Johnston) crosses the line with a patient and causes management to get involved. Abby (Maura Tierney) and Kovac (Goran Visnjic) exchange Christmas gifts but, Abby's gift to him is bigger than expected. Also starring Shane West, Parminder Nagra, John Leguizamo and Linda Cardellini.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}LAS VEGAS{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}"WHITE CHRISTMAS" (9-10 p.m. ET)
IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR -- It's Christmas at the Montecito and everyone reluctantly takes part in Ed's (James Caan) "Secret Santa" gift exchange. Meanwhile, Danny's (Josh Duhamel) car, his most prized possession, is stolen on Christmas Eve. Elsewhere, Delinda (Molly Sims) is eagerly planning her first Christmas with Danny. Sam (Vanessa Marcil) helps one of her favorite "whales" get through the holidays by surprising him with an autographed photo of Elvis from his first Vegas concert and secures a private viewing of the traveling Elvis collection. James Lesure and Nikki Cox also star. Cheryl Ladd guest-stars.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (8-11 p.m. ET, repeat)
THIS YEAR MARKS THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF "IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE" -- NBC presents this holiday classic in a special 60th anniversary telecast of Frank Capra's 1946 film, "It's a Wonderful Life," starring James Stewart, Donna Reed and Lionel Barrymore. Through a process of Descriptive TheatreVisiond, the special presentation will be described for the blind and visually impaired by former President George Bush. Bush's description will inform the viewer of what is occurring on the screen, filling the blanks where no dialogue or other sounds tell a visually impaired person what is happening during a television presentation. The film follows the life of George Bailey (Stewart) from childhood to maturity in the town of Bedford Falls. On what might be his last Christmas Eve, a discouraged Bailey wants to throw his life away. Fortunately, Clarence (Henry Travers), a second-class angel, is sent to show him the value of life. After Clarence gives Bailey a view of Bedford Falls without him, Bailey realizes how precious his life is and gets a second chance. He comes to learn that Clarence was right when he said, "No man is a failure who has friends." The film, which earned Oscar nominations for best picture, director, actor and film editing, was produced and directed by Capra.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}THE OFFICE{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}"A BENIHANA CHRISTMAS" (9-10 p.m. ET, repeat, see December 14){@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS (8-10 p.m. ET, repeat, see December 11){@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (8-11 p.m. ET, repeat, see December 16){@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}MONDAY, DECEMBER 25{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}DEAL OR NO DEAL{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}SPECIAL TWO-HOUR CHRISTMAS EPISODE (8-10 p.m. ET)
JINGLE ALL WAY AS TWO-HOUR CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA SPREADS THE JOY; VIEWERS AT HOME HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN $100,000 -- Howie Mandel hosts this exhilarating hit game show of chance and odds where contestants try their luck to become a millionaire. Join in on the Christmas cheer with a special two-hour episode, complete with Howie in a sleigh, a Christmas vault full of surprises, candy canes and snow, and caroling models in fur-trimmed red velvet holiday dresses. Playing for the top prize of $1 million is Santa Claus, Indiana resident Skip Allen, and ice cream man Lamar Wilson of Lexington, Kentucky -- who is about to get the biggest surprise of his life. Viewers at home can also watch and play the "Play at Home Lucky Case Game" for a chance to win $100,000.
1 VS 100 (10-11 p.m. ET)
CONTESTANTS BATTLE WITS WITH THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS; VIEWERS AT HOME HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN $25,000 -- Comedian Bob Saget ("Full House," "America's Funniest Home Videos") hosts this popular game show where one contestant faces "the mob" of 100 others in an attempt to win up to $1 million in a tense battle of brains and guts. In tonight's special Christmas episode, some of the mob members include 12 drummers, nine dancers and a partridge in a pear tree. Viewers at home can also watch and play "You vs 100" for a chance to win $25,000.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}NBC'S NEW YEAR'S EVE WITH CARSON DALY (Live, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET)
NBC'S CARSON DALY HOSTS NEW YEAR'S EVE SPECIAL FROM TIMES SQUARE WITH LIVE PERFORMANCES BY YEAR'S HOTTEST BAND PANIC! AT THE DISCO -- Continuing NBC's long-standing tradition of live New Year's Eve coverage in Times Square, Carson Daly (NBC's "Last Call with Carson Daly") will host the third annual "NBC's New Year's Eve with Carson Daly" on December 31 at 11:30 p.m. (ET), immediately following NBC's "Sunday Night Football." The one-hour special will include performances by platinum-selling rock band Panic! At the Disco and up-to-the-minute coverage of all of the action in Times Square. For the first time, the New Year's Eve special will be simulcast on MSNBC, CNBC and Bravo, with Daly hosting a 30-minute, pre-show special from 11:00-11:30 p.m. (ET) that will air on MSNBC and Bravo. "NBC's New Year's Eve with Carson Daly" will also stream live the pre-show and the one-hour special.
MONDAY, JANUARY 1, 2007{@@@newline@@@}{@@@newline@@@}118th TOURNAMENT OF ROSES PARADE (11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. ET)
"ACCESS HOLLYWOOD'S" NANCY O'DELL AND BILLY BUSH TEAM UP TO HOST POPULAR NEW YEAR'S DAY EVENT -- Nancy O'Dell and Billy Bush, co-anchors of the daily entertainment news magazine show "Access Hollywood," will co-host NBC's live coverage of the "118th Tournament of Roses Parade" from Pasadena, California. This will be O'Dell's seventh consecutive year hosting the popular annual event, and the first time for Bush, who will also be hosting NBC's upcoming talent competition "Grease: You're the One That I Want." Legendary filmmaker George Lucas ("Star Wars") is the grand marshal of the parade, whose theme this year is "Our Good Nature." Kicking off the event will be a special opening number featuring Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth and reigning Miss America Jennifer Berry, followed by spectacular marching bands, lavish floral floats and high-stepping equestrian teams. "American Idol" runner-up Katharine McPhee makes a special appearance, and this year's Rose Queen and her court will also appear. Arthur Forrest is the executive producer/director, Carol Kahl is the supervising producer and Stephanie Prescott is the coordinating producer for NBC Entertainment. Tom Patino is the line producer.