What to watch: 'Avatar' sequel rekindles a sense of wonder, 'Kindred' brings book to life, and more

A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, and Adam Rodriguez talk what's new in the show's return.

Plus, will Hilton sing in his latest holiday movie?

She will star alongside her 'Snowpiercer' castmate Jennifer Connelly and Joel Edgerton.

Her miscarriage, Harry's family tensions, Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry & more.

Plus, Will Arnett's curveball and what's next for new champs.

The sequel series to the '90s and '00s holiday films has been given a second season order.

The Apple TV+ comedy Mythic Quest looks back at how the video game’s visionaries fared as kids. Netflix presents a tongue-in-cheek spy thriller with Noah Centineo as The Recruit. NBC comedies Lopez vs. Lopez and Young Rock get in the holiday spirit, along with an array of movies and specials.

Mythic Quest

Some of the best moments in this workplace comedy about video-game visionaries have come from the characters’ pasts—example: Season 2’s “Backstory!” episode revealing the origin story of former cast member F. Murray Abraham. In this week’s standout stand-alone episode, we look in on creative director Ian (Rob McElhenny) and engineer Poppy (Charlotte Nicdao) when they were kids, indulging passions that made them outsiders in their very different worlds. Judah Prehn (Resident Alien) is the young Ian, whose bipolar mom (a heartbreaking Lindsey Kraft) is the only one who appreciates the boy’s imagination. Isla Rose Hall is young Poppy, growing up in Melbourne, Australia, begging her parents for access to the brave new world of the Internet.

Shantaram

Season Finale

The Apple streamer is especially busy this week, featuring the season finale of the sprawling epic set in India, where Lin (Charlie Hunnam) is desperate to escape the authorities on his trail, but keeps getting drawn back to his friends’ perils. “You’ll never need to catch me as much as I’ll need to be free,” Lin warns his pursuers. The streamer just announced that it won’t be bringing back the show for a second season, so its fate now depends on whether any other broadcaster takes it up. More thrills in the sixth chapter of the kidnap caper Echo 3, where mercenaries Bambi (Luke Evans) and Prince (Michiel Huisman) plot an elaborate abduction of their own to get leverage to free their beloved Amber (Jessica Ann Collins). On the offbeat spy dramedy Slow Horses, undercover agent River (Jack Lowden) comes face to face with his adversary in England’s idyllic Cotswolds. On a lighter note, the bilingual comedy Acapulco wraps its second season.

The Recruit

Series Premiere

From The Rookie’s Alexi Hawley and The Bourne Identity’s Doug Liman comes a spy story with a wry twist. The hero is hardly James Bond material: Owen Hendricks (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’s Noah Centineo), a green CIA newbie fresh out of law school, immediately thrust into a case involving a former asset (Laura Haddock) who’s threatening to expose the agency. Owen is out of his depth, which doesn’t mean he won’t rise to the occasion over the course of the eight-episode season. Other Netflix premieres range from the goofy—Dance Monsters, a competition for dancers disguised as CGI avatars—to the arty: BARDO, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths, Alejandro G. Iñarritu’s (Roma) existential bid for Oscar attention. There’s also the familiar: Cook at All Costs, a culinary competition where contestants bid on ingredients and the winner takes home whatever’s left in the bank. For nature and documentary fans: The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari relives the horror of the December 2019 eruption off the New Zealand coast that claimed 22 lives.

The Yule Log:

• Let’s start with Very Special Episodes of NBC’s Friday sitcoms. On Lopez vs. Lopez (8/7c), Mayan (Mayan Lopez) schemes to get her divorced parents (George Lopez and Selenis Leyva) to celebrate Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) together, while Young Rock (8:30/7:30) finds Dwayne Johnson looking back on a history of gift-giving mishaps. Other holiday TV highlights:
• The Greatest @Home Holiday Videos (9/8c, CBS): Cedric the Entertainer welcomes Santa to view the host’s personally selected 12 Videos of Christmas. Preceded by a replay of the animated Reindeer in Here (8/7c).
• A Christmas to Treasure (8/7c, Lifetime): Childhood friends reunite for a treasure hunt, forging an unexpected connection between Austin (Taylor Frey) and his one-time bestie, Everett (Kyle Dean Massey).
• Holiday Heritage (8/7c, Hallmark Channel): Lyndie Greenwood is Ella, who returns home on a mission to heal the division between her mother (Holly Robinson Peete) and grandmother (Darlene Cooke), with a climactic Kwanzaa celebration to seal the deal.
• The 90th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade (8/7c, The CW): Actor Danny Trejo serves as grand marshal for the festivities, supporting Marine Toys for Tots. Keep an eye out for movie cars and soap stars.

Inside Friday TV:

• Craft in America (9/8c and 10/9c, PBS): With the themes of “Inspiration” and “Home,” the Peabody-winning series returns with another immersive look at hand-crafted masterpieces.
• Love After Lockup (9/8c, WE tv): Four new couples and two Love During Lockup alums learn how to live together after incarceration in the fourth season’s winter premiere.
• If These Walls Could Sing (streaming on Disney+): Director Mary McCartney grew up with father Paul at Abbey Road studios and recounts its fabled history with his help, plus commentary from the likes of Ringo Starr, Elton John, John Williams and Liam Gallagher.
• The Amber Ruffin Show (streaming on Peacock): Emmy-winning late-night host John Oliver joins Amber (who co-wrote the book for the new hit Broadway musical Some Like It Hot) for her season finale.
• Litvinenko (streaming on Sundance Now): David Tennant stars in a four-part docudrama as former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, whose 2006 poisoning murder (allegedly ordered by Russian President Putin) led to an international manhunt and a years-long crusade for justice by his widow, Marina (Margarita Levieva).
• Snow Day (streaming on Paramount+): In collaboration with Nickelodeon, a musical update of the 2000 film introduces a new group of kids who take full advantage of a day off school. (Did no one hear of Zoom?)
• Metallica Presents: The Helping Hands Concert (8:30/7:30c, 5:30 pm/PT, Paramount+): Jimmy Kimmel hosts the heavy metal band’s live concert from L.A.’s Microsoft Theater, benefiting their All Within My Hands charitable foundation.

FX adapts (for Hulu) Octavia E. Butler’s provocative time-travel novel Kindred, about a modern Black woman thrust into the age of slavery. The Voice reveals this season’s winner in a music-filled finale. Documentarian Alexandra Pelosi profiles her mother, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, in an HBO documentary. The fanciful stories of Dr. Seuss inspire a new baking competition.

Kindred

Series Premiere

From FX, a provocative eight-part series brings Octavia E. Butler’s celebrated 1979 novel to TV, a bizarre blend of time-travel fantasy and historical drama of antebellum slavery. Newcomer Mallori Johnson is impressive as Dana, a contemporary Black woman who moves to L.A., where she hopes to write for TV, when she’s suddenly swept into a nightmarish alt-reality after being transported to an early 19th-century plantation that’s somehow connected to her family’s clouded past. Disoriented, Dana must learn to adapt to an enslaved culture while jumping back and forth in time, eventually ensnaring her new white boyfriend Kevin (Micah Stock), who’s just as confused though not as endangered. It’s an intriguing and compelling premise, but by turning Butler’s taut parable into an open-ended series, Kindred loses much of its urgency, and most of the changes from the source material aren’t an improvement.

The Voice

Season Finale8/7c

Following an hour recap of Season 22 highlights (8/7c), the grand finale declares a winner from the top five finalists: bodie, Omar Jose Cardona, Brayden Lape, Bryce Leatherwood and Morgan Myles. As usual, the new talent will have to fight for attention against a starry roster of guest headliners, including country star Kane Brown, who’s joined by coach Blake Shelton. Former coach Kelly Clarkson, who’s returning to the show in March, performs a solo version of her Ariana Grande duet “Santa, Can’t You Hear Me.” Also on the playlist: OneRepublic, Maluma, Adam Lambert, BRELAND and last season’s winner, Girl Named Tom.

Pelosi in the House

Documentary Premiere9/8c

Though a polarizing figure in national politics, there’s no denying the impact Nancy Pelosi has made during her long career in Congress. Her daughter, accomplished documentarian Alexandra Pelosi, delivers a personal look at the first female Speaker of the House’s with a cinema verité-style documentary filmed over three decades, following Pelosi’s public and private lives since being elected to Congress in 1987, becoming the first female Speaker in 2007 and including the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when Pelosi and other leading lawmakers took refuge from the insurrectionist mob.

Dr. Seuss Baking Challenge

Series Premiere

Even if Green Eggs and Ham aren’t to your liking, you might find something to tempt your taste buds while watching this fanciful eight-part competition based on the classic children’s books by Dr. Seuss. Tamera Mowry-Housley hosts the eight-part contest, with nine teams of two baking whimsical creations for the approval of judges Clarice Lam and Joshua John Russell. Themed episodes include “The Cat and the Hat,” “Oh! The Places You’ll Go!” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “The Lorax,” “Fox in Socks,” “Horton Hears a Who” and the aforementioned “Green Eggs and Ham.”

FBI

8/7c

All three FBI series begin their holiday break (returning Jan. 3) after this week’s new episodes. On the mothership, a seemingly innocent teen shows up at headquarters with a large bag of fentanyl, seeking the team’s protection from the men who murdered his father. In a more personal subplot, pregnant agent Nina Chase (Shantel VanSanten) returns with a proposal for baby daddy Scola (John Boyd). Elsewhere, on FBI International (9/8c), the Fly Team investigates the death of an American model in Milan, which also captures the attention of legal attaché Ken Dandridge (Michael Torpey). Finishing the night, FBI: Most Wanted (10/9c) sends the team to find out what’s behind the assassination of three prosecutors in a small Arkansas burg.

Inside Tuesday TV:

• Around the Horn—20th Anniversary Special (7 pm/ET, ESPN): A supersized panel of 20 guests gathers to mark the roundtable show’s 20th anniversary with vintage clips, behind-the-scenes footage and spirited discussion moderated by host Tony Reali.
• Jeannette Lee Vs. (8/7c, ESPN): She was known as “The Black Widow” for her distinctive coal-colored outfits, and renowned for her mastery at billiards. A 30 for 30 profile of Jeannette Lee looks at her improbable, revolutionary rise in billiards and her much tougher battle with ovarian cancer.
• O Holy Night: Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir (8/7c, PBS): Smash and Broadway star Megan Hilty headlines with narrator Neal McDonough at the annual holiday concert, filmed in December 2021. The guests’ heritage will be celebrated in traditional Irish music, along with classic Christmas carols and hymns—and, naturally, the choir’s soaring rendition of “O Holy Night.”
• Avatar: The Deep Dive (10/9c, ABC): More synergy in action, as a special edition of 20/20 goes behind the scenes of James Cameron’s Avatar: Way of the Water sequel, being released later this week.
• Welcome to Chippendales (streaming on Hulu): In a pivotal episode of the gripping docudrama, Steve Banerjee (Kumail Nanjiani) is impressed by the Manhattan outpost of the male-stripper club conceived by choreographer-partner Nick De Noia (Murray Bartlett), but an ego war ignites when Nick starts making TV appearances on Phil Donahue and the like, branded “Mr. Chippendales” to Steve’s chagrin.
• More streaming highlights: a second season of the Netflix sports docuseries Last Chance U: Basketball, a new stand-up comedy special Tom Papa: What a Day!, also on Netflix; the travel series Sampled on Paramount+, with international cities seen through the eyes of touring musicians; and Peacock’s four-part docuseries The Battle for Justina Pelletier, about the legal battles that ensued between Boston Children’s Hospital, the family of an ailing 14-year-old girl with mysterious symptoms, and a computer hacker who stuck his digital nose into the messy situation.

Disney+ goes on a treasure hunt in a YA spinoff of the National Treasure franchise. PBS’ Nova goes behind the scenes of the rebuilding of Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral after a devastating fire. An ABC special finds EGOT John Legend returning home to Ohio to heal a community through choral music.

National Treasure: Edge of History

Series Premiere

How refreshing to meet a young hero whose superpower is her wits and brains. In a spinoff of the National Treasure movie franchise, Lisette Olivera stars as Jess, an undocumented 20something who embarks with her friends on a quest for ancient treasure that could also shed light on her family’s past. Jess has an affinity for puzzles—her life goal is to be a crypto-analyst for the FBI—which makes her a natural for this caper, which includes a side trip to a secret room in Elvis Presley’s Graceland estate. On her trail: Catherine Zeta-Jones as a villainous black-market antiquities dealer. Fans of the films will recognize Harvey Keitel as former FBI agent Peter Sadusky and Justin Bartha as computer expert Riley Poole, the sidekick of (the so-far unseen) Benjamin Franklin Gates.

NOVA

Special

History buffs will also want to check out Rebuilding Notre Dame, a special edition of Nova, following the engineers, masons and timber workers who have been toiling for three years to restore the iconic Gothic cathedral in Paris, nearly destroyed in a 2019 fire. Among the challenges: repairing holes in the vault, restoring antique stained-glass windows, and shoring up the new roof and spire.

Finding Harmony

10/9c

EGOT winner John Legend knows the power of music, turning to chorus director David Brown to work his magic in his hometown of Springfield, Ohio. The mission: create a chorus of strangers in a divided community to raise their voices in harmony in only one week.

The Yule Log:

• A New Diva’s Christmas Carol (8/7c, VH1): Ashanti has a Dickens of a holiday in this romp as a cold-hearted R&B icon turned reality-show judge who is visited by three ghosts (Vivica A. Fox, Eva Marcille and Robin Givens) to show her that life can be like a love song again.
• A Saturday Night Live Christmas Special (8/7c, NBC): Two words: Schweddy balls. Followed by a replay of the holiday edition of That’s My Jam (10/9c).
• Masters of Illusion: Christmas Magic 2022 (9/8c, The CW): Top magicians gather to spread holiday cheer while dazzling the audience with their sleight of hand. (If someone pulls a reindeer out of a hat, I’ll be impressed.) Preceded by a rebroadcast of Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (8/7c).
• The Santa Clauses (streaming on Disney+): In the season finale, Scott (Tim Allen) and the Calvins race to find the Santa coat and save Christmas from the misguided Simon (Kal Penn).
• I Believe in Santa (streaming on Netflix): A romcom pairs a Christmas-phobe (Christina Moore) with a guy (John Ducey) who loves yuletide to extremes.
• Designing Christmas (10/9c, HGTV): Love It or List It’s Hilary Farr appears in a holiday romance, seen previously on discovery+, about TV co-hosts Stella and Jack, an interior designer (Jessica Szohr) and contractor (Marco Grazzini), whose off-camera chemistry could complicate Stella’s wedding plans.

Inside Wednesday TV:

• Survivor (8/7c, CBS): As the field narrows from five in the two-hour season finale, two castaways will have to make fire to get into the final three in hopes of winning the $1 million prize as Sole Survivor. Followed by the ever-popular cast reunion at roughly 10/9c.
• The Earthshot Prize (8/7c, PBS): Britain’s Prince William presides over a ceremony from Boston honoring five innovative environmentalists for their solutions to help repair our damaged planet.
• Awake Surgery (10/9c, TLC): You might lose sleep after this medical docuseries featuring Dr. Meegan Gruber, a plastic surgeon who has developed techniques for performing surgeries on patients who stay awake through the procedure.
• Grails (streaming on Hulu): A six-part documentary from ABC News Studios profiles sneaker entrepreneurs Earl Cooper and Olajuwon Ajanaku, former Morehouse College golf champs who created the Eastside Golf lifestyle brand to promote diversity on and off the golf course.
• Kangaroo Valley (streaming on Netflix): Succession’s Sarah Snook narrates a scenic nature documentary that follows Mala, a young kangaroo in the Australian Outback, during her first year of surviving the seasons and the occasional dingo predator.
• Sandy Hook: Forever Remembered (10/9c, CNN): Anchor Alisyn Camerota reports on the 10th anniversary of the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, recounting the victims’ families’ efforts to change gun policy during a decade of carnage.

Is murdering prostitutes in modern-day Iran the work of God? It is if you are the madman and religious fanatic carrying out a reign of serial-killer terror in the gripping and horrifying “Holy Spider” in the early 21-century city of Mashhad, the second most populous city in Iran and the location of the shrine of Imam Reza.

Director Ali Abbasi, co-writing with Afshin Kamran Bahrami, was inspired by the actual murders, which occurred while he was a student in Iran and by a 2002 documentary about the killer by Iranian-Canadian journalist Marziar Bahari. Abbasi, whose debut film was a Copenhagen-shot horror film named “Shelly” (2016), says his focus shifted from the serial killer to a fictional female journalist trying to find out why the police have been so ineffective in catching the killer.

Abbasi’s new protagonist made it capable to focus on culturally sanctioned misogyny in Iran. For this reason, Abbasi shot “Holy Spider” in Jordan. The film is not a whodunit. We know who’s doing it from the start. He is a devout father, husband and family man named Saeed (Mehdi Bajestani), a hulking builder with mitt-sized hands. His method is to pick up prostitutes at the same park on his motorcycle, drive them to his home when his wife Fatima (Forouzan Jamshidnejad) and their kids are staying with her parents. Saeed strangles the women, most of them mothers and junkies, to death in gruesome close-up scenes and dumps the bodies on the outskirts of town.

When we first meet him he’s already killed 10 women and as someone casually remarks, he’s doing the police’s work for them. The hero of “Holy Spider” is Rahimi (the talented and soulful Zar Amir-Ebrahini, who was named best actress at Cannes), an attractive journalist, who is hounded by a scandal that was actually a case of a male editor harassing her. Rahimi may have a bit of a chip on her shoulder. But she has good reason. When she arrives from Tehran at the hotel, where she has a reservation, they refuse to give her a room because she is a woman alone.

Abbasi actually begins his story with the ninth victim. She is a severely bruised young mother and drug addict and her heartless, violent death by strangulation comes as a shock. It’s not hard to see the setup. Rahimi, who carries a knife, gets nowhere with the police official, whose attitude is scornful. Rahimi does not expect much better treatment from the male colleague assigned to help her. Saeed, a war veteran who prays at the shrine when he is not strangling women, believes he is carrying out a “jihad against vice” and that his victims are “corrupt women,” who do not deserve to live.

But you don’t have prostitutes without customers. In the film’s sickest scene, Saeed makes love to his wife while staring at the bare foot of one of his victims sticking out from a rolled up carpet. Ebrahini, whose haunted copper-colored eyes seem to see right through the men Rahimi meets, of course, puts herself in danger, in an attempt to capture the killer. But she firmly believes that even if the culprit is caught, the authorities will “buy him forgiveness” or just release him. Her hopelessness is palpable and pervasive and completely justified. “Holy Spider” packs an unholy punch.

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'HOLY SPIDER'

Grade: A-

(In Persian with English subtitles)

No rating (contains gruesome images, extreme violence and sexually suggestive images)

Running time: 1:56

How to watch: In theaters

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Eleven years after the “Shrek 2” spinoff “Puss in Boots,” the sassy Spanish feline voiced by Antonio Banderas has returned for another fairy-tale-busting adventure, directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, and written by Paul Fischer (with a story by Tommy Swerdlow and Tom Wheeler). Crawford, Mercado and Fischer all worked on the Dreamworks Animation favorites “Trolls” and “The Croods: A New Age,” and the trio bring a similar “chaotic good” energy to “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” which remixes a new set of familiar nursery rhymes and beloved children’s fables to entertaining ends.

Our titular tabby is living a swashbuckler’s life, swilling leche, singing songs, saving towns, raking in the adoration and accolades, when he dies his eighth death, landing him on his ninth, and final, life. Spooked by a visit from the grim-reaping Big Bad Wolf (Wagner Moura), Puss decides to hangs up his hat and boots and head for retirement in the home of a crazy cat lady, Mama Luna (Da’Vine Joy Randolph).

But he can’t escape adventure, and soon Puss is caught up in the quest for a magical wish, which is in the possession of a greedy, pie-producing hoarder of enchanted trinkets, Little Jack Horner (John Mulaney). Remember him, with the Christmas pie and the plum on his thumb? Jack, now quite big, is also pursued by Goldilocks (Florence Pugh) and her cockney crime syndicate family of bears (Ray Winstone, Olivia Colman, Samson Kayo), who want the wish to make things “just right,” of course.

With his former flame Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) and new pup friend Perro (Harvey Guillén) joining in on the race to grab the wish, Puss starts learning some lessons about how to cherish his one precious life, like making a new friend, or burying the hatchet with Kitty. This is all explicated with fast, funny dialogue and therapy-style lessons delivered by an actual therapy dog. Blissed out chihuahua Perro is more than happy to stop and smell the roses, and as it turns out, that’s a good way to make it through this maze called life.

The irreverent twist on familiar characters makes “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” entertaining (the fact that it doesn’t overstay its welcome at a brisk 1 hour, 40 minutes helps too). But what makes it great is the experimental and creative building of this world. The animation is dizzyingly fast and crisp, but it’s the production design by Nate Wragg and art direction by Joseph Feinsilver that sets this film apart. The backgrounds upon which Puss and pals traipse range in reference from Candy Land to Francisco Goya, with a rough-hewn painterly quality to the animated backgrounds and characters that gives it a warm, appealing texture, as if you can see brushstrokes. Other settings are technicolor hallucinatory fantasy-scapes, while the Big Bad Wolf’s angular lines and grayscale palette sets off his gleaming red eyes and calls to mind the aesthetic of a noir graphic novel.

Banderas’ purring Puss has long been a favorite “Shrek” character, and he has great chemistry with Hayek’s Kitty, but the rest of the cast brings charismatic vocal performances as well, including Pugh, with her distinctive low tone, and Moura (known for his role on “Narcos”), who makes his Wolf singularly scary. With an excellent cast and style, “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is one gorgeous and dynamic fractured fairy tale.

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‘PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH’

3 stars (out of 4)

Rating: PG (for action/violence, rude humor/language, and some scary moments)

Running time: 1:40

How to watch: in theaters Wednesday

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'Carpool Karaoke: The Series'

Those who have jumped on the I-hate-James-Corden bandwagon will be relieved that the host is nowhere to be found in this batch of new episodes, based on the most popular segment from his late-night series. Instead, you get Sandra Oh geeking out over Duran Duran and Nikki Glaser harmonizing with members of Wilco. The singalongs hit some road bumps when the passengers aren't rock stars. Hillary Clinton admits that she has a terrible singing voice — and proves it — but her trip is saved when she and daughter Chelsea pick up next-door neighbor Vanessa Williams. Apple TV+

'Pelosi in the House'

Alexandra Pelosi's 14th documentary for HBO is one that hits close to home. It's a love letter to her mother, Nancy, who is preparing to step down as the Democratic leader of the House of Representatives. Some may be turned off by the fact that the footage focuses more on personality than politics but everyone should get a kick out of watching the House speaker dance to "Kodachrome" with her grandkids. HBO Max

'When Christmas Was Young'

Sheryl Crow's title track for this holiday movie won't earn her a much-deserved induction into the Rock & Rock Hall of Fame, but it's a nice addition to this blatant attempt to duplicate the Hallmark formula. Tyler Hilton plays an egotistical talent agent who finds the true meaning of Christmas spirit — and a reason to loiter under the mistletoe — in a small Tennessee town. It's best viewed with lots of hot cocoa and a minimal amount of snark. 8:30 p.m. ET Sunday, CBS

'The Wheel'

This game show, already a huge hit in the United Kingdom, puts a clever spin on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" by recruiting celebrities to sit in a rotating circle around the contestant. If they're not too dizzy (or ditzy), they give advice. The breaks between questions are too long but host Michael McIntyre does his best to fill the gaps by dashing around like a madman. NBC is betting big on the export, dishing out episodes every weekday night for the next two weeks. 10 p.m. Monday-Friday, NBC

'Emancipation'

If it weren't for his conduct at this year's Oscars, Will Smith would be an awards front-runner this year for his subtly moving work as an enslaved man, sent to a concentration camp around the time of the Emancipation Proclamation, who evades multiple pursuers as he attempts to get back to his family. Antoine Fuqua's movie is a mishmash of horror, action, romance and torture porn but the supporting performances are stellar. Apple TV+

'Dance Monsters'

This new series features hoofers strutting their stuff as CGI creatures, including a mummy and a yeti. It may be the most insipid competition series since "The Masked Singer" — and that show became a monster hit. Netflix

'Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio'

Did we need another version of this tale, which is both long in the tooth and long in the nose? Perhaps not, especially since the Tom Hanks one is only a couple of months old. But the stop-motion animation in Guillermo del Toro's version is stunningly detailed, particularly in its creation of the Italian village where woodcarver Geppetto works and mourns the loss of his real child so deeply that he creates a puppet replacement. Full of pain and longing, it's a darker take than you may expect. Netflix

'Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again'

The old-fashioned charm of the original family comedy that starred Ben Stiller has been lost, along with Stiller. But this animated reboot, featuring a high school student who's tasked with overseeing the museum at night as well as saving the world from ancient villains, is amusing in an anarchic, "Ren & Stimpy" way and it's much more inclusive than the live-action "Night" movies. Disney+

'National Treasure: Edge of History'

Nicolas Cage isn't part of this spinoff series. You won't miss him. There's enough spunk among this younger set of explorers to keep you entertained. Newcomer Lisette Olivera plays an overqualified storage facility manager who stumbles onto a mystery that could lead to untold treasures. But first, she has to break into Graceland, battle an icy Catherine Zeta-Jones and tamp down her feelings for a hunky bar singer. The TV version doesn't have a big Hollywood budget, which means the action relies more on the cast's charm and witty puzzles. Harvey Keitel and Justin Bartha briefly reprise their roles from the big-screen blockbusters. Disney+

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The first "Barbie" teaser trailer has arrived to disrupt our expectations of a movie based on a toy — much like Barbie apparently disrupted the baby doll industry.

Clocking in just over a minute, Warner Bros.' tease introduces audiences to Margot Robbie's embodiment of the famous Mattel doll with her towering figure, winning smile and knowing wink.

The teaser takes a page out of Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey," opening with the 1968 movie's iconic score and a scorched-earth world of young girls playing with old-fashioned baby dolls. That is, until the arrival of Margot as the swimsuit-clad monumental fashion doll in all her plastic glory.

After that, we get a glimpse of the very pink cinematic world built by director and co-writer Greta Gerwig, with peeks at the star-studded cast in action — and possible musical numbers — including Ryan Gosling as Barbie's longtime beau Ken, a pink jumpsuit-wearing Issa Rae and a twist-dancing Simu Liu.

The film, set to hit theaters July 21, also stars Will Ferrell as Barbie's brother and CEO of Mattel, as well as America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Ncuti Gatwa, Michael Cera, Alexandra Shipp, Hari Nef, Emerald Fennell and Emma Mackey, among others. Robbie also produced the film under her LuckyChap Entertainment banner.

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Kody Brown and his "sister wives" are no more. At least for now.

Meri Brown, 51, of TLC's reality TV show "Sister Wives" confirmed this week that she has ended her 32-year marriage to Kody Brown, 53. She is the most recent partner to leave Kody.

While the show is continuing for now, three of the four women have left their polygamous unions with Kody, leaving him with one remaining wife, Robyn Brown, the only legal union among the family, which shares 18 children.

Marriage with more than one individual is outlawed across the U.S. However, Kody Brown has called his relationships with Meri, Christine and Janelle Brown "spiritual unions," arguing that their marriages are also legal.

Meri Brown said Kody "made the decision" to end their marriage, according to People, which on Thursday teased a look at a "Sister Wives: One on One" interview special, which will air on TLC Sunday.

The announcement comes days after Janelle Brown also confirmed to People she had separated from Kody Brown.

Last November, Christine Brown announced she and Kody had dissolved their relationship after 25 years together, Us Weekly reported.

Whether the recent separations would spell the end of the TLC show was not immediately clear. However, even after Christine Brown left the family last year, she remained on the show's most recent season, which debuted in September.

During the TLC interview with host Sukanya Krishnan, Meri Brown is shown a clip of Kody Brown in which he says, "I don't consider myself married to Meri. If she wanted to move on and marry another, she wouldn't get an argument with me."

Meri said the pair never discussed their separation.

"Like, he just made the decision," she said. "I've never heard him say that to me."

The announcement of Meri Brown's separation from Kody affirmed what many viewers had suspected. And many of them voiced their support for Meri.

"It's about time," author Jami Denise tweeted. "Honestly, I can't believe any of them stuck with this abusive j— this long."

One viewer said she hopes Meri finds someone who "loves and respects" her, while another said she "deserves better."

Several others were critical of Kody's behavior, with author Danielle Gray calling him "an awful human being" who was "very controlling" and "cruel" toward his wives.

"I love that these women finally had the courage to stand up for themselves and leave him," said another viewer.

Since the first episode of "Sister Wives" aired in 2010, the family has moved several times throughout the show's 17 seasons, first living in Lehi, Utah, then in Las Vegas and most recently in Flagstaff, Arizona, where the family owns rural property and had been building a home.

Meri said she and Kody had been working on their relationship since moving to Flagstaff but during a recent anniversary noticed things were crumbling.

After she suggested the two go public about their relationship status, Kody declined, saying he didn't "want that to be out there publicly because I don't want that judgment."

Even so, Meri Brown said that if Kody is interested, she'd be open to reconciling their relationship.

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Henry Cavill is hanging up his Superman cape — and not by choice, it would seem.

The 39-year-old actor, who has played Clark Kent in the DC Extended Universe since 2013, confirmed Wednesday via Instagram that he would "after all, not be returning as Superman" — despite recently announcing that he would reprise his role as the Man of Steel. He made it clear that new DC bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran made the decision to end his tenure as Superman.

"I have just had a meeting with James Gunn and Peter Safran and it's sad news, everyone," Cavill wrote in a statement.

"After being told by the studio to announce my return back in October, prior to their hire, this news isn't the easiest, but that's life. The changing of the guard is something that happens. I respect that. James and Peter have a universe to build. I wish them and all involved with the new universe the best of luck, and the happiest of fortunes."

Shortly after Cavill said in October that he would be back as Superman, Netflix announced that Liam Hemsworth would replace Cavill as the protagonist of its fantasy series, "The Witcher." The timing of the back-to-back casting announcements led many to assume that Cavill exited "The Witcher" in order to continue playing Superman.

"My journey as Geralt of Rivia has been filled with both monsters and adventures, and alas, I will be laying down my medallion and my swords for Season 4," Cavill said on Instagram at the time. "In my stead, the fantastic Mr Liam Hemsworth will be taking up the mantle of the White Wolf."

Further complicating matters is that DC already teased Cavill's highly anticipated return earlier this year by featuring his Superman in a scene during the end credits of Dwayne Johnson's "Black Adam." (The Rock even took credit for persuading DC to bring Cavill's Superman back after the studio was allegedly against it.)

"For those who have been by my side through the years.....we can mourn for a bit, but then we must remember....Superman is still around," Cavill continued in his farewell statement.

"Everything he stands for still exists, and the examples he sets for us are still there! My turn to wear the cape has passed, but what Superman stands for never will. It's been a fun ride with you all, onwards and upwards."

Cavill's Superman appears to be the latest victim of the recent Warner Bros. Discovery merger, which has also resulted in the unexpected deaths of "Wonder Woman 3" and "Batgirl," among other casualties. In October, new Warner Bros. Discovery President David Zaslav hired Gunn and Safran to spearhead a more unified strategy across the company's film, television and animation departments.

On Wednesday, Gunn confirmed plans to recast Superman and potentially find another way to incorporate Cavill into the DCEU.

"Peter & I have a DC slate ready to go, which we couldn't be more over-the-moon about; we'll be able to share some exciting information about our first projects at the beginning of the new year," Gunn tweeted on Wednesday.

"Among those on the slate is Superman. In the initial stages, our story will be focusing on an earlier part of Superman's life, so the character will not be played by Henry Cavill. ... But we just had a great meeting with Henry and we're big fans and we talked about a number of exciting possibilities to work together in the future."

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You have questions. I have some answers.

Q: I loved “Alaska Daily” and it disappeared. It was on ABC, but will it be back somewhere else?

A: The journalism drama starring Hilary Swank will be back for what ABC is calling its “winter premiere” on Feb. 23.

This is the time of year when many shows take breaks to make room for holiday programming (and when many TV viewers are instead busy with their holiday preparations). The last episodes before the breaks are often billed as winter finales, midseason finales and the like, which can cause confusion for viewers worried about the mention of finales. But such shows do return eventually. A few examples: “9-1-1” has finished its fall run but according to Fox will be back in the spring.”The Good Doctor,” following a cliffhanger-laden episode on Dec. 12, will resume on Jan. 23. And “NCIS” will have new episodes starting Jan. 9 with a night of crossovers among it, “NCIS: Hawai’i” and “NCIS: Los Angeles.” (That date, by the way, is a change from the previously announced date of Jan. 2.)

Q: I really love watching the “FBI” series on Tuesday nights but wonder what became of Luke Kleintank who plays Scott Forrester. He sometimes appears briefly or is referred to but is mostly absent. The show is not the same without him.

A: Kleintank, a regular on “FBI: International,” has been taking care of some business at home. Showrunner Derek Haas told Givememyremote.com that “Luke had a baby — he’s an awesome guy and an awesome dad. And we planned this arc around the fact that [with] a newborn, he would want some time to be a dad. .. We figured out, okay, for the episodes he’s gonna be off, let’s do two things: One we can enhance all the other characters and let them have some episodes where they can shine on their own. And two, put Forrester’s career in jeopardy. He’s being bounced around and not working with the Fly Team and he’s going to want to know why. This is going to lead to a major second half character arc.”

The drama, along with “FBI” and “FBI: Most Wanted,” begins a round of new episodes on Jan. 3.

Q: Will the new version of “The Wonder Years” be back on the air?

A: Yes, though not soon. While it was expected to be part of ABC’s midseason plans (as I mentioned a few months ago), recent reports have had ABC delaying it until summer 2023. The air date has not yet been announced, but it will be about a year after the Season 1 finale aired.

Q: Are Elvis Presley movies considered to be “B” pictures?

A: The King had some good films — “King Creole” and “Jailhouse Rock” are a couple — and a lot of bad stuff, but I wouldn’t classify the bad ones as B-movies. Ephraim Katz’s “The Film Encyclopedia” defines a B-movie as “a low-budget film, usually shown on the lower half of a double feature,” often from small, independent studios. While the worst of Elvis movies have the feel of B-movies in their cranked-out, formulaic way, they were still glossier, higher-profile projects than B-movies.

Q: My cable company has two, maybe three, Hallmark channels and every year starting in October they show these sappy Christmas movies made for TV. I NEVER watch them. However they preempt the “Murder, She Wrote” episodes and I really hate this. Why can’t they show their lousy movies only until “MSW”comes on? They do this EVERY year. Not every viewer wants to see those shows.

A: Maybe not every viewer, but a lot of them. Holiday movies — which, to borrow from the previous question — are often cranked out, formulaic and so popular that Hallmark and other channels fill their lineups with them. They’re the green bean casseroles of TV movies, awful to some but pure comfort food to many others (I’ll be making my own green bean casserole soon). There have been battles among networks to get the biggest holiday-movie stars, controversy about the lack of diversity in some content, and still more movies every year — in sum, a lot more than comes with “Murder, She Wrote” repeats.

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LOS ANGELES — "RuPaul's Drag Race" will see a strong display of SoCal realness with four Los Angeles-based drag performers in the running to snatch the crown this coming season.

MTV revealed the Season 15 cast Tuesday, with a total of 16 queens joining the Emmy-winning competition series. Representing Los Angeles are queens Salina EsTitties, Sasha Colby, and twins Sugar and Spice.

Read on to learn more about these local queens.

Salina EsTitties

Salina, described by MTV as a "take-no-prisoners performer," comes to the "RuPaul's Drag Race" stage from West Hollywood's staple bars.

A veteran performer, Salina has made her mark at WeHo spots including Micky's and the Abbey. Throughout the years she has performed alongside notable "Drag Race" veterans Raven, Morgan McMichaels and Kylie Sonique Love.

"Drag is like a vessel for me to be my utmost creative authentic self that I can't be out of drag as Jason. Salina EsTitties gives me the power," she said in Tuesday's announcement video. "I feel so powerful when I'm in drag. People pay attention."

The self-proclaimed "queen of Hollywood" has also showcased her acting and comedy chops with YouTube videos parodying pop culture moments. Salina, also a musician, has been open about her sobriety with her fans. On Instagram, she shared that she has been sober for 11 years.

"Everything in my life today is a result of keeping my mind, body, and spirit in check, and with out the ease and comfort of a drink or a drug," she said in a November post.

Sasha Colby

Sasha Colby knows a thing or two about snatching a crown. In 2012, the Hawaiian-born performer took home the top prize at the annual Miss Continental pageant.

The transgender artist, who has 20 years of drag experience, is also no stranger to West Hollywood's stages. She's performed at Evita, the Chapel, Micky's and the since-shuttered Bar10 WeHo. In MTV's announcement video, Sasha said she came to Los Angeles nearly eight years ago.

"I moved there to do acting, dancing, modeling, become a celebrity and it worked," she said.

If the last name sounds familiar, that's because Sasha's drag daughter Kerri Colby competed in the previous season of "RuPaul's Drag Race." Kerri didn't make it to the final five lip-sync showdown but won fans over with her kindness and compassion toward fellow competitors.

Nearly a year after her drag daughter's "Drag Race" debut, Sasha is ready for another crown.

"I am America's Next Drag Superstar because I already am a drag superstar," she said.

Sugar & Spice

This season, "Drag Race" fans will be seeing double with identical twins Sugar and Spice taking the Main Stage. The siblings, who moved to Hollywood from Long Island, New York, claim to be the "Mary-Kate and Ashley" of "Drag Race."

The duo made their drag debut in June 2019 and have since built an impressive following of more than 7 million followers on TikTok, where they speak out against toxic masculinity and homophobia. Before TikTok, the twins were known for their YouTube page, where they vlogged about their life at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology and proved their makeup skills with transformation videos.

Donning towering platforms and over-lined lips, Sugar & Spice take inspiration from the Bratz dolls of their childhood. They also channel early-aughts pop culture mavens Paris Hilton, Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears for their looks.

"You know, there's a little superstar inside everyone," the duo said in a TikTok. "Growing up being gay twins, dolls — they were our escape. They were our fantasy, they were our everything growing up."

The twins recently performed for a pop-up event at the Grove and brought some Lizzie McGuire realness to Rocco's in West Hollywood, where they performed the Hilary Duff hit "What Dreams Are Made Of."

Need help telling the siblings apart? Spice typically touts an edgier, darker look than her twin, Sugar, who told MTV that she's the "prettier one."

"Competing against my twin is gonna be really interesting because the claws will come out... I'm ready to claw her out of the competition," Sugar said. "We're secretly best friends so it's like only I'm allowed to make fun of her."

"Drag Race" has long touted Los Angeles drag talent. Previous Angelenos who have competed in the series are Raja, Gigi Goode, Valentina, Gottmik and Season 13 winner Symone.

"RuPaul's Drag Race" Season 15 premieres Jan. 6 on MTV.

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Sunday

“Joe Bob’s Ghoultide Get-Together” (Shudder): “The Last Drive-in’s” Joe Bob Briggs slides down the chimney with a double bill of cheesy B-movie chillers.

“1923” (Paramount+): Howdy, pardners! Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren head the Dutton clan during the Great Depression in the latest prequel in the “Yellowstone” franchise.

FIFA World Cup (Fox, Telemundo, 10 a.m. ET): Argentina faces France in the final of the quadrennial soccer tournament in Qatar.

“When Christmas Was Young” (CBS, 8 p.m.): A singer-songwriter (Karen David) hooks up with a hunky manager in this new TV movie featuring original music by Sheryl Crow.

“Hanukkah on Rye” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.): The owner of a Jewish delicatessen hooks up with a hunky rival in this new TV movie. With "Jane the Virgin's" Yael Grobglas, Jeremy Jordan ("Smash") and Lisa Loeb.

“Wrapped Up in Love” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.): A Christmas-loving gal hooks up with the hunky new guy in town in this new TV movie. With Brittany Bristow.

“This Is Life with Lisa Ling” (CNN, 9 and 10 p.m.): The TV journalist’s investigative series signs off after nine seasons with a pair of new episodes.

Monday

“Three Minutes: A Lengthening” (Hulu): Life in a small Jewish community in Poland in 1938 is illuminated in rare home-movie footage in this haunting 2021 documentary. Helena Bonham Carter narrates.

“Lego Masters” (Fox, 8 p.m.; also Tuesday-Wednesday): Cheryl Hines, Finesse Mitchell and the dearly departed Leslie Jordan are among the celebs taking part in a special holiday edition of the competition.

“Holiday Baking Championship” and “Holiday Baking Championship: Gingerbread Showdown” (Food Network, 8 and 10 p.m.): The competition series and its spinoff present their respective season finales.

“Mary Berry’s Ultimate Christmas” (PBS, 9 p.m.): The former star of “The Great British Baking Show” dishes up seasonal favorites in this new special.

“The Wheel” (NBC, 10 p.m.; also Tuesday-Friday): Christina Ricci, Tony Hawk and Andy Richter are among the celebs taking part in this new trivia challenge.

Tuesday

“Dating Death” (Sundance Now): The shocking story of a serial killer undone by an appearance on a 1970s TV game show is retold in this new three-part docuseries.

“Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to All!” (CBS, 8 p.m.): The chart-topping diva graces the stage at New York’s Madison Square Garden in this new concert special.

“Frontline” (PBS, 10 p.m.): A new episode investigates accounts of Russian war crimes in Ukraine and profiles an immigrant family separated at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Wednesday

“Emily in Paris” (Netflix): Our all-American gal’s Gallic adventures continue in a third season of this frothy rom-com. Lily Collins stars.

“Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” (Prime Video): Our all-American CIA operative’s gritty adventures also continue in a third season of this action-packed drama. John Krasinski stars.

“The Letter: A Message for Our Earth” (PBS, 8 p.m.): Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical urging a worldwide effort to combat climate change is explored in this 2022 documentary.

“Fuhgeddabout Christmas” (VH1, 8 p.m.): “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Teresa Giudice heads the cast of this new holiday comedy.

“Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon” (CBS, 9 p.m.): Mr. Simon, my old friend, they’ve come to sing your songs again in this new star-studded special. With Garth Brooks, the Jonas Brothers, the Bangles’ Susanna Hoffs, et al.

Thursday

“The Best Man: The Final Chapters” (Peacock): The gang’s all here in this new series that wraps up the movie franchise. With Taye Diggs, Sanaa Lathan, et al.

“I Hate Suzie” (HBO Max): Billie Piper returns as the hard-to-love former teen pop star in a second season of this darkly comic British drama.

“Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount+): Tom Cruise takes it to the limit one more time in this high-flying 2022 sequel to the 1986 action drama. Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm and Val Kilmer also star.

Friday

“Family Dinner” (HBO Max, Discovery+): “What are we having?” says celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern as he invites himself over for a third season of his foodie travelogue.

“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (Netflix): We do declare, Daniel Craig returns as Southern-fried sleuth Benoit Blanc in Rian Johnson’s star-studded 2022 follow-up to his hit 2019 whodunit.

“Pinata Masters” (Netflix): Contestants take a whack at creating their own candy-packed papier-mache critters in this new competition.

“Saving Christmas Spirit” (AMC+): An American archaeologist in Scotland hooks up with a hunky distillery owner in this new TV movie. With Ashley Newbrough.

“Sharp Stick” (Hulu): A sheltered 20-something (Kristine Froseth) has an affair with her married employer (Jon Bernthal) in this 2022 comedy from “Girls’” creator Lena Dunham. With Jennifer Jason Leigh.

“24th Annual a Home for the Holidays at the Grove” (CBS, 8 p.m.): Little Big Town, “American Idol’s” Katharine McPhee, et al., are among the stars helping raise awareness of adoption in this new special. Gloria Estefan hosts.

Saturday

“Tracking Santa” (Hulu): Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s jolly old St. Nick himself in this new family friendly Christmas Eve special.

“63rd Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration” (PBS, 3 p.m.): Scores of Los Angeles music and dance groups including female mariachis Las Colibrí and the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles join the festivities live from the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

“A Christmas Story” (TBS, 8 p.m.; TNT, 9 p.m.): The annual dual-channel 24-hour marathon of the nostalgic 1983 holiday comedy is back, with showings every two hours. With Peter Billingsley.

“Christmas Eve Mass” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.): The aforementioned Pope Francis officiates from Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.

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(Los Angeles Times listings editor Matt Cooper compiled this column.)

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