“Momma’s Boys”
Tuesday 10pm, NBC
Ryan Seacrest, does your evil know no bounds? The self-styled heir to Dick Clark’s throne produces this new reality dating show in which 32 single women compete for the affections of one of three eligible bachelors. But there’s a catch: The boys are totally whipped by their mothers, and the maternal units will be living with them through the show and helping them find “the one.” I cannot imagine a more uncomfortable premise for a dating show if I tried. Mind you, this set-up kind of worked on VH1’s “I Love New York,” but that was a cracked-out mother helping her wreck of a daughter sort through a platoon of loser men. This is controlling moms emasculating their sons on national TV. Should make for lots of deep-seated resentment to spice up the holiday table this year.
“A Muppet Christmas: Letters to Santa”
Wednesday 8pm, NBC
The Muppets have fallen on hard times. Remember the ’70s and ’80s, when they were in movies, had their own primetime variety show, a cartoon spin-off, and were splashed on everything from lunchboxes to diapers to videogames? (I was a proud owner of Pigs in Space for the Atari 2600.) There’s no reason The Muppets shouldn’t be just as big today—I mean, “Sesame Street” is as popular as ever. But some terrible mismanagement, a string of crappy movies, and a failed ’90s comeback have all but squashed the careers of Jim Henson’s lovable creations. Maybe this new Christmas special will help. Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo and the rest of the gang head to the North Pole after accidentally diverting three letters sent to Santa. Listen for the voices of Whoopi Goldberg, Nathan Lane and NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
“Pushing Daisies”
Wednesday 8pm, ABC
Tonight’s episode will be the last of the year, and one of the last, period, for the quirky sophomore series that was cancelled last month to the wailing and gnashing of teeth of lovers of quality TV. “Daisies” tells the surreal story of pie-maker Ned (Emmy nominee Lee Pace), who has the ability to bring dead things back to life with a touch, and then to send them back to the grave with a second poke. It’s a sweet, whimsical series from the mind of Bryan Fuller, the brainchild behind similarly smart shows “Dead Like Me” and “Wonderfalls”—both of which also got an early axe. The good news for “Daisy” fans is that Fuller is in talks to continue the series in comic-book form, which will be especially important since the last episode reportedly ends with a major cliffhanger.
