Netflix is Buying Warner Bros.

For those of you who don't know, Warner Bros. Discovery recently went up for sale, which resulted in a bidding war involving such companies as NBCUniversal, Paramount Skydance, and Netflix. It appears that Netflix has won that war. It will acquire the Warner Bros. Studio, HBO Max, Turner Classic Movies, DC Comics, the Warner Bros. catalog, and other companies.

I have to admit that in some ways this does cause me some concern with regards to the future of Turner Classic Movies. I don't know how committed Netflix would be to keeping the channel will going. With any luck they will look at what happened following layoffs at the channel in 2023. Not only were fans in an uproar, but such industry heavyweights as Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Paul Thomas Anderson. As big as Netflix is (and they will be even bigger with Warner Bros.), they can't afford to offend talent of that calibre. I am not sure how much danger TCM would be once Netflix takes over.

While I am worried about the future of TCM under Netflix, I do have to say that to me Netflix is much more preferable than some of Warner Bros.' other suitors, namely Paramount Skydance. Paramount Skydance has already has a deleterious effect on CBS on everything from the network's journalistic independence to eliminating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs across the board at CBS and all of Paramount. I could picture the effect a takeover by Paramount Skydance would have on TCM. Do you enjoy the movies they air for Black Heritage Month? Forget them. Do you enjoy what TCM shows for Hispanic Heritage Month. Forget about it. In fact, I think under Paramount Skydance, TCM would most likely be shut down completely.

At any rate, right now I guess all anyone can do is wait and see. I do hope Netflix will do the sensible thing and leave TCM (not to mention DC Comics and other Warner companies) do their own things. 

The 60th Anniversary of The Beatles' Rubber Soul

Today I am not particularly in the mood to write a full blog post (my oldest cat, who is 13 1/2 years old, is not doing well), but I wanted to acknowledge the 60th anniversary of The Beatles' album Rubber Soul. I did do a post on its 50th anniversary, if you want to read that. Anyway, here is my favourite track from the album in tribute to its 60th anniversary, "Nowhere Man."

MeTV and Everybody Loves Raymond

On October 13, 2025, MeTV added Everybody Loves Raymond to the schedule. The announcement proved unpopular with some viewers on Facebook. I checked Reddit, Instagram, and few other places around the web and the announcement proved somewhat unpopular there too. Some said they simply did not like the show. Others complained that the show had already aired everywhere else, with many pointing out it is still on TV Land. Yet others said that they did not think it fit MeTV, with some even saying that they liked the show but it should not be on the network.

In some ways, this situation is similar to when Monk started airing on Sunday nights on MeTV in .July 2021. I remember then people complaining that Monk was simply too new. Ultimately, Monk went off MeTV in May 2022. I don't know if the same thing will happen with Everybody Loves Raymond, but it is quite possible that it could. It seems to me a good number of MeTV viewers are insistent that the network only show TV series from the Fifties to the Eighties.  

I can understand the complaints of some of the viewers. While I like Everybody Loves Raymond, I can sympathize those who don't. I can imagine how I might feel if MeTV put Diff'rent Strokes on at 8:00 PM five days a week. As to those who complained it has aired everywhere else, they may have a point. Currently, Everybody Loves Raymond is airing on IFC and TV Land. In the past, it has aired on TBS and other cable channels, and from 2001 to 2016 in syndication. Now it is true that many other MeTV shows, such as The Andy Griffith Show and M*AA*S*H,  have pretty much aired "everywhere," but in their cases that was many years ago. Everybody Loves Raymond has aired "everywhere" fairly recently.

As to whether or not Everybody Loves Raymond fits MeTV, that is more difficult to answer. I think it all pivots on how one sees MeTV. Is MeTV a network that shows TV series from the Fifties to the Eighties or is it a network that shows classic TV series. If it is the former, then Everybody Loves Raymond certainly does not fit MeTV, as it is from the Nineties. If is the latter, well, Everybody Loves Raymond turned 30, so it is certainly old enough to be a classic. As to whether it is good enough to be a classic is entirely subject. I would say, "Yes," but from looking at MeTV's social media accounts, there are certainly those who would disagree.

I will say that while I have no major complaints with Everybody Loves Raymond, I would rather MeTV have picked up a show that hasn't aired anywhere for a while. Right now Get Smart can only be seen the streaming service Frndly TV and for rent on such outlets as Prime Video and Fandango at Home. WKRP in Cincinnati seems to be exclusive to Apple TV. The Phil Silvers Show isn't available anywhere. I would really rather see any of these shows on MeTV, not to mention others, than Everybody Loves Raymond.

Ultimately, it remains to be seen if Everybody Loves Raymond will become a mainstay on MeTV, much the way The Andy Griffith Show or M*A*S*H have if like Monk before it will be leaving the network after nine months.

Christmas Movies on TCM in December 2025

Every year I post a schedule of the Christmas movies airing on Turner Classic Movies in December. Here I have to mention that I only include movies that I think of as Christmas movies. I feel that to do otherwise would be dishonest, and I do have to draw the line somewhere. Otherwise I would be including every single movie airing on TCM in December! I also have to point out that as of yesterday, TCM's schedule only goes up to December 19, 2025. I had to use the TCM Detailed Schedule at Escapepress.com to complete it. I will check back at TCM's official schedule to make sure everything is correct. I do wish TCM would have the complete monthly schedule for the following month up during the last week of the current month! I miss the days when they had the schedule up three months ahead of time! Anyway, without further ado, here are the Christmas movies airing on TCM next month. 

Thursday, December 4:
10:30 PM The Bishop's Wife (1947)

Saturday, December 6:
1:00 PM It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947)

Sunday, December 7:
7:00 PM Christmas in Connecticut (1945)

 Saturday, December 13:
11:00 PM Cash on Demand (1961)

Sunday, December 14:
9:00 PM Cash on Demand (1961)
11:00 AM Holiday Affair (1949)
1:00 PM In the Good Old Summetime (1949)
3:00 PM The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

Friday, December 19:
7:00 PM  Holiday Affair (1949)
8:45 PM The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
10:30 PM Bell Book and Candle (1958)
12:30 AM Bundle of Joy (1956)
2:30 AM Bachelor Mother (1939)
4:00 AM A Carol for Another Christmas (1964)

Saturday, December 20:
5:30 AM Tenth Avenue Angel (1948)
7:00 AM Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938)
11:00 AM Prancer (1989)
1:00 PM Three Godfathers (1936)
3:00 PM The Thin Man (1934)
4:45 PM The Apartment (1960)
7:00 PM Remember the Night (1940)
9:00 PM We're No Angels (1955)
11:00 PM Lady in the Lake (1947)

Sunday, December 21:
1:00 AM Alias Boston Blackie (1942)
2:30 AM Cover Up (1949)
4:00 AM The Curse of the Cat People (1944)
5:30 AM Hell's Heroes (1930) 
7:00 AM A Christmas Carol (1938)
10:30 AM Susan Slept Here (1954)
12:30 PM Desk Set (1957)
11:00 PM There Ain't No Santa Claus (1926)

Monday, December 22:
1:45 AM Mon Oncle Antoine (1971)
3:30 AM Period of Adjustment (1962)
7:00 PM It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947)
9:15 PM The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942)
11:15 PM Fitzwilly (1967)

Tuesday, December 23:
1:15 AM Lady on a Train (1945)
3:15 AM Miracle on Main Street (1939)
4:45 AM Roadblock (1951)
7:45 AM And So They Were Married (1936)
9:15 AM The Man I Love (1947)
11:00 AM Larceny, Inc. (1942)
1:00 PM Backfire (1950)
3:00 PM Mr. Soft Touch (1949)
5:00 PM My Reputation (1946)
9:00 PM In the Good Old Summertime (1949)
11:00 PM Meet John Doe (1941)

Wednesday, December 24:
6:00 AM Three Godfathers (1936)
7:30 AM Bachelor Mother (1939)
11:00 AM The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
1:00 PM It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947)
3:15 PM Holiday Affair (1949)
5:00 PM Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
7:00 PM The Bishop's Wife  (1947)
11:15 PM A Christmas Carol (1938)

Thursday, December 25:
12:45 AM O. Henry's Full House (1952)
3:00 AM Beyond Tomorrow (1940)
4:30 AM "Star in the Night" (1945) (short)
7:00 AM The Great Rupert (1950)
12:30 PM Pocketful of Miracles (1961)
3:00 PM The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942)
5:00 PM In the Good Old Summertime (1949)