What was on TV? Thurs, Dec 16, 2004

20 years ago, Columbia Pictures were really trying to make Spanglish happen, bless their hearts. Let's see what was on TV.

8:00 The OC on Fox

2x06 "The Chrismukkah That Almost Wasn't"

Available on Hulu and Max

The second season of The OC isn't bad, but the show nevertheless experienced something of a sophomore slump. That is especially apparent in its Chrismukkah episode. The first Christmukkah episode introduced a whole new word into the popular lexicon and was one of the most beloved episodes in that super-sized season. Now they have to follow it up. And this time there was more pressure. The network released a full tie-in album for this episode, it was a whole thing.

The episode doesn't quite sparkle, but it has some highlights. The core idea, in which Ryan's new love interest Lindsay is revealed to be Caleb's secret love child (and thus also Kirsten's sisters and Seth's aunt) is a good one. It allows for plenty of soapy dramatics (Kelly Rowan is so good in the scene where she throws the vase at Caleb's head!). But it all ends with a warm message about letting in people who are lonely which fits right in with the show's themes. And the "yamaclaus" is truly inspired bit of Chrismukkah iconograpy that Fox probably sold in its online store.

This episode was written by series creator and showrunner Josh Schwartz.

This episode was directed by Tony Wharmby. He started out directing episodes of Coronation Street in the late 1960s. He most recently directed several episodes in the NCIS universe.

9:00 House (recorded)

1x05 "Damned If You Do"

Available on Hulu, Prime, and Peacock

The whole point of House is that House is always right. But that can get tiresome, you need to mix things up and challenge him every once in awhile. This episode does that in a very of-the-moment way, by asserting that some people believe in God and you need to be okay with that even if you are an extra-sciencey person. It mostly works, especially since the patient of the week is a nun played by the great Elizabeth Mitchell. She seems like the perfect saintly nun, but the episode eventually reveals her checkered past, and further reveals that she's a somewhat controversial figure within the order. But Elizabeth Mitchell's signature combination of steeliness and fragility suits the role, and she is more than capable of going toe to toe with House (and Hugh Laurie). By the end of the episode, you can't help but admire her faith.

This episode was written by Sara B. Cooper. She has written for Star Trek: The Next Generation, Chicago Hope, and Homicide: Life on the Street.

This episode was directed by Greg Yaitanes. He most recently worked as a director and producer on House of the Dragon and Presumed Innocent.

Late Night

Marc Maron stops by Conan. He is clean-shaven and barely recognizable. His early material is all about how mental health is a scam and depression is fake. Not great! He fares better when he starts riffing on the next guest, a nerdy 8-year-old who created a president-themed board game (he became interested in presidents because they were on money, so they must be important. His interview is quite charming, Conan is good at interviewing kids). So Maron just riffs on how the founding fathers were all hedonistic freaks. And that stuff is good!

In another dispatch from the future of comedy, Chelsea Handler stopped by Jay Leno, where she appeared on multiple occasions. Leno really helped her go mainstream, looking back.

What Else Was On

• Spike's MXC or "Most Extreme Elimination Challenge" pitted the "romance industry" against the "firearm industry." This might look like a cakewalk for the NRA or their surrogates. But anyone who's spent time on Twitter or X of Bluesky knows that you mess with romance novelists at your own peril.
• NBC dedicated their entire Thursday night to the three hour (3 hour!) Apprentice finale. Quite a choice when this season had seen a notable decline in ratings.
• On Bravo, you could wath the Entertainment Weekly special "The Biggest Little Things of 2004." Topics included, censorship, "we love rich people," and "turning crap into gold." Well, censorship has only grown and we're more obsessed with rich people than ever. This makes me even sadder about the collapse of the DVD market!

TiVo Status

The three-hour Masterpiece Theater miniseries The Lost Prince and The Office Christmas Special from across the pond (2 hours). 5 hours with 23 hours of space left.