Today's Entertainment

New holiday episodes fuel ABC Family's yule By Jay Bobbin © Zap2it Any list of networks that have the holiday spirit this year surely includes ABC Family. Rather than making a new TV movie the centerpiece of its "25 Days of Christmas," as typically has been the case, it's relying on new episodes of its regular series to fill that bill during the coming week. On Monday, Dec. 8, Callie and Jude's (Maia Mitchell, Hayden Byerly) first Christmas with "The Fosters" is recalled, then "Switched at Birth" offers an "It's a Wonderful Life"- type scenario posing what might have been had Bay and Daphne's (Vanessa Marano, Katie Leclerc) switch never happened. Tuesday, Dec. 9, sees the "Pretty Little Liars" use Ali's (Sasha Pieterse) holiday event to continue their sleuthing, followed by a seasonal visit from cancer patient April's (Italia Ricci) grandparents (guest stars Ed Asner and Marion Ross) on "Chasing Life." Finally — on Wednesday, Dec. 10 — "Melissa & Joey" (Melissa Joan Hart, Joey Lawrence) reflect on an ancestor's long-ago yuletide as they debate which ornament should top their tree, then "Baby Daddy" Ben (Jean-Luc Bilodeau) also goes the "It's a Wonderful Life" route when he gets just what he wishes for: no Christmas. Recent "Dancing With the Stars" contestant Lea Thompson displays lots of holiday spirit as her "Switched at Birth" character, Kathryn Kennish. "Because our show is so unique, with the whole switch aspect, it kind of lends itself to one of those great holiday- movie themes like, 'What if ... ?,' " she reasons. "It's a very sweet episode, and I get to sing 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.' " Thompson is pleased about the fourth season of "Switched at Birth" that debuts in January, as do new episodes of the other aforementioned ABC Family shows. She's directing her series for the third time, and she says, "I'm so happy they asked me back" to do it. "And when I'm done, I'm going to direct a movie that my daughter wrote. I've done TV movies before but not a feature, so I'm really excited about it." Seven-time Emmy winner Asner is making the holiday television rounds plentifully, also including his voicing of Santa Claus in new and returning animated specials. He says the "Chasing Life" episode "was a delight to do, and being with Marion (Ross) made it very easy for me. We had done pilots together for things that were not picked up, and those flew by too swiftly. She's right in my lane." The "Melissa & Joey" Christmas story departs from that series' usual course by delving heavily into flashbacks. "I want to do a spinoff like that," Hart maintains. "It's an 1880s take on 'Melissa & Joey,' and I'm in hoop skirts and it's just hilarious. We started our Season 4 by shooting the Halloween episode (which Hart directed as well), then we did a few others and then we shot the Christmas episode, so we're deep into doing the season now. We've just done Episode 91, so we're very lucky." Melissa Joan Hart stars in a new holiday episode of "Melissa & Joey" Wednesday on ABC Family. 2 The Goshen News • TV Spotlight • December 8 - 14, 2014 Say It On Page 2 Of The • Announcements • Birthdays • Memorials • Special Events • Congratulations Advertisements must be paid in advance. Contact us for deadlines and prices. 574-533-2151 or 800-487-2151 ext. 398

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