Today's Entertainment

2 • December 1 - 7, 2019 • Brainerd Dispatch By Francis Babin TV Media I n the era of Peak TV, being whole- some and family friendly has be- come a disadvantage. To succeed and become the next big thing, a series must be gritty, dark and intense. Pro- tagonists are usually brooding, dam- aged anti-heroes, and antagonists are cold and brutal. When it comes to comedies and reality television, the characters, participants and judges are almost always snarky, sarcastic and cynical — cable networks tell us that this is what sells. But sometimes it seems like we're starving for good, wholesome con- tent. There have been some family- friendly, uplifting programs that have succeeded in the shadow of grimy, at- tention-garnering dramas. Series like "The Great British Bake Off" have be- come full-blown cultural sensations, producing spinoffs and inspiring nu- merous imitators. These competition series can fill us with a feeling of cozi- ness and inspiration, and they are fun to watch with the entire family. On Monday, Dec. 2, the crafting competi- tion "Making It," hosted by Amy Poehler ("Wine Country," 2019) and Nick Offerman ("Good Omens"), re- turns on NBC just in time for the holi- days. When the DIY crafting competi- tion series premiered in the summer of 2018, it proved to be a ratings success for the peacock network and was quickly renewed for a sec- ond season. Yet, as the time passed, fans became increasingly worried as Poehler and Offerman's craft-off was routinely left off the schedule. It turns out that fans of arts and crafts had nothing to worry about. It seems that the long delay was sim- ply the result of those involved try- ing to pick the perfect time to come back. "Making It" has received a festive upgrade and is set to give us more of what made it a hit last time around. For those who did not catch the first season, the premise of "Mak- ing It" is really simple. Artisans from across America are pitted against one another to try to im- press the "Parks and Recreation" BFFs as well as the judges. Impressing the hosts is no easy feat, and im- pressing the expert judg- es is even harder. Return- ing for another round of judg- ing are Simon Doonan, creative ambassador for Barneys New York, and Dayna Isom Johnson, Etsy trend expert. The new season functions as it did before, with competitors who are well versed with paint, fabric, wood and metal facing off against one another in two challenges each episode: "Faster Craft," a timed project, and "Master Craft," a themed project. Each project tests the competitors' ability to think outside the box and puts their creativity to the test as they work with food, felt and other ma- terials. The holiday-themed season has the artisans taking on office make- overs and three-dimensional fes- tive creations on top of other en- tertaining challenges. In addition to extraordinary fabrications that are guaranteed to in- spire, viewers at home are once again in for delight- fully silly puns, plenty of laughs and an all- around good time with the witty hosts. Poehler and Offerman told the Hol- lywood Reporter, "We're sew ex- cited to be 'Making It' again. We promise Season 2 will have you glued to your seats." If you enjoyed that word play, "Making It" is go- ing to bring you much holiday cheer. Over the course of the second season, we will get to know and love the competitors as they share their touching and personal stories. Although the artisans are front and center, the series makes sure to give us plenty of time with our friendly hosts. Poehler is a self-proclaimed craft novice; on the other hand, Of- ferman is a noted woodworker. The comedic duo might not share the same skills, but they do share a pas- sion and love for crafts and crafts- manship. The hosts' passion for arts and crafts and a shared goal of creating a feel-good atmosphere was unde- niable the first time around, and things have not changed since then. "We want it to be a hug of a televi- sion show," is how Offerman re- called Poehler's original pitch to the network. The first season absolutely succeeded in doing this. It also suc- ceeded in displaying intricate works that serve to inspire the viewer at home. Festive fun Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman turn on the charm in 'Making It' Cover Story this week Dayna Isom Johnson and Simon Doonan from "Making It" A Little Late With Lilly Singh Let's be honest, everyone loves animals! If you don't believe me, think about how "Game of Thrones" had so many major characters getting stabbed to death and the one thing everyone talked about on Monday morning was how Jon Snow didn't say goodbye to his wolf. Conan President Trump called the whistleblower "an Obama person who hates Trump" — in other words, it could be anyone. The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon I want to say congrats to the 50,000 runners who finished yesterday's New York City Marathon. I love the marathon. It's the one day a year when you can rub Vaseline on your nipples in public and not get arrested. The Late Late Show with James Corden I'm not from this country, but I always assumed that a congressional subpoena was more powerful than a Facebook invite from your Aunt Linda. The "Duck Dynasty" guys support President Trump, and if this influences how you're going to vote, please wait until you hear who Honey Boo Boo is endorsing, just so you can make an informed decision. Late Laughs 13540 IRONWOOD DRIVE BRAINERD, MN 56401 HOURS MONDAY - FRIDAY 8AM-5PM Providing auto body repair in Brainerd, MN since 1996. Our company is an I-Car Gold Class Member, ASE Certified and Sikkens Waterbourne Certified. 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