For the second year in a row, CBS will not be airing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman this holiday season.
The beloved classics were pulled from the network last year after CBS lost the rights to air them, with NBC becoming the new home.
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Rudolph premiered on NBC in December 1964 and aired annually on the network until 1971. The special then moved to CBS, where it aired for 51 years. In November 2024, it was announced that the beloved Rankin-Bass classic would be returning to NBC for its 60th anniversary, where it will remain. Frosty, meanwhile, premiered on CBS in 1969 and aired on the network annually until last year.
The Eye network has unveiled its holiday lineup, confirming that both specials will not be returning. Instead, fans will be treated to holiday episodes of some fan-favorite shows, including Ghosts, The Neighborhood, and Matlock, as well as the Seinfeld 30th anniversary special. There will also be a PAW Patrol Christmas special and a re-broadcast of Reindeer in Here.
As of now, NBC has not revealed its holiday lineup, but it can be assumed that both Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman will be airing at some point before Christmas. Since October is almost over, it shouldn’t be long until more information on the network’s holiday lineup is revealed. At the very least, those who have Peacock are able to stream Frosty the Snowman now.
Along with Rudolph and Frosty, CBS didn’t air two Robbie the Reindeer Christmas specials it typically shows last year, 1999’s Hooves of Fire and 2002’s Legend of the Lost Tribe. That will continue this year, as both are also absent from the holiday lineup. Whether or not they will make a return to CBS in the future is unknown, but fans will want to try another outlet to watch them this year.
If anything, CBS seems to be packed with specials and episodes that will get fans into the holiday spirit, even if some beloved classics aren’t included. The holiday festivities begin on Nov. 20 with a Thanksgiving episode of Ghosts that will also get anyone ready for a feast. And there will be much more coming in December that fans won’t want to miss out on.
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NEW YORK CITY – DECEMBER 19: "Toil and Trouble" – Elsbeth is thrown into the world of television after the showrunner of a long-running police procedural is brutally murdered in his office, and although it appears to be the act of a disgruntled fan, she begins to suspect the show's longtime star Regina Coburn (Laurie Metcalf) who yearns for artistic fulfillment. Meanwhile, Judge Crawford (Michael Emerson) continues to be a thorn in Elsbeth's side, on the CBS original series ELSBETH, Thursday, Dec. 19 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs). Pictured (L-R): Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni and Carra Patterson as Kaya Blanke. (Photo by Michael Parmelee/CBS via Getty Images)
