‘Beauty’ and ‘Christmas Wish’ Add to the Holiday Season

Among the big movie offerings on television this weekend are a sequel to “Beauty and the Beast,” a death-defying drama and a new holiday tale starring Debbie Reynolds.

ABC’s “The Wonderful World of Disney” presents the 1997 made-for-video animated musical “Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas” at 7 p.m. Sunday. The voices of the 1991 box-office hit--Paige O’Hara, Robby Benson, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers and Angela Lansbury--return.

Johnathon Schaech flexes his muscles as the master magician and legendary escape artist Harry Houdini in the TNT biopic “Houdini,” Sunday at 8 and 10 p.m. and midnight.

Neil Patrick Harris and Reynolds star in the CBS holiday drama “A Christmas Wish” at 9 p.m. Sunday. Harris plays a young businessman on the Wall Street fast track whose life changes when he returns to his sleepy hometown after the death of his grandfather. Reynolds plays his caring grandmother.

Elsewhere, Brenda Blethyn, Julie Walters and Kris Kristofferson star in “Girls’ Night,” Sunday at 9 p.m. on Showtime, about two friends who find themselves winners at a Friday night bingo game and decide to fulfill their dream of going to Las Vegas.

Producer Roger Corman presents a remake of the classic horror film “Piranha” at 8 tonight on UPN. Alexandra Paul stars.

Specials

The St. Petersburg Ice Ballet performs “Sleeping Beauty: A Ballet on Ice” tonight at 6 and 10 on Bravo.

Twelve skaters, including Rudy Galindo, Brian Orser and Kristi Yamaguchi, headline USA’s “Improv-Ice” tonight at 8. Each skater will improvise routines to music they receive just 30 minutes before the telecast.

Major vacations, lodgings and meals at four-star restaurants are up for bid on “Ultimate Taste & Travel Auction” at 7:30 p.m. Friday on KCET-TV.

“The All-Time Great Parent Test,” Saturday at 11 a.m. on KTLA, offers 12 true and false questions on how children learn and illustrates how one should go about developing a child’s full potential.

Rebecca Romijn-Stamos hosts VH1’s “Fashionably Loud” at 4 p.m. Saturday. The special previews spring and summer 1999 fashion collections.

The Learning Channel documentary “Breaking News,” Saturday at 5 and 9 p.m., goes behind the scenes at KCBS.

HBO presents the family special “Rosie O’Donnell’s Kids Are Punny,” Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Based on O’Donnell’s book of the same name, the special features live-action footage of kids sharing their favorite jokes as well as animated versions of classic stories featuring celebrity voices.

The young soprano sings love songs and arias on “Cecilia Bartoli--Live in Italy,” Sunday at 7:30 p.m. on KCET-TV.

Placido Domingo and Sarah Brightman perform Christmas tunes on “Christmas in Vienna,” Sunday at 9 p.m. on KCET-TV.

Series

Fox returns with new installments of its newsmagazine series “Fox Files,” tonight at 9.

NBA superstar Karl Malone plays an INS agent and slugger Jose Canesco portrays a Central American ballplayer on CBS’ “Nash Bridges” at 10 p.m. Friday.

Seven of the guest stars--including Phyllis Frelich and Anthony Natale--on USA’s “Pacific Blue” at 8 p.m. Sunday are hearing-impaired.

“The E! True Hollywood Story” looks at the Sultan of Brunei and former Playboy centerfold Rebecca Ferratti, at 8 p.m. Sunday on E! Entertainment Television.

Sports

UCLA finally meets Miami at 11 a.m. Saturday on ESPN in the college football game that was postponed because of Hurricane Georges; Army and Navy duke it out in their annual battle at 9 a.m. on CBS.