Entertainment is hitting the snooze alarm for the first full week of 2013. No big new movies to note, and no notable DVD releases. Here are our top three TV picks for the week.

MONDAY: 'The Staircase: Last Chance'
"The Staircase" is a 2004 television nonfiction miniseries that just may be one of the best ever made. It follows the case of North Carolina author Michael Peterson, who was convicted of the murder of his second wife Kathleen, who was found bloodied at the bottom of the staircase in their Durham mansion. The trial, the revelations about Peterson's pursuit of gay military men for sex, the family background about his two adopted daughters whose mother was also found dead at the bottom of a staircase, the possibility that an owl was the real murderer -- it's all fascinating, and you wouldn't believe it if it was fiction. Now Peterson has been released from prison pending a new trial, and the original filmmaker has added two new episodes to the series. (Jan. 7, 10 p.m., Sundance Channel.)

TUESDAY: 'Africa'
The giraffe fight from Discovery Channel's new "Africa" documentary went viral recently, and it's easy to see why. Two majestic giraffes in Namibia repeatedly violently slam each other with practically the only weapon they have, their enormous and slender necks. It's just one moment from the new series, which took four years to make, and which comes from the makers of similar series "Life," which was widely critically acclaimed. In addition to the giraffe fight, the series looks at other bizarre and beautiful animal behaviors, including lizards who dare to eat flies directly off the backs of sleeping lions. You'll never see these scenes at your local zoo. (Jan. 8, 10 p.m., Discovery Channel.)

SUNDAY: 'Girls'
The "Girls" are back. Lena Dunham's Emmy Award-winning HBO show is returning this week for a second season. Not everyone took to the show, which features Dunham and cast playing a group of quirky twentysomethings trying to make it in New York, but those who loved it really loved its humor and sometimes shockingly weird plots, which return in the season-two trailer (taking a bath with a friend? that yellow mesh shirt?). Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet and Adam Driver all return. (Jan. 13, 9 p.m., HBO.)

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It's time, at last, to return to that towering English manor house known as "Downton Abbey." This season, America meets England, as Shirley MacLaine muscles her way into the mansion, playing Cora's mother. Also this week: The chilling and engrossing "Zero Dark Thirty" opens, and the fascinating "Looper" hits home video.

Slideshow: 'Downton Abbey' season 3

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MONDAY: 'Looper' on home video
"Looper" put a chilling twist on time travel. In the future, it exists, but is only used by mobsters looking to dump enemies into the past and have them shot by "loopers." Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a looper who's pretty good at his job, until the inevitable day when the mob sends his own future self (in the form of Bruce Willis) back for the fatal shot. It's a twisty, tricky film that's fun to watch. (On DVD and Blu-ray Dec. 31.)

FRIDAY: 'Zero Dark Thirty'
If you're in New York or Los Angeles, "Zero Dark Thirty" may already be playing, but the rest of us get a chance to see this early favorite for best picture this week. It's not for everyone. As you may have heard, the film opens with raw phone conversations from 9/11, and moves on quickly to detainees being tortured at CIA black sites. If you get through that, Kathryn Bigelow's film rewards with perhaps the best final hour put on film this year, as Navy SEALs pour into the Abbottabad, Pakistan, compound looking for Osama bin Laden. Jessica Chastain shines as a CIA agent who's determined to find the terrorist mastermind, and Jason Clarke, who plays a fellow agent, has come a long way from "Brotherhood." (Opens Jan. 4 in many cities.)

SUNDAY: 'Downton Abbey'
Finally! The Brits have been watching season three ("series 3" to them) for months now, but we Yanks can finally get caught up. (Hope you've avoided the Internet spoilers!) It's certainly not a spoiler to say that Shirley MacLaine is sweeping in as the mother of Cora, Countess of Grantham, and is sure to have more than one run-in with the imposing Dowager Countess. And Lady Mary and Matthew are preparing for their wedding. Here's to the bride -- and the grandmother-in-law-to-be.

Related content:

• Review: 'Looper' gives audiences a thrill
• Acting CIA director shoots down 'Zero Dark Thirty' accuracy
• 'Downton Abbey' talks about new faces

Big movies will be wrapped up and delivered this Christmas. The long-awaited big-screen version of "Les Miserables" features such stars as Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman and Amanda Seyfried. Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained" tells the story of a slave (Jamie Foxx) who teams up with a white bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) in a bloody attempt to find and free Django's wife. And if you prefer to sit at home and not fight the snow or cinema crowds, you can tune in to the new "United States of Bacon," celebrating the uber-trendy meat.

TUESDAY: 'Les Miserables'
Do you hear the people sing? Have you dreamed a dream in times gone by? Are you the master of the house, keeper of the zoo? Then line up now for "Les Miserables," the big-screen version of the hit Broadway musical. So much has already been heard about it -- Anne Hathaway, who's skinny on a regular day, lost even more weight to play the doomed Fantine. Russell Crowe, not exactly thought of as a stage singer (despite years in his own band) joins Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne and others belting out the catchy tunes. Stealing the show, however, are Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter as the thieving Thenardier inkeepers. Even if a musical doesn't sound like your thing, "Les Mis" will haunt your thoughts for days after you see it. (Opens Dec. 25.)

TUESDAY: 'Django Unchained'
It's a Quentin Tarantino film, so you know what to expect from "Django Unchained." Witty dialogue. Big stars. And blood falling like rain. If in the wake of the Newtown shootings you don't have the taste for violence -- including brandings, heat torture and dozens of bloody shootings -- you'd do well to see something else. Jamie Foxx plays Django, a slave who teams up with a white bounty hunter (the amazing Christoph Waltz) in hopes of finding and freeing his wife (Kerry Washington) who's been sold away. Leonardo DiCaprio shines as a creepy plantation owner, and Samuel L. Jackson is equally disturbing as a house slave who's devoted to his master, with little regard for the other slaves. (Opens Dec. 25.)

SUNDAY: 'United States of Bacon'
How is Guy Fieri not involved in this? A new series called "United States of Bacon" will send chef Todd Fisher across the country in search of the best bacon-filled dishes. No, really. There's bacon-wrapped meatloaf, bacon on pizza, a triple-decker BLT and even a bacon happy hour. Twelve episodes are planned, because if there's one thing we won't run out of in this country, it's ingenious ways to use bad-for-you good-tasting food. E pluribus bacon! (Dec. 30, 10 p.m., Destination America)

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While the biggest movies of the month will come Christmas week, a couple of big titles hit theaters this week. Tom Cruise plays stoic and mysterious "Jack Reacher," while the characters of "Knocked Up" get another cinematic turn in "This Is 40." And if you loved Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Total Recall," you may want to compare The Governator's performance with that of Colin Farrell in the remake, coming to home video.

TUESDAY: 'Total Recall' on home video
The 1990 version of "Total Recall" had so much going for it. Arnold Schwarzenegger in the starring role! A three-breasted hooker! Classic lines -- Arnold shoots traitorous wife Sharon Stone while barking, "Consider that a divorce" as only Arnold can. We're still not sure why Hollywood felt a need to remake that film with Colin Farrell in the Arnold role. Critics liked the action, but felt this take had less humor. Now you can compare the two, as Farrell's "Recall" hits home video this week. (On DVD and Blu-ray Dec. 18.)

FRIDAY: 'Jack Reacher'
First, the height question: The character of Jack Reacher in Lee Child's books stands 6 foot five inches tall. His size is a major factor in many plot points. Tom Cruise is famously short. But this is Hollywood, and many of the filmgoers will have never read one of the Reacher novels, so this may not matter. In the film, a man who seemed to have quite clearly shot five people asks the cops for only one thing: That they get him Jack Reacher. The Hollywood Reporter had no trouble with the casting, with critic Todd McCarthy writing, "Tom Cruise might not be the 6-foot-5 rock described in the books, but he makes the title role fit him like a latex glove in a winning turn that could spawn a popular new franchise for the star." (Opens Dec. 21.)

FRIDAY: 'This Is 40'
Although "This Is 40" is being sold as a "Knocked Up" sequel, it's not about Katherine Heigl and Seth Rogen's characters. The new film focuses on Debbie (Heigl's sister in the first film) and her husband Pete as they grapple with financial and parenting troubles. If you like director Judd Apatow's work, you'll want to check this one out. Apatow wrote, directed and co-produced, his real-life wife Leslie Mann returns as Debbie, and the Apatow-Mann daughters play the couple's children. (Opens Dec. 21.)

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It's here: The first of three films based on J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" lands in theaters this week. If you're not interested in returning to Middle-Earth, there's a fun kids' movie on home video and an engrossing Beatles documentary on PBS.

TUESDAY: 'Ice Age: Continental Drift'
Pirates, wooly mammoths, and more, oh my. The fourth "Ice Age" movie is no "Toy Story," but it's still a fun romp for kids who love the prehistoric beasts. In this one, Manny the mammoth gets separated from his wife and daughter as the continents do their infamous crack-up. Thankfully, he's surrounded by pals, including Sid the sloth and Diego the saber-toothed tiger, as he tries to reunite with his family. Oh, and Scrat the saber-toothed squirrel is still hunting that acorn. (On home video Dec. 11.)

FRIDAY: 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey'
If you named your son Thorin, have a wedding-ring inscription done in Elvish, or flunked out of college because you spent so many hours hand-painting your D&D orc character, you've been looking forward to this one for a while now. Peter Jackson has returned to Middle-Earth with the first of three films from J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit." Three films made more sense with the "Lord of the Rings," which was a three-volume work anyway -- but breaking Bilbo Baggins' journey into three films means more hours to savor for fans, more money for the studios. In "Unexpected Journey," unassuming Hobbit Bilbo gets recruited for the journey of a lifetime and sets off on his hairy feet, with plenty of familiar characters (Gandalf, yay! Gollum, yuck!) to see him through. (Opens Dec. 14.)

FRIDAY: "Magical Mystery Tour Revisited'
Roll up, and that's an invitation! The Beatles' 1967 film, "Magical Mystery Tour," perplexed many of even the band's most devoted fans. Surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were among those who were interviewed for this look at the controversial and surreal film that many Beatlemaniacs have still never seen. After "Revisited" airs on "Great Performances," a fully restored version of the film itself will be shown. (Dec. 14, 9 p.m., PBS.)

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It's a quiet week in the entertainment world, but we've found three picks for the week ahead. Batman's final chapter (for now) comes to home video, as does a wonderful and little-seen Oscar contender. And Bill Murray puts comedy aside to play President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in a new movie.

TUESDAY: 'Dark Knight Rises' on DVD and Blu-ray
"Dark Knight Rises" was garnering only positive headlines from all corners, and then a horrific shooting at a theater in Colorado forever unjustly marred its name. But the film itself stands alone as an absorbing and action-packed wrap-up for director Christopher Nolan's trilogy. Information about the home video extras have been leaking out, and one of the most interesting featurettes reveals secrets behind the famed football field explosion, where real NFLer Hines Ward scores a touchdown for the Gotham Rogues only to turn slowly and look back at the devastated field. (Out on DVD and Blu-ray Dec. 4.)

TUESDAY: 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' on DVD and Blu-ray
You may not have heard of the fantastical drama "Beasts of the Southern Wild," but you'll hear its name again come Oscar time. Child actress Quvenzhané Wallis (just 5 at the time of filming) plays 6-year-old Hushpuppy, a bayou child in a world where prehistoric Aurochs are about to be released from melting ice caps. (Stay with us here.) She has a sick father, a missing mother, and a mess of troubles. The film won the Camera d'Or award at Cannes and the Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic at Sundance. It's arty and odd enough that it probably never made it to your mall multiplex, but now you can see it at home. (Out on DVD and Blu-ray Dec. 4.)

FRIDAY: 'Hyde Park on the Hudson'
Bill Murray as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt? That's the fact, Jack. The comedian has played serious before, though it hasn't always worked out. (1984's "The Razor's Edge" was a giant flop.) "Hyde Park on the Hudson" features Murray's FDR  pursuing an affair with his own cousin (Laura Linney) and hosting the young King and Queen of England as World War II approaches. That's a lot of historical and personal baggage, and it'll be interesting to see how Murray handles it. (In theaters Dec. 7) 

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ABC

The "Dancing With the Stars" all-star finalists will face off on Monday and Tuesday.

Ease back into the swing of things after the holiday week with a lively "Dancing With the Stars" finale. Here are our picks for the three best entertainment events of the week.

MONDAY AND TUESDAY: 'Dancing With the Stars' finale
It's ladies' night at "Dancing With the Stars" this week, with three women vying for the ugliest trophy in American history, the "Dancing" mirror ball. (There's even a rumor that the all-star trophy could be different -- we vote for "even uglier, please!") Gymnast Shawn Johnson, "Bachelorette" Melissa Rycroft, and soap star Kelly Monaco will duke it out in the two-night finale. They may have made it this far, but it's not going to be an easy coast to the championship. Each of the three reportedly will perform four dances before the winner is announced, and for one of the dances, they are told their musical choice less than an hour before they must perform to it. (Nov. 26-27, 8 p.m., ABC.)

Slideshow: Worst outfits of 'DWTS: All-Stars'

Adam Taylor / ABC

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TUESDAY: 'Men in Black 3' on DVD and Blu-ray
Those "Men in Black" returned earlier this year. Will Smith returned to his role as Agent J, but partner Tommy Lee Jones only played Agent K for a short time before being replaced by Josh Brolin as an unnervingly excellent younger version of K. Agent J must struggle with the younger version of his partner, battle a creepy time-jumping villain (Jemaine Clement), and learn about his own past in the process. The film's a fun romp, Brolin is a dead-on young Tommy Lee Jones, and the whole shebang was so well-received that another sequel is now planned. But before that one rolls out, you can now check out "Men in Black 3" on home video. (Nov. 30.) 

FRIDAY: 'Killing Them Softly'
Robbing a high-stakes, mob-protected poker game is perhaps not the smartest thing to do if you want to live long. When two doofuses pull it off, Brad Pitt and James Gandolfini step in, and things get bloody. Says Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter, "A juicy, bloody, grimy and profane crime drama that amply satisfies as a deep-dish genre piece, 'Killing Them Softly' rather insistently also wants to be something more." (Opens Nov. 30)

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Handout / REUTERS

Sir Anthony Hopkins plays Alfred Hitchcock in the new movie about the famed director.

Thanksgiving always makes for slightly bizarre weeks in the entertainment world. This week, some movies open on Wednesday, some on Friday, and of course, we'll be treated to T-day TV specialties such as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and turkey day football. Here are our picks for the top three entertainment events of the week.

WEDNESDAY: 'Rise of the Guardians'
The title is bland and boring, but the movie is spirited and charming. The premise: Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Sandman and the Tooth Fairy are all pals, and they look out for the world's children. In the film, they enlist a young outsider, Jack Frost, to help them fight Pitch, the Nightmare King. Jude Law, Alec Baldwin, Chris Pine, Isla Fisher and Hugh Jackman provide the voices. A neat outing for kids during this holiday week. (Opens Nov. 21.)

FRIDAY: 'Hitchcock'
Alfred Hitchcock still fascinates us, he of the distinctive silhouette, purring voice and oh-so-memorable movies. The new film "Hitchcock," which opens the day after Thanksgiving, features Sir Anthony Hopkins as the filmmaker and Helen Mirren as his wife, Alma. The film takes place as Hitchcock is trying to get his classic "Psycho" made, discovering that it's not an easy sell. Tip: Shower before you go -- you may be too scared to do it later. (Opens Nov. 23.)

SUNDAY (Nov. 25): 'Downton Abbey Revisited'
Our British chums are already enjoying the third season of "Downton Abbey," but we Yanks have to wait until January. But if you're jonesing for a little Bates, Anna, Lady Mary and Dowager Countess, tune in to "Downton Abbey Revisited." Angela Lansbury, herself a big fan of the show, hosts the program, and the cast and crew share favorite memories and behind-the-scenes dish. You'll even get tidbits about the newest cast member, Shirley MacLaine, who plays Lady Grantham's American mother. (Nov. 25, 8 p.m., PBS.)

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Big stars, big names this week. James Bond returns in "Skyfall," Abraham Lincoln gets a biopic, and Spider-Man webcrawls onto DVD and Blu-ray. Here are our top three entertainment picks for the week ahead.

FRIDAY: 'Skyfall'
Shake your martinis and rev up the Aston-Martin, Bond -- James Bond -- is back. The suave secret agent must save his boss, M (Judi Dench) when she appears to have exposed agents to discovery and death. Javier Bardem is earning raves as the film's villain. You can also expect glamorous Bond girls, exotic locations, thrilling action scenes and all the Bond staples that a $150 million budget can buy. (Opens Nov. 9.) 

FRIDAY: "Lincoln'
How can a two-and-a-half-hour movie about lobbying be so engrossing? "Lincoln," the new Steven Spielberg biopic of our sixteenth president, defies the odds by making Honest Abe's quest for enough House votes to end slavery oddly fascinating. This is a talky movie -- not a lot of action, and a lot of political machinations. Still, Day-Lewis plays a great Lincoln (gentle, storytelling, brilliant and somehow sad) and Sally Field, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, James Spader, Jackie Earle Haley, Tommy Lee Jones and others round out an excellent, sure-to-be-Oscar-recognized cast. (Opens Nov. 9.)

FRIDAY: 'Amazing Spider-Man' on DVD
The "Spider-Man" movies got a well-received reboot earlier this year when Andrew Garfield took over the role of the gawky webslinging superhero. His origin story's been seen many times before, but this is a fresh, satisfying take, with Emma Stone as Spidey's girlfriend Gwen Stacy and Sally Field and Martin Sheen as his beloved Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Also memorable: Denis Leary as Gwen's cop dad and Rhys Ifans as scientist Curt Connors, who transforms into The Lizard, the film's bad guy. (On DVD and Blu-ray Nov. 9.)

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Two 1980s flashbacks hit the entertainment world this week, and a movie that some are calling the scariest of the year is ushering in the Halloween season. Here are top three entertainment picks for this week.

TUESDAY: 'E.T.' on Blu-ray
Turn on your heartbeat again. "E.T.," the  1982 classic that some have called the best science-fiction movie of all time, is turning 30 this year. If you haven't met up with Elliott, Gertie, E.T. and the crowd since back when legwarmers and jelly shoes were cool, you can now make their acquaintance again on Blu-ray. The new Blu-ray will include an all-new digitally remaster picture plus never-seen footage and a new interview with director Steven Spielberg. (Out on Blu-ray Oct. 9.)

THURSDAY: 'Beauty and the Beast'
"E.T." isn't the only 1980s icon who's returning this week. Remember the romantic 1980s TV series "Beauty and the Beast"? A brand-new show based on that fairy-tale concept hits airwaves this week. The 1980s show, which starred Ron Perlman and Linda Hamilton, was a romantic drama with hints of mystery. The new show is supposedly more like a crime procedural, with romance, of course. Kristin Kreuk's Catherine is a homicide detective, and Vincent the beast (Jay Ryan) is a doctor. Instead of the heavy-duty makeup Perlman wore, Ryan's handsome face only has one scar. Wha? (Premieres Oct. 11, 9 p.m., the CW.)

FRIDAY: 'Sinister'
Halloween is approaching, and horror-movie season is already here. "Sinister" is already earning rave reviews from the love-to-be-scared crowd. For a while, it had a perfect 100 percent positive critical rating at Rotten Tomatoes. Ethan Hawke plays a true-crime author who moves into a murdered family's house and then finds home movies showing other families being murdered. Things just get creepier from there, if that's even possible. Graham Young of The Birmingham Post calls it "the best horror movie of 2012 to date." (In theaters Oct. 12.)

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This week, two long-awaited movies -- "Taken 2" and "Frankenweenie" -- hit the cinema. Plus, "Princess Bride" gets a 25th anniversary Blu-ray, and an all African-American cast stars in a remake of "Steel Magnolias."

TUESDAY: 'Princess Bride'
"Inconceivable!" "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." "Anybody want a peanut?" The wonderfully quotable "Princess Bride" turns 25 this month, and a 25th anniversary Blu-ray offers a fun batch of extras, including an all-new featurette called "True Love: The Princess Bride Phenomenon." Other goodies include interviews with the cast and crew, a video diary from star Cary Elwes and commentaries by director Rob Reiner and screenwriter William Goldman (who also wrote the novel upon which the film is based). Have fun storming the castle! (On sale Oct. 2.)

FRIDAY: 'Taken 2' and 'Frankenweenie'
In 2008's "Taken," Liam Neeson turned into a killing machine after his daughter was kidnapped. So how to reboot that scenario for "Taken 2"? This time around, it's his ex-wife who's taken by the same evil group from the first film. What are the odds? Also opening this week is the full-length version of "Frankenweenie," famous as the short film that got Tim Burton fired from Disney in the 1980s. Now that Burton's a big-name director, the studio gave him big money and resources to turn the idea into a big-screen, full-length 3-D release. The plot hasn't changed over the decade: Kid scientist Victor Frankenstein brings his dog Sparky back from the dead, and to no one's shock but his, that wasn't a great idea. (Both movies open Oct. 5.)

SUNDAY: 'Steel Magnolias'

The original "Steel Magnolias" came out way back in 1989, but if you've ever seen an armadillo groom's cake at a wedding, you know its influence still lingers. Now Lifetime has remade the classic Southern tearjerker with an all African-American cast. The new film features Condola Rashad (Phylicia and Ahmad's daughter) in the Julia Roberts' role of Shelby, with Queen Latifah in the Sally Field role as Shelby's mother. Also starring are Phylicia Rashad herself, Alfre Woodard and Jill Scott. (Oct. 7, 9 p.m., Lifetime.)

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This week, fan favorites will return to the "Dancing With the Stars" ballroom to compete for the world's ugliest trophy, a comedy favorite from your childhood pops up on DVD, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes time travel look terrifying.

MONDAY: 'Dancing With the Stars'
It's all-star time for "Dancing With the Stars," with 13 returning celebrities who've previously competed on the show returning in a new quest for that ugly mirror-ball trophy. Highlights from the cast include Kirstie Alley, Shawn Johnson, Drew Lachey and headline-making Bristol Palin. It should be a tough race -- six returnees are past champions. Johnson, Lachey, Apolo Anton Ohno, Emmitt Smith, Kelly Monaco and Hélio Castroneves have all claimed the title before. (Sept. 24, 8 p.m., ABC.)

Slideshow: 'Dancing With the Stars: All Stars'

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TUESDAY: 'Carol's Favorites'
They don't make comedy shows today like they did in Carol Burnett's day. And get those kids off my lawn. "The Carol Burnett Show" ran from 1967 to 1978, and those of us who were around during that time remember it fondly. Carol's Tarzan yell. The questions from the audience. Her TV commercial parodies. "Went with the Wind," featuring Carol as "Starlet" O'Hara, wearing a curtain gown complete with curtain rod.  A six-DVD set, "Carol's Favorites," comes out this week and features 17 complete episodes, and yes, it includes "Went With the Wind." She just saw it in the window and couldn't resist it. (Out on DVD Sept. 25.)

FRIDAY: 'Looper'
Time travel never quite works out in movies. We think we'll just zip back in time, kill Hitler, save the dinosaurs, pick the right lottery numbers, but no such luck. "Looper" takes place in a future where time travel is illegal but used by criminals, who often send someone back into the past as a way of getting rid of them. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a "looper," a man whose job is to kill those travelers, but one day, the man who appears is his own future self (played by Bruce Willis). "Looper" is getting mostly rave reviews, and Gordon-Levitt is one of the hottest actors on the screen these days.  This one looks like a must-see. (Opens Sept. 28.) 

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