AXN Beyond's holiday specials

AXN Beyond will take viewers beyond the realms of the imagination this holiday season with the best sci-fi, paranormal and top-rating entertainment. Every Wednesday night at 10, dream a dark little dream in Stephen King’s twisted realms as the channel leads you into the world of Nightmares and Dreamscapes.

Directed by director Rob Bowman (The X Files)  and Mikael Salomon (Band of Brothers), Nightmares and Dreamscapes is an anthology series featuring eight of King’s outstanding short stories over the span of his career. Headlining the episodes are William Hurt (Incredible Hulk, The Village, A.I), William H Macy (Thank You For Smoking, Cellular), Ron Livingston (Band of Brothers), Kim Delaney (NYPD Blue, CSI: Miami) and Jeremy Sisto (Law & Order, Six Feet Under), among others.

The New York Times summed the series, “... what makes Mr. King’s vision so fascinating is... exactly how much they’re like ordinary nightmares.” Whether it is a too-good-to-be-true antidote to world conflict and aggression, a deadly painting which changes to reflect reality or a poisoned man with no life signs witnessing his own autopsy, expect these insidiously gripping nightmares to worm their way into the hearts of each viewer and bring forth their darkest fears.

On Saturdays at 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. starting Dec. 27 to Jan. 10, catch the thrilling and terrifying journey of the Winchester Brothers as they continue their quest in the catch-up marathon special of Supernatural Season 3 starring Jared Padalecki (Gilmore Girls, House of Wax, Flight of the Phoenix, Dawson’s Creek). Unable to go on without his brother, Dean made the ultimate sacrifice. He summoned a deal-making Crossroads Demon and exchanged his soul for the life of his brother. The deal brought Sam back to life — but left Dean with a single year to live.

Now, Sam and Dean face an all-out demonic war. As they work to stem the rising tide of demonic activity, they continue to travel the country, battling the supernatural — changelings, cursed objects, vampires, witches, malevolent spirits, even a very un-merry Anti-Claus — wherever they go. Dean’s clock is ticking, with hell awaiting him in less than a year’s time. Sam still faces the fallout of the slain demon’s plan to make him leader of the gathering demonic army. Wrestling many new questions about his destiny, Sam must uncover the dark secrets buried within his own past and within his family’s history. And he must find a way to save his brother.

Discover what makes Lost the no. 1 series in the US as AXN Beyond brings back season four Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. with repeats at 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. starting Dec. 28. The latest season of Lost has proven to be the most engrossing yet — as put succinctly by Associated Press Television Writer Frazier Moore, “...flashes of illumination for its viewers are routinely undone the next moment by bewilderment...” — certainly giving viewers’ imagination a full rein. Burning questions from past seasons will be answered, like who was the man in the casket at the L.A. funeral home in season three? Yet new twists will emerge, leaving viewers at the edge of their seats wondering... why is the “Oceanic Six” hiding the truth about what happened to them on the island? What happened to the rest of their comrades on the island? One thing for sure is, there will be unexpected casualties among the survivors and the island will continue to haunt the departed...till they return.