Top Picks: A breakout British star, bears in the wild, and more

Essential Nick and Nora

The first four movies included in The Thin Man, Vol. 1 box set from the TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection are really all you need of the six-part series starring William Powell and Myrna Loy as married detectives. The best are "The Thin Man," where Powell gets dragged back into the detective business, and "After The Thin Man," which features a young James Stewart.

Treasure hunting together

Fun as it is to build a hotel on Boardwalk, late-game Monopoly is often entertaining for only one player: the winner. Forbidden Island, on the other hand, stands as the rare example of an excellent cooperative board game. Players must work together to collect four treasures before the entire island sinks into the ocean. The game rewards teamwork, quick thinking, and imagination. Available from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and the iPad app store.

Bear kingdom

On PBS's "Nature," Fortress of the Bears explores the largest concentration of bears in the world, on Alaska's Admiralty Island. Half the size of Yellowstone – the island is only 100 miles long and 20 miles wide – the area contains four times the number of grizzlies. The native Tlingít people call the island "Kootznoowoo," which means "fortress of the bears." An up-close look at this impressive animal airs Jan. 25 at 8 p.m.

Power and the glory

PBS's "American Masters" features Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune, which profiles the troubled, deeply honest singer who stood up for what he believed in and challenged others to do the same. A compelling story of both a singer/songwriter and an era, the program airs Jan. 23 at 10 p.m.

From 'A Team' to A-list
 

Are you ready for master Ed? A 20-year-old from West Yorkshire, England, Ed Sheeran is a breakout sensation in Britain and a viral iTunes and YouTube success story. The ginger-haired singer, who resembles a grown-up Opie, possesses a wondrous voice and immense talent, equally at home in Van Morrison-style Celtic soul and funky urban pop. You can check out the boy wonder on YouTube or download his latest EP, "The A Team," from iTunes or other digital sites. And catch him live this spring opening for Snow Patrol's US tour.

Don't buy that boat yet
 

National Geographic has debunked 6 Mayan myths about 2012 supposedly being the end of the world, blockbuster movies with tidal waves to the contrary. One example? Mayans didn't really think the end of the world was happening on Dec. 21, 2012. They just saw the day as the beginning of a new calendar. See the whole list at: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/01/pictures/120103-end-of-world-maya-calendar-apocalypse-nasa-new-year