Robert Viglasky/FXALSO SEE: NFL 2019 TV Schedule
All Times Eastern.
Thursday, Dec. 19
A Christmas Carol
FX, 7:30pm
Original Film!
Guy Pearce (L.A. Confidential) stars as Ebenezer Scrooge and Andy Serkis (Black Panther) is the Ghost of Christmas Past in this adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic. Pearce describes this version of Scrooge’s path to redemption as “darker” and more of a “forensic” exploration into how the miser’s soul got to such a bad place. Ridley Scott and Tom Hardy are executive producers of this BBC/FX coproduction.
Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir Featuring Kristin Chenoweth
BYUtv, 8pm
A longer version of the annual holiday spectacular, starring the Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra at Temple Square and Bells on Temple Square, and featuring Emmy- and Tony-winning star Kristin Chenoweth, is presented with 30 additional minutes of songs and stories.
iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2019
The CW, 8pm
The lineup for this year’s concert includes Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, BTS, Billie Eilish, the Jonas Brothers, Sam Smith, Camila Cabello and more.
The 2020 Miss America Competition
NBC, 8pm Live
Reigning Miss America Nia Franklin will pass her crown to the next amazingly talented young lady in a live competition from Mohegan Sun casino and resort in Connecticut. “It’s really bittersweet,” Franklin tells us. “This has been such a great year. It’s been a year of some challenges. It’s been a year of real highs and just so many blessings and it’s going to be sad to give it up, but it’s also going to be amazing to see what’s next for me. And I really just want these girls that come after me, you know, 20 years from now, to see that Miss America was just a steppingstone for me; it wasn’t the end.”
NBA Basketball
TNT, beginning at 8pm Live
Some of the NBA’s elite are in action tonight on TNT as LeBron James and the L.A. Lakers visit Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, followed by James Harden and the Houston Rockets in Los Angeles to take on Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers.
Chi Chi & Devo
Golf Channel, 9pm
Golf Channel’s latest Golf Films project, Chi Chi & Devo, delves into the unusual connection between World Golf Hall of Fame member Chi Chi Rodriguez and ’80s American rock band Devo. Devo originated in the early 1970s in Ohio when two Kent State University students came together to challenge mainstream culture and idealism through musical satire. As the band began to attract a following in 1977, a search commenced for the perfect image to adorn the cover of its debut single, “Be Stiff.” A few years prior, Devo had stumbled upon a vintage box of golf balls that featured a smiling image of Rodriguez, and fell in love with the idea of emblazoning the eight-time PGA Tour winner’s likeness on their inaugural record label to represent an “iconic misappropriation of symbols.” Through interviews with Rodriguez and Devo band members Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale, the film details the band’s attempt at navigating the convoluted legal approval process in order to achieve their preferred cover — including unsuccessful attempts at making contact with Rodriguez himself — and follows the ensuing concessions that were made to appease their legal advisors. Chi Chi & Devo also captures the fitting union of the film’s principal figures, with Casale meeting Rodriguez for the first time, some 40 years after the two parties would be permanently tied following the release of Devo’s debut album in 1979. The film is narrated by Emmy Award-winning producer and NBC television host Carson Daly.
Santa’s Baking Blizzard
Food Network, 9pm
Season Finale!
It’s time for the final round of the competition featuring master ice sculptors and some of the country’s best bakers joined together to create mind-blowing Christmas scenes — and hoping to win the $25,000 prize.
Project Runway: “Sleigh the Runway”
Bravo, 9:30pm
The unconventional materials challenge gets a holly jolly update as the show’s remaining designers must create a festive party dress.
Gwen Stefani’s You Make It Feel Like Christmas
NBC, 10pm
Three-time Grammy-winning performer, songwriter and recording artist Gwen Stefani brings her passion for Christmas to this modern take on the traditional holiday special. It’s filled with music from Stefani’s holiday album, along with holiday classics, comedy sketches and more, and features special guest performances and appearances by Blake Shelton, Chelsea Handler, Ken Jeong, Seth MacFarlane and Ne-Yo.
Friday, Dec. 20
The Two Popes
Netflix
Original Film!
Oscar-nominated director Fernando Meirelles (City of God) helmed this intimate story inspired by true events. Frustrated with the direction of the church, Cardinal Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) requests permission from Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins) to retire in 2012. This leads to Benedict revealing a secret that would shake the foundations of the Catholic Church.
The Witcher
Netflix
New Series!
Henry Cavill stars as Geralt of Rivia in this adaptation of the bestselling fantasy book series. Geralt is a solitary monster hunter who struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Freeform, 6:15pm
You know Buddy the Elf and Frosty the Snowman. But first came Rudolph, the most famous reindeer of all. The red-nosed furry misfit originally appeared in a 1939 picture book written by Robert L. May for retailer Montgomery Ward. That inspired May’s brother-in-law Johnny Marks to write the 1949 Christmas carol, which later became the basis for the 1964 stop-motion special.
Celebrating Marvel’s Stan Lee
ABC, 8pm
Filmed in part in front of a live audience, this special takes viewers on an action-packed journey throughout the life of Stan Lee and across the Marvel Universe, sharing never-before-seen interviews and archive footage with Lee himself from deep within the archives. Tom Hiddleston, Paul Bettany, Cobie Smulders, Clark Gregg, Mark Hamill, Jimmy Kimmel, Kevin Smith, Bob Iger, Kevin Feige and more share their memories of Lee.
“I Love Lucy” Christmas Special
CBS, 8pm
Two colorized episodes of I Love Lucy are featured in this holiday special. In “The Christmas Episode” (1956), Lucy (Lucille Ball) and Ricky (Desi Arnaz) decorate the Christmas tree and reminisce about how their lives have changed since the birth of their son, Little Ricky. Then, in “Paris at Last” (1956), the Ricardos and Mertzes encounter everything from escargot to con men and counterfeiters on their Parisian getaway.
The Christmas Temp
Lifetime, 8pm
A struggling artist picks up festive odd jobs — and maybe her temp agency’s HR manager in the process?
Global Citizen Prize
NBC, 8pm
John Legend hosts this inaugural ceremony that celebrates individuals taking action to end extreme poverty. A star-studded cast of global talent will be on hand at London’s Royal Albert Hall for an event featuring special musical collaborations along with powerful video packages telling revealing stories of action and impact.
Live PD
A&E, 9pm
The popular ride-along show begins a two-part countdown of its Top 40 moments from 2019. Sure to be on the list (continuing Saturday): a shootout with bank robbers, a deputy hanging out of a speeding car and that time a mom forgot her son drew an adult image on her snow-covered rear window. Happy holidays, officer!
Van Helsing
Syfy, 10pm
Season Finale!
Season 4 of the dark fantasy drama starring Kelly Overton as the titular vampire hunter comes to an end tonight.
Trending Fear
Travel Channel, 11pm
New Series!
Two years ago, Adam Ellis documented the alleged haunting of his New York apartment under the hashtag #DearDavid. In this six-part series, he joins forces with documentarian Jen Lewis and ghost hunter Paul Bradford to help others investigate their unexplained paranormal encounters — while using #TrendingFear on social media to crowdsource information and theories live. Their first stop: the haunted New Jersey township Franklinville.
Saturday, Dec. 21
College Football
ABC & ESPN, beginning at 12pm Live
ABC and ESPN combine to televise six college football postseason games today: Celebration Bowl (ABC), New Mexico Bowl (ESPN), Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl (ABC), Camellia Bowl (ESPN), Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl (ABC) and R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (ESPN).
College Basketball
CBS & FOX, beginning at 12pm Live
A big Saturday of college hoops includes Kansas at Villanova and Texas at Providence on FOX. CBS airs UCLA vs. North Carolina and Ohio State vs. Kentucky in the CBS Sports Classic from Las Vegas.
Wizarding World Holiday Marathon
Syfy, beginning at 3:30pm
Celebrate the holidays with all of the Harry Potter films, plus Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The marathon runs until the evening of Monday, Dec. 23.
Christmas Love Letter
Lifetime, 6pm
Original Film!
When relationship advice columnist Amalie Hess (Ashley Newbrough) receives an unsigned love letter in a Christmas card, she returns to her hometown to solve the mystery of who sent it and maybe find true love.
12 Pups of Christmas
ION Television, 7pm
Can a “canine therapist” find homes for a dozen doggies by the 25th?
Homicide for the Holidays: “Christmas Heartbreak”
Oxygen, 7pm
Because sometimes you need counterprogramming. Tonight’s case: a couple found murdered inside their home on Christmas morning.
Double Holiday
Hallmark Channel, 8pm
Original Film!
Career-minded Rebecca’s (Carly Pope) plans for Hanukkah go askew when a promotion opportunity comes up at work. When the company CEO asks Rebecca and her insufferable office mate, Chris (Kristoffer Polaha) — also her main competitor for the promotion — to plan the company’s Christmas party, she realizes they must overcome their opposing styles in order to succeed.
Christmas Hotel
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
Erin (Tatyana Ali) works at the high-end Windsor Hotel in New York City hoping to soon be promoted to manager of the luxury chain’s upcoming hotel in Rome. But things take an unexpected turn when her boss puts her in charge of opening a brand-new Windsor Hotel in her hometown of Garland Grove, a small mountain town that that loves all things Christmas.
Christmas on My Mind
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, 9pm
Original Film!
When Lucy (Ashley Greene) wakes up with a wedding dress in hand, she believes that she is late to her wedding with her ex-boyfriend Zac (Andrew Walker). However, she has no recollection of the past two years, including the fact that she is engaged to another man. With Zac’s help, Lucy sets off on an adventure in Bedford Harbor to fill the gaps in her memory, and finds old romantic feelings reigniting during the Christmas season.
Ultimate Hanukkah Challenge
Food Network, 10pm
Molly Yeh hosts this first ever special Hanukkah competition. Inspired by the Festival of Lights, four seasoned chefs must pull out all the stops as they craft deliciously innovative dishes for judges Duff Goldman and Sharone Hakman. Over the course of three rounds, the chefs must put their spin on holiday classics like crispy potato pancakes, succulent brisket and fried jelly donuts. The last cook standing will win a vacation to Paris — the City of Light — and the title of Ultimate Hanukkah Champion.
Saturday Night Live: “Eddie Murphy/Lizzo”
NBC, 11:30pm Live
Former SNL cast member Eddie Murphy returns to the show for his first time as host since 1984. Recent Grammy nominee Lizzo makes her first appearance as musical guest.
