Ian Watson/HBO MaxALSO SEE: Complete 2021 NFL TV Schedule
All Times Eastern. PBS programming varies regionally.
Thursday, Dec. 16
Station Eleven
HBO Max
New Series!
This limited saga spanning multiple timelines tells the stories of survivors of a devastating flu as they attempt to rebuild and reimagine the world anew while holding on to the best of what’s been lost. The series is based on the international bestseller of the same name, and stars Mackenzie Davis, Himesh Patel, Danielle Deadwyler, Daniel Zovatto, David Wilmot and more.
Firebite
AMC+
New Series!
This eight-episode vampire fantasy series follows two Indigenous Australian hunters, Tyson (Rob Collins) and Shanika (Shantae Barnes-Cowan), on their quest to battle the last colony of vampires in the middle of the South Australian desert. Created, directed and written by Australia’s most celebrated Indigenous auteur voice, Warwick Thornton, alongside Brendan Fletcher, with Tony Krawitz joining as a director, Firebite is set in a remote desert mining town that is a hive for the last vampire stronghold shipped from Britain to Australia in 1788 by the colonial superpower to eradicate the Indigenous population. Sheltering from the sun in the underground mines and tunnels that surround the town, the colony’s numbers and hunger have been growing. War is coming, and Tyson and Shanika stand at the vanguard against the conflict. Episodes are available Thursdays.
Ragdoll
AMC+
Season Finale!
The internationally produced serial killer thriller set in England concludes Season 1. Lucy Hale, Henry Lloyd-Hughes and Thalissa Teixeira lead the cast.
Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers
discovery+
For the first time on television, more than a dozen members of Britain’s royal family offer their personal thoughts and reflections as they pay tribute to the life of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Filmed throughout his 100th year — before and after his death in April 2021 — this landmark portrait features only those who knew him best: his family and closest staff.
Finding Magic Mike
HBO Max
New Series!
Magic Mike director Steven Soderbergh and star Channing Tatum are among the executive producers of this unscripted competition series inspired by that comedy/drama film set in the world of male strippers. Here, 10 regular guys who have “lost their magic” are put through the paces of a Magic Mike Live bootcamp, baring their souls — and more — as they learn to perform sexy and daring dance routines, with one being crowned the real Magic Mike and pocketing a cash prize. All seven episodes are available today.
Dead Asleep
Hulu
This true-crime documentary film flips the traditional thriller narrative to explore a deeper and more troubling mystery: Did a remorseful Randy Herman Jr. really commit a brutal murder in his sleep, or was it a convenient cover story? Dead Asleep’s producers secured exclusive access to Herman and his family, the defense and prosecution attorneys, journalists who covered the case, forensic psychiatrists, and world experts in violent parasomnia (sleepwalking) to give viewers an inside look at the shocking twists and turns of the controversial crime.
Puff: Wonders of the Reef
Netflix
This natural history documentary follows a baby pufferfish as it travels through a wondrous world full of fantastical creatures as it searches for a home in the Great Barrier Reef.
A California Christmas: City Lights
Netflix
Original Film!
It’s been a year since Callie (Lauren Swickard, who also wrote the film) and Joseph (Josh Swickard) fell in love, and they’re happier than ever running their dairy farm and winery, until business and family obligations call Joseph back to the city — and threaten to derail their romance.
Days of Our Lives: A Very Salem Christmas
Peacock
Original Film!
Alison Sweeney reprises her 25-year-plus Days of Our Lives role as Sami Brady in this holiday spinoff of the popular soap opera that brings the fan-favorite troublemaker back to Salem, joining other series cast members. The movie follows Will Horton (Chandler Massey) as he writes a screenplay before his Christmas Eve deadline. Using everyone’s feel-good holiday movie tropes, he creates a festive story based on his family and friends in Salem, but with a number of twists and turns. Deidre Hall, Eileen Davidson, Jackée Harry and Drake Hogestyn are also among the cast.
MacGruber
Peacock
New Series!
Will Forte, who is also a showrunner, writer and executive producer, returns as the title character in this eight-episode, half-hour comedy series based on his popular Saturday Night Live sketch and the 2010 feature film it inspired, MacGruber. The series picks up where that movie left off. After rotting in prison for over a decade, America’s ultimate hero and uber-patriot MacGruber is finally released. His mission: Take down a mysterious villain from his past — Brigadier Commander Enos Queeth (Billy Zane). With the entire world in the crosshairs, MacGruber must reassemble his old team, Vicki St. Elmo (Kristen Wiig) and Dixon Piper (Ryan Phillippe), in order to defeat the forces of evil. Sam Elliott and Laurence Fishburne also star. All episodes are available today.
The Real Housewives of Miami
Peacock
Season Premiere!
The unscripted series returns for Season 4 on its new exclusive home on Peacock, making it the streaming service’s first ever original Housewives “city” series. This season’s cast includes returning Housewives Alexia Echevarria, Lisa Hochstein and Larsa Pippen alongside newcomers Guerdy Abraira, Dr. Nicole Martin and Julia Lemigova, the first LGBTQIA+ Housewife. Fan favorites Adriana de Moura and Marysol Patton, alongside newcomer Kiki Barth, will also be featured. The first three episodes of Season 4 are available today, with subsequent new episodes available Thursdays, and fans can also binge Seasons 1-3 on Peacock.
Close to Me
Sundance Now
U.S. Premiere Series!
Connie Nielsen and Christopher Eccleston lead this six-episode thriller from Britain. Nielsen plays Jo Harding, a woman who seems to have it all until a fall erases an entire year from her memory. As she struggles to piece events together, Jo discovers that her life wasn’t quite as perfect as she imagined, and that someone will do all they can to keep a terrible secret from her. New episodes are available Thursdays.
Station 19: “All I Want for Christmas Is You”
ABC, 8pm
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and the firefighters have their hands full responding to a number of crises throughout Seattle. Putting aside their differences and personal drama, they come together to try to achieve a Christmas miracle.
Dogs of the Year 2021
The CW, 8pm
Hosted by Kevin Frazier and Keltie Knight, this special highlights the most amazing dog stories of 2021 and celebrates the dogs that go above and beyond, leaving their mark on society and achieving the nearly impossible.
NFL Football: Kansas City at L.A. Chargers
FOX & NFL Network, 8pm Live
SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, is the site of Week 15’s Thursday Night Football matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the L.A. Chargers.
Music Box: “Juice WRLD: Into the Abyss”
HBO, 8pm
HBO’s Music Box documentary series includes this look at how the late hip-hop star Juice WRLD impacted the genre during his short life.
Christmas by Chance
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
Chance Charleswood (Winny Clarke) owns a struggling gift shop, By Chance Gifts. As the Christmas shopping season approaches, Chance is hired by William Richards (Jacob Blair), a wealthy and popular entrepreneur, to help him organize the perfect proposal for his girlfriend, Leyla Brooks (Celeste Desjardins). When Chance needs to get closer to Leyla to find out what she likes, they devise a plan to have her attend their Christmas party as an old friend of the family. Chance and William continue to spend more time together with the hopes of devising the perfect proposal, but Leyla does not seem to be ready for marriage, and each plan seems to fall apart. As Chance and William get to know each other more, they begin to bring out the best in one another and are able to find their true selves along the way.
L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth
NBC, 8pm
This special returns for a second year on NBC to showcase inspiring stories of 10 U.S.-based nonprofit women leaders whose tenacity and courage are leading to meaningful change in addressing society’s most pressing issues. For the first time, this special is set in the brand’s namesake city of Paris, where the women travel to meet their fellow honorees. Throughout the program, each woman will receive a $20,000 grant, mentorship from the L’Oréal Paris network and a national platform to share her story.
TCM Spotlight: Met on Set: “Passionate Affairs”
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!
As this month’s “Met on Set” spotlight continues, Turner Classic Movies features films costarring actors who met on set and started passionate affairs that were scandalous in the public eye. Tonight’s first film is the 1931 crime drama Dance, Fools, Dance. Starring Clark Gable and Joan Crawford, it was Gable’s first leading role after Crawford requested him for the part, the first of eight films that they made together. Next is the 1950 drama Stromboli, starring Ingrid Bergman and directed by Roberto Rossellini, whose affair started during filming, creating a public scandal. Bergman gave birth to their son the same month the film was released, and she and Rossellini were married for seven years. The 1962 historical drama Cleopatra follows, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, whose extramarital affair began during filming. They were married in 1964, despite the public’s disapproval — the first of two marriages between the couple, with both ending in divorce. After that is the 1939 drama Dark Victory, starring George Brent and Bette Davis. It was one of 11 movies they made together, completed soon after both had gotten divorced. They found romance with each other and started a relationship that lasted for a little over a year. The 1942 crime thriller Johnny Eager follows, starring Lana Turner and Robert Taylor, whose relationship was rumored to have begun shortly after meeting on set. They had undeniable chemistry, but Turner denied that anything ever happened between them, since Taylor was a married man at the time of filming. The final film is the 1926 silent romantic drama Flesh and the Devil, starring Greta Garbo and John Gilbert. It’s said that the romantic chemistry between Garbo and Gilbert was a director’s dream, since it was not faked. They moved in together and were engaged before production was even complete, and the film marked one of the most famous romances of Hollywood’s golden age. — Evan McLean
America’s Big Deal
USA Network, 9pm
Season Finale!
The first-of-its-kind, live and shoppable competition series from entrepreneur Joy Mangano wraps up Season 1 tonight. Entrepreneurs and their party-themed products compete for the last Big Deal of the season in the finale episode “Party Time.”
It's the high-stakes season finale that you DON'T want to miss! 🙌🛍 Catch #AmericasBigDeal LIVE Thursday at 9p ET/8p CT on @USA_Network! pic.twitter.com/XvNtxem5da
— USA Network (@USANetwork) December 14, 2021
Grey’s Anatomy: “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”
ABC, 9pm
The doctors of Grey Sloan Memorial celebrate the holidays. Hamilton (Peter Gallagher) and Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) prepare for a milestone on their project; Link (Chris Carmack) wants to spend the holiday with Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) and Scout (Ryden and Ryker Murphy) as a family; and Schmitt (Jake Borelli) is faced with a difficult decision during surgery.
20 Years of Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir
BYUtv, 9pm
This supersized, two-hour celebration of the past 20 years of the Tabernacle Choir Christmas first aired on PBS early this week but now finds its home on the Salt Lake-based BYUtv. The special combines both new and past footage and performances. It’s an uplifting, beautiful event packed with more than 40 world-renowned artists.
Legacies: “I Can’t Be the One to Stop You”
The CW, 9pm
Hope (Danielle Rose Russell) finds herself involved in a game of cat and mouse as Lizzie (Jenny Boyd) sets out to make things right. Josie (Kaylee Bryant) has a heart-to-heart with Finch (guest star Courtney Bandeko). Alaric (Matthew Davis), Landon (Aria Shahghasemi) and Ted (guest star Ben Geurens) get a surprising result from their quest. Meanwhile, MG (Quincy Fouse), Jed (Ben Levin) and Cleo (Onomo Okojie) handle matters back at the Salvatore School.
Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors
NBC, 9pm
This 2015 TV movie is based on the inspiring true story of country music legend Dolly Parton’s remarkable upbringing. The film follows the tight-knit Parton family as they struggle to overcome devastating tragedy and discover the healing power of love, faith and a raggedy patchwork coat that helped make Parton who she is today. Alyvia Alyn Lind stars as 9-year-old Dolly Parton, with Jennifer Nettles as her mother and Ricky Schroder as her father. Gerald McRaney also stars, and Parton herself narrates the film.
Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars
WE tv, 9pm
Season Finale!
The hip-hop legends make decisions about their marriages and futures together in tonight’s season finale.
Tarek & Heather: The Big I Do
HGTV, 9:30pm
Fans of HGTV’s house-flipping phenom Tarek El Moussa and his real estate agent fiancée, Heather Rae Young, will get an exclusive peek into the power couple’s nuptials. The hourlong special will find the happy couple putting the final touches on their upcoming wedding. From wedding dress shopping to a secret gift delivery during his custom tailored tux fitting, Tarek and Heather will be in for nonstop surprises while experiencing the stress and excitement that comes from planning a high-style, high-stakes destination wedding on the California coast.
Desus & Mero
Showtime, 11pm
Season Finale!
Desus Nice and The Kid Mero wrap up Season 3 of their late-night show taking on the day’s hot topics and chatting with guests at the intersection of pop culture, sports, music, politics and more.
Friday, Dec. 17
The Shrink Next Door
Apple TV+
Season Finale!
The Will Ferrell- and Paul Rudd-led comedy/drama inspired by actual events concludes its first season.
Swagger
Apple TV+
Season Finale!
Season 1 of the youth basketball drama inspired by the experiences of NBA superstar Kevin Durant’s (who is an executive producer) comes to a close.
Swan Song
Apple TV+
Feature Film Exclusive!
Streaming on Apple TV+ the same day it premieres in theaters, this emotionally compelling and thought-provoking drama features an ensemble cast led by Oscar winner Mahershala Ali (also a producer), Oscar nominee Glenn Close, Oscar nominee Naomie Harris, Awkwafina and Adam Beach. The film explores how far we will go, and how much we’re willing to sacrifice, to make a happier life for the people we love. Set in the near future, the story is told through the eyes of Cameron (Ali), a loving husband and father diagnosed with a terminal illness who is presented with an alternative solution by his doctor (Close) to shield his family from grief. As Cam grapples with whether or not to alter his family’s fate, he learns more about life and love than he ever imagined.
Arendelle Castle Yule Log: Cut Paper Edition
Disney+
Hand-crafted from paper art by Brittney Lee, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ acclaimed visual development artist on Frozen and Frozen II, this warm and inviting hearthside scene sets a festive holiday mood. Stylized cut-out paper flames combine with imaginative visual effects (including a touch of snow provided by Elsa) and silhouetted images of Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven to add to your holiday fun and enjoyment.
Mother/Android
Hulu
Original Film!
Set in the near future, this film follows Georgia (Chloë Grace Moretz) and her boyfriend Sam (Algee Smith) through their treacherous journey of escape as their country is caught in an unexpected war with artificial intelligence. Days away from the arrival of their first child, they must face No Man’s Land — a stronghold of the android uprising — in hopes of reaching safety before giving birth.
UNINTERRUPTED’S Top Class: The Life and Times of the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers
IMDb TV
Season Premiere!
This docuseries that showcases Southern California’s elite Sierra Canyon Trailblazers high school basketball team returns for Season 2. The six-part season picks up after a quiet 12 months without prep sports, with the Trailblazers emerging to resume their quest for victory after the abrupt end of their 2020 campaign to repeat as California state champions.
Fast & Furious Spy Racers
Netflix
Season Premiere!
The sixth and final season of this animated kids series based on the Fast & Furious feature film franchise is dubbed “Homecoming” and follows the Spy Racers around the world — from the Alps to the Arctic and back home to L.A. — as they battle their toughest enemy ever.
The Witcher
Netflix
Season Premiere!
In Season 2 of the incredibly popular fantasy drama, Geralt (Henry Cavill), convinced Yennefer’s (Anya Charlotra) life was lost at the Battle of Sodden, brings Princess Cirilla (Freya Allan) to the safest place he knows — his childhood home of Kaer Morhen. While the Continent’s kings, elves, humans and demons strive for supremacy outside its walls, Geralt must protect the girl from something far more dangerous: the mysterious power she possesses inside. The Witcher has already been renewed for a third season.
With Love
Prime Video
New Series!
This five-episode, hourlong romantic comedy series follows the Diaz siblings, Lily (Emeraude Toubia) and Jorge (Mark Indelicato), who are both on a mission to find love and purpose. Each of the episodes is set during a different holiday throughout the year and follows Lily, Jorge and their family over the course of 12 months as they experience the highs and lows of life during some of the most heightened days of the year.
TCM Morning & Afternoon Movies: Western Comedies
TCM, beginning at 9:45am
Catch a Classic!
Westerns and comedies have been among the most popular movie genres, so it makes sense that filmmakers have frequently combined the two. You can enjoy some of the finer results of that pairing of genres this morning and afternoon on Turner Classic Movies with a lineup of Western comedies beginning with The Harvey Girls (1946). This film, set in the 1890s, also throws in elements of the musical genre for good measure as it tells the story of young women, led by spunky Susan (Judy Garland), who head to Arizona for waitressing jobs at Fred Harvey’s pioneering restaurant chain and discover just how wild the Wild West can be. The movie also stars Garland’s Wizard of Oz costar Ray Bolger, Cyd Charisse, John Hodiak and Angela Lansbury, and features the Oscar-winning song “On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe.” Next, Rachel and the Stranger (1948) stars Loretta Young, William Holden and Robert Mitchum in a rare film addressing the role of women in the Old West, as well as America’s indentured servant trade. After that is Callaway Went Thataway (1951), a spoof of the craze inspired by the popular Western TV show Hopalong Cassidy that stars Fred MacMurray, Dorothy McGuire and Howard Keel. Rat Packers Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin star in the next film, 4 for Texas (1963), playing card sharks who scheme to get rich in 1870s Galveston. They enlist the aid of two women (Anita Ekberg and Ursula Andress) in their plans, but must also deal with a gunslinger (Charles Bronson) and a local heavy (Victor Buono). The fun film even manages to squeeze in a cameo appearance from the Three Stooges (Larry Fine, Moe Howard and Curly Joe DeRita). Finally, Western staple John Wayne has a little fun with his most famous genre as the title character in the 1963 Western comedy McLintock! This loose retelling of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew re-teams Wayne with his The Quiet Man costar Maureen O’Hara, who plays cattle/timber/mining baron McClintock’s estranged wife. She wants a divorce and custody of their daughter, and the battle of wills between the two literally gets down and dirty when it leads to a famous muddy brawl. — Jeff Pfeiffer
College Football
ESPN & ESPN2, beginning at 12pm Live
The college football bowl season kicks off today with Middle Tennessee vs. Toledo in the Bahamas Bowl in Nassau (ESPN) and Northern Illinois vs. Coastal Carolina in the Tailgreeter Cure Bowl in Orlando, Florida (ESPN2).
Friday Night Vibes
TBS, 7pm
As longtime fans of TNT’s Claws, hosts Tiffany Haddish and Deon Cole will catch up with the cast as they take a trip down memory lane sharing their favorite moments from the first three seasons of Claws. A sneak peek at the Season 4 premiere (airing Dec. 19 on TNT) will also be shown following Black Panther.
The 89th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade
The CW, 8pm
Hosts include Erik Estrada, Laura McKenzie, Dean Cain, Montel Williams and special cohost Elizabeth Stanton. The parade will feature Hollywood celebrities and movie cars, award-winning bands from across the country, dazzling equestrians, larger-than-life character balloons, colorful floats, humorous specialty acts and high-profile performers. The parade culminates with the appearance of the Jolly Old Elf himself, Santa Claus, and his reindeer, ushering in the holiday season!
Mistletoe in Montana
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
Welcome to Paradise Ranch, where city slickers get to be cowboys and cowgirls. Merry (Melissa Joan Hart), who owns the ranch, has been unlucky in love, but that’s about to change when a single father, Mark (Duane Henry), and his two kids book the ranch for Christmas week. Adventure is on the menu, the holiday spirit is everywhere and love is in the air.
Twisted Little Lies
LMN, 8pm
Original Film!
Brianna is a professor who is thrilled when her boyfriend, Nick, proposes. But her excitement fades as she learns of his relationship with his coworker, Christina. Devastated, Brianna turns to the internet, where she meets an intriguing man named William. The two quickly hit it off, but Brianna is shocked when she learns the man is her troubled student, Cooper, pretending to be an older man. Brianna rejects Cooper as soon as she learns who he really is, but he refuses to let Brianna go. The rejection causes Cooper to orchestrate a revenge plot on Brianna that endangers another student. When Brianna, Christina and Nick all realize how they’re connected, they must stop Cooper before he hurts anyone else. Jessica Morris, Melissa Archer, Ulyses Espinoza and Conlan Kisilewicz star.
Sing
NBC, 8pm
This 2016 animated hit is set in a city of humanoid animals, where a hustling theater impresario attempts to save his theater with a singing competition that becomes grander than he anticipates. Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane and Scarlett Johansson lead the voice cast.
Killer Siblings: “Engels”
Oxygen, 8pm
The true-crime series tells the story of the millionaire Engel brothers, convicted in 1986 of hiring someone to strangle one brother’s ex-wife (while he watched and smoked a cigarette, said the prosecutors!).
Rolling Like Thunder
Showtime, 8pm
This Hip Hop 50 documentary plunges into the secret underground world and history of freight train and graffiti culture, uncovering stories of artists, romances, competitive graffiti crews and battles with the institution.
Little House on the Prairie Binge-a-Thon
Hallmark Drama, 9pm
This is no ordinary binge — the marathon runs 10 days! Catch every episode of the beloved Michael Landon family drama (plus the movies) through Dec. 26.
The Last Drive-In With Joe Bob Briggs: “Joe Bob Ruins Christmas”
Shudder, 9pm
Horror movie host Joe Bob Briggs returns with a seasonal surprise for fans.
Love After Lockup: Life After Lockup
WE tv, 9pm
Season Finale!
This season, which found the couples trying to resist temptation and stay out of jail, concludes with the finale tonight.
Saturday, Dec. 18
My Dream Kitchen: Carla Hall
discovery+
Chef Carla Hall has lived in her Washington, D.C., home for over 20 years. She grew into adulthood and built her success in this house, and now she shares it with her husband, Matthew. Finally, she is rewarding herself by building the kitchen of her dreams, but like a tricky recipe, it’s not always as easy as it seems. Differing tastes from Matthew, having to move out during construction, endless delays and a very lengthy renovation push the project — and Carla’s patience — to its limits. Will Carla get the chef’s kitchen she has dreamed of?
My Dream Kitchen: Giada De Laurentiis
discovery+
Professional chef Giada De Laurentiis has spent more than 20 years cooking in kitchens all over the world. Now, for the first time, the Food Network star, cookbook author and restaurateur has the opportunity to build her own kitchen from the ground up as she renovates the midcentury house in Los Angeles that she purchased for her forever home. But bringing this vision to reality is filled with unexpected twists and turns as bold design choices come to life, and construction delays and supply chain issues conspire to delay the culmination of this dream.
College Football
ABC & ESPN, beginning at 11am Live
Seven bowl games are on the schedule for Saturday with the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl: Western Kentucky vs. Appalachian State (ESPN), the Cricket Celebration Bowl: South Carolina State vs. Jackson State (ABC), the PUBG Mobile New Mexico Bowl: UTEP vs. Fresno State (ESPN), the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl: UAB vs. BYU (ABC), the LendingTree Bowl: Eastern Michigan vs. Liberty (ESPN), the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl: Utah State vs. Oregon State (ABC) and the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Louisiana vs. Marshall (ESPN).
College Basketball: CBS Sports Classic
CBS, beginning at 3pm Live
The CBS Sports Classic event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas features four of the nation’s top teams with UCLA vs. North Carolina and Ohio State vs. Kentucky.
Holiday Affair
TCM, 6:15pm
Catch a Classic!
Robert Mitchum may be better known for his tough-guy roles in films noir, Westerns and dramas, but he displays a nice comic touch with a change-of-pace role for him in this 1949 Yuletide-flavored romantic comedy. Mitchum plays department store clerk Steve Mason, who ends up getting fired after he lets war widow Connie Ennis (Janet Leigh), who is also a comparison shopper for a rival store, off the hook for returning a pricey train set. But Steve is determined to make a Christmas gift of the toy to give to Connie’s young son — and to go to war for her affections against her sort-of steady (Wendell Corey). Harry Morgan, Henry O’Neill and Esther Dale also star.
When Hope Calls: “A Country Christmas, Parts 1 and 2”
GAC Family, 8pm
The cast of When Hope Calls returns for this two-part holiday film that finds Abigail Stanton from When Calls the Heart (Lori Loughlin) and her son Cody (Carter Ryan) visiting Lillian’s (Morgan Kohan) orphanage, and the town of Brookfield scurrying to be named America’s No. 1 Country Christmas Town by a national magazine.
The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls
Hallmark Channel, 8pm
Original Film!
The Mitchell brothers compete to see who can create the best Christmas House. Stars Robert Buckley, Ana Ayora, Jonathan Bennett, Sharon Lawrence, Treat Williams and Brad Harder.
Holmes for the Holidays
HGTV, 8pm
The stars of Holmes Family Rescue — contractor Mike Holmes, his daughter Sherry and son Michael — each believe their home is the best-dressed for the holidays. During this one-hour special, they battle it out in a friendly family Christmas competition to see who can create the most over-the-top light displays, ice sculptures and gingerbread houses — with Mike’s uncle, Billy Bell, deciding the ultimate winner. Mike and his wife, Anna, will trim their home in a modern Christmas theme, complete with a dazzling animated show with thousands of twinkling lights. It’ll be a holiday all about the kids for Sherry and her husband, Blake, who recently welcomed their second child, as they turn their backyard into a North Pole winter wonderland. And Michael will wow with a cozy, rustic holiday theme inspired by his wife Lisa Marie’s love of animals. The Holmes family also will share holiday safety tips and give back to the community in meaningful ways throughout the special.
Toying With the Holidays
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
Workaholic designer Danielle (Cindy Busby) returns to her hometown of Holly Pines for the holidays with her young son, Paul, and hopes to introduce him to some beloved holiday traditions — in particular, the town’s North Pole Express train. Once home, she discovers that the North Pole Express has been sidelined. Determined to help, Danielle reconnects with her former high school classmate Kevin (Chad Michael Murray), now a hobbyist and model train enthusiast himself. Together, Danielle and Kevin attempt to pull off a Christmas miracle that would get the old North Pole Express running — and quite possibly give Danielle many reasons, one of them romantic, to consider staying in Holly Pines for good …
Deadly Girls’ Night Out
LMN, 8pm
Original Film!
Willa heads to her hometown for the holidays for the first time in years. She and her high school friends Naomi and Tia decide to hit the town for a girls’ night out. The fun is cut short when Naomi meets an untimely death. All signs point to an apparent suicide, but Willa doesn’t believe this. Desperate to avenge their friend, Willa and Tia try to dig up any piece of evidence they can find. But with no real leads, they are left hopeless, and worse, it appears someone doesn’t want Willa to keep searching. Gina Vitori, René Ashton, James Hyde, Emma Jessop and Josh Murray star.
Destination Fear: “Loftus Hall”
Travel Channel, 9pm
The team jumps out of their comfort zone and across the pond to the rugged and stormy coast of Ireland — and their first ever international investigation together. They’re prepared to come face-to-face with poltergeists, ghostly nuns and maybe the devil himself inside Loftus Hall, a cursed 14th century mansion. It’s a location that will test Dakota’s theory that the older and more ancient the entity, the more active and frightening it becomes.
Christmas for Keeps
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, 10pm
Original Film!
At Christmastime, a close-knit group of childhood friends returns home after 10 years to take part in the celebration of the life of their beloved high school teacher. Stars Christa B. Allen, Ryan Rottman, Ashley Newbrough and Marielle Scott.
Kindred Spirits
Travel Channel, 10pm; also streams on discovery+
Season Premiere!
The paranormal investigation series returns for Season 6 with “The Undertaker’s Secret,” in which Amy Bruni and Adam Berry investigate an old Masonic temple shrouded in mystery and local lore. Their hair-raising paranormal investigation with psychic medium Chip Coffey leads to the daunting realization that they may be investigating a cold-case murder.
Saturday Night Live: “Paul Rudd/Charli XCX”
NBC, 11:30pm Live
SNL’s last new episode of 2021 features actor Paul Rudd hosting for his fifth time, and Grammy-nominated English singer-songwriter Charli XCX making her second appearance as musical guest.
Sunday, Dec. 19
Home Town: Ben’s Workshop
discovery+
Season Premiere!
Returning for its second season, this series features master woodworker Ben Napier as he shares his expertise in craftsmanship and carpentry with celebrity guests who help him build iconic wood projects at his workshop in Laurel, Mississippi.
1883
Paramount+; series premiere simulcast at 8pm on Paramount Network
New Series!
Yellowstone cocreator Taylor Sheridan created this prequel to the Kevin Costner-led hit that presents an origin story for how the Duttons first settled in Montana. The series follows the Dutton family in the 19th century as they embark on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America. Sam Elliott stars as Shea Brennan, a tough-as-nails cowboy with immense sadness in his past, who has the herculean task of guiding a group from Texas to Montana, and who does not suffer fools. Real-life spouses Faith Hill and Tim McGraw portray James and Margaret Dutton, patriarch and matriarch of the Dutton family. Billy Bob Thornton and Isabel May also star. The series premiere is simulcast this evening on Paramount Network; new episodes are available to stream Sundays on Paramount+.
A Very Merry MeTV
MeTV, beginning at 9am
Enjoy a day of holiday episodes from classic TV series like Saved by the Bell, The Flintstones, The Brady Bunch, Gilligan’s Island, M*A*S*H, The Love Boat and more.
The Sound of Music
ABC, 7pm
Catch a Classic!
Based on the great 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein stage musical of the same name, this 1965 big-screen adaptation of The Sound of Music is a stand-alone classic in its own right. One of the finest movie musical dramas ever produced, the hugely entertaining and practically flawless film won five of the 10 Oscars for which it was nominated, including Best Picture and Best Director (Robert Wise). It’s filled with a nonstop string of iconic and hummable tunes like “Edelweiss,” “My Favorite Things,” “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” “The Lonely Goatherd” and “The Sound of Music,” and these songs are all big parts of why audiences made the movie a blockbuster that was, for a few years, the highest-grossing film of all time. The other big reasons The Sound of Music succeeds so effectively are the engaging performances from its terrific cast members, led by Best Actress Oscar nominee Julie Andrews, who plays Maria von Trapp in a story based on von Trapp’s memoir. In the late 1930s, Maria, a young novitiate, is sent by her convent to Austria to become a governess to the seven children of widowed naval officer Captain von Trapp (Christopher Plummer in the role that made him a film star). Maria brings love and music into the lives of the von Trapp family, even as the rise of Nazism in neighboring Germany begins to cast an ominous shadow. — Jeff Pfeiffer
Patti LaBelle’s Holiday Party
TV One, 7pm
In this hourlong special, music icon Patti LaBelle invites viewers over to her house for some great food, delicious desserts and her famous holiday punch. She’ll end the night on a high note with a little performance around the tree and piano.
Christmas Together
UPtv, 7pm
Original Film!
A woman (Anna Marie Dobbins) leaves New York for Los Angeles after a breakup and falls in love while renting the guest house of a young father (Marc Herrmann). Vivica A. Fox also stars.
A Charlie Brown Christmas
PBS & PBS Kids, 7:30pm
This iconic, Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning longtime TV favorite from 1965 is the first, and probably the most beloved, holiday special featuring Charles Schulz’s Peanuts gang. Accompanied by a classic jazz score from Vince Guaraldi, Charlie Brown (voice of Peter Robbins), tired of the commercialism surrounding Christmas that he sees at every turn, tries to find out what the holiday is really about. All Peanuts holiday specials, including this one, are also always available to stream year-round on Apple TV+.
Christmas Takes Flight
CBS, 8pm
Original Film!
Jenny Beckett (Katie Lowes) is a pilot for her family-owned regional airline. Matt Hansen (Evan Williams) is a number-crunching businessman only concerned about the bottom line. After Matt purchases Jenny’s airline, he cancels the company’s annual holiday children’s charity benefit in a cost-cutting move. But Jenny rallies the community to help save the event and unexpectedly finds herself falling for Matt in the process.
The Simpsons: “A Made Maggie”
FOX, 8pm
Fat Tony (voice of returning guest Joe Mantegna) becomes godfather to Maggie Simpson in the new episode “A Made Maggie.”
Joy at Christmas
GAC Family, 8pm
Original Film!
When her family firm’s annual Christmas toy drive is in jeopardy, Holly Silver (Cindy Busby) must convince pro athlete Jack Kane (Sam Page) to be the public face of the toy drive to help save it.
’Tis the Season to Be Merry
Hallmark Channel, 8pm
Original Film!
Looking for a fresh angle to her book on relationships, Merry (Rachael Leigh Cook) heads to snow-covered Vermont. She finds a new perspective and Christmas cheer with charismatic aid worker Chris (Travis Van Winkle).
Under the Christmas Tree
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
Marketing whiz Alma Beltran (Elise Bauman) and Christmas tree whisperer Charlie Freemont (Tattiawna Jones) cross paths when Charlie finds the perfect tree for the Maine governor’s holiday celebration — right in Alma’s backyard. While they initially spar, romantic sparks soon begin to fly between the two women as the enchanting tree and some Christmas fairy dust from the town’s pâtissière extraordinaire (Ricki Lake) bring out the best in them and inspire each other to take leaps of faith and fight for love and Christmas magic.
The Great North: “Dip the Halls Adventure”
FOX, 8:30pm
Tobin patriarch Beef (voice of Nick Offerman) is on the lookout for a missing Bigfoot costume in Alaska.
Condor: “The Road We Take”
EPIX, 9pm
Kat (Isidora Goreshter) watches as Volk (Jonathan Kells Phillips) serves up some justice. Meanwhile, Mae’s (Kristen Hager) discussions with Sen. Thrush (Sherri Saum) have unintended consequences.
Bob’s Burgers: “Gene’s Christmas Break”
FOX, 9pm
Middle Belcher child Gene (voice of Eugene Mirman) breaks his favorite rare 1970s holiday record and hunts for a replacement with the help of his sisters.
The Toys That Built America
History, 9pm
Season Finale!
The season concludes with “Board Game Empires.” After failing to make a living selling lithographs, Milton Bradley creates one of America’s first board games, which will go on to become one of the biggest of all time. But the Parker brothers threaten Bradley’s reign. However, it’s the game of Monopoly that will upend the business. In its earliest days, that game might have been pirated from its true creator, who has been largely lost to history — until now.
Claws
TNT, 9pm
Season Premiere!
The highly anticipated fourth and final season of TNT’s wickedly dark and funny series starring Niecy Nash, Carrie Preston, Judy Reyes, Karrueche Tran and Jenn Lyon premieres. Desna (Nash) and Quiet Ann (Reyes) have some unfinished business after the Season 3 finale that left the casino up in flames.
Small Town Christmas: “Natchitoches, La.”
UPtv, 9pm
Host Megan Alexander explores the food, drink, music, entertainment and faith that residents of Natchitoches, Louisiana, enjoy during the Christmas season.
Family Guy: “Christmas Crime”
FOX, 9:30pm
In the new episode “Christmas Crime,” Mayor Wild West’s (voice of returning guest star Sam Elliott) Nativity scene is ruined, and Brian (voice of Seth MacFarlane) is the prime suspect.
Monday, Dec. 20
Agatha Raisin: Kissing Christmas Goodbye
Acorn TV
Ahead of quirky British mystery series Agatha Raisin’s fourth season coming to Acorn TV in March 2022, enjoy this one-off holiday special based on the show. Agatha (Ashley Jensen) is hired to protect a woman from her ghosts of Christmas past, but when she’s found dead, Agatha has a murder investigation on her hands, with everyone in the village a would-be suspect — including the woman’s children.
A Ghost Story for Christmas
BritBox
Streaming service BritBox drops a spooky holiday treat today by making available most of the A Ghost Story for Christmas short films produced by the BBC during the holiday season yearly between 1971 and 1978, then sporadically since 2005. The films adapt classic supernatural tales, mostly the short stories of M.R. James.
Classic Christmas Marathon Continues
TCM, beginning at 7:30am
Catch a Classic!
After beginning last night, Turner Classic Movies’ Classic Christmas movie marathon continues in full force all day today, and goes on nonstop until the evening of Christmas Day (Saturday, Dec. 25). Today’s lineup of movies that are in some way related to the holidays features, in order: Kind Lady (1935), The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942), Cover Up (1949), Crooks Anonymous (1962), Backfire (1950), Mr. Soft Touch (1949), Lady on a Train (1945), We’re No Angels (1955), Fitzwilly (1967), Lady in the Lake (1947), Larceny, Inc. (1942) and The Silent Partner (1978).
The Wizard of Oz
TNT, 7pm
Because, because, because, because, because — because you know you can’t let a year go by without seeing it again. The 1939 Victor Fleming classic adventure of Dorothy and all of the pals she meets in the merry old land of Oz is back. This timeless classic stars Judy Garland, Frank Morgan and Ray Bolger.
Dynasty
The CW, 8pm
Season Premiere!
The Carringtons make a special appearance on Monday night as they head into Season 5. Back-to-back episodes pick up from October’s shocking finale, when media mogul Fallon (Elizabeth Gillies) was gunned down by her evil assistant, Eva (Kara Royster). Now it’s touch and go at the hospital as Carrington patriarch Blake (Grant Show) waits by his daughter’s bedside. “We get some great moments where he talks about how proud he is of her and how he can’t lose her,” says showrunner Josh Reims. “It’s a vulnerable side of Blake that we never really see.” That cliffhanger and the plot by jealous brother-in-law Beto (Geovanni Gopradi) to assassinate Blake will soon be wrapped up “in one way or another,” Reims promises. In the Christmassy second hour, “we do things we don’t normally do,” Reims notes, but there’s still drama. Alexis (Elaine Hendrix) is set to spend the holidays behind bars, accused of pushing the doctor blackmailing her son, Adam (Sam Underwood), from her penthouse to his death. After tonight, the soap goes on hiatus until March, which is when “we find out what actually happened on [Alexis’] balcony,” Reims says. Until then, looks like orange is the new black for blondie!
NFL Football: Minnesota at Chicago
ESPN, 8pm Live
Kirk Cousins leads the Minnesota Vikings into Chicago’s Soldier Field for a Week 15 NFC North contest with Justin Fields and the Bears on Monday Night Football.
The Secrets of Christmas: Revealed
FOX, 8pm
In this festive comedy special, Christmas experts discuss the shocking revelations from a massive data breach that released millions of secret documents from Santa Claus’ workshop. The confidential inner workings of Santa’s operation are exposed, including a hidden network of spying elves and Mrs. Claus’ covert role in pulling off the most magical day of the year.
Candy Cane Candidate
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
Natural-born leader Julia (Jacky Lai) returns to her hometown of North Falls for Christmas to drown her sorrows in eggnog, cookies and Yuletide after her recent political campaign for city council ended in a landslide loss. It’s the perfect place for Julia’s holiday escape — until she realizes coming home means running into her old high school rival, Parker (Jake Epstein), the arrogant know-it-all who beat her in a race for senior class president. When the North Falls mayor resigns, the town holds an emergency election, and Julia and Parker find themselves once again facing off. But as they campaign their way through the Christmas season and plan a toy drive together, Julia begins to see a different side of Parker, and the ice between them slowly begins to thaw. As their political race comes to a head, the two discover winning isn’t everything.
Annie Live!
NBC, 8pm
NBC encores its performance of Annie, the Depression-era story about an optimistic young girl living a hard-knock life in an orphanage, which first aired live earlier this month. Celina Smith stars as Annie, with Taraji P. Henson as Miss Hannigan, Harry Connick Jr. as Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks, Nicole Scherzinger as Grace Farrell, Tituss Burgess as Rooster Hannigan and Megan Hilty as Lily St. Regis.
Aerial America
Smithsonian Channel, 8pm
You won’t be able to take any selfies when you visit these top tourist destinations — Alaska’s Denali National Park, Gateway Arch in St. Louis and the National Mall in D.C., for starters — but you’ll avoid so many other travel hassles.
Tough Love With Hilary Farr
HGTV, 9pm
New Series!
Love It or List It’s Hilary Farr helps wishy-washy folks (first up: newlyweds!) make solid design decisions with her firm but affectionate style.
Christmas at Belmont
PBS, 9pm
This year’s installment of the annual holiday concert favorite from Nashville’s Belmont University features alumnus and country/gospel singer Josh Turner along with current Belmont students. The show includes holiday favorites and songs from Turner’s recently released first Christmas album, King Size Manger.
Miracles Across 125th Street
VH1, 9pm
Original Film!
After battling drug addiction, a Harlem rapper returns to his family’s church to confront his past on Christmas Eve. Stars Nick Cannon, Lil Kim, Chrisette Michele and Kierra Sheard-Kelly.
Tuesday, Dec. 21
Grumpy Christmas
Netflix
Original Film!
In this sequel to the 2016 Mexican comedy hit Un Padre No Tan Padre, Don Servando (Héctor Bonilla) and his “extended hippie family” travel to the beach to spend Christmas with Alma’s (Jacqueline Bracamontes) aunt, Doña Alicia, a demanding older woman who becomes Don Servando’s ultimate nemesis. When his position in the family is challenged, Don Servando will stop at nothing to prove that Alicia is a horrible person who only looks out for herself — even if it means ruining Christmas for everyone.
Being the Ricardos
Prime Video
Original Film!
This behind-the-scenes drama from writer/director Aaron Sorkin follows Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) and Desi Arnaz (Javier Bardem) during one critical production week of their groundbreaking sitcom I Love Lucy, presenting a revealing glimpse of the couple’s complex romantic and professional relationship. Jake Lacy, J.K. Simmons, Nina Arianda, Tony Hale and Alia Shawkat also star.
Classic Christmas Marathon Continues
TCM, beginning at 6am
Catch a Classic!
Turner Classic Movies’ nonstop marathon of movies that are in some way related to the holidays continues today with a lineup featuring, in order: Hell’s Heroes (1930), Three Godfathers (1936), Bush Christmas (1947), A Christmas Carol (1938), Alias Boston Blackie (1942), Room for One More (1952), Period of Adjustment (1962), The Lion in Winter (1968), Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), In the Good Old Summertime (1949), The Shop Around the Corner (1940), Little Women (1949) and Blossoms in the Dust (1941).
College Football
ESPN, beginning at 3:30pm Live
A pair of college football bowl games on ESPN has Kent State vs. Wyoming in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise and UTSA vs. San Diego State in the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl in Frisco, Texas.
Bering Sea Gold: “Mining on a Prayer”
Discovery Channel, 8pm
Seconds count for the Alaskan gold miners! Ambitious Kris Kelly responds quickly to a life-threatening incident. Tough old-timer Vernon Adkison pushes a diver for a personal best. And determined Shawn Pomrenke must deal with a crack in the ice before it jeopardizes his route to a jackpot.
Fantasy Island: “Welcome to the Snow Globe”
FOX, 8pm
The Fantasy Island reboot series returns with a two-hour holiday event called “Welcome to the Snow Globe.” Eddie Cahill guest-stars as a ruggedly handsome man seemingly plucked from the script of a feel-good holiday movie. Lindsey Kraft guest-stars as a stressed-out CEO who wants a perfect Christmas … seemingly plucked from the script of a feel-good holiday movie. Think Elena (Roselyn Sanchez) might play matchmaker?
The Christmas Ball
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
When lead ballerina Clare Fitzgerald (Deidre Mullins) is let go before the Christmas season’s Nutcracker, she’s beyond devastated and jumps at the opportunity to visit her Aunt Bridget (Caroline Langrishe) in England during the holidays. Once there, she meets Liam (Nick Hendrix), a local professor and historian who is helping Bridget preserve the family manor. Clare discovers that Christmas Regency balls were once held at the manor, prompting Bridget to propose they hold a ball as part of Liam’s presentation to the preservation society. As Clare and Liam work together, the two also waltz into a new romance.
In Performance at the White House: “Spirit of the Season”
PBS, 8pm
This hourlong music special celebrates the holidays and highlights the seasonal decor at the White House, and features special remarks by President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden. Actress Jennifer Garner hosts the program, which will also include performances by Andrea Bocelli, Matteo Bocelli, Virginia Bocelli, Camila Cabello, Eric Church, Jonas Brothers, Norah Jones, Pentatonix, Billy Porter, Northwell Health Nurse Choir, Voices of Service and the United States Marine Band.
A “Saturday Night Live” Christmas Special
NBC, 9pm
This two-hour special brings back some of the classic Christmas and holiday-themed sketches from over the long history of SNL.
Song & Story: Amazing Grace
OWN, 9pm
In the first of a series of movies inspired by seminal songs, a painter (Bresha Webb) who feels lost just might be found when she befriends an optimistic clothing store owner (Getenesh Berhe) and ventures down a path of forgiveness.
Top Gear
BBC America, 10pm
Season Finale!
Three newly licensed young drivers hit the road in cool — and cheap — cars selected by hosts Freddie Flintoff, Chris Harris and Paddy McGuinness. The guys take the 17-year-olds on a coastal road trip (with quarry racing, paint bombs and an obstacle course!).
The Last O.G.
TBS, 10:30pm
Season Finale!
As Tray (Tracy Morgan) proudly gets ready for his kids’ high school graduation, some of the less-ethical moves he made to save the community center threaten to derail his own future. Or worse yet, trigger a repeat of his criminal past.
Wednesday, Dec. 22
Hawkeye
Disney+
Season Finale!
The first season of the latest live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe series concludes. Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld star.
The Matrix Resurrections
HBO Max
Feature Film Exclusive!
Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss headline the fourth installment in the Matrix franchise. The film is available on HBO Max’s Ad-Free Plan for 31 days from its theatrical release today.
Emily in Paris
Netflix
Season Premiere!
In Season 2 of this Golden Globe-nominated American-French dramedy, Emily (Lily Collins) is more entrenched in her life in Paris and getting better at navigating the city, but still struggling with the idiosyncrasies of French life. After stumbling into a love triangle with her neighbor and her first real French friend, Emily is determined to focus on her work — which is getting more complicated by the day. In French class, she meets a fellow expat who both infuriates and intrigues her.
Classic Christmas Marathon Continues
TCM, beginning at 6am
Catch a Classic!
Turner Classic Movies’ nonstop marathon of movies that are in some way related to the holidays continues today with a lineup featuring, in order: My Reputation (1946), Our Vines Have Tender Grapes (1945), On Moonlight Bay (1951), Penny Serenade (1941), All Mine to Give (1957), Never Say Goodbye (1946), Good Sam (1948), Christmas in Connecticut (1945), Holiday Affair (1949), Desk Set (1957), The Apartment (1960), Bachelor Mother (1939) and Bundle of Joy (1956).
The Price Is Right at Night
CBS, 8pm
Drew Carey hosts a special holiday primetime episode in which families come on down to play for festive prizes. The Price Is Right also highlights pet adoption when it showcases animals looking for their forever homes this holiday season.
College Football: Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
ESPN, 8pm Live
Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, is the site of the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl between the Missouri Tigers and Army Black Knights on ESPN.
The Masked Singer Christmas Singalong
FOX, 8pm
This two-hour special features never-before-seen holiday performances, laugh-out-loud bloopers and exciting behind-the-scenes footage from The Masked Singer.
It Takes a Christmas Village
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
In order to make the town’s Christmas market a reality, Mayor Alex Foster (Brooke Nevin) must convince the reclusive Darcy Hawkins (Corey Sevier) to lend out his family’s historic mill, which is no easy task thanks to a long-running family feud. But as Alex slowly chips away at Darcy’s frosty exterior, their feelings grow beyond the interests of the town, leading this unlikely duo to the prospect of love.
Illumination Presents: Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch
NBC, 8pm
This 2018 CGI retelling of Dr. Seuss’ classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas features Benedict Cumberbatch providing his voice as the titular holiday-hater. The voice cast also includes Cameron Seely, Rashida Jones, Kenan Thompson, Angela Lansbury and Pharrell Williams.
The 44th Annual Kennedy Center Honors
CBS, 9pm
Recipients to be honored at the annual national celebration of the arts in Washington, D.C., are operatic bass-baritone Justino Díaz; Motown founder, songwriter, producer and director Berry Gordy; Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels; legendary stage and screen icon Bette Midler; and singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell.
Trafficked With Mariana van Zeller: “Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs”
Nat Geo, 9pm
Mariana van Zeller goes inside the secretive world of outlaw motorcycle gangs, also known as 1% clubs, when her interest is piqued by a string of biker-related violence. Undeterred by a strict code of silence, she interviews members of three major clubs, as well as ATF agents and cartel contacts, to learn about the bonds of blood and brotherhood that fuel these groups.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
FXX, 10pm
Season Finale!
The Paddy’s Pub gang closes out Season 15 and their trip to Ireland with Mac (Rob McElhenney) in a seminary, Charlie (Charlie Day) hanging out with a corpse and Dee (Kaitlin Olson) nearly drowning in a bog.
Michael Bublé’s Christmas in the City
NBC, 10pm
Grammy-winning artist Michael Bublé returns for his eighth NBC holiday special, a mix of comedy and music that will also celebrate the 10th anniversary of the singer’s bestselling album Christmas.
Thursday, Dec. 23
Beanie Mania
HBO Max
Beanie Babies, the stuffed toys created by Ty Warner that inspired a collecting craze in the late 1990s, are the subject of this eye‐opening, nostalgic and endlessly entertaining documentary film. Beanie Mania is a layered and riveting look at how a children’s toy spawned an unprecedented investment bubble and a frenzy of American greed. The documentary features illuminating interviews with passionate collectors, notable influencers and company insiders.
Dead Man’s Switch: A Crypto Mystery
discovery+
This film looks into the case of a young cryptocurrency exchange CEO who suddenly, and mysteriously, died on his honeymoon in India, sparking an international scandal and leaving $215 million of investors’ funds inaccessible to anyone. What really happened to the young entrepreneur, and where is the money?
Dragons: The Nine Realms
Hulu & Peacock
New Series!
In DreamWorks’ animated series set 1,300 years after the events of the feature film How to Train Your Dragon, dragons are now just a legend to the modern world. When a geological anomaly opens up an immense, miles-deep fissure in the Earth’s surface, scientists from all over the world gather at a new research facility to study the mysterious phenomenon. Soon, a group of misfit kids, brought to the site by their parents, uncovers the truth about dragons and where they’ve been hiding — a secret they must keep to themselves to protect what they’ve discovered.
Reno 911! The Hunt for QAnon
Paramount+
This special features the original Emmy-nominated cast of the Reno 911! comedy series, including Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Cedric Yarbrough, Carlos Alazraqui, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Niecy Nash, Mary Birdsong and Ian Roberts. On a mission to track down the one and only Q, the one behind all QAnon conspiracies, the deputies from the Reno Sheriff’s Department get stuck at a QAnon convention at sea, ultimately escaping … only to discover that they’ve landed at Jeffrey Epstein’s old island.
Vigil
Peacock
New Series!
In this British crime drama, when a crew member is found dead onboard the Trident nuclear submarine HMS Vigil, police in Scotland are called in to investigate. The catch? The U.K.’s nuclear deterrent must remain unbroken, so the submarine stays on patrol and Detective Chief Inspector Amy Silva (Suranne Jones) must go aboard to begin an investigation. Although the death was written off as an accidental overdose, Amy suspects foul play. But when the crew close ranks in the face of Amy’s questioning, a new threat overshadows her inquiry. All six episodes are available today.
Yearly Departed
Prime Video
The female-led comedy special returns to roast the past year. Hosted by Yvonne Orji (Insecure) and featuring a lineup of emerging and all-star talent including Jane Fonda, Megan Stalter, Aparna Nancherla, Dulcé Sloan, X Mayo and Chelsea Peretti, Yearly Departed bids a raucous, celebratory farewell to everything that was 2021.
Carol for Another Christmas
TCM, 12pm
Catch a Classic!
Turner Classic Movies’ Classic Christmas marathon continues all day today, and one highlight that is for sure worth tuning in for is this rarely seen, Emmy-nominated 1964 TV movie that was written by The Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling and directed by the legendary Joseph L. Mankiewicz, the only television project he ever helmed. Before TCM first began airing it in 2012, the film had not been seen since it was originally broadcast on ABC decades earlier. Serling’s tale is an updating of Charles Dickens’ classic novella A Christmas Carol, with Sterling Hayden starring as Scrooge-like industrialist Daniel Grudge, who gets a lesson about the importance of international peacekeeping from the Ghosts of Christmas Past (Steve Lawrence), Present (Pat Hingle) and Future (Robert Shaw). The terrific cast also includes Peter Sellers, Ben Gazzara, Eva Marie Saint and Britt Ekland. — Jeff Pfeiffer
College Football
ESPN, beginning at 3:30pm Live
ESPN airs the Frisco Football classic between North Texas and Miami (Ohio) in Frisco, Texas, and the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl between UCF and Florida from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
ABC, 8pm
In the perennial favorite created in 1970, Fred Astaire narrates this timeless tale of Kris Kringle (voice of Mickey Rooney), a young boy with an immense desire to do good things for others.
Rebuilding a Dream Christmas
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
Successful real estate broker Abbey (Meggan Kaiser) is forced back to her hometown to repair a Victorian house she inherited from her grandmother. She decides to sell the house and hires single dad Josh (Zane Stephens) to help with the repairs. Working together brings up memories from her past, and as her relationship with Josh and his 8-year-old son Noah (Bryson JonSteele) grows, Abbey finds her calling and makes a home for herself.
5 More Sleeps ’Til Christmas
NBC, 8pm
This is an encore airing of the half-hour animated family special inspired by Jimmy Fallon’s bestselling book. Narrated by Fallon, the colorful special focuses on a boy who has his meticulous, detailed plan leading up to Christmas upended upon the arrival of some unexpected guests at the home he shares with his mother and his dog, Gary. From finding the best tree, to perfecting his snow sled, to making scrumptious Christmas cookies, everything goes topsy-turvy as Christmas morning draws near. But, despite all the changes, the true spirit of Christmas manages to shine through.
NFL Football: San Francisco at Tennessee
NFL Network, 8:20pm Live
Jimmy Garoppolo and the San Francisco 49ers are at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium for a Week 16 Thursday Night Football clash with Ryan Tannehill and the Tennessee Titans on NFL Network.
Trolls Holiday in Harmony
NBC, 8:30pm
This is an encore airing of the half-hour animated special that is based on the hit Trolls feature-film franchise and includes four original songs. As the holidays near, Queen Poppy (voice of Anna Kendrick) plans the first annual Trolls Kingdom Secret Holiday Gift Swap. Things take an unexpected turn, however, when she and Branch (Justin Timberlake) draw each other’s name. Meanwhile, Tiny Diamond (Kenan Thompson) comes down with a bad case of writers’ block trying to think of a special holiday rap for his dad. The voice cast also includes Rachel Bloom, Ron Funches and Kunal Nayyar.
Merry Elfin’ Christmas: Bye, Bye 2021!
FOX, 9pm
Celebrity hosts Joel McHale, Howie Mandel, WWE champ Becky Lynch, NeNe Leakes, Chrishell Stause and other surprise guests take over TMZ to hash out their top stories of the year for this hilarious holiday special.
Flip or Flop: “Flashback Flip”
HGTV, 9pm
Tarek El Moussa and Christina Haack head to Walnut, California, to flip a house that needs work. With few fixed up homes nearby, this is their chance to set the standard for comps in the neighborhood. Will they be able to make their mark or have they gone too far outside of their comfort zone?
Young Rock: “A Christmas Peril”
NBC, 9pm
Ahead of its second-season return early next year, Dwayne Johnson’s semiautobiographical sitcom airs an encore presentation of this special holiday episode. On Christmas Eve 1982, an unexpected guest shows Dewey (Adrian Groulx) that this is the first in a long line of terrible Christmases. In 1987, Rocky (Joseph Lee Anderson) and Dwayne (Bradley Constant) take jobs as a mall Santa and elf. In 1993, Dwayne (Uli Latukefu) reluctantly spends a disastrous Christmas with Coach O (Emmett Skilton).
Mr. Mayor: “Mr. Mayor’s Magical L.A. Christmas”
NBC, 9:30pm
Ted Danson’s new sitcom will return for Season 2 early next year, and it airs an encore of this special holiday episode tonight. In the episode, Neil (Danson) serves his love of gift-giving by forcing his disgruntled staff to work on “L.A. Christmas Eve” as they wait for his “perfect gift” to arrive. Holly Hunter also stars.
Back in Time for Dinner
Cooking Channel, 10pm
New Series!
If you like Frontier House, The 1900 House and other TV experiments that allow folks to live just as they did in the (alleged) good old days, this 2018 Canadian series is for you. A family of five cycle through six decades in six weeks, starting with the 1940s. Their home is transformed for each era, and as you might imagine, modern conveniences are most sorely missed in the kitchen. In fact, refrigerator No. 1 is actually an icebox. The dishwasher and microwave can’t come fast enough!
Kelly Clarkson Presents: When Christmas Comes Around
NBC, 10pm
The pop star, daytime talk show host and coach on NBC’s The Voice helps ring in the festive season with this holiday special featuring music performances, exciting duets and special guests while Clarkson shares her traditions and gives back to those in need.
Friday, Dec. 24
Dickinson
Apple TV+
Series Finale!
The third and final season of this fanciful comedy series following 19th-century poet Emily Dickinson (Hailee Steinfeld) comes to an end.
Don’t Look Up
Netflix
Feature Film Exclusive!
In writer/director Adam McKay’s darkly comic sci-fi film, an astronomy grad student (Jennifer Lawrence) and her professor (Leonardo DiCaprio) make the astounding discovery of a massive comet orbiting within the solar system. The problem: It’s on a direct collision course with Earth. The other problem? No one really seems to care. The stellar cast also includes Meryl Streep, Rob Morgan, Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, Tyler Perry, Timothée Chalamet, Ron Perlman, Ariana Grande, Cate Blanchett and Michael Chiklis.
Minnal Murali
Netflix
Feature Film Exclusive!
With its theatrical release having been postponed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this Indian Malayalam-language superhero film now makes its premiere on Netflix. Set in the 1990s, the film follows Jaison (Tovino Thomas), a tailor who gains superpowers after being struck by lightning. He then must take down an unexpected foe if he is to become the hero that his hometown needs.
1000 Miles From Christmas
Netflix
Original Film!
This Spanish romantic comedy follows Raúl (Tamar Novas), a 30-something man who hates Christmas. He usually escapes the holidays on a faraway beach, but this year, his boss has different plans for him: Raúl must attend a business trip to audit a factory that produces the most typical Yuletide sweet in a town that lives for and loves Christmas. Will the Grinchy Raúl be able to overcome his worst nightmare?
The Silent Sea
Netflix
New Series!
This sci-fi mystery drama from South Korea takes place in the near future, at an abandoned research facility on the moon.
The Wheel of Time
Prime Video
Season Finale!
Season 1 of the fantasy drama led by Rosamund Pike comes to a close.
A Very Merry MeTV
MeTV, beginning at 6am
Throughout today and tomorrow, Christmas Day, MeTV will air holiday episodes of classic series like Dragnet, The Waltons, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Adam-12, Happy Days, M*A*S*H, Green Acres and many more.
White Christmas
AMC, 11:15am
Catch a Classic!
This beloved 1954 musical takes its title, of course, from Irving Berlin’s classic song made famous by Bing Crosby in the 1942 film Holiday Inn. Crosby also stars here, and performs a new version of the iconic tune, as he and Danny Kaye play veterans who become famous song-and-dance men after World War II. Soon, they join forces with singing sisters (Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen) to help save their former army general’s Vermont inn. Along with the title song, White Christmas also features other memorable Berlin toe-tappers, including “Sisters,” “Snow” and “Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep),” which was nominated for an Oscar.
Olaf’s Frozen Adventure
ABC, 8pm
Excitable Olaf (voiced by Josh Gad) is a snowman on a mission: Find a holiday tradition for Arendelle’s royal sisters Elsa (Idina Menzel) and Anna (Kristen Bell). A 2017 animated follow-up to Frozen.
A Holly Dolly Christmas
CBS, 8pm
This moving 2020 special makes a welcome return, with the ever-comforting Dolly Parton performing holiday favorites and originals on a candlelit church set. We would watch her hold back tears talking about her mother, and trying to have a good heart because of her, every year.
College Football: EasyPost Hawai‘i Bowl
ESPN, 8pm Live
College football’s bowl season continues tonight in Honolulu with the Memphis Tigers vs. the Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors in the EasyPost Hawai‘i Bowl on ESPN.
Hot Chocolate Holiday
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
Colette (Aubrey Reynolds) runs a coffee shop that is known for her secret and famous hot chocolate. When Marcus (Jonny Swenson), a new dessert shop owner, starts to draw in Colette’s customers with his very own specialty hot chocolate that tastes exactly like the recipe from her beloved grandmother, she is determined to expose him. But as she gets to know Marcus, sparks fly between the cocoa connoisseurs.
It’s a Wonderful Life
NBC, 8pm
Frank Capra’s beloved, Oscar-winning 1946 holiday classic stars Best Actor Oscar nominee James Stewart as George Bailey, a discouraged and despairing building-and-loan manager who contemplates suicide before a guardian angel named Clarence (Henry Travers) intervenes and allows him to see what George’s small town of Bedford Falls would be without him — and all that is right in his world. Donna Reed and Lionel Barrymore also star in the iconic film whose Oscar nominations also included Best Picture and Best Director for Capra.
24 Hours of “A Christmas Story”
TBS, beginning at 8pm; TNT, beginning at 9pm
Ralphie’s quest for that Red Ryder BB gun in this 1983 classic just never gets old.
Small Town Christmas: “Summerville, S.C.”
UPtv, 9pm
Series Finale!
Host Megan Alexander explores the food, drink, music, entertainment and faith that residents of Summerville, South Carolina, enjoy during the Christmas season.
Christmas Eve Mass
NBC, 11:30pm
Watch the Pope Francis-led Mass from St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Saturday, Dec. 25
The Great Soul Food Cook-Off
discovery+
Season Finale!
Find out the first season winner of this cooking competition series.
The Yule Log
Antenna TV, beginning at 5am
Make your Christmas morning a little cozier with the original WPIX Yule Log, a televised crackling fire accompanied by musical sounds of the season that first aired in 1966.
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade
ABC, 10am
The parade is back! Disney’s annual Christmas celebration returns with heartwarming stories, dazzling celebrity performances and the first telecast Christmas Day parade since 2019.
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
MOVIES!, 11:15am
In this quirky 1964 sci-fi/comedy flick, a Martian leader kidnaps Santa Claus to help the children of his planet.
NBA Basketball
ABC & ESPN, beginning at 12pm Live
Five big NBA games are under the Christmas tree: Atlanta Hawks at N.Y. Knicks (ESPN), Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks (ABC), Golden State Warriors at Phoenix Suns (ABC), Brooklyn Nets at L.A. Lakers (ABC & ESPN) and Dallas Mavericks at Utah Jazz (ESPN).
“Carol Burnett and Friends” Marathon
Decades, beginning at 12pm
Enjoy a hilarious marathon of Carol Burnett and Friends, a half-hour repackaging of the classic The Carol Burnett Show originally done for syndication. The marathon continues all day tomorrow and into early Monday morning.
All Madden
FOX, 2pm
Madden NFL, one of the most popular video game franchises in history, has sold well over 130 million copies since its 1988 debut. And yet, says FOX Sports reporter Tom Rinaldi with amazement, “There are people that don’t know John Madden is a real man.” For anyone sadly in need of enlightenment about the name on the box — as well as those who already revere Madden as coach of the Super Bowl XI-winning Oakland Raiders and the only color analyst to announce for all four major broadcast networks — there is All Madden. This documentary profiles the figure who, intones FOX sportscaster Troy Aikman onscreen, “was the authoritative voice for our sport and in a lot of ways still is.” Madden has made an outsized contribution to our obsession with professional football. Visual broadcast features we now take for granted — the ever-illuminated first-down line on TV screens, use of the telestrator to illustrate the movement of plays — came to the fore because of his enthusiasm. The film goes deep on Madden’s life and broadcasting career, decades of which were spent alongside Pat Summerall in the booth. The Hall of Famer would joyously shout “Boom!” and “Doink!” when the play demanded it, but he also pitched products with the best of them, not to mention plugging his personal favorites, such as his beloved Thanksgiving Day “turducken.” Madden gloried in players who toiled with guts and grit, and most poignant in the show are comments from current and former NFL stars such as Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Lawrence Taylor. Of the 38 various interviewees, “We did not get a single no,” notes Rinaldi’s codirector, Joel Santos. Madden himself, 85, sits down too. What comes across is a picture of a very real man; being singled out by him was as valued by athletes and coaches as getting invited to Johnny Carson’s couch was to comedians. Says Santos: “There’s no one that has had more of an impact on the NFL than John Madden.”
College Football: TaxAct Camellia Bowl
ESPN, 2:30pm Live
Cramton Bowl stadium in Montgomery, Alabama, is the site of the TaxAct Camellia Bowl between the Georgia State Panthers and the Ball State Cardinals on ESPN.
NFL Football
FOX & NFL Network, beginning at 4:30pm Live
Christmas Day NFL action offers a holiday doubleheader kicking off with the Cleveland Browns at the Green Bay Packers (FOX & NFL Network), followed by the Indianapolis Colts at the Arizona Cardinals (NFL Network).
Meet Me in St. Louis
MOVIES!, 5:30pm
Judy Garland stars in this classic 1944 drama about an early 20th century Midwestern family’s life that is uprooted when their father announces they are moving to New York. Among its many famous tunes, the movie introduces the song “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” crooned by Garland.
Holmes Family Rescue: “We Have Lift Off”
HGTV, 8pm
Just as a homeowner was about to give birth, she and her partner were scammed by a contractor who left them with a mess of a kitchen. Before Mike Holmes, his son Michael and daughter Sherry can make the home accessible, they must fix the dangerous structural issues left behind.
Writing Around the Christmas Tree
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
Mikaela (Krystal Joy Brown), a successful romance novelist who has had bad luck with love, visits a quaint bed and breakfast for a Christmas writers’ retreat near a snowy lake town each year. Upon arriving, she meets dashing writer Levi (Curtis Hamilton), who soon convinces Mikaela that she shouldn’t be writing about love if she doesn’t allow herself to get out and actually experience it.
A Christmas Carol
MOVIES!, 8pm
Catch a Classic!
Alastair Sim stars as Ebenezer Scrooge in this 1951 British adaptation (released with the title of Scrooge in its home country) of Charles Dickens’ beloved novella.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
NBC, 8pm
In this original 1966 animated TV special based on Dr. Seuss’ classic story, Boris Karloff narrates and voices the title Grinch, who schemes to steal every material vestige of Christmas from the Whos of Whoville. But the Grinch ultimately discovers he can’t remove the spirit of Christmas from the Whos’ hearts.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
NBC, 8:30pm
Jim Carrey plays Dr. Seuss’ titular meanie in this 2000 live-action adaptation directed by Ron Howard.
The Wizard of Oz
TBS, 8pm
Catch a Classic!
It’s hard to pick a favorite from among the many terrific movies released in the magical Hollywood year of 1939 — considered one of Tinseltown’s greatest years ever in terms of popular releases and box office returns — but The Wizard of Oz has to be near the top of the list for most people. One of the best-loved movies of all time, this adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s novel stars Judy Garland in her iconic role as Dorothy, a young Kansas farm girl who is whisked away by a twister to the land of Oz. Accompanied by a brainless Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), a heartless Tin Man (Jack Haley) and a cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr) — and pursued by a wicked witch (Margaret Hamilton) — Dorothy and her little dog, Toto, follow the yellow brick road in search of the titular Wizard (Frank Morgan), so that he may grant her wish to return home. Over 80 years later, The Wizard of Oz is as fun as ever and still looks stunningly beautiful in both its black-and-white and its color world, and its color cinematography received an Oscar nomination. The film netted five other Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and won for its musical score and for Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg’s classic song “Over the Rainbow.” — Jeff Pfeiffer
“Call the Midwife” Holiday Special
PBS, 9pm
Christmas 1966 promises to be a memorable one as Lucille (Leonie Elliott) and Cyril (Zephryn Taitte) prepare for their upcoming winter wedding. Meanwhile, the Nonnatus House team is faced with its busiest Christmas Day ever when the maternity home is filled with expectant moms, each with their own challenging case. Luckily, Mother Mildred (Miriam Margolyes) is on hand to support the team.
Destination Fear
Travel Channel, 9pm
Season Finale!
The Season 3 finale, “Spike Island,” finds the second part of the team’s epic trip to Ireland taking them to the titular location, one of Ireland’s most haunted and notorious prisons — also known as “Hell on Earth” and “Ireland’s Alcatraz.” The dark forces on the island are overwhelming, and terror hits Tanner like a ton of bricks. But something else lights up Dakota with a fear he’s never experienced before.
