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All Times Eastern. PBS programming varies regionally.
Thursday, Dec. 15
Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration
ABC, 8pm
Starring H.E.R. as Belle and Josh Groban as The Beast, ABC’s live-action Beauty and the Beast will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Academy Award-winning children’s classic by pairing the original film with a live musical on air. Also includes Joshua Henry as Gaston, Shania Twain as Mrs. Potts and Martin Short as the charismatic candelabra, Lumiere.
The Life of Jesus
FOX Nation
FOX & Friends Weekend cohost Pete Hegseth presents this two-part special debuting with Part 1 today on FOX Nation. In “God With Us,” Hegseth and his hometown church’s Pastor Chris Durkin retrace the steps of Jesus: where he lived, where he healed, where he died and where he rose. Hegseth and Durkin travel to different holy sites — including the Pool of Siloam, Pilgrimage Road, the city of Bethsaida, the Mount of Beatitudes and the ancient city of Capernaum — coupling each with bible passages, bringing the significant stories to life. The special airs on FOX News Channel Sunday, Dec. 18. Part 2 will air sometime in early 2023.
Blackjack Christmas
BET+
Original Film!
Cowriter/director Victoria Rowell was inspired by the real-life experiences of one of her foster mothers to make this family holiday drama. It tells the story of two sisters — one who immigrated to and built a nice life in the United States, while the other stayed behind in their native Jamaica. When addiction threatens to tear the family apart, the sisters find their way back to one another and rebuild their bond. Dawnn Lewis, Charmin Lee and Adam Lazarre-White star.
Call Me Miss Cleo
HBO Max
This documentary revisits the era of corded phones and 1-900 numbers to chronicle the rise, fall and reinvention of controversial and revered ’90s television psychic Miss Cleo (born Youree Dell Harris), the self-proclaimed voodoo priestess known for her larger-than-life persona and memorable accent, and whose popular telephone hotline eventually came under fire for its alleged deceptive practices. The film features testimonials from those closest to Miss Cleo, as well as from actresses Raven-Symoné and Debra Wilson.
The Sex Lives of College Girls
HBO Max
Season Finale!
Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble’s acclaimed comedy that follows four roommates at a prestigious New England college concludes its second season.
Sonic Prime
Netflix
New Series!
The action-packed adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog (voice of Deven Christian Mack) go into overdrive in this animated series when a run-in with Dr. Eggman (Brian Drummond) results in a literal universe-shattering event. Desperate to piece his prime reality back together and save his old friends, Sonic races through the Shatterverse, discovering strange worlds and enlisting new friends in an epic adventure of a lifetime.
Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery
Netflix
This special holiday installment of the Murderville comedic murder mystery series featuring some improv elements from the actors again stars Will Arnett as detective Terry Seattle, with celebrity guest detectives Jason Bateman and Maya Rudolph. Together, they are on a mission to find out who killed Santa, but the catch is that Bateman and Rudolph aren’t being given the script, and have no idea what’s about to happen to them. They will have to improvise their way through the case, and it will be up to both of them to name the killer.
Criminal Minds: Evolution
Paramount+
Midseason Finale!
Following the episode released today, this reinvention of the Criminal Minds franchise will go on hiatus for about a month, picking up again with new Season 1 episodes available Thursdays starting Jan. 12.
The Game
Paramount+
Season Premiere!
The first two episodes are available today; new episodes drop Thursdays.
Love for the Ages
Peacock
New Series!
This original unscripted series is produced under Peacock’s Tplus content brand from Telemundo, and comes from the producers behind Love Is Blind and Married at First Sight. Hosted by Adrienne Bailon, it follows three middle-aged Latino couples in Los Angeles, all at personal and emotional crossroads in their marriages, who find themselves granted the wish of a lifetime. What will they do with the chance to turn back time and swap their current spouses for much younger partners during a month of real-life change? As this social and psychological “age-gap” experiment progresses, audiences find out whether the original couples opt to remain together, for better or worse, or dare to embark on a new life alone or with a sexy new partner. The first four episodes drop today; the remaining batch of four installments is available next Thursday, Dec. 22.
Ghosts: “The Christmas Spirit”
CBS, 8pm
You aren’t the only one who loves Hallmark Christmas movies! In tonight’s two-parter, fan Sam (Rose McIver) wants to play merry matchmaker when her sister-in-law Bela (Punam Patel) brings her hopelessly devoted platonic pal Eric (Andrew Leeds) to haunted Woodstone Mansion for the holidays. But jealous ’90s finance bro Trevor (Asher Grodman), who got his ghost flirt on with Bela last season, has a different plan we won’t spoil: “Things never go quite the way that Sam anticipates,” McIver says in an understatement, “but there is a happy ending of sorts.” The hour is also a big one for Revolutionary War captain Isaac (Brandon Scott Jones), who takes his relationship with redcoat Nigel (John Hartman) “to another level,” Jones hints. And Wisocky, who plays sexually awakened Gilded Age socialite Hetty, teases “a shocking moment that is the manifestation of some of these unleashed new feelings.” Do not miss the final seconds!
Christmas Around the USA
The CW, 8pm
Hosted by Dean Cain and Laura McKenzie, this all-new holiday special showcases how Christmas is celebrated around the U.S., highlighting different holiday traditions and seasonal displays from all corners of the country.
Christina on the Coast: “More of the Warm Hug Home”
HGTV, 8pm
Christina Hall and her fellow designer and project manager James Bender revisit clients Mark and Michelle. Their kitchen and living room makeover are complete, and now they want to carry the relaxing, warm-hug vibe into their two bathrooms. Christina also gives her contractor Mike and his family the pool of their dreams.
Record Breaking Christmas
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
An adjudicator for the World Record Bureau (Michelle Argyris) is forced to travel to a small town during the Christmas season to investigate its plans to break multiple world records, falling for the town’s hunky doctor (Andrew Bushell) along the way.
Star of the Month: Ava Gardner: “’60s Siren” & “Ava and the Armed Forces”
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!
Tonight’s Turner Classic Movies lineup saluting legendary actress Ava Gardner only consists of four titles, but they encompass nearly all of the star’s film work during the 1960s. They demonstrate how, even if her star may not have been as bright as it had been during the previous decade, her acting skills were still terrifically on point. First, she stars with Dirk Bogarde and Joseph Cotten in The Angel Wore Red (1960), an Italian American production set during the Spanish Civil War. The next film, The Night of the Iguana (1964), cowriter/director John Huston’s acclaimed adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ play, earned the actress BAFTA and Golden Globe award nominations for her lead performance alongside Richard Burton and Deborah Kerr. Gardner and Burt Lancaster, who both had breakout roles in 1946’s The Killers, re-teamed for this evening’s next film, director John Frankenheimer’s Seven Days in May (1964), whose screenplay was written by The Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling. Kirk Douglas and Fredric March also star in this tense political thriller about a military plot to take over the United States. Finally, Gardner stars with Charlton Heston and David Niven in director Nicholas Ray’s 55 Days at Peking (1963), a historical drama set during China’s Boxer Rebellion.
Luxe for Less: “Home Fit for a Princess”
HGTV, 9pm
Princess and Dean are young parents who have great taste but are trapped in a dated home. Michel Smith Boyd and team come in with amazing ideas and hacks to make their dream home a reality while sticking to the couple’s budget. With some imagination Michel is able to create a kitchen with an island big enough to seat over 10 people, a built-in food station for the family dog and an office space fit for a mogul.
Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love
NBC, 9pm
This 2016 film is the second production based on the life and works of Dolly Parton. It finds Dolly’s beloved daddy (Ricky Schroder) scheming to surprise Mama (Jennifer Nettles) with a Christmas gift that he could never afford. Young Dolly (Alyvia Alyn Lind) and her siblings excitedly join in the scrimping and saving in a selfless act of love.
Dr. Pimple Popper: “With Every Cyst-Mas Card I Write”
TLC, 9pm
In this one-hour special, dermatologist Dr. Sandra Lee (aka “Dr. Pimple Popper”) and her medical assistant, Kristi, are rockin’ around the Christmas tree as they re-create scenes from their favorite holiday movies and make cards for their patients. In between the holiday cheer, Dr. Lee and her staff help patients look their best for the upcoming festivities, and bring joy as they help them look and feel their best festive selves.
The Parent Test
ABC, 10pm
New Series!
Ali Wentworth emcees this experiment. Twelve families allow cameras into their homes to capture their child-rearing style. To determine which method works best, they take part in challenges. Tonight, kids brave the high dive!
Top Gear: “Driving Home for Christmas”
BBC America, 11pm
Season Finale!
Freddie, Chris and Paddy take a festive road trip across Britain, transporting a giant Christmas tree as they head to Top Gear’s very own winter wonderland.
Friday, Dec. 16
Judy Justice
Amazon Freevee
Midseason Finale!
Following the episode released today, Season 2 of Judge Judy Sheindlin’s courtroom series will go on hiatus, with a second installment of episodes coming in 2023.
Gordon Ramsay: Christmas Cookalong & Gordon’s Festive Home Cooking
BritBox
A few Gordon Ramsay Christmas specials make their BritBox premieres today. In Gordon Ramsay: Christmas Cookalong, featuring both holiday installments of Ramsay’s Cookalong Live series (from 2011 and 2012), the chef prepares holiday dishes while special guests pop in to help, and highlights tricks and tips on making the tastiest Christmas menu. Gordon’s Festive Home Cooking finds Ramsay inviting viewers into his home and sharing easy-to-follow recipes perfect for the season.
If These Walls Could Sing
Disney+
Mary McCartney directed this documentary about the history of London’s famed Abbey Road Studios, and the experiences and memories of musicians who have played there, including her father, Paul McCartney, who is among those featured in the film’s intimate interviews.
Le Pupille
Disney+
This live-action short film from writer/director Alice Rohrwacher and Oscar-winning producer Alfonso Cuarón is a tale of innocence, greed, fantasy and the anarchy that is capable of flowering in the minds of girls within the confines of a strict religious boarding school at Christmastime.
From the Source
Magnolia Network on discovery+
Season Premiere!
Award-winning chef and restaurateur Katie Button returns for a third season of her series in which she explores the stories and uses behind different delicious ingredients, and shares her knowledge of cooking techniques to inspire others to be more curious, creative and joyful cooks. The first episode is available today, with the remaining episodes expected to be available in early 2023.
The Kindness Project
Magnolia Network on discovery+
In this special, award-winning author, speaker and kindness expert Brad Montague drops into Ann Arbor, Michigan, for a big-hearted social experiment.
Ranch to Table
Magnolia Network on discovery+; also streams on HBO Max
Season Premiere!
The series returns for Season 3, continuing to follow seventh-generation cattle rancher and entrepreneur Elizabeth Poett as she tackles the work of running her family’s 14,000-acre ranch while crafting regional dishes using her own fresh ingredients. The episode available today is a holiday installment. The remaining installments of the season are expected to be available in early 2023.
Storefront Stories
Magnolia Network on discovery+
New Series!
The shopkeepers of beautiful and unique shops all over the country reveal the heart, vision and history of their retail spaces. A special holiday installment drops today.
Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths
Netflix
Feature Film Exclusive!
Four-time Oscar winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu (Birdman) cowrote and directed this epic, visually stunning and immersive Spanish-language dark comedy/drama. It’s led by Daniel Giménez Cacho as Silverio, a Mexican journalist and documentarian living in Los Angeles. When he is named the recipient of a prestigious international award and compelled to return to his native country to receive it, Silverio is unaware that the trip will push him to an existential limit in the form of dream-like visions.
Cook at All Costs
Netflix
New Series!
Chef/restaurateur Jordan Andino hosts this competition in which three home cooks put their money where their mouths are to bid on ingredients in a high-stakes, “auction-packed” cook-off. With $25,000 in their banks, the cooks will have to decide if they want to bid big for the best ingredients, save their money for the basics or gamble on a surprise — because, in the end, the one who best impresses the celebrity guest chef will win all the money left in their bank. Can the thrifty dish topple the pricey plate, or will the wildcard wow the guest judge for the win?
Dance Monsters
Netflix
New Series!
In what is described as a “feel-good” dance competition, amateur dancers disguised as CGI avatars bring their best moves, hoping to wow a panel of judges (consisting of Ne-Yo, Lele Pons and Ashley Banjo) and win $250,000. Ashley Roberts hosts.
Paradise PD
Netflix
Season Premiere!
In Season 4 of this adult animated comedy, without a functioning police force, the town of Paradise faces threats from scheming billionaires, vindictive artists, backstabbing AI and more.
The Recruit
Netflix
New Series!
This thriller centers around Owen Hendricks (Noah Centineo), a young CIA lawyer whose first week on the job turns upside down when he discovers a threatening letter by former asset Max Meladze (Laura Haddock), who plans to expose the agency unless they exonerate her of a serious crime. Owen quickly becomes entangled in a dangerous and often absurd world of power politics and mischievous players as he travels the world in hopes of completing his assignment and making a mark at the CIA.
A Storm for Christmas
Netflix
New Miniseries!
A star-studded Nordic cast leads this Norwegian limited series. As a group of characters arrive at the Oslo airport — some to welcome loved ones, some to travel home to their families, some to fly away and escape Christmas — each of their holiday missions goes awry in some way. They are all stranded at the airport, and the clock is ticking, with only 24 hours until Christmas. What do they do?
The Volcano: Rescue From Whakaari
Netflix
This documentary offers a close examination of the 2019 Whakaari/White Island volcanic eruption off New Zealand, in which 22 lives were lost. The film viscerally recounts a day when ordinary people were called upon to do extraordinary things, and places this tragic event within the larger context of nature, resilience and the power of our shared humanity.
LOL: Last One Laughing Mexico
Prime Video
Season Premiere!
In Season 5, host Eugenio Derbez again directs a group of reckless comedians on their way to madness by locking them in a house for six hours with only one rule: no laughing. This time, the featured comedians are ones who have lost in previous seasons of the series: Capi Pérez, Liliana Arriaga “La Chupitos,” El Diablito, Slobotzky, Ricardo Pérez, Ricardo Peralta, Juan Carlos “El Borrego” Nava and Isabel Fernández.
Nanny
Prime Video
Original Film!
In this psychological horror fable of displacement, Aisha (Anna Diop), a woman who recently emigrated from Senegal, is hired to care for the daughter of an affluent couple (Michelle Monaghan and Morgan Spector) living in New York City. Haunted by the absence of the young son she left behind, Aisha hopes her new job will afford her the chance to bring him to the U.S., but becomes increasingly unsettled by the family’s volatile home life. As his arrival approaches, a violent presence begins to invade both her dreams and her reality, threatening the American dream she is painstakingly piecing together.
Litvinenko
Sundance Now
New Series!
This four-episode (all available today) series dramatizes the decade-long struggle of Maria Litvinenko (Margarita Levieva) to prove the guilt of those responsible for the fatal 2006 polonium poisoning of her husband, Alexander Litvinenko (David Tennant), a former Russian security officer who defected and was a prominent critic of Vladimir Putin.
Frankenstein & The Bride of Frankenstein
TCM, beginning at 5:15pm
Catch a Classic!
Frankenstein, the timeless 1931 adaptation of Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, kicked off Universal Studios’ famed run of iconic creature features and made Boris Karloff — the fourth-billed actor on the movie’s poster — into a household name, despite the fact that he was hidden beneath lots of brilliant Jack Pierce makeup effects as Dr. Henry Frankenstein’s (Colin Clive) creation. Karloff’s transformative acting, guided by James Whale’s masterful direction, helped make audiences feel some empathy for the lonely “monster” as he made his way through an unwelcoming world. Airing right after Frankenstein is its first follow-up, 1935’s The Bride of Frankenstein, a film that is at least as good as the original. Whale returns to helm this production that features Karloff (who had become so renowned he was billed here simply as “Karloff”) reprising his role as the monster and Clive back as his mad creator, with Elsa Lanchester joining the cast as both the monster’s bride and Shelley in the film’s intro. These two films are the culmination of a day on TCM billed with a “Dead and Loving It” theme, featuring other famed films about the living dead or ghosts; leading into these titles starting earlier in the morning are Topper (1937), Blithe Spirit (1945), Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941), The Plague of the Zombies (1966), Frankenstein 1970 (1958), Isle of the Dead (1945) and The Body Snatcher (1945).
Snow Day
Nickelodeon, 7pm; also streams on Paramount+
Original Film!
This is a musical reimagining of the 2000 comedy film Snow Day. It follows a group of kids who are determined to achieve their dreams when their school closes for a snow day.
The 90th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade
The CW, 8pm
This star-studded annual Christmas parade will feature many Hollywood celebrities and award-winning bands from across the country, as well as equestrians, larger-than-life balloons, colorful floats and high-profile performers. Ushering in the holiday season, the parade will culminate with an appearance from Santa Claus himself, along with his reindeer.
Holiday Heritage
Hallmark Channel, 8pm
Original Film!
The first Hallmark movie to celebrate Kwanzaa, this film stars Lyndie Greenwood as Ella, a woman who returns to her hometown to mend fences with her family. With the help of an ex-boyfriend (Brooks Darnell), she encourages her relatives to heal their past wounds before it’s too late.
A Christmas to Treasure
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
A funeral reunites six estranged friends for a hometown holiday treasure hunt, and two former best friends (Taylor Frey and Kyle Dean Massey) find themselves falling for each other.
Lopez vs. Lopez: “Lopez vs. Christmas”
NBC, 8pm
What does it take to finally get your divorced parents to spend Christmas Eve together as a family? If you’re Mayan (Mayan Lopez), just some deception inspired by “The Gift of the Magi.” In order to bring her combative parents together for Nochebuena, she assures her dad George (George Lopez) and mom Rosie (Selenis Leyva) that they’re each giving up what they love most for the evening: George won’t drink the beer that Rosie believes he overly imbibes; Christmas fanatic Rosie won’t wear the crown that annoys George. But seeing how the celebration has gone on without him for the last 10 years may drive Pop to the bottle. “Holidays bring joy, but they also bring up all kinds of emotions,” Mayan tells us. And guests! The George Lopez Show alums Constance Marie, Valente Rodriguez, Belita Moreno and Luis Armand Garcia play visiting relatives. Mayan admits the real Lopez Nochebuena is even more over-the-top. Her mother, Ann Serrano, puts up eight trees (one decorated with pet photos and one topped by a Queen Elizabeth II star). George has been invited every year since the divorce and was finally going to come last December, until he caught COVID. Says Mayan, “I am going to make it happen this year. If TV Mayan can do it, so can I!”
Young Rock: “Dwanta Claus”
NBC, 8:30pm
Christmas is a time for giving, and if you’re Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (playing himself in the semiautobiographical comedy), also a time to reflect on gift-giving mishaps!
Metallica Presents: The Helping Hands Concert
Paramount+, 8:30pm Live; simulcast on Pluto TV and YouTube
Jimmy Kimmel hosts this concert event taking place live from Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theater, and benefitting metal band Metallica’s All Within My Hands nonprofit foundation, which supports food banks, community colleges and other charity partners. The event kicks off with a special set from rock band Greta Van Fleet, followed by a unique performance from Metallica.
The First Noelle
BET & BET Her, 9pm
Original Film!
In this holiday rom-com, after 20 years of friendship, Terrance (Todd Anthony) and Noelle (Novi Brown) finally decide to date each other, but ultimately break up when Terrance moves to London for work. But now that Terrance is back in Atlanta for Christmas with his new girl (Lala Milan), who is also named Noelle, the OG Noelle is determined to get him back.
The Greatest @Home Holiday Videos
CBS, 9pm
From kids performing holiday music to heartfelt reunions and surprises, Cedric the Entertainer gifts us the best holiday-themed viral videos.
My Lottery Dream Home: “Lisa’s Little Luxuries”
HGTV, 9pm
After a lifetime of apartment living, a family can finally buy their first home after a $4 million lottery win. David Bromstad is tasked with finding a home with a backyard, a laundry room that doesn’t require coins and other little luxuries in Nashua, New Hampshire.
The Last Drive-In With Joe Bob Briggs: Joe Bob’s Ghoultide Get-Together
Shudder, 9pm
Horror movie host Joe Bob Briggs celebrates Christmas with The Last Drive-In’s third annual holiday charity auction and a double feature.
Battle of the Bling
HGTV, 10pm
In the first of back-to-back episodes, “Blast From the Blingy Past,” time-travel with Todrick Hall and Kim Myles as they check out homes from bygone bling eras, from a real-life castle in the Hollywood Hills to a whimsical Victorian mansion. In the second episode, “The Family Bling,” Todrick and Kim are on the hunt to find the wildest and blingiest dream brought to life when a family shares the same vision. From a Greek-inspired villa to a pirate’s den, it’s a battle between three families, but only one will be a finalist!
Urban Legend
Travel Channel, 10pm; also streams on discovery+
Season Finale!
The first season of this series, which re-creates famous urban legends, concludes with “The Scuba Diver.” When a scuba diver tests his new equipment in a lake, a freak accident launches him on a life-and-death journey to reunite with his young daughter.
Saturday, Dec. 17
2022 FIFA World Cup: Third Place Match
FOX, 10am Live
The consolation match to determine the FIFA World Cup’s third-place team takes place at Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar.
Religious Favorites
TCM, beginning at 2:15pm
Catch a Classic!
Based on the popular novel by Franz Werfel, The Song of Bernadette (1943) tells the story of a young French woman (Jennifer Jones) in the 1850s who claims to have visions of the Virgin Mary. Eventually Bernadette is labeled a saint and becomes a nun at a local convent, where other nuns are jealous of her status. King of Kings (1961), narrated by the great Orson Welles, is a reenactment of the life and death of Jesus Christ, who is played by Jeffrey Hunter; the same premise inspires the next film, The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), which cast Max von Sydow as Jesus and originated as a U.S. radio series in 1947. Other acting credits include John Wayne, Martin Landau and Sidney Poitier.
College Basketball: CBS Sports Classic
CBS, beginning at 3pm Live
The CBS Sports Classic at New York City’s Madison Square Garden features Kentucky vs. UCLA and North Carolina vs. Ohio State.
Sappy Holiday
UPtv, 7pm
Original Film!
Stranded in a small town after her car breaks down, Joy (Vanessa Sears) meets the charming James (Jon McLaren), a local trying to save his family’s maple farm.
Holiday Hideaway
BET Her, 8pm
Original Film!
Carly (Camille Winbush) is the queen of holiday celebrations, but a mistletoe misstep sends her running to a holiday hideaway that teaches her the importance of family, forgiveness and fighting for love. Vivica A. Fox costars.
iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2022
The CW, 8pm
This star-studded 90-minute holiday concert will feature performances by the year’s biggest recording artists.
’Twas the Night Before Christmas
Hallmark Channel, 8pm
Original Film!
Chicago Med’s Torrey DeVitto stars as a former actress who is trying to break into directing with a town’s annual Christmas Eve courtroom production, where the origins of the famous poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas” are debated.
The Holiday Dating Guide
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
A dating coach (Maria Menounos) with little interest in her own love life is challenged to find a romantic interest in order to prove to a publisher that the how-to guide for dating she wrote actually works. Things take an unexpected turn when she finds herself falling for a man (Brent Bailey) in return.
Sherri Papini: Lies, Lies & More Lies
Oxygen, 9pm
Sherri Papini seemed to have the picture-perfect life. A home nestled in a safe Northern California community, two beautiful children and a loving husband. However, the unimaginable happened in 2016 when Sherri vanished while jogging. She reappeared three weeks later — battered, bruised and branded, telling the horrific tale of her kidnapping. As investigators worked tirelessly to catch her captors, they uncovered a web of lies and deception unlike anything they had seen before.
Five More Minutes: Moments Like These
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, 10pm
Original Film!
Starring Ashley Williams as a young widow whose Christmas wish for her son is answered in unexpected ways after returning home for the holidays, this is the second holiday story inspired by Scotty McCreery’s song “Five More Minutes.”
Saturday Night Live: “Austin Butler/Lizzo”
NBC, 11:30pm Live; also livestreams on Peacock
SNL’s last new show of 2022 features Elvis star Austin Butler making his hosting debut, joined by musical guest Lizzo (filling in for previously scheduled Yeah Yeah Yeahs).
Sunday, Dec. 18
2022 FIFA World Cup: Final
FOX, 9:45am Live
The 2022 FIFA World Cup champion is crowned today with the final match at Qatar’s Lusail Iconic Stadium.
Magnolia Workshops
Magnolia Network, 11am; also streams on discovery+
Just in time for the holidays, learn to make brownie cookies and steak tamales for the whole family. Plus, step-by-step tutorials show how to decorate your home inside and out, from the front porch winter planter to the holiday mantel.
A Very Merry MeTV Marathon
MeTV, beginning at 12pm
Enjoy five hours of Christmas TV past: The Beverly Hillbillies (“Home for Christmas” and “No Place Like Home” episodes); The Love Boat (“The Christmas Presence”); The Brady Bunch (“The Voice of Christmas”); and the 1988 TV movie A Very Brady Christmas.
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.
An Eclectic Christmas
UPtv, 7pm
Original Film!
When a small-town vintage store owner leaves instructions in her will for inventory to be distributed as Christmas gifts, her out-of-town niece (Hannah Galway) seeks help from a handsome local (Jeremy Walmsley) in identifying recipients from the clues provided.
O Holy Night: Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir
BYUtv, 8pm
Tony Award nominee Megan Hilty and actor Neal McDonough join the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square for an Irish-inspired edition of this heartwarming annual celebration of music and holiday traditions.
Coroner
The CW, 8pm
Season Finale!
In this back-to-back two-hour season finale, Jenny (Serinda Swan) and Donovan (Roger Cross) set out to find out where Peggy (Jennifer Dale) is and who is responsible for the explosion.
Hanukkah on Rye
Hallmark Channel, 8pm
Original Film!
A fresh romance is put to the test when Molly (Yael Grobglas) and Jacob (Jeremy Jordan) discover that they are competing deli owners. Could a Hanukkah miracle save this new couple? Also starring Lisa Loeb.
Wrapped Up in Love
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
Tension develops when Ashley (Brittany Bristow), an overachieving Christmas connoisseur who enjoys running all of her town’s holiday events, meets her match in the form of a handsome newcomer (Olivier Renaud) who unwittingly steals her thunder. Eventually, she is reminded of the true spirit of the holiday and decides to join forces with him.
When Christmas Was Young
CBS, 8:30pm
Original Film!
A headstrong music manager (Tyler Hilton) is in desperate need of a hit song for his last remaining client. He finds hope in a gifted singer-songwriter (Karen David) who wrote an unpublished Christmas song years ago. Sheryl Crow is an executive producer and also wrote the movie’s title song.
Rogue Heroes
EPIX, 9pm
Season Finale!
The drama about the British Army’s special forces unit, the Special Air Service (SAS), concludes Season 1 tonight. A meeting with Winston Churchill sees the SAS embark on their most daring operation to date, and Stirling (Connor Swindells) receives some terrible news.
Real Life Nightmare
HLN, 9pm
Season Finale!
The true-crime docuseries finishes its fourth season with two episodes. First, in “Mommy Murdered: Ariana Vanished,” a 2-year-old disappears after her mother is discovered murdered and buried in a San Francisco Park. Then, in “Ambush on Exit 34,” a young police officer is shot with a 12-gauge shotgun in the middle of the night on his way home from work, but this isn’t the only unsolved mystery in the small and quaint community of Bardstown, Kentucky.
1923
Paramount Network, 9pm; also streams on Paramount+
New Series!
The next installment of the Dutton family origin story will introduce a new generation of Duttons led by patriarch Jacob (Harrison Ford) and matriarch Cara (Helen Mirren). The series will explore the early 20th century when a pandemic, historic drought, Prohibition and the Great Depression all plagued the Mountain West and the Duttons who call it home. In addition to Ford and Mirren, the series also stars Darren Mann (Animal Kingdom) and James Badge Dale (Hightown). The second episode will air on Paramount Network on Jan. 1 with the remaining episodes only being available on the net’s streaming platform Paramount+.
Step Up: High Water
Starz, 9pm
Season Finale!
The third season of this entry in the Step Up franchise following the cutthroat worlds of music and dance finishes with “Sleep When U Die.” Ne-Yo, Christina Milian and Terrence Green star.
Small Town Christmas
UPtv, 9pm
Season Finale!
The season concludes with a trip to Frostburg, Maryland, a storybook town come to life. For the past 15 years, the local college students have dressed up as elves and competed in a Christmas cookie toss, snowball fights, a Christmas tree relay, “Elfaoke” and more in the so-called “Elf Olympics” to support a charity.
The Life of Jesus
FOX News Channel, 10pm
FOX & Friends Weekend cohost Pete Hegseth presents this two-part special debuting with Part 1 today on FOX Nation. In “God With Us,” Hegseth and his hometown church’s Pastor Chris Durkin retrace the steps of Jesus: where he lived, where he healed, where he died and where he rose. Hegseth and Durkin travel to different holy sites — including the Pool of Siloam, Pilgrimage Road, the city of Bethsaida, the Mount of Beatitudes and the ancient city of Capernaum — coupling each with bible passages, bringing the significant stories to life. Part 2 will air sometime in early 2023.
Monday, Dec. 19
Christmas Marathon Continues
TCM, beginning at 6:45am
Catch a Classic!
Turner Classic Movies’ annual weeklong marathon of Christmas movies began last night in primetime, and really kicks into gear starting this morning. It continues all day every day until Christmas night, this Sunday evening. Today’s lineup of films with stories at least partly related to/set during the holidays features, in order: Hell’s Heroes (1930), Roadblock (1951), And So They Were Married (1936), Boys Town (1938), Tenth Avenue Angel (1948), Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938), The Great Rupert (1950), Meet John Doe (1941), The Shop Around the Corner (1940), The Apartment (1960), Metropolitan (1990), Bachelor Mother (1939), Bundle of Joy (1956) and All Mine to Give (1957).
NFL Football: L.A. Rams at Green Bay
ESPN & ABC, 8pm Live
Two teams in the midst of disappointing seasons meet tonight at Green Bay’s Lambeau Field as the L.A. Rams take on the Packers.
LEGO Masters: Celebrity Holiday Bricktacular
FOX, 8pm
New Series!
In this three-night, four-episode event, fan-favorite LEGO builders from past seasons pair up with celebrity guests to compete in jaw-dropping holiday-themed challenges.
Shrek 2
NBC, 8pm
In this 2004 entry in the popular animated feature film franchise, Shrek (voice of Mike Myers) and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) travel to the Kingdom of Far Far Away, where Fiona’s parents are king and queen, to celebrate their marriage. When they arrive, however, they find they are not as welcome as they thought they would be.
Mary Berry’s Ultimate Christmas
PBS, 9pm
In this seasonal special, British home cook Mary Berry shares her ultimate Christmas feast using tried-and-tested recipes perfected over 50 years. She also checks in with friends who share recipes that reflect their own heritage, shows how to create a sustainable and cost-conscious centerpiece from foraged greenery, and shares two delicious holiday desserts.
The Wheel
NBC, 10pm
New Series!
NBC closes out the year with a two-week primetime takeover featuring the new U.S. version of this smash-hit U.K. game show, hosted by comedian Michael McIntyre. The series features trivia questions and more than 50 all-star guests seated on a 42-foot-wide spinning wheel. Each hourlong episode follows six of these celebrities as they help everyday contestants try to be the last one standing and win life-changing money as they answer questions. Episodes air each weeknight starting tonight and through next Friday, Dec. 30. In the premiere, Cat Cora, Mark McGrath, Todrick Hall, Steve Kornacki, Christina Ricci and Amber Ruffin help contestants answer questions in a range of categories from Beyoncé and the ’90s to elections and more.
Tuesday, Dec. 20
NBA Basketball
TNT, beginning at 7:30pm Live
A Tuesday night NBA doubleheader has Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors visiting Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Knicks, followed by Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies at Ball Arena in Denver to face Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets.
Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to All!
CBS, 8pm
Filmed at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, this two-hour concert special features Mariah Carey performing a repertoire of her festive holiday hits, including perennial favorite “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
An American Christmas Carol
MOVIES!, 8pm
Catch a Classic!
Henry Winkler leads this likely little-remembered and -seen, but still charming and intriguing, take on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. A TV movie that first aired on ABC in 1979, it is set in Concord, New Hampshire, during the Depression, and features Winkler as Scrooge-like businessman Benedict Slade. Slade gets a chance at redemption one Christmas Eve when he is visited by three ghosts — resembling three of the people whose possessions he seized to collect on their unpaid loans — who force him to reassess his life. Winkler was just approaching his mid 30s when he made this, but for Slade’s “present” scenes he comes across as an aged miser impressively, thanks in part to future Oscar-winning makeup effects artist Rick Baker, who is billed as the film’s “special makeup consultant.” Following An American Christmas Carol, MOVIES! airs two other TV movies from Christmases past: The 12 Days of Christmas Eve (2004), with Steven Weber and Molly Shannon in a Groundhog Day-like comedy/drama/fantasy; and Christmas Comes to Willow Creek (1987), a drama that reunites The Dukes of Hazzard costars John Schneider and Tom Wopat, and also features Kim Delaney.
Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch
NBC, 8pm
This 2018 computer-animated 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.
Professionals
The CW, 9pm
Season Finale!
Peter (Brendan Fraser), Vincent (Tom Welling) and the others must stop the rocket launch.
The Bermuda Triangle: Into Cursed Waters: “Alien Abyss”
History, 10pm
The team enlists special equipment in an epic search for two large Air Force planes that vanished in the Bermuda Triangle without a trace, with dozens of people onboard. Despite a massive search, nothing was ever found. Are planes colliding with mysterious unidentified aerial phenomena that are now acknowledged as fact by the U.S. Navy? To investigate, the group embarks on one of its most harrowing dives yet, battling extreme depths and currents that threaten to sweep them away.
The Wheel: “Boats, Soaps & Wrestling Ropes”
NBC, 10pm
With trivia categories ranging from soap operas to mathematics, tonight’s contestants receive help from celebrity guests Vivica A. Fox, Mike “The Miz” Mizanin, JoJo, John Urschel, Captain Sandy Yawn and Bruno Tonioli.
Wednesday, Dec. 21
Emily in Paris
Netflix
Season Premiere!
In Season 3 of the romantic comedy series, a year after moving from Chicago to Paris for her dream job, Emily (Lily Collins) finds herself at a crucial crossroads in every aspect of her life. Faced with two very different paths, she will have to decide exactly where her loyalties lie — at work and in her romantic life — and what those decisions mean for her future in France, all while continuing to immerse herself in the adventures and surprising twists and turns that life in Paris provides.
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan
Prime Video
Season Premiere!
John Krasinski is back as the title character in Season 3 of this action thriller, with all eight episodes dropping today. Ryan is working as a CIA case officer in Rome when he is tipped off that the Sokol Project, a secret plan to restore the Soviet empire, is being resurrected more than 50 years after it was thought to have been shut down. He embarks on a mission to confirm the intelligence, but things quickly go awry and he is wrongly implicated in a larger conspiracy. Accused of treason, Ryan is forced to run from his own government and crisscross Europe as he is hunted by former allies and new enemies alike, racing against the clock to stop an escalation to global catastrophe. Also reprising their roles are Wendell Pierce and Michael Kelly. Newcomers to the cast include Nina Hoss as Czech President Alena Kovac and Betty Gabriel as CIA Rome station chief Elizabeth Wright.
A Carol for Another Christmas
TCM, 11:15am
Catch a Classic!
This rarely seen, Emmy-nominated 1964 TV movie was written by The Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling and directed by the legendary Joseph L. Mankiewicz, the only television project he ever helmed. 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. The film is airing as part of Turner Classic Movies’ ongoing, weeklong marathon of Christmas movies, which continues until Christmas night this Sunday. Other notable titles to look for today include: Christmas Past (1925), A Christmas Carol (1938), Christmas in Connecticut (1945) and Holiday Affair (1949).
NHL Hockey
TNT, beginning at 7pm Live
A pair of NHL matchups on TNT has the New Jersey Devils at the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers at the Dallas Stars.
Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas
NBC, 8pm
Original Film!
Dolly Parton leads this modern-day movie musical about the making of a network TV special. It showcases the frenetic backstage story and delightful onstage results of her desire to share the unique mountain magic she has always found in and around Dollywood at Christmastime. Throughout the production numbers and rehearsal chaos, Dolly finds herself taking a private journey into her past, guided by her personal Three Wise Mountain Men. The film includes Dolly’s hits “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You,” as well as a new holiday melody and more. Among the musical guests are Willie Nelson, Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus.
The Letter: A Message for Our Earth
PBS, 8pm
Experience Pope Francis’ call to stand together for the future of our planet.
Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon
CBS, 9pm
This concert special, recorded at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles, pays tribute to the music of 16-time Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Paul Simon. Performers include Stevie Wonder, the Jonas Brothers, Eric Church, Little Big Town, Dave Matthews, Brad Paisley, Billy Porter, Shaggy, Trombone Shorty, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood and Simon himself.
College Football: R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
ESPN, 9pm Live
Caesar’s Superdome hosts college football’s R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl between Western Kentucky and South Alabama tonight on ESPN.
The Wheel: “Déjà Vu & Eyes of Blue”
NBC, 10pm
Judge Greg Mathis, Ricki Lake, Mark Sanchez, Amber Ruffin, Justin Willman and Tori Spelling lend their expertise in a variety of trivia categories that includes candy, magic and Beverly Hills to help contestants compete for the cash prize.
Thursday, Dec. 22
Snap
ALLBLK
New Series!
In the vein of Black Mirror and The Twilight Zone, this psychological thriller deals head-on with difficult social and ethical topics through a unique method of storytelling that disrupts conventional opinions. Cocreated by Grammy-nominated singer Eric Benét and writer/director Devin Hampton, the anthology series will follow a perfectly imperfect God named A.O., who serves as the moral compass for the protagonist of each episode. When A.O. comes across a person facing an unexpected scenario, he/she/they challenge(s) them to see themselves from the outside looking in … which in a “snap” will change the beliefs they’ve held onto for most of their lives.
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Apple TV+ (streams free for everyone today through Dec. 25)
Although the beloved Peanuts holiday specials are now exclusively available on the Apple TV+ streaming service, they had been given one-time broadcasts on PBS the last few years. PBS has confirmed, however, that this year it does not have the rights to air these programs. Apple TV+ subscribers can view the specials all year long, but even if you don’t subscribe, you can watch A Charlie Brown Christmas for free on the streamer beginning today through Christmas Day, Sunday, Dec. 25.
I Hate Suzie Too
HBO Max
Season Premiere!
The British dramedy returns for a special three-episode second season described as an “anti-Christmas Christmas special.” Child-star-turned-actress Suzie Pickles (Billie Piper) now has a new agent, new PR and a new job — dancing for likes on Dance Crazee, a popular reality TV competition. Having lost everyone who matters to her, Suzie returns to her first love, the public. Battling ex-husband Cob (Daniel Ings) with the help of best friend Naomi (Leila Farzad), she must try to keep life as stable as possible for young son Frank (Matthew Jordan-Caws), all while staying on Dance Crazee long enough to finance her new role as single mom and ex-wife.
Alice in Borderland
Netflix
Season Premiere!
The Japanese sci-fi thriller based on the manga of the same name returns for Season 2, in which to solve the mystery of the Borderland and return to his original world, Arisu (Kento Yamazaki) and his comrades must take on even more difficult and dangerous games.
Top Gun: Maverick
Paramount+
Feature Film Exclusive!
This Top Gun sequel, the No. 1 blockbuster of 2022, makes its streaming debut exclusively on Paramount+. Tom Cruise reprises his role from the 1986 original as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. After 30 years of service as one of the Navy’s top fliers, Maverick is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. When he finds himself training a detachment of Top Gun graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot as ever seen, Maverick confronts the ghosts of his past and is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears. The cast also features Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Ed Harris and Val Kilmer.
The Best Man: The Final Chapters
Peacock
New Series!
Based on the Best Man film franchise, and written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee, who wrote and directed the original 1999 movie and its 2013 sequel, this series catches up with Harper (Taye Diggs), Robyn (Sanaa Lathan), Jordan (Nia Long), Lance (Morris Chestnut), Quentin (Terrence Howard), Shelby (Melissa De Sousa), Candace (Regina Hall) and Murch (Harold Perrineau) as relationships evolve and past grievances resurface, and midlife crisis meets midlife renaissance with unpredictable results.
Christina on the Coast: “Put Another Dime in the Jukebox”
HGTV, 8pm
Christina Hall and her fellow designer and project manager James Bender help Jessica and Morgan revamp their kitchen, living space and two bathrooms to better suit their growing family and give a fresh, beachy feel to their coastal home. Meanwhile, Christina and her husband, Josh Hall, find the home of their dreams in Newport Beach, California.
A “Saturday Night Live” Christmas Special
NBC, 8pm
Enjoy two hours of the most memorable Christmas-themed sketches from over SNL’s long history.
A Holiday Chance
BET, 9pm
Original Film!
The family of the founder of a multimillion-dollar film company experiences some tragic events during the holidays, and two sisters must set aside a lifelong rivalry to come together, turn the company around and keep the family intact. Nafessa Williams and Sharon Leal star.
Luxe for Less: “Ready to Be Bold”
HGTV, 9pm
A couple who loves antiques is tired of their old, outdated home and ready for an inspiring new space. Their budget is as tight as their square footage, so Michel Smith Boyd and his team work their magic on a creative layout and classic design fit for a mansion.
The Wheel: “Divas & Derbies”
NBC, 10pm
With trivia categories including cakes, horse racing, percussion and more, contestants are supported by celebrity experts Buddy Valastro, Amber Riley, Jaime Camil, Carnie Wilson, Steve Kornacki and Sheila E.
The Man Who Came to Dinner
TCM, 10:15pm
Catch a Classic!
Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan and Monty Woolley lead this famous 1942 screwball comedy based on Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman’s play. Woolley plays the titular character, pretentious and acerbic New York radio personality Sheridan Whiteside, who falls and breaks his hip on the icy steps outside the home of the prominent small-town Ohio family with whom he had been supposed to dine as a publicity stunt. Whiteside insists on recuperating in the family’s home during the Christmas holiday, and his overbearing nature, unreasonable demands and meddling in the day-to-day happenings of his hosts bring hilarious chaos to their once-peaceful lives. Jimmy Durante and Billie Burke also star. The film is airing as part of Turner Classic Movies’ ongoing, weeklong marathon of Christmas movies, which continues until Christmas night this Sunday. Other notable titles to look for today include: It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947), The Lion in Winter (1968), The Curse of the Cat People (1944) and Bachelor Mother (1939).
Friday, Dec. 23
Family Dinner
Magnolia Network on discovery+ & HBO Max
Season Premiere!
Host Andrew Zimmern is back to visit more families across America and explore how the cultural, regional and historical facets of who we are inform what and how we eat.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Netflix
Feature Film Exclusive!
Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is back on the case in writer-director Rian Johnson’s follow-up to his hit 2019 murder mystery Knives Out. This time, Blanc travels to Greece to peel back the layers of a mystery involving a new cast of colorful suspects. Among Craig’s costars in the new ensemble of actors are Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista and Ethan Hawke. Stephen Sondheim and Angela Lansbury both portray themselves in what ended up being their final film appearances.
A Very Merry MeTV Marathon
MeTV, beginning at 10am
Christmas episodes from classic TV shows continue to air throughout the day today on MeTV, drawing from a variety of series — from sitcoms like M*A*S*H and The Andy Griffith Show, to cop and legal dramas like Adam-12 and Matlock, and more.
Jesus of Nazareth
MOVIES!, 12pm
Catch a Classic!
Even those who are not of the Christian faith may be impressed with this epic, Emmy-nominated eight-hour (airing in two four-hour parts on MOVIES! today) miniseries that originally aired on NBC in the U.S. in 1977. Cowritten and directed by Franco Zeffirelli, the British/Italian coproduction dramatizes the story of the birth, life, ministry, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus (Robert Powell) by blending together elements from all four Gospel accounts (with a few liberties taken in the storytelling). The large ensemble cast also features Olivia Hussey as Mary, Anne Bancroft as Mary Magdalene, Emmy nominee James Farentino as Simon Peter, Michael York as John the Baptist, Peter Ustinov as Herod the Great, Rod Steiger as Pontius Pilate, Ian McShane as Judas Iscariot, Laurence Olivier as Nicodemus, Christopher Plummer as Herod Antipas, Anthony Quinn as Caiaphas, James Earl Jones as Balthazar, Stacy Keach as Barabbas, James Mason as Joseph of Arimathea and Ernest Borgnine as a Roman centurion. Jesus of Nazareth is the centerpiece of a marathon of faith-based films on MOVIES! beginning this morning, with other titles including Come to the Stable (1949), The Bible (1966), The Robe (1953), Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954) and The Story of Ruth (1960).
A Miracle Before Christmas
BET & BET Her, 7pm
Original Film!
With a little help from an angel, Mercedes Wright (LeToya Luckett), a fast-talking popular relationship therapist with all the answers when it comes to fixing everyone else’s marriage, must now use the magic of Christmas to find the secret that will save her own. Romeo Miller and Keith David costar.
NBA Basketball
NBA TV & ESPN, beginning at 7:30pm Live
A Friday night NBA doubleheader has the Milwaukee Bucks at the Brooklyn Nets on NBA TV, followed by the Memphis Grizzlies at the Phoenix Suns on ESPN.
The 24th Annual A Home for the Holidays at The Grove
CBS, 8pm
Hosted by Gloria Estefan, this holiday special from The Grove in Los Angeles features uplifting stories of adoption from foster care. Estefan, Andy Grammer, Mickey Guyton, Little Big Town, and David Foster & Kat McPhee are among the musical performers.
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.
5 More Sleeps ’Til Christmas
NBC, 8:30pm
This half-hour animated family special is 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.
Christmas Party Crashers
BET & BET Her, 9pm
Original Film!
When two grifters meet after crashing the same millionaire’s Christmas party, they agree to work together to achieve each other’s “mission,” not knowing that they will find something more than money or fame — true love. Skye Townsend, Jaime Callica and Cocoa Brown star.
My Lottery Dream Home: “Winter Wonderland”
HGTV, 9pm
David Bromstad’s latest clients scored a $1 million jackpot on a $30 scratcher! The pair love winter sports, so David is helping them find a mountain getaway on Moosehead Lake in Greenville, Maine, where they can enjoy their favorite pastime.
Battle of the Bling: “Who’s the Blingiest of Them All?”
HGTV, 10pm
Todrick Hall and Kim Myles have three final houses to consider, and each one is a classic home that has an added blingy twist. With help from three HGTV superstars, five finalists compete to see who will be crowned Battle of the Bling grand champion!
The Wheel: “Fish N’ Chips & Gold Medal Flips”
NBC, 10pm
In this week’s last episode of The Wheel, celebrity guests Tom Bergeron, Shawn Johnson East, Captain Lee Rosbach, Kyla Pratt, Victor Cruz and Debbie Gibson lend their expertise to contestants in a wide range of trivia categories, including The Three Stooges, gymnastics and seafood. The Wheel will resume with its second and final week of episodes starting this Monday, Dec. 26, beginning two hours earlier.
Tracking Santa — A Hulu/ABC Holiday Special Livestream
Hulu, beginning at 12am Live (late-night)
In this live broadcast, ABC-owned television stations will track Santa Claus sightings across America. Starting at WABC in New York, the event will jump from station to station following Santa, with anchors in the studio tossing to reporters in the field, meteorologists tracking atmospheric disturbances that can only be Santa himself, celebrity shoutouts and holiday greetings, live chats with Santa and much more.
Saturday, Dec. 24
Carols From King’s 2022
BritBox
This beloved annual British Christmas celebration takes place at the medieval chapel of King’s College in London. Every year, the King’s College Chapel Choir performs a carol service that always opens with “Once in Royal David’s City,” followed later on by a new, specially commissioned carol for each year.
Classic Christmas Collection
Antenna TV, beginning at 10am
Starting this morning, and picking up again tomorrow morning (after a five-hour telecast of the Yule Log), Antenna TV is celebrating Christmas with holiday-themed episodes from classic sitcoms. Featured titles airing all day today and well into early tomorrow morning are Dennis the Menace, Hazel, Bewitched, That Girl, Silver Spoons, Welcome Back, Kotter, Alice, One Day at a Time, The Partridge Family, The Jeffersons, Barney Miller, Three’s Company, Becker, Designing Women and Wings.
A Christmas Carol (“Carol Burnett and Friends” Marathon)
Decades, beginning at 12pm
Have a hilarious Christmas holiday with nearly 48 hours of episodes from Carol Burnett and Friends, starting today and airing through the early morning of Monday, Dec. 26.
The Snowball Effect
UPtv, 7pm
Original Film!
Rival meteorologists (Anjali Khurana and Landon Moss) tracking a massive snowstorm in the town of Mistletoe must work together to get home in time for Christmas.
A Christmas Gift
BET Her, 8pm
Original Film!
In a failed attempt to cancel Christmas, the McKenzies find themselves ultimately navigating through unexpected guests, secrets and revelations that will have a lasting effect on their families. Blue Kimble, Noree Victoria, Javon Johnson and Victoria Rowell star.
NFL Football: Las Vegas at Pittsburgh
NFL Network, 8:15pm Live
A Christmas Eve primetime matchup on NFL Network has the Las Vegas Raiders in Pittsburgh to face the Steelers.
Best Christmas Marathon
AMC, beginning at 6am
Christmas Marathon Continues
TCM, beginning at 6am
A Very Shirley Christmas Eve
MOVIES!, beginning at 11:15am
It’s a Wonderful Life
NBC, 8pm
24 Hours of “A Christmas Story”
TBS, beginning at 8pm; TNT, beginning at 9pm
Catch Several Christmas Classics!
This Christmas Eve, Santa has brought a lot of great gifts for fans of classic movies, and you might find yourself hard-pressed to open them all:
AMC kicks off its 48-hour Best Christmas Marathon early today with Jack Frost (1979). Over the next two days, the mix of movies and beloved Rankin/Bass specials airing during this marathon include Rudolph’s Shiny New Year (1976), White Christmas (1954), Miracle on 34th Street (1947), Elf (2003), National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989), The Polar Express (2004) and plenty of others.
TCM’s Christmas movie marathon continues today, beginning in the early morning and featuring highlights such as Tenth Avenue Angel (1948), The Shop Around the Corner (1940), It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947), Christmas in Connecticut (1945), Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), The Bishop’s Wife (1947), A Christmas Carol (1938) and more.
MOVIES! is celebrating the holiday with a 10-film lineup of movies led by Shirley Temple that can’t help but put you in a happy mood: Heidi (1937), Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1938), Susannah of the Mounties (1939), Captain January (1936), Curly Top (1935), Bright Eyes (1934), The Little Princess (1939), Stowaway (1936), Wee Willie Winkie (1937) and The Blue Bird (1940).
NBC is once again the exclusive broadcast home for It’s a Wonderful Life, airing this evening. 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.
TBS and TNT are continuing the 25-year tradition of airing 1983’s A Christmas Story for 24 hours straight beginning tonight, with start times an hour apart between the networks so you can flip back and forth to different points in this beloved story of a 1940s kid (Peter Billingsley) who desperately wants a BB gun for Christmas, despite repeated warnings that he’ll shoot his eye out.
Christmas Eve Mass
NBC, 11:30pm
Watch the Pope Francis-led Mass from St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.