©2023 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Credit: Courtesy of Laura Johansen.ALSO SEE: Complete 2023 NFL TV Schedule
All Times Eastern. PBS programming varies regionally.
Thursday, Dec. 21
Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic
CBS, 9pm
This two-hour entertainment special honors and celebrates the legendary career of iconic actor and performer Dick Van Dyke on his 98th birthday.
It’s time to celebrate a legend! Join us in honoring the iconic career of beloved actor and performer #DickVanDyke in DICK VAN DYKE 98 YEARS OF MAGIC Thursday, December 21 at 9/8c on CBS! (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Laura Johansen) pic.twitter.com/SdubLGMgk3
— CBS (@CBS) November 16, 2023
Whatever It Takes
BET+
Original Film!
On Thanksgiving weekend, five women navigating careers, life and the nuances of friendship bond over the imperfections in their love lives. The holidays bring some of them their greatest wishes and others their most profound losses. Tami Roman, Kandi Burruss, Brely Evans, AJ Johnson and Rayan Lawrence lead the cast.
Dr. Death
Peacock
Season Premiere!
This season of the true-crime anthology series follows “Miracle Man” Paolo Macchiarini (Edgar Ramírez), a charming Swiss-Italian surgeon renowned for his innovative operations. When investigative journalist Benita Alexander (Mandy Moore) approaches him for a story, the line between personal and professional begins to blur, changing her life forever. As she learns how far Paolo will go to protect his secrets, a group of doctors halfway across the world makes shocking discoveries of their own that call everything about him into question. All episodes are available today.
Dr. Death: Cutthroat Conman
Peacock
This documentary ties in with the story dramatized in the new season of the true-crime anthology series Dr. Death. It reveals the shocking rise and fall of Paolo Macchiarini, the superstar celebrity surgeon who ascended to global fame after performing the world’s first synthetic organ transplant, only to be exposed as an international con man whose web of lies extended decades, ensnared many — including those in his personal life — and left a trail of devastated patients grappling with a nightmare.
iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2023
ABC, 8pm
iHeartMedia will celebrate the holiday season with performances by the year’s biggest artists, including Olivia Rodrigo, Usher, Nicki Minaj, OneRepublic, Jelly Roll and more.
Son of a Critch: “European Vacation”
The CW, 8pm
Mark (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) tries to win back Fox (Sophia Powers) during a school trip; Pop (Malcolm McDowell) revisits his past life as a bootlegger.
The Christmas Break
FOX, 8pm
Original Film!
When couple Jack (Justin Long) and Caroline (India Mullen) travel to Caroline’s native Ireland for Christmas, they find themselves at a crossroads in their marriage.
Miracle in Bethlehem, PA
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, 8pm
Original Film!
Due to some bad weather, Mary Ann Brubeck (Laura Vandervoort) and her recently adopted baby girl get stuck in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, for the holidays. The only room available in town is with the innkeeper’s brother Joe (Benjamin Ayres), a local bachelor. As the two begin to spend time together during the community’s Christmas celebrations, they soon form a bond.
Christmas at Graceland
NBC, 8pm
The legacy of Elvis Presley and the spirit of the holiday season come together in this one-hour music special that first aired in November. Christmas at Graceland features music’s biggest stars celebrating the King of Rock ’n’ Roll, his music and his favorite time of year in an unprecedented holiday special. The special was filmed from all corners of the estate, which is guaranteed to excite the millions of people who have visited Graceland, as well as those who have not.
NFL Football: New Orleans at L.A. Rams
Prime Video, 8:15pm Live
Thursday Night Football comes to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, as the New Orleans Saints take on the L.A. Rams.
Children Ruin Everything: “Expectations”
The CW, 8:30pm
Astrid (Meaghan Rath), set to give birth to her child, and James (Aaron Abrams) look back on when they first moved in.
Lost Cities Revealed With Albert Lin
Nat Geo, 9pm
Season Finale!
“Miracle in the Desert,” the Season 1 finale, finds explorer Albert Lin and his team tackling the brutal heat of the desert and exploring remote mountain caves to reveal the secrets of the legendary Land of Magan.
Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas
NBC, 9pm
Dolly Parton leads this 2022 production, a 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 holiday medley and more. Among the musical guests are Willie Nelson, Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus.
The Man Who Came to Dinner
TCM, 10pm
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 was 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 Haunted Museum
Travel Channel, 10pm
Season Finale!
Season 2 of the paranormal series concludes with “The Secret Society Skeleton,” with its scary story inspired by two skeletons that belonged to an Odd Fellows fraternal society, which were likely part of initiation rituals that brought recruits face-to-face with their own mortality.
Friday, Dec. 22
What If…?
Disney+
Season Premiere!
The Watcher is back for Season 2 of this Marvel animated series that takes viewers through the multiverse and introduces new and familiar faces as it questions, revisits and twists classic Marvel Cinematic Universe moments. Beginning today, one new episode will be available each day through Dec. 30.
Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire
Netflix
Original Film!
Zack Snyder (Man of Steel) cowrote and directed this epic science-fantasy event. When a peaceful settlement on a moon in the furthest reaches of the universe finds itself threatened by the armies of a tyrant, Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious stranger living among the villagers, becomes their best hope for survival. Tasked with finding trained fighters who will unite with her in making an impossible stand against the Motherworld, Kora assembles a small band of warriors from different worlds who share a common need for redemption and revenge.
Saltburn
Prime Video
Feature Film Exclusive!
In this wicked tale of privilege and desire, Barry Keoghan plays Oliver Quick, an Oxford University student struggling to find his place. He ends up drawn into the world of charming and aristocratic Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi), who invites him to Saltburn, his eccentric family’s sprawling estate, for a summer never to be forgotten. Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, Alison Oliver, Archie Madekwe and Carey Mulligan also star.
The 25th Annual A Home for the Holidays
CBS, 8pm
The 25th anniversary of this entertainment special features uplifting stories of adoption from foster care and raises awareness of this important social issue. The inspirational stories of these American families are enhanced with music from some of today’s top artists playing at the Bram Goldsmith Theater at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Los Angeles.
Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love
NBC, 8pm
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.
Star of the Month: Cary Grant
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!
This evening’s Turner Classic Movies Star of the Month salute to Cary Grant airs as part of the network’s weeklong Christmas marathon and features six films, beginning with the holiday-themed fantasy/romantic comedy The Bishop’s Wife (1947), which also stars Loretta Young and David Niven. Following that is the famous romantic drama An Affair to Remember (1957), which pairs Grant with Deborah Kerr. Next is Room for One More (1952), a comedy/drama costarring Betsy Drake, who was Grant’s third wife at the time. Following that is the 1941 melodrama Penny Serenade, in which Grant earned the first of his two Best Actor nominations, starring alongside Irene Dunne. Then, Grant stars with Carole Lombard, who had been most known for her work in screwball comedies, in the romantic drama In Name Only (1939). The lineup concludes early tomorrow with Grant, John Garfield and Alan Hale Sr. leading the cast of one of the first and best submarine movies: the World War II drama Destination Tokyo (1943).
Fit for Christmas
CBS, 9pm
Original Film!
In this 2022 holiday film, Audrey (Amanda Kloots) is a fitness instructor at a beloved but financially struggling community center in Mistletoe, Montana. Things get complicated when she strikes up a holiday romance with a charming businessman (Paul Greene) who wants to turn the center into a profitable resort property.
Homes That Make You Go WOW
HGTV, 9pm
From everyday houses stripped down to the studs and turned into showstoppers to stunning mansions and grand one-of-a-kind spaces, host David Bromstad puts on his diamonds and tours the biggest, most eye-popping and jaw-dropping homes in HGTV history.
Bering Sea Gold
Discovery Channel, 9:05pm
Season Finale!
The reality docuseries concludes Season 17 tonight.
Saturday, Dec. 23
Miracle on 34th Street
AMC, 10:15am
Catch a Classic!
This beloved Best Picture Oscar-nominated production has charmed audiences, critics and the Academy since its premiere in 1947. Its story (which earned an Original Story Oscar for Valentine Davies and a Screenplay Oscar for George Seaton) about a department store Santa Claus (Best Supporting Actor Oscar winner Edmund Gwenn) who claims to be the real thing instantly propelled it into the “perennial holiday favorite” ranks alongside the likes of other classics like A Christmas Carol. A fun and touching mix of comedy, drama and Yuletide magic, the film also stars Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Gene Lockhart and Natalie Wood in her most famous performance as a child star.
College Football
ABC & ESPN, beginning at 12pm Live
A full day of college football bowl games has Troy vs. Duke in the 76 Birmingham Bowl (ABC), Arkansas State vs. Northern Illinois in the Camellia Bowl (ESPN), James Madison vs. Air Force in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl (ABC), Georgia State vs. Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (ESPN), South Alabama vs. Eastern Michigan in the 68 Ventures Bowl (ESPN), Utah vs. Northwestern in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl (ABC) and Coastal Carolina vs. San Jose State in the EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl (ESPN).
NFL Football
NBC & Peacock, beginning at 4:30pm Live
A Saturday NFL Week 16 doubleheader has the Cincinnati Bengals at the Pittsburgh Steelers on NBC, followed by the Buffalo Bills at the L.A. Chargers streaming on Peacock.
Planet Earth III
BBC America, 8pm
Series Finale!
In “Heroes,” the Planet Earth III finale, viewers are introduced to some incredible conservation champions fighting to preserve the future of our beautiful planet. The episode is followed by a behind-the-scenes special following camera crews as they worked over five years and traveled to every corner of the globe to capture astounding wildlife dramas.
Christmas With the Chosen: Holy Night
The CW, 8pm
A young mother and a shepherd boy experience Jesus’ birth; Andrea Bocelli performs.
A Royal Christmas Holiday
Great American Family, 8pm
Original Film!
In search of her big break, a reporter (Brittany Underwood) arranges a Christmas interview with a European prince (Jonathan Stoddard) who is visiting the States. Will her big story become her love story?
Extended Family
NBC, 8pm
Sneak Preview!
This new comedy stars Jon Cryer and Abigail Spencer as Jim and Julia, a couple who, after an amicable divorce, decide to continue raising their two kids (Sofia Capanna and Finn Sweeney) at the family home while taking turns on who gets to stay with them. Navigating the waters of divorce and child-sharing gets more complicated for Jim, however, when Trey (Donald Faison), the owner of his favorite sports team, enters the picture and wins Julia’s heart. Extended Family will begin airing regularly on Tuesday nights beginning Jan. 2.
Night Court: “A Night Court Before Christmas”
NBC, 8:30pm
In this special new episode of the reboot of the classic sitcom, airing just ahead of the series’ Season 2 return on Jan. 2, it is Christmastime at Night Court. Abby (Melissa Rauch) enlists Dan (John Larroquette) to track down a little girl’s letter to Santa; Gurgs’ (Lacretta) gift for Dan isn’t what she expected; and Olivia (India de Beaufort) is haunted by a witness who believes herself to be the Ghost of Christmas Present.
A “Saturday Night Live” Christmas Special
NBC, 9pm
Enjoy two hours of the most memorable Christmas-themed sketches from SNL’s long history.
Sunday, Dec. 24
Classic Christmas Collection
Antenna TV, beginning at 5am
Enjoy 24 hours of holiday episodes from classic sitcoms, including Father Knows Best, The Burns and Allen Show, Dennis the Menace, Hazel, McHale’s Navy, Bewitched, That Girl, The Jeffersons, One Day at a Time, Family Ties, Benson, Silver Spoons, Designing Women, Becker and Wings.
Rewind TV’s Christmas Eve Marathon
Rewind TV, beginning at 6am
Today on Rewind TV, the classic TV channel’s regular lineup of sitcoms will feature all holiday-themed episodes over 22 hours. Featured shows are Head of the Class, 227, The Hogan Family, Mork & Mindy, NewsRadio, The Drew Carey Show, Becker, Dear John, Murphy Brown, Caroline in the City, Suddenly Susan, Growing Pains, Who’s the Boss? and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
The Chosen
The CW, 8pm
Season Finale!
While Jesus (Jonathan Roumie) preaches to thousands, the disciples realize there is no food.
Lingo: “Lingo for the Holidays”
CBS, 8pm
RuPaul Charles dons his festive best to host the new one-hour “Lingo for the Holidays” episode, in which contestants compete in a winter wonderland filled with holiday-inspired superlingos and thrilling gameplay.
The Simpsons: “Do the Wrong Thing”
FOX, 8pm
Homer and Bart (voices of Dan Castellaneta and Nancy Cartwright) become kings of the blue-collar sports circuit, but Marge (Julie Kavner) suspects something dishonest at the core of their father-son bond in the new episode “Do the Wrong Thing.”
Lotería Loca: “Happy Holidays”
CBS, 9pm
Host Jaime Camil offers a registered nurse and a retired firefighter the chance to win $1 million in this new holiday-themed special episode of the game show.
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:
TCM’s Christmas movie marathon continues today, beginning in the early morning and featuring highlights such as Tenth Avenue Angel (1948), Going My Way (1944), It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947), Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), Christmas in Connecticut (1945), Holiday Affair (1949), A Christmas Carol (1938) and more.
Among the holiday favorites AMC has slated today is White Christmas, the beloved 1954 musical that takes its title 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.
MOVIES! is celebrating the holiday with an eight-film lineup of movies led by Shirley Temple that can’t help but put you in a happy mood: Bright Eyes (1934), Heidi (1937), Stowaway (1936), Wee Willie Winkie (1937), The Little Princess (1939), Curly Top (1935), Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1938) and Captain January (1936).
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.
The beloved holiday favorite A Christmas Story turns 40 this year, and TBS and TNT are continuing their long-running tradition of airing the film for 24 hours straight beginning tonight. Start times are 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.
Classic TV Christmas Marathon
MeTV, beginning at 9am
All day today, Christmas Eve, and tomorrow, Christmas Day, MeTV will air a variety of holiday-themed episodes of classic TV shows and movies, including Saved by the Bell, The Love Boat, The Andy Griffith Show, M*A*S*H, All in the Family, The Honeymooners, Best of the Ed Sullivan Show, Highway Patrol, Dragnet, Matlock, In the Heat of the Night, Adam-12, The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres and more.
5 More Sleeps ’til Christmas
NBC, 7pm
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.
A Christmas Letter
UPtv, 7pm
Original Film!
This film presents a modern love story combined with epic adventure that ultimately brings a family together. It’s a tale of how love, compassion and a little Christmas sparkle — along with the help of some pro hockey players — can bring a community together when they need it the most. Colin Mochrie leads the cast.
Night Court: “A Night Court Before Christmas”
NBC, 7:30pm
In this special new episode of the reboot of the classic sitcom, airing just ahead of the series’ Season 2 return on Jan. 2, it is Christmastime at Night Court. Abby (Melissa Rauch) enlists Dan (John Larroquette) to track down a little girl’s letter to Santa; Gurgs’ (Lacretta) gift for Dan isn’t what she expected; and Olivia (India de Beaufort) is haunted by a witness who believes herself to be the Ghost of Christmas Present.
It’s a Wonderful Life
NBC, 8pm
NBC is once again the exclusive broadcast home for Frank Capra’s beloved, Oscar-winning 1946 holiday classic. It 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.
The Last 747
Smithsonian Channel, 8pm
The Last 747 captures the emotion around the build of Boeing’s last 747 jumbo jet and also tells the story of how this one airplane completely transformed the economics of air travel — with huge implications for globalization, trade and geopolitics.
24-Hour Marathon of “A Christmas Story”
TBS, beginning at 8pm; TNT, beginning at 9pm
TBS and TNT are continuing the 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.
90 Day Fiancé Pillow Talk
TLC, 8pm
The best of the best holiday moments are watched by our favorite pillow talkers to dissect, weigh in and comment on all of the holiday cheer! From Halloween, Thanksgiving, winter cheer, Christmas and so much more, this episode is full of 90 Day holiday fun!
NFL Football: New England at Denver
NFL Network, 8:15pm Live
A Christmas Eve primetime game on NFL Network features Mac Jones and the New England Patriots at Denver’s Empower Field at Mile High to face Russell Wilson and the Broncos.
Gospel Superfest 2023 Christmas Special
BET & BET Her, 10pm
This year’s installment of the inspirational music special is preceded by an encore of last year’s event.
Sister Wives Look Back
TLC, 10pm
All but one of Kody Brown’s polygamist marriages have completely fallen apart. Now it’s time to look back at how the Browns got to this point and have them reflect on those early days after each of the four wives entered the family.
Christmas Eve Mass
NBC, 11:30pm
Watch the Pope Francis-led Mass from St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Monday, Dec. 25
The Madame Blanc Mysteries Christmas Special
Acorn TV
In this special installment of the British mystery series, it’s coming up on Christmas, and eccentric married couple Judith (Sue Holderness) and Jeremy (Robin Askwith) have arranged for Jean (Sally Lindsay), Dom (Steve Edge), Caron (Alex Gaumond) and Gloria (Sue Vincent) to attend a murder mystery night at an old friend’s hotel that has a spooky history. However, it turns into an actual night of murder when someone is killed. With several suspects trapped there by a storm, can Jean discover who the killer is? New Season 3 episodes of The Madame Blanc Mysteries will pick back up in February.
“Doctor Who” Christmas Special: “The Church on Ruby Road”
Disney+
Ncuti Gatwa makes his debut as the Fifteenth Doctor in this special holiday installment of the long-running British sci-fi series, with Millie Gibson also making her first appearance as Ruby Sunday, the Doctor’s companion. Long ago on Christmas Eve, a baby was abandoned in the snow. Today, Ruby meets the Doctor, stolen babies, goblins and perhaps the secret of her birth.
The Original Yule Log
Antenna TV, beginning at 5am
Enjoy the crackling sounds of a cozy fireplace, accompanied by delightful tunes celebrating the season, in this five-hour broadcast of the original televised Yule Log, which originally aired on New York’s WPIX beginning in 1966.
Christmas Marathon Concludes
TCM, beginning at 6:30am
Catch Several Christmas Classics!
Have a merry classic Christmas with a day full of beloved holiday-related films on MOVIES! and Turner Classic Movies.
The lineup on MOVIES! begins early with O. Henry’s Full House (1952), an anthology of O. Henry short story adaptations, including his famous Christmas tale, “The Gift of the Magi.” The lineup continues with the Rat Pack flick Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964); Yes Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus (1991), with Richard Thomas, Edward Asner and Charles Bronson; The Night They Saved Christmas (1984), starring Jaclyn Smith and Art Carney; Mrs. Santa Claus (1996), featuring Angela Lansbury in the title role; Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), the famed Judy Garland musical; A Christmas Carol (1951), led by Alastair Sim as Scrooge; An American Christmas Carol (1979), starring Henry Winkler; A Christmas Memory (1997), with Patty Duke; The Twelve Days of Christmas Eve (2004), led by Steven Weber and Molly Shannon; and Christmas Comes to Willow Creek (1987), with John Schneider, Tom Wopat and Kim Delaney.
TCM’s weeklong Christmas movie marathon wraps up today with a lineup featuring Bachelor Mother (1939), All Mine to Give (1957), Never Say Goodbye (1946), Holiday Affair (1949), The Apartment (1960), The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942) and In the Good Old Summertime (1949). The day concludes with the James Stewart-led Hitchcock classics Vertigo (1958), Rear Window (1954), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) and Rope (1948).
Christmas Through the Years Marathons
Rewind TV, beginning at 6am
Antenna TV, beginning at 10am
Today, Rewind TV and Antenna TV, networks devoted to classic television, fill your stocking with several hours of holiday episodes from beloved sitcoms.
Rewind’s lineup runs 22 hours and includes episodes from Head of the Class, 227, The Hogan Family, Mork & Mindy, NewsRadio, The Drew Carey Show, Becker, Dear John, Murphy Brown, Caroline in the City, Suddenly Susan, Growing Pains, Who’s the Boss?, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, My Two Dads, The Facts of Life, Family Ties, Diff’rent Strokes and Wings.
Antenna TV’s lineup runs 20 hours, with titles including Father Knows Best, The Burns and Allen Show, Dennis the Menace, Hazel, McHale’s Navy, Bewitched, That Girl, The Partridge Family, Maude, Barney Miller, Alice, Three’s Company, The Jeffersons, One Day at a Time, Archie Bunker’s Place, Family Ties, Too Close for Comfort, Benson, Silver Spoons and Welcome Back, Kotter.
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade
ABC, 10am
Disney’s annual celebration returns Christmas morning with endearing stories and magical celebrity performances as the parade celebrates its 40th year.
NBA Basketball
ABC & ESPN, beginning at 12pm Live
The NBA’s Christmas Day tradition continues with the Milwaukee Bucks at the N.Y. Knicks (ESPN), the Golden State Warriors at the Denver Nuggets (ABC & ESPN), the Boston Celtics at the L.A. Lakers (ABC & ESPN), the Philadelphia 76ers at the Miami Heat (ESPN) and the Dallas Mavericks at the Phoenix Suns (ESPN).
NFL Football
CBS, FOX & ABC, beginning at 1pm Live
A Christmas Day NFL tripleheader has the Las Vegas Raiders at the Kansas City Chiefs (CBS), the N.Y. Giants at the Philadelphia Eagles (FOX) and the Baltimore Ravens at the San Francisco 49ers (ABC).
The Floor
FOX, 8pm
Sneak Preview!
Rob Lowe hosts this quiz show in which 81 players who proclaim to be experts in a unique category occupy a space on a grid. A player is chosen at random to challenge another contestant in a fast-paced duel of knowledge, with the winner claiming the loser’s space. Over 10 weeks, the player who conquers all the spaces on The Floor wins $250,000. The series premieres Jan. 2.
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.
“Call the Midwife” 2023 Holiday Special
PBS, 8pm
Two weeks before Christmas, delicate situations cause uncertainty for the midwives. With the upcoming Apollo 8 launch and the festivity preparations starting, a treacherous heavy snowfall may complicate the holiday celebrations for everyone.
90 Day Fiancé Pillow Talk
TLC, 8pm
Before the new year begins, don’t miss fan-favorite pillow talkers watch and comment on the Top 20 surprising, dramatic, fun and shocking moments of the 90 Day universe this past year!
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.
Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to All!
CBS, 9pm
Filmed at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, this two-hour concert special from 2022 features Mariah Carey performing a repertoire of her festive holiday hits, including perennial favorite “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
Tuesday, Dec. 26
College Football
ESPN, beginning at 2pm Live
Three games are on ESPN’s college football bowl game slate today with Bowling Green vs. Minnesota in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit, Texas State vs. Rice in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl in Dallas and Kansas vs. UNLV in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Phoenix.
Building Outside the Lines
Magnolia Network, 8pm
New Series!
Out-of-the-box designer and builder Jared “Cappie” Capp and his daughter, Alex, transform ordinary preexisting structures into one-of-a-kind fantasy retreats.
TCM Spotlight: Cool in the Movies: “The Trendsetters”
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!
Sometimes a person is so cool that they can start an entire fashion trend, which is the focus of tonight’s schedule. First up is the critically acclaimed Frank Capra romantic comedy about a socialite who falls for a mischievous reporter, It Happened One Night (1934). In addition to being known as one of the greatest films of all time and the first of only three films to win all five major Academy Awards, it also supposedly caused a catastrophic decline in undershirt sales when one scene found Clark Gable unbuttoning a dress shirt to reveal a bare chest. Next up, Audrey Hepburn popularizes the “little black dress” in the 1961 Truman Capote rom-com Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and berets become all the rage after the biographical crime drama Bonnie and Clyde (1967), starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway. Finally, Jean Harlow’s nearly white hair strikes a chord in the rom-com Platinum Blonde (1931), and Katharine Hepburn’s insistence on wearing pants changes women’s fashion forever in the comedy The Philadelphia Story (1940), costarring Cary Grant and James Stewart.
Why the Heck Did I Buy This House?
HGTV, 9pm
Season Premiere!
Former Survivor winner Kim Wolfe continues to bring her tenacity to rescue homeowners dealing with major buyer’s remorse in the new season of the series. In the season premiere, “Relaxed Rancher,” a couple fell in love with the exterior of their new home, but unfortunately, that love stopped at the front door. With a dysfunction that’s too much to bear, Wolfe and her team face the challenge of turning their confusing home into a relaxing rancher.
Wednesday, Dec. 27
College Football
ESPN & FOX, beginning at 2pm Live
College football bowl game season continues today with Virginia Tech vs. Tulane in the Military Bowl (ESPN), North Carolina vs. West Virginia in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl (ESPN), Louisville vs. USC in the DirecTV Holiday Bowl (FOX) and Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma State in the TaxAct Texas Bowl (ESPN).
NHL Hockey: Boston at Buffalo
TNT, 7:30pm Live
David Pastrnak and the Boston Bruins skate against Casey Mittelstadt and the Sabres at Buffalo’s KeyBank Center.
WOW — Women of Wrestling
The CW, 8pm
Lakers boss Jeanie Buss is on a mission to make women’s wrestling a movement.
You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!
Tonight, the focus of TCM’s lineup is something you cannot always focus on: characters who have become translucent. To begin, sci-fi author H.G. Wells’ classic tale of a science experiment gone wrong comes to the screen in the 1933 adaptation of The Invisible Man. Next, two bumbling private detectives help an invisible man accused of murder in Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951). Then, in The Body Disappears (1941), a wealthy businessman wakes up from his bachelor party having been turned invisible by an eccentric professor. Finally, a 10-year-old boy and a robot team up to prevent a world catastrophe in The Invisible Boy (1957), invisible aliens from the moon invade Earth in Invisible Invaders (1959), and a scientist invents a formula to create an army of invisible zombies in The Amazing Transparent Man (1960).
The Year: 2023
ABC, 9pm
A look back at the top stories, trends and entertainment obsessions that defined the last 12 months.
The 46th Kennedy Center Honors
CBS, 9pm
Gloria Estefan returns to host this annual national celebration of the arts held in Washington, D.C. The five honorees are actor and comedian Billy Crystal; acclaimed soprano Renée Fleming; British singer-songwriter Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees; rapper, singer and actress Queen Latifah; and singer Dionne Warwick.
American Pickers
History, beginning at 9pm
Season Premiere!
Season 25 begins with back-to-back hourlong episodes. In “Classic Car Cemetery,” the Wolfe brothers are in South Carolina, where they pick a main street grocery that’s frozen in time and pay a visit to Sammy’s classic car paradise. Then, in “Hidden Cash Stash,” Mike and Jersey go hog wild over a West Virginia honey hole, and Danielle uncovers a stash of cash in a hidden compartment.
Thursday, Dec. 28
College Football
ESPN, beginning at 11am Live
Four college football bowl games are on ESPN’s schedule today: SMU vs. Boston College in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl in Boston; Rutgers vs. Miami in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl in the Bronx, N.Y.; NC State vs. Kansas State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando, Florida; and Arizona vs. Oklahoma in the Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio.
Son of a Critch: “Old Friends, New Friends”
The CW, 8pm
Mark (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) and Ritchie (Mark Ezekiel Rivera) pretend to be Protestant to fit in with a group of kids from another school.
In Memoriam
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!
Turner Classic Movies offers an evening of films starring or produced by great talents we lost in 2023 (who have not already been honored with stand-alone tributes on the network). Remembered during this night will be Paul Reubens, with Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985); Melinda Dillon, with her Best Supporting Actress Oscar-nominated performance in Absence of Malice (1981); Glenda Jackson, with her Best Actress Oscar-nominated performance in Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971); Treat Williams, with Hair (1979); Jane Birkin, with Blow-Up (1966); and producer Bert I. Gordon, with Village of the Giants (1965).
NFL Football: N.Y. Jets at Cleveland
Prime Video, 8:15pm Live
The N.Y. Jets are at the Cleveland Browns for a Week 17 Thursday Night Football clash on Prime Video.
Children Ruin Everything: “Momentum”
The CW, 8:30pm
With potential buyers coming, Astrid (Meaghan Rath) and James (Aaron Abrams) rally the kids to clean and get to the park.
Ghosts UK
CBS, 9pm
The BBC comedy that inspired the CBS series Ghosts continues with two episodes tonight. In “Redding Weddy,” Alison (Charlotte Ritchie) and Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe) grapple with the latest obstacle to booking an event at the house. Then in “The Thomas Thorne Affair,” a discovery in the house leads Thomas (Mathew Baynton) to go down memory lane.
Married to Real Estate
HGTV, 9pm
Season Premiere!
In “Home Sweet Om,” a multigenerational family has outgrown their home and want to find a bigger property with some character. Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson find the right place in Roswell, Georgia, and hope to turn the sterile house into a Japandi dream with a new kitchen and yoga studio.
SEAL Team: “Conspicuous Gallantry”
CBS, 10pm
After an op gone sideways lands the whole team in the hospital, Bravo Team creates chaos to stay calm in the new episode “Conspicuous Gallantry.”
Friday, Dec. 29
Berlin
Netflix
New Series!
This latest entry in the Money Heist franchise is centered around the character Berlin (Pedro Alonso) and takes place long before he found out about his terminal diagnosis and took the Royal Mint of Spain hostage in the original series. This spinoff follows him in his earlier, golden period as he attempts one of his most extraordinary heists: stealing $44 million worth of jewels.
College Football
ESPN & CBS, beginning at 12pm Live
Catch college football bowl game action today with Clemson vs. Kentucky in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl (ESPN), Oregon State vs. Notre Dame in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl (CBS), Memphis vs. Iowa State in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl (ESPN) and Missouri vs. Ohio State in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic (ESPN).
Star of the Month: Cary Grant
TCM, beginning at 3:30pm
Catch a Classic!
Turner Classic Movies’ monthlong Friday salute to Hollywood icon Cary Grant concludes tonight with seven titles, starting with None but the Lonely Heart (1944), a romantic drama in which Grant costars with Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner Ethel Barrymore and for which he earned the second of his two Best Actor nods. Next, Grant stars as famed composer/songwriter Cole Porter in the musical biopic Night and Day (1946). Following that are two of Grant’s most famous romantic comedies: Houseboat (1958), which pairs him with Sophia Loren, and Father Goose (1964), which costars Leslie Caron and was Grant’s second-to-last film. Next, Grant teams with Myrna Loy in the comedy Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948). The lineup finishes up early tomorrow with the 1950 film noir Crisis and the 1937 drama The Toast of New York.
Must Love Christmas
CBS, 9pm
Original Film!
In this 2022 movie, Liza Lapira (The Equalizer) stars as a renowned romance novelist who finds herself snowbound in the charming town of Cranberry Falls. There, she unexpectedly becomes torn between her childhood crush (Nathan Witte) and a reporter (Neal Bledsoe) determined to interview her to save his dying magazine.
Craft in America: “Play” & “Miniatures”
PBS, beginning at 9pm
The Peabody Award-winning docuseries Craft in America, which discovers the beauty and relevance of handmade objects and the artists who make them, returns with two new hourlong episodes. First, “Play” explores how artists use the tools of childhood to inspire imagination, celebration and wonder, from puppets to piñatas to unicorns. Then, in “Miniatures,” artists who make small objects ranging from marionettes to tiny furniture reveal what motivates them to work at a scale that demands masterful attention to detail.
Saturday, Dec. 30
College Football
ESPN, ABC & The CW, beginning at 12pm Live
Catch Ole Miss vs. Penn State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta (ESPN), Auburn vs. Maryland in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl in Nashville (ABC), Georgia vs. Florida State the Capital One Orange Bowl in South Florida (ESPN) and Toledo vs. Wyoming in the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl (The CW).
A Home Away
Magnolia Network, 1pm
New Series!
Design duo Bryan and Catherine Williamson take on their biggest project yet: renovating and operating a Queen Anne bed-and-breakfast in Columbus, Ohio.
College Basketball
ESPN2, beginning at 2pm Live
College hoops action today on ESPN2 has Virginia Tech at Wake Forest, followed by Wichita State vs. Kansas at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Birds
TCM, 4pm
Catch a Classic!
This 1963 Alfred Hitchcock thriller based on Daphne Du Maurier’s short story is one of the most amazing examples of a film that shows just how at Mother Nature’s mercy human beings really are, and how utterly screwed we would be if another animal species somehow just decided to take things over. In this case, it’s our fine feathered friends of the title that suddenly begin deadly attacks on people along the Northern California coast. The human cast, led by Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette and Veronica Cartwright, are all great, but the real stars are Hitchcock’s direction, and the film’s editing, Oscar-nominated visual effects and, especially, its sound. The Birds does not feature a conventional music score to heighten scenes; much of the film uses calculated silences that are suddenly interrupted by bursts of electronically created bird sounds, to terrifying effect. Hitchcock’s frequent musical collaborator, Bernard Herrmann, is credited as the film’s “sound consultant.”
NFL Football: Detroit at Dallas
ABC & ESPN, 8pm Live
A Saturday Week 17 primetime matchup has Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions on the road against Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys.
I Am Burt Reynolds
The CW, 8pm
Interviews and archival footage provide insight into the life of movie star Burt Reynolds.
Sunday, Dec. 31
’70s, ’80s & ’90s Comedies
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!
Classic movie fans can send off 2023 and welcome in 2024 with music, dance and laughs this afternoon and evening with lineups on MOVIES! and Turner Classic Movies.
Kicking off New Year’s Eve afternoon on MOVIES! and running until well past the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Day, enjoy a toe-tapping six-film marathon of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers’ classic big-screen pairings, starting with the duo’s quintessential pairing in Top Hat (1935). Following that are Carefree (1938); Flying Down to Rio (1933), the first time Astaire and Rogers danced together onscreen; The Gay Divorcee (1934); Shall We Dance (1937); and a re-airing of Top Hat.
This evening’s lineup on TCM, which continues well into early New Year’s Day, features several comedies from the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, some lesser-seen but all hilarious. The lineup begins with Spaceballs (1987), cowriter/director Mel Brooks’ beloved parody of Star Wars and other sci-fi classics. Brooks also has a couple of roles in the film, starring alongside Bill Pullman, John Candy, Daphne Zuniga, Rick Moranis and Joan Rivers. After that comes Top Secret! (1984), a follow-up to the 1980 comedy hit Airplane! from cowriters/directors Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker (ZAZ). Like the ZAZ’s previous film, this one throws everything at the wall for laughs as it combines and parodies the disparate film genres of Elvis Presley musicals and Cold War/World War II spy movies. Val Kilmer, in his feature film debut, leads the cast as Nick Rivers with not only great comic timing, but also terrific singing and dancing. Next come two music mockumentaries: This Is Spinal Tap (1984), cowriter/director Rob Reiner’s legendary and uproariously funny look at the fictional heavy metal band of the title, followed by the likely lesser-known Fear of a Black Hat (1993), a mockumentary about a fictional hardcore gangsta rap group written and directed by Rusty Cundieff. The lineup concludes in the early hours of 2024 with The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977), an anthology of comedy sketches written by the ZAZ team and directed by John Landis, and Murder by Death (1976), a comedic mystery written by Neil Simon and with a heavy-hitting cast including Peter Sellers, David Niven, Alec Guinness, Truman Capote, Peter Falk, Eileen Brennan and Elsa Lanchester.
Party With “The Partridge Family” Marathon
Antenna TV, beginning at 7pm
Come on, get happy as Antenna TV ushers in 2024 with 10 hours of episodes from The Partridge Family, the 1970-74 musical sitcom led by Shirley Jones, David Cassidy, Susan Dey, Danny Bonaduce and Dave Madden.
New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash
CBS, 7:30pm
Ring in the new year with this celebration featuring live, high-energy performances from country music’s hottest superstars. Thomas Rhett, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Lainey Wilson are among the first artists announced to appear in downtown Nashville to ring in 2024.
Dick Clark’s Primetime New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2024
ABC, 8pm Live
Ryan Seacrest, Rita Ora and Jeannie Mai host New Year’s Eve festivities in New York and Los Angeles, with performances from Post Malone, Ivy Queen and K-pop group NewJeans.
Drew Carey’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve Marathon
Rewind TV, beginning at 8pm
Straight from Cleveland, you’re invited to wrap up the year and party like it’s 1995 with an eight-hour marathon of episodes from the 1995-2004 sitcom The Drew Carey Show.
NFL Football: Green Bay at Minnesota
NBC, 8:15pm Live
A New Year’s Eve edition of Sunday Night Football has the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis for an NFC North clash with the Minnesota Vikings. (Subject to flexible scheduling.)
Who Can Forget?: 2023
FOX News Channel, 10pm
In this New Year’s Eve special, FOX News Channel personalities like America’s Newsroom’s Bill Hemmer, FOX & Friends Weekend’s Pete Hegseth, FOX Across America’s Jimmy Failla, Kennedy Saves the World’s Kennedy, FOX & Friends First’s Todd Piro, Senior Meteorologist Janice Dean, FOX News Live’s Eric Shawn, FOX Business Network’s correspondents Gerri Willis and Madison Alworth, and others will look back at 2023’s most memorable moments from Barbenheimer to ChatGPT to the fight for Speaker of the House.
A New Year With Tyrus
FOX News Channel, 11pm
Gutfeld! cohost, legendary wrestler and New York Times bestselling author Tyrus will headline his first New Year’s Eve special. Joined by Michele Tafoya, Sean Duffy (cohost of FOX Business Network’s The Bottom Line), and comedian Tyler Fischer, Tyrus will take viewers through the most viral trends, the most downloaded songs and more 2023 favorites. The special will also include an appearance by wrestler Ric Flair, as he provides advice on how to turn things around in 2024. Additionally, Zach Greig, a plant operator for the Australian Antarctic Division, will join the special to discuss the unique aspects of ringing in the new year from Antarctica.