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All Times Eastern. PBS programming varies regionally.
Friday, Dec. 6
The Sticky
Prime Video
New Series!
This fast-paced dark comedy, inspired by the “Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist” of 2011 and 2012 in which nearly 10,000 barrels of syrup valued at 18.7 million Canadian dollars were stolen in Quebec, follows Ruth Landry (Margo Martindale), a tough, middle-aged maple syrup farmer. Ruth turns to crime after her syrup business gets shut down by bureaucracy, teaming up with a hot-tempered Bostonian mobster (Chris Diamantopoulos) and an affable French Canadian security guard (Guillaume Cyr) to carry out a multimillion-dollar heist. During their quest to obtain the liquid gold and remain under the radar, things, of course, get very sticky.
Mary
Netflix
Original Film!
This coming-of-age biblical epic finds Mary (Noa Cohen) shunned following a miraculous conception and forced into hiding. When King Herod (Anthony Hopkins) ignites a murderous pursuit of her newborn baby, Jesus, Mary and Joseph (Ido Tako) go on the run — bound by faith and driven by courage — to save his life at all costs.
A Nonsense Christmas With Sabrina Carpenter
Netflix
In this special featuring musical guests, pop icon Sabrina Carpenter performs songs from her 2023 holiday EP Fruitcake and other iconic chart-topping holiday covers. The special also features other musical performances, comedic guests, unexpected duets and more surprises.
TCM Morning & Afternoon Movies: Ava Gardner
TCM, beginning at 7am
Catch a Classic!
An icon of Hollywood’s golden age, actress Ava Gardner would have turned 102 this month (she was born Dec. 24, 1922, and passed away Jan. 25, 1990, at age 67). So it’s a good time to remember her courtesy of today’s seven-film lineup of Gardner classics: East Side, West Side (1949), a crime drama led by Barbara Stanwyck and James Mason; My Forbidden Past (1951), a film noir costarring Robert Mitchum; Ride, Vaquero! (1953), a Western also featuring Robert Taylor and Anthony Quinn; The Angel Wore Red (1960), an Italian American war drama; Bhowani Junction (1956), an adventure film costarring Stewart Granger that earned Gardner a BAFTA Award nomination; Knights of the Round Table (1953), featuring Gardner as Guinevere alongside Taylor’s Lancelot and Mel Ferrer’s King Arthur; and Mogambo (1953), a romantic adventure drama also starring Clark Gable and Grace Kelly, which earned Gardner the only Oscar nomination of her career, for Best Actress.
College Football: Conference Championships
ABC & FOX, beginning at 7pm Live
College football conference championship action tonight features the Conference USA championship between Western Kentucky and Jacksonville State (CBS Sports Network), the American Athletic Conference championship between Tulane and Army (ABC) and the Mountain West championship between UNLV and Boise State (FOX).
Private Princess Christmas
Hallmark Channel, 8pm
Original Film!
After many disappointments, the queen of Wingravia (Erica Durance) sends her ne’er-do-well daughter to a boot camp in Colorado, along with an ultimatum: If she doesn’t pass, she will lose the throne to her uncle. At boot camp, the princess (Ali Skovbye) and her fellow cadets are put through a rigorous grind under the supervision of Captain Ryan Douglas (Derek Klena).
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
NBC, 8pm
The longest-running holiday special in television history returns on its original network. A longtime annual event on CBS, Rudolph first aired on NBC in 1964 and continued there for several years afterward. No matter what channel it is on, this Rankin/Bass production is an endearing classic. Narrated by Burl Ives, it follows Rudolph and his friends — Hermey the Elf, Yukon Cornelius and others — as they go down in history by saving Christmas. Rudolph will encore on Thursday, Dec. 12.
Fire Country: “False Alarm”
CBS, 9pm
Station 42 responds to a false alarm call that escalates into a dangerous hostage situation. Jared Padalecki guest-stars in the new episode “False Alarm.”
Children Ruin Everything: “Chores/Feelings”
The CW, 9pm
Two back-to-back episodes air tonight. First, Astrid (Meaghan Rath) and James (Aaron Abrams) worry about the types of adults their kids will become in “Chores.” Next, James, feeling left out when Ennis (Ennis Esmer) makes a new friend, inserts himself into Ennis’ tournament in “Feelings.”
Inside the Enchanted Forests
Nat Geo Wild, beginning at 9pm
New Series!
This series traverses the planet’s richest and most diverse woodlands, introducing viewers to the wild residents of these magical ecosystems and showing how forests connect and nurture the lives of countless species. Two hourlong episodes air tonight; the first one explores tropical forests, and the second one visits seasonal forests.
Happy’s Place: “Ho-Ho-Howey”
NBC, 9:15pm
When the tavern’s health insurance faces cancellation, Gabby (Melissa Peterman) has a plan: She’ll persuade her friend Danny to host his company party at Happy’s. The catch is that everyone must call Bobbie (Reba McEntire) “Gabby,” and Gabby “Bobbie.” What could go wrong?
Lopez vs. Lopez: “Lopez vs. Santa”
NBC, 9:45pm
While Mayan (Mayan Lopez) tries to track down the perfect Christmas gift for Chance (Brice Gonzalez), George (George Lopez) has to settle a feud with Santa that stretches back to his childhood. Meanwhile, Quinten (Matt Shively) tries to shake Rosie (Selenis Leyva) out of her holiday blues.
Mysteries Unearthed With Danny Trejo
History, 10pm
New Series!
Hosted by actor Danny Trejo, this series examines the fascinating stories surrounding buried artifacts and lost civilizations, offering new insights into various mysteries of the past and present. Mysteries Unearthed delves into everything from hidden treasures and sacred objects to astounding animal artifacts and secret underground tunnels, using archival material, expert interviews and compelling re-creations, all anchored by Trejo’s affinity for history and his natural curiosity for exploring the unknown.
Scare Tactics
USA Network, 10pm
Season Finale!
Season 1 of this revival of the hidden-camera prank horror/comedy series from executive producer Jordan Peele concludes.
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Saturday, Dec. 7
Pearl Harbor Anniversary Programming
History, beginning at 7am
On this day 83 years ago, Dec. 7, 1941, the Japanese attack on the military base at Pearl Harbor brought America into World War II. To commemorate this event, History features three previously aired documentaries, each two hours long: Tora, Tora, Tora: The Real Story of Pearl Harbor, Pearl Harbor: Survivors Remember and Pearl Harbor: 24 Hours After.
A Very Merry Bugs Christmas
MeTV, 9am
Add some looniness to your holiday season with several classic seasonally themed animated shorts featuring Bugs Bunny and the gang: Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Carol (1979); Gift Wrapped (1952), starring Tweety and Sylvester; The Abominable Snow Rabbit (1961), with Bugs and Daffy Duck; Freeze Frame (1979), starring the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote; Weasel While You Work (1958), featuring Foghorn Leghorn and Barnyard Dawg; and Fright Before Christmas (1979), with Bugs and the Tasmanian Devil.
Classic TV Westerns Christmas Episodes
MeTV, beginning at 10am
Enjoy eight hours of holiday-themed episodes from classic TV Westerns. Episodes are from, in order: The Wild Wild West, Wagon Train, The Big Valley, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, two installments of The Rifleman, Rawhide, Have Gun — Will Travel and Wanted: Dead or Alive.
College Basketball
ESPN2, FOX & FS1, beginning at 11:30am Live
Highlights of a big Saturday in college basketball include Kansas State at St. John’s (FOX), Rutgers at Ohio State (FS1), Clemson at Miami (ESPN2), Wisconsin at Marquette (FOX), Iowa at Michigan (FS1), UNLV at Creighton (FS1), Butler at Houston (ESPN2) and Kentucky at Gonzaga (ESPN2).
College Football: Conference Championships
ABC, CBS & ESPN, beginning at 12pm Live
College football conference championship Saturday features Iowa State vs. Arizona State in the Big 12 championship (ABC), Ohio vs. Miami (Ohio) in the MAC championship (ESPN), Georgia vs. Texas in the SEC championship (ABC), Marshall vs. Louisiana in the Sun Belt championship (ESPN), Clemson vs. SMU in the ACC championship (ABC) and Penn State vs. Oregon in the Big Ten championship (CBS).
From Here to Eternity
TCM, 1:45pm
Catch a Classic!
In this legendary 1953 drama, passion and tragedy collide on a military base as a fateful day in December 1941 draws near. Pvt. Prewitt (Best Actor Oscar nominee Montgomery Clift) is a soldier and former boxer being manipulated by his superior and peers. His friend Maggio (Frank Sinatra, in a role that established the beloved singer’s acting career) tries to help him but has his own troubles. Sgt. Warden (Best Actor Oscar nominee Burt Lancaster) and Karen Holmes (Best Actress Oscar nominee Deborah Kerr) tread on dangerous ground as lovers in an illicit affair (their embrace in the surf remains an iconic Hollywood scene). Each of their lives will be changed when their stories culminate in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The film won eight of the 13 Oscars for which it was nominated, including Best Picture, Best Director (Fred Zinnemann), and Best Supporting awards for Sinatra and for Donna Reed as a not-so-wholesome “club hostess.”
A California Christmas
The CW, 8pm
Network Premiere!
In this holiday love story, a wealthy charmer (Josh Swickard) poses as a ranch hand to get a hardworking farmer (Lauren Swickard) to sell her family’s land before Christmas.
Once Upon a Christmas Wish
Great American Family, 8pm
Original Film!
A local mayor discovers his long-ago Christmas wishes are coming true. With his childhood friend, the pair try to inspire residents to showcase the town’s warmth and values while pushing back a major developer’s desire to take the community in a different direction. Mario Lopez and Courtney Lopez star.
Sugarplummed
Hallmark Channel, 8pm
Original Film!
Emily (Maggie Lawson) has always dreamed of creating the perfect Christmas. Hoping to bring her family closer together, she makes a wish for a holiday as perfect as the ones she sees in a holiday movie. To her surprise, Sugarplum (Janel Parrish), the film’s relentlessly optimistic main character, magically steps off the screen to make Emily’s wish come true. As Sugarplum applies her movie-world rules to real life, Emily gets caught up in the possibility of finally achieving the perfect Christmas; but when the magical fixes start to backfire, Emily begins to question what an ideal holiday really is.
A Very Merry Beauty Salon
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
Tia Mowry (Sister, Sister) stars as Sienna, the owner of Atlanta’s bustling Divine Beauty Salon, where she will be honored for her charitable work in the community at a glamorous ball. When she meets Lawrence (RonReaco Lee), a charismatic CEO whose family’s wine brand cosponsors the ball, sparks fly between them, setting the stage for a steamy romance that challenges Sienna’s thoughts on love and family.
Sunday, Dec. 8
Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints
FOX Nation
Midseason Finale!
Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Franciscan monk, may have expressed the anti-Semitism that was popular in the early 20th century, but his treatment of Jews did not follow that hateful ideology. In 1941, he was arrested for harboring 3,000 people — half of them Jews — in his monastery to shield them from the Nazis. Kolbe was sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp, where an act of self-sacrifice for a Jewish prisoner led to Kolbe being tortured and starved to death. He was canonized in 1982, and is the patron saint of journalists, prisoners, drug addicts and amateur radio operators. Martin Scorsese narrates this installment of the documentary series, which returns with new Season 1 episodes in the spring.
Formula 1 Racing: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
ESPN, 7:55am Live
The season finale race brings Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri and more F1 stars to compete for 58 laps around the 5.281 km Yas Marina Circuit in the United Arab Emirates.
Miracle on 34th Street
AMC, 9:45am
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.
A Very Merry MeTV
MeTV, beginning at 10am
Enjoy several hours of Christmas-themed episodes from classic TV sitcoms, including The Brady Bunch, Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, The Beverly Hillbillies, Gilligan’s Island, Mama’s Family, The Love Boat, The Andy Griffith Show, M*A*S*H, All in the Family, Good Times, Sanford and Son, The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Honeymooners.
College Football Playoff Selection Show
ESPN, 12pm Live
The 12 participants in the expanded College Football Playoff are announced today in this ESPN special. In the new formula, the five highest-ranked conference champions and the seven highest-ranked at-large teams enter the playoff bracket. The top four conference champions receive a first-round bye and automatic entry into the quarterfinals. The remaining eight teams play Dec. 20-21 in the four-game first round.
Figure Skating: ISU Grand Prix Final
NBC, 4:30pm
NBC airs this highlights special featuring the best performances from the ISU Grand Prix Final held in Grenoble, France.
12 Dares of Christmas
UPtv, 7pm
Original Film!
A teacher’s quiet holiday season gets a jolt of spice when she accepts a “12 Dares of Christmas” challenge from her sister while scrambling to ready her town for a holiday exchange program with a suave, opinionated French teacher.
Let It Snow
Great American Family, 8pm
An executive evaluates her company’s property and begins to draw up plans for transforming the rustic old lodge into a hot tourist attraction. This 2013 film stars Candace Cameron Bure, Jesse Hutch and Alan Thicke.
Leah’s Perfect Gift
Hallmark Channel, 8pm
Original Film!
Christmas lover Leah Meyer (Emily Arlook) has longed to celebrate a traditional Christmas, but she’s Jewish and her family celebrates Hanukkah. When her boyfriend (Evan Roderick) invites her to spend the holidays with his classic Connecticut family, she is eager to accept his offer. But Leah quickly discovers that fitting in with his uptight family and unwelcoming mom (Barbara Niven) is easier said than done, and that Christmas is not quite what she expected.
How to Fall in Love by Christmas
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
Nora Winters (Teri Hatcher), a talented writer turned CEO of her own lifestyle brand, finds herself in a tight spot when the company’s future hangs in the balance. In a desperate attempt to save it through a partnership with a popular dating app, she discovers an unexpected twist. The only way to win them over is to write a column on falling in love by Christmas with the help of Jack (Dan Payne), a charismatic photographer who has been assigned to the piece.
Lucy Worsley’s Holmes vs. Doyle
PBS, 8pm
New Series!
In this new three-part series, popular British historian and lifelong Sherlock Holmes fan Lucy Worsley seeks to answer why author Arthur Conan Doyle came to despise the character that made him rich and famous. The premiere episode, “Doctor and Detective,” examines Holmes’ origins during Doyle’s time as a medical student. It also traces the author’s growing disenchantment with his detective in the following years.
NFL Football: L.A. Chargers at Kansas City
NBC, 8:15pm Live
Sunday Night Football’s Week 14 matchup has Justin Herbert and the L.A. Chargers in Kansas City to face Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.
The Equalizer: “Slay Ride”
CBS, 8:30pm
A joyous and merry Christmas turns dark when McCall, Dante and Miles (Queen Latifah, Tory Kittles and Stephen Bishop) find themselves held hostage in a hospital that’s been taken over by the cartel in the new episode “Slay Ride.”
The Simpsons: “Convenience Airways”
FOX, 8:30pm
The Simpsons are trapped on a flight with America’s most unruly passengers in the new episode “Convenience Airways.”
Bob’s Burgers: “They Slug Horses, Don’t They?”
FOX, 9pm
Tina and Louise (voices of Dan Mintz and Kristen Schaal) get into an argument that escalates across several graphic “apology” cards in the new episode “They Slug Horses, Don’t They?”
Somebody Somewhere
HBO, 10:35pm
Series Finale!
The comedy following Sam (Bridget Everett), an outsider from Kansas on a journey of self-discovery, comes to an end after three seasons.
Monday, Dec. 9
The Great British Baking Show: Holidays
Netflix
Season Premiere!
In the two-episode seventh installment, Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith are joined by former contestants who will whip up sweet seasonal treats in their bid to take top honors.
Marilyn Monroe Icon-a-Thon
MOVIES!, beginning at 1:15pm
Catch a Classic!
Spend an afternoon and some of the evening with screen legend Marilyn Monroe with five films: O. Henry’s Full House (1952), an anthology of five O. Henry stories, with Monroe appearing in the first one, “The Cop and the Anthem,” alongside Charles Laughton and David Wayne; Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), the iconic musical comedy also starring Jane Russell; How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), the romantic comedy that also features Betty Grable and Lauren Bacall; There’s No Business Like Show Business (1954), the musical comedy/drama featuring Monroe in an ensemble along with Ethel Merman, Donald O’Connor and Mitzi Gaynor; and Let’s Make Love (1960), Monroe’s second-to-last film, a musical comedy costarring Yves Montand.
NFL Football: Cincinnati at Dallas
ABC & ESPN, 8pm Live
Joe Burrow leads the Cincinnati Bengals into AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to collide with the Dallas Cowboys in this Week 14 edition of Monday Night Football.
Best Christmas Movies Ever!
The CW, 8pm
Join over 50 stars, writers, athletes, directors and critics as they share the spirit of the season and discuss such beloved classics as Home Alone, Elf, The Santa Clause, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s a Wonderful Life and, of course, Die Hard in this Christmas special feature.
The Real Full Monty
FOX, 8pm
Six celebrities — Taye Diggs (All American), James Van Der Beek (Dawson’s Creek), Anthony Anderson (black-ish), Tyler Posey (Teen Wolf), Bruno Tonioli (Dancing With the Stars) and Chris Jones (Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle) — come together to learn a striptease dance routine and bare it all to a live audience in an effort to help support prostate/testicular/colorectal cancer testing and research in this two-hour event.
The Voice: “Live Finale, Part 1”
NBC, 8pm Live
Season 26 of the singing competition series comes to an end beginning tonight. Tomorrow night’s two-hour installment will crown the latest winner.
NCIS: “Out of Control”
CBS, 9pm
NCIS investigates a murder related to a car that begins driving on its own in the new episode “Out of Control.”
Brilliant Minds: “The Other Woman”
NBC, 10pm
In the fall finale, Dr. Pierce (Tamberla Perry) treats a patient in crisis, but it presents an ethical dilemma. Meanwhile, Drs. Wolf and Nichols (Zachary Quinto and Teddy Sears) disagree on how to treat a patient. Brilliant Minds will return with new episodes on Monday, Jan. 6.
Tuesday, Dec. 10
College Basketball: Jimmy V Classic
ESPN, beginning at 6:30pm Live
The Jimmy V Classic at New York City’s Madison Square Garden has the Miami Hurricanes vs. the Tennessee Volunteers and the Michigan Wolverines vs. the Arkansas Razorbacks.
NBA Basketball: Emirates NBA Cup: Quarterfinals
TNT, beginning at 7:30pm Live
The Emirates NBA Cup in-season tournament enters the knockout stage with two quarterfinal games tonight.
LEGO Masters: Celebrity Holiday Bricktacular
FOX, 8pm
Season Premiere!
Celebrity guests, including Sophia Bush, Holly Robinson Peete, Eric McCormack and Lil Rel Howery, pair up with fan-favorite former contestants to compete in jaw-dropping holiday-themed challenges for charity. Part 2 is next Tuesday.
Remembering Maggie Smith
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!
This evening, Turner Classic Movies celebrates Dame Margaret Natalie Smith, better known as Maggie Smith, the legendary actress who passed away Sept. 27 at age 89. Five of the many notable films in which she appeared are featured in tonight’s lineup. First is Nowhere to Go (1958), a British crime film that was the second movie in which Smith appeared after starting her career in the theater (where she also continued to excel even as she found more film success). After that, Smith gives a Best Actress Oscar-winning performance as the title character in the British drama The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969). Smith also received a Best Actress nod for the next title, Travels With My Aunt (1972), a comedy that was one of the final films directed by George Cukor. Late tonight/early tomorrow, the lineup continues with the Best Picture-nominated A Room With a View (1985), Merchant-Ivory’s romantic period drama in which Smith delivers a Best Supporting Actress-nominated performance alongside Helena Bonham Carter, Julian Sands and Best Supporting Actor nominee Denholm Elliott; and Young Cassidy (1965), a British biographical drama led by Rod Taylor and Julie Christie.
The Voice
NBC, 9pm Live
Season Finale!
Season 26 of the singing competition series concludes with a two-hour finale in which the winner will be determined. It is preceded by an hourlong recap of the top five performances from last night.
Frontline: “Breakdown in Maine”
PBS, 10pm
This episode explores the breakdowns with police, military and mental health care prior to the Lewiston, Maine, shootings.
Wednesday, Dec. 11
Shetland
BritBox
Season Premiere!
In the ninth season of this Scottish crime drama set on the titular archipelago, a double missing persons case blurs the lines between the personal and the professional as Detectives Ruth Calder (Ashley Jensen) and Alison “Tosh” McIntosh (Alison O’Donnell) are drawn into a labyrinthine investigation. New episodes are available Wednesdays starting today.
Dream Productions
Disney+
New Series!
Following the record-breaking global success of Pixar’s Inside Out 2, this four-episode animated series returns to Riley’s mind, this time to explore the inner workings of the studio that produces her dreams.
Maria
Netflix
Feature Film Exclusive!
Angelina Jolie portrays Maria Callas, one of the most iconic performers of the 20th century, in acclaimed director Pablo Larrain’s appropriately operatic drama. The film reimagines the legendary American-Greek soprano in her final days as the diva retreats to Paris after a glamorous and tumultuous life in the public eye and reckons with her identity and life.
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Netflix
New Series!
In this Colombian drama based on Gabriel García Márquez’s acclaimed 1967 novel, José Arcadio Buendía (Marco González) and Úrsula Iguarán (Susana Morales), who have gotten married against their parents’ wishes, leave their village behind and embark on a long journey in search of a new home. Accompanied by friends and adventurers, their path culminates with the founding of a utopian town on the banks of a river of prehistoric stones that they name Macondo. The series will air in two parts of eight episodes each; Part 1 drops today.
Queer Eye
Netflix
Season Premiere!
In Season 9, as the Fab Five looks to make big things happen for a handful of people in Las Vegas, the series gets a little makeover of its own. Interior designer Jeremiah Brent is joining the cast alongside original hosts Jonathan Van Ness, Karamo Brown, Antoni Porowski and Tan France.
Captain Blood
TCM, 12pm
Catch a Classic!
Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland were relative unknowns when Warner Bros. took a chance on casting them to lead this 1935 swashbuckler that finds Flynn portraying a 17th century doctor who, with other prisoners, escapes his cruel island imprisonment in the West Indies and becomes a pirate. The studio’s gamble paid off — Captain Blood became a hit and established Flynn as a dashing screen hero; he and de Havilland’s pairing was so effective and popular that they went on to costar in seven more films; and the film received two official Oscar nominations. Director Michael Curtiz was not officially nominated for an Oscar, but received the second-greatest number of votes solely as a write-in candidate. Likewise, composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold — who somehow was not officially nominated by the Academy for his rousing, romantic and iconic musical score — was third on the final ballot due to a write-in campaign, as was screenwriter Casey Robinson in his category. The film did not win any Oscars, but remains an action classic.
NHL Hockey: N.Y. Rangers at Buffalo
TNT & truTV, 7pm Live
Artemi Panarin and the N.Y. Rangers visit Alex Tuch and the Buffalo Sabres tonight on TNT and truTV.
NBA Basketball: Emirates NBA Cup: Quarterfinals
ESPN, beginning at 7:40pm Live
ESPN airs two matchups from the quarterfinal round of the Emirates NBA Cup in-season tournament.
Sullivan’s Crossing
The CW, 8pm
Season Finale!
In the final episode of Season 2, titled “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Cal (Chad Michael Murray) works with Maggie (Morgan Kohan) as she fights to save the Crossing, while a careless mistake may cost someone their life.
Frosty the Snowman
NBC, 8pm
This classic animated musical special, a longtime CBS staple, returns on a new network. Jimmy Durante narrates, with Jackie Vernon providing the voice of the “jolly, happy soul” whose old silk hat full of magic brings him to life.
Shrek the Halls
NBC, 8:30pm
Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas reprise their voice roles from the hit Shrek feature films in this 2007 half-hour holiday special, whose story takes place between Shrek the Third and Shrek Forever After.
A Motown Christmas
NBC, 9pm
Hosted by Smokey Robinson and Halle Bailey, this two-hour special celebrates Motown’s renowned legacy and showcases legends from that recording label performing holiday favorites along with Hitsville U.S.A. classics. Some of today’s biggest stars will also be on hand to perform exclusive solos, unexpected duets and group medleys. Performers include Robinson, Bailey, Gladys Knight, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, the Temptations, BeBe Winans, Ashanti, Pentatonix and more. The special will encore on Tuesday, Dec. 17.
Thursday, Dec. 12
Too Many Christmases
BET+
Original Film!
Jerome (Denzel Whitaker) and Kayla (Porscha Coleman) are excited to spend their first Christmas together as husband and wife. The only problem is that they’ve never celebrated Christmas without their respective families. This year, instead of deciding on one event, they agree to attend two at the same time to appease their families. Jackée Harry also stars.
No Good Deed
Netflix
New Series!
In this comedy/drama, when Lydia (Lisa Kudrow) and Paul (Ray Romano) decide to move on from their empty nest to forge a new life, they list their gorgeous 1920s Spanish-style villa located in a desirable part of Los Angeles — and the real estate frenzy begins. Multiple families all race to buy what they believe is their dream house. As Lydia and Paul struggle to hide the dark and dangerous secrets that linger inside their longtime home, they begin to realize that the only way to escape the past is to finally face it.
Star of the Month: Mickey Rooney
TCM, beginning at 6am
Catch a Classic!
Turner Classic Movies’ monthlong Thursday celebration of beloved star Mickey Rooney continues with another daylong marathon today, featuring a number of his best remembered films from the late 1930s and 1940s, during which he was consistently among the biggest box office draws, if not the biggest. The lineup begins with Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936), led by Rooney’s fellow child star Freddie Bartholomew, followed by Captains Courageous (1937), the Best Picture Oscar-nominated drama led by Best Actor winner Spencer Tracy. Other notable highlights today include the beloved horse-racing drama National Velvet (1944), costarring Elizabeth Taylor and Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner Anne Revere; The Human Comedy (1943), a comedy/drama that earned Rooney a Best Actor Oscar nomination; the Best Picture-nominated drama Boys Town (1938), led by Best Actor winner Spencer Tracy, and its 1941 sequel, Men of Boys Town; Young Tom Edison (1940), with Rooney playing the famous inventor early in his life; and more.
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage: “An Old Mustang”
CBS, 8pm
Georgie (Montana Jordan) worries that he’s leaving Connor (Dougie Baldwin) out of his new project with Jim (Will Sasso) in the new episode “An Old Mustang.”
2024 Billboard Music Awards
FOX, 8pm Live
Actress and comedian Michelle Buteau hosts this awards special celebrating the year’s biggest artists, albums, songs, producers and songwriters as determined by year-end performance metrics on the Billboard charts. Contenders in the Top Artist category include Zach Bryan, Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen and Sabrina Carpenter.
All I Need for Christmas
Hallmark Mystery, 8pm
Original Film!
Maggie, a singer and songwriter, has tried for years to break into the business. While helping her parents on their farm at Christmastime, she meets entrepreneur Archer, who encourages her to get back in touch with music. As Archer is dealing with loss of family, Maggie in turn helps him find ways of moving beyond years of family feuding. In addition to motivating each other, could a holiday romance be in the offing? Stars Mallory Jansen and Dan Jeannotte.
Be Careful What You Say
LMN, 8pm
This U.S. premiere film is about Iris Atwood, who hosts a live podcast from her home, where she offers listeners advice on their relationship problems, despite not having a counseling degree. When Iris offers advice to troubled, unstable single mother Vanessa and that advice leads to her son’s death, Vanessa becomes bent on revenge.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
NBC, 8pm
The longest-running holiday special in television history returns on its original network. A longtime annual event on CBS, Rudolph first aired on NBC in 1964 and continued there for several years afterward. No matter what channel it is on, this Rankin/Bass production is an endearing classic. Narrated by Burl Ives, it follows Rudolph and his friends — Hermey the Elf, Yukon Cornelius and others — as they go down in history by saving Christmas.
NFL Football: L.A. Rams at San Francisco
Prime Video, 8:15pm Live
NFC West foes collide at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, as the L.A. Rams face the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football.
Ghosts: “Sad Farnsby”
CBS, 8:30pm
In the new episode “Sad Farnsby,” Sam (Rose McIver) accidentally creates a rift between Woodstone’s neighbors, Henry and Margaret Farnsby (guest stars Mark Linn-Baker and Kathryn Greenwood).
E! News Presents NBC’s Hot 10 of 2024
NBC, 9:15pm
E! News’ Justin Sylvester and Keltie Knight highlight the biggest and most unforgettable moments of the year, from the Olympics to award show trendsetters and the buzziest celebrity couples, in addition to blockbuster films, television, music, sports and more, along with what to expect in 2025. Tonight’s special runs 45 minutes; an hourlong extended version will air on Thursday, Dec. 26.
Friday, Dec. 13
Elton John: Never Too Late
Disney+
This emotionally charged, intimate and uplifting documentary offers a full-circle journey as Elton John looks back on his life and the astonishing early days of his 50-year career. As he prepares for his final concert in North America at Dodger Stadium, John takes viewers back in time and recounts the extraordinary highs and heartbreaking lows of his early years, and how he overcame adversity, abuse and addiction to become the icon he is today.
Carry-On
Netflix
Original Film!
Taron Egerton leads this action thriller as a young TSA agent who fights to outsmart a mysterious traveler who blackmails him into letting a dangerous package slip onto a Christmas Eve flight.
1992
Netflix
New Series!
This Spanish thriller follows Amparo (Marian Alvárez), who, after the death of her husband in a strange explosion, begins to search for answers with the help of Richi (Fernando Valdivielso), a security guard, ex-cop and alcoholic. Meanwhile, continuing murders always follow the same pattern: Next to the burned bodies of the victims appears a doll of Curro, the mascot of the Expo ’92 held in Seville.
Dexter: Original Sin
Paramount+
New Series!
In this 1990s-set prequel series, Dexter (Patrick Gibson) transitions from student to serial killer when his violent urges can’t be ignored any longer. Under the guidance of his father, Harry (Christian Slater), he adopts a code designed to help him find and kill people who “deserve” it without getting on law enforcement’s radar. Also costarring Patrick Dempsey, Christina Milian and Sarah Michelle Gellar.
S.W.A.T.
CBS, 8pm
Midseason Finale!
Hondo (Shemar Moore) and the team wrap up the first part of Season 8 with “Left of Boom.” New episodes resume Jan. 31.
Hanukkah on the Rocks
Hallmark Channel, 8pm
Original Film!
One week before Hanukkah, Tory (Stacey Farber) finds herself unemployed and questioning the law career she has dedicated years to. As she embarks on a quest across Chicago to find the last box of Hanukkah candles, she finds herself at an Old Town bar, where she encounters a charming doctor from Florida (Daren Kagasoff), his grandfather (Marc Summers) and a cast of quirky regulars who make her rethink everything. Tory ends up bartending there and transforming it into a Hanukkah celebration, revitalizing the bar and bonding with its patrons, learning that sometimes a detour can lead you exactly where you are meant to be.
Happy’s Place: “Dear Jack”
NBC, 8pm
When Bobbie (Reba McEntire) catches Isabella (Belissa Escobedo) doing a slow-fade breakup with her long-distance boyfriend, she convinces her to send him a Dear John letter. Meanwhile, Steve (Pablo Castelblanco) brings in a review praising chef Emmett’s (Rex Linn) cooking and acknowledging the tavern’s bartender, “Abby.” This is the fall finale for the freshman series; it will return with new episodes on Friday, Jan. 3.
Starring Gregory Peck
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!
Five of legendary actor Gregory Peck’s most acclaimed performances are on deck in tonight’s lineup celebrating the icon. Up first, Peck portrays famed Gen. Douglas MacArthur in the 1977 biopic MacArthur. Following that comes what may be Peck’s best remembered performances: His Best Actor Oscar-winning turn as lawyer Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). Next, Peck plays another attorney, Sam Bowden, who finds himself and his family threatened by ex-con Max Cady (Robert Mitchum) in the classic thriller Cape Fear (1962). As we head into late night/early tomorrow, Peck plays the title character in the swashbuckling war film Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951), which also stars Virginia Mayo, then costars with Ava Gardner in The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952), a romantic adventure drama based on Ernest Hemingway’s short story.
Lopez vs. Lopez: “Lopez vs. Dateline”
NBC, 8:30pm
In the fall finale, when George’s (George Lopez) controversial new appliance turns up dead, he mounts a true-crime investigation. Lopez vs. Lopez will return with new episodes on Friday, Jan. 3.
Fire Country
CBS, 9pm
Midseason Finale!
In the midseason finale “Promise Me,” underground fires force the team to protect the town, making for an awkward reunion between Eve (Jules Latimer) and her estranged father (guest star Phil Morris). Season 3 resumes Jan. 31.
Children Ruin Everything: “Bedtime/Drama”
The CW, 9pm
Two back-to-back episodes will air tonight: First, in “Bedtime,” James (Aaron Abrams) finds an old game console, but he and Astrid (Meaghan Rath) can’t seem to find any time alone to play it together. Then, in “Drama,” Astrid feels left out of Dawn’s (Nazneen Contractor) pregnancy by her surrogate and begins to suspect something sinister.
Blue Bloods
CBS, 10pm
Series Finale!
Take a seat at the table for the last Reagan family dinner as the police drama starring Tom Selleck, Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, Marisa Ramirez and Will Estes signs off after 14 seasons with “End of Tour.” Edward James Olmos guest-stars.
Violent Femmes 40th Anniversary With the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
PBS, 10pm
The rock band Violent Femmes perform their debut album with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the album.
Saturday, Dec. 14
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
MOVIES!, 11:05am
Catch a Classic!
It’s more like “Catch a Cult Classic” when it comes to this delightfully bizarre 1964 combo of holiday/sci-fi/comedy/action that is kind of fun in its own dumb way (we can’t always watch Citizen Kane, can we?) and has made the rounds on lists of “so bad it’s good” movies and even been skewered on Mystery Science Theater 3000. The story finds Martians kidnapping Santa Claus (John Call) from Earth since there is nobody like him on Mars to give their own children presents. One of those Martian kids is played by a young Pia Zadora in her first film role.
College Football
ABC, CBS & ESPN, beginning at 12pm Live
The college football bowl game season kicks off today with the Cricket Celebration Bowl in Atlanta on ABC and the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama, on ESPN. A great tradition continues in Landover, Maryland, as the Navy Midshipmen take on the Army Black Knights on CBS. The Heisman Trophy is presented to the season’s most outstanding player in a ceremony tonight on ESPN. Potential invitees at presstime include Miami QB Cam Ward, Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel, Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter, Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty and Clemson QB Cade Klubnik.
College Basketball
CBS, ESPN, ESPN2 & FOX, beginning at 12pm Live
Top college basketball matchups today include Texas A&M at Purdue (CBS), Ohio State at Auburn (ESPN2), UCLA at Arizona (ESPN2), Seton Hall at Rutgers (FOX), NC State at Kansas (ESPN), Louisville at Kentucky (ESPN), Tennessee at Illinois (FOX) and Gonzaga at UConn (FOX).
The 92nd Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade
The CW, 8pm
Hosted by Dean Cain and Laura McKenzie, along with Montel Williams and Elizabeth Stanton, the parade will feature Hollywood celebrities and movie cars, award-winning bands from across the country, dazzling equestrians, colorful floats and humorous specialty acts.
Christmas Under the Northern Lights
Great American Family, 8pm
Original Film!
An author visiting a small town over Christmas is shown the area’s stunning vistas and Northern Lights by a handsome local guide. Jill Wagner and Jesse Hutch star.
The Santa Class
Hallmark Channel, 8pm
Original Film!
After Kate (Kimberley Sustad) reluctantly takes over her father’s once-acclaimed but now-struggling Santa School, she and her new coworker (Benjamin Ayres) discover a man they believe to be the real Santa Claus, who has lost his memories after his sled crashed near the school. With the fate of Christmas at stake, they decide to invite him to participate in their school’s intense Santa training program in order to help him remember who he is.
The Holiday Junkie
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
Jennifer Love Hewitt stars as Andie, whose business, Holiday Junkie, is hired to fill a family’s large, lavish home with Christmas spirit while they’re away on vacation. But the holidays have extra significance and emotional weight for Andie this year, as she’s dealing with the recent loss of a loved one. While she’s decking the halls, she encounters ruggedly handsome handyman Mason (Brian Hallisay), who has his own case of holiday heartbreak.
Saturday Night’s Main Event
NBC, 8pm Live
WWE’s iconic Saturday Night’s Main Event, which originally ran on NBC from 1985-92, returns in this special taking place at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island, New York, the site of the first ever Main Event. Going forward, Main Event specials will air quarterly on NBC as part of WWE’s new partnership with NBCUniversal.
NBA Basketball: Emirates NBA Cup: Semifinals
TNT & ABC, beginning at 4:30pm Live
TNT and ABC air semifinal games from the Emirates NBA Cup in-season tournament tonight from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Saturday Night Live: “Chris Rock/Gracie Abrams”
NBC, 11:30pm Live; also livestreams on Peacock
Former SNL cast member Chris Rock returns for his fourth time as host, joined by Grammy nominee Gracie Abrams, who is making her debut as musical guest.