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Wednesday, Nov. 26: One Last Stand: ‘Stranger Things’ Fifth and Final Season on Netflix

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Wednesday, Nov. 26

Stranger Things
Netflix
Season Premiere!

The ultimate battle looms in the fifth and final season of this 1980s-set sci-fi/horror series. Psychokinetic telepath Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and her Hawkins, Indiana, friends are on a mission to kill the monster Vecna, who’s trying to merge Earth with the parallel universe the Upside Down. Complicating things, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven. With the gang uniting for one last stand against forces darker than they’ve ever faced, things are about to get stranger — and scarier — than ever. The first volume of four episodes is available today. Volumes 2 and 3 release in late December.

The Beatles Anthology
Disney+

Originally airing on TV in November 1995, this documentary series featured John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr candidly telling their own story of the Beatles, with all its complexities and contradictions. Disney+ presents a remastered 30th anniversary edition of the original eight episodes, as well as a newly completed ninth installment featuring behind-the-scenes footage taken of McCartney, Harrison and Starr in 1994-95 as they reflect on their shared musical journeys.

Jingle Bell Heist
Netflix
Original Film!

A sharp-witted retail worker (Olivia Holt) and a down-on-his-luck repairman (Connor Swindells) become small-time thieves who look for a bigger score: robbing London’s most notorious department store.

College Basketball
ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU & TNT, beginning at 12pm Live

TNT airs the third-place and championship games from the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas. Four games from the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas air across ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU. The final games from the Maui Invitational in Hawaii air on ESPN and ESPN2.

NBA Basketball
ESPN, beginning at 5pm Live

ESPN has a Thanksgiving Eve tripleheader with the Detroit Pistons at the Boston Celtics, the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets at the Golden State Warriors.

Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent: “Three Points”
The CW, 8pm

In the new episode “Three Points,” Graff and Bateman (Aden Young and Kathleen Munroe) link the case of a hip-hop artist’s murder to another recent homicide and realize there’s a serial killer prowling the streets of Toronto.

Sidelined: The QB and Me
FOX, 8pm

In this 2024 romantic drama from streaming service Tubi, a dancer and a quarterback (Siena Agudong and Noah Beck) battle their feelings as their plans for life after high school could tear them apart. James Van Der Beek also stars.

Countdown to Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
NBC, 8pm Live

Live from the famous starting line on the eve of the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, this special gives viewers a sneak peek at the incredible stories behind the floats, balloons and bands on their journey through the streets of New York.

TCM Spotlight: Conspiracy and Political Thrillers
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!

If you missed TCM’s Nov. 2 daylong, 11-movie tribute to screen icon Robert Redford, who passed away on Sept. 16, you can still catch one of his most popular films tonight, 1976’s All the President’s Men. As part of the evening’s spotlight on political thrillers, which also includes Jack Lemmon and Jane Fonda in The China Syndrome (1979) and Kevin Costner in No Way Out (1987), Redford plays Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward, opposite Dustin Hoffman’s Carl Bernstein, who broke the Watergate scandal that eventually brought down President Richard Nixon.

The Rocky Mountain Mortician Murder
Investigation Discovery, 8pm
New Series!

This true-crime event series unpacks the shocking case that rocked a small, close-knit Colorado community to its core: a tangled web involving murder, secret lovers, con-artists and elaborate coverups. In October 2012, Byron Griffy — respected mortician, devoted family man and pillar of his rural Colorado community — was found dead on his remote ranch, shot execution-style. At first glance, it looked like a robbery gone wrong. But as detectives dug deeper, they discovered something far more twisted: an unthinkable betrayal and a tangled web of lies that exposed the town’s darkest secrets. Over the course of three parts, the docuseries exposes the disturbing truths that can lurk just beneath the surface of seemingly friendly communities. Featuring interviews with key individuals involved in the case, the investigators who searched for the truth, and the townspeople who still wrestle with the revelations this investigation exposed, this docuseries shows that no matter how hard people try to keep their secrets hidden, the truth has a way of always coming to light.

Turbulence
FOX Weather, 8:30pm
Series Finale!

As the aviation industry continues to improve with the future resurgence of supersonic flights by companies like Boom Supersonic and Lockheed Martin, the finale of this four-part series, “The Next Flight,” looks at the technological advancements that could change the industry over the coming years. Meteorologist Ian Oliver visits the Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering Department at North Carolina State University to get an in-depth look at the minds behind all sorts of advancing technology, from supersonic wind tunnels to the development of unmanned cargo planes. We’re getting you ready for what your flight experience could look like in the coming decades.

A “Saturday Night Live” Thanksgiving Special
NBC, 9pm

Feast on a collection of Thanksgiving-themed sketches from 50 seasons of Saturday Night Live in this two-hour special.

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Thursday, Nov. 27

Thanksgiving MOVIES!
MOVIES!, beginning at 6am
Catch a Classic!

Wake up early and revisit the Thanksgiving days of one’s youth, thanks to feel-good films that always seemed to accompany Turkey Day festivities. The fun begins with 1934’s Laurel and Hardy classic March of the Wooden Soldiers, as the boys play bumbling toymakers who, with the push of some buttons, manage to save Toyland from the evil Silas Barnaby and the bogeymen. This is followed by a slate of winning holiday comic fare: 1940’s The Shop Around the Corner with James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan, and later, Barbara Stanwyck in 1945’s Christmas in Connecticut and the 1957 Tracy/Hepburn favorite Desk Set.

Sidelined 2: Intercepted
Tubi
Original Film!

In this sequel to last year’s Sidelined: The QB and Me, college freshman quarterback Drayton (Noah Beck) struggles with the weight of expectations after a devastating setback, while dancer Dallas (Siena Agudong) begins to question the future she thought she wanted. As their relationship begins to unravel under the pressures of distance and self-discovery, they’ll learn that the bravest versions of themselves emerge when they let life redirect them. James Van Der Beek also stars.

99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
NBC, 8:30am (all times zones)

The beloved event that kicks off the holiday season returns to the streets of New York City with more floats, giant character balloons, marching bands, musical stars, a visit from Santa Claus and more. An encore presentation airs this afternoon.

College Basketball
ESPN, ESPN2, FOX & FS1, beginning at 11am Live

Dig in for a full day of holiday college basketball tournament action. Catch games from the ESPN Events Invitational in Orlando, Florida, across ESPN and ESPN2. FS1 airs matchups from the Rady Children’s Invitational in San Diego, and matchups from the Skechers Fort Myers Tip-Off in Florida air on FS1 and FOX.

The National Dog Show
NBC, 12pm (all time zones)

The furry, family-friendly Thanksgiving fun returns with NBC’s telecast of The National Dog Show as pooches vie for the coveted Best in Show title at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. John O’Hurley, David Frei and Mary Carillo return to the broadcast team.

NFL Football
CBS, FOX & NBC, beginning at 1pm Live

The NFL’s Thanksgiving Day tradition continues with Green Bay at Detroit (FOX), Kansas City at Dallas (CBS) and Cincinnati at Baltimore (NBC).

Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol
Disney Channel, 7pm

Christmas elves Lanny and Wayne (voices of Derek Richardson and Dave Foley) return in the fourth Prep & Landing animated holiday special. When their holiday mission goes awry, Wayne is convinced he’s in major trouble with Santa (Christopher Swindle), causing Wayne to reveal other merry mishaps. The voice cast also includes Sarah Chalke, Manny Jacinto, Dulcé Sloan and Danny Pudi.

College Football: Navy at Memphis
ESPN, 7:30pm Live

The Navy Midshipmen chart a course to Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium for a Thanksgiving night meeting with the Memphis Tigers.

Mary Poppins
ABC, 8pm

Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews) flies out of the windy London skies and into the home of two mischievous children. With the help of a carefree chimney sweep named Bert (Dick Van Dyke), the spirited nanny turns every chore into a game and every day into a “Jolly Holiday.”

We Met in December
Hallmark Channel, 8pm
Original Film!

On an unexpected layover in mid December, Annie Lane (Autumn Reeser) and Dave Weeks (Niall Matter) meet as strangers in a beautiful hotel all decorated for the holidays. It’s love at first sight, and they end up having a magical night of sharing hopes, dreams … and a perfect kiss. But when they fail to exchange numbers and miss each other the next morning, Annie and Dave fly back to Chicago with no easy way to track the other one down. The only clues they have are the plans they shared for the upcoming holiday season, and the two embark on separate quests to find one another. Along the way, insightful wisdom learned during their time together leads Annie and Dave to make important changes in their lives, leading them both to find ways of making this Christmas special for themselves, their families and their loved ones.

Friday, Nov 28

Thanksgiving With Carol Burnett
TCM, beginning at 6:30am
Catch a Classic!

In the signature moment from The Carol Burnett Show’s parody of Gone With the Wind, Burnett — as “Starlett O’Hara”— descends a staircase wearing a dress made from curtains, complete with the rod. When Harvey Korman’s “Ratt Butler” approves, she famously replies, “Thank you. I saw it in a window, and I just couldn’t resist it.” Several Burnett Show-parodied films make up this marathon, including the 1953 Joan Crawford musical drama Torch Song, the 1946 Bette Davis melodrama A Stolen Life, 1945’s Mildred Pierce — the send-up for which was called “Mildred Fierce” — and, of course, the 1939 blockbuster Gone With the Wind.

College Football
ABC, CBS, ESPN, FOX, FS1 & NBC, beginning at 12pm Live

Black Friday college football action has Ole Miss at Mississippi State (ABC), Utah at Kansas (ESPN), Iowa at Nebraska (CBS), Air Force at Colorado State (FS1), Georgia at Georgia Tech (ABC), Boise State at Utah State (CBS), Texas A&M at Texas (ABC), Indiana at Purdue (NBC) and Arizona at Arizona State (FOX).

NHL Hockey: Thanksgiving Showdown: N.Y. Rangers at Boston
TNT, 1pm Live

The Thanksgiving Showdown has the N.Y. Rangers visiting the Boston Bruins for a Black Friday matinee at TD Garden.

NFL Football: Chicago at Philadelphia
Prime Video, 3pm Live

Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears are at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field for a Black Friday clash with Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Snow Must Go On
Hallmark Channel, 6pm
Original Film!

Isaiah Heyward (Corey Cott) last appeared on Broadway almost 10 years ago. Since then, getting back on Broadway has been a challenge. To escape the grind of the city and reevaluate his life, Isaiah visits his sister, Jess, and teenage niece, Aurora, in upstate New York for the holidays. But his Yuletide respite is interrupted when he learns Aurora’s high school may have to cancel their annual Christmas musical because they can’t find a director. With a nudge from Aurora and the school’s guidance counselor, Lilly-Anne Brigente (Heather Hemmens), Isaiah decides to save the show and jumps in as director, but things get complicated fast.

Women’s Soccer: United States vs. Italy
TNT, 7pm Live

The U.S. Women’s National Team plays a friendly match vs. Italy at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida.

NBA Basketball
Prime Video, beginning at 7:30pm Live

Prime Video has a Black Friday NBA deal with the Milwaukee Bucks at the N.Y. Knicks and the Dallas Mavericks at the L.A. Lakers.

A PAW Patrol Christmas
CBS, 8pm

This new animated holiday special is a heartwarming tale following the construction-savvy pup Rubble, who is looking forward to Santa bringing him a new laser drill, until things take a turn when Santa comes down with a cold. When Mayor Humdinger decides he’s going to the North Pole to take all the gifts for himself, it’s up to the PAW Patrol to stop him.

The Christmas Spark
Great American Family, 8pm
Original Film!

At Christmastime, a passed-over corporate lawyer (Mario Lopez) joins his small town’s fire department, where he competes with a fallen hero’s son — and finds unexpected sparks with the boy’s widowed mom (Ali Cobrin).

The More the Merrier
Hallmark Channel, 8pm
Original Film!

Alice (Rachel Boston), an emergency room doctor at a small, rural hospital, always volunteers to work the Christmas Eve overnight shift and goes the extra mile to make the holiday merry and bright for patients and staff. When the hospital gets snowed in, Alice and Brian (Brendan Penny), the newly hired top-rated cardiologist, find themselves in the middle of a bona fide baby boom. By the end of their shift, it’s clear that this may be the Christmas Eve that changes them both forever.

Saturday, Nov. 29

College Football
The CW, ESPN, ESPN2, FOX & NBC, beginning at 12pm Live

The final Saturday of college football’s regular season is highlighted by the Ohio State Buckeyes visiting the “Big House” in Ann Arbor to face the Michigan Wolverines (FOX) in one of sports’ great rivalries. Other notable games are Florida State at Florida (ESPN2), Southern vs. Grambling State in the Bayou Classic in New Orleans (NBC), Notre Dame at Stanford (ESPN), and Oregon State and Washington State play for the second time this season as they meet in Pullman, Washington (The CW).

An Alpine Holiday
Hallmark Channel, 6pm
Original Film!

A grandmother’s last wish brings estranged sisters Faith (Ashley Williams) and Kelly (Laci J Mailey) back together to travel to the French Alps for Christmas to re-create her first trip there with their grandfather. Facing all the challenges and wonder this unique holiday adventure brings, they learn to cherish their sisterhood above all, while also making room for romance to blossom a la their French mountaineer guide, Frederic (Julien Samani).

The Christmas Checklist
UPtv, 7pm
New Series!

A grieving daughter (Sarah Power) receives a checklist from her recently deceased mom with 12 activities she must complete before Christmas.

A Grand Ole Opry Christmas
Hallmark Channel, 8pm
Original Film!

Hallmark rolls out the red carpet welcoming back so many familiar network celebs to the cast, along with cameos from country music stars. The story follows Gentry Wade (Nikki DeLoach) — the daughter of late country music icon Jett Wade (Rob Mayes) — who abandoned her dream of a songwriting career and distanced herself from her father’s legacy following his tragic accident 30 years prior. When the Grand Ole Opry invites her to represent Jett at their centennial celebration at Christmas, she’s suddenly transported back to 1995, along with Gentry’s lifelong friend Mac (Kristoffer Polaha), a country music talent manager. Thanks to some Christmas magic, Gentry gets the precious time she needs with her father.

Christmas Everyday
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!

Following the death of her father, Fancy (Brandy Norwood) has been more determined than ever to uphold his cherished Christmas traditions as her mother Evelyn (Debbi Morgan) has also begun losing her sight. But things aren’t a smooth ride as Fancy simultaneously is planning the wedding of her bridezilla baby sister, Belle (Sy’rai Smith).

Two for One: Joe Dante
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!

In tonight’s Two for One re-airing, TCM primetime host Ben Mankiewicz is joined by director Joe Dante, who introduces two films of his choosing, offering commentary on each title’s cultural significance and influence on other films, behind-the-scenes stories, and his own personal reflections on them. Dante, the man behind Gremlins, The Howling and other fright favorites, recalls seeing tonight’s first film, 1955’s The Night of the Hunter, for the first time during a Saturday matinee when he was 9 years old. “People just remember it their whole lives,” he says of Charles Laughton’s only directing effort, a mighty creepy masterpiece with Robert Mitchum as a serial killer posing as a preacher whose quest to find a hidden $10,000 is subverted by some wily kids. The second half of the director’s double is The Fool Killer, a somewhat forgotten 1965 drama with Anthony Perkins as a traumatized Civil War veteran; the look of the film owes a lot to The Night of the Hunter.

The Christmas Campaign
Lifetime, 10pm
Original Film!

The beloved Vivica A. Fox stars in this holiday drama about Kayleigh Brooks (Chelsea Rose Cook), a no-nonsense advertising executive who thrives on competition. Kayleigh’s boss, Monique (Fox), pairs her up with a laid-back strategist (Austen Jaye) to come up with a fun and festive spin on a holiday sales pitch for their top client, Santa’s Pajamas. Sparks fly — not only in the office, but also in their rivalry to nail the pitch.

ACL Presents: 24th Annual Americana Honors
PBS, 11pm

Austin City Limits presents highlights from the Americana Honors & Awards ceremony that took place in September at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Performers include John Fogerty, Emmylou Harris and Daniel Lanois, and Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, among many others. Actor John C. Reilly hosts and also performs.