Saturday, Dec. 24: An Angel Gets Its Wings! ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ Returns to NBC
NBC
ALSO SEE: Your Full 2022 NFL Regular Season TV Schedule
All Times Eastern. PBS programming varies regionally.
Saturday, Dec. 24
It’s a Wonderful Life
NBC, 8pm
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.
Carols From King’s 2022
BritBox
This beloved annual British Christmas celebration takes place at the medieval chapel of King’s College in London. Every year, the King’s College Chapel Choir performs a carol service that always opens with “Once in Royal David’s City,” followed later on by a new, specially commissioned carol for each year.
Best Christmas Marathon
AMC, beginning at 6am
AMC kicks off its 48-hour Best Christmas Marathon early today with Jack Frost (1979). Over the next two days, the mix of movies and beloved Rankin/Bass specials airing during this marathon include Rudolph’s Shiny New Year (1976), White Christmas (1954), Miracle on 34th Street (1947), Elf (2003), National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989), The Polar Express (2004) and plenty of others.
Christmas Marathon Continues
TCM, beginning at 6am
TCM’s Christmas movie marathon continues today, beginning in the early morning and featuring highlights such as Tenth Avenue Angel (1948), The Shop Around the Corner (1940), It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947), Christmas in Connecticut (1945), Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), The Bishop’s Wife (1947), A Christmas Carol (1938) and more.
Classic Christmas Collection
Antenna TV, beginning at 10am
Starting this morning, and picking up again tomorrow morning (after a five-hour telecast of the Yule Log), Antenna TV is celebrating Christmas with holiday-themed episodes from classic sitcoms. Featured titles airing all day today and well into early tomorrow morning are Dennis the Menace, Hazel, Bewitched, That Girl, Silver Spoons, Welcome Back, Kotter, Alice, One Day at a Time, The Partridge Family, The Jeffersons, Barney Miller, Three’s Company, Becker, Designing Women and Wings.
A Very Shirley Christmas Eve
MOVIES!, beginning at 11:15am
MOVIES! is celebrating the holiday with a 10-film lineup of movies led by Shirley Temple that can’t help but put you in a happy mood: Heidi (1937), Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1938), Susannah of the Mounties (1939), Captain January (1936), Curly Top (1935), Bright Eyes (1934), The Little Princess (1939), Stowaway (1936), Wee Willie Winkie (1937) and The Blue Bird (1940).
A Christmas Carol (“Carol Burnett and Friends” Marathon)
Decades, beginning at 12pm
Have a hilarious Christmas holiday with nearly 48 hours of episodes from Carol Burnett and Friends, starting today and airing through the early morning of Monday, Dec. 26.
The Snowball Effect
UPtv, 7pm
Original Film!
Rival meteorologists (Anjali Khurana and Landon Moss) tracking a massive snowstorm in the town of Mistletoe must work together to get home in time for Christmas.
24 Hours of “A Christmas Story”
TBS, beginning at 8pm; TNT, beginning at 9pm
TBS and TNT are continuing the 25-year tradition of airing 1983’s A Christmas Story for 24 hours straight beginning tonight, with start times an hour apart between the networks so you can flip back and forth to different points in this beloved story of a 1940s kid (Peter Billingsley) who desperately wants a BB gun for Christmas, despite repeated warnings that he’ll shoot his eye out.
A Christmas Gift
BET Her, 8pm
Original Film!
In a failed attempt to cancel Christmas, the McKenzies find themselves ultimately navigating through unexpected guests, secrets and revelations that will have a lasting effect on their families. Blue Kimble, Noree Victoria, Javon Johnson and Victoria Rowell star.
NFL Football: Las Vegas at Pittsburgh
NFL Network, 8:15pm Live
A Christmas Eve primetime matchup on NFL Network has the Las Vegas Raiders in Pittsburgh to face the Steelers.
Christmas Eve Mass
NBC, 11:30pm
Watch the Pope Francis-led Mass from St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Sunday, Dec. 25
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
Apple TV+
This short film based on Charlie Mackesy’s bestselling book and featuring the author’s distinctive illustrations, brought to life with hand-drawn animation, follows the poignant journey and unlikely friendship of a boy (voiced by Jude Coward Nicoll), a mole (Tom Hollander), a fox (Idris Elba) and a horse (Gabriel Byrne), who travel together as the boy searches for home.
The King’s Christmas Address
BritBox
King Charles III delivers the first Christmas address of his reign, speaking about the passing of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, and his hopes for the future.
Mrs. Brown’s Boys Christmas Special 2022
BritBox
Celebrate the holiday season with the loudest, proudest mother in Ireland, who likes nothing more than meddling in the affairs of her friends and family. Mrs. Brown (Brendan O’Carroll) and her boys are ready to celebrate with the annual Christmas special based on the popular sitcom, which is often the most-watched British television event of the season.
Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical
Netflix
Feature Film Exclusive!
This new take on the Tony and Olivier Award-winning musical tells the story of an extraordinary girl with a vivid imagination (Alisha Weir), who discovers her superpower and summons the remarkable courage, against all odds, to help others change their stories while also taking charge of her own destiny. Standing up for what’s right, she is met with miraculous results. Emma Thompson, Lashana Lynch, Stephen Graham, Andrea Riseborough and Sindhu Vee costar.
The Witcher: Blood Origin
Netflix
New Series!
Every story has a beginning, and this prequel miniseries set in an elven world 1,200 years before the events of the fantasy hit The Witcher reveals the untold history of the Continent. It explores the creation of the first prototype Witcher and the events that lead to the pivotal “Conjunction of the Spheres,” when the worlds of monsters, men and elves merged to become one. Sophia Brown, Michelle Yeoh, Minnie Driver and Laurence O’Fuarain lead the cast.
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 6am
TCM’s weeklong Christmas movie marathon wraps up today with a lineup featuring Star in the Night (1945), Little Women (1933), Babes in Toyland (1934), Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938), The Apartment (1960), The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942), Holiday Affair (1949) and In the Good Old Summertime (1949).
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade
ABC, 10am
Disney’s annual Christmas celebration returns Christmas morning with heartwarming stories, celebrity performances and the Christmas Day parade.
Christmas Through the Years Marathon
Antenna TV, beginning at 10am
Today, Antenna TV fills your stocking with nearly 20 more 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 Partridge Family, Maude, Barney Miller, Welcome Back, Kotter, Alice, Three’s Company, The Jeffersons, One Day at a Time, Archie Bunker’s Place, Family Ties, Too Close for Comfort, Benson and Silver Spoons.
NBA Basketball
ESPN & ABC, beginning at 12pm Live
Christmas Day NBA action on ESPN and ABC has the Philadelphia 76ers at the N.Y. Knicks, the Phoenix Suns at the Denver Nuggets, the L.A. Lakers at the Dallas Mavericks, the Milwaukee Bucks at the Boston Celtics and the Memphis Grizzlies at the Golden State Warriors.
A Very Merry MeTV Marathon
MeTV, beginning at 12pm
MeTV celebrates Christmas with five holiday episodes from the classic drama series The Waltons. Later, in primetime, the network will also air Holiday Greetings From The Ed Sullivan Show.
Christmas MOVIES!
MOVIES!, beginning at 12pm
Catch a Classic!
The lineup on MOVIES! begins in the early afternoon and features A Christmas Carol (1951), led by Alastair Sim as Scrooge; A Christmas Memory (1997), with Patty Duke; 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; the Rat Pack flick Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964); An American Christmas Carol (1979), starring Henry Winkler; and O. Henry’s Full House (1952), an anthology of O. Henry short story adaptations, including his famous Christmas tale, “The Gift of the Magi.”
NFL Football
FOX, CBS/Nickelodeon & NBC, beginning at 1pm Live
The NFL has three games under the Christmas tree today: the Green Bay Packers at the Miami Dolphins (FOX), the Denver Broncos at the L.A. Rams (CBS and Nickelodeon) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Arizona Cardinals (NBC).
Christmas in Wolf Creek
UPtv, 7pm
Original Film!
When a runaway reindeer threatens the annual Christmas play, a struggling couple (Nola Martin and Tim Rozon) must work together to save Christmas for the town, and for each other.
“Call the Midwife” Holiday Special
PBS, 9pm
With Christmas approaching, the midwives move to their maternity clinic and are delighted when their first patient is a familiar face. Life in Poplar returns to normal after the tragic train crash, and everyone unites for a festive talent show. Beginning earlier this afternoon, PBS will also be airing a marathon of previous Call the Midwife holiday specials (the 2018-21 installments).
The Warrens: Witness to the Paranormal
Travel Channel, 9pm
Ed and Lorraine Warren battled demons, devils and poltergeists for over 50 years, influencing today’s ghost hunters and spawning the blockbuster Conjuring movie franchise. In this two-hour documentary, exclusive interviews and a stunning archive charts their rise as a paranormal power couple.
Ziwe
Showtime, 11pm
Season Finale!
Writer, comedian and performer Ziwe finishes Season 2 of her no-holds-barred comedy/variety show featuring interviews, musical numbers, guest stars, sketches and more.
Monday, Dec. 26
Farewell “Doc Martin”
Acorn TV
The popular U.K. series Doc Martin, starring Martin Clunes as the title character, is ending its run after 10 seasons and 18 years on the air. The series finale will be available in the U.S. on Acorn TV this Thursday, Dec. 29, but before that conclusion, this hourlong documentary spotlights the longevity of the show, and its impact locally and around the world. Also features a behind-the-scenes look at the final season with cast and crew.
The Madame Blanc Mysteries
Acorn TV
Season Premiere!
The British crime drama returns with a Christmas-themed special that opens its upcoming second season, which finds renowned and respected antiques dealer Jean White (Sally Lindsay, who also created the series) returning fresh after surviving an attempt on her life by the duplicitous Barbara (Olivia Caffrey). Jean’s expertise in the world of antiques once again proves the key to solving a series of murders and mysteries against the backdrop of the beautiful French village of Saint Victoire. In the season opener, Jean comes to the aid of Chief of Police Caron (Alex Gaumond), who finds himself accused of a crime he didn’t commit. Season 2 will continue in early 2023 (dates were still TBA at press time).
Letterkenny
Hulu
Season Premiere!
In Season 11 of the Canadian sitcom, the small titular town contends with the best chip flavors, lost dogs, an influencer invasion, Skid business, a mystery at the church bake sale, unwanted guests at beer league and the Degens stirring up trouble. And that’s just for starters. All six episodes are available today.
Woooooo! Becoming Ric Flair
Peacock
This two-hour biographical documentary explores the life of WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair. In the film, the 73-year-old legend finally reveals all, opening up about his storied career inside and out of the ring over the past 50 years. Hulk Hogan, Mike Tyson, Post Malone, Stephen A. Smith and Charlotte Flair are among those who join the wrestler in telling his tale. “Many stories have been told about the Nature Boy over the past 50 years,” Ric Flair says. “I’m thrilled to have partnered with WWE and Peacock to produce the most accurate depiction of my life to date and hope audiences enjoy the ride. Woooo!”
Special Theme: Directors’ Final Films
TCM, beginning at 12pm
Catch a Classic!
After last Monday’s preemption for TCM’s Christmas movie marathon, the network returns to its special theme for the month with one more lineup of the final feature films from noted directors. Starting this afternoon and running well into tomorrow morning, the eight-movie lineup includes Plymouth Adventure (1952), starring Spencer Tracy and Gene Tierney, and directed by Clarence Brown (The Yearling, National Velvet); the Western Ambush (1950), from director Sam Wood (Goodbye, Mr. Chips, Kings Row); Lafayette Escadrille (1958), a war film from William Wellman (A Star Is Born) led by Tab Hunter and featuring Clint Eastwood in an early role; A Distant Trumpet (1964), which stars Troy Donahue and fittingly saw director Raoul Walsh (They Died With Their Boots On) returning for his last movie to one of his most frequently explored film genres, the Western; Mutiny on the Bounty, the acclaimed 1962 retelling of the historical tale, with Lewis Milestone (All Quiet on the Western Front), on which Milestone received his last official credit as a feature film director, even though many of those responsibilities were largely coopted by the film’s challenging lead actor, Marlon Brando; the drama Seven Women (1966), the last movie of John Ford’s (The Quiet Man, Stagecoach) legendary 53-year career; Madadayo (1993), a comedy/drama from Japanese master filmmaker Akira Kurosawa (Rashomon, Seven Samurai); and The Liberation of L.B. Jones (1970), a neo-noir crime drama from William Wyler (Ben-Hur, The Best Years of Our Lives).
25th Annual Family Film Awards
The CW, 8pm
Hosted by Dean Cain and Laura McKenzie, and judged by a panel of industry leaders and celebrities, these awards honor family-oriented filmmaking in television and movies.
The Wheel: “Big Cats & Bigger Brains”
NBC, 8pm
This new U.S. version of the hit British game show returns for its second and final week of new episodes. Tonight’s installment features wacky trivia categories including big cats and bowling, with contestants seeking help from celebrities Carole Baskin, Bre-Z, Deepak Chopra, Matt Iseman, Raven-Symoné and Terrell Owens.
The Year: 2022
ABC, 9pm
Anchored by Robin Roberts and featuring several top news anchors from ABC, including David Muir, Michael Strahan and George Stephanopoulos, this popular year-end network special retraces top stories, trends and entertainment obsessions we couldn’t get enough of in 2022.
His Dark Materials
HBO, 9pm
Series Finale!
The epic fantasy series based on author Philip Pullman’s award-winning trilogy comes to an end tonight. Dafne Keen, Amir Wilson and Ruth Wilson star.
Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors
NBC, 9pm
This 2015 film based on Dolly Parton’s tender tune of a family’s love and resilience is introduced and narrated by the music legend, and stars Ricky Schroder and Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles as Parton’s parents Robert Lee and Avie Lee, with sparkling 8-year-old Alyvia Alyn Lind as the young Dolly.
Tuesday, Dec. 27
José Andrés and Family in Spain
discovery+
New Series!
This six-part docuseries follows larger-than-life chef and celebrated humanitarian José Andrés on a gastronomic adventure across his homeland of Spain with his three American-raised Gen Z daughters, Carlota, Inés and Lucia. Their journey is a celebration of Spanish food and culture, guided by José’s passion for food and his personal history in the country. At each stop, they meet local experts, celebrated chefs and old friends, who reveal insider secrets and traditions, and cook exquisite dishes.
Chelsea Handler: Revolution
Netflix
In her new standup special, comedian Chelsea Handler lets loose on her life, including her choice to remain childless and alone (with the exception of her dogs), dating during the pandemic while her family invaded her home, and her vision for a future where men don’t wear flip-flops.
TCM Birthday Tribute: Sydney Greenstreet
TCM, beginning at 6am
Happy birthday, Sydney Greenstreet! The famed Hollywood golden age actor was born in England on this date in 1879 (he died in Hollywood Jan. 18, 1954, at age 74). Considering that he did not begin his film career until age 61 after many years of stage acting, and with that career consisting of only 24 movies made throughout the 1940s, it’s all the more impressive that Greenstreet was able to become such an enduring big-screen icon. It really speaks to his talent that the actor, who frequently played supporting roles as characters with personalities as outsized as his large physical presence, could steal scenes from even the likes of frequent costars Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre. While Greenstreet appeared in some comedies, most of his movies were noir films or dramas where he portrayed morally ambiguous, if not outright corrupt, figures, yet he often managed to bring good humor to even his shadiest characters. So, it makes sense that TCM’s lineup of Greenstreet films airing this morning and afternoon to celebrate his birthday are from those latter genres, though there is one romantic comedy as well. Today’s first four titles also feature Lorre: Background to Danger (1943), The Conspirators (1944), which also stars Greenstreet and Lorre’s Casablanca costar Paul Henreid, The Mask of Dimitrios (1944) and Three Strangers (1946). Those are followed by The Woman in White (1948), Flamingo Road (1949) and the rom-com Pillow to Post (1945). Wrapping up the Greenstreet celebration is The Maltese Falcon (1941), the iconic film noir also starring Bogart, Lorre and Mary Astor.
Ocean Emergency: Currents of Hope
The CW, 8pm
Hosted by Dean Cain, Elizabeth Stanton, Montel Williams and Laura McKenzie, this all-new two-hour documentary takes viewers around the world to share a firsthand look at the state of emergency our oceans are facing, while providing tips on how to mitigate this global issue.
The Wheel: “Sky Hooks & the Almighty Book”
NBC, 8pm
Celebrity experts Taye Diggs, Ester Dean, Josh Flagg, Lyric Lewis, Jalen Rose and Christine Chiu advise contestants on questions about the Bible, real estate, plastic surgery and more.
American Masters: “Groucho & Cavett”
PBS, 8pm
Discover the enduring friendship between television personality Dick Cavett and his mentor, iconic comedian Groucho Marx. Their relationship is chronicled through new interviews with Cavett, archival footage from Marx’s visits to The Dick Cavett Show and other rare recordings.
An Evening of 2022 National Film Registry Inductees
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!
Each year, the Library of Congress (LOC) inducts a number of movies into the National Film Registry (NFR), where they are preserved because of their cultural, historic or aesthetic importance to our nation’s film heritage. Earlier this month, the LOC announced its 2022 batch of 25 inductees, with titles ranging from an 1898 film of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras parade and Cab Calloway’s 1948-51 home movies, to modern favorites like The Little Mermaid (1989) and Iron Man (2008). Tonight, Turner Classic Movies airs five of the movies inducted into the NFR this year, with the LOC’s Dr. Carla Hayden joining TCM host Jacqueline Stewart to introduce the first four of them. The lineup features, in order: the Cary Grant/Audrey Hepburn romantic comedy Charade (1963); Titicut Follies (1967), a landmark documentary that exposed abuse at a state prison for the criminally insane; Super Fly (1972), a classic of the “blaxploitation” genre boosted by Curtis Mayfield’s memorable score; Word Is Out: Stories of Some of Our Lives (1977), a compilation of interviews with everyday gay men and lesbians discussing their lives, which was a breakthrough in the emerging gay rights movement; and the drama Cyrano de Bergerac (1950), headlined by José Ferrer in the title role, a starmaking performance that led him to become the first Hispanic actor awarded the Best Actor Oscar. For more about the NFR, and how to nominate films for next year’s induction, visit loc.gov.
The Bermuda Triangle: Into Cursed Waters: “Death From Below”
History, 10pm
The team enlists an advanced submarine to probe one of the deepest and darkest parts of the Bermuda Triangle in search of a legendary ship that vanished in 1921. Are massive bubbles opening up in the floor of the Triangle, and causing ships and planes to plummet to the ocean floor? At the bottom of ocean, the mysterious area gives up one of its secrets.
The Wall: “Deck the Wall: A Holiday Spectacular”
NBC, 10pm
Check out a special holiday-themed episode of this game show from executive producer and NBA superstar LeBron James, and hosted by fellow executive producer Chris Hardwick.
Wednesday, Dec. 28
The Control Room
BritBox
New Series!
This thriller is set in Glasgow, where Gabe (Iain De Caestecker) works as an emergency call handler for the Scottish Ambulance Service. His world is turned upside down when he receives a desperate call from a woman who appears to know him. With Gabe under pressure to work out who she is, he makes a decision that threatens to have devastating consequences.
Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl
Disney+
The famed Hollywood Bowl is transformed into the magical Casita of Disney’s popular 2021 animated feature Encanto in this live-to-film concert experience featuring an 80-person orchestra, 50 dancers and special effects. The original Encanto voice cast, including Stephanie Beatriz as main character Mirabel, will reunite for this event, which also includes special guests such as Colombian music superstars Carlos Vives and Andrés Cepeda. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the film’s original songs, will offer a special introduction.
The Circle
Netflix
Season Premiere!
Eight new players set up single profiles to sniff out catfish, form friendships and make the most of second chances in this fifth trip around The Circle. New episodes are available Wednesdays starting today through Jan. 11; the season finale episode drops Jan. 18.
College Football
ESPN & FOX, beginning at 2pm Live
College football bowl game action today features UCF vs. Duke in the Military Bowl (ESPN), Kansas vs. Arkansas in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl (ESPN), Oregon vs. North Carolina in the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl (FOX) and Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss in the TaxAct Texas Bowl (ESPN).
The 45th Annual Kennedy Center Honors
CBS, 8pm
Actor George Clooney, singer-songwriter Amy Grant, singer Gladys Knight, composer Tania León and iconic Irish rock band U2 are recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors recognizing their contributions to arts and culture.
The Wheel: “Wigs Galore, Dogs & More”
NBC, 8pm
Contestants hope for answers from celebrity experts Bobby Berk, Margaret Cho, Kate Flannery, Loni Love, Andy Richter and Adam Rippon in categories that include wigs, comedians, dogs, figure skating and more.
TCM Spotlight: Movie Neighbors
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!
Things take a darker turn tonight, as neighbors become unintentional spies and witnesses to violent crimes. Considered one of Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest films, if not one of the best films ever made, Rear Window (1954) stars acting legend James Stewart as a wheelchair-bound photographer who spies on his neighbors from the courtyard of their Greenwich Village apartment building and becomes convinced he has witnessed a murder; Grace Kelly and Raymond Burr costar. Nominated for an Academy Award, The Window (1949) also involves an apartment resident who witnesses suspicious behavior, following a young boy named Tommy (Bobby Driscoll) who sneaks out onto the fire escape of his building only to witness two neighbors (Paul Stewart and Ruth Roman) murdering a sailor (Richard Benedict). His mother does not believe him, so when she leaves to tend to a sick relative, Tommy worries about his own safety. Night Watch (1973) features Elizabeth Taylor as an unhappy housewife who drinks heavily and spends too much time looking out her window. When she witnesses what she believes is a murder, she calls the police, who find nothing suspicious in their investigation; her husband (Laurence Harvey) neglectful and unsupportive, she turns to her friend Sarah (Billie Whitelaw) for help to get to the bottom of it. Lastly, and possibly the most disturbing of the bunch, is the 1972 thriller Sisters, where a journalist named Grace (Jennifer Salt) believes she has witnessed her neighbor (Margot Kidder), a young fashion model, commit a murder, and must investigate on her own when police don’t believe there has been any foul play. The story was inspired by real-life Soviet conjoined twins Masha and Dasha Krivoshlyapova.
Property Brothers: Forever Home: “Bright Future Ahead”
HGTV, 9pm
A couple moved their family to be near an amazing school for their eldest daughter, but they’ve always struggled with their home’s layout. Jonathan and Drew Scott revamp the kitchen and main living spaces so this family can finally live in their forever dream home.
The Gift: Kindness Goes Viral With Steve Hartman
CBS, 10pm
What does it take for one simple act of kindness to spread? In this one-hour CBS News special, Steve Hartman meets a professor who’s working on a formula to follow the ripple effect of a small, kind gesture and how it can create a positive impact far beyond our own community.
Thursday, Dec. 29
Doc Martin
Acorn TV
Series Finale!
The wildly popular U.K. dramedy ends its run after 10 seasons with this Christmas-themed episode, exclusively available in the U.S. on Acorn TV. Portwenn is full of festive cheer — until Doc Martin (Martin Clunes) cancels Santa, prompting his portrayer to show “Doc the Grinch” the magic of Christmas, with unintended consequences.
Gangs of London
AMC+
Season Finale!
The British crime drama ends its second season. The series has been renewed for Season 3.
Deadline
BritBox
New Series!
When Natalie Varga (Charlie Murphy) stands accused of murdering her husband in cold blood, disgraced investigative journalist James Alden (James D’Arcy) finds himself captivated by the case, a mystery that broadens into a darker, stranger narrative as the London setting shifts to Hungarian high society. With the court of public opinion ruling Natalie guilty until proven innocent, can James separate the truth from the fiction?
Coach Prime
Prime Video
New Series!
This four-episode docuseries goes inside the Jackson State University Tigers football program and their historic 2022 season led by Deion Sanders. It follows the team at practice and during games, in the locker room and off the field, and in the community, throughout their 12-0 SWAC championship season.
Popstar’s Best of 2022
The CW, 8pm
Host Elizabeth Stanton counts down the most memorable moments and trends from 2022, based on polls from Popstar! Magazine.
Christina on the Coast: “Big Family, Tiny Kitchen”
HGTV, 8pm
Grade-school sweethearts enlist Christina Hall’s help to expand their tiny kitchen into an indoor-outdoor entertainment space for the entire extended family. Also, Christina prepares to take a leap — expanding her business and taking on design clients in Tennessee.
The Wheel: “A Spin, a Twin & a Win”
NBC, 8pm
With categories including astrology, presidents and country music, contestants lean on celebrity experts Chrissy Metz, Sanya Richards Ross, Russell Dickerson, Loni Love, Brie Bella and Clay Aiken for help.
Star of the Month: Ava Gardner: “Gregory and Ava” & More
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!
After taking last Thursday off for its Christmas movie marathon, Turner Classic Movies returns to its Star of the Month salute to legendary actress Ava Gardner for one more evening of films. Up first are the three productions she made with fellow Hollywood icon Gregory Peck. Self-described “great old pals” Gardner and Peck developed a close friendship that lasted until her passing in 1990 and began with the professional relationship they enjoyed working together on these films: The Great Sinner (1949), the actors’ first collaboration, a drama also starring Frank Morgan, Ethel Barrymore, Walter Huston and Agnes Moorehead; On the Beach (1959), the postapocalyptic sci-fi/drama based on Nevil Shute’s novel that costars Fred Astaire and Anthony Perkins; and The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952), also featuring Susan Hayward and based on the short story by Ernest Hemingway, with whom Gardner would later begin a friendship. Things conclude in late-night with Ava Gardner, The Gipsy of Hollywood (2018), a French documentary that explores the actress’ life and her decision to leave America for Spain in the late 1950s; and The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972), director John Huston’s Western comedy starring Paul Newman as the title character and with Gardner appearing briefly, but memorably, at the end as enigmatic late 19th/early 20th century actress/singer Lillie Langtry.
Luxe for Less: “Butler’s Pantry Please”
HGTV, 9pm
Young parents with caviar dreams on a modest budget hope to transform their beat up kitchen and living spaces. Michel Smith Boyd and his team look to create a butler’s pantry, a kitchen counter with built-in phone chargers and living areas that feel right out of a magazine.
The Best of All the Smoke With Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson
Showtime, 11pm
Season Finale!
Wu-Tang Clan mastermind and music producer RZA reflects on the creation of the iconic hip-hop group with former NBA stars Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson in the Season 3 finale.
Friday, Dec. 30
Slow Horses
Apple TV+
Season Finale!
The British spy drama led by Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas concludes its second season. The series has been renewed for two more seasons that will be adapted from the next two novels in author Mick Herron’s Slough House book series. Season 3 will find Jackson Lamb’s (Oldman) disgraced spies working together to foil a rogue agent when one of their own is kidnapped. Season 4 will open with a bombing that detonates personal secrets, rocking the already unstable foundations of Slough House. No dates have been announced yet for the new seasons.
Artfully Designed
Magnolia Network on discovery+
New Series!
Designer Natalie Papier, muralist Racheal Jackson and abstract artist Frankie Zombie take an art-forward approach to creating beautifully curated spaces for their clients by exploring the intersection of art and interior design.
The Established Home
Magnolia Network on discovery+ & HBO Max
Season Premiere!
In Season 2, designer Jean Stoffer takes on more ambitious projects around her hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. She also shares the inspiration behind her stunning designs, as well as the important role family plays in her life and business.
Handcrafted Hotels
Magnolia Network on discovery+
Season Premiere!
The series returns for a second season of spotlighting hoteliers across America who uniquely capture the character, history, nostalgia and charm of their hometowns. The series tours these custom stays and introduces the artists, craftspeople and designers that provide guests with a one-of-a-kind experience.
The Piece Maker
Magnolia Network on discovery+
New Series!
Get a preview of this new series in which painter/puzzle maker Eric Dowdle travels around the world to learn from locals and experience environments firsthand. Each story and place he encounters then becomes a piece of a new puzzle he creates. Remaining episodes are slated to come in early 2023.
Problem Spaces
Magnolia Network on discovery+
New Series!
Enjoy a sneak peek at this series that follows Houston-based DIY designer Fariha Nasir, who takes difficult spaces — oddly angled walls, outdated designs and areas that just aren’t working — and turns them into her clients’ favorite rooms. Remaining episodes are slated to come in early 2023.
Chicago Party Aunt: Part 2
Netflix
Season Premiere!
The animated sitcom inspired by cocreator Chris Witaske’s Twitter account returns. Lauren Ash voices Diane Dunbrowski, aka the Chicago Party Aunt, a hairdresser who is the life of the party and tends to avoid adulting.
White Noise
Netflix
Feature Film Exclusive!
Noah Baumbach wrote and directed this adaptation of Don DeLillo’s 1985 postmodern novel, which won the National Book Award for Fiction. Baumbach says he set out to adapt the book after re-reading it during the early months of the COVID pandemic “because I wanted to make a movie that felt as crazy as the world appeared to me. It’s a portrait of a country but it’s also a story of a family, of the chaos they try to hide, of the disasters that befall them, of the way they come together and survive.” Adam Driver, Greta Gerwig and Don Cheadle lead the cast.
Wildcat
Prime Video
Feature Film Exclusive!
This documentary follows a young British soldier back from war in Afghanistan and struggling with depression and PTSD, as he discovers a second chance in the Amazon rainforest. There, he meets a young woman running a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center, and his life finds new meaning as he is entrusted with helping foster an orphaned baby ocelot. What was meant to be an escape from life turns out to be an unexpected journey of love, discovery and healing.
TCM Morning & Afternoon Movies: Tarzan Classics
TCM, beginning at 6am
Catch a Classic!
A full day of jungle adventures begins with Tarzan the Ape Man (1932), which portrays ivory-seeking explorers Harry Holt (Neil Hamilton) and James Parker (C. Aubrey Smith) arriving in a remote jungle to find a mythical elephant graveyard. When Tarzan (Johnny Weissmuller) and his primate companions abduct Parker’s lovely daughter, Jane (Maureen O’Sullivan), it creates conflict for all; to make things more complicated, soon Jane begins to fall for the man who has been raised by wild animals his whole life. Next up is Tarzan and His Mate (1934), which finds Tarzan and Jane living happily together in the jungle. However, their idyllic life is challenged when her former beau comes looking for her. In Tarzan Escapes (1936), the third installation of the Tarzan series, Jane’s relatives attempt to bring her back into civilization, while their guide (John Buckler) aims to capture Tarzan for the circus. In Tarzan Finds a Son! (1939), Tarzan and Jane find an infant who survived a plane crash and decide to raise him as their son; years later, a search party comes looking for the lost boy, as he is the heir to millions of dollars. Tarzan’s Secret Treasure (1941) finds the happy jungle family in peril yet again when villains kidnap Jane and the boy, simply named Boy, in order to force Tarzan into helping them find gold, while Tarzan’s New York Adventure (1942) takes Tarzan and Jane into the city to rescue Boy, who has been kidnapped into a circus. The final two movies in the series are set during World War II and directed by Wilhelm Thiele. In Tarzan Triumphs (1943), a group of Nazi paratroopers land in the hidden city of Palandria in order to exploit its wealth and start taking hostages. Tarzan’s Desert Mystery (1943), the final installation in this series, follows Tarzan and Boy as they search for a malaria serum that can only be extracted from specific jungle plants on the other side of the desert. In order to obtain the plants, which were a request from Jane, who is away nursing British troops, they must fight off Nazis, prehistoric creatures and the like.
College Football
ESPN, beginning at 12pm Live
College football postseason games today on ESPN include Maryland vs. NC State in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina; Notre Dame vs. South Carolina in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida; and Tennessee vs. Clemson in the Capital One Orange Bowl in Miami.
The Wheel
NBC, 8pm
Season Finale!
This new U.S. version of the hit British game show concludes its two-week run tonight with “The Skater & the Dater.” Contestants get insights from celebrity guests Christina Ricci, Chris Kattan, Kym Whitley, Tony Hawk, Jackie Tohn and Curtis Stone on a variety of trivia categories that include Saturday Night Live, pregnancy and meat.
We’re Here
HBO, 10pm
Season Finale!
The reality series following Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka O’Hara and Shangela as they spread love and connection through the art of drag wraps up Season 3 tonight.
Saturday, Dec. 31
New Year’s Eve: Times Square Ball Drop 2022 Livestream
ABC News Live on Hulu, Live
This livestream covers New Year’s Eve fireworks and celebrations from across the globe, including the famed Times Square ball drop in New York City, while also revisiting notable news happenings that occurred in 2022.
Lizzo: Live in Concert
HBO Max
This concert special was filmed during singer-songwriter-rapper-flutist-actress Lizzo’s The Special Tour last month in Inglewood, California. It is the culmination of her deeply personal documentary Love, Lizzo, which launched on HBO Max in late November. Live in Concert chronicles a spectacular show featuring the superstar and her band, along with special guests Cardi B, SZA and Missy Elliott.
Best of Standup 2022
Netflix
This compilation special looks back at 2022’s funniest moments from Netflix standup comedy specials.
“The Twilight Zone” New Year’s Marathons
Syfy, beginning at 5am
Decades, beginning at 12pm
We don’t know which of the two networks airing competing marathons of episodes from The Twilight Zone this New Year’s Eve and Day will come out ahead ratings-wise, but we are certain that viewers are the big winners whenever they can enjoy two days’ worth of installments from Rod Serling’s iconic anthology series. Syfy’s marathon gets out of the gate first early this morning and will continue into the early morning of Tuesday, Jan. 3. Some of today’s highlights include: “A Nice Place to Visit,” “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,” “The Odyssey of Flight 33,” “Kick the Can,” “To Serve Man,” “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street,” a couple of the show’s hourlong installments — “Passage on the Lady Anne” and “The New Exhibit” — and more. Decades also returns to usher in a new year with its annual “A Toast to Twilight” marathon of Zone episodes, beginning today and running through the early morning of Monday, Jan. 2. Today’s lineup includes classics like “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street,” “Time Enough at Last,” “Eye of the Beholder,” “To Serve Man,” “Living Doll,” “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,” “The Midnight Sun” and others. Visit decades.com for more info and availability. — Jeff Pfeiffer
“Murdoch Mysteries” Marathon
Ovation, beginning at 6am
Usher in the new year with a 24-hour marathon of episodes from Seasons 13 and 14 of the long-running Canadian drama Murdoch Mysteries.
Dance in the New Year With Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
MOVIES!, beginning at 11:15am
New Year’s Eve “Thin Man” Marathon
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!
Classic film fans can send off 2022 and welcome 2023 today, tonight and tomorrow morning with a couple of terrific marathons on MOVIES! and Turner Classic Movies. Kicking off New Year’s Eve morning 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 first time they danced together onscreen, in 1933’s Flying Down to Rio, followed by The Gay Divorcee (1934), the duo’s quintessential pairing in Top Hat (1935), Shall We Dance (1937), Carefree (1938), and re-airings of Top Hat, The Gay Divorcee and Carefree. Starting in primetime and also continuing into early tomorrow morning, TCM is airing what has become a traditional New Year’s Eve programming stunt that lets audiences spend New Year’s Eve with Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) — the witty, hard-drinking, fun-loving, high-society couple who often find themselves embroiled in solving mysteries — and their lovable dog Asta for a night of all six of the comedy/mystery Thin Man films, beginning with the 1934 original, The Thin Man. The marathon also includes After the Thin Man (1936), Another Thin Man (1939), Shadow of the Thin Man (1941), The Thin Man Goes Home (1944) and Song of the Thin Man (1947).
College Football
ABC & ESPN, beginning at 12pm Live
A big day of college football bowl games includes Iowa vs. Kentucky in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl (ABC) and Alabama vs. Kansas State in the Allstate Sugar Bowl (ESPN). The College Football Playoff Semifinal games on ESPN are No. 3 TCU vs. No. 2 Michigan in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, and No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Georgia in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta.
Dick Clark’s Primetime New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2023
ABC, 8pm Live
Hosted by Ryan Seacrest and cohosted by actress Liza Koshy live from Times Square, this annual celebration will feature a night of superstar performances and give viewers a look at New Year’s celebrations from around the globe. Performers will include Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Duran Duran, New Edition, J-Hope and Jax, and country artist Jessie James Decker will return as the Powerball cohost for the fourth year in a row.
New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash
CBS, 8pm & 10:30pm Live
Country music stars Jimmie Allen and Elle King and Entertainment Tonight’s Rachel Smith host this special ringing in the new year. Kelsea Ballerini, Brooks & Dunn, Little Big Town, Zac Brown Band, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, King Calaway, Sheryl Crow, Thomas Rhett and Lainey Wilson are among the stars appearing in the more than 50 performances during the celebration.
A Toast to 2022!
NBC, 8pm
Take a look back at the most unforgettable moments of the past year.
United in Song 2022: Ringing in the New Year Together
PBS, 8pm
Ring in the new year with music that celebrates our nation’s diversity — from folk, rock, opera and country to hip-hop, Broadway, bluegrass and beyond. This special performance also reflects on how the arts bring us together as Americans.
All-American New Year 2023
FOX News Channel, 9pm Live
FOX News Channel personalities welcome in 2023 from around the country tonight. The celebration begins with a one-hour pre-show hosted by Emily Compagno, Jimmy Failla and Griff Jenkins. Then, FOX & Friends Weekend’s Will Cain, Rachel Campos-Duffy and Pete Hegseth cohost the main event live from the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville. Multi-platinum country music star Brantley Gilbert performs live, and Failla does a stand-up comedy act. Reporting from across America are Compagno (Times Square), Jenkins (Key West, Florida), Madison Alworth (Colorado), Christina Coleman (New Orleans) and meteorologist Nick Kosir (Ocean City, New Jersey).
Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party
NBC, 10:30pm Live; also livestreams on Peacock
Miley Cyrus is back for the second iteration of her New Year’s Eve celebration, joined by cohost Dolly Parton and a cast of other A-list musicians and celebrities for a rocking, fun night of performances. The special is executive produced by SNL’s Lorne Michaels.
A “Benny Hill Show” Marathon
Antenna TV, beginning at 11pm
Send off 2022 with plenty of laughs as Antenna TV airs a three-hour marathon of episodes from the classic British sketch comedy series The Benny Hill Show, kicking off with the hourlong Benny Hill’s World Tour.
