1) Rose Parade, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET, NBC and ABC. Here’s an upbeat start of 2020, awash in bright colors and brassy sounds. There are 20 bands, 39 floats (one from last year is shown here) and 17 horse units. There’s also an Hispanic emphasis: The bands include ones from Mexico, Costa Rico, Puerto Rico and El Salvador; the grand marshals are Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez and actresses Gina Torres (the “Pearson” star) and Rita Moreno, 88, who has ranged from “West Side Story” to the current “One Day at a Time” reboot.
2) Rose Bowl, 5 p.m. ET, ESPN. This is what started the bowl binge. It began in 1902, was discarded, then became a tradition in 1916; now it has Oregon and Wisconsin, ranked No. 6 and 8. That’s in a busy day for ESPN: At 1 p.m. ET, the Outback Bowl has Auburn and Minnesota (No. 12 and 18). At 8:45 p.m., the Sugar Bowl has Georgia and Baylor (No, 5 and 7). One thing more: Michigan, (No. 14), which won that 1902 Rose Bowl, is in the Citrus Bowl, at 1 p.m. on ABC; it faces Alabama (No. 13).
3) “Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice,” 9 p.m. and midnight ET, CNN. Here is a life that seems to span it all. Ronstadt has sung rock, folk and country; she soared with Spanish-language ballads, 1940s classics, even an operetta. She went from a cheery Arizona childhood to the hippie culture in mid-‘60s California. Dating rock stars and Gov. Jerry Brown, she was an outspoken celebrity. Ronstadt, 73, retired in 2011, due to a Parkinson’s-type ailment; this film is stuffed with great music and clips.
4) “Great Performances,” 9-11 p.m., PBS. In his “Downton Abbey” role, Hugh Bonneville is used to fictional splendor,Now he samples it in real life, hosting the Vienna Philharmonic’s annual New Year’s Day concert. Andris Nelsons conducts and the Vienna State Ballet performs.
5) ALSO: Diverting from its usual Friday pattern, Netflix has the eight-episode “Messiah,” with a CIA agent probing a guru who seems to have biblical powers. Also, CBS has a night of pure evil – three “Evil” reruns, starting with the pilot film. And after its Sunday debut, the “Flirty Dancing” reality show slides to its temporary spot at 8 p.m. on Fox.