1) “Joy: Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir,” 8-9:30 p.m., PBS. This is epic music – 360-voice choir, 150-piece orchestra, bells, trumpets, organ and singer Michael Maliakel (shown here), from Broadway’s “Aladdin.” A story – Lesley Nicol telling of Victor Hugo’s parties for children – is fairly good; the music, especially Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” is sublime. Read more…
1) “American Masters,” 10 p.m., PBS. At 10, Brenda Lee was supporting her widowed mother and siblings. Now, 70 years later, she’s still a potent force, with tiny (4-foot-9) body, huge voice and vibrant personality. This fascinating hour traces someone (shown here) who has sold 100 million records, from “I’m Sorry” to the eternal “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” Read more…
Back on Thanksgiving Day, we posted a Christmas-on-TV mega-list. Now here’s a fresh version, covering only the 12 days of Christmas (Dec. 14-25). We’ve added some shows (especially in the “key movies” category, “comedy” and the new “drama” category, plus extra details on others. Here we go:
“HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS” (cartoon version)
This animated gem (shown here) remains one of TV’s two great Christmas moments. The other, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” is on Amazon Prime.
— On NBC: 8 p.m., Dec. 25.
— TBS: 10 a.m., Dec. 14; 2:45 and 3:15 p.m., Dec. 15; 10 and 10:30 p.m., Dec. 19.
— On TNT, 7 and 9:45 p.m., Dec. 15; also, 12:30 a.m. Read more…
One of TV’s great half-hours will be available to the masses – but only for two days.
“A Charlie Brown Christmas” (shown here) has been tucked away in the streaming world, available only to subscribers of Apple TV+. Now it will be available to non-subscribers on Saturday and Sunday (Dec. 14-15).
The late Charles Schulz – creator of the “Peanuts” comic strip and cartoons – has described a sort of benign neglect: The show was ordered on a tight deadline, to be ready for Christmas; There was no time for the network or the sponsor (Coca-Cola) to second-guess. Read more…
1) “An Evening With Dua Lipa,” 8:30-10 p.m., CBS.`In London’s gorgeous, 153-year-old Royal Albert Hall, Lipa (shown here) strolls triumphantly on an S-shaped runway, with orchestra and chorus tucked into each curve. There are a few talk segments (some good, some not) and an Elton John duet; but mostly this is a young star, performing with passion and skill. Read more…
1) “Kennedy Center Honors,” 8:30-11 p.m. Sunday, CBS. Each year, this has elegant and eloquent tributes to the arts greats. This time, it honors Bonnie Raitt, Arturo Sandoval, Francis Coppola, the Grateful Dead and (in a first) the Apollo Theater. Queen Latifah (shown here) hosts; performers include Emmylou Harris, Sheryl Crow, Savion Glover, Dave Matthews and an all-star jazz band. Read more…
1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. Doing things big in its 50th season, “SNL” has former cast members hosting for the next two weeks. Tonight, it’s Chris Rock (shown here), with only his fourth hosting gig in 28 years; Gracie Adams is the music guest. Next week, Martin Short hosts. Read more…
In the old days, there were familiar routes to power. It helped to be older … and bigger … and male.
Brenda Lee was none of these. She signed her first record deal at 11; years later, she still didn’t fit the image of a teen pop star.
“I was singing all these unrequited-love songs,” Lee, who turned 80 on Dec. 11, says on “American Masters,” at 10 p.m. Monday (Dec. 16) on PBS, “and I’d never had a date …. I was 4-foot-9.”
But in the recording studio, she stood tall. She helped decide what songs to sing and how to sing them. The results were impressive. Read more…
1) “Blue Bloods” series-finale, 10 p.m., CBS. For 14 seasons, Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) has led the New York City police department and a Reagan family filled with cops (shown here is Donnie Wahlberg, who plays is oldest son) and an assistant district attorney. Now there’s one final crisis, with gangs combining to demand the release of prisoners. Edward James Olmos is a guest star. Read more…
1) “Billboard Music Awards,” 8-10 p.m., Fox. After 17 years elsewhere, the awards return to their original network. Michelle Buteau, a comedian, hosts; performers include Coldplay, Seventeen, Teddy Swims, Tyla (shown here) and more. Up for the Top Artist award are Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen, Zach Bryan, Sabrina Carpenter and Drake. Read more…
Best-bets for Dec. 23: Santa’s jolly bag of reruns 
Best-bets for Dec. 22: arts great and Santa surge 
Best-bets for Dec. 21: long on football, Short on “SNL” 
