1) “Grammy Greats: The Most Memorable Moments,” 9-11 p.m., CBS. A 55-year run will end in 2027. when the Grammys move to ABC, Hulu and Disney+. For now, CBS grabs all the Grammy moments it can. This special has Dua Lipa, Ricky Martin (shown here), Jennifer Hudson, Keith Urban, Bonnie Raitt, LL Cool J, Joni Mitchell, Elton John and more. Read more…
1) Football. Eight bowl games are packed into one day, including three with top-25 teams. ESPN has games at 11 a.m. and 2:15 and 5:45 p.m., then Army (ranked No. 22) and Louisiana Tech at 9:15. ABC has ones at noon, 3:30 p.m. — with Miami (shown here, No. 13) and Iowa State (No. 18) — and 7:30, with Colorado (No. 23) and Brigham Young (No. 17). CW has a 4:30 game. Read more…
1) “Grammy Greats: The Stories Behind the Songs,” 9-11 p.m., CBS. A slow week is being brightened by three specials from the Grammy people. There was an Andrea Bocelli hour Tuesday; a “Memorable Moments” special is Sunday. In between, this talks to songwriters – Alicia Keys (shown here), Sting, Billie Eilish, Kenny Loggins, Bonnie Raitt and more. Read more…
1) “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” Tuesday, 8-10 p.m., 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., ABC. At Times Square, Carrie Underwood does the last songs of 2024 and the Jonas Brothers do the first of 2025. Ryan Seacrest (shown here) also has live music from Megan Moroney and Sophie Ellis-Bextor and a pre-taped concert with Lenny Kravitz, Teddy Swims, Renee Rapp. T-Pain, Hardy, more. Read more…
1) “The Year: 2024,” 9-11 p.m., ABC. It’s been a strange year, ending with an overthrow in Syria (after 13 years of civil war) and a near-shutdown in the U.S. But this ABC News special will also leave room for pop culture. It includes Olympians, politicians, Elton John, Teddy Swims (shown here), Shaboozey, Lara Trump, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Charlamagne the God and more. Read more…
1) “Call the Midwife,” 8-10 p.m. PBS. The new season is months away, but “Midwife” annually has a Christmas special. (A previous one is shown here.) Here’s its best one yet. In a hard-scrabble section of 1969 London, good people face crises — a homeless family, an escaped prisoner, a lost traveler who has Down syndrome. There’s also joy and a “Midwife” rarity – a charming romance. Read more…
Dick Clark’s clever scheme – seamlessly blending live and taped bits into a New Year’s Eve party — has become something bigger and brasher.
This year, there will be six hours on ABC (shown here in a previous year) and five more on CBS, plus variations on CNN, NBC and PBS. There will be lots of live music – from New York, Nashville and beyond – alongside the parts taped in Los Angeles.
And in ABC’s case, there will be a title that seems longer than some shows. It’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2025.” Read more…
1) “A Christmas Story” marathon, 8 p.m., TBS or 9 p.m., TNT. This movie (shown here) arrived back in 1983, with a modest budget and low expectations. But it brought a fresh look at a holiday in the 1940s, when Santa seemed scary and little kids wanted BB guns. It became a favorite; now both channels air it every two hours, for 24 hours. Read more…
1) “A Saturday Night Live Christmas,” 9-11 p.m., NBC. This special – airing for the second time in six days — grabs highlights from 50 years of “SNL.” It can range from Chevy Chase to Bowen Yang … with a white-haired Steve Martin somehow around during the full span. (Shown here is this year’s Black Santa/White Santa sketch, not necessarily part of the special.)
Read more…
1) “Kennedy Center Honors,” 8:30-11 p.m., CBS. Each year, this honors arts greats with a splendid mixture of films, performances and verbal tributes. This time, it honors Bonnie Raitt, Arturo Sandoval, Francis Coppola, the Grateful Dead and (in a first) the Apollo Theater. Performers include Dave Matthews, Emmylou Harris (shown here in a previous performance), Sheryl Crow and Savion Glover. Read more…
Best-bets for Jan.17: a double-Sam night 
Best-bets for Jan. 16: “Law” returns, “Dutch” improves 
Best-bets for Jan. 15: laughs, Hitchcock and a Biden farewell 
