SoCal TV, Dec. 29-Jan. 4: ‘Cunk on Life,’ New Year’s Eve, the Rose Parade and more
TV shows, movies, sports and specials on broadcast, cable and streaming this coming week
Welcome to an all-new TV or Not TV roundup of new and noteworthy programming on broadcast, cable and streaming this coming week. I’m Matt Cooper, former listings coordinator for the Los Angeles Times’ Calendar.
Sunday — Dec. 29
Vice President Kamala Harris’ run for the White House, Simone Biles’ dominating performance at the Paris Olympics and that feud between rappers Kendrick Lamar and Drake are included in the new special “BET Year in Black 2024.” 7 p.m. BET
Show-stopping musical performances from awards ceremonies past are revisited in the star-studded special “Grammy Greats: The Most Memorable Moments” hosted by Gayle King and Jimmy Jam. 9 p.m. CBS
Monday — Dec. 30
Crikey! “Darby & Joan,” the Aussie-made cozy mystery drama starring Bryan Brown and Greta Scacchi, is back for a second season. Anytime, Acorn TV
Two intersex persons — one a beauty queen, the other an activist — share their struggles and triumphs in Tunde Skovran’s 2023 documentary “Who I am Not” on a new “POV.” 10 p.m. KOCE
Tuesday — Dec. 31
The new profile “Avicii — I’m Tim” and companion concert doc “Avicii — My Last Show” recall the superstar Swedish DJ who took his own life in 2016. Anytime, Netflix
Be afraid, be very afraid: Actors, filmmakers, cinephiles and fans continue to discuss their favorite scary-movie moments in a second season of “Horror’s Greatest.” Anytime, Shudder
The new special “Michelle Buteau: A Buteau-ful Mind at Radio City Music Hall” captures the sassy and brassy comedienne on stage at the historic New York City venue. Anytime, Netflix
The Chicago Blackhawks and the St. Louis Blues lace up their skates for this year’s NHL Winter Classic played outdoors at Chicago’s storied Wrigley Field. 2 p.m. TNT; also truTV, Max
The dynamic duo return to their perch above Times Square in NYC to co-host “CNN New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen.” Performers include Sting, Shania Twain and Patti LaBelle. 5 p.m. CNN; replay 11:05 p.m.
Meanwhile in Music City, Keith Urban and Rachel Smith co-host “New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash” featuring performances by Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, et al. 8 and 10:30 p.m. CBS
“Dick Clark’s Primetime New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2025” finds Mr. Seacrest taking his 20th turn as host of the annual special. With co-host Rita Ora and performances by Carrie Underwood, et al. 8, 10:30 and 11:30 p.m. ABC
A Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and Tony-nominated Broadway composer graces the stage in “Sara Bareilles: New Year’s Eve With the National Symphony Orchestra & Friends” on a new “Next at the Kennedy Center.” 8 p.m. KOCE
“Today’s” Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager and their celebrity guests raise a glass to the year that was in the new special “A Toast of 2024!” 9 p.m. NBC
The host of “Late Night” raises a glass or three with his celebrity guests in “The Day Drinking With Seth Meyers New Year’s Special.” 11:30 p.m. NBC
Wednesday — Jan. 1
You can’t take it with you, but you can spend it all in hopes of delaying the inevitable, as demonstrated in the new documentary “Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever.” Anytime, Netflix
A British police detective (“Slow Horses’” Rosalind Eleazar) is more than a little surprised to see her former fiancé, who disappeared a decade earlier, pop up on a dating app in the new mystery drama “Missing You.” Anytime, Netflix
American G.I.s join forces with a French Resistance fighter to take out a high-ranking Nazi official during WWII in the 2024 action drama “Murder Company.” With Kelsey Grammer. Anytime, Paramount+
Six classic movies — including “A Star is Born” and “The Adventures of Robin Hood” —are reimagined by six up-and-coming filmmakers in the new anthology series “Reframed: Next Gen Narratives.” Anytime, Max
Astronauts on a mission to one of Saturn’s moons face a life-or-death decision in the 2024 psychological thriller “Slingshot.” With Casey Affleck, Laurence Fishburne and David Morrissey. Anytime, Paramount+
The city of Pasadena is once again ready for its annual closeup in live coverage of “The 136th Tournament of Roses Parade,” with tennis great Billie Jean King serving as this year’s grand marshal. 8 a.m. NBC, KTLA , ABC & Fox
A New Year’s Day’s worth on college-football clashes includes Oregon vs. Ohio St. in the Rose Bowl. 2:10 p.m. ESPN, ESPN2
Grammy-winning R&B vocalist Luther Vandross is remembered by friends, family and fellow artists in the 2024 documentary “Luther: Never Too Much.” 5 and 8 p.m. CNN
The Eternal City is ready for its closeup in the new special “Best of Rome’s New Year’s Day Parade 2025.” 7 p.m. KOCE
Cher, Ozzy Osbourne, Peter Frampton and Mary J. Blige are among the music stars collecting career kudos in a special repackaged version of last October’s “2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.” 8 p.m. ABC
Take this waltz… “Downtown Abbey’s” Hugh Bonneville suits up once more as master of ceremonies for the concert special “From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration 2025” on a new “Great Performances.” 8 and 9:30 p.m. KOCE
Seven new morbidly obese patients get the medical guidance and emotional support they need to shed that excess weight in new episodes of “My 600 lb. Life.” 8 p.m. TLC
The mean streets of the Big Easy serve as the setting for “Homicide Squad New Orleans,” the latest true-crime series from “Law & Order” creator Dick Wolf. 10 p.m. A&E; also 9 p.m. Thursday
Thursday — Jan. 2
What’s it all about, Philomena? Our woefully uninformed host (Diane Morgan) seeks answers to the really big questions — while her expert guests gamely play along — in her latest mockumentary, “Cunk on Life.” Anytime, Netlix
She’s half-vampire, half-fairy and all kid in “Isadora Moon,” a new family-friendly animated series based on the beloved children’s books by Harriet Muncaster. Anytime, Max
The new fact-based limited series “Lockerbie: A Search for the Truth” recalls the investigation into the terrorist bombing that brought down Pan Am Flight 103 over that small community in Scotland in 1988. With Colin Firth. Anytime, Peacock
“Game of Thrones” co-stars Iain Glen and Mark Addy are back on “The Rig,” but not for long, as the action moves from the North Sea to the Arctic Circle in a second season of this eco-thriller. Anytime, Prime Video
DCI Stanhope (Brenda Blethyn) is back on the case as the procedural drama “Vera” based on the novels by Ann Cleeves returns for a 14th and final season. Anytime, Acorn TV
The fantasy drama “The Way Home” moves to streaming for its third season. With Andie MacDowell and Chyler Leigh. 9 p.m. Hallmark+
The 2004-12 renovation series “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” gets a reboot and a two new hosts, the Home Edit’s Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin. 8 p.m. ABC
“Swamp People” and its spinoff, “Swamp People: Serpent Invasion,” return for their 16th and fifth seasons, respectively. 8 and 9:35 p.m. History Channel
Joel McHale and company answer the call of the wild once more as the Seattle-set workplace sitcom “Animal Control” kicks off a third season. 9 p.m. Fox
We do declare, the Charleston, S.C.-set “Southern Charm” spinoff “Southern Hospitality” is also serving up a third season. 9 p.m. Bravo
Comic Denis Leary stars as a U.S. Army colonel whose shoot-from-the-lip style lands him a less-than-desirable posting in the Netherlands in the new workplace sitcom “Going Dutch.” 9:30 p.m. Fox
Thinking about making run for the border? Think again! “Fugitive Hunters Mexico” are waiting to track you down and deliver you into the hands of U.S. law enforcement in this new docuseries. 10 p.m. A&E
Friday — Jan. 3
As if being pregnant weren’t enough, her mother-in-law just moved in as well in the the Eggers Brothers’ 2024 thriller “The Front Room.” Singer-actress Brandy stars. Anytime, Max
If you have to ask, you can’t afford it: New York City serves as the setting for “Selling the City,” the latest entry in the real estate-themed reality TV franchise. Anytime, Netflix
“30 Rock’s” Elizabeth Banks stars as a Hollywood salon owner whose business and personal lives start to unravel in Austin Peters’ 2024 thriller “Skincare.” With Nathan Fillion. Anytime, AMC+
Our cheese-loving British inventor and his canine companion return in the all-new stop motion-animated adventure “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.” Anytime, Netflix
The documentary “Jesse Ventura Shocks the World” gets up close and personal with the Navy veteran turned biker turned professional wrestler turned actor turned Minnesota governor. 8 p.m. KOCE
They haven’t come to play but rather to slay when the drag-queen competition “RuPaul’s Drag Race” kicks off its 17th season. 8 p.m. MTV
Five filmmakers explore pre-pandemic life in Texas’ most populous city in the new five-part series “Dallas, 2019” on “Independent Lens.” 9 p.m. KOCE
A former NFL star gets in on the talk show game in the new series “They Call It Late Night With Jason Kelce.” 10 p.m. ESPN
Saturday — Jan. 4
Faith and begorrah! An American tourist in Ireland hooks up with a hunky local single dad in the new TV movie “Love of the Irish.” With Moira Kelly. 8 p.m. Hallmark Channel
A blind woman desperately seeks her missing six-year-old daughter in the new thriller “Vanished Out of Sight.” With Annalise Basso. 8 p.m. Lifetime
(All times Pacific; programming subject to change without notice)
Cunk!