What’s on TV This Week: New Year’s Eve, the Rose Parade, Laura Ingalls Wilder and more
SUNDAY
The folks behind “Black Mirror” cast a jaundiced eye on the annus horribilis that was in the mockumentary “Death to 2020.” With Hugh Grant, Samuel L. Jackson and others. Anytime, Netflix
Celebrities put their best feet forward while their faces remain hidden in the spinoff “The Masked Dancer.” Craig Robinson hosts. 5 and 8 p.m. Fox
Celebrity chefs sound the alarm about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their industry in “Restaurant Hustle 2020: All on the Line.” 9 p.m. Food Network
MONDAY
Duff Goldman and Valerie Bertinelli put more pint-sized bakers through their paces in a new cycle of “Kids Baking Championship.” 9 p.m. Food Network
The fantasy drama “His Dark Materials” ends its second season. With Dafne Keen and Ruth Wilson. 9 p.m. HBO
The special “Vernon Jordan: Make It Plain” profiles the corporate executive, civil-rights activist and political mover and shaker. 10 p.m. KOCE
TUESDAY
The host of “The Profit” surveys the intersection of commerce and culture in the docuseries “Streets of Dreams With Marcus Lemonis.” 7 and 10 p.m. CNBC
“Popstar’s Best of 2020” looks back at famous faces and memorable moments in pop culture over the last 12 months. 8 p.m. The CW
“American Masters” remembers the author of the “Little House” series of frontier-era novels in “Laura Ingalls Wilder: Prairie to Page.” 8 p.m. KOCE
In summer 1930, Rose Wilder Lane, daughter of the then-unknown Laura Ingalls Wilder, wrote in her diary: “Working on my mothers [sic] story — stupidly, for will it come to anything?”
“Community’s” Gillian Jacobs gives it the old college try in the 2020 indie comedy “I Used to Go Here.” 8 p.m. HBO
Talking heads weigh in on the pandemic, politics, pop culture and more in “The Year: 2020.” Robin Roberts hosts. 9 p.m. ABC
Find out whose hooch is the most haul-worthy in a second season of “Moonshiners: Master Distiller.” 9 p.m. Discovery Channel
Need help out to your car? They’re not asking in a new cycle of “Supermarket Stakeout.” Alex Guarnaschelli hosts. 10 p.m. Food Network
WEDNESDAY
Foodstuffs go from back to the fridge to front of the house in the culinary competition “Best Leftovers Ever.” Anytime, Netflix
On they sweep with threshing oar? Alas, no more in the series finale of the historical drama “Vikings.” Anytime, Amazon Prime
Rachel Brosnahan, Tiffany Haddish and Sarah Silverman put the “fun” in “funeral” as they eulogize 2020 in the comedy special “Yearly Departed.” Anytime, Amazon Prime
The special “Heroes on the Front Line” salutes healthcare workers and others fighting the good fight, holding down the fort, etc., during the pandemic. 8 p.m. The CW
Matchmaker, matchmaker: Couples are paired up ahead of the season premiere in a special “Married at First Sight.” 8 p.m. Lifetime
The truth is out there, or up there, or who even knows anymore, in the special “The UFO Phenomenon.” 8 p.m. Travel Channel
THURSDAY
That’s my time! Jerry Seinfeld, Marc Maron and Hannah Gadsby are among the funny folks featured in “Best of Stand-Up 2020.” Anytime, Netflix
It’s been 30 years since “Seinfeld” catapulted Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander and Michael Richards into superstardom.
Chill with “Mad Men’s” Kiernan Shipka in the final installment of the fantasy drama “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.” Anytime, Netflix
“New Year’s Eve Live With Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen” finds the dynamic duo watching the ball drop from their perch above an otherwise empty Times Square. 5 and 10:30 p.m. CNN
Ring in the new with RuPaul, Matthew McConaughey and Demi Lovato in the global celebration “Hello 2021.” 7:30 p.m. YouTube Originals
“Today’s” Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush take a trip down memory lane in the special “New Year’s Eve: Escape From 2020.” 8 p.m. NBC
Jennifer Lopez — or as I call her, J.Lo — headlines “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2021.” 8, 10 and 11:30 p.m. and 1:09 a.m. ABC
“Community” costars Joel McHale and Ken Jeong reconvene to cohost “Fox’s New Year’s Eve Toast & Roast 2021.” 8 and 11 p.m. Fox
Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and R&B legend Patti LaBelle lend their talents to the special “United in Song: Celebrating the Resilience of America.” 8 p.m. KOCE
Trash will be talked, drinks will be thrown, etc., in a new season of “The Real Housewives of Dallas.” 8 p.m. Bravo
Celebrate New Year’s Sin City style in the syndicated special “Las Vegas Countdown to 2021.” 8:58 p.m. KTLA
Gwen Stefani, Sting and Kylie Minogue are among the stars lined up for “NBC’s New Year’s Eve 2021.” Carson Daly hosts. 10 and 11:30 p.m. NBC
FRIDAY
Clear your mind with the animated series “Headspace Guide to Meditation.” Then learn the benefits of decluttering your space in the documentary “The Minimalists: Less Is Now.” Anytime, Netflix
The procession is off but the performances — by Sheryl Crow, Rascal Flatts and others — are still on in “The Rose Parade’s New Year’s Celebration.” 8 a.m. KTLA, ABC; 11 a.m. NBC, Hallmark Channel
It’s Alabama versus Notre Dame then Clemson versus Ohio State in the semifinals of the “College Football Playoff,” with the winners of each contest advancing to the national title game on Jan. 11. 2 and 5:45 p.m. ESPN, ESPN2
While the Time Lord’s away the cyborgs will play in the special “Doctor Who: Revolution of the Daleks.” Jodie Whittaker stars. 8 p.m. BBC America
Sashay your way into the New Year with a 13th season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” 8 p.m. VH1; also Logo, MTV, Pop TV
Waltz your way into the New Year with “From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration 2021” on a new “Great Performances.” “Downton Abbey’s” Hugh Bonneville hosts. 9 p.m. KOCE
Host William ... Shatner explores … “Mysteries of the Bible” in the season … premiere of ... “The UnXplained.” 9 p.m. History Channel
Five years ago, backed by a full band, William Shatner enthralled a standing-room-only crowd at the Coach House nightclub in San Juan Capistrano with his unique “spoken word” stylings — dramatic readings of everything from “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” to the Book of Genesis — that he’s been doing since the 1960s.
There’s gold in them thar hills — they’s a-hopin’ — in the unscripted series “Mystery at Blind Frog Ranch.” 10 p.m. Discovery Channel
SATURDAY
BFFs Rose Byrne and the aforementioned Tiffany Haddish battle Salma Hayek for control of their cosmetics company in the 2020 comedy “Like a Boss.” 8 p.m. Epix
Tracee Ellis Ross and Dakota Johnson play a veteran R&B star and her put-upon personal assistant in the 2020 comedy-drama “The High Note.” 8 p.m. HBO
Crikey! A family’s Australian vacation goes even further south in the TV movie “Kidnapped in Paradise.” With Claire van der Boom. 8 p.m. Lifetime
Something to bark about: “Pit Bulls and Parolees” hits the 200-episode mark. 9 p.m. Animal Planet
A ballet teacher hooks up with a hunky hockey player in the TV movie “Taking a Shot at Love.” With Alexa PenaVega. 9 p.m. Hallmark Channel
A crusading attorney (Mark Ruffalo) goes up against a Goliath-sized chemical company in Todd Haynes’ 2019 drama “Dark Waters.” With Anne Hathaway. 9 p.m. Showtime
Return to the site of the most famous maritime disaster in history in “Titanic: Into the Heart of the Wreck.” 9 p.m. History Channel
Return to the site of the most infamous witch trials in history in the season premiere of “Kindred Spirits.” 10 p.m. Travel Channel
Willie Nelson, Buddy Guy and Emmylou Harris rock the house in “ACL Hall of Fame: The First Six Years” on “Austin City Limits.” 11:30 p.m. KOCE
Movies on TV this week: Dec. 27, 2020 - Jan. 2, 2021: “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial”; “The Graduate”; “The Wizard of Oz” and more
Movies on TV for the entire week, Dec. 27, 2020 - Jan. 2, 2021 in interactive PDF format for easy downloading and printing
What’s on TV: Television listings
Looking for what to watch on TV? Here are the television listings from the Los Angeles Times in printable PDF files.
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