What’s on TV This Week: ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas,’ ‘The Stand’ and more
SUNDAY
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, zombies nipping at your nose: It’s “The Walking Dead Holiday Special” hosted by Chris Hardwick. Anytime, AMC+
Do-gooders collect their due in “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute.” Anderson Cooper and Kelly Ripa co-host. 5 and 8 p.m. CNN
A city slicker finds romance with a hunky ranch hand in the LGBTQ-themed TV movie “Dashing in December.” With Peter Porte, Juan Pablo Di Pace and Andie MacDowell. 7 p.m. Paramount Network; also Logo, Pop TV, TV Land
It just wouldn’t be Christmas without the classic animated special “A Charlie Brown Christmas” based on the characters created by cartoonist Charles Schulz. 7:30 p.m. KOCE, KLCS, KVCR
A TV news anchor gets a romantic do-over in the fantasy tale “Christmas Comes Twice.” With Tamera Mowry-Housley. 8 p.m. Hallmark Channel
An architect takes her late grandmother’s place in a gingerbread house contest in the TV movie “A Sugar & Spice Holiday.” With Jacky Lai and “The Farewell’s” Tzi Ma. 8 p.m. Lifetime
Dr. Orna will see you now in a special COVID-era edition of “Couples Therapy.” 8 p.m. Showtime
Batman’s butler-to-be is back in action in a second season of “Pennyworth.” Jack Bannon stars. 9 p.m. Epix
Former President Barack Obama hangs out with “Desus & Mero” in a very special episode of the duo’s late-night chat show. 11:05 p.m. Showtime
MONDAY
A lady farmer finds romance with a real-estate executive in the TV movie “A California Christmas.” Married couple Lauren and Josh Swickard star. Anytime, Netflix
But soft, eh! The special “Slings & Arrows Virtual Reunion” looks back at the 2003-06 comedy about theater types at a Shakespeare festival in Canada. Anytime, Acorn TV
If there’s no business like show business, and there is no playwright like Shakespeare, then it stands to reason — and is, in fact, a fact — that there’s no series like “Slings & Arrows,” a gorgeous Canadian import from the first decade of this century.
Students at an elite Chicago ballet academy are on their toes following one dancer’s shocking death in the mystery drama “Tiny Pretty Things.” With Lauren Holly. Anytime, Netflix
“Ridiculousness” begets a food-themed spinoff, “Deliciousness.” “Saved by the Bell’s” Tiffani Thiessen hosts. 7 and 7:30 p.m. MTV; also Tue.-Fri.
They’ll give it all they’ve got before a new champion is crowned in the two-night season finale of “The Voice.” 8 p.m. NBC, 9 p.m. Tue.
Billie “Bad Guy” Eilish and the stylish Harry Styles are among the performers taking the stage at the “iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2020.” 8 p.m. The CW
Tongues will be wagging and ears will be burning as “The Men Tell All” about Tayshia as well as their competition on “The Bachelorette.” 8 p.m. ABC
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, a single mom finds romance in the Texas-set TV movie “Lonestar Christmas.” With Stephanie Bennett. 8 p.m. Lifetime
Tony winner Kelli O’Hara and “The Waltons’” Richard Thomas spend “Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir” in this annual concert special. 9 p.m. KOCE
“New Girl’s” Zooey Deschanel hooks her BFF up with some sweet home renovations in the Season 2 premiere of “Celebrity IOU.” 9 p.m. HGTV
TUESDAY
Barefoot running is the name of the game in an Indigenous community in rural Mexico in “The Infinite Race” on a new “30 for 30.” 5 p.m. ESPN, 8 p.m. ESPN2
Bruce Springsteen, John Legend and others are featured in the star-studded special “Play On: Celebrating the Power of Music to Make Change.” Kevin Bacon and Eve host. 9 p.m. CBS
Vanessa Williams and others sing the praises of a classic holiday album by jazz great Ella Fitzgerald in the special “Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas.” 8 p.m. KOCE
Don’t forget to pack your trunk! Pachyderms make their annual trek across the African plains in the three-part special “Walking With Elephants.” 8, 9 and 10 p.m. Animal Planet
An Atlanta chef finds romance with a baseball player and single dad in the TV movie “Cooking Up Christmas.” With Meagan Holder and Lamman Rucker. 9 p.m. OWN
The curious case of an American woman who relocated with her young son to war-torn Syria is investigated in “Return From ISIS” on a new “Frontline.” 10 p.m. KOCE
WEDNESDAY
Mexico’s Café Tacvba and Argentina’s Los Fabulosos Cadillacs are among the musical acts spotlighted in the docuseries “Break It All: The History of Rock in Latin America.” Anytime, Netflix
Far out! The sci-fi drama “The Expanse” expands into its fifth and penultimate season. With Shohreh Aghdashloo. Anytime, Amazon Prime
The docuseries “The Ripper” retells the dark tale of the so-called Yorkshire Ripper, a serial killer who terrorized the north of England in the late 1970s. Anytime, Netflix
The finish line is in sight on the season finale of “The Amazing Race.” Phil Keoghan hosts. 8 p.m. CBS
A Pakistani teen in 1980s Britain gets hip to the music of Bruce Springsteen in the 2019 comedy “Blinded by the Light.” With Viveik Kalra and Hayley Atwell. 8 p.m. Cinemax
“Saturday Night Live” comes to prime time with a stocking stuffed full of classic Christmas sketches. 9 p.m. NBC
Your favorite magic-and-comedy duo returns in the holiday special “Penn & Teller: Merry Fool Us.” 9 p.m. The CW
The masks come off and the winner is revealed on the season finale of “The Masked Singer.” Nick Cannon hosts. 9 p.m. Fox
The documentary “The Art of Political Murder” probes the assassination of Catholic bishop and human-rights activist Juan Jose Gerardi in Guatemala in 1998. 9 p.m. HBO
THURSDAY
A pandemic rages, civilization collapses and that’s just for starters in a new adaptation of Stephen King’s apocalyptic fable “The Stand.” With Whoopi Goldberg and Alexander Skarsgård. Anytime, CBS All Access
“Six Feet Under’s” Rachel Griffiths plays Australia’s prime minister in the political thriller “Total Control.” Anytime, Sundance Now
Who’s a good boy? They all are in the special “Dogs of the Year.” Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner host. 8 p.m. The CW
FRIDAY
Viola Davis belts out the blues in 1920s Chicago in the 2020 drama “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” based on the August Wilson play. The late Chadwick Boseman also stars. Anytime, Netflix
Viola Davis stars as blues legend Ma Rainey opposite Chadwick Boseman in the Netflix adaptation of August Wilson’s celebrated play.
The docuseries “On Pointe” follows aspiring dancers at a prestigious NYC ballet academy where hopefully no one dies under mysterious circumstances. Anytime, Disney+
A celebrity chef finds romance with a snobbish food critic in the TV movie “Christmas on the Menu.” With Kim Shaw. 8 p.m. Lifetime
They’re making a joyful noise in the special “The St. Olaf Christmas Festival: A New Song of Grace and Truth.” 10 p.m. KOCE
“You’ll Be Home for Christmas,” says a real estate agent and part-time Santa to his clients in this special. 10 p.m. HGTV
SATURDAY
Do-gooders also collect their due in the special “Global Citizen Prize” hosted by John Legend. 8 p.m. NBC
What goes around comes around in the TV movie “A Christmas Carousel.” With Rachel Boston. 8 p.m. Hallmark Channel
“Wendy” takes flight in this 2020 reimagining of J.M. Barrie’s “Peter Pan” directed by “Beasts of the Southern Wild” helmer Benh Zeitlin. 8 p.m. HBO
Sexy singles swap homes for the holidays in the TV movie “A Christmas Exchange.” With “Smallville’s” Laura Vandervoort. 8 p.m. Lifetime
Everyone’s on the naughty list in the terror tale “Letters to Satan Claus.” 9 p.m. Syfy
Movies on TV this week: Dec. 13: “White Christmas” on AMC and more
Movies on TV for the entire week, Dec. 13 - 19 in interactive PDF format for easy downloading and printing
TV Grids for the entire week of Dec. 13 - 19 in 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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