Just before the annual two day New Year’s marathon of classic episodes of “The Twilight Zone” (beginning Saturday on Syfy), here comes a new batch of episodes from its closest successor, “Black Mirror” (Netflix, streaming), the clever British anthology series that looks at different ways new technologies invade our lives with episodes that range from life in space to a device that can access memories.
Creator Charlie Brooker continues to attract top talent to the project and this time includes an episode about parenting directed by Jodie Foster. The first is a good one: Jesse Plemons plays a computer programming nerd who traps his co-workers into his own personal “Star Trek” type world.
Also online, the new “La Mante” (Netflix, streaming) is a new drama about a serial killer who offers to help solve similar murders. Carole Bouquet stars with Fred Testot and Pascal Demolon.
A new season, too, comes for the science-based “Bill Nye Saves the World” (Netflix, streaming). Using a studio audience, he also includes celebrity guests, which this time includes Zach Braff, Drew Carey and the band OK Go.
A new profile of Bob Hope is featured on a two hour “American Masters” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings), with commentary from Woody Allen, Margaret Cho, Dick Cavett and Conan O’Brien, among others. Billy Crystal voices his writings. Born in vaudeville and continuing through Broadway, movies, radio and TV, Hope developed a fast-thinking style of comedy that helped blend the personas of late night.
The second half of the “iHeartRadio Music Festival” (The CW, 8 p.m.) replay features Lorde, Miley Cyrus, Big Sean and Dj Khaled.
Scenes from the actually live “Live PD” seems to have been edited down for the new variation “Live PD: Police Patrol” (A&E, 9, 9:30, 10 and 10:30 p.m.) which seems much less interesting and more like “Cops..”
Adapting its show for the winter is “Insane Pools: Yuletide Dive” (Animal Planet, 8, 9 and 10 p.m.), which likely involve no animals except polar bears.
Among news specials, I expect “President Trump’s First Year” (Fox News, 9 p.m.) will be very different than “The Dossier” (MSNBC, 9 p.m.), a repeat of Rachel Maddow’s report.
The team has to be shrunk to five on “Bring It!” (Lifetime, ), which is preceded by a fan chat episode at 8 p.m.
“Josh Gates’ Destination Truth” (Travel, 9 p.m.) tries to track down the Jersey Devil.
The solar eclipse hits “Gold Rush” (Discovery, 9 p.m.).
A hip hop magician is among the acts vying for a $10,000 prize on “Amazingness” (MTV, 9 p.m.).
Earlier, Waka Flocka Flame and Keyshia Cole guest star on episodes of “Ridiculousness” (MTV, 8 and 8:30 p.m.).
Turner Classic Movies pays tribute to some of those who died this year — Jeanne Moreau in “Jules and Jim” (8 p.m.), Bill Paxton in “Apollo 13” (10 p.m.), Mary Tyler Moore in “Thoroughly Modern Millie” (12:30 a.m.), George A. Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead” (3:15 a.m.) and Don Rickles in “Kelly’s Heroes” (5 a.m.).
A handful of college football bowl games today include Wake Forest vs. Texas A&M (ESPN, 1 p.m.) in the Belk Bowl, North Carolina State vs. Arizona State (CBS, 3 p.m.) in the Sun Bowl, Kentucky vs. Northwestern (ESPN, 4:30 p.m.) in the Music City Bowl, New Mexico State vs. Utah State (CBS Sports, 5:30 p.m.) in the Arizona Bowl, and Southern California vs. Ohio State (ESPN, 8:40 p.m.).
Men’s college basketball includes Louisville at Kentucky (CBS, 1 p.m.), Texas Arlington at Coastal Carolina (ESPN2, 7 p.m.), West Virginia at Oklahoma State (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), Maryland Baltimore County at Maryland (Fox Sports 1, 8 p.m.), Kansas at Texas (ESPN2, 9 p.m.), Kansas State at Iowa State (ESPNU, 9 p.m.), Utah at Oregon (Fox Sports 1, 10 p.m.), Colorado at Oregon State (ESPNU, 11 p.m.) and Washington State at UCLA (ESPN2, 11 p.m.).
Women’s games include Xavier at Butler (Fox Sports 2, 7 p.m.)
Hockey has Nashville at Minnesota (NBC Sports, 8 p.m.).
In the IIHF World Championship it’s Belarus vs. Russia (NHL, noon) and U.S. vs. Canada (NHL, 3 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest: Jimmy Fallon, Jessica Alba, Michael Weatherly. The View: Joe Biden (rerun). Harry Connick: Alfonso Ribeiro, James Burrows, Christmas Abbott, Tiffany Aliche (rerun). Steve Harvey: Tyler Perry, Sunny Anderson (rerun). Ellen DeGeneres: Tiffany Haddish, Blake Shelton (rerun). Wendy Williams: Lisa Lampanelli, Jean Beauvoir. The Real: Ashanti (rerun).
Late Talk
All reruns: Stephen Colbert: Billy Bush, Gwendoline Christie. Jimmy Kimmel: Shaquille O’Neal, Mila Kunis, Aisha Tyler, Ty Dolla $ign with YG. Jimmy Fallon: Jesica Chasten, Timothee Chalet, Justin Verlander, Kate Upton. Seth Meyers: Rosie O’Donnell, David France. James Corden: Kate Beckinsale, Adam Scott, Poppy. Carson Daly: George Foreman, Against Me!, Mike Feeney.