For its subject matter alone – navigating the classical music world in New York city, the new streaming series “Mozart in the Jungle” (Amazon Prime, streaming) is worth watching while you wait for their next season of “Transparent.” Lola Kirke stars as a wide eyed oboist flung in the middle of changes at the New York Symphony, where she wants to be an oboist.
The eccentricities and ego clashes of the maestros and symphony heads as it brings in a brash new conductor (Gael Garcia Bernal), taking over the baton from the raging Malcolm McDowell. Bernadette Peters is head of the symphony board.
Kirke, recently seen in “Gone Girl” (and who also played a character named Hailey in “The Leftovers”) is daughter of Bad Company drummer Simon Kirke and sister of Jemima Kirke of “Girls.” She’s credible as a rising oboist who sees the symphony world in fresh eyes and trying to navigate its various sharks, eccentrics and pitfalls. The brash script from Roman Coppola, Alex Timbers and Jason Schwartzman (who turns in a cameo) has the kinds of quirks and comic turns one comes to expect from them, along with romantic tangles that are a little more expected. But the love of classical music seems true and it’s a better showcase for the form than “Smash” was for Broadway. Plus: no violence and no cops.
The first network TV special by the British boy band “One Direction: The TV Special” (NBC, 8 p.m.) has nothing to do with the holidays, but instead follows their South American tour and into the studio for recording their “Four” album and cap it with a concert for fans at the Universal Orlando Resort.
It’s followed by two other music specials geared for the holiday: This season’s “Michael Buble’s Christmas in New York” (NBC, 9 p.m.) and last year’s “Kelly Clarkson’s Cautionary Christmas Music Tale” (NBC, 10 p.m.).
Robin Roberts hosts the first of the network news roundups “The Year: 2014” (ABC, 9 p.m.), covering Ebola to Ferguson. There will also probably be too much about George Clooney’s wedding, something of an obsession at ABC, where Barbara Walters called the bride her most fascinating person of the year.
One of the great recent animated holiday specials “Shrek the Halls” (ABC, 8 p.m.) gets its annual replay, alongside an encore of this year’s “Toy Story That Time Forgot” (ABC, 8:30 p.m.).
The next two chapters of “Sacred Journeys with Bruce Feiler” (PBS, 8 and 9 p.m.) follow Christians on the Jesus trail and Muslims from Boston en route to Mecca.
Winter approaches on the third season finale of “Life Below Zero” (National Geographic, 9 p.m.).
Christmas brings families together and all the variations of a TV franchise too: “NCIS” (CBS, 8 p.m.) followed by “NCIS: Los Angeles” (CBS, 9 p.m.) and “NCIS: New Orleans” (CBS, 10 p.m.).
At Fox, they’re alternating reruns of their solid sitcoms, “New Girl” (Fox, 8 and 9 p.m.) and “The Mindy Project” (Fox, 8:30 and 9:30 pm.).
And there are replays, too, of “The Flash” (The CW, 8 p.m.) and “Supernatural” (The CW, 9 p.m.).
Turner Classic Movies features a pair of religious epics: “King of Kings” (8 p.m.), “Ben-Hur” (11 p.m.) as well as “The Big Fisherman” (3 a.m.).
It’s Marshall vs. Northern Illinois (ESPN, 6 p.m.) in the Boca Raton Bowl and Navy vs. San Diego State (ESPN, 9:30 p.m.) in the Poinsettia Bowl.
In college hoops it’s Ohio vs. DePaul (ESPNU, 2:30 p.m.), George Washington vs. Colorado (ESPNU, 4:30 p.m.), Stanford at Texas (ESPN2, 7 p.m.), Cal State Northridge at Louisville (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), NJIT at Villanova (Fox Sports 1, 7 p.m.), Georgia Tech at Dayton (CBS Sports, 8 p.m.), Wichita State at Hawaii (ESPN2, 9 p.m.), Arizona at UNLV (CBS Sports, 10:15 p.m.), Boise State vs. Loyola (Fox Sports 1, 11 p.m.) and Loyola Marymount at Nebraska (ESPNU, 11:30 p.m.).
Pro basketball includes Los Angeles Clippers at Atlanta (NBA, 7:30 p.m.). Hockey includes St. Louis at Colorado (NBC Sports, 8 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Sting, Nick Jonas. The View: Nick Jackman, Nancy Grace, Cyndi Lauper (rerun). The Talk: Ashton Kutcher, Jon Cryer, Lisa Ingrassia, Curtis Stone, Hilary Gumbel (rerun). Ellen DeGeneres: Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, Quvenzhane Wallis (rerun). Wendy Williams: Chris Rock, Rebekah George (rerun). Meredith Vieira: Robin Roberts, Bobby Flay, Juliette Lewis. Queen Latifah: Vanessa Williams, Blair Underwood, Cicely Tyslon, Joey Fatone (rerun).
Late Talk
David Letterman: Anna Kendrick, Charli XCX (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Jerry Seinfeld, One Direction, Big Sean. Jimmy Kimmel: Blake Shelton, Laura Dern (rerun). Seth Meyers: Larry, Hilary and Josh Meyers (rerun). Craig Ferguson: Marion Cotillard, Ross Mathews (rerun). Carson Daly: Robin Lord Taylor, the So So Gios, Steven Johnson (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Annie Lennox (rerun). Conan O’Brien: Chelsea Handler, Nicholas Hoult, Gerard Way (rerun).