Once strictly a late night celebration, New Year’s Eve has slipped down to fully take over prime time on most networks, sparking a four hour, full night countdowns with a lot of competition.
“New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” (ABC, 10 p.m.) with Ryan Seacrest is by now the Father Time of the events, logging in its 42nd year. But it is preceded by the new “Prime Time New Year’s Eve” (ABC, 8 p.m.) in which the people waiting pointlessly at Times Square and enduring Jenny McCarthy are given some entertainment from Taylor Swift, Florida Georgia Line, Idina Menzel, and Elton John. Fergie picks up the slack later on the West Coast with Train, Nico & Vinz, Nick Jonas, One Direction, Pentatonix, Jason Derulo, Charli XCX and Iggy Azalea.
“New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly” (NBC, 10 p.m.) also starts relatively later, and is based at Times Square, with performances from Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga as well as Daly’s co-stars from “The Voice,” Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani and Pharrell Williams. It is preceded by the 12 month review “A Toast to 2014!” (NBC, 8 p.m.) that, hosted by Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb, will cater to those who, like Barbara Walters, thinks Alam Alamuddin was “the most fascinating” person of the year (she’s the one who married George Clooney).
Their biggest competition this year is the bald headed Latin star of “Pitbull’s New Year’s Revolution” (Fox, 8 p.m.). He’ll ring in midnight from Miami Beach, though, and a lineup that includes Enrique Iglesias, Fall Out Boy, Fifth Harmony, Becky G and the Band Perry.
For those who require less confetti and those dumb promotional hats, there is the classier tone of Dianne Reeves, Norm Lewis and the New York Philharmonic on “Live from Lincoln Center” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings) in an all-Gershwin program, conducted by Branwell Tovey.
Gershwin will also be performed in “Michael Feinstein New Year’s Eve at the Rainbow Room” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings) with performances from Darren Criss, Kelli O’Hara, Marilyn Maye, Julia Goodwin, Leslie Odom and Christine Ebersole joining in.
The Spanish language “Feliz 2015!” (Univision, 8 p.m.) features Leslie Grace, Luis Coronel, Sofia Reys and Maite Perroni, performing from Times Square, Disney World, Disneyland and Mexico.
What began as a live disaster is now promoted as an annual event with “New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin” (CNN, 9 p.m.) with the comedienne crassly poking the giggling newsman. As childish as it is, it should provide some respite from 24-hour missing plane coverage.
Funnier, in its way, will be Bob Beckel and the “All-American New Year” (Fox News, 9 p.m.), with the confetti getting mixed with the red white and blue.
MTV’s studio is right in Times Square, so at least they won’t have to move. Victoria Justice and Charlamagne Tha God host the event, with comedians from their “Girl Code” and “Guy Code” shows on “NYE in NYC 2014” (MTV, 11 p.m.).
There are a lot of concert events on tonight, perhaps emulating the other New Year’s Eve fare, minus the clock obsessions. There is a replay of the “iHeart Music Festival 2014” (The CW, 8 p.m.) with Taylor Swift, Usher, Coldplay, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande and Motley Crue.
And there is a new special from the “American Idol” judge, “Jennifer Lopez: Dance Again” (HBO, 9 p.m.). But the best of them is likely to be a replay of the 1973 “Elvis on Tour” (TCM, 8 p.m.), kicking off a night that also includes such impeccable rock films as “A Hard Day’s Night” (TCM, 9:45 p.m.), “Gimme Shelter” (TCM, 11:30 p.m.), “Tommy” (TCM, 1:15 a.m.) and “Jimi Hendrix” (TCM, 3:15 a.m.).
It’s Mississippi vs. TCU (ESPN, 12:30 p.m.) in the Peach Bowl; Boise State vs. Arizona (ESPN, 4 p.m.) in the Fiesta Bowl; and Mississippi State vs. Georgia Tech (ESPN, 8 p.m.) in the Orange Bowl.
College hoops include St. John’s at Seton Hall (Fox Sports 1, noon), Tulsa at South Florida (ESPNU, noon), Temple at Connecticut (ESPN2, 1 p.m.), Houston at Memphis (ESPNU, 2 p.m.), Butler at Villanova (Fox Sports 1, 2:30 p.m.), Georgia at Kansas State (ESPNU, 4 p.m.), South Florida at SMU (ESPN2, 5 p.m.), Marquette at DePaul (Fox Sports 1, 5 p.m.), Cornell at Syracuse (ESPNU, 6 p.m.), Creighton at Providence (Fox Sports 1, 7:30 p.m.) and Georgetown at Xavier (Fox Sports 1, 10 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Hugh Jackman, Kerry Washington, Kiesza (rerun). The View: Chris Rock, J.B. Smoove, David Zinczenko, Bella Thorne (rerun). The Talk: Craig Ferguson, Brooke Anderson, Vic Casanova (rerun). Ellen DeGeneres: David Spade, Noah Ritter, Meghan Trainor (rerun). Wendy Williams: Donald Trump (rerun). Meredith Vieira: Jennie Garth (rerun). Queen Latifah: Kevin Bacon, Snoop Dogg (rerun).
Late Talk
David Letterman: Stupid Pet Tricks, Charlie Day, Kevin Harvick, Hiss Golden Messenger (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Mark Wahlberg, Kevin Nealon (rerun). Seth Meyers: James Corden, Vanessa Bayer, Robert Earl (rerun). Craig Ferguson: Matthew McConaughey, Frank Nicotero, Metallica (rerun). Carson Daly: Mark Pellegrino, Dum Dum Girls (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Smokey Robinson (rerun). Conan O’Brien: Ashton Kutcher, Krysten Ritter, Beck (rerun).