Seems silly to watch TV to ensure the passage of time — the clock will strike midnight on your wrist as sure as it will on Times Square. But 2019 will be ushered in with a growing number of TV specials that seem to be starting earlier and earlier.
“Dick Clark’s Primetime New Year’s Rocking’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” (ABC, 8 p.m.) is not only the longest of the current specials; it also has the longest title. Among the performers all night from Times Square will be Bastille, Dan + Shay, New Kids on the Block and Christina Aguilera. The ever-annoying Jenny McCarthy, now known as Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, will report from the street and distribute questionable information about immunization. Ciara hosts from Hollywood, Lucy Hales is in New Orleans.
“Fox New Year’s Eve with Steve Harvey: Live from Times Square” (Fox, 8 p.m.) features Sting, Florence + The Machine, Robin Thicke and Jason Aldean. Maria Menounos co-hosts and there will be appearances by Kenan Thompson and Ken Jeong.
Carson Daly, Leslie Jones and Chrissy Teigen host “NBC’s New Year’s Eve” (NBC, 10 p.m.) from New York; Keith Urban is host from Nashville. Among the performers are Diana Ross, Kelly Clarkson, Andy Grammer, John Legend and Blake Shelton.
There for the drinks, earlier, are Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb hosting the “A Toast to 2018!” (NBC, 8 p.m.), complete with exclamation mark.
Not content to be mere musical guest on a New Year’s Eve special, Taylor Swift presents the entirety of her overblown stadium tour in the streaming “Taylor Swift: Reputation Stadium Tour” (Netflix, streaming).
Other concerts are running all day on AXS TV with “Guitar Legends for Heroes” (10 a.m.), “Paul McCartney – Rockshow” (11:05 a.m.), “Joe Bonamassa: Live from the Royal Albert Hall” (1:40 p.m.), “Volunteer Jam XX: A Tribute to Charlie Daniels” (2:45 p.m.), “We Walk the Line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash” (4:45 p.m.), “Santana Live at the 1982 US Festival” (6:15 p.m.), “The Rolling Stones: Havana Moon” (7:30 p.m.), “The Rocky Mountain Way” (9:30 p.m.), “Sammy Hagar’s Birthday Bash” (11 p.m.) and “Metallica: Francais Pour Une Nuit” (midnight).
Serving up different music is the New York Philharmonic conducted by Jaap van Zweden playing “Live from Lincoln Center” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings) with an appearance with opera’s Renée Fleming.
And its own genre will be the rock and Americana in the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame New Year’s Special (PBS, 10:30 p.m., check local listings) inducting Ray Charles, Marcia Ball and Los Lobos. Chris Isaak hosts a roster that includes Norah Jones, Gary Clark Jr. and Robert Randolph.
The “iHeart Music Festival Night 2” (CW, 8 p.m.) with Mariah Carey, Panic at the Disco, Shawn Mendes and Kygo is rerun.
A break from a year of bad news comes in the annual “New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen” (CNN, 8 p.m.), with the Bravo host replacing Kathy Griffin.
On the premiere of “Winner Cake All” (Food, 10 p.m.) four teams work on cake decoration for a destination bachelorette party.
Capt. Jack spends a final day in the Bahamas on “Unanchored” (Bravo, 10 p.m).
“That’s Entertainment!” (TCM, 8 p.m.), the 1974 MGM musical compilation kicks off the night on Turner Classic Movies followed by its sequels, “That’s Entertainment! II” (10:30 p.m.), “That’s Entertainment! III” (12:45 a.m.), “That’s Dancing!” (3 a.m.) and “It’s Showtime” (5 a.m.).
But what of the “Thin Man” series with which they usually ring out the year? They’re earlier in the day with “The Thin Man” (8:45 a.m.), “After the Thin Man” (10:30 a.m.), “Another Thin Man” (12:30 p.m.), “Shadow of the Thin Man” (2:30 p.m.), “The Thin Man Goes Home” (4:15 p.m.) and “Song of the Thin Man” (6:15 p.m.).
There are half a dozen college football bowl games today starting with Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech (ESPN, noon) in the Military Bowl; Stanford vs. Pittsburgh (CBS, 2 p.m.) in he Sun Bowl; Michigan State vs. Oregon (Fox, 3 p.m.) in the Redbox Bowl; Missouri vs. Oklahoma State (ESPN, 3:45 p.m.) in the Liberty Bowl; Northwestern vs. Utah (Fox Sports 1, 7 p.m.) in the Holiday Bowl; and N.C. State vs. Texas A&M (ESPN, 7:30 p.m.) in the Gator Bowl.
Basketball has Boston at San Antonio (NBA, 7 p.m.).
Men’s college basketball includes Creighton at Providence (Fox Sports 1, 4 p.m.).
In hockey’s world junior championship, it’s Denmark vs. Czech Republic (NHL, 4 p.m.), Russia at Canada (NHL, 8 p.m.) and U.S. vs. Finland (NHL, 10:30 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
All reruns: The View: Jennifer Lopez, Leah Remini. Ellen DeGeneres: LeBron James, Channing Tatum, Naomi Osak, Dave Matthews Band. Wendy Williams: Jane Lynch, Kate Flannery. The Real: April Ryan, Princess Love, Ray J.
Late Talk
Reruns all: Stephen Colbert: Hugh Jackman, Jeff Tweedy, U.S. Army Band’s Six String Soldiers. Jimmy Fallon: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tyler Blevins, Black Thought with Salaam Remi. Seth Meyers: Saoirse Ronan, Mike Birbiglia, Patrick Droney, Richard Danielson. James Corden: Michael B. Jordan, Linda Cardellini, Eddie Redmayne, Death Cab for Cutie. Carson Daly: Jameela Jamil, Julien Baker, Hera Hilmar.