The countdown is something that largely happens on television these days, so there’s another load of specials ringing in 2024.
The grandaddy is “Dick Clark’s Primetime New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2024” (ABC, 8 p.m.) an annual exercise now saddled with such a long title. Seacrest’s co-hosts have improved to Rita Ora and Jeannie Mai. LL Cool J will perform in Times Square just before midnight, also on the roster: Janelle Monáe, Green Day, Megan Thee Stallion, Sabrina Carpenter, Jelly Role, Tyla, Ellie Goulding, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Loud Luxury x Two Friens with Bebe Rexha, Doechii, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Ludacris, Paul Russell, Reneé Rapp with Coco Jones, Acqa, Post Malone and Ivy Queen. In addition, Cardi B will perform in Miami. And there will be a lot of commercials.
“New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash” (CBS, 7:30 p.m.) offers Thomas Rhett, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Lainey Wilson and Elle King performing from Music City’s Bicentennial Park stage. Cody Alan, Lonnie Quinn and Dustin Lynch will report from Times Square. There will also be performances from acts that include Trace Adkins, Grace Bowers, Brothers Osborne, Jon Pardi, Blake Shelton, Trombone Shorty, Morgan Wallen and Old Dominion.
Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen will once again join together to host “New Year’s Eve Live” (CNN, 8 p.m.), where past events have included drinking or teetotaling. Performers include Darius Rucker, Enrique Iglesias, FloRida, Jonas Brothers, Maroon 5, Miranda Lambert and Rod Stewart. Appearances are also expected from Jeremy Renner, Neil Patrick Harris, Patti LaBelle, David Blaine and Bowen Yang.
“Cynthia Erivo & Friends: A New Year’s Eve Celebration” is the title of “Next at the Kennedy Center” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings). Friends include Ben Platt and Joaquin Kalukango. The event was taped Dec. 6, days after Erivo sang “Alfie” in tribute to Dionne Warwick as part of the Kennedy Centers Honors event that aired last week.
Remember when MTV used to have a big countdown bash? Tonight it’s a replay of “Titanic” (MTV 8:30 p.m.).
Sunday Night Football has Green Bay at Minnesota (NBC, 8:20 p.m.). Earlier games include San Francisco at Washington (Fox, 1 p.m.), Miami at Baltimore (CBS, 1 p.m.) and Cincinnati at Kansas City (CBS, 4:25 p.m.).
What’s been a good YouTube series finally makes its way to cable with Yvonne Orji hosting the panel discussion “Off Script with the Hollywood Reporter” (Sundance TV, 8 a.m.). Weird time, though,
Not encouraging post-holiday travel is a two-day marathon of “Air Disasters” (Smithsonian, midnight). Other marathons? How about the late Suzanne Somers in a 16 hour marathon of “Three’s Company” (Sundance, 10 a.m.)? How about getting happy with 10 hours of “The Partridge Family” (Antenna TV, 7 p.m.)? Or eight hours of “The Drew Carey Show” (Rewind, 8 p.m.)?
The best of them is the annual two and a half day run of 68 episodes of “Twilight Zone” (H&I Network, 8 p.m.). H&I, which stands for Heroes & Icons, is a digital channel offshoot of MeTV.
If you ever wanted to catch up with the “Murdaugh Murders: The Movie” (8 p.m.), they’re running all four hours of it.
Films with prominent New Year’s Eve scenes are on Turner Classic Movies all day, with “’Til We Meet Again” (6 a.m.), “Ocean’s Eleven” (8 a.m.), “After the Thin Man” (10:15 a.m.), “An American in Paris” (12:15 p.m.), “Radio Days” (2:15 p.m.), “Holiday” (4 p.m.) and “An Affair to Remember” (6 p.m.). After that, it’s all comedies into the New Year, with “Spaceballs” (8 p.m.), “Top Secret” (9:45 p.m.), “This is Spinal Tap” (11:30 p.m.), “Fear of a Black Hat” (1 a.m.), “The Kentucky Fried Movie” (2:45 a.m.) and “Murder by Death” (4:15 a.m.).
Men’s college basketball includes South Dakota State at North Dakota (CBS Sports, 1 p.m.) and University of Nebraska-Omaha at South Dakota (CBS Sports, 3 p.m.).
Women’s games include Clemson at North Carolina (CW, noon).
The World Junior Hockey Championship has Slovakia vs. United States (NHL, 6 a.m.), Finland vs. Sweden (NHL, 8:30 p.m.), Switzerland vs. Czech Republic (NHL, 11 a.m.) and Germany vs. Canada (NHL, 1:30 p.m.).
Men’s college hockey has Harvard at Connecticut (ESPNU, 3 p.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: Rep. Mike Turner, former Trump White House staffers Alyssa Farah Griffin, Cassidy Hutchinson and Sarah Matthews. CBS: Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. NBC: Sen. John Fetterman, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. CNN: New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Sen. Chris Murphy. Fox: Reps. Henry Cuellar and Tony Gonzales, White House Council of Economic Advisers chair Jared Bernstein.