Before “The Bachelor” returns to swing his emotional weight next week on network TV, here’s a new series about sizable women on the prowl for men.
“Big Women: Big Love” (Lifetime, 10 p.m.) trades on the plus sized yearnings of five women whose demands seem larger than their dress sizes. The series gets a showcase tonight before moving to its regular time on Wednesdays starting next week. The producers behind “Jersey Shore” are producing this “dating docusoap,” if you can stomach that term.
I suppose if any one of them joined “The Biggest Loser” (NBC, 8 p.m.), they’d be kicked off the show.
Perversely,”Big Women” is paired tonight with the second season premiere of “Little Women: LA” (Lifetime, 9 p.m.), which is not about bulimics but little people.
For something a little classier, Zubin Mehta conducts the Vienna Philharmonic in the annual event “From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration 2015” (PBS, 2:30 and 8 p.m., check local listings). Julie Andrews again returns to host.
Nurse your hangover this morning with the piercing colors of The 126th Tournament of Roses Parade (ABC, 11 a.m., NBC, 11:30 a.m.). It’s also run commercial free on HGTV at 11, where “Property Brothers” Drew and Jonathan Scott provide commentary with Nancy O’Dell.
It precedes the Rose Bowl game, which is one half of the first time final four championship series for college football, with Oregon vs. Florida State (ESPN, 5 p.m.). The winner will play the victor of the Sugar Bowl, Alabama vs. Ohio State (ESPN, 8:30 p.m.). (When’s the last time neither of these games were on broadcast TV?).
Other college bowl games today include the Outback Bowl with Auburn vs. Wisconsin (ESPN, noon), Missouri vs. Minnesota (ABC, 1 p.m.) in the Citrus Bowl.
Hockey’s big event, the NHL Winter Classic, is in the Nation’s Capital today, where no snow is predicted. But there is an outdoor game: Blackhawks at Capitals (NBC, 1 p.m.).
A less heralded competition among all these sporting events is the “Donut Showdown” (Cooking, 9 p.m.).
A two hour episode of “The Taste” (ABC, 8 p.m.) pauses to toast the New Year, but ends up eliminating two cooks anyway.
Today’s the day HGTV unveils its annual “Dream Home” (HGTV, 8 p.m.), which is a three bedroom Cape Cod house on Martha’s Vineyard and will be given away before the season’s end.
The seventh and final season of “Bob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory” (MTV, 10 p.m.) rolls out.
Those looking for something new on New Year’s may be disappointed. Instead, unseen episodes of two canceled series: “Bad Judge” (NBC, 9 p.m.) and “A to Z” (NBC, 9:30 p.m.).
In a network crossover, Jill Zarin of “The Real Housewives of New York City” enlists the help of Patti Stanger to find somebody for her daughter, a college graduate, on “The Millionaire Matchmaker” (Bravo, 10 p.m.), possibly because she gets a network discount.
Seems fitting to ring in the new year with absurdity, so Turner Classic Movies has a full Marx Brothers marathon: “Horse Feathers” (8 p.m.), “A Night at the Opera” (9:15 p.m.), “A Day at the Races” (11 p.m.), “Room Service” (1 a.m.), “At the Circus” (2:30 a.m.) and “Go West” (4 a.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Lian Hemsworth, Sofia Vergara, Florida Georgia Line (rerun). The Talk: Roseanne Barr, Ellen K, Gail Simmons (rerun). Ellen DeGeneres: Wanda Sykes, Alison Sweeney, Jason Aldean (rerun). Wendy Williams: Russell Brand (rerun). Meredith Vieira: Padma Lakshmi, Bobbi Brown, Barbara Corcoran. Queen Latifah: Melissa Etheridge, Jordin Sparks, Tim Snell (rerun).
Late Talk
David Letterman: Meryl Streep, Rebel Wilson, J. Cole (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Chris Rock, Carrie Underwood (rerun). Jimmy Kimmel: Ethan Hawke, Timothy Spall, Walk the Moon (rerun). Seth Meyers: Bill O’Reilly, Krysten Ritter, Jungle (rerun). Craig Ferguson: Jimmy Kimmel, Yvette Nicole Brown (rerun). Carson Daly: Daniel Cerone, David S. Goyer, La Sera, Mike Lawrence (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Carl Reiner, Rob Reiner (rerun). Conan O’Brien: Jake Gyllenhaal, Judy Greer, the War on Drugs (rerun).