Four full hours before that mirrored ball considers any movement, three networks pop their champagne corks with premature New Year’s Even coverage — four if you count PBS.
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“Dick Clark’s Primetime New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” (ABC, 8 p.m.) begins the long evening, peppered with pop performances from Demi Lovato, Pentatonix, One Direction, Alessia Cara, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan and inane interviews in Times Square from Jenny McCarthy.
Fergie is exiled to the West Coast. Jimmy Buffet sings from the Barclays Center. And loads of people will count backwards from 10.
The night is just as long on NBC where “A Toast to 2015!” (NBC, 8 p.m.) from the ever-toasting Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb with interviews with Eva Longoria to Zooey Deschanel. That leads to “NBC’s New Year’s Game Night with Andy Cohen” (NBC, 10 p.m.) with the Bravo guy hosting celebrities that include Bob Saget, John Stamos, Whitney Cummings, Chris Parnell, Bob Harper, JB Smoove, Rob Riggle and Sassier Zapata.
A half hour before midnight “New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) kicks in, with Gwen Stefani among the guests.
“Pitbull’s New Year’s Revolution, Part 1” (Fox, 8 p.m.) returns from Miami, with Shawn Mendes, Prince Royce, Austin Mahone, Pia Mia and Jussie Smollett among the performers. “Part 2” comes after midnight.
On public TV, the New York Philharmonic rings in the New year at David Geffen Hall “Live from Lincoln Center” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings). It’s followed by “Michael Feinstein’s New Year’s Eve at the Rainbow Room” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings) with Darren Criss and Aaron Tveit.
The most uncomfortable pairing of the evening occurs again when Anderson Cooper is joined by Kathy Griffin on “New Year’s Eve Live” (CNN, 9 p.m.). At last they’ll be better than Kimberly Guilfoyle and Eric Bolling on “All American New Year” (Fox News, 10 p.m.) which will feature an appearance from Donald Trump.
The “iHeart Music Festival” (The CW, 8 p.m.) with Jason Derulo, Cold Play, Sam Smith, Kanye West, Duran Duran, Kenny Chesney and Demi Lovato is rerun. Part 2 reruns tomorrow.
The College Football Playoff Semifinals are played at two of the most prominent bowl games, Oklahoma vs. Clemson (ESPN, 4 p.m.) in the Orange Bowl, and Michigan State vs. Alabama (ESPN, 8 p.m.) in the Cotton Bowl. Winners face one another for the championship Jan. 11. The other major college bowl game today has Houston vs. Florida State (ESPN, noon) in the Peach Bowl.
Not to be confused with the Sugar Bowl (which is tomorrow) is “Sugar Showdown” (Cooking Channel, 9 p.m.) in which bakers compete for $10,000.
“Billy on the Street” (truTV, 10:30 p.m.) ends its season with guests Julianna Margulies and Lucy Liu.
Turner Classic Movies rings in the new year with all six “Thin Man” movies with William Powell and Myrna Loy in chronological order. That is to say: “The Thin Man” (8 p.m.), “After the Thin Man” (9:45 p.m.), “Another Thin Man” (11:45 p.m.), “Shadow of the Thin Man” (1:45 a.m.), “The Thin Man Goes Home” (3:30 a.m.) and “Song of the Thin Man” (5:15 a.m.).
Earlier in the day it’s all marx Brothers with “The Cocoanuts” (8:15 a.m.), “A Day at the Races” (10 a.m.), “A Night at the Opera” (noon), “Animal Crackers” (2 p.m.), “Monkey Business” (4 p.m.), “Horse Feathers” (5:30 p.m.) and “Duck Soup” (6:45 p.m.).
Men’s college basketball includes Xavier at Villanova (Fox Sports 1, noon), Creighton at St. John’s (Fox Sports 1, 2 p.m.), Drake at Wichita State (ESPNU, 2 p.m.), Providence at Butler (CBS Sports, 230 p.m.) and BYU at Saint Mary’s (ESPNU, 11 p.m.).
Hockey has Los Angeles at Calgary (NHL, 9 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Tom Hanks, Priyanka Chopra. The View: Viola Davis, Jack Falahee, Matt McGorry, Aja Naomi King, Liza Weil, Charlie Weber, Billy Brown, Jeanine Pirro (rerun). The Talk: Michael Weatherly, Eric Christian Olsen, Big Boy (rerun). Ellen DeGeneres: Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton, Anthony Mackie, Eric Stonestreet (rerun). Wendy Williams: Mack Wilds, Annie Georgia (rerun). The Real: Melissa Joan Hart (rerun). Meredith Vieira: Scott Foley (rerun).
Late Talk
Stephen Colbert: Sharon Stone, Justin Theroux, James Taylor (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Sandra Bullock, Rod Stewart (rerun). Seth Meyers: Tina Fey, Amy Poehloer, Ike Barinholtz, Maya Rudolph, Rachel Dratch, Paula Pell (rerun). James Corden: Jamie Lee Curtis, Sharon Osbourne, Elyes Gabel (rerun). Carson Daly: Mat Franco, Jesus and Mary Chain, Margaret Qualley (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Bryan Cranston. Conan O’Brien: Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Lupita Nyong’o, Gwendoline Christie (rerun).