Between streaming and cable, there is a seemingly endless variety of things to watch. Here is a selection of TV shows and specials that air or stream this week, Dec. 23-29. Details and times are subject to change.
'I don't want a lot for Christmas ...'
On Christmas Eve, the dulcet tones of Andrea Bocelli could fill your home during the special "Christmas with Andrea Bocelli and Friends." Those friends include Dua Lipa and Josh Groban, who were both featured on the crooner's album "Duets: 30th Anniversary." Tuesday at 8 p.m. on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.
If you have missed seeing Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro on your TV screens since "Dancing with the Stars" wrapped up this season, you are in luck. The duo are back to host the Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade with performances beaming in from Florida, California, Hawaii and the Bahamas. Along with some classic Disney characters, there will be performances by Elton John, Andy Grammer and John Legend. Wednesday at 10 a.m. on ABC and streaming on Disney+.
Football is headed to Netflix this Christmas, with the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers. Taylor Swift might have just ended her two-year-long Eras tour, but her boyfriend, the Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, is booked and busy during this holiday game. Next up that day is the Baltimore Ravens vs. the Houston Texans, and that game will be hosting a very special guest: Beyoncé is set to take the stage during the halftime show. It will be first time she is performing songs from her latest album, "Cowboy Carter." She won't be the only pop diva there though. The livestream is going to start with a pretaped performance of Mariah Carey singing "All I Want for Christmas is You" to really get fans into the spirit. Starting at 1 p.m. on Netflix.
If football or parades aren't really your thing, it is also the perfect week to catch up on some holiday classics available on streaming. Laugh, cry and seethe with anger at Alan Rickman's character in "Love Actually," streaming on Prime Video. Stare at Jude Law's baby blues and dream of a cottage in a snowy English town in "The Holiday," streaming on Prime Video. Relive cozy Christmases past with "A Charlie Brown Christmas," streaming on Apple TV.
Oh, what a year it has been.
Brat summer, Joe Biden dropping out of the presidential race, Glicked, the election, Moo Deng -- and that's not even the half of it. Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson sit down to riff on this wild year in their special "2024 Back That Year Up." Hopefully it'll be the catharsis we need to move into 2025 with a somewhat clean slate. Streaming on Peacock on Monday.
In a similar broadcast, Robin Roberts will be hosting "The Year: 2024" to debrief some newsworthy moments of the year, including the election, the Summer Olympics, accusations against the music mogul Sean Combs, the war in Ukraine and so much more. And Roberts isn't just recapping -- she's interviewing people who were part of these moments, including Stephen Nedoroscik (the pummel horse guy), the astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, Lara Trump and Elton John to name a few. Thursday at 9 p.m. on ABC.
Netflix has hosted its fair share of roasts, including of Tom Brady and the Jonas Brothers. But now, they are roasting ... this year. Hosted by Jeff Ross, "Torching 2024: A Roast of the Year" will feature the comedians Hannah Berner, Mark Normand and Sam Morr. There is a lot to skewer, so I can't wait to see what they come up with. Streaming on Friday on Netflix.
Get your guard back up.
The first season of "Squid Game" was so popular it led to fan experiences and a reality show -- and now it is back, three years later, for its second season with the same exact plot as the first. Cash-strapped contestants compete in games to try to earn money, but the stakes are life or death. Streaming on Netflix on Thursday.