TV best bets for the week of Dec. 22
Sunday, Dec. 22
“Watson”
Animal Planet, 8 p.m.
Stand by to ram! The daring battles waged by charismatic Sea Shepherd Conservation Society founder Capt. Paul Watson and his crew were chronicled in the Animal Planet series “Whale Wars” (2008-15). Now award-winning documentarian Lesley Chilcott combines archival clips of Watson’s fleet challenging whaling vessels, seal hunters and shark skinners with new interviews and gorgeous undersea footage.
“A Home for the Holidays With Idina Menzel”
CBS, 9 p.m.
Idina Menzel performs songs from her new album “Christmas: A Season of Love” and introduces uplifting stories about adoption from foster care. Adam Lambert, Ne-Yo and Kelly Rowland also perform.
“Mr. Robot”
USA Network, 9 p.m.
Series finale
The trippy drama that gave Rami Malek his big break as Elliot, a hacker with multiple personality disorder, blows our minds one last time with a two-part series ender.
Monday, Dec. 23
NFL Football: Green Bay at Minnesota
ESPN, 5 p.m.
Aaron Rodgers leads the Green Bay Packers into Minneapolis to duel with Kirk Cousins and the NFC North rival Minnesota Vikings in the season finale of “Monday Night Football.”
“Holidays With the Houghs”
NBC, 8 p.m.
Brother and sister — and Emmy-winning choreographers — Derek and Julianne Hough put their friendly sibling rivalry on display in this festive hourlong holiday special. The pair perform individually and together in musical and dance performances as they put their own spin on holiday classics, share family holiday traditions and create new ones. Top recording stars and celebrity friends will also appear in the special.
“Challenge”
Food Network, 10 p.m.
Season premiere
Ian Ziering hosts the return of “Challenge,” where the country’s top cake makers and bakers compete against each other in two rounds of themed battles to create mind-blowing edible works of art for a $10,000 grand prize.
Tuesday, Dec. 24
“Lost in Space”
Netflix
New dangers and adventures are ahead for the Robinson family in Season 2 of this reboot. With the Jupiter 2 stranded on a mysterious ocean planet without the beloved Robot, the family must work together alongside the manipulative Dr. Smith (Parker Posey) and the charming Don West (Ignacio Serricchio) to make it back to the Resolute and reunite with the other colonists.
“It’s a Wonderful Life”
NBC, 8 p.m.
Spend Christmas Eve watching Frank Capra’s beloved 1946 holiday classic. Jimmy Stewart stars as George Bailey, a discouraged and despairing building-and-loan manager who contemplates suicide before a guardian angel named Clarence (Henry Travers) intervenes and allows him to see what George’s small town of Bedford Falls would be without him — and all that is right in his world. Donna Reed and Lionel Barrymore also star.
24 Hours of “A Christmas Story”
TBS beginning at 8 p.m.; TNT beginning at 9 p.m.
Ralphie’s quest for that Red Ryder BB gun in this 1983 classic just never gets old.
Wednesday, Dec. 25
NBA basketball
ABC & ESPN, beginning at 9 a.m.
The NBA’s Christmas Day tradition continues with Boston at Toronto (ESPN), Milwaukee at Philadelphia (ABC), Houston at Golden State (ABC), L.A. Clippers at L.A. Lakers (ESPN) and New Orleans at Denver (ESPN).
“Lucy Worsley’s 12 Days of Tudor Christmas”
PBS, 8 p.m.
Join historian Worsley on a 12-day extravaganza as she discovers that much of what we enjoy during the modern Christmas season — from carols to turkey, gift-giving to mistletoe and mulled wine — has surprising Tudor origins rooted in devotion and charity.
“Call the Midwife” Holiday Special
PBS, 9 p.m.
Mother Mildred and the Nonnatus House team travel to the Outer Hebrides to help during a nursing shortage.
Thursday, Dec. 26
“America in Color” Marathon
Smithsonian Channel, beginning at 6 a.m.
Take a fascinating look back at 20th-century America as the Smithsonian Channel presents a marathon of “America in Color,” beginning this morning with “The 1920s” and concluding with “Small Town Life.”
“Despicable Me 3”
FX, 8 p.m.
Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig and Trey Parker lead the voice cast of the third installment in this animated comedy franchise. This time, Gru (Carell) is joined by his twin brother Dru (also Carell) and a cavalcade of Minions.
“You”
Netflix
Penn Badgley stars as serial killer and bookstore manager Joe Goldberg in this psychological thriller, which returns for its second season on the streaming service.
Friday, Dec. 27
College football
ESPN & FS1, beginning at 9 a.m.
Bowl games airing on ESPN on Friday include the Military Bowl, the Pinstripe Bowl, the Texas Bowl and the Cheez-It Bowl. FS1 airs the Holiday Bowl.
“Duran Duran: There’s Something You Should Know”
Showtime, 9 p.m.
In this documentary, the hit ’80s English New Wave band opens up about its extraordinary career and talks candidly about the highs and lows the group has endured over four long decades.
“Ghost Loop”
Travel Channel, 10 p.m.
New series
In each episode of this series, a team of paranormal experts steps in to help both the living and the dead in cases involving “ghost loops” — endless and repetitive supernatural cycles. In the series premiere, the team heads to Houston, where homeowner Becky is terrified by sounds of someone breaking into her home night after night, only to encounter an aggressive male entity who routinely attacks her.
Saturday, Dec. 28
College football
ESPN & ABC, beginning at 9 a.m.
The top four teams in the final College Football Playoff rankings play in the CFP semifinals at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta and the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, both on ESPN. Other college football bowl games Saturday are the Camping World Bowl (ABC) and the Cotton Bowl Classic (ESPN).
“Destination Fear”
Travel, 10 p.m.
The “Destination Fear” team faces its biggest paranormal challenge yet when it rolls up to an abandoned asylum in Spring City, Pennsylvania. The hissing, violent entities within leave the paranormal explorers wondering if they’ll ever return home from their terrifying road trip.
Austin City Limits’ Hall of Fame Honors
PBS, 11 p.m.
Celebrate 2019 Hall of Fame inductees Shawn Colvin, Buddy Guy and Lyle Lovett with host Robert Earl Keen. Guest performers include Jackson Browne, Bruce Hornsby, Shemekia Copeland, Jimmie Vaughan, Sarah Jarosz and more.
