TV This Week, Dec. 18-24: ‘A Christmas Story’ marathon and more
SUNDAY
Neither nuns nor Nazis can hold Julie Andrews back in the beloved 1965 tale “The Sound of Music.” With Christopher Plummer. 7 p.m. ABC
Scientists, mathematicians and miscellaneous brainiacs collect kudos and cash in the special “Breakthrough Prize.” Morgan Freeman hosts and Alicia Keys performs. 7 p.m. Fox
“Sleigh Bells Ring”… are you listening? Hello? “How I Met Your Mother’s” Erin Cahill stars in this new holiday romance. 8 p.m. Hallmark Channel
Royal pains: “The Hollow Crown” continues on “Great Performances” with “Henry VI, Part II.” With Tom Sturridge, Sophie Okonedo and Benedict Cumberbatch. 9 p.m. KOCE
The doc-series “Hoarders” unloads some new episodes. 9 and 10 p.m. A&E
MONDAY
The president’s better half chats with Stedman’s best gal in “First Lady Michelle Obama Says Farewell to the White House — An Oprah Winfrey Special.” 8 p.m. CBS
“America’s Got Talent: Holiday Spectacular” features a slew of former “AGT” contestants including the reigning champ — singer-songwriter and ukulele player Grace VanderWaal. 8 p.m. NBC
Score! “Antiques Roadshow” reviews its favorite finds from the past 20 seasons. 8 p.m. KOCE
The new documentary “Risky Drinking” details the dangers of excessive alcohol use. 8 p.m. HBO
Olympic gymnast Simone Biles is among feisty females feted in the new special “Marie Claire Young Women’s Honors.” “Jane the Virgin’s” Gina Rodriguez hosts. 9 p.m. KTLA
This year’s edition of “Christmas With the Mormon Tabernacle Choir” features Broadway’s Laura Osnes (“Cinderella”) as well as soloists from New York’s Metropolitan Opera. 9 p.m. KOCE
Chris Hardwick is gonna host “The Wall” and NBC’s going to pay for it in this new big-bucks trivia challenge featuring a 40-foot-high contraption that looks like a giant pachinko machine. 10 p.m. NBC
William … Shatner is … host … Neil deGrasse Tyson’s … guest on a … new “StarTalk.” 11 p.m. National Geographic Channel
TUESDAY
Canadian crooner “Michael Bublé Sings and Swings” in Manchester, England, in his latest special. 8 p.m. NBC
One of the stars of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” helps everyday folks get their holiday parties started right in the limited series “Terry Crews Saves Christmas.” 8 p.m. KTLA; also Wed.-Thu., and 8 and 9 p.m. Fri.
The likes of Lady Gaga, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder and Elton John salute a truly legendary singer in the new special “Tony Bennett Celebrates 90: The Best Is Yet to Come.” Andrea Bocelli, Michael Bublé, Billy Joel, Diana Krall and k.d. lang. 8 and 9 p.m. NBC
The new special “The Year: 2016” looks back at what was, if you ask us, a rather uneventful 12 months. 9 p.m. ABC
The campy horror drama “Scream Queens” ends its second season. 9 p.m. Fox
WEDNESDAY
The CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop gets busy stuffing on the season premiere of “The Undercover Boss.” 8 p.m. CBS
The story behind daredevil Luke Aikins’ epic 25,000-foot free-fall, sans parachute, is told in the new special “Heaven Sent: The Journey to the Jump.” 8 p.m. National Geographic Channel
Country cuties Cassadee Pope and Dustin Lynch square off on a new “Lip Sync Battle.” 9 p.m. Spike
“Hamilton’s” Lin-Manuel Miranda, Chance the Rapper, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and plus-size supermodel Ashley Graham are among the famous faces featured in the new special “Game Changers With Robin Roberts.” 10 p.m. ABC
“Joe’s Pub Presents A Holiday Special” featuring comic Jen Kirkman, the Dap-Kings, et al., and hosted by “Veep’s” Tony Hale. 10 p.m. IFC
Conan O’Brien, Rashida Jones, Jane Lynch and Fred Willard come a-wassailing in the new holiday special “Surprise! Instant Xmas Carol!” With Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Ludacris, T-Pain and Kenny G. 10 p.m. TBS
THURSDAY
It’s the animated holiday classic so nice, they’re showing it twice. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is back for an encore. 8 p.m. ABC
The winning designer will be revealed when “Project Runway” ends its 15th cycle, with guest judge Zendaya. Then, the spin-off series “Project Runway: Junior” launches its sophomore season with returning co-hosts Tim Gunn and Hannah Jeter. 8 and 10 p.m. Lifetime
FRIDAY
Reconnect with all your favorite “sensates” — Capheus, Sun, Nomi, Kala, Riley, Wolfgang, Lito and Will — in “Sense8: A Christmas Special,” a feature-length episode of the Wachowskis’ mind-bending and heart-rending sci-fi drama that’s set to start its second season in 2017. Any time, Netflix
“Trollhunters” is a new kid-friendly animated series from Guillermo Del Toro that features the voices of Kelsey Grammer, Ron Perlman, “The Walking Dead’s” Steven Yeun and the late Anton Yelchin. Any time, Netflix
They’ll be singing in the season for the first time at the brand-spanking new Musco Center for the Arts in Orange in the “53rd Annual Wassail Concert at Chapman University.” 7 p.m. KCET
A worthy cause: Miranda Lambert and others perform to raise awareness of adoption in this year’s edition of “A Home for the Holidays.” With Alessia Cara and Rachel Platten. 8 p.m. CBS
Also back for an encore is the animated holiday classic “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Boris Karloff narrates. 8 p.m. NBC
Stars give their regards to the Bard in the new gala special “Shakespeare Live! From the Royal Shakespeare Company.” With Benedict Cumberbatch, Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Helen Mirren, David Suchet, David Tennant, et al. 9 p.m. KOCE
SATURDAY
Live from the beautiful Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, it’s the “57th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration.” Nearly two dozen local music groups, choirs and dance companies take part in this family-friendly show co-hosted by Cheryl Burke (“Dancing With the Stars”) and “Scandal’s” Brian White. 3 p.m. KOCE; repeats at 9 p.m.
Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum go old-school Hollywood in the Coen brothers’ 2016 Tinseltown tale “Hail, Caesar!” Tilda Swinton, Ralph Fiennes, Jonah Hill and Frances McDormand also star. 8 p.m. HBO
“A Christmas Story” is the gift that keeps on giving. The annual 24-hour marathon of the 1983 comedy starring Peter Billingsley, Melinda Dillon and Darren McGavin is back, with showings every two hours. 8 p.m. TBS and TNT
A seriously ill young girl is inexplicably healed after a near-death experience in the inspirational 2016 drama “Miracles From Heaven.” With Jennifer Garner and Queen Latifah. 9 p.m. Starz
Exterminate! Exterminate! The six-part animated tale “Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks” concludes. 11 p.m. BBC America
Late-night religious observances include “Christmas Eve Mass” from St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. 11:30 p.m. NBC
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