Tonight it's time for Rudolph's Shiny New Year. Tuesday night watch the Kennedy Center Honors. Wednesday night the kids will like The Polar Express. Thursday night it's time for Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!. Friday night Chuck is new. Saturday night rock in the new year with Dick Clark. Sunday night on Sunday Night Football the winner of the NFC East is decided.
US television highlights for the week of December 26, 2011. Times are ET, shows are new unless noted as repeats. Tagged for your pleasure: tvtw .
Monday
Rudolph's Shiny New Year, special, 1 hr., 8:00pm, ABC.
Santa receives a message from Father Time, telling him that Happy, the Baby New Year, is missing, and without him, the new year will never come, but with the fog and snow, Rudolph and his red nose are the only hope for finding him.
The Closer, Silent Partner. 9:00pm, TNT.
A shocking murder related to Turell Baylor's unfortunate death leads to a shocking outcome in Brenda's federal lawsuit case, but in order to get to the bottom of the case, she turns to a man with much-needed information about the event.
The Layover, Montreal. 9:00pm, Travel.
Anthony Bourdain has a layover in Montreal, so he calls up a local chef friend and travels to hot spots of the city that cannot be found in any visitor's guide; Anthony sees firsthand how inherent cuisine and amusement are in his local surroundings.
Rock Center with Brian Williams. 10:00pm, NBC.
A look into "Kickstarter," a grassroots funding model and one of the largest 'crowd-funding' sites on the web; Lou Bellamy's life and works; awkward family photos, the holiday edition; a medical mystery is investigated; Regis Philbin.
Rizzoli & Isles, Burning Down the House. 10:00pm, TNT.
The girls must use their talents to find the true culprit behind the death of a firefighter after the unfortunate hero is caught in the middle of an out-of-control warehouse fire, which leaves them suspecting arson as the potential cause of death.
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Tuesday
The 34th Annual Kennedy Center Honors, special, 2 hrs., 9:00pm, CBS.
Various artists, friends and peers join this year's five honorees Barbara Cook, Neil Diamond, Yo-Yo Ma, Sonny Rollins and Meryl Streep, as they are honored for their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts.
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Wednesday
The Polar Express, 2004 movie, 2 hrs., 8:00pm, AMC.
A young boy's doubts about Santa's existence are allayed when he is invited aboard a magical train for a journey to the North Pole, where he is treated to a special gift reserved only for those who truly believe in Santa. Voices of: Tom Hanks, Nona Gaye, Michael Jeter, Peter Scolari, Eddie Deezen, and Charles Fleischer.
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Thursday
Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!, special, 1 hr., 8:00pm, ABC.
Over the Christmas break, Charlie Brown is assigned a book report on "War and Peace" that is due on the first day back from the break, but dance lessons and a party distract him from finishing the project until the last day of the break.
Three Inches, Pilot. 9:00pm, Syfy.
After being struck by lightning, a lifelong underachiever develops the unique ability to move any object using his mind, but only up to a distance of three inches; individuals with unique abilities are recruited to fight crime. 2 hrs.
Beavis and Butt-head, Whorehouse; Going Down. 10:00pm, MTV.
Beavis and Butt-head are excited to gain entrance to a brothel, but they soon make a surprising discovery about the adult entertainment business, and later, the two teenaged friends get stuck in an elevator with an attractive woman.
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Friday
Chuck, Chuck Versus the Baby. 8:00pm, NBC.
Sarah feels insistent about sticking to her own devices after Chuck offers his assistance to her in dealing with a buried secret from her past, and her original handler makes her feel like anyone, including her mother, could be put in danger.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 2005 movie, 3 hrs., 8:00pm, ABC.
Four children fleeing London during World War II pass through a mysterious wardrobe into the world of Narnia, a magical land where mythical creatures await the savior who will free them from the curse of eternal winter wrought by an evil witch.
Grimm. 9:00pm, NBC.
A homicide detective suddenly begins to experience a series of disturbing visions that he can't explain, until he learns that he is a member of an elite group charged with the task of hunting and destroying supernatural creatures and villains.
Sanctuary, Sanctuary for None, Part 2. 10:00pm, Syfy.
Magnus is forced into a corner when the new Abnormal Homeland comes under threat; Henry and Tesla learn that the SCIU has a new weapon against Abnormals; Bigfoot and Kate launch an investigation into Caleb's rise to power.
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Saturday - New Year's Eve
New Year's Rockin' Eve: The 40th Anniversary Party, 2 hrs., 8:00pm, ABC.
Jenny McCarthy and Fergie co-host the 40th Anniversary Party to commemorate the four-decade milestone of the popular New Year's Eve celebration and are joined by superstar performs The Band Perry, Blink-182, Gym Class Heroes, LMFAO, and more.
The Bourne Ultimatum, 2007 movie, 2½ hrs., 8:30pm, CBS.
A former CIA assassin suffering from amnesia returns to the United States to track down the people responsible for making him what he is and shut down the secret department that refuses to stop sending agents to eliminate him. Stars: Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, David Strathairn, Joan Allen, Albert Finney, and Scott Glenn.
Dick Clark's Primetime New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2012, 1 hr., 10:00pm, ABC.
Hosts Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest count down the final minutes of 2011 with reports from around the country and musical performances by Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Pitbull and Hot Chelle Rae; Jenny McCarthy reports from the crowd in Time Square.
NBC's New Year's Eve with Carson Daly, 1 hr., 10:00pm, NBC.
Carson Daly rings in the new year from Times Square along with some of the biggest names in music and reports by special correspondents and guests.
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Sunday - New Year's Day
Sunday Night Football, Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants. 8:15pm, NBC.
The winner wins the NFC East, the loser doesn't qualify for the play-offs.
Leverage, The Gold Job. 9:00pm, TNT.
In order to get justice and profit from a crooked duo that has taken advantage of the unfortunate victims of the recession, the team attempts to scam a brother and sister partnership involved in a highly successful Cash-for-Gold business.
Iron Chef America, Flay; Valladolid vs. Morimoto; Zimmern. 10:00pm, Food Network.
All-Stars Marcela Valladolid and Andrew Zimmern visit Kitchen Stadium to face off; as a special twist, the Chairman decides to pair them with Iron Chefs Bobby Flay and Masaharu Morimoto to see which pairs' cuisine will reign supreme.