What towatch THURSDAY
All times Central. Start times can vary based on cable/satellite provider. Confirm times on your on-screen guide.
Carols From King’s 2020 BritBox
An annual worldwide broadcasting phenomenon that takes place at the medieval chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, Carols from King’s is a beloved British celebration of Christmas. Every year, the King’s College Chapel Choir performs a carol service that always opens with “Once in Royal David’s
City” followed later on by a new, specially commissioned carol for each year.
Shadow Lines
Sundance Now New Series
This is the U.S. premiere of a 10-episode drama set in the 1950s in which the hottest spot of the Cold War is not Washington or Moscow but Helsinki, where the KGB and the CIA vie for control of Finland, a small Nordic country wedged between East and West powers. Helena (Emmi Parviainen), a student freshly returned from the United States, is recruited by her godfather to join a top-secret Finnish task force in its ongoing missions: preventing the two global powerhouses meddling in the presidential election and keeping their homeland independent. But as she begins to discover the truth about her past, her personal and professional life collide. With long-kept secrets and political agendas coming to a head, the team must overcome the lies and distrust if they have any chance of succeeding. All episodes are available today.
Doctor Who Christmas Specials Marathon
BBC America, beginning at 5:15 a.m. Spend Christmas with the Doctor as BBC America presents a marathon of Doctor Who Christmas specials throughout the day and continuing Friday.
Christmas Eve With the Family
IFC, beginning at 6:05 a.m.
If you can’t spend Christmas with your own
family, IFC makes you a holiday offer you can’t refuse with nearly 24 hours of classic drama and comedy related to mob families. Enjoy Goodfellas (1990), The Godfather (1972), The Godfather Part II (1974) and My Cousin Vinny (1992; airs twice today).
General Hospital ABC, 1 p.m.
In this repeat from Sept. 16, 2020, Stella (Vernee Watson) is sympathetic, Sonny (Maurice Benard) reminisces about what might have been and Brando (Johnny Wactor) has a moment with Josslyn (Eden McCoy).
College Football: New Mexico Bowl
ESPN, 2:30 p.m. Live
ESPN has coverage of the New Mexico
Bowl, which has traditionally taken place in Albuquerque but will take place at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, this year due to New Mexico’s COVID-19 restrictions.
The Greatest Showman ABC, 7 p.m.
In the network broadcast premiere of this 2017 musical, Hugh Jackman stars as P.T. Barnum, a visionary who rose from nothing to create the “Greatest Show on Earth,” a spectacle and celebration of his larger-than-life imagination that captivated audiences around the globe.
Yuletide Yeti
Travel Channel, 7 p.m.
In “Yeti in America,” shocking new evidence suggests that the yeti, one of the world’s most elusive and dangerous monsters, not only may come from an otherworldly source but also resides in America.
Greek Island Odyssey Marathon
Smithsonian Channel, beginning at 8 p.m. Historian Bettany Hughes has embarked on an epic, personal journey. Inspired by Homer’s The Odyssey, she will sail the unpredictable Mediterranean seas, tracing Odysseus’s long journey home. Her mission: to experience what the Greek hero experienced and to uncover truths behind the myths and legends, all while enjoying the delights of ancient Greece today. Follow her 1,700-mile adventure as it takes her to over a dozen islands and 22 historic sites and puts her through two hairraising storms and even an earthquake.
24 Hours of A Christmas Story Marathon TNT, 8 p.m.
“You’ll shoot your eye out!” All 9-year-old Ralphie Parker wanted for the holidays was a Red Ryder air rifle, but the days leading up to Christmas where he is surrounded by his lessthan-perfect family and all sorts of setbacks make this one of the most memorable and funny holiday classics of all time.
Christmas Eve Mass
NBC, 10:30 p.m.
Watch the Pope Francis-led Mass from St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.