TV AND STREAMING PICKS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Don’t miss: New Year’s Eve celebrations. There’s really no shame in staying home on the big night and partying in front of your TV — as long as you vacuum up the confetti in the morning. Among Tuesday’s festive specials is “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2020” (8 p.m., ABC), featuring performances by Post Malone, BTS, Sam Hunt, Alanis Morissette and more. Other options include “Fox’s New Year’s Eve With Steve Harvey: Live From Times Square” (8 p.m., Fox) and “NBC’S New Year’s Eve 2020” (10 p.m., NBC). The former has The Chainsmokers, The Lumineers, Florida Georgia Line, Backstreet Boys and others on the bill, while the latter boasts a lineup with Brett Eldredge, Ne-yo, Blake Shelton, The Struts and Gwen Stefani.
Other bets
Sunday: Tired of the same, old-school dating shows? Check out “Flirty Dancing.” When participating singles meet for the first time, it’s to perform a dance they’ve learned separately — and they can’t speak to each other. Will they have a physical chemistry? (8 p.m., Fox).
Sunday: The new drama series “Dare Me” delves into the cutthroat world of competitive high school cheerleading. It follows the fraught relationship between two best friends (Herizen Guardiola and Marlo Kelly) whose lives are changed when a shocking crime rocks their quiet Rust Belt town. (10 p.m., USA).
Monday: Directed by Ron Howard, “Pavarotti” is a documentary that promises an intimate portrait of the celebrated Italian opera singer, Luciano Pavarotti. The film features clips of his most memorable performances, never-before-seen footage and personal interviews. (8 p.m., Showtime).
Wednesday: “Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice” is an acclaimed documentary about the singer who soared to the top of the music scene in the late 1960s and became the first female musician to top the pop, country and R&B music charts simultaneously. Ronstadt narrates her story over footage of personal photos and her concert performances. (9 p.m., CNN).
Wednesday: As a new season of “Doctor Who” begins, intelligence agents around the world are under attack from alien forces. MI6 turns to the only people who can help — The Doctor and friends. (8 p.m., BBC America).
Wednesday: In the new drama series “Messiah,” a CIA officer (Michelle Monaghan) investigates a charismatic man (Mehdi Dehbi) who sparks a spiritual movement and stirs political unrest. Is he really a divine entity or a deceptive con artist? (Netflix).
Thursday: In the Season 8 opener of Tim Allen’s “Last Man Standing,” Mike helps Vanessa deal with empty nest syndrome, while Kristin announces her pregnancy to the family and unknowingly upsets Mandy in the process. (8 p.m., Fox).
Thursday: Stephen Dorff stars in the new crime drama “Deputy.” He plays a fifth-generation lawman thrust into leading the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department after his boss dies unexpectedly. (9 p.m., Fox).
Jan. 3: Here’s a crossover event made in paradise: Steve Mcgarrett and Thomas Magnum join forces in a story that begins on “Hawaii Five-0” (8 p.m., CBS) and concludes on “Magnum P.I.” (9 p.m., CBS). It all revolves around a stolen list of undercover CIA agents in a case that could jeopardize national security.
Jan. 4: Will you utter “I do” to the 10-episode event series “Say Yes to the Dress America”? The popular gown-shopping show selected one bride from every state, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, for a great big wedding bash in New York City’s Central Park. Sounds like a logistical nightmare. (8 p.m., TLC).
Barney writes for the East Bay Times.