TV TOP PICKS
11 a.m. on NBC
The Rose Parade’s
New Year’s Celebration
How do you cover a parade that isn’t happening this year because of a pandemic? NBC hopes they’ve found a satisfying alternative in this 90-minute special, which looks back at this beloved New Year’s Day tradition from previous years, with special attention to the mind-boggling work and attention to detail that goes into this unique event, in which live flowers play a central role.
6 p.m. on BBCA
Doctor Who
John Barrowman returns to his fan-favorite role as dashing and impish Captain Jack Harkness in “Revolution of the Daleks,” this year’s Doctor Who holiday special, always a highly anticipated event for Whovians. The character was last seen in a brief but noteworthy Season 12 appearance, as Jack appeared to companions Yaz, Ryan and Graham (Mandip Gill, Tosin Cole, Bradley Walsh) with a stark warning to pass along to the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker). He reappears in this special episode to lend a hand as those extermination-happy foes rear their nasty heads yet again.
6 p.m. on HGTV
HGTV Dream Home 2021 Someone’s about to start 2021 off in grand style as owner of a three-story Cape Cod-style home with classic coastal flair located in Portsmouth, R.I. Reflecting the creative vision of designers and hosts Brian Patrick Flynn and Tiffany Brooks, this waterfront haven draws on the region’s rich maritime history and culture to come up with a look Flynn calls “Americana with a twist.” The home and its furnishings are part of a $2.8 million grand prize package that also includes a Camping World motorhome and $250,000.
9 p.m. on PBS
Great Performances
Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey) returns for the fourth time to host this annual musical tradition, although in this case, “returns” is a relative term: While Riccardo Muti, pictured, conducts the acclaimed Vienna Philharmonic orchestra in a waltz-heavy program from Austria, Bonneville will fulfill his hosting duties remotely from England, owing to COVID-19 travel restrictions. The musical selections include compositions by Josef Strauss, Johann Strauss Sr. and Jr. and Franz von Suppé.