While the traditional networks fill their schedules with holiday specials and/or repeats in December, viewers looking for something new can venture over to Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Acorn TV and even Playstation for brand new series.
Acorn TV kicks things off Dec. 1 with the U.S. premieres of two Australian dramas, "Serangoon Road" and "A Place to Call Home." Netflix's epic "Marco Polo" begins its adventures Dec. 12, while it premieres new episodes of "TurboFAST" Dec. 1 and the new "All Hail King Julien" Dec. 19 for the kids.
Hulu brings back "The Wrong Mans" for more laughs Dec. 24. Amazon Prime launches its darkly funny look at the New York Symphony Dec. 23 with "Mozart in the Jungle," which stars Gael Garcia Bernal as a young new conductor hired to shake things up.
Premiering sometime in December is Playstation's first foray into scripted TV, "Powers," about a man who struggles after losing his extraordinary powers. Reality TV powerhouse Bravo also gets into the scripted series game this month with the comedy "Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce."
Four new miniseries air this month. SundanceTV's "One Child," about an adopted Chinese child, begins Dec. 5. Lifetime begins its Old Testament story "The Red Tent" on Dec. 7. And on Dec. 15, Syfy's "Ascension," which follows a secret space mission launched in the 1960s, battles AHC's "The American Revolution," about the unsung heroes of the revolution.
And then there's the holiday specials, which include, mostly likely, many more than I currently have listed. I'll add when I hear about more. Happy holidays.
December sometime
"Powers," Playstation (series premiere; two homicide detective are assigned to investigate cases involving people with extraordinary abilities, or powers)
Monday, Dec. 1
2:01 a.m. | "TurboFAST," Netflix (season 1 new episodes)
ttba | "Serangoon Road," acorn.tv (U.S. premiere of Australian miniseries; widow opens detective agency in 1960s Singapore)
ttba | "A Place to Call Home," acorn.tv (U.S. premiere of Australian drama; woman returns to rural Australia in 1950s after 20 years away)
3 p.m. | "Jack Frost," ABC Family (holiday special)
4 | "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town," ABC Family (holiday special)
5 | "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," ABC Family (holiday movie)
6 | "It's Not Over," Pivot (doc premiere; 3 young people affected or impacted by HIV)
7 | "Rise of the Killer Virus," Smithsonian (series premiere; HIV remains biggest viral killer worldwide)
7 | "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer," CW (holiday special)
7 | "Elf," ABC Family (holiday movie)
7 | "CMA Country Christmas," ABC (holiday special)
7:30 | "The Last One," Showtime (doc; history of The NAMES Project Foundation's AIDS Memorial Quilt)
8 | "Sleepy Hollow," Fox (fall finale)
8 | "Tiger's Revenge," Nat Geo Wild (Big Cat Week special; story of 2 tiger sisters)
8 | "Top Gear: Ambitious But Rubbish," BBC America (season finale)
8 | "Greatest Holiday Commercials Countdown," CW (holiday special)
9 | "My Strange Criminal Addiction," Investigation Discovery (series premiere; bizarre compulsions push people into life of crime)
9 | "The Santa Claus," ABC Family (holiday movie)
11:30 | "The Heart, She Holler," Adult Swim (season premiere)
Tuesday, Dec. 2
7 | "Bing Crosby Rediscovered," PBS ("American Masters" premiere; life and legend of Crosby)
7 | "Toy Story That Time Forgot," ABC (holiday special; Trixie the triceratops must help the gang return to Bonnie's room)
7:30 | "A Charlie Brown Christmas," ABC (holiday special)
8 | "Lion Gangland," Nat Geo Wild (Big Cat Week special; Vumbi lion pride battles rivals)
8 | "Murder Book," Investigation Discovery (series premiere; a look at real cold cases)
8 | "The Little Couple," TLC (season 7 premiere)
8 & 8:30 | "Hotel Impossible: 5 Star Secrets," Travel (specials; "Miami's Fontainebleau Hotel" and "Chicago's Langham Hotel")
9 | "Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce," Bravo (series premiere; self-help author and family guru separates from husband)
9 | "State of Play: Culture Shock," HBO (doc; changes in the NFL over the physical toll of the game)
10 | "Screen Machines," Reelz (series premiere; replica vehicles of those on TV, in movies)
Wednesday, Dec. 3
4 | "Prancer," ABC Family (holiday special)
6 | "1 Way Up," Pivot (doc; rivalry of 2 London-based BMX riders)
6 | "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause," ABC Family (holiday movie)
7 | "Christmas in Rockefeller Center," NBC (holiday special)
8 | "Red Band Society," Fox (fall finale)
8 | "SNL Christmas," NBC (holiday special)
8 | "First Man on the Moon," PBS ("Nova" premiere; Neil Armstrong's story)
8 | "Tiger Wars," Nat Geo Wild (Big Cat Week special; tiger family battles for dominance)
8 | "Mob Wives," VH1 (season 5 premiere)
8 | "Penn Jillette's Street Cred," Travel (special; hidden camera talent show)
8 | "Polar Express," ABC Family (holiday movie)
9 | "Barmageddon," truTV (series premiere; bar owners compete)
9 | "Suave Says," VH1 (series premiere; family life of Gerardo Meija, formerly known as '90s star Rico Suave)
Thursday, Dec. 4
4 | "Uncle Grandpa Christmas Special," Adult Swim (holiday special)
4 | "Rudolph's Shiny New Year," ABC Family (holiday special)
5 | "The Year without a Santa Claus," ABC Family (holiday special)
6 | "The Laura Flanders Show," Link TV (premiere; weekly interview show)
6:30 | "Regular Show: White Elephant," Adult Swim (holiday special; gang's gift exchange)
6:45 | "Regular Show: Merry Christmas," Adult Swim (holiday special; Christmas party problems)
7 | "Peter Pan Live!" NBC (special)
7 | "Pauly Shore Stands Alone," Showtime (doc)
7 | "Climate Heroes: Stories of Change," Link TV (doc)
8 | "Renee Fleming: Christmas in New York," PBS (holiday special; check local listings)
8 | "Redneck Island," CMT (season 4 premiere)
8 | "Disney's A Christmas Carol," ABC Family (holiday movie)
9 | "The Fabulous Life of Holiday Superspenders," VH1 (special)
Friday, Dec. 5
2:01 a.m. | "Bill Burr: I'm Sorry You Feel That Way," Netflix (standup special)
9:30 a.m. | "Wallykazam: Wally Saves the Trollidays!" Nickelodeon (holiday special)
4:30 p.m. | "Zack & Quack," Nick Jr. (holiday special; "The Pop-Up Christmas Calendar/Zack's Christmas Letter")
6 | "Haven," Syfy (fall finale)
7 | "How Murray Saved Christmas," NBC (holiday special; animated musical based on Matt Reiss' best-selling children's book)
7 | "Dr. Suess' How The Grinch Stole Christmas," ABC Family (holiday special)
8 | "One Child," SundanceTV (miniseries premiere; Chinese-born woman adopted by British parents struggles with identity)
8 | "Tribute to Bruce Springsteen," PBS ("PBS Fall Arts Festival" premiere)
8 | "A Very Grammy Christmas," CBS (holiday special)
9 | "TeenNick Top 10," TeenNick (holiday special)
10:30 | "Fred Claus," ABC Family (holiday movie)
Saturday, Dec. 6
6 a.m. | "All I Want for Christmas," ABC Family (holiday special)
10:30 a.m. | "Rabbids Invasion" Nickelodeon (holiday special; "Rabbid Stick-Up/O'Come All Ye Rabbids/Slippery and Soapy")
12:30 p.m. | "Frosty's Winter Wonderland," ABC Family (holiday special)
7 | "Wally Lamb's Wishin' and Hopin'," Lifetime (movie; 10-year-old dreads annual Christmas pageant)
7 | "Debbie Macomber's Mr. Miracle," Hallmark (movie; doctor's holiday detour to Alaska opens her eyes)
7 | "It's a Wonderful Life," NBC (holiday movie; also airing Dec. 24)
7 | "Second Chance Christmas," TV One (holiday movie; boy's struggle to accept his stepfather)
7 | "The Pioneer Woman Cowboy Christmas," Food (holiday special)
7 | "Consumerism & the Limits of Imagination," Link TV (doc)
8 | "One Child," SundanceTV (miniseries finale)
8 | "Outrageous Christmas," Food (holiday special)
8 | "Arthur Christmas," ABC Family (holiday movie)
Sunday, Dec. 7
7 | "The Librarians," TNT (series premiere; movie series becomes TV series; second episode airs at 8 p.m.' see preview at bottom)
7 | "Naked and Afraid: Franco and Rogen," Discovery (special; James Franco and Seth Rogen get dropped off in wilderness)
7 | "Christmas at Cartwright's," Hallmark (holiday movie; real-life guardian angel delivers good fortune, holiday romance)
7 | "The Little Drummer Boy," ABC Family (holiday special)
7 | "I Love Lucy Christmas Special," CBS (holiday special)
7 | "Holiday Feast with Kelis," Cooking Channel (holiday special)
8 | "The Red Tent," Lifetime (miniseries premiere; life of Dinah, the daughter of Leah and Jacob, in Old Testament times)
8 | "Eaten Alive," Discovery (special; snake researcher Paul Rosolie looks for Giant Green Anaconda)
8 | "Merry Ex-Mas," ION (holiday movie; exes are trapped in snowstorm)
8 | "Prospectors," Weather Channel (season 3 premiere)
9 | "Highway Thru Hell," Weather Channel (season 3 premiere)
9 | "Most Evil," Investigation Discovery (season premiere; studying murderers)
10:30 | "The Robot Chicken Lots of Holidays but Don't Worry Christmas is Still in There Too so Pull the Stick Out of Your Ass Fox News Special," Adult Swim (holiday special)
Monday, Dec. 8
7 | "The Originals," CW (fall finale)
7 | "The Great Christmas Light Fight," ABC (season 2 premiere)
7:30 | "Mike & Molly," CBS (season premiere)
8 | "The Red Tent," Lifetime (miniseries finale)
8 | "Top Gear: Best of British," BBC America (season premiere)
8 | "Regarding Susan Sontag," HBO (doc; a look at the feminist icon)
8 | "Fast 'n' Loud Special," Discovery (special; KITT car from "Knight Rider")
Tuesday, Dec. 9
7 | "The Flash," CW (holiday episode; "The Man in the Yellow Suit")
7 | "How the 'A' Stole Christmas," ABC Family ("Pretty Little Liars" holiday episode)
7 | "Moonshiners Christmas Special," Discovery (holiday special)
7 | "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," CBS (holiday special)
7 | "Feeding Frenzy," Link TV (doc)
8 | "Chasing Life," ABC Family (holiday episode)
8 | "Ground Floor," TBS (season 2 premiere)
8 | "Bye Felicia," VH1 (series premiere; life coaches help women)
8 | "MasterChef Canada," Cooking Channel (season finale)
9 | "Sons of Anarchy," FX (series finale)
9 | "The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show," CBS (special)
9 | "State of Play: First Ladies," HBO (doc)
9 | "Billy Bob's Gags to Riches," Discovery (season finale)
9 | "Song by Song: Lindsey Stirling," Ovation (special; life of classically trained electronic violinist, dancer and composer)
Wednesday, Dec. 10
7 | "Arrow," CW (holiday episode and fall finale; "The Climb")
7:30 | "An International Christmas," Cooking Channel (special)
9 | "The Game," BBC America (miniseries finale)
9 | "Best in Chow," Cooking Channel (season finale)
Thursday, Dec. 11
7 | "The Vampire Diaries," CW (holiday episode; "Christmas Through Your Eyes")
7 | "Bones," Fox (200th episode)
7 | "Pop Innovators," E! (special; Lauren Conrad)
8 | "American Chopper," Discovery (special; Shaquille O'Neal)
8 | "Scrooged," ABC Family (holiday movie)
Friday, Dec. 12
2:01 a.m. | "Marco Polo," Netflix (series premiere; the adventurer's life in Kublai Khan's court)
2:01 a.m. | "Nick Offerman: American Ham," Netflix (standup special)
8 a.m. | "Bubble Guppies: A Very Guppy Christmas," Nickelodeon (holiday special)
8 p.m. | "Nas: Time is Illmatic," Showtime (doc; Nas' creative process)
8:30 | "Miracle on 34th Street," ABC Family (holiday movie)
Saturday, Dec. 13
7 | "The Santa Con," Lifetime (movie; con man ordered to take job as department store Santa)
7 | "Best Christmas Party Ever," Hallmark (movie)
8 | "A Christmas Kiss II," ION (movie; woman worries she'll be hurt if she falls for rich dude)
8 | "30 for 30: The U Part 2," ESPN (fall finale)
8:30 | "Frosty Returns," CBS (holiday special)
9 | "Dead Files Revisited," Travel (special; "Dead End & Summoning Souls")
Sunday, Dec. 14
6 | "Backstage with Disney on Broadway: Celebrating 20 years," ABC (special)
6 & 6:30 | "Christmastown, U.S.A." Travel (special; holiday-theme-named towns)
7 | "Undercover Boss," CBS (season 6 premiere)
7 | "A Hobbit Adventure in Middle Earth," Travel ("Trip Flip" special; from San Diego Comic Con)
7 | "Christmas Parade," Hallmark (movie)
7 | "Rev Run's Happy Holidays," Cooking Channel (special)
8 | "A Perfect Christmas List," ION (movie; woman tries to bring daughter, granddaughter together)
8 | "Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2014," ABC (special)
8 | "The Newsroom," HBO (series finale)
8 | "Holiday Baking Championship," Food (season finale)
9 | "Anaconda: Silent Killer," Nat Geo Wild (special)
Monday, Dec. 15
7 | "Hart of Dixie," CW (season premiere)
7 | "American Country Countdown Awards," Fox (special)
7 | "Love & Hip Hop: New York," VH1 (season 5 premiere)
8 | "Jane the Virgin," CW (fall finale)
8 | "Ascension," Syfy (miniseries premiere; spaceship launched in 1960s may be all that's left of humanity)
8 | "The American Revolution," AHC (miniseries premiere; unsung heroes of America's fight for freedom; concludes Dec. 16)
8 | "Saving My Tomorrow," HBO (special; environment)
9 | "Extreme Realities: Severe Weather, Climate Change and Our National Security," PBS ("Journey to Planet Earth" premiere)
9 | "Tiny House Hunters," HGTV (series premiere; buying small spaces)
Tuesday, Dec. 16
7 | "Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas," NBC (holiday special)
7 | "Pizza Masters," Cooking Channel (series premiere; pizza shop owners Sal Basille and Francis Garcia look for great food)
8:30 | "Taco Trip," Cooking Channel (series premiere; hunt for best tacos)
9 | "A Chef's Life Holiday Special," PBS (holiday special; check local listings)
Wednesday, Dec. 17
7 | "Survivor," CBS (season finale)
7 | "Michael Buble's Christmas in New York," NBC (holiday special)
8 | "The Sing-Off," NBC (holiday special)
8 | "Ascension," Syfy (miniseries finale)
9 | "Survivor Live Reunion Show," CBS (special)
Thursday, Dec. 18
7 | "The iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2014," CW (holiday special)
7 | "Party Down South: Christmas Hangover," CMT (special)
8 | "Premios Univision Deportes," Univision (special; sports awards show)
Friday, Dec. 19
2:01 a.m. | "All Hail King Julien," Netflix (series premiere; "Madagascar" characters return)
2:01 a.m. | "The Throwaways," Crackle (movie premiere; hacker goes to work for CIA)
8:30 a.m. | "Peppa Pig," Nickelodeon (holiday special; "Snowy Mountain/The Airport/Flying on Holiday/The Holiday House/End of the Holiday")
7 p.m. | "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol," CW (holiday special)
7 | "The Amazing Race," CBS (season finale)
7 | "Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir featuring Deborah Voight and John Rhys-Davies," PBS (holiday special; check local listings)
8 | "A Home for the Holidays," CBS (holiday special)
8:30 | "Kung Fu Panda Holiday," CW (holiday special)
Saturday, Dec. 20
8 | "Back to Christmas," ION (holiday movie; woman gets 2nd chance at Christmastime love)
Sunday, Dec. 21
7 | "The Rob Bell Show," OWN (special)
8 | "Top 10 Restaurants with Food Network Magazine," Food (special)
8 | "Spy World," Travel (special; "Russian Seduction, Moscow Rules, Operation Goldenrod")
9 | "Spy World," Travel (special; "America's Super Spy, Operation Mincemeat, Operation Moses")
Monday, Dec. 22
9:30 | "Anger Management," FX (series finale)
Tuesday, Dec. 23
2:01 a.m. | "Mozart in the Jungle," Amazon Prime (series premiere; new oboist navigates tough world of New York Symphony in dramatic comedy)
7 p.m. | "One Direction: The TV Special," NBC (special)
Wednesday, Dec. 24
2:01 a.m. | "The Wrong Mans," Hulu (season 2 premiere)
7 | "A Very Merry Harold and Kumar Christmas," FXX (holiday movie)
8:30 | "Merry Madagascar," CW (holiday special)
9 | "Kitchen Inferno," Food (season finale)
Thursday, Dec. 25
5 a.m. | "A Christmas Story," TBS (holiday special; airs all day)
7 p.m. | "Call the Midwife," PBS (holiday special; Vanessa Redgrave appears for the 1st time as older Jennifer Worth)
7 | "The 12 Dogs of Christmas," CW (holiday movie)
8 | "Doctor Who Christmas Special," BBC America (holiday special)
8:30 | "Vicious," PBS (holiday special; the gents have their friends over for dinner)
Friday, Dec. 26
8 | "Mysteries at the Museum," Travel (season finale)
Saturday, Dec. 27
7 | "WWE Tribute to the Troops," NBC (holiday special)
Sunday, Dec. 28
8 | "Spy World," Travel (special; "Hunting Hezbollah's Phantom, Nazis in New York, Mole in a Blanket")
Tuesday, Dec. 30
8 | "The 37th Annual Kennedy Center Honors," CBS (special)
Wednesday, Dec. 31
7 | "iHeartRadio Music Festival, Night 1," CW (holiday special)
7 | "Pitbull's New Year's Revolution," Fox (holiday special)
7 | "New York Philharmonic New Year's Eve: Gershwin Celebration," PBS ("Live from Lincoln Center" premiere; check local listings)
9 | "New Year's Eve with Carson Daly," NBC (holiday special; hour Part 1 then back at 10:30 p.m.)
9 | "Michael Feinstein New Year's Eve at the Rainbow Room," PBS (special; check local listings)
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