From Andy Cohen to Shaq: Our Guide to the Best New Year’s Eve TV Specials

It seems that every celebrity on Planet Earth is set to welcome in the new year tonight, from Shaquille O’Neal to Andy Cohen. Be it in Times Square or Facebook’s online portal the Metaverse, these A-Listers plan to shower you with confetti, make cheesy jokes about resolutions, and drop hints to keep drinking—and we’ve got all the deets on which ones you should watch.

The best, by far, is Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen’s romp. Even though we miss Kathy Griffin, Cohen is a fun replacement for her, especially since he convinces Cooper to take shots on the hour. Yes, CNN is cutting back on their liquor consumption on air this year, but this duo still, as Cohen told The New York Post, promises to “have a BLAST.”

But there are plenty of other options, including ones available to stream online for free and via mobile devices. Below is everything you need to know about celebrating New Year’s Eve in front of the TV, from NBC to Facebook.

New Year’s Eve Live

CNN’s iteration of the New Year’s Eve special has always been my personal favorite, and even though they’re planning to cut some of the drunken fun, this year is shaping up to be as good as the last. We probably won’t get another rant from Andy Cohen about Bill DeBlasio—but, hey, maybe we’ll get something even more vicious. The guests are shaping New Year’s Eve Live up to be a truly wild event, from Jean Smart to “Sweet but Psycho” singer Ava Max.

New Year’s Eve Live will begin streaming at 8 p.m. ET and continue until around 12:30 p.m. ET.

How to Watch: Andy and Anderson’s New Year’s Eve special will be live-streaming on CNN for folks with cable. If you’re looking to watch it online, the live show will also stream on CNN’s website, which you can access with a paid cable subscription. The show will be available on demand the day after its premiere, in case you want to celebrate on Jan. 2.

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A Toast to 2022!

A Toast to 2022! may not be an actual New Year’s Eve bash—it happens before the clock strikes midnight—but you may be able to fool your kids into thinking it is. Today Show hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager will tackle this special, bringing in guests like Martha Stewart, George Lopez, Dolly Parton, and primetime host Miley Cyrus. Instead of counting down to the new year, this special aims to spotlight what we’re all most nostalgic about from 2022.

The pre-NYE celebration will begin streaming at 8:30 p.m. ET and continue until 10:30 p.m. ET, leading into Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party.

How to Watch: You’ll be able to watch A Toast to 2022! on NBC, but it’ll also be streaming live on Peacock. You can watch on TV or online via NBC’s website, accessible with a cable log in.

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Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party

Pete Davidson got the ax this year, but Miley Cyrus is returning to host NBC’s NYE bash from Miami. Dolly Parton will replace the SNL actor, hosting the rockin’ show with her goddaughter until the clock strikes midnight. Both ladies were fantastic in Dolly Parton’s Magic Mountain Christmas, so they’ll likely be just as charming here. Hopefully there’s not another wardrobe malfunction.

Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party will begin streaming at 10:30 p.m. ET and continue until 12:30 p.m. ET.

How to Watch: Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party will air on NBC with a livestream also on Peacock. You can watch on TV or online via NBC’s website, accessible with a cable log in.

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New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash

Party it up at America’s hottest Bachelorette Party spot, Nashville, with CBS’ live programming for New Year’s. If you’re into country music, this will be your jam. Jimmie Allen, Elle King, and Rachel Smith host the special, which boasts 50 musical guests over the course of the night. Do we even have enough time to see all of them? Expect to hear from Flo-Rida, the Zac Brown Band, Luke Bryan, and a handful of surprise guests.

New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash will begin streaming at 8 p.m. ET and continue until 1:30 a.m. ET.

How to Watch: New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash will air on CBS for anyone tuning in via cable. Not in front of a television? No problem. Head to Paramount+ for a livestream, or watch on CBS’ website with a cable log in.

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Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest

Ryan Seacrest will head to Puerto Rico for the second year in a row to cover Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, marking his 19th time hosting the ABC event. You name a celebrity, they’ll be there: Liza Koshy, Ben Platt, Aly & AJ, Halle Bailey, Billy Porter, Finneas, Dove Cameron, and more stars will make appearances. This special seems to cover the most ground—with five hours of content and productions in a handful of locations—if Ryan Seacrest is your thing.

Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest will begin streaming at 8 p.m. ET and continue until around 2 a.m. ET.

How to Watch: If you’re watching on TV, head over to ABC to watch Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. If not, the special will be streaming for free (!) on ABC’s website.

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The Shaq’tacular Special

By far the most bonkers entertainment of the day, The Shaq’tacular Special is what I’ve selected as my yearly viewing while New Year’s Eve Live is on a commercial break. For nine hours, Shaquille O’Neal will be partying it up in the Metaverse. Yes, you’ll be able to join via VR if you have the proper headset. Good luck convincing grandma to enter the Metaverse.

The Shaq’tacular Special will begin streaming at 3:30 p.m. PT and continue into the new year.

How to Watch: There are an array of different ways to watch The Shaq’tacular Special. You can tune in via O’Neal’s Facebook and Instagram pages to watch live, which is the easiest (and free) way to do so. But if you have a Meta Quest 2 headset, you can also RSVP to attend the event in virtual reality.

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Online Ball Drop Countdown

Simple, free, and accessible, the plain old online ball drop countdown is easy enough if you don’t have cable—or you’re just tired of hearing TV personalities’ voices. It’s just a video of Times Square. Need anything more?

The online ball drop countdown will begin at 5:55 p.m. ET and continue until, well, the ball has dropped in NYC!

How to Watch: You can watch the ball drop countdown over on Vimeo’s free countdown. Or, if you’re wanting to tune in with a mobile device, head on over to Times Square’s official website to watch the event.

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