What's on TV Friday: 'Call the Midwife Holiday Special'
During the coronavirus crisis, the Los Angeles Times is making some temporary changes to our print sections. The prime-time TV grid is on hiatus in print but an expanded version is available in your daily Times eNewspaper. You can find a printable PDF online at: latimes.com/whats-on-tv.
SERIES
The Christmas Caroler Challenge The finalists face off to win the competition in the series finale. Judges Mikalah Gordon, Brandon Rogers and Garry Gary Beers perform. 8 p.m. CW
Call the Midwife The new holiday episode of this historical drama opens in December 1965, as the staff at Nonnatus House look forward to joyous and traditional holiday celebrations, but many things don't go as planned, including a trip to the hospital for elderly Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt). Also, Trixie (Helen George) gets a subscription to a marriage bureau as a Christmas present, and Shelagh (Laura Main) is drawn into a deeply moving birth experience. 9 p.m. KOCE
The Zoo: Bronx-Sized The staff becomes concerned when a sea lion falls severely ill, while Andean bear cubs prepare for their exhibit debut in this new episode. 9 p.m. Animal Planet
Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted In the first of two new episodes the chef discovers the purity of Tasmanian ingredients. In the second he seeks to earn the title of honorary Cajun. 9 and 10 p.m. National Geographic
The Graham Norton Show George Clooney, Michael Sheen, David Tennant, Viola Davis, Daisy May Cooper, Vanessa Kirby, Michael Ball and Alfie Boe are guests in this new episode. 11 p.m. BBC America
HOLIDAY SPECIALS
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Celebration This year's edition of the long-running annual special will look quite a bit different due to COVID-19 restrictions. Tituss Burgess and Julianne Hough host. 9 a.m. ABC
Surprising Santa Claus Lara Spencer ("Flea Market Flip") works with designers, contractors and volunteers to give the town of Santa Claus, Ind., the biggest Christmas present ever. 9 p.m. HGTV
SPORTS
NBA Basketball The New Orleans Pelicans visit the Miami Heat, 9 a.m. ESPN; the Golden State Warriors visit the Milwaukee Bucks, 11:30 a.m. ABC; the Brooklyn Nets visit the Boston Celtics, 2 p.m. ABC; the Dallas Mavericks visit the Lakers, 5 p.m. ABC and ESPN; the Clippers visit the Denver Nuggets, 7:30 p.m. ESPN and FS Prime
College Basketball Wisconsin visits Michigan State, 9:30 a.m. Fox; Maryland visits Purdue, 11:30 a.m. FS1
College Football Camellia Bowl: Marshall versus Buffalo, 11:30 a.m. ESPN
NFL Football The Minnesota Vikings visit the New Orleans Saints, 1:30 p.m. Fox
TALK SHOWS
CBS This Morning T.D. Jakes; Tori Kelly. (N) 7 a.m. KCBS
Today COVID-19; Cardinal Dolan; Bishop Michael Curry; Brett Eldredge performs; Ina Garten. (N) 7 a.m. KNBC
Good Morning America King & Country performs; chef Duff Goldman. (N) 7 a.m. KABC
Good Day L.A. (N) 7 a.m. KTTV
Washington Week Year in review: Dan Balz, the Washington Post; Errin Haines, the 19th; Weijia Jiang; CBS. (N) 7 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. KOCE
The Issue Is ... With Elex Michaelson (N) 10:30 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. KTTV
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Kristen Bell; Sienna Miller; Kelly Clarkson; Brett Eldredge. 11:34 p.m. KNBC
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Former President Barack Obama. 11:35 p.m. KCBS
Jimmy Kimmel Live! Taylor Swift; Christian Serratos ("Selena: The Series"); Sabrina Claudio performs. 11:35 p.m. KABC
Amanpour and Company (N) 12:30 a.m. KCET; 1 a.m. KLCS
Late Night With Seth Meyers The Meyers family; Kurt Vile performs. 12:36 a.m. KNBC
The Late Late Show With James Corden Meryl Streep; Billy Eichner performs. 12:37 a.m. KCBS
Nightline (N) 12:37 a.m. KABC
CHRISTMAS MOVIES
My Sweet Holiday A woman is disappointed when her boyfriend cancels their holiday plans, so she decides to spend Christmas with her parents back in her hometown, where she discovers they've sold the family chocolate shop she loved so much to a stranger who knows nothing about chocolate. Malone Thomas, Jason Burkey, Alexandra Ficken, Patty Lambert and Remi Hilson star. 8 p.m. Lifetime
Elf (2003) 8 a.m. and 10:26 p.m. Starz; 8 and 10 p.m. AMC
A Christmas Story (1983) 6, 8 and 10 a.m., noon, 2, 4 and 6 p.m. TBS; 7, 9 and 11 a.m., 1, 3, 5 and 7 p.m. TNT
It's a Wonderful Life (1946) 9 a.m., Noon, 3, 6 and 9 p.m. E!
White Christmas (1954) 9:15 a.m. Sundance
Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas (2009) 9:30 a.m. KLCS; 11 a.m. KOCE; noon and 3 p.m. KVCR
The Santa Clause (1994) 10:30 a.m. Freeform
Holiday Affair (1949) 1 p.m. TCM
Scrooged (1988) 1:45 and 9 p.m. BBC America
My Sweet Holiday (2020) 8 p.m. Lifetime
MOVIES
Jurassic Park (1993) 8 a.m. A&E
Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011) 8 and 10:30 a.m. Bravo
Kung Fu Panda (2008) 8 a.m. and noon Comedy Central
A League of Their Own (1992) 8 a.m. Paramount
Titanic (1997) 8:29 a.m. and 10:42 p.m. Encore
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) 8:30 a.m. and10 p.m. USA
Sneakers (1992) 8:33 a.m. Cinemax
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) 8:55 a.m. Epix
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. CMT
Paddington 2 (2017) 9 a.m. 1 and 5 p.m. TOON
Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) 10 a.m. Comedy Central
Coming to America (1988) 10 a.m., 12:30, 3, 5:30, 8 and 10:30 p.m. VH1
The Last of the Mohicans (1992) 10:15 a.m. and 6 p.m. Showtime
The Godfather, Part II (1974) 11 a.m. IFC
Pretty Woman (1990) 11 a.m. Paramount
The Man Who Came to Dinner (1941) 11 a.m. TCM
Paddington (2014) 11 a.m. ,3 and 7 p.m. TOON
Horton Hears a Who! (2008) 11 a.m. WGN America
The Living Daylights (1987) 11:20 a.m. Epix
Young Frankenstein (1974) 11:48 a.m. Encore
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) 11:55 a.m. USA
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) Noon and 9 p.m. CMT
Clear and Present Danger (1994) 1 p.m. Ovation
The Nutty Professor (1996) 1:35 p.m. BET
Bridget Jones's Diary (2001) 1:37 and 9 p.m. Encore
Black Rain (1989) 1:55 p.m. Cinemax
Hustlers (2019) 2 p.m. TMC
The Apartment (1960) 2:45 p.m. TCM
Shrek (2001) 3, 5:02, 7:04 and 9:06 p.m. Bravo
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) 3 p.m. CMT
Inglourious Basterds (2009) 3:30 p.m. IFC
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) 3:35 p.m. USA
For Your Eyes Only (1981) 3:45 p.m. Epix
Inside Man (2006) 3:50 p.m. TMC
Dances With Wolves (1990) 4 p.m. Ovation
Ghostbusters (1984) 4:03 p.m. BBC America
The Family Man (2000) 4:07 p.m. HBO
Chicago (2002) 5 p.m. Encore
Moneyball (2011) 5 p.m. MLB
Sabrina (1954) 5 p.m. TCM
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) 5:45 p.m. AMC
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) 5:55 p.m. Epix
Home Alone (1990) 6 p.m. Freeform
Do the Right Thing (1989) 6 p.m. TMC
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) 6:31 p.m. BBC America
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) 6:35 p.m. USA
Gremlins (1984) 7 and 9:30 p.m. IFC
The African Queen (1951) 7 p.m. TCM
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) 8 p.m. Epix
Die Hard (1988) 8 p.m. HBO
Wonder (2017) 8 and 10:30 p.m. TBS
The Big Lebowski (1998) 8 p.m. TMC
Oliver! (1968) 8:02 p.m. KCET
Meet the Parents (2000) 9 p.m. Comedy Central
Catch Me If You Can (2002) 9 p.m. POP
My Fair Lady (1964) 9 p.m. TCM
The Wizard of Oz (1939) 9 p.m. TNT
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004) 9:30 p.m. Cinemax
Thunderball (1965) 10 p.m. Epix
Dumb & Dumber (1994) 10 p.m. TRU
Die Hard 2 (1990) 10:15 p.m. HBO
Blazing Saddles (1974) 10:30 p.m. Ovation
I Never Sang for My Father (1970) 10:36 p.m. KCET
The Cooler (2003) 11:40 p.m. TMC
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
