On TV this Friday: Shonda Rhimes’ Bridgerton adaptation hits Netflix, Pixar’s Soul premieres on Disney+ and Wonder Woman 1984 makes a hero’s landing on HBO Max. Here are 12 programs to keep on your radar; all times are Eastern.
Series premiere (all eight episodes): Shonda Rhimes adapts Julia Quinn’s novels about a 19th Century heroine (Younger‘s Phoebe Dynevor) who seeks a husband in Regency London; Regé-Jean Page (For the People) co-stars; Julie Andrews voices Lady Whistledown. (Watch trailer.)
Film premiere: Pixar’s latest centers on a middle-school band teacher (voiced by Jamie Foxx) whose small misstep lands him in The Great Before, a fantastical place where new souls form before they go to Earth. Tina Fey co-stars.
Film premiere: In this Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl spinoff, a group of kids step up save the world when alien invaders kidnap their parents (aka Earth’s superheroes). Taylor Dooley reprises her role as Lavagirl; Priyanka Chopra Jonas (Quantico), Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian) and Christian Slater (Mr. Robot) co-star.
All seven seasons jump from Netflix to the WarnerMedia-owned streamer, which already houses October’s special presentation of “Hartsfield’s Landing.”
The cabler’s final day of festive programming includes a Simpsons marathon, followed by the Santa Clause trilogy (starting at 10:30 am), Frosty (4:30 pm), Rudolph (5 pm), Home Alone (6 pm) and Home Alone 2 (8:30 pm).
Becky G, Florida A&M Gospel Choir, Jon Batiste, Keedron Bryant, Maddie & Tae, Tori Kelly and Trevor Jackson perform; Tituss Burgess, Julianne Hough host.
Film premiere: Gal Gadot’s superhero faces off against two new foes: Max Lord (The Mandalorian‘s Pedro Pascal) and Cheetah (SNL‘s Kristen Wiig).
Season 2 finale: The final two groups face off to win the competition; judges Mikalah Gordon, Brandon Rogers and Garry Gary Beers perform.
The classic cartoon follows the title character (voiced by Boris Karloff) on his mission to steal Christmas from Whoville. (Jim Carrey’s live-action Grinch follows at 8:30 pm.)
TV-movie premiere: A woman (Dynasty‘s Malone Thomas) falls for the man (The Resident‘s Jason Burkey) who acquired her family’s beloved chocolate shop.
Hallmark’s encore presentation of the 2019 Christmas movie includes a sneak peek at Season 8. (Get premiere date.)
Sister Monica Joan is rushed to hospital; Trixie is gifted a subscription to a marriage bureau as a Christmas gift. Shelagh is reunited with [Spoiler]!
🐭 ON THIS DAY IN TV HISTORY 🐭
On Dec. 25, 1983, CBS presented the first live telecast of the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade. This year, due to COVID, marks one of only two times it has not aired.
