Sure, lots of shows are on hiatus, but that doesn’t mean we’re at a loss with viewing!
There’s a new movie and two new series on the way and some great triple-threat nights of programming.
Yes, we’re looking at you, Chicago, and FBI universes!
Saturday, December 4
Christmas at the Ranch (Tello)
Haley Hollis returns to her family ranch to try and save it from closure, but she wasn’t banking on spending so much time with ranch hand Kate – or falling for her.
This holiday rom-com stars Lindsay Wagner (The Bionic Woman), Amanda Righetti (The Mentalist), Laur Allen (The Young and the Restless), and Archie Kao.
Tello is a streaming platform dedicated to movies and series about lesbian and queer women, so make sure you check it out!
8/7c Kirk Franklin’s A Gospel Christmas (Lifetime)
After bringing a little Country, it’s only right to bring a little Gospel for the holiday season!
An assistant pastor is assigned to a new church with a lead pastor right before Christmas, and she has to overcome her anxiety that she won’t be able to pull off the Winter Jamboree.
She finds not only a home and a community in her new church but some romance, too. If you’re a gospel fan, then know that all the music for this film is written and arranged by gospel king Kirk Franklin, who also makes a special appearance.
Sunday, December 5
8/7c Yellowstone (Paramount)
OK, things are getting very tense on Yellowstone.
Jamie will feature heavily in this one as he battles his conscience and his birth father, who really deserved to be killed at this point. How will Beth play into all of this?
And if you’ve been worried about Lloyd and Walker and how Rip will handle this increasingly fraught situation, it looks like it’s coming to a head tonight!
8/7c Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)
Now that Cane is back in the fold, that means he and Tariq will be working together again. What could possibly go wrong?
Elsewhere, Zeke finds himself in hot water over Jabari’s murder, and Mecca inserts himself into Cane’s affairs.
This season has been lights out so far, and this is another killer episode.
9/8c Dexter: New Blood (Showtime)
Dexter confronts Harrison but only causes him to pull away. What happens next leads them both down a risky new path.
Molly and Angela take a road trip to follow up on a lead about Matt Caldwell but find answers they didn’t know they needed.
At the cabin, Chloe proves to be more equipped than her captor imagined. Don’t miss another shocking episode of Dexter: New Blood!
9/8c Fear the Walking Dead (AMC)
What happened to Alicia in the half-season she was missing?
We take a trip the past on the midseason finale, but there’s a lot to unpack.
Will Strand manage to track her down before it’s too late?
10/9c The Rookie (ABC)
Are you ready for an episode of The Rookie that plays out like C.O.P.S?!
If so, you won’t be disappointed with this installment that will switch things up by showing us a day in the life of our favorite L.A. cops through a series of angles and cameras, namely their body cams.
From belligerent drunks to scary domestic calls, we’ll have the Bird’s Eye view of it all! Yes, it’s a filler episode if there ever was one, but maybe it’ll be entertaining. Either way, we’ll see you Sunday.
Monday, December 6
8/7c 9-1-1 (FOX)
Somehow we find ourselves at the 9-1-1 Season 5 midseason finale!
And in 9-1-1 land, that means we get a Christmas installment before we head into the very long hiatus. Here the 118 deal with a bunch of emergencies on Christmas Eve.
We’ve also got Eddie dealing with some issues at home.
This is our last dose of the 118 company for quite some time, so make sure you watch it live!
8/7c All American (The CW)
Everyone is excited for Senior skip day, and Spencer plans a romantic getaway at the cabin for him and Olivia, but nothing goes as he had planned when the gang shows.
Surprising news makes Jordan and Simone realize they might not be as prepared for their new reality as they had hoped. Now that Patience is back from tour, she and Coop can’t seem to get on the same page about their relationship.
Meanwhile, Billy, Grace, Laura, and Principal Carter team up with an unlikely ally as they go on an adventure in the halls of South Crenshaw High to track down relics of the past.
9/8c The Big Leap (FOX)
By now, you know how much we love this series at TV Fanatic. And we still await the news of whether or not it’ll get renewed.
It makes this Big Leap season finale all the more bittersweet, as we’re not ready to say goodbye to it yet. If this is this FOX delight’s swan song, they’ll go out in style with the show’s finale within the show, too.
A blackout threatens to flush the gang’s hard work down the loo before curtain call, but Nick is ready to produce the hell out of the show of a lifetime. Meanwhile, Reggie is prepared to make his grand gesture toward Gabby, but will Brittney’s shocking news put a stork-shaped safety pin in it?
9/8c 4400 (The CW)
Andre finally starts to discover powers of his own. More truths and theories emerge about the 4400 and what happened to them.
Claudette takes matters into her own hands.
The world is full of mysteries and hope in this action-packed episode of 4400.
Tuesday, December 7
8/7c The Resident (FOX)
Protect Randolph Bell at all costs!
It wouldn’t be a winter finale of The Resident if we weren’t concerned about a beloved character and left on the edge of our seats with action-packed storylines.
Something is wrong with Bell, and Conrad has gotten to the bottom of it, but how bad is it, and how long can Bell keep it secret?
Meanwhile, Devon teams up with Trevor again for a tricky case, and Conrad’s first day as part of Kit’s newly implemented Flight Go team pairs him up with a potential new love interest (maybe?) and places him in peril while trying to save a life.
8/7c FBI (CBS)
Emotions run high when the team is put on the case extracting valuable intel from a vulnerable 9/11 widow who learns that her boyfriend is part of a terrorist group.
The case hits too close to home for Scola, who is reminded of losing his brother in 9/11, which causes both Tiffany and OA to fret over Scola’s rash, impulsive choices.
Can they capture the terrorist and keep Scola from risking his entire career for this case?
9/8c FBI: International (CBS)
On the most romantic FBI series of the franchise, there’s another complication in the love department when Vo’s lover is badly injured in a bombing at a festival in Budapest.
Her personal stake in the case throws her off and has her reevaluating whether it’s worth dating in their line of work.
Meanwhile, the team devotes itself to finding out who killed so many Americans during this event.
10/9c Queens (ABC)
Do we have to prepare ourselves for a fallen queen? It seems someone is stalking one of the Queens, and it may cost someone their lives as we ask the question: who got shot?
With a follow-up of, who shot the victim? The women have just gotten on the same page with one another, and now another tragedy may strike.
Of course, Jill’s offer to collaborate with Wyclef Jean may cause more friction in the group, and Valeria is still reeling from another betrayal.
10/9c FBI: Most Wanted
The reality that some people will literally sacrifice humans for animals hits hard when a Kentucky racehorse goes missing along with its groomer. Jess and the team seem to be the only ones concerned about the human victim in the ordeal.
The team heads to Kentucky to unpack this complicated case with so much at stake.
In the interim, Byron is back to spend the holidays with Jess and his family.
Wednesday, December 8
8/7c Survivor (CBS)
Danny and Deshawn realize they are on the bottom. Deshawn starts making alliances, and Danny starts hunting for idols.
It’s the endgame, and everyone is making Final Three deals. Which ones will stick? Who will end up with whom? Who will use the twists to their advantage, and who will flounder?
Find out on the penultimate episode of Survivor 41!
8/7c- 10/9c Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD
It’s winter finale time for One Chicago, and while sadly, there’s no crossover action happening, each show will still have us on the edge of our seats with their respective installments.
On Chicago Med, Will is still reeling from the conclusion of his investigation, and it weighs heavily on his mind when he redirects his attention to working alongside Dylan to save an infant. Vanessa continues to risk it all to keep her secret, but will it catch up to her and ruin her career and Maggie’s too?
While we’ve learned to expect the unexpected on Chicago Fire, especially with their pulse-pounding finales, the series may end the year on a high note by simply basking in the holiday spirits with a fun and festive episode.
And all the drama may be reserved for Chicago PD as Halstead faced an ultimatum of betraying Voight, who he currently loathes, to save himself and Hailey after Roy’s remains were discovered. Can the trio set their differences aside long enough to find a way out of this? Because it’s not looking good!
10/9c CSI: Vegas (CBS)
David Hodges goes missing.
On the season finale, the entire CSI team searches for any piece of evidence that can help locate him, clear his name and save the reputation of the whole crime lab.
And maybe save the franchise as well.
Thursday, December 9
And Just Like That… (HBO Max)
The gang is getting back together, and they’re bringing a lot of cherished and fresh faces with them.
Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte are once again defying the odds. Once, they were single. Now, they’re in their 50s.
We have no doubt they’ll prove all of our preconceptions about the dreaded decade untrue. Will you be watching?
Anne Boleyn (AMC+)
This new AMC+ series alters history for another look at Anne Boleyn.
Jodie Lynn Turner stars in this adaptation that explores life from the eponymous Queen’s perspective, as she struggles to secure a future for her daughter and to challenge the powerful patriarchy closing in around her.
Will you be checking it out?
Star Trek: Discovery (Paramount+)
Life isn’t getting any less complicated in the 32nd Century. Culber’s therapy couch(?) is getting crowded.
Burnham and Saru are drawn into the summit on Ni’Var, but their role is more than they expected.
Meanwhile, both Tilly and Adira are pushed out of their comfort zone by a cadet exercise at Starfleet Academy, forcing Tilly to take the lead and Adira to play nice with others.
The Sex Lives of College Girls (HBO Max)
The two-part finale of this hilarious comedy series finds the friends on the brink of making some significant changes.
Kimberly is trying to come to terms with the fact that Nico had a girlfriend the whole time they were together, making her question whether her mother had a point about Essex changing her.
Meanwhile, Leighton has to come to terms with whether she wants to go public in her relationship with Alicia.
Whitney has to come to terms with the fact that both Dalton and the coach have been fired. Will she be able to avoid intense media scrutiny?
8/7c Walker (The CW)
Micki decides about her relationship with Trey and her future.
It’s rumored this may be Lindsey Morgan’s last episode as Micki starts a new chapter in her life.
The Walker brothers must work together again when Denise asks them to investigate a case. Can Liam keep his word to be civil to her?
8/7c Station 19 (ABC)
And that custody battle that no one wanted is on its way. The fight for Pru begins as Miranda and Bailey have to face off with Dean’s parents for custody of his baby girl after his tragic death.
But what does it say when Miranda is barely in the fight, too afraid of stepping on toes and ripping a grandchild away from her grieving grandparents regardless of Dean’s final wish?
And if you thought the tension was reserved for those two, then consider that Sullivan has made his way over to 23 as a sub, and he and Andy still can’t communicate without bickering.
9/8c Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
If you were missing Maggie, then you’ll be thrilled to know that she’s finally back from her hiatus, and reconnecting with her new husband is a priority.
She’s not the only one with possible butterflies when Link makes a shocking confession that once upon a time, he did have feelings for his bestie, Jo. But what does that mean for these two single parents now? Is JoLink about to rise?
After a sexy romp, Nick’s gift to Mer may backfire when they butt heads in surgery together.
8/7c The Blacklist (NBC)
The Task Force investigates a therapist who may be the key to the resurgence of an organized crime family. Red investigates his own. Maybe we’ll find out what caused Dembe and Red to split.
10/9c Big Sky (ABC)
Things are scorching hot in Montana!
When last we saw Lindor, he was stalking around Wolf’s property on the hunt for Ronald. And it looks like he and Wolf will have a heated confrontation. Meanwhile, Jenny worries about Travis, which leads her and Cassie to a shocking discovery.
Friday, December 10
The Wheel of Time (Amazon Prime)
Moiraine faces herself and her actions head-on while dealing with the emotions or another loss.
Egwene faces off against a formidable foe.
The Wheel continues to spin, and one villager makes a difficult decision that changes everything.
The Unforgiveable (Netflix)
Released from prison after serving a sentence for a violent crime, Ruth Slater (Sandra Bullock) re-enters a society that refuses to forgive her past.
Facing severe judgment from the place she once called home, her only hope for redemption is finding the estranged younger sister she was forced to leave behind.
Starring Sandra Bullock, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jon Bernthal, Richard Thomas, Linda Emond, Aisling Franciosi, Rob Morgan, and Viola Davis, this movie is getting trashed by critics!
8/7c Holiday in Santa Fe (Lifetime)
Between the cast of this fun holiday flick ranging from Saved By the Bell’s Mario Lopez, Shadowhunters’ Emeraude Toubia, and Lucifer’s Aimee Garcia to the beautiful scenic location of New Mexico, there are so many reasons to tune into this one.
Siblings Tony and Magdelena fight to keep the magic of the holiday, their Mexican traditions, and their family ornament business Casa de Milagro alive when their matriarch passes away.
Executive Belinda swoops in to take advantage and seize a business opportunity, but will she find love with Tony instead?
It’s here! The trailer for the @lifetimetv Christmas movie I wrote! #HolidayInSantaFe premieres Dec. 10 so I’ll be posting about it a lot (sorry but not really) lol. Watch and spread the word!!! #ItsAWonderfulLifetime
Movie stars @mariolopezviva @EmeraudeToubia @Aimee_Garcia pic.twitter.com/FKv2HVH7Mf
— Cristela Alonzo (@cristela9) November 29, 2021
9/8c Magnum P.I. (CBS)
A Christmas Eve ransomware attack cripples the Honolulu Police Department.
This forces Lia to reveal a family secret to Magnum and Katsumoto.
Can Lia and Thomas’s relationship survive?
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Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on Twitter and email her here at TV Fanatic.
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