What to watch on TV: Thanksgiving, NFL football, the Beatles

A giant turkey is part of a float at the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

By Matt CooperListings Coordinator

Nov. 21, 2021 8:14 AM PT

SUNDAY

Birds do it, bees do it in the new nature series “The Mating Game.” David Attenborough narrates. Anytime, Discovery+

The Peanuts gang gathers ’round for “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” in this classic special. 7:30 p.m. KOCE, 8 p.m. KLCS

Cardi B hosts and “Driver’s License” singer Olivia Rodrigo leads the field with seven nominations at the “2021 American Music Awards.” 8 p.m. ABC

“Desperate Housewives’” James Denton and Teri Hatcher reunite for “A Kiss Before Christmas” in this new TV movie. 8 p.m. Hallmark Channel

Nothing says lovin’ like something from the oven in the new TV movie “Baking Spirits Bright.” 8 p.m. Lifetime

The spinoff sequel “Power Book II: Ghost” returns for Season 2. Michael Rainey Jr. stars. 8 p.m. Starz

MONDAY

A daylong salute to the late Dean Stockwell includes the onetime child star in the 1948 antiwar fable “The Boy With Green Hair.” 3:30 p.m. TCM

Filmmaker Oliver Stone continues to challenge the official account of the Kennedy assassination in the documentary “JFK Revisited: Through the Looking Glass.” 7 and 10 p.m. Showtime

And the mirror ball trophy goes to … Find out on the season finale of “Dancing With the Stars.” 8 p.m. ABC

An elderly woman and her son share a series of once-in-a-lifetime adventures in the documentary “Duty Free” on “Independent Lens.” 10 p.m. KOCE

TUESDAY

Singing siblings come in for some gentle ribbing in the new special “Jonas Brothers Family Roast.” Anytime, Netflix

Two Washington, D.C., sisters help other people of color search for missing loved ones in the new four-part series “Black and Missing.” 8 and 8:57 p.m. HBO; also 8 and 8:55 p.m. Wednesday

The indignities inflicted upon Indigenous children who were once shipped off to boarding schools to be stripped of their culture are recalled on a new “Independent Lens.” 9 p.m. KOCE

Ten grand in cash is on the line in the new competition special “Holiday Crafters Gone Wild,” hosted by “America’s Next Top Model’s” Jay Manuel. 9 p.m. OWN

A new “Frontline” investigates the high rate of police shootings as well as racial disparities in the use of deadly force in Utah. 10 p.m. KOCE

College basketball players hoping to advance to the NBA attend the “Klutch Academy” in this new docuseries. 11 p.m. BET

WEDNESDAY

St. Nick gets yet another origin story in the 2021 fantasy “A Boy Called Christmas.” With Sally Hawkins and Kristen Wiig. Anytime, Netflix

Halle Berry directs and stars as a former MMA fighter turned single mother in the gritty 2021 drama “Bruised.” Anytime, Netflix

His aim is true: Jeremy Renner reprises his “Avengers” role in “Hawkeye,” the latest series set in the MCU. Anytime, Disney+

“Hanna” is back in a third and final season of this action drama. Esme Creed-Miles stars. Anytime, Amazon Prime

A Kevin Hart-like comic (Kevin Hart) has little to laugh about in the new crime drama “True Story.” With Wesley Snipes. Anytime, Netflix

They’re gonna party like there’s no tomorrow in the apocalyptic 2021 comedy “How It Ends.” With Zoe Lister-Jones. 8 p.m. Epix

A dysfunctional family comes together at Thanksgiving in Stephen Karam’s 2021 adaptation of his Tony-winning drama “The Humans.” With Richard Jenkins, Steven Yeun and Amy Schumer. 8 p.m. Showtime

A Maltese priest cracks the case of a stolen 17th century painting in “The Caravaggio Heist” on a new “Secrets of the Dead.” 10 p.m. KOCE

The aforementioned Teri Hatcher steps up to the mic in the new stand-up showcase “Even More Funny Women of a Certain Age.” 10 p.m. Showtime

THURSDAY

Filmmaker Peter Jackson takes a deep dive into the recording of the Fab Four’s final album in the three-part rock doc “The Beatles: Get Back.” Anytime, Disney+; also Friday-Saturday

Our favorite foul-mouthed fourth-graders make light of the pandemic in the new animated comedy “South Park: Post COVID.” Anytime, Paramount+

Floats, balloons, marching bands and Santa all return to the Big Apple for “The Thanksgiving Day Parade on CBS” and “The 95th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.” 9 a.m. CBS; 9 a.m. NBC

The Chicago Bears battle the Detroit Lions to kick off a Turkey Day cornucopia of “NFL Football” matchups. 9:30 a.m. Fox

Prize pooches promenade at this year’s edition of “The National Dog Show.” John O’Hurley and David Frei return as hosts. Noon, NBC

Magician Adam Trent uses his illusions to help ordinary folks celebrate special occasions in the new special “The Magic Maker.” 8 p.m. ABC

Creatures great and small show off their skills in the new special “World Pet Games.” 8 p.m. Fox

The new documentary “DMX: Don’t Try to Understand” remembers the gruff-voiced rapper who died in April. 8 p.m. HBO

“The Nine Kittens of Christmas” are the cat’s pajamas in this new TV movie sequel. With Brandon Routh. 8 p.m. Hallmark Channel

FRIDAY

American author Brooke Shields hooks up with hunky Scottish nobleman Cary Elwes in the 2021 romance “A Castle For Christmas.” Anytime, Netflix

Aspiring chocolatiers are put through their paces at the “School of Chocolate” in this new series. Anytime, Netflix

“Ted Lasso’s” Jason Sudeikis plays an ex-con whose childhood sweetheart has terminal cancer in the 2021 crime drama “South of Heaven.” Anytime, AMC+

Silent night? As if! It’s gonna be “A Loud House Christmas” in this new live-action movie based on the animated series. 7 p.m. Nickelodeon; also on Paramount+

Put a little abracadabra in your stocking with the new special “Masters of Illusion: Christmas Magic 2021.” 8 p.m. The CW

Exes reunite for “An Unexpected Christmas” in this new TV movie. With Bethany Joy Lenz. 8 p.m. Hallmark Channel

Reba McEntire and John Schneider make beautiful music together in the new TV movie “Reba McEntire’s Christmas in Tune.” 8 p.m. Lifetime

There are only “5 More Sleeps ’til Christmas” in this new animated special based on Jimmy Fallon’s children’s book. 8:30 p.m. NBC

Their hair is up to there in the tune-filled animated spinoff special “Trolls Holiday in Harmony.” 9 p.m. NBC

A mad doctor creates a life-size dancing doll in a live action/animated update of the 19th century comic ballet “Coppelia” on a new “Great Performances.” 9 p.m. KOCE

The 2021 documentary “Cusp” gets up close and personal with three teenage girls in a small Texas town. 9 p.m. Showtime

Your humble host continues to make the mean streets of NYC a little less so in Season 2 of his quirky series “How to With John Wilson.” 10 p.m. HBO

SATURDAY

American tourist Lacey Chabert hooks up with a hunky Irish nobleman in the new TV movie “Christmas at Castle Hart.” 8 p.m. Hallmark Channel

Kelly Rowland has herself a “Merry Liddle Christmas Baby” in this new TV-movie franchise entry. 8 p.m. Lifetime