What to watch on TV: Christmas, NBA basketball, ‘The Matrix’

Charlie Brown and Linus lean against a snow-covered wall pondering the meaning of Christmas

By Matt CooperListings Coordinator

Dec. 19, 2021 6 AM PT

SUNDAY

Student singers and musicians will be making spirits bright in the concert special “Repeat the Sounding Joy! A Concordia Christmas.” 6 p.m. KOCE

Alive with “The Sound of Music” the hills are. Julie Andrews stars as a novitiate turned governess in this beloved 1965 musical set in pre-WWII Austria. 7 p.m. ABC

Black women share their personal experiences with trying to conceive a child in the special “Stories We Tell: The Fertility Secret.” 7 and 9 p.m. MSNBC

The Peanuts gang learns the reason for the season in the classic 1965 animated special “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” based on the comic strip by Charles M. Schulz. 7:30 p.m. KOCE, KVCR; 8 p.m. KLCS

A pilot for a small family-run airline hits a little turbulence on the way to romance in the TV movie “Christmas Takes Flight.” 8 p.m. CBS

Rachael Leigh Cook (“She’s All That”) plays an author looking for inspiration in the new TV movie “’Tis the Season to Be Merry.” 8 p.m. Hallmark Channel

A marketing expert finds herself pining for some poor sap in the TV movie “Under the Christmas Tree.” 8 p.m. Lifetime

One team shall rise to victory on the season finale of “Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses.” Helen Mirren hosts. 8 p.m. TBS, Cartoon Network

Kevin Costner’s contemporary western “Yellowstone” begets a prequel, the new frontier-era drama “1883.” With Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and Sam Elliott. 9 p.m. Paramount Network; also on Paramount+

“Claws” is back and we don’t mean Santa as this Florida-set crime drama kicks off its fourth and final season. With Niecy Nash-Betts. 9 and 9:59 p.m. TNT

MONDAY

Our amateur sleuth (Ashley Jensen) has a holiday mystery on her hands in the special “Agatha Raisin: Kissing Christmas Goodbye.” Anytime, Acorn TV

The saga of the Carringtons and the Colbys continues with the return of the rebooted prime-time soap “Dynasty.” 8 p.m. The CW

Everything you always wanted to know about Santa but were afraid to ask is exposed in the family friendly special “The Secrets of Christmas: Revealed.” 8 p.m. Fox

She takes a licking and keeps on ticking in the TV movie “Candy Cane Candidate.” 8 p.m. Lifetime

The 2021 documentary “On These Grounds” recalls a shocking 2015 incident at a South Carolina school in which a young Black girl was thrown to the ground by a white police officer. 8 p.m. Starz

“A Love It or List It” co-star steps out on her own in the new home makeover series “Tough Love With Hilary Farr.” 9 p.m. HGTV

A rapper returns to Harlem seeking redemption in the TV movie “Miracles Across 125th Street.” With Nick Cannon. 9 p.m. VH1

More student singers and musicians ring in the season in the concert special “Christmas at Belmont.” 10 p.m. KOCE

The show must go on! The 2021 documentary “Reopening Night” celebrates the resumption of the Public Theater’s storied Shakespeare in the Park program in NYC. 10 p.m. HBO

TUESDAY

The creation of the mother of all sitcoms — “I Love Lucy” — is recalled in Aaron Sorkin’s 2021 bio-drama “Being the Ricardos.” Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem star. Anytime, Amazon Prime

The stand-up special “Jim Gaffigan: Comedy Monster” captures the veteran comic cracking wise for fans in Minneapolis. Anytime Netflix

Michelle Young makes her selection on the season finale of “The Bachelorette.” The customary “After the Final Rose” special follows. 8 and 10 p.m. ABC

A ballerina bounces back after losing her spot in “The Nutcracker” in the TV movie “The Christmas Ball.” 8 p.m. Lifetime

How sweet the sound: A beloved hymn serves as the inspiration for the new TV movie “Song & Story: Amazing Grace.” With Bresha Webb. 9 p.m. OWN

WEDNESDAY

Lily Collins returns as your not-so-ugly American for a second season of the comedy-drama “Emily in Paris.” Anytime, Netflix

Killed off in the last film, Keanu Reeves reboots for “The Matrix Resurrections,” the 2021 installment in the sci-fi/action franchise. Lana Wachowski directs and Carrie-Anne Moss also stars. Anytime, HBO Max

Drew Carey hosts a special ho-ho-holiday edition of “The Price Is Right at Night.” 8 p.m. CBS

Brush up on your fa-la-la-la-las, it’s time for “The Masked Singer Christmas Singalong.” 8 p.m. Fox

A small-town mayor rallies the populace to hold a holiday market in the TV movie “It Takes a Christmas Village.” 8 p.m. Lifetime

Motown founder Berry Gordy, “SNL” creator Lorne Michaels, singer-actress Bette Midler and singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell are feted at “The 44th Annual Kennedy Center Honors.” 9 p.m. CBS

THURSDAY

The cast of the “Cops”-style spoof reunites to unravel a bizarre conspiracy theory in the satirical TV movie “Reno 911! The Hunt for QAnon.” Anytime, Paramount+

Tiffany Haddish, Phoebe Robinson and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s” Rachel Brosnahan eulogize 2021 in the return of the comedy special “Yearly Departed.” Anytime, Amazon Prime

A real estate broker inherits a fixer-upper of her very own in the TV movie “Rebuilding a Dream Christmas.” 8 p.m. Lifetime

Filmmaker Nick Broomfield probes hip-hop’s biggest mysteries in the 2021 exposé “Last Man Standing: Suge Knight and the Murders of Biggie & Tupac.” 8 p.m. Starz

“Community’s” Joel McHale, “Real Housewives’” Nene Leakes, et al., say “Merry Elfin’ Christmas: Bye, Bye 2021!” in this new TMZ special. 9 p.m. Fox

FRIDAY

Emily, we hardly knew ye: “Dickinson,” the coming-of-age comedy starring Hailee Steinfeld as the beloved poet, ends its run after three seasons. Anytime, Apple TV+

Comet, schmomet! Everything will be fine as long as you “Don’t Look Up.” Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio head the cast of Adam McKay’s 2021 disaster-flick satire. Anytime, Netflix

Live from the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in downtown L.A., it’s the “62nd Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration” featuring scores of local music groups, choirs and dance companies. 3 p.m. KOCE

The annual 24-hour marathon of the nostalgic 1983 comedy “A Christmas Story” returns, with showings every two hours. Peter Billingsley stars. 8 p.m. TBS, 9 p.m. TNT

Pope Francis officiates “Christmas Eve Mass” from Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. 11:34 p.m. NBC

SATURDAY

The aforementioned pontiff and other seniors share the wisdom that comes with age in the four-part docuseries “Stories of a Generation With Pope Francis.” Netflix

Images of a cracklin’ fire accompanied by six-straight hours of seasonal favorites? “The KTLA Yule Log” is back. 6 a.m. KTLA

Not quite live from Anaheim and Orlando, it’s this year’s edition of the “Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade.” 9 a.m. ABC

A stocking stuffed full of “NBA Basketball” matchups includes the Brooklyn Nets versus your Los Angeles Lakers. 5 p.m. ABC

The Crawleys and company are ready for their close-up in the 2019 big-screen adaptation of the veddy British period drama “Downton Abbey.” 7 p.m. KOCE

A romance novelist meets her match at a writers’ retreat in the TV movie “Writing Around the Christmas Tree.” 8 p.m. Lifetime

Boil some water and fetch clean towels, it’s time for the annual “Call the Midwife Holiday Special.” 9:05 p.m. KOCE