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      What’s on TV This Week: New Year’s Eve Specials and ‘Time Bomb Y2K’

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      Several networks air countdown-to-2024 specials. And HBO releases a documentary about mass hysteria in the final days of 1999.Between network, cable and streaming, the modern television landscape is a vast one. Here are some of the shows, specials and movies coming to TV this week, Dec. 24-31. Details and times are subject to change.MondayMariah Carey and Billy Porter during last year’s “Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to All!”James Devaney/CBSMARIAH CAREY: MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL! 9 p.m. on CBS. In November 2022, Mariah Carey went on a mini-tour performing a show with some holiday songs, featuring (obviously and most importantly) her hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” The concert she performed at Madison Square Garden is returning to small screens to liven up the Christmas mood after all the presents have been unwrapped, the spiked hot cocoas are kicking in and the tension with a relative over a politics has eased to a silent simmer.TuesdayTHE NUTCRACKER AND THE MOUSE KING 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings). If you’ve ever wondered how the prince actually got put into the nutcracker, Alan Cumming is here to tell you. This version of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” takes the story from E.T.A. Hoffmann’s 1816 book, and Cumming recounts it as an orchestra plays along.WednesdayTHE 46TH ANNUAL KENNEDY CENTER HONORS 8 p.m. on CBS. These honors took place on Dec. 3 in Washington, but now we get to see snippets of the ceremony and some of the performances. This year’s honorees are Dionne Warwick, Billy Crystal, Queen Latifah, Renée Fleming and Barry Gibb; as is tradition, each star was treated to special performances by others, including Missy Elliott, Rob Reiner, Dove Cameron and Michael Bublé.Robin Roberts on the set of ABC News’s “Year 2023” special, which airs on Wednesday.Jennifer Pottheiser/ABCTHE YEAR: 2023 9 p.m. on ABC. This recap show, hosted by Robin Roberts and other ABC News anchors, dives into some big moments from 2023, such as the Eras Tour, Barbenheimer, the actors’ and writers’ strikes and the “Vanderpump” Scandoval. Ronald Gladden, our sweet Everyman from “Jury Duty,” Missy Elliott (she’s everywhere this week!) and some of the cast of “Dancing With the Stars” are set to make appearances to discuss a year that, for me at least, has simultaneously felt like it just started and also won’t end.Thursday27 DRESSES (2008) 3 p.m. on FX. Now that Christmas is behind us, I can get back to my regularly scheduled romantic comedy viewings. Katherine Heigl stars as Jane, who has a crush on her boss, George (Edward Burns), and also happens to be a hopeless romantic who religiously reads the vows section of the newspaper. When her pesky younger sister comes to town (my words, not hers) and starts dating George, Jane has to decide just how good of a sister she wants to be. James Marsden also stars as Kevin, a wedding reporter, who is somehow charming despite the fact that he always pops up at the most inconvenient times.FridayTHE WORLD ACCORDING TO FOOTBALL 8 p.m. on Showtime. This show, hosted by Trevor Noah, is closing out its run with an episode about the football — or soccer for us Americans — culture in Qatar. The episode will look specifically at the $220 billion the country, which drew criticism over its treatment of migrant workers and its anti-L.G.B.T.Q. policies, spent hosting the 2022 World Cup.SaturdayA still from “Time Bomb Y2K.”Brian Langley/HBOTIME BOMB Y2K 10 p.m. on HBO. At the end of the 1990s, a fear started to arise about a computer bug that came to be called “Y2K.” According to the theory, one second after midnight on Jan. 1, 2000, computer software could malfunction because the last two numerals of the year were 00, which could wreak havoc such as power failures, grounded planes and inoperative life support machines. People were loading up on guns and water; President Bill Clinton appointed a Y2K czar. In the end, computers easily adjusted to the 2000 date stamp. But this new documentary examines the concerns of the time through interviews with computer experts, survivalists, scholars, militia groups, conservative Christians and pop stars.SundayCNN NEW YEAR’S EVE LIVE WITH ANDERSON COOPER AND ANDY COHEN 8 p.m. on CNN. To tequila or not to tequila — that has been the question surrounding this special for the past couple of years. This will be Cooper and Cohen’s seventh year doing this show together, but the executives at CNN banned them from drinking alcohol during the live broadcast last year, to Cohen’s vocal displeasure. It is unclear if the two old friends will be slinging back shots, but what we do know is that Jeremy Renner, Neil Patrick Harris, the Jonas Brothers and Enrique Iglesias are set to make appearances.DICK CLARK’S PRIMETIME NEW YEAR’S ROCKIN’ EVE WITH RYAN SEACREST 2024 starting at 8 p.m. on ABC. The traditional ball drop may be in New York City, but this New Year’s Eve show takes it all around the world. NewJeans is set to perform in South Korea, Post Malone will be at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Las Vegas and Ivy Queen will be live in Puerto Rico. And of course, cameras will be rolling in Times Square to count down to midnight. More

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      Leo Reich Likes Nothing Better Than a Movie Where Nothing Happens

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      “Any movie by Alexander Payne, Lena Dunham, Greta Gerwig, anything European,” said the comedian, who has a special on Max. “Anything where a woman with ennui wanders around a medieval town.”Like a lot of comedians, Leo Reich works out the kinks in his stand-up routines by pacing the floor and talking to himself.During the pandemic, that process reached a fever pitch.“I think that’s where a lot of the angst in the show was from,” he said about “Leo Reich: Literally Who Cares?!,” his Gen Z lampoon now streaming on Max, “the fact that I was at home in the childhood bedroom where I’d always lived with all of my old posters on the wall, just furious about the state of affairs that I was finding myself in.”Under that strain, what began as a confessional, rather traditional set eventually morphed, he recalled in a video call from London, into a kind of self-parody “of the worst excesses of my own personality.” During the new set, Reich, 25, flop-sweats across the stage in short shorts and black eye makeup.“It’s so funny having done a show that tries to send up on some level that whole idea of the fetishization of young talent,” he said, before elaborating on snobbery, eating animals and the freedom of humiliation, “and then essentially become what I was trying to lovingly criticize.”These are edited excerpts from the conversation.1Two Pints of Beer and a CigaretteIt can be hot sun, Coronas and a Camel Blue. It can be dead of winter, subzero temperatures, two pints of Guinness and a Marlboro Red. What I will say is that after you’ve had two pints of beer and a cigarette, that is actually scientifically peak physical performance that a human being can get to. You will never feel as good as that in any other context.2Bird Watching and Pondering the Natural WorldThere was a period when I was 9 to 15 where I was a really obsessive bird watcher. Not to get religious about this, but sometimes in our lives we have to sit back and be in awe of the majesty of nature. It also makes you think, “God, I really know nothing about the universe because this little guy is dressed in bright, bright blue, and there is no possible explanation for that that I could possibly make sense of.”3Bad Sketch ComedyI passionately believe that perfection is the enemy of joy. To watch someone onstage do something that is on some level quite humiliating, but have the absolute best time doing it, you get a feeling of freedom and human connection that is unparalleled.4Movies Where Nothing HappensAny movie by Alexander Payne, Lena Dunham, Greta Gerwig, anything European. Anything where a woman with ennui wanders around a medieval town and runs her hand along a curtain. Something where someone wonders, “Is this all there is to life?” That’s perfect to me.5OffalIf you’re going to kill and eat an animal, you should do it in the style of a Renaissance king and make sure that you eat the whole thing. The perfect intersection of that for me is eating a liver, a kidney, some intestines — something where you truly cannot hide away from the fact that what you are doing out of your own free will as a human being is biting into something that was once alive.6Snobbery and Reverse SnobberySome things I’m a snob about: superhero films, interior design, restaurants, grammar, weirdly. Things I’m not a snob about: coffee, wine, reality TV, pop music. You’ve got to choose a couple of things where you’re like, “Listen up, I know more than you about this.” And some other things where you’re like, “Don’t over-intellectualize it. I’m just here to have fun.”7PiningYou don’t need any material reason or justification for it. You can pine after literally anyone, and your brain and heart will create the most gorgeous back story out of absolutely nothing that will sustain you, in my experience, years at a time.8Dancing to ’80s PopI mean, if you are dancing in a club that’s got lasers in it and, I don’t know, some Pet Shop Boys, come on. It rewires your brain forever.9Novels Where Nothing HappensThe person wandering around the city is probably from the ’20s or ’30s, and they’re doing something like planning a party or collecting a package. The whole novel is a metaphor for civilizational decline. I’m talking “Mrs. Dalloway” — almost any novel by Virginia Woolf will work for this. I’m talking Flaubert’s “Sentimental Education.” Something that if someone saw you reading it, they’d go, “Oh, the guy’s an intellectual.” Little do they know you don’t understand a thing that’s going on.10Saying Something StupidI think that one of the nicest things in the world is to embarrass yourself in a social setting and just accept that it’s happened. More

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      Just How Formulaic Are Hallmark and Lifetime Holiday Movies? We (Over)analyzed 424 of Them.

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      The Hallmark and Lifetime networks are known for their prolific output of made-for-television holiday movies each year. Even in the age of streaming, they bring in impressive cable television ratings, perhaps aided by how easy they are to leave on while, say, baking several batches of gingerbread for a tree lighting ceremony. They also have […] More

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      ‘The Curse’ Season 1, Episode 7 Recap: The Power of Delusion

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      This week characters young and old are indulging in magical thinking.Can you make yourself believe something even if it isn’t true? The characters on “The Curse,” either consciously or unconsciously, seemingly think that might be possible. It’s certainly a disease of sorts that Asher and Whitney have, and it seems like it might be trickling down to Nala.The episode this week is bookended by two scenes of Nala in school. It opens with her in gym class. As her bully climbs a rope Nala whispers, “fall,” trying to see if she can hurt her. For a moment both Nala and the audience are convinced that maybe she’ll plummet. Nala’s focus is intense. There is a close-up of the hook holding the rope to the ceiling. It quivers. It wouldn’t be surprising if it breaks. But it doesn’t. The girl makes it down safely.Has Nala convinced herself she has magical powers? Has Asher convinced her she does with all of his questions? Regardless, whether or not she thinks she can make her classmate fall, she gives it a shot. At first it seems fruitless, but then in the episode’s final moment her enemy runs into a wall in the playground. Maybe there’s something to Nala’s belief after all.Not that Nala actually really knows all that much. As her enemy crashes into the wall we hear Nala telling another girl there’s makeup you can wear for an entire month. We are reminded that she has the knowledge of a child and probably doesn’t wield metaphysical power.Whitney has a similar, parallel story line specifically centered around the artist Cara Durand. Whitney and Cara’s relationship has always seemed one sided — Whitney thinks they are friends; Cara seems less convinced. Whether or not they can actually be called pals, it’s clear that Whitney’s interest in Cara isn’t entirely about camaraderie: For Whitney, Cara’s friendship is also a business partnership. If Cara likes her, she’ll sign the release to let her art be featured on “Fliplanthropy.” If Cara likes her, she’ll agree to be a consultant on the show, bolstering Whitney’s credibility with the Native community.In an effort to make this happen, Whitney shows up at Cara’s door bearing a truly strange gift. She buys an offensive statue that Cara had pointed out to Dougie from a mini golf course, and gives it to Cara, explaining that she can use it in her art and “recontextualize it.” Cara appears disturbed. Whitney’s sense of altruism is askew — in thinking she is helping a Native artist she just brought a terrible stereotype into her house. Yes, Cara clearly plays with these images in her work, but Whitney doesn’t realize how off-putting it is for a white person to essentially force her to grapple with this kind of depiction.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber?  More

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      Why We Can’t Get Enough of Cult Documentaries

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      The stories are juicy, but the volume is perhaps tied to a persistent question: Why do so many people believe so many crazy things?Nobody joins a cult. They just joined an exciting group of people trying to change the world. They just wanted to empower themselves, to feel better, to know Jesus, to do drugs with interesting people, to be different from their parents, to live off the grid. Then things got hairy and now here they are, sagely describing this process to a dutiful filmmaker.Our current cult documentary boom has been going strong for years now, beginning in earnest with 2018’s “Wild Wild Country” and not really letting up. There has been “Jonestown: Terror in the Jungle,” “Heaven’s Gate: The Cult of Cults,” “The Way Down,” “Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey,” “Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence,” “Waco: American Apocalypse,” “Shiny Happy People,” “The Deep End,” “In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal.” There were two Nxivm documentaries — “The Vow” and “Seduced: Inside the Nxivm Cult” — and two more on the online romance group Twin Flames Universe: “Desperately Seeking Soulmate” and “Escaping Twin Flames.” In the past month or so there has been “Love Has Won” on HBO and “Born Into Synanon,” on Paramount+. This is nowhere near a comprehensive list.So what’s to account for our apparently bottomless appetite for such tales? (Streamers wouldn’t keep making them if nobody was watching.) Well, on a purely craven level, these stories are juicy as hell — sex, love, murder, redemption, ecstatic connections and a rending of the social fabric. Money, money, money. You’d be crazy not to make a documentary about all of it, about all the weird hairdos and strange lingo, all the anguish and absurdity.But the volume and repetition perhaps reflects a broader, persistent sense of unease, a need to ask, over and over: How in the world do people believe things like this? Why do people worship lies? Is there a way to show them the light?Oh, gosh, if anyone knew the answer to that, we’d be living in a very different world. Individually, these documentaries demonstrate that lots of people believe lots of garbage. Taken as a whole body, though, they suggest that, actually, nearly everyone believes at least a little garbage.Some of the better documentaries stress the relationship between high-control groups and general social ills: “Seduced,” the shorter but more perceptive Nxvim documentary, highlights the misogyny that drove much of the organization. “The Way Down” traces an Evangelical leader’s message from intense body shaming to even more intense advocacy for corporal punishment.The less curious instantiations, which present the leaders’ hectoring and philosophizing at length, can start to feel misguided. They’re like those 1990s girls-magazine articles about the dangers of eating disorders that also doubled as how-to guides for budding anorexics.But even as quality and particulars vary, there is a sameness to a lot of these shows. Subjects ready themselves and chat to off-camera producers. We see joyous footage of the early days, and then usually an ex-member says, “Or that’s what I thought,” or sometimes, “But then things started to change.” Some former members are horrified by what they’ve done, and others want to make sure the story includes the good parts, too, or they even still believe. Sometimes family members describe their heartache.Many of these groups have already been the subjects of at least one podcast or article before making the leap to television. If you’re interested in high-control groups in general, this can make the TV documentaries feel even more repetitive.In format, perspective, style and distribution, the contemporary cult exposé nestles in comfortably with two other recent booms: true crime and scam sagas. Cults are also adjacent to conspiracies, another growth industry — both are forms of tribalism defined by their distance from reality. Synanon and the like sit alongside stories of Theranos, crypto frauds, pyramid schemes and QAnon not just on streaming services, but also within the greater misinformation and disinformation diaspora.“Wild Wild Country” was a hit for Netflix in 2018.NetflixThere’s a gawking appeal to this programming, of course, and a reasonable desire to hold people accountable for causing so much despair. But after spending hundreds of hours hearing from all sorts of devotees, what becomes clear is that participation in a cult is often a response to the sorrows of the world, to its shortcomings and capricious cruelty, to being stuck or maligned or afraid. No, we are not all equally susceptible to undue influence, but if you’ve ever bought something because of advertising, easy does it on that high horse.In “Escaping Twin Flames,” a former member says her deconstruction occurred when the leader told her to write a report on the two Nxivm documentaries to affirm the ways he was not a cult leader. “Every point we were coming across when we were doing this research was pointing to the fact that he was, in fact, a cult leader,” she says. “Things started to churn at that point.”Perhaps things start to churn for viewers, too. The drive to understand others is also a drive to understand ourselves. Could it be that the appeal of cult stories partly reflects a desire to deconstruct pernicious control in our own lives? Or to at least reconsider the extent to which we’ve substituted the standards of capitalism, patriarchy, diet culture, consumerism, improv comedy, whatever, for our own? If we can nail down how other people get fooled and then unfooled, then maybe we’d know what to do when something seems not quite right.It is scary when you begin to think that the institutions, leaders and premises that define your life and way of thinking may be corrupt and illegitimate. But maybe if you could watch, oh, hundreds of people in a variety of smaller contexts on every streaming platform and cable network go through that process, the path forward would become a little clearer. You would have some idea of where to head. You might feel less isolated. Actually, maybe we could watch together. In fact, we could form a little group. More

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      The World Has Finally Caught Up to Colman Domingo

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      Colman Domingo was at the Equinox on 43rd Street and Fifth Avenue when his agent called. A rush of hope overtook him: After a week spent auditioning for eight film and television roles, finally he was about to get something.This was in 2014, which Domingo experienced as a year of incredible highs and dangerously low lows. He had just come off a successful, soul-enriching transfer of the stage musical “The Scottsboro Boys” in London, but upon returning to New York, he felt quickly cut down to size. Despite his Tony nomination for the Kander and Ebb musical, Domingo was stuck auditioning for “under-fives,” screen roles that had little more to offer than a line or two. Still, he felt backed into a corner, praying that one of them would hit.The most promising was a callback for HBO’s Prohibition-era drama “Boardwalk Empire”: To audition for a maître d’ at a Black-owned nightclub, Domingo had donned a tuxedo to sing and tap dance for the producers. You can imagine how he felt, then, when his agent began that call at the gym by saying that everyone on “Boardwalk Empire” had loved his audition. This is the one that’s going to change it up for me, Domingo thought. This is the one that’s going to finally be my big break.There was just one problem, his agent said. After the callback, a historical researcher on the show reminded producers that the maître d’s in those nightclubs were typically light-skinned, and Domingo was not. “Boardwalk Empire” had passed.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber?  More

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      Colbert Cheers G.O.P. Chaos as Trump Banned From Colorado Ballot

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      Stephen Colbert likened the current state of the Republican primary to grocery “shopping carts that are shaped like cars so the kids can pretend they’re driving.”Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous night’s highlights that lets you sleep — and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now.What’s the Alternative?Despite former President Donald Trump potentially being off the primary ballot in Colorado for 2024, Republicans are still supporting his candidacy while other candidates compete to be runner-up.“Right now, the Republican primary is like when you go to the grocery store and they have those shopping carts that are shaped like cars so the kids can pretend they’re driving,” Stephen Colbert said on Thursday’s “Late Show.”“According to a new poll, 54 percent of Americans approve of Colorado kicking Trump off the ballot, including — including a shocking 24 percent of Republicans. But MAGA conservatives are officially P.O.’d about it, and some of them are seeking vengeance against the guy who did not do it, because Republicans are threatening to take Joe Biden off the ballot in states they control. Yes, they’re going to kick him off the ballot for the same constitutionally sound reason they’re impeaching him — I don’t know.” — STEPHEN COLBERT“Of course, there’s no guarantee Trump’s even going to be the nominee. And there’s been a huge shake-up in the Republican primary because, according to the polls, Nikki Haley has surged into second place behind Trump in Iowa. Yaaass, queen! It is so important to show little girls out there that they, too, can never be president.” — STEPHEN COLBERTThe Punchiest Punchlines (Winter Solstice Edition)“Well, everyone, today is officially the first day of winter, and it was also the shortest day of the year. Yeah, it was fun around 3 p.m. when you weren’t sure whether to take DayQuil or NyQuil.” — JIMMY FALLON“Happy winter solstice, everybody — unless you’ve got seasonal affective disorder, in which case, hang in there! Tomorrow is going to be three seconds longer.” — STEPHEN COLBERT“One popular solstice tradition is to dance around a bonfire, but I already did my drunken fire dance two nights ago when Colorado kicked Trump off the ballot.” — STEPHEN COLBERTThe Bits Worth WatchingSeth Meyers revisited an old Playboy interview with Trump from 1990 for his last “A Closer Look” segment of 2023.Also, Check This OutAndrew Scott in “All of Us Strangers.”Chris Harris/Searchlight PicturesAndrew Scott plays a man alienated from himself and looking for answers in Andrew Haigh’s new film, “All of Us Strangers.” More

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      Jimmy Fallon Cheers Colorado for ‘Illegalizing’ Trump

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      Fallon joked that before the court ruling on Tuesday, “Trump thought ‘the insurrection clause’ was one of those Tim Allen movies on Disney+.”Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous night’s highlights that lets you sleep — and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now.Banned in ColoradoColorado’s top court on Tuesday ruled that former President Donald Trump was disqualified from returning to office, banning him from its primary ballot based on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which disallows candidates who engage in insurrection against the Constitution.Jimmy Fallon joked about the timing of the news, saying, “Christmas is almost here, and people are already returning gifts. In fact, last night Colorado returned Donald Trump.”“You got to give it up for Colorado — they’re the first state to legalize weed and illegalize Trump.” — JIMMY FALLON“Yeah, they banned him from the ballot. If Trump ends up winning in 2024, don’t be surprised if Colorado suddenly becomes East Utah.” — JIMMY FALLON“Yep, Colorado decided that Trump is disqualified from being president ’cause his role in the Jan. 6 attack violated the U.S. Constitution’s insurrection clause. Yep, before last night, Trump thought ‘the insurrection clause’ was one of those Tim Allen movies on Disney+.” — JIMMY FALLON“The insurrection clause is in the 14th Amendment, which was ratified in 1868. Right now, President Biden’s like, ‘I supported it then, and I support it now.’” — JIMMY FALLON“You go, Colorado. Just goes to show you can make good decisions when you’re high.” — STEPHEN COLBERT“The reason the court kicked Trump off the ballot is the 14th Amendment’s so-called insurrection clause, which states that no one can hold an office of the United States if they ‘have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.’ The insurrection, in this case, is Jan. 6, and ‘aid and comfort to our enemies’ is his side hustle.” — STEPHEN COLBERT“The Colorado Supreme Court ruled yesterday that former President Trump is ineligible to run again for president, while the Florida Supreme Court ruled he already won.” — SETH MEYERSThe Punchiest Punchlines (Paraphrasing Hitler Edition)“After facing comparisons to Adolf Hitler, former President Trump said yesterday that immigrants are destroying the blood of our country and added, ‘They said, “Oh, Hitler said that in a much different way.”’ But you’ve already lost the argument if you have to say, ‘Guys, I wasn’t quoting Hitler — I was paraphrasing him.’” — SETH MEYERS“That’s right, after facing comparisons to Adolf Hitler, Trump said that immigrants are destroying the blood of our country and added, ‘I’ve never read “Mein Kampf.”’ Yeah, no one thought you had. I’d be surprised if you read ‘The Art of the Deal.’” — SETH MEYERS“[imitating Trump] Everyone is saying that I’ve read ‘Mein Kampf,’ but that is a lie: I reached the same conclusions as Hitler independently. And while I’ve got your attention — folks, hold on — while I’ve got your attention, and I’m just spitballin’ here, what say we invade Poland?” — STEPHEN COLBERTThe Bits Worth WatchingLiam Neeson narrated what Stephen Colbert called “the new animated classic,” “The Indict-Mare Before Christmas,” on Wednesday’s “Late Show.”What We’re Excited About on Thursday NightAmy Poehler will catch up with her former “Saturday Night Live” castmate Seth Meyers on Thursday’s “Late Night.”Also, Check This OutWhatever potential acting work Matt Bomer may have lost by coming out, he said, “Love is more important to me than anything that being my true self cost me.”Sabrina Santiago for The New York TimesThe openly gay actor Matt Bomer is defying expectations with spotlight roles in projects like “Fellow Travelers” and “Maestro.” More