Around the remote: Gloria Estefan hosts 41st Annual Kennedy Center Honors
DON’T MISS: “The 41st Annual Kennedy Center Honors” – Gloria Estefan hosts this star-studded celebration of the arts. This year’s honorees are singer and actress Cher, composer and pianist Philip Glass, country music superstar Reba McEntire and jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter. In addition, “Hamilton” co-creators Lin-Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail, Andy Blankenbuehler and Alex Lacamoire receive a special award for their groundbreaking stage work. Among the celebrities paying tribute are Kelly Clarkson, Kristin Chenoweth, Herbie Hancock, Paul Simon, Whoopi Goldberg, Cyndi Lauper and others. (8 p.m. Wednesday, CBS).
Other bets
SUNDAY: “The Simpsons,” believe it or not, is turning 30. As part of the celebration, they’re reairing the show’s hilarious 1989 Christmas special, “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire.” It was the first full-length episode of “The Simpsons” to ever air. (8 p.m., Fox).
SUNDAY: “Marilyn Monroe for Sale” revisits the life of one of the silver screen’s most beloved icons by way of her most personal possessions. The documentary follows a 2016 auction in Los Angeles where some of her costumes, letters and clothes fetched more than $11 million in sales. (8 p.m., Smithsonian).
SUNDAY: “Madam Secretary” reaches its milestone 100th episode with a two-parter that echoes some real-life headlines. Elizabeth bumps heads with a U.S. governor over the state’s new policy of separating unauthorized immigrants from their children. (8 p.m. CBS).
MONDAY: Up for another trip to Bedford Falls? Frank Capra’s feel-good classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” returns for its annual Christmas Eve airing and you know the drill: Every time you watch it, an angel gets his wings … or a TV executive gets a raise. … Or something like that. (8 p.m., NBC).
MONDAY: “A Christmas Story” once again gets the around-the-clock treatment. We triple-dog dare you to watch all 24 hours of this year’s marathon airing. It’s a feat that’s worth at least one glorious leg lamp. (8 p.m., TBS).
TUESDAY: On the annual “Call the Midwife Holiday Special,” a new nun and four Chinese orphans arrive unexpectedly at Nonnatus House, causing both joy and chaos for the midwives. Meanwhile, Mother Superior falls ill, and it’s time for a new spiritual leader to be elected. (8 p.m., KSPS; 9 p.m., KCDT).
WEDNESDAY: “Apollo’s Daring Mission” is the latest offering from the “Nova” science series. It has astronauts and engineers telling the inside story of Apollo 8, the first manned mission to the moon. (8 p.m., KSPS/KCDT).
THURSDAY: In the animated special, “Happy New Year, Charlie Brown,” the Peanuts gang is set to ring in the new year with a party. But good grief, poor Charlie is sweating a book report he has to write on Tolstoy’s “War and Peace.” (8 p.m., ABC).
FRIDAY: To honor the 100th birthday of Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990), “Great Performances” airs a Boston Symphony Orchestra gala concert that celebrates the work of the fabled composer. Audra McDonald is our host. (8 p.m., KCDT; 9 p.m., KSPS).
SATURDAY: And you thought the touchy-feely TV movies were over after Christmas. Nope. In “A Midnight Kiss,” a party planner (Adelaide Kane) has only one week to put together a big New Year’s Eve bash. Yes, there’s pressure – but romance too. (8 p.m., Hallmark).