TV options for New Year’s Eve
![Ryan Seacrest returns to host "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin'...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AMjFhMmNjMWItYWNjOS00%3AMWItYWNjOS00NTQ3ZGE1%2Fettel31_sch_web.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Ryan Seacrest returns to host "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve." Credit: ABC / Ida Mae Astute
Another New Year’s Eve, another overload of viewing options.
You can virtually visit Times Square for the midnight crush — or avoid the multitudes with series marathons and movies.
AULD LANG SYNE
“Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” (8-11 p.m., 11:30 p.m.-2:15 a.m., ABC/7) — Ryan Seacrest hosts live Times Square songs from Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Demi Lovato and Wiz Khalifa, plus Jimmy Buffett from Barclays Center, along with prerecorded acts (One Direction, Taylor Swift).
“Pitbull’s New Year’s Revolution” (8-10 p.m., 11 p.m.-12:30 a.m., Fox/5) — The party’s in Miami, with Puff Daddy and the Family, Shawn Mendes, “Empire’s” Jussie Smollett and Timbaland, among others.
“New Year’s Eve Game Night” (10 p.m., NBC/4) — Bravo talker Andy Cohen hosts celeb party games, then turns things over to “New Year’s Eve With Carson Daly” (11:30 p.m., NBC) with Gwen Stefani in Times Square.
“New Year’s Eve Live” (8 p.m.-1 a.m., CNN) — Straight man Anderson Cooper again joins comic wild card Kathy Griffin in pursuit of public embarrassment.
“Feliz 2016” (8 p.m.-3:05 a.m., Univision/41) — It’s Spanish-language merriment so freewheeling even Anglos tune in.
MOVIE PICKS
Space is scary in the franchise called “Alien” (8 a.m.-7 p.m., again 7 p.m.-6 a.m., Encore Action). Fantasy gets epic in “The Lord of the Rings” (1 p.m.-midnight, TNT). It’s all ’80s on VH1: “The Goonies” (5 p.m.), “The Breakfast Club” (7:30 p.m.) and “Sixteen Candles” (10 p.m.).
Mel Brooks spoofs classic monsters in “Young Frankenstein” (1 p.m.-2:55 a.m., rewound every 140 minutes, Movies). Martinis fuel the mysteries of William Powell and Myrna Loy in all six flicks of “The Thin Man” (8 p.m.-6:45 a.m., TCM). And there’s James Stewart’s seasonal fave “It’s a Wonderful Life” (8 and 11 p.m., Bravo).
SERIES MARATHONS
Before the final run starts Sunday, see earlier episodes of “Downton Abbey” (9 a.m.-5 p.m., 10 p.m.-3 a.m.; Friday 8:30-11 a.m., 12:30-2:30 p.m., 4-5 p.m., 10:35 p.m.-1:30 a.m., WNET/13).
Musical acts visit “Later . . . With Jools Holland” (9 a.m.-5 a.m., Palladia) — Adele, Jay-Z, U2, Sam Smith, Kanye West, Soundgarden, Sting, George Clinton, Foo Fighters, Arcade Fire, Metallica, more. Sports stars chat on J.B. Smoove on “Four Courses” (10:30 a.m.-2 a.m., MSG).
Wildness reigns in “Ridicu lousness” (Thursday 6 a.m.-Friday 7 a.m., MTV), “Drunk History” (11 a.m.-3 a.m., Comedy), “Im practical Jokers” (11 a.m.-5:30 a.m., truTV; except “Billy on the Street” 10:30-11:30 p.m. and 2:30-3:30 a.m., truTV), “RuPaul’s Drag Race” (3:45 p.m.-12:30 a.m., Logo), “Nitro Circus: Crazy Train” (7 p.m.-3 a.m., NBC Sports).
It’s a New York tradition to start the new year with old-time comedy from “The Honeymooners” (11 p.m.-5 a.m., Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., WPIX/11). Other ’50s comedians alternate in “Jack Benny”/“Burns & Allen” (8 p.m.-6 a.m., Antenna TV). Action fans get Mr. T in ’80s hour “The A-Team” (Thursday 7 p.m.-Friday 7 p.m., Encore Classics).
Cult faves include David Cross’ soon-to-return “Todd Margaret” (6 p.m.-midnight, IFC) and Bruce Campbell’s about-to-end “Ash vs. Evil Dead” (7 p.m.-midnight, Starz Edge).
Continuing Thursday/Friday — ongoing mega-marathons of “The Walking Dead” (AMC), “House” (Cloo), “The Simpsons” (FXX), “MythBusters” (Science) and “The Twilight Zone” (Syfy).
FRIDAY’S TV
Pilots marathon — Everything old is new again Friday 6 a.m.-11 p.m. with Antenna TV’s premiere episodes of “Mister Ed,” “Bewitched,” “I Dream of Jeannie,” “Green Acres,” “All in the Family,” “Mork & Mindy,” more.
Current marathons — “Port landia” (Friday 6 a.m.-Saturday 6:30 a.m., IFC), “Bring It!” (8 a.m.-10 p.m., Lifetime), “Gold Rush: Road to Glory” (9 a.m.-10 p.m., Discovery), “Banshee” (1-10 p.m., Cinemax), “Younger” (3-9 p.m., TV Land), “Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown” (5 p.m.-4 a.m., CNN).
Vintage shows — “The Odd Couple” (Thursday at midnight-6 p.m., WLNY/10/55), “The A-Team” (6 a.m.-5 a.m., Cozi TV/4.2), “Death Valley Days” (6 a.m.-midnight, Encore Westerns), “Girlfriends” (8 a.m.-9:30 p.m., TV One), “The Golden Girls” (10 a.m.-midnight, Logo).
Movies on Friday — “Leprechaun” fright flicks (tonight 12:20 a.m.-Saturday 6 a.m., Encore Suspense); classic sci-fi, from 1936’s “Things to Come” to 1977’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (Friday 6:45 a.m.-8 p.m., TCM); Hitchcock suspensers “The Birds,” “Psycho,” “Rear Window” and “Vertigo” (Friday 7 a.m.-6 p.m., again 6 p.m.-5 a.m., BBC America).
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