Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Jan. 4: fun, football and Cruise

1) Football, 11 a.m. ET, ESPN2. The bowl barrage finally ends, with a game that’s early and sunny. The Bahamas Bowl has Buffalo – possibly delighted to be away from snowstorms – and Liberty. Afterward, ABC and ESPN have the regular-season pro finales for the Browns (3-13) and Ravens (11-5) at 4:30 and the Bengals (shown here, 8-8) and Steelers (10-6) at 8. Read more…

Best-bets for Jan. 3: It’s a semi-happy mix

1) “Happy’s Place,” 8 p.m., NBC. Let’s at least credit this show for being one of the first with a new episode after the holidays: Competing with Gabby to be a comedy emcee Bobbie (Reba McEntire) gets coaching from her half-sister. (They’re show here.) The story requires four characters to be wildly overwrought. The others, Takoda and Emmett, provide enough laughs to make it sort of fun. Read more…

Best-bets for Dec. 31: music, music and football

1) “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” 8-10 p.m., 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., ABC. Ryan Seacrest will be in Times Square, where Carrie Underwood (shown here in a previous concert) does the last songs of 2024, the Jonas Brothers the first of 2025. Also, Megan Moroney, TLC and Sophie Ellis-Bextor in Times Square; Luis Fonsi in Puero Rico; Blake Shelton in Las Vegas; Lenny Kravitz and more in Los Angeles. Read more…

Best-bets for Dec. 28: bowl barrage and “SWAT” stuff

1) Football. Eight bowl games are packed into one day, including three with top-25 teams. ESPN has games at 11 a.m. and 2:15 and 5:45 p.m., then Army (ranked No. 22) and Louisiana Tech at 9:15. ABC has ones at noon, 3:30 p.m. — with Miami (shown here, No. 13) and Iowa State (No. 18) — and 7:30, with Colorado (No. 23) and Brigham Young (No. 17). CW has a 4:30 game. Read more…

Best-bets for Dec. 27: Grammy greatness plus videos

1) “Grammy Greats: The Stories Behind the Songs,” 9-11 p.m., CBS. A slow week is being brightened by three specials from the Grammy people. There was an Andrea Bocelli hour Tuesday; a “Memorable Moments” special is Sunday. In between, this talks to songwriters – Alicia Keys (shown here), Sting, Billie Eilish, Kenny Loggins, Bonnie Raitt and more. Read more…

Best-bets for Dec. 26: The year in pop, politics, more

1) “The Year: 2024,” 9-11 p.m., ABC. It’s been a strange year, ending with an overthrow in Syria (after 13 years of civil war) and a near-shutdown in the U.S. But this ABC News special will also leave room for pop culture. It includes Olympians, politicians, Elton John, Teddy Swims (shown here), Shaboozey, Lara Trump, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Charlamagne the God and more. Read more…