What to Watch the Week of December 31: The Golden Bachelor: The Golden Wedding Is Here

If, like me, you’re suffering from The Golden Bachelor withdrawal, then this is your week. New Year’s Eve isn’t the only reason to celebrate, as Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist tie the knot this coming Thursday live on ABC’s The Golden Wedding. (And they’ll also be on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest).

ABC has been tight-lipped on the details—and surprises—but you can be sure that Golden Bachelor fan-faves Susan, Kathy, Faith, Nancy, April, Sandra, Ellen, Edith, and Joan will most likely be in attendance. As for runner-up Leslie? Well, I’m not so sure. She no doubt wishes Gerry well, but if I were her, I don’t think that’s a wedding I’d want to attend.

New Bachelor Joey Graziadei will be in attendance, so you can bet ABC will lean heavily into promoting his season during the two-hour event. What I’d really like to see is the announcement of The Golden Bachelorette as well, but you also don’t want to upstage Gerry and Theresa’s big night. (My prediction is that we’ll get that news eventually).

(back row): April, Susan, Kathy, Nancy (front row): Sandra, Faith, Joan, Ellen.

Disney/John Fleenor

Aside from The Golden Wedding, it’s a lighter week in terms of new premieres, so NBC is counting on new episodes of Night Court and Extended Family to bring in viewers. Most other network sitcoms and dramas don’t premiere until February, so NBC will have a leg up on the competition. Otherwise, it’s a big week for college and professional football.

On that note, I’m wishing you all a healthy and happy 2024, and I’ll see you back here next week for the start of the most jam-packed awards season (Golden Globes, Critics Choice, Emmys, and more, here we go!).

Sunday, December 31The Year: Countdown to 2024 (ABC): Robin Roberts lists the best moments of 2023 and gives her best predictions for 2024. The new primetime special will also feature entertainment newsmakers like Jelly Roll, Ashanti, Ronald Gladden (Jury Duty), Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner and fiancée Theresa Nist, plus Missy Elliot, and more. 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT

Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2024 (ABC): Seacrest will lead the countdown to midnight alongside Rita Ora live from Times Square. Performances include Aqua, Doechii, Ellie Goulding, Green Day, Janelle Monáe, Loud Luxury x Two Friends with Bebe Rexha, Ludacris, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Paul Russell (who will perform his viral song, “Lil Boo Thang”), Reneé Rapp with Coco Jones and Thirty Seconds to Mars. The show’s Spanish language countdown will again broadcast from Puerto Rico with Dayanara Torres as co-host. 8 p.m. to 2:13 a.m. ET

Ryan Seacrest during the 2022/2023 New Year’s Rockin’ Eve celebration in New York City.

Gotham/CG Images

New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash (CBS/Paramount+ with Showtime): Ring in the new year with country music’s hottest superstars. The five-hour celebration will feature performances from Thomas Rhett, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Lainey Wilson. 7:30 p.m. ET/PT, and 10:30 p.m. ET/PT

Monday, January 1The 135th Rose Parade (NBC/Peacock): The streets of Pasadena, California are taken over by gorgeous rose-covered floats and marching bands for the annual New Year’s holiday parade.  Today’s Hoda Kotb and Al Roker co-host. 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT/8 a.m. PT live

The Tournament Volunteer winning float rides down Colorado Blvd. during the 134th Tournament of Roses Parade presented by Honda on January 2, 2023 in Pasadena, California.

Jason Allen/ISI Photos/Getty Images

M*A*S*H: The Comedy That Changed Television (FOX): In this all-new two-hour special, the talented folks who made M*A*S*H will celebrate the TV sensation (it won 14 Emmy awards during its run). The special includes new interviews with original cast members Alan Alda (Capt. Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce), Gary Burghoff (Cpl. Walter “Radar” O’Reilly), William Christopher (Father Francis Mulcahy), Jamie Farr (Cpl./Sgt. Maxwell Q. “Max” Klinger), Mike Farrell (Capt. B.J. Hunnicutt), Wayne Rogers (Capt. “Trapper” John McIntyre) and Loretta Swit (Maj. Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan) as well as executive producers Gene Reynolds and Burt Metcalfe. Never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage will be shown, as writer/producer Larry Gelbart, additional series stars Larry Linville (Maj. Frank Burns), Harry Morgan (Col. Sherman T. Potter), McLean Stevenson (Lt. Col. Henry Blake) and David Ogden Stiers (Maj. Charles Emerson Winchester III) are remembered through clips and archival interviews. 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7 p.m. CT

Celebrity IOU (HGTV): The new season begins with Ray Romano, who surprises his assistant with a bedroom remodel. 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT

2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (ABC): This year’s inductees include Sheryl Crow, Kate Bush, Missy Elliott, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine, and the Spinners. 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT

Tuesday, January 2Night Court (NBC/Peacock): Season two officially kicks off tonight after last week’s holiday special. Here’s the logline for tonight’s episode: Dan helps Roz with an investigation that goes awry as they find themselves pleading their case in front of Abby. Gurgs regales the court with stories of her London adventures. Olivia tries to establish a side gig as a sports agent. 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7 p.m. CT

Night Court “The Roz Affair” Episode 201;(l-r) Melissa Rauch as Abby Stone, John Larroquette as Dan Fielding, Marsha Warfield as Roz.

NBC/Nicole Weingart

Extended Family (NBC/Peacock): The new sitcom, starring vets Jon Cryer, Donald Faison, and Abigail Spencer, premieres in its regular time slot tonight. Here’s the logline: Jim and Julia, after an amicable divorce, decide to continue to raise their kids at the family home while taking turns on who gets to stay with them. Navigating the waters of divorce and child-sharing gets more complicated for Jim when Trey, the owner of the Boston Celtics, enters the picture and wins Julia’s heart. 8:30 p.m. ET/PT, 7:30 p.m. CT

Extended Family: “The Consequences of Making Yourself at Home” Episode 102; (l-r) Donald Faison as Trey, Abigail Spencer as Julia, Jon Cryer as Jim.

NBC/Ron Batzdorff

Only Murders in the Building (ABC): Yes, you read that right. The Emmy-nominated OMITB is coming to ABC. The series is currently in its third season, but the first season will be available starting tonight on the alphabet network for those that don’t have Hulu. Three episodes air this evening, and every Tuesday until the finale on January 23. 9 p.m. ET/PT, 8 p.m. CT

If you haven’t yet watched Only Murders in the Building, do yourself a favor and start now. ABC is making it easy!

Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu

Thursday, January 4The Golden Wedding (ABC): Gerry Turner and fiancée Theresa Nist tie the knot in a live ceremony hosted by Jesse Palmer, and featuring several of the women who made The Golden Bachelor’s inaugural season such a massive success. 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7 p.m. CT

ABC/Disney

The Brothers Sun (Netflix): The eight-episode action comedy from showrunner/co-creator Brad Falchuk (Glee, American Horror Story, Gwyneth Paltrow’s husband) and Byron Wu drops today and stars Justin Chien, Michelle Yeoh, Sam Song Li, Highdee Kuan, and Joon Lee. Here’s the synopsis, per Netflix: “When the head of a powerful Taiwanese triad is shot by a mysterious assassin, his eldest son, legendary killer Charles “Chairleg” Sun (Justin Chien) heads to Los Angeles to protect his mother, Eileen (Michelle Yeoh), and his naïve younger brother, Bruce (Sam Song Li)—who’s been completely sheltered from the truth of his family until now. But as Taipei’s deadliest societies and a new rising faction go head-to-head for dominance—Charles, Bruce and their mother must heal the wounds caused by their separation and figure out what brotherhood and family truly mean before one of their countless enemies kills them all.” Streaming

Friday, January 5Good Grief (Netflix): After a limited theatrical release, the film from Schitt’s Creek’s Daniel Levy arrives on Netflix today. In addition to Levy, it stars Ruth Negga, Himesh Patel, Celia Imrie, David Bradley, Arnaud Valois, Emma Corrin, Kaitlyn Dever, and Luke Evans. Here’s the synopsis, per the streamer: “Marc (Dan Levy) was content living in the shadow of his larger-than-life husband, Oliver (Luke Evans). But when Oliver unexpectedly dies, Marc’s world shatters, sending him and his two best friends, Sophie (Ruth Negga) and Thomas (Himesh Patel), on a soul-searching trip to Paris that reveals some hard but tender truths they each needed to face.” Streaming

Jessica Radloff is the Glamour senior West Coast editor and author of the NYT best-selling book The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series.