In the Hot Seat: What to watch (or not) on TV talk shows the week of December 31
Monday, December 31
Watch: During the day, "Live with Kelly and Michael" runs the Viewer's Choice 2012 episode – but it's New Year's Eve, so you won't find much new material on in the evening besides the countdowns. Don't want to stick with the classic, "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest" now that Clark has gone to that big sock hop in the sky? Try NBC's "New Year's Eve with Carson Daly," the FOX New Year's Eve special, or MTV's "Club NYE 2013."
Skip: "TV Guide's Top 25 Best Oprah Show Moments" on OWN. If you're that hard up for viewing material, throw in a movie.
Tuesday, January 1
Watch: Happy new year! It's the last holiday day of the season, so it's pretty quiet around the dial – except for marathons. Among those you can watch/nap in front of: "Storage Wars" (A&E); "Mystery Diners" (Food Network); "Lost" (G4); "Dance Moms" (Lifetime); "The Twilight Zone" (Syfy); and "Law & Order: SVU" (USA).
Skip: No new "Daily Show" or "Colbert Report" tonight, or until next week.
Wednesday, January 2
Watch: Kick-start those New Year's resolutions with fitness expert Angela Parker when she visits "The Talk." Letterman's talking to Kathy Griffin, which is never boring, while Leno's launching into 2013 with the random guest combo of Dwight Yoakam and Betty White. And though it's a rerun, Ellen's got a fairly sweet RGC herself with Rihanna and the Blue Man Group.
Skip: Conan's in reruns all week.
[Related: Get ready for '13 with our Winter TV preview]
Thursday, January 3
Watch: Leno is killing it with the random guest combos this week! Tonight it's Ziggy Marley and Arnold Schwarzenegger. NYC mayor Mike Bloomberg mixes it up with Real Housewife NeNe Leakes on Fallon; Tom Selleck and his mustache join "The Talk"; and Marv Albert is talking sports (and rugs) on Letterman.
Skip: Another rerun warning, this one for "The View" and Craig Ferguson.
Friday, January 4
Watch: "Cosby Show" mini-reunion tonight on Fallon, with the Cos himself plus Tempestt "Vanessa" Bledsoe. (We're going on record right now: there will be a Cosby sweater, but Jimmy will be the one wearing it.) Courteney Cox is on Leno ahead of the premiere of "Cougar Town" (and Leno hits the RGC trifecta when Cox joins Joy Behar on the couch). "Justified" star Timothy Olyphant talks to Ellen.
Skip: Final rerun warning of the week before we resume more-or-less normal scheduling on January 7 – Kimmel is once again a previous airing.
Monday, December 31
Watch: During the day, "Live with Kelly and Michael" runs the Viewer's Choice 2012 episode -- but it's New Year's Eve, so you won't find much new material on in the evening besides the countdowns. Don't want to stick with the classic, "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest" now that Clark has gone to that big sock hop in the sky? Try NBC's "New Year's Eve with Carson Daly," the Fox New Year's Eve special, or MTV's "Club NYE 2013."
Skip: "TV Guide's Top 25 Best Oprah Show Moments" on OWN. If you're that hard up for viewing material, throw in a movie.
Tuesday, January 1
Watch: Happy new year! It's the last holiday day of the season, so it's pretty quiet around the dial -- except for marathons. Among those you can watch/nap in front of: "Storage Wars" (A&E); "Mystery Diners" (Food Network); "Lost" (G4); "Dance Moms" (Lifetime); "The Twilight Zone" (Syfy); and "Law & Order: SVU" (USA).
Skip: No new "Daily Show" or "Colbert Report" tonight, or until next week.
Wednesday, January 2
Watch: Kick-start those New Year's resolutions with fitness expert Angela Parker when she visits "The Talk." Letterman's talking to Kathy Griffin, which is never boring, while Leno's launching into 2013 with the random guest combo of Dwight Yoakam and Betty White. And though it's a rerun, Ellen's got a fairly sweet RGC herself with Rihanna and the Blue Man Group.
Skip: Conan's in reruns all week.
[Related: Get ready for '13 with our Winter TV preview]
Thursday, January 3
Watch: Leno is killing it with the random guest combos this week! Tonight it's Ziggy Marley and Arnold Schwarzenegger. NYC mayor Mike Bloomberg mixes it up with Real Housewife NeNe Leakes on Fallon; Tom Selleck and his mustache join "The Talk"; and Marv Albert is talking sports (and rugs) on Letterman.
Skip: Another rerun warning, this one for "The View" and Craig Ferguson.
Friday, January 4
Watch: "Cosby Show" mini-reunion tonight on Fallon, with the Cos himself plus Tempestt "Vanessa" Bledsoe. (We're going on record right now: there will be a Cosby sweater, but Jimmy will be the one wearing it.) Courteney Cox is on Leno ahead of the premiere of "Cougar Town" (and Leno hits the RGC trifecta when Cox joins Joy Behar on the couch). "Justified" star Timothy Olyphant talks to Ellen.
Skip: Final rerun warning of the week before we resume more-or-less normal scheduling on January 7 -- Kimmel is once again a previous airing.
