Wednesday, Dec

LANDSCAPERS

NEW SERIES! “My husband and I got ourselves into a bit of a pickle. I know it sounds all rather morbid. I mean obviously we regret. I mean we should have done certain things differently …” So begins this fascinating four-part limited series that tells the baffling story of a seemingly ordinary British couple (Christopher and Susan Edwards), who try to convince the world of their innocence. They become the focus of an extraordinary investigation when two dead bodies are discovered in the back garden of their former home in Nottingham. Director Will Sharpe creates a cinematic masterpiece weaving together darkly humorous narrations, stylish flashbacks, movie-star-like fantasies and bumbling police banter, all ultimately telling a bizarre and fascinating love story. The series stars Emmy winner Olivia Colman and David Thewlis.

Premieres on HBO Mondays beginning Dec. 6

ANNIE LIVE!

“The sun’ll come ouuuuuut to-morrow!” Everyone’s favorite optimistic orphan gets the spotlight as NBC revives its live TV musical tradition with this rendition of Annie. The Depression-era story about a young girl living a hard-knock life in an orphanage debuted on Broadway in 1977 and won seven Tony Awards. Stepping into the red dress and curls is Atlanta’s Celina Smith, who came out on top of a nationwide talent search. Joining her in the cast are Taraji P. Henson as orphanage matron Miss Hannigan, Harry Connick Jr. as billionaire Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks, and Nicole Scherzinger as Warbucks’ secretary, Grace Farrell. Tituss Burgess plays Rooster Hannigan, and Megan Hilty plays Lily St. Regis, Rooster’s partner in crime. And, of course, there are the unforgettable tunes. “There are few musicals like Annie where you know the words to every song and the overriding message — especially in the trying times we live in — is optimism,” says executive producer Neil Meron. “The song ‘Tomorrow’ means more than ever now.” Connick thinks Annie’s message of hope comes at just the right time. “It’s nice to know that something positive is on the horizon,” he tells us. “The message of the show says that if you just hang in there, everything’s gonna work out. There may be some bad bumps along the way, but ultimately you’ll be able to get through it.”

Premieres on NBC Thursday, Dec. 2

STAR OF THE MONTH: INGRID BERGMAN

Most Wednesday evenings in December — except Dec. 22, which falls during TCM’s weeklong Christmas movie celebration — enjoy many of legendary, three-time Oscarwinning Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman’s fi lms when the network salutes her as its Star of the Month. The celebration starts Dec. 1 with 1944’s Gaslight, which marked Bergman’s fi rst Best Actress Oscar-winning performance, and also includes many more of the star’s classic Hollywood fi lms, like 1942’s Casablanca (Dec. 1), 1945’s The Bells of St. Mary’s (Dec. 8), 1958’s Indiscreet (Dec. 15) and 1974’s Murder on the Orient Express (Dec. 29). You’ll also see some of Bergman’s Swedish-language fi lms, including her fi rst feature fi lm, 1935’s The Count of the Old Town (Thursday, Dec. 2), and her last, 1978’s Autumn Sonata (Dec. 29).

Premieres on TCM Wednesday nights Dec. 1, 8, 15 & 29

2021 PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS

The annual awards ceremony returns to honor movies, television, music and pop culture in 44 categories, as chosen entirely by the people. The ceremony will be simulcast on NBC and E! for the fi rst time, preceded by a two-hour red-carpet special on E! Notable linear and streaming TV shows earning nominations in various categories include The Bachelor, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Cobra Kai, Grey’s Anatomy, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Only Murders in the Building, Ted Lasso, This Is Us, WandaVision, Young Rock and many more. Kenan Thompson hosts.

Premieres on E! & NBC Friday, Dec. 10

HEISMAN TROPHY PRESENTATION

College football’s top individual honor, the Heisman Trophy, is presented tonight live on ESPN. Quarterbacks again lead the list of potential fi nalists: Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, Ole Miss’ Matt Corral and Oklahoma’s Caleb Williams. Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III should also receive an invite.

Premieres on ESPN Saturday, Dec. 11

TRAFFICKED WITH MARIANA VAN ZELLER

SEASON PREMIERE! Award-winning journalist Mariana van Zeller continues her harrowing exploration into the underworld’s most dangerous black markets and traffi cking networks in the 10-episode second season of this gripping and acclaimed docuseries (it has already been renewed for Season 3, which began production in the fall). “Filming a whole season of Traffi cked during a global pandemic was extremely challenging,” van Zeller says, “but there’s been an explosion of black markets over the past year, and I think we all quickly realized that this series has become more relevant than ever.” This season, the reporter uses her unique inside access to offer peeks into the inner workings of romance scams, a meth superhighway, California’s black market for weed (which has grown since the state legalized marijuana), stolen-car smugglers, outlaw motorcycle gangs, black-market plastic surgery, an underground white supremacist movement and more.

Premieres on Nat Geo Wednesday, Dec. 1