Thanksgiving Weekend Offers Up Holiday Specials and Premieres Galore

With Thanksgiving behind us, television goes full steam ahead on the holidays this weekend. In addition to classics like Frosty the Snowman and Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer beginning their annual airings on broadcast, 2022 brings a new Guardians of the Galaxy holiday special, Mickey Saves the World, and Disney’s Hip Hop Nutcracker, among other festive fare.

Those not yet in the holiday spirit can also enjoy Lars Von Trier’s The Kingdom Exodus, Howard Stern’s HBO interview with Bruce Springsteen, We’re Here Season 3, and more. Here’s what’s new and noteworthy on TV this weekend:

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 25

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special: Special presentation. Determined to make Christmas unforgettable for Quill (Chris Pratt), the Guardians head to Earth in search of the perfect present. Beyond Pratt, the holiday special reunites many of the franchise’s stars, including Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff, and Vin Diesel. Watch trailer. Streaming on Disney+

Hip Hop Nutcracker: Special presentation. RUN DMC’s Rev Run reimagines the classic ballet in New York City in this holiday adventure that sees Maria-Clara (Caché Melvin) attempt to bring her parents (Allison Holker Boss and Stephen “tWitch” Boss) back together before New Year’s Eve. Watch trailer. Streaming on Disney+

Classic Holiday Specials and Movies: The holiday season officially gets underway with the first airings of these iconic specials and films, which will continue to play throughout December:

• Frosty the Snowman 8:00 PM ET on CBS
• Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer 8:00 PM ET on The CW
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas 8:00 PM ET on NBC
• Frosty Returns 8:30 PM ET on CBS

We’re Here: Season 3 premiere. Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka O’Hara, and Shangela continue their journey across small-town America, spreading love and connection through the art of drag. In Season 3, the queens visit Granbury, Texas, Jackson, Mississippi, and Brevard County, Florida, where they share their stories, increase awareness, and promote acceptance among locals. Watch trailer. 10:00 PM ET on HBO

Blood & Water: Complete Season 3. As another year begins at Parkhurst, Puleng (Ama Qamata) and Fiks (Khosi Ngema) search for a lost loved one — but their perseverance could be putting them in grave danger. Watch trailer. Streaming on Netflix

¡Que Delicioso!: Series premiere. Renowned chefs Marcela Valladolid and Chris Valdes serve as hosts and judges on this cooking competition, which sees chefs go head-to-head as they recreate classic Latin dishes. The series marks Roku’s first Spanish language original series. Watch trailer. Streaming on The Roku Channel

Ghislaine Maxwell: Filthy Rich: Original documentary. The filmmakers behind Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich go beyond the headlines to tell the story of Epstein’s mysterious accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, illuminating how her class and privilege concealed her predatory nature. Watch trailer. Streaming on Netflix

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 26

2022 Soul Train Awards: Special presentation. Comedian and writer Deon Cole hosts the annual celebration of the best in soul, R&B, and hip-hop music. Mary J. Blige and Beyoncé lead the pack with eight nominations apiece. BET will air an hour-long red carpet special before the awards ceremony, which will be simulcast across various Paramount Global networks. 8:00 PM ET on BET, BET Her, VH1, and MTV2

WWE Survivor Series at TD Garden in Boston: Special presentation. WWE’s WarGames series returns with steel cage matches between some of the promotion’s top stables, including Damage CTRL and The Bloodline. 8:00 PM ET on Peacock

Oprah and Quinta Brunson: Abbott Elementary: Special presentation. After playing Oprah in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, Quinta Brunson sits down with the TV legend for a wide-ranging interview about Abbott Elementary, her comedy career, and growing up in Philadelphia. In addition to airing linearly on OWN, the interview will be available to stream tomorrow on HBO Max and Discovery+. Watch preview. 9:00 PM ET on OWN

Silent Night – A Song for the World: Encore presentation. Hugh Bonneville narrates this documentary about the creation and cultural impact of the world’s most famous Christmas carol, “Silent Night.” The star-studded musical film originally aired in December 2020. Watch trailer. 8:00 PM ET on The CW

Saturday Night Live: Encore presentation. NBC offers two SNL reruns tonight: Will Ferrell’s pre-Thanksgiving episode from 2019 (with musical guest King Princess), and Jack Harlow’s October 29 episode, in which pulled double duty as host and musical guest. Episodes air back-to-back beginning at 10:00 PM ET on NBC

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 27

The Kingdom Exodus: Limited series premiere. 25 years after The Kingdom II, Lars Von Trier continues his famed supernatural miniseries in this five-episode event. Exodus, which Von Trier has said is inspired by Twin Peaks: The Return, aims to contextualize what came before by adding a meta layer in which everyone at the Copenhagen hospital has seen the “stupid TV show” about their workplace. One episode drops every Sunday through December 25. Watch trailer. Streaming on MUBI

The Howard Stern Interview: Bruce Springsteen: Special presentation. Howard Stern and Bruce Springsteen take a deep dive into The Boss’s musical, professional, and personal journey. The interview also features several in-studio performances on acoustic guitar and piano, with Springsteen explaining the genesis behind many of his beloved hits. Watch trailer. 10:00 PM ET on HBO

Mickey Saves Christmas: Special presentation. Mickey, Minnie, and their pals attempt to celebrate the perfect Christmas at their snowy cabin, but when Pluto causes Santa to lose all the presents on his sleigh, they travel to the North Pole on a quest to save the holiday. Watch preview. 7:00 PM ET on ABC and Disney Channel

The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration: Special presentation. Derek Hough and Julianne Hough, Meghan Trainor, Maren Morris, and more stars perform holiday classics and new hits in Disney’s seventh-annual holiday special. 8:00 PM ET on ABC

Tis the Season: The Holidays on Screen: Special presentation. CNN unwraps the most memorable moments in beloved holiday films and TV specials in a two-hour special featuring archival footage and lively interviews with notable celebrities, including Tom Hanks (who also serves as an executive producer), Tim Burton, and Clea DuVall. 8:00 PM ET on CNN

The Equalizer: Season 3 fall finale. When Misty (Kelly Rowland), a retiring superstar singer, receives a terrifying fan letter, her head of security hires McCall (Queen Latifah) to track down the culprit. Watch preview. 8:00 PM ET on CBS

Sunday Night Football: The weekend of NFL action concludes as the Philadelphia Eagles host the Green Bay Packers in primetime. 8:15 PM ET/5:15 PM PT on NBC

Spector: Docuseries finale. After Lana Clarkson’s murder case ends in a mistrial, a second trial with a new jury ends in Spector’s conviction. Later, in the wake of Spector’s death, those left behind question his legacy. Read our review. 9:00 PM ET on Showtime

East New York: Season 1 fall finale. When a retired cop planning to go public with claims of corruption dies and it’s initially ruled suicide, a skeptical Haywood (Amanda Warren) directs her team to investigate. Watch preview. 9:00 PM ET on CBS

NCIS: Los Angeles: Season 14 fall finale. NCIS investigates an arson attack at Global West Ventures Corp, a naval defense contractor. Watch preview. 10:00 PM ET on CBS

Claire Spellberg Lustig is the Senior Editor at Primetimer and a scholar of The View. Follow her on Twitter at @c_spellberg.