What to stream New Year’s weekend: Countdown specials, ‘Cobra Kai’
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Dec. 31 (UPI) — Celebrities and musical guests will be counting down to 2021 across various specials, Cobra Kai kicks into high gear with its third season and RuPaul’s Drag Race enters into Season 13 this holiday weekend.
In addition, Mayim Bialik headlines her own comedy series, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina comes to an end with Season 4 and Doctor Who returns with a special episode.
Here’s a rundown of some of the countdown specials and TV shows that will be released this New Year’s weekend.
New Year’s Eve Specials
Big Hit Labels’ ‘2021 New Year’s Eve Live’ with BTS, Halsey — Weverse
BTS, TXT, Lee Hyun, GFRIEND, NU’EST, BUMZU and ENHYPEN will perform during this K-pop-infused New Year’s Eve show, which is available to view Big Hit Labels’ Weverse platform. Halsey, Steve Aoki and Lauv will also be a part of the show, which will pay tribute to the late Shin Hae-chul.
‘Times Square New Year’s Eve 2021’ — TimesSquareNYC.org
Gloria Gaynor and Andra Day will perform during this free New Year’s Eve event, which can be viewed on TimesSquare.org starting Thursday at 6 p.m. EST. The special will begin with the lighting and raising of the Times Square New Year’s Eve ball. Jonathan Bennett is hosting.
‘New Year’s Rockin’ Eve’ — ABC
Ryan Seacrest, Lucy Hale and Billy Porter will host New Year’s Rockin’ Eve from New York City, which begins at 8 p.m. EST on ABC Thursday. Ciara will host the Los Angeles portion, with Big Freedia handling the New Orleans section. Jennifer Lopez, Miley Cyrus, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, Maluma, Ella Mai, En Vogue, Saweetie and more will perform.
‘New Year’s Eve Toast & Roast 2021’ — Fox
Ken Jeong and Joel McHale will reunite to host Fox’s New Year’s Eve Toast & Roast 2021, which starts at 8 p.m. EST Thursday and breaks at 10 p.m. EST before returning at 11 p.m. EST for the final countdown. Masked Singer winner LeAnn RImes will perform, along with Gloria Estefan, Doctor Elvis, David Guetta, John Legend, Green Day and more. Kelly Osbourne will be a special correspondent with Carole Baskin, Mayim Bialik and Tim Allen also making appearances.
‘Kylie Minogue’s ‘Infinite Disco’ — online
Kylie Minogue will once again present her virtual and ticketed Infinite Disco performance for New Year’s Eve, which streams online Thursday starting at 9 p.m. EST. Minogue will perform on a dance floor tracks from her newest album Disco, and classics from her catalogue that have been rearranged.
‘NBC’s New Year’s Eve 2021’ — NBC
Carson Daly hosts from Times Square, alongside Julianne Hough and Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, in this NBC New Year’s eve special, which airs at 10 p.m. EST on Thursday. The show will break for local news at 11 p.m. EST and return at 11:30 p.m. EST for the signature ball drop. Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, Kylie Minogue, AJR, Busta Rhymes featuring Anderson .Paak, Chloe x Halle, Jason Derulo, Goo Goo Dolls, Pentatonix, Bebe Rexha, Sting and more are set to perform.
‘New Year’s Eve with Justin Bieber’ — JustinBieberNYE.com
Justin Bieber has teamed up with T-Mobile for a livestream New Year’s Eve concert, which begins Thursday at 10:15 p.m. EST on JustinBieberNYE.com. Bieber will start to perform at 11 p.m. EST. T-Mobile customers can view the show for free while others can purchase tickets for $25.
‘Hello 2021’ — YouTube
YouTube is ringing in the new year with this virtual special, which starts Thursday at 10:30 p.m. EST. Dua Lipa, J Balvin, Karol G, YG and Kane Brown will perform. Matthew McConaughey, Demi Lovato, Emma Chamberlain, the D’Amelio Family and YouTube stars will make special appearances.
TV
‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Part 4’ — Netflix
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’s fourth and final season premieres Thursday on Netflix. Sabrina (Kiernan Shipka) will take on the Eldritch Terrors and get close to her ex-boyfriend Nicholas ‘Nick’ Scratch (Gavin Leatherwood.)
‘Best of Stand-Up 2020’ — Netflix
Netflix will present a compilation of the funniest moments from its collection of comedy specials in Best of Stand-Up 2020, which hits the streaming service on Thursday. Jerry Seinfeld, Leslie Jones, Kevin Hart, Hannah Gadsby and more will be featured.
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 13 — VH1
RuPaul’s award-winning reality competition series returns with Season 13, which premieres Friday at 8 p.m. EST on VH1. Thirteen new queens will compete to be crowned the next Drag Race superstar. The first episode will also air on The CW, MTV, MTV2, PopTV and Logo.
‘Cobra Kai’ Season 3 — Netflix
Karate Kid sequel series Cobra Kai is back in action with Season 3, which arrives Friday on Netflix. Johnny (William Zabka) and Daniel (Ralph Macchio) will deal with the violent high school brawl that took place between their dojos that sent Johnny’s star student Miguel (Xolo Maridueña) to the hospital.
‘Doctor Who: Revolution of the Daleks’ — BBC America
Doctor Who kicks off the new year with a festive special that promises to be an action-packed spectacular. The episode, which arrives Friday at 8 p.m. EST on BBC America, will bring the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) into contact with a returning Capt. Jack Harkness (John Barrowman). Chris Noth, Harriet Walter and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett also guest star.
‘Call Me Kat’ — Fox
Big Bang Theory alum Mayim Bialik returns in Call Me Kat, a new comedy series, which premieres Sunday at 8 p.m. EST on Fox. Bialik portrays Kat, a single, 39-year-old who opens up a cat cafe. Swoosie Kurtz, Kyla Pratt, Leslie Jordan, Cheyenne Jackson and Julian Gant also star.
‘Last Man Standing’ Season 9 — Fox
Tim Allen comedy Last Man Standing is entering its ninth and final season, which premieres Sunday at 8:30 p.m. EST on Fox. The final season has promised to feature Allen’s Last Man Standing character Mike Baxter meeting his Home Improvement character Tim Taylor.