December TV Calendar

The following list provides the dates of the returning cable network dramas, the new streaming dramas that will air online and the made-for-TV movies that will air during December:

December 3 – The new Hallmark Channel movie A Dream of Christmas will debut at 8 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: Penny (Nikki DeLoach from Awkward), an ambitious but discontented young married woman, gets more than she bargained for when she is granted a wish to be single again. She awakens one morning to discover she has everything she thinks she wanted: Her dream home, a great car, and a dream job where she’s the boss. But the tradeoff is not all wine and roses. Her husband Stuart (Andrew Walker from When Calls the Heart) is gone — their marriage doesn’t exist because in this world they never even met. Penny eventually adjusts to life in this new ‘wish world’. In spite of her professional successes and romantic advances from a handsome, bachelor client of hers (Christopher Russell), Penny soon discovers the most important thing is missing in her life — her husband Stuart. She resolves to find and meet Stuart — for a second time — and get to know him all over again in the hope they’ll fall in love and rekindle the romance that was lacking in the real world.

December 3 – The new ION holiday movie A Firehouse Christmas will debut a 9 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: With Christmas approaching, life appears to be good for Tom (Marcus Rosner from When Calls the Heart), an ex-Olympic hockey star, and his girlfriend, Jenny (Anna Hutchison from Spartacus: War of the Damned), a firefighter — at least until Mary, a former Olympic figure skater, Tom’s soon-to-be ex-wife and the author of a book of tips on relationships, is convinced that appearing to be still happy with Tom will help sell her book. Tom’s strong desire to spend the holidays with his and Mary’s daughter provides a test of true love and, ultimately, reveals who the true heroes are.

December 4 – Season 3 of The Royals gets underway on E! at 10 PM

December 4 – Looks Like Christmas is the new Hallmark Channel holiday movie to debut at 8 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: Carol is an over-involved mother, but nothing compares to the holiday season when she goes over-the-top spearheading her kid’s school’s Christmas Spectacular each year, earning her the nickname Christmas Carol. All that changes the day Terry moves to town with his teenage daughter. Also single, he is very fond of the holiday himself, having volunteered to mount the Christmas play each year at his daughter’s former school. Carol tries to politely tell the single dad his help won’t be needed but he has no intention of stepping aside. The film stars Anne Heche and Dylan Neal.

December 4 – A Cinderella Christmas is the latest holiday movie to debut on ION at 9 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: At a holiday masquerade ball, fledgling event planner Angie Wells (Emma Rigby from Once Upon a Time in Wonderland) and wealthy playboy Nicholas Karmichael (Peter Porte from Baby Daddy), who needs to marry to retain his inheritance, meet and fall for each other anonymously. While Nicholas tries to locate the girl of his dreams, Angie must choose between pursuing her lifelong dream of running a business or following her heart.

December 4 – The new UP Channel holiday-themed movie Girlfriends of Christmas Past will debut at 7 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: When three strong-willed women join forces to seek the ultimate revenge on their cheating ex at his upcoming holiday retreat, love struck event planner Livvy (Tammin Sursok from Pretty Little Liars) meets Carter (Brent Bailey from Emma Approved), the property manager organizing it all, leaving Livvy to question if she can leave off their revenge scheme long enough to finally forgive her ex and let a real holiday romance blossom. The cast includes Lindsey McKeon (Supernatural and One Tree Hill), John Brotherton (Fuller House) and Meagan Holder (Pitch).

December 4 – The Hallmark Movies & Mysteries movie Hearts of Christmas will debut at 9 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: When Alice, a beloved neonatal intensive care unit supervisor, is forced to take early retirement, her young colleague Jenny decides to turn the upcoming staff Christmas party into a surprise celebration for her. The plan is complicated by Matt, the hospital’s new CFO, who’s been tasked to cut costs. Initially at loggerheads, Jenny and Matt get to know and understand each other —a sweet Christmas gift neither saw coming. The film stars Emillie Ullerup (Sanctuary and Chesapeake Shores), Kristoffer Polaha (Life Unexpected and The Dater’s Handbook), Crystal Lowe (Signed Sealed Delivered franchise) and Sharon Lawrence (NYPD Blue).

December 7 – The NBC musical event Hairspray Live! will debut at 8 PM

Live Event Synopsis: Based on the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, this live event takes place in 1962 Baltimore where plump teenager Tracy Turnblad’s (newcomer Maddie Baillio) dream is to dance on “The Corny Collins Show,” a local TV program. When against all odds Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight and meets a colorful array of characters. The ensemble cast includes Dove Cameron, Kristin Chenoweth, Garrett Clayton, Harvey Fierstein, Ariana Grande, Derek Hough, Jennifer Hudson and Martin Short [among others].

December 7 – The new Hulu series Shut Eye will debut online

Show Synopsis: Charlie Haverford (Jeffrey Donovan from Burn Notice) is a scammer with a small chain of fortune-telling storefronts and contracts building tricks for a family that controls the business in the greater chunk of Los Angeles. A blow to the head from a client’s angry boyfriend intersects with a hypnosis session while auditioning a new “clairvoyant,” and suddenly, a man whose entire life has been based on fraud begins to see and feel some very real and fundamental truths. Charlie’s wife Linda (Kadee Strickland from Private Practice) is sick and tired of their mediocre life and wants to break away from Fonso, the single father who runs the Marks family’s psychic empire and controls the Haverford’s future. The cast includes Emmanuelle Chriqui (Murder in the First) and Isabella Rossellini.

December 8 – The season finale of the new FOX drama Pitch is expected to air at 9 PM

December 9 – The third season of Mozart in the Jungle will premiere on Amazon today

December 10 – The Hallmark Channel movie A Nutcracker Christmas will debut at 8 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: Lilly James’ lifelong devotion lands her the lead role of Clara in the New York City Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. Grief-stricken and distracted after learning about her mother’s death, Lily suffers an injury and is removed from the show by Mark, her boyfriend and dance partner. Heartbroken and betrayed, Lily vows never to dance again. Years later, her daughter lands the role of Clara in the prestigious Philadelphia Nutcracker Ballet and finds that the Ballet Director is Mark, who betrayed Lilly years ago. The cast includes Amy Acker (Person of Interest), Sascha Radetsky (Flesh and Bone), Katherine Barrell (Wynonna Earp) and newcomer Sophia Lucia.

December 10 – The ION holiday movie Christmas with the Andersons will debut at 9 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: Mike and Caroline Anderson (George Stults from 7th Heaven and Christy Carlson Romano from Even Stevens and Kim Possible) have always gone all out with parties and gifts for Christmas with their 10-year-old twins Brendan and Julia. But when Michael loses his job just before the holidays, it looks like Christmas is canceled — until they receive a visit from wacky Aunt Katie (from MTV VJ Julie Brown), who helps them realize they can still pull off Christmas with no money, and rediscover what’s most important.

December 11 – Love You Like Christmas is the new holiday themed moved to debut on the Hallmark Channel at 8 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: Maddie (Bonnie Sommerville from Code Black), a high-powered marketing executive, is on her way to a client’s wedding but her plans are derailed by car trouble. When a fork in the road leads her to Christmas Valley, a town in love with Christmas, an unexpected encounter and a group of strangers that start to feel like family will have her questioning what she’s really been missing in life. The film also stars Brennan Elliot (Cedar Cove and UnReal).

December 11 – The Sound of Christmas is the latest holiday movie to debut on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries at 9 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: Lizzie is a young piano teacher working at a music school while trying to save enough money for a Steinway piano. The school is gearing up for their major Christmas fundraiser and she has committed much of her time to plan the event. One afternoon, she meets Brad who takes an interest in her playing and asks if she will teach his uninterested teenage daughter. She begins to break through to the young girl, and sparks begin to fly with Brad, but she is shocked to find out that his interest is not solely in her playing, but in the property that houses the music school. She sets out to save the school and the event, but can she work things out with Brad? The cast includes Lindy Booth (The Librarians) and Robin Dunne (Sanctuary).

December 11 – The UP Channel holiday movie Season’s Greetings will debut at 7 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: Darcy Blake (Laura Bell Bundy) has the perfect job – she works for Harrington House, a successful greeting card company, in the editorial department. Writing heart-felt, meaningful copy for cards is very important to Darcy, especially at Christmas, which was important to her as a young girl. She realizes that she is a bit out of step with her fellow millennials, but that is fine with Darcy. Everything is about to change when Andrew Harrington arrives at the company to take over from his grandfather, and he has a very different view of the business and of the holidays.

December 11 – The PBS three-part mini-series The Hollow Crown: The War of the Roses will premiere at 9 PM, starting with Henry VI, Part One

Mini-Series Synopsis: The King is dead and England is in crisis. War rages with the French and divisions within the English court threaten the crown. Young Henry VI (Tom Sturridge from Pirate Radio) causes outrage by marrying Margaret of Anjou, forcing an unwanted truce; the scene is set for Civil War. The cast includes Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), Sally Hawkins (Jane Eyre) and Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda).

December 11 – The ION holiday movie A Husband for Christmas will debut at 9 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: Brooke and Roger Burke (Vivica A. Fox and Ricco Ross), two graphic designers in a soon-to-be-merged company, help one another by agreeing to a loveless marriage of convenience, suggested by their new boss. In the process, Brooke gets to upstage the sister who just announced her engagement to Brooke’s ex-boyfriend during the holidays. But, with their “marriage” in question, will Brooke and Roger find a spark they didn’t know existed? The cast includes Eric Roberts and Jackee Harry.

December 14 – Empire will air its season three finale at 8 PM on FOX followed by the sneak peek premiere of the new drama Star will air at 9 PM

Show Synopsis (Star): The show follows three talented young singers – desperate for a new start and with ambitions of stardom – as they navigate the cut-throat music business. The cast includes Queen Latifah and Benjamin Bratt as well as newcomers Jude Demorest, Ryan Destiny, Brittany O’Grady and Amiyah Scott.

NOTE: The show will move to its regular time on January 4.

December 16 – The second season of the Amazon streaming series The Man in the High Castle will air today online

December 17 – The latest holiday movie My Christmas Love will debut at 8 PM on the Hallmark Channel

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: A hopeless romantic who never seems to give a guy a fair chance starts receiving each gift from the song “The 12 Days of Christmas” compliments of an anonymous benefactor. She tries to solve the mystery with the help of her inner circle, including her sister who’s about to have a Christmas wedding, to see if there’s a suitor on the other end that will finally live up to her expectations. The cast includes Meredith Hagner (Royal Pains), Bobby Campo (Scream: The TV Series) and Gregory Harrison (Rizzoli & Isles).

December 18 – The Hallmark Channel movie Sleigh Bells Ring will debut at 8 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: Laurel is in charge of her hometown’s Christmas parade, and with budget cuts, she’s having trouble making it a special event this year and, after a recent divorce, getting into the holiday spirit. When she and her daughter Scarlett cross paths with a lone farmer who has a sleigh that he claims came from Santa crash-landing on his property years ago, they are both skeptical. But the sleigh would make a great addition to the parade if it could be restored. When the farmer gives Laurel the sleigh for the parade, her ‘luck’ slowly changes.

December 18 – The Hallmark Movies & Mysteries movie A Christmas to Remember will debut at 9 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: A harsh TV personality, Jennifer, needs a break from her own life, so she hops into a car and drives to a small town mountain retreat. On her way there a blizzard veers off the road and she crashes. When she comes to she has complete amnesia and a friendly passerby takes her in. As time passes she still doesn’t remember who she is and the friendly passerby, a widower himself with 3 kids, assimilates her into his family. But as she slowly starts remembering who she is, she prefers the new life she’s built in the small town. The cast includes Mira Sorvino and Cameron Mathison.

December 18 – Part 2 of the PBS three-part mini-series The Hollow Crown: The War of the Roses premiered with Henry VI, Part Two airing at 9 PM

Mini-Series Synopsis: Bitter rivalries erupt into the Wars of the Roses. The feeble King Henry is overshadowed by Queen Margaret and her faction of Lancastrian Lords, his reign further undermined by disaffected nobles supporting the House of York. Battle and bloodshed ensues and the Yorkists triumph. Edward IV takes the thrown, but his youngest brother Richard has his eyes firmly on the crown. The cast includes Tom Sturridge, Sophie Okonedo and Keeley Hawes (Durrells in Corfu).

December 25 – Part 3 of the PBS three-part mini-series The Hollow Crown: The War of the Roses premiered with Richard III airing at 9 PM

Mini-Series Synopsis: Richard (Benedict Cumberbatch), the most notorious of Shakespeare’s kings, manipulates and betrays his way through the court on a bloodthirsty and ruthless path to the throne. But after Richard’s defeat at the battle of Bosworth Field, the Houses of Lancaster and York—the red rose and the white—are united, bringing to an end the Wars of the Roses and long tumultuous period of civil strife. The cast includes Dame Judi Dench, Sophie Okonedo and Keeley Hawes.

December 25 – The Christmas special When Calls the Heart: The Heart of Christmas will debut on the Hallmark Channel at 9 PM

SPECIAL SYNOPSIS: An intriguing peddler comes to Hope Valley selling the townspeople his wears and teaching them valuable lessons about joy and giving. And when the townspeople realize that the recently displaced settlers in the area will not have a proper Christmas, they come together to create a special holiday celebration – including a Nativity presentation from the schoolchildren — that will infuse everyone with the true spirit of Christmas.

December 25 – The Call the Midwife holiday special will air on PBS at 7:30 PM

SPECIAL SYNOPSIS: Poplar house receives an SOS call from the Mother House at Christmas. A mission hospital in South Africa called Hope Clinic, run by Dr Myra Fitzsimmonds, is in need of urgent assistance as the threat of closure emerges. A team from Nonnatus House are sent to the small clinic where problems arise from the dwindling supply of electricity and Fitzsimmonds’ mysterious illness.

December 25 – The annual Christmas episode of Doctor Who is expected to air on BBC America (check your local listings for airtime)

Christmas Special Synopsis: The Doctor teams up with an investigative journalist (Charity Wakefield from The Player) and a superhero to save New York from a deadly alien threat. The guest stars will include Justin Chatwin (Orphan Black and Shameless), Matt Lucas (Alice in Wonderland) and Tomiwa Edun (Merlin).

Mark your calendars!