LIFE

TV tonight: 'iHeartRadio Jingle Ball,' 'Nashville' preview

Robert Bianco

USA TODAY

iHeartRadio Jingle Ball
CW, 8 ET/PT

Ariana Grande performs at Jingle Ball, which will air on the CW.

Elvis Duran hosts this concert from Madison Square Garden. Among those scheduled to perform are Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Fifth Harmony, Diplo, Charlie Puth, Lukas Graham, DNCE and Niall Horan.

Mom
CBS, 9 ET/PT

Leave it to Mom to make its December exit with Christy and Bonnie dipping back into illegal activities, which is about as far from your normal Christmas-themed sitcom episode as you can get. That’s not a slam on the holidays, or on holiday specials. (ABC is repeating two at 8 ET/PT,Prep & Landing and Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice, that make for perfect family viewing.) It’s not even a slam on sitcoms that celebrate the holidays, although heaven knows too many do with too little thought or effort. It’s just an acknowledgment that, in an era when so many broadcast shows seem to be marching to the same drummer, Mom can usually be found dancing off to music it alone hears.

Nashville
CMT, 9 ET/PT

CMT launches its salvage operation of this cancelled ABC series by airing the first hour of a planned two-hour premiere, which will run in full in January. Hey, it’s the holidays. Let the people who love the series and are happy to have it back celebrate in peace. The rest of us have plenty more to watch.