At Home on NYE? What to Watch On the Big Night
by Richard Sharp
Not game for overpriced dinners, velvet ropes, long lines for drinks and teeming hordes of amateurs clogging up the bars to listen to crappy DJ's? Maybe you've just got kids and finding a babysitter is next to impossible?
Luckily, there are plenty of ways to join in on the fun by watching the festivities on the boob tube.
From the seemingly ageless Dick Clark's high-octane Times Square festivities to spending an entire evening with "The Walking Dead," there are plenty of quality options to help gently pass into 2012 while wearing your footied PJs.
Here's wishing you a happy and healthy 2012!
2011-2012 NYE TV
"Dick New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest"- ABC
The festivities kick off at 8 p.m. EST with a special celebrating Dick Clark's 40 years of hosting the biggest New Year's Eve celebration in the world. The main event starts at 10 p.m. with performances by Lady Gaga, LMFAO, Pitbull, Hot Chelle Rae and Justin Bieber with Carlos Santana.
"New Year's Eve with Carson Daly" - NBC
Carson Daly hosts this annual celebration from Times Square, with performances by Drake, Jessie J, Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green, The Roots and Tony Bennett.Coverage starts at 10 p.m. EST.
"American Country New Year's Eve Live" - Fox
"Pawn Stars" Rick Harrison and Chumlee Russell host this country-style NYE special from Vegas starting at 11 p.m. EST, with big performances from "American Idol" Lauren Alaina, Toby Keith and the Eli Young Band.
"Coldplay New Year's Eve: An Austin City Limits Special" - PBS
PBS' "Austin City Limits" goes big with a 90-minute special episode featuring a live performance by Coldplay. The show starts at 11:00 p.m. EST.
"NYE in NYC 2012" - MTV
MTV's big event, hosted by Demi Lovato and Tyler Posey of the network's "Teen Wolf." Performers include Selena Gomez, J Cole, Jason Derulo and Mac Miller starts at 11 p.m. EST.
"New Year's Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin” - CNN
CNN's Anderson Cooper and famously obnoxious Kathy Griffin count down all the festivities live from NYC’s Time Square. Coverage starts at 11 p.m. EST. Cooper will helm the year-end special "Best and Worst of 2011," which runs at 8 and 10 p.m. EST.
AMC is spending all day and all evening running seasons one and two of one of television's most exciting and unnerving shows. To be honest, spending the night in a post-apocalyptic world fending off the flesh-eating un-dead is probably a better bet than hitting the bar to fend off Bush League douchebags. Just sayin'.
If you like your New Year a little bloody, HBO is finishing up its three night Season Four "True Blood" marathon with the final four episodes starting at 10 p.m. EST. At the very least, we can promise you, with this option, at least you won;t be bored.