What's on TV Thursday: 'Star Trek: Discovery' on CBS

Dec. 16, 2020 5 PM PT

During the coronavirus crisis, the Los Angeles Times is making some temporary changes to our print sections. The prime-time TV grid is on hiatus in print but an expanded version is available in your daily Times eNewspaper. You can find a printable PDF online at: latimes.com/whats-on-tv.

SERIES

Top Elf The final three contestants produce and star in their own holiday-themed music videos. JoJo Siwa joins Santa and Ms. Jingles to reveal the winner. 7 p.m. Nickelodeon

Young Sheldon Meemaw and Dale (Annie Potts, Craig T. Nelson) work out their relationship issues during a game of Dungeons and Dragons with Sheldon and Missy (Iain Armitage, Raegan Revord). Also, Georgie’s (Montana Jordan) girlfriend thinks she’s pregnant. Zoe Perry and Lance Barber also star in this new episode. (N) 8 p.m. CBS

Station 19 (N) 8 p.m. ABC

BattleBots Hammer-bot Beta returns to face off with Rotator, a horizontal spinner, in this new episode. 8 p.m. Discovery

B Positive Drew (Thomas Middleditch) downloads a tracking app to keep an eye on Gina (Annaleigh Ashford) because of her reckless behavior in this new episode. 8:30 p.m. CBS

Mom Bonnie (Allison Janney) is worried about Adam’s (William Fichtner) safety when he insists on going skiing for the first time since his accident. Also, Tammy (Kristen Johnston) thinks that Jill (Jaime Pressly) is sending the wrong message to the young at-risk girls they’re supposed to be mentoring. Mimi Kennedy and Beth Hall also star in this new episode with guest stars Kevin Pollak and Rebecca Metz. 9 p.m. CBS

World’s Funniest Animals (N) 9 p.m. CW

Grey’s Anatomy (N) 9 p.m. ABC

The Unicorn After Ben (Omar Benson Miller) recommends Wade (Walton Goggins) for a job on the same work site he’s on, they’re surprised by how different their professional styles are in this new episode. 9:30 p.m. CBS

Star Trek: Discovery While in unfamiliar territory, the crew must get creative to survive. Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones and Mary Wiseman star. 10 p.m. CBS

A Million Little Things Eddie’s (David Giuntoli) injuries put a strain on his marriage as he hides the pain from the accident. Grace Park, Romany Malco, James Roday Rodriguez and Allison Miller also star. 10 p.m. ABC

Rocket Around the Xmas Tree (N) 10 p.m. Discovery

SPECIALS

Dogs of the Year This annual special counts down the Top 10 dog stories of 2020, celebrating the canines who have left a mark on society with their extraordinary behavior. Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner host. 8 p.m. The CW

SPORTS

College Basketball Kansas visits Texas Tech, 4 p.m. ESPN; Creighton visits St. John’s, 4 p.m. FS1; Seton Hall visits Marquette, 6 p.m. FS1

NFL Football The Chargers visit the Las Vegas Raiders, 5 p.m. Fox

TALK SHOWS

CBS This Morning Leslie Odom Jr. (N) 7 a.m. KCBS

Today George C. Wolfe, Glynn Turman, Colman Domingo and Michael Potts (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”). (N) 7 a.m. KNBC

KTLA Morning News (N) 7 a.m. KTLA

Good Morning America Nicole Kidman; Jo Ellen Pellman; Jamie Foxx; Claire Saffitz. (N) 7 a.m. KABC

Good Day L.A. (N) 7 a.m. KTTV

Live With Kelly and Ryan Tessa Thompson (“Sylvie’s Love”); guest cohost Anderson Cooper. (N) 9 a.m. KABC, 2:06 a.m. KABC

The View Senate candidate Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.). (N) 10 a.m. KABC

Rachael Ray Candice Bergen (“Let Them All Talk”). (N) 10 a.m. KTTV

Home & Family Amanda Schull and Travis Van Winkle; Chrissy Metz. (N) 10 a.m. Hallmark

The Wendy Williams Show Sherri Shepherd (“Mr. Iglesias”); Mario Cantone. (N) 11 a.m. KTTV

The Talk Debbie Allen; Michael Bolton and Matoma perform. (N) 1 p.m. KCBS

Tamron Hall Fantasia and husband Kendall Taylor. (N) 1 p.m. KABC

The Drew Barrymore Show Natalie Portman (“Fables”); Damona Hoffman; Judy Gold and Zainab Johnson. (N) 2 p.m. KCBS

The Kelly Clarkson Show Kelly covers Dolly Parton’s “Hard Candy Christmas”; Whitney Cummings; Nate Berkus; Tanya Tucker. (N) 2 p.m. KNBC

The Doctors Vaccine; Wayne Brady; healthy holiday food hacks; holiday sanity advice. (N) 2 p.m. KCOP

Dr. Phil Viewers ask questions. (N) 3 p.m. KCBS

The Ellen DeGeneres Show Justin Hartley (“This Is Us”); Keith Barry. 3 p.m. KNBC

The Real Will Packer and Nephew Tommy (“Ready to Love”). (N) 3 p.m. KCOP

Amanpour and Company (N) 11 p.m. KCET; midnight KVCR; 1 a.m. KLCS

The Daily Show With Trevor Noah Donald Trump’s 100 Most Tremendous Scandals; Roy Wood Jr. (N) 11 p.m. Comedy Central

Conan Sienna Miller. (N) 11 p.m. TBS

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Paul McCartney; Pedro Pascal; the Voidz perform. (N) 11:34 p.m. KNBC

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert President-elect Joe Biden and Jill Biden; Jon Batiste performs. (N) 11:35 p.m. KCBS

Jimmy Kimmel Live! Viola Davis (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”); Daveed Diggs; the Bird and the Bee and Dave Grohl. (N) 11:35 p.m. KABC

Late Night With Seth Meyers Kristen Wiig; Carrie Underwood performs. (N) 12:36 a.m. KNBC

The Late Late Show With James Corden Gal Gadot; Smith & Burrows perform. (N) 12:37 a.m. KCBS

Nightline (N) 12:37 a.m. KABC

MOVIES

Billy Elliot This 2000 drama boasts a spirited performance by Jamie Bell in the title role of a coal miner’s son who shocks friends and relatives with his career goal: He wants to be a ballet dancer. Julie Walters also stars. 8 p.m. HBO

A Christmas Carol Patrick Stewart stars as Ebenezer Scrooge in this 1999 adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic. Joel Grey and Richard E. Grant also star. 8 and 10 p.m. TNT

Logan (2017) 8 a.m. FX

Long Shot (2019) 8:13 a.m. Cinemax

Rain Man (1988) 8:45 a.m. TMC

Mr. Wonderful (1993) 9:30 a.m. HBO

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019) 9:50 a.m. Starz

My Dog’s Christmas Miracle (2011) 10 a.m. Lifetime

Miracle on 34th Street (1994) 11 a.m. Freeform

The Revenant (2015) 11 a.m. FX

Walk the Line (2005) 11:15 a.m. HBO

Wedding Crashers (2005) 12:30 p.m. MTV

The Nutty Professor (1996) 1 p.m. BET

The Mask of Zorro (1998) 1:11 p.m. Encore