Whether you’re snuggling up with someone special this New Year’s Eve or nursing a hangover on January 1, you’ll surely need some top-tier content to see you through the holiday weekend. Here, we’ve rounded up television’s 15 best New Year’s specials, covering everything from soapy dramas to family-friendly sitcoms (and some not-so-family-friendly sitcoms).
Slide into the conversation pit with the Drapers, reminisce on bad dates with the Golden Girls, and check out a suitably lavish party at Blair Waldorf’s. Tune in, and you’ll feel the New Year’s spirit in no time.
30 Rock, “Klaus and Greta” (Season 4, Episode 9)
Photo: Courtesy of NBC
There’s something really perfect about the way that 30 Rock approached the holidays, and this episode is no exception. After leaving a voicemail for his childhood love, Nancy (Julianne Moore), on a drunken New Year’s Eve, Jack (Alec Baldwin) is determined to erase the message at any cost.
Meanwhile, Jenna (Jane Krakowski) starts a fake relationship for publicity with James Franco (playing himself), who also happens to be in love with a body pillow. Suffice it to say that you’ll be in tears of joy by the end.
Absolutely Fabulous, “Happy New Year” (Season 3, Episode 2)
BFFs Edina (Jennifer Saunders) and Patsy (Joanna Lumley) are about to go out for New Year’s Eve when Patsy’s older sister Jackie (Kate O’Mara) turns up in need of a place to stay. Madcap and hilarious and so ’90s: What’s not to love?
Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest
This is clearly not a regular TV show, but if you find yourself at home on New Year’s Eve, why not order some takeout and watch the ball drop? The telecast features New Year’s Eve celebrations in New York, Los Angeles, and Puerto Rico, as well as musical performances, firework shows, dance parties, and Ryan Seacrest. What more could you ask for? Sure, it’s all a little cliché, but it never gets old. Consider making a drinking game out of it, and taking a shot every time you spot someone alarmingly underdressed for the weather.
Friends, “The One With the Routine” (Season 6, Episode 10)
Photo: NBC Photo Bank
