7 New Year’s Eve TV specials to help ring in 2022

Happy New Year. Well, almost, because believe it or not, 2021 a.k.a. year two of a global freakin’ pandemic, is coming to an end. It might not be the best time for a rollicking, crowded party to bring in the new year just yet, but that means more time to do what we’ve become experts at during lockdown: spending excessive time in front of the screen.To help make New Year’s Eve somewhat fun and tolerable, various networks and streaming platforms are presenting year-end specials to cover any pregame plans. The rising COVID-19 cases in the country have already prompted Fox to cancel its New Year’s Eve Toast & Roast 2022, which was to be hosted by Community stars Joel McHale and Ken Jeong. But don’t worry, there are several other specials to help with your countdown. Bring on your party hats and remotes.

Peacock doesn’t even want to wait until New Year’s Eve to get the party started. The NBCU streamer has teamed up Snoop Dogg and Kevin Hart yet again after their Olympics specials; the comedy special 2021 And Done is already streaming on Peacock. In it, the duo offers their edgy and hilarious takes on everything that went down in the past 12 months, whether it’s politics and fashion or sports and space billionaires.

It’s the grand 50th-anniversary celebration of New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, which kicks off at 8 p.m. ET and will go on well into 2022 until 2 a.m. Ryan Seacrest returns as host along with YouTube star Liza Koshy in NYC’s Times Square. Billy Porter hosts from New Orleans, and for the first time in the show’s history, a Spanish language countdown will be hosted in San Juan, Puerto Rico, by Roselyn Sánchez. Performers this year include Jennifer Lopez, Cyndi Lauper, Porter, Jimmie Allen, Nelly, among others. Mayor Bill De Blasio that the celebrations will proceed but with strict rules and fewer revelers at the venue amid a surge in cases.You can watch the famous ball drop from the comfort of your couch and pajamas on ABC (via cable, YouTube TV+, Hulu+). Or if you don’t have any of those options, the event will be livestreamed at (wait for it) , , , and starting at 6:00 p.m. ET, when the ball is raised above One Times Square.

TODAY hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager will host this 2021 retrospective. But they’re not going to necessarily reminisce about the pandemic or an insurrection or anything serious. 2021: It’s Toast will keep it light as Kotb and Hager discuss viral videos and trends with their star-studded interview lineups, which include Savannah Guthrie, Lisa Vanderpump, Al Roker, Howie Mandel, Alex Moffat, Lester Holt, Willie Geist, and Michael Bublé, among others. Hard to think of a better group of people to discuss all things internet. Anyway, if it helps (and it should), the very funny Amber Ruffin and ’ Jana Schmieding and Ed Helms are also part of the special.

It’s a real party in the U.S.A with NBC’s follow-up to 2021: It’s Toast. Once Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager hang up their New Year’s Eve party hats, Miley Cyrus and Pete Davidson will take over on NBC at 10:30 p.m. ET. They will co-host a show from Miami that features performances by Saweeti, Brandi Carlile, Billie Joe Armstrong, 24KGoldn. Based on the brief promo clip alone, Cyrus and Davidson promise to be an entertaining duo.

Your favorite CNN hosts Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen are reuniting for CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live from Times Square starting 8 p.m. ET. It’s their fifth year together as co-hosts, but let’s hope they try some tequila on-screen again. They’ll hand over duties to CNN’s Don Lemon and Alisyn Camerota at 12:30 a.m. ET to ring in the new year from New Orleans. The show will also include performances from Katy Perry, who headlines from her new Las Vegas residency, and appearances from guest stars like William Shatner, Amanda Gorman, Duran Duran, Patti LuPone, David Arquette, and Leslie Jordan.

K-Pop fans, this one’s for you. After last year’s successful event by HYBE to ring in the new year, which featured appearances by BTS and Halsey, the concert returns for its New Year’s Eve show, Weverse Con: New Era. It will begin airing from Korea’s International Exhibition Center at 3:30 a.m. ET on the streaming platform , with a unique viewing experience of the stage through various camera angles. This year’s performers are Justin Bieber, TXT, SEVENTEEN, ENHYPEN, fromis_9, Lee Hyun, Bumzu, and DVWN.

Taking place at Nashville’s Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, this annual live concert is the virtual place to be if you’re a country music fan. Bobby Bones and Rachel Smith host the five-hour show, which kicks off at 8 p.m. ET. Headliners include Dierks Bentley, Zac Brown Band, with other musical guests including Sam Hunt, Fisk Jubilee Singers, and several others, summing up to nearly 50 performances across multiple locations in the city. In lieu of a trailer, enjoy the now unnerving, .