The Witcher Season 2, Swan Song, and 1883 Headline a Weekend of Premieres

Genre fare takes center stage in a weekend that brings the return of Netflix’s fantasy epic The Witcher, Mahershala Ali’s sci-fi drama Swan Song, and Paramount’s first Yellowstone spinoff, 1883. Plus, Chloë Grace Moretz battles AI in Mother/Android, Paul Rudd joins SNL's five-timer's club, and Lori Loughlin returns to television in When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas. Here’s what’s new and noteworthy on TV this weekend:

FRIDAY DECEMBER 17

The Witcher: Complete second season. Convinced Yennefer’s (Anya Chalotra) life was lost at the Battle of Sodden, Geralt of Riva (Henry Cavill) brings Princess Cirilla (Freya Allen) to the safest place he knows: his childhood home of Kaer Morhen. Watch trailer. Streaming on Netflix

Swan Song: Original film. After he’s diagnosed with a terminal illness, Cameron (Mahershala Ali) is presented with an alternative solution by his doctor (Glenn Close) in this sci-fi drama. Naomie Harris, Awkwafina, and Adam Beach also star. Watch trailer. Streaming on Apple TV+

Mother/Android: Original film. Chloë Grace Moretz and Algee Smith star as a young, expectant couple fighting to escape when their country becomes caught in a war with artificial intelligence. Watch trailer. Streaming on Hulu

The Expanse: New episode. Holden (Steven Strait) tries to convince Fred Johnson (Chad L. Coleman) to destroy the last sample of protomolecule, while Naomi (Dominique Tipper) gets an important lead on her son. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video

Swagger: Season finale. An injured Jace (Isaiah R. Hill) considers risking his health for the sake of Swagger DMV. Streaming on Apple TV+

With Love: Complete first season. Gloria Calderón Kellett (One Day at a Time) tracks the lives of the Diaz siblings, Lily (Emeraude Toubia) and Jorge (Mark Indelicato), over one year in this new romantic comedy series. Watch trailer. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video

Twentysomethings: Austin: Part two. Eight twenty-somethings from around the country continue to navigate life, love, and careers in Austin, Texas in the final six episodes of Netflix’s reality series. Read our review. Streaming on Netflix

Top Class: Complete second season. Chock full of blue-chip prospects and the sons of NBA legends, the Sierra Canyon Boys Basketball team makes another run at a state championship while navigating the new normal of pandemic life. Watch trailer. Streaming on IMDb TV

Arendelle Castle Yule Log: Cut Paper Edition: Special presentation. The team behind Frozen crafts an inviting hearthside scene in this new yule log background that combines cut-out paper flames with silhouetted images of Anna, Elsa, and Olaf. (Not to be confused with last year's Arendelle Castle Yule Log). Streaming on Disney+

The 89th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade: Special presentation. Grand Marshal Sheryl Underwood leads the annual holiday event featuring Hollywood celebrities, award-winning marching bands, and colorful floats. Hosted by Erik Estrada, Laura McKenzie, Dean Cain, Montel Williams, and Elizabeth Stanton. 8:00 PM ET on The CW

Rolling Like Thunder: Original documentary. Showtime takes viewers inside the underground world and history of graffiti culture, uncovering stories of myth-like artists, remarkable romances, and competitive crews. 8:00 PM ET on Showtime

Chillin Island: Docuseries premiere. New York City rap personalities Alec “Despot” Reinstein, Ashok “Dap” Kondabolu, and Aleksey “Lakutis” Weintraum invite their friends to commune in deserts and swamps in this new six-episode series. First up: Young Thug joins the group. Watch trailer. 10:30 PM ET on HBO

Love Actually: Richard Curtis’ holiday movie staple tells nine interconnected stories of love with an A-list roster of stars, including Hugh Grant, Laura Linney, and Colin Firth, and Emma Thompson. Watch trailer. 9:00 AM ET on Freeform

SATURDAY DECEMBER 18

When Hope Calls: Series revival. The When Calls the Heart spinoff jumps from Hallmark to GAC Family in this two-part, holiday-themed premiere featuring Lori Loughlin in her first TV role since her incarceration for the college admissions scandal. Watch preview. 8:00 PM ET on GAC Family

Saturday Night Live: Fall finale. Paul Rudd joins SNL’s famed Five-Timers Club in the final show of 2021. With musical guest Charli XCX. 11:29 PM ET/8:29 PM PT on NBC

College Football: Bowl season begins in earnest with today’s slate of games:

• Boca Raton Bowl: Western Kentucky vs. Appalachian State 11:00 AM ET/8:00 AM PT on ESPN
• Celebration Bowl: South Carolina State vs. Jackson State 12:00 PM ET/9:00 AM PT on ABC
• New Mexico Bowl: Texas-El Paso vs. Fresno State 2:15 PM ET/11:15 AM PT on ESPN
• Independence Bowl: UAB vs. Brigham Young University 3:30 PM ET/12:30 PM PT on ABC
• Lending Tree Bowl: Eastern Michigan vs. Liberty 5:45 PM ET/2:45 PM PT on ESPN
• LA Bowl: Utah State vs. Oregon State 7:30 PM ET/4:30 PM PT on ABC
• New Orleans Bowl: Louisiana vs. Marshall 9:15 PM ET/6:15 PM PT on ESPN

NFL Football: With the playoffs in sight, the NFL begins its Saturday schedule (the second originally-scheduled game, Raiders-Browns, was pushed due to COVID-19):

• New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts 8:15 PM ET/5:15 PM PT on NFL Network

The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls: TV movie. The Mitchell brothers compete to see who can create the best Christmas house in a sequel to Hallmark’s 2020 holiday film, the first to prominently feature a same-sex couple. Starring Mean Girls alum Jonathan Bennett. Watch trailer. 8:00 PM ET on Hallmark Channel

Premier Boxing Champions Fight Night: Special presentation. Unbeaten WBA Super Middleweight Champion David Morrell Jr. seeks to defend his title against 168-pound contender Alantez Fox. 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT on FOX

Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch: The Grinch (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) hatches a plan to pose as Santa Claus, steal Christmas, and silence Whoville’s holiday cheer in this 2018 animated comedy. Watch trailer. 7:40 PM ET on Freeform

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas: Jim Carrey plays the misanthropic Grinch, a solitary creature who tries to ruin Christmas by stealing gifts from nearby Whoville, in Ron Howard's 2000 adaptation of Dr. Seuss' beloved book of the same name. Watch trailer. 9:40 PM ET on Freeform

The Nightmare Before Christmas: When Jack Skellington, the King of "Halloween Town," stumbles upon "Christmas Town," he becomes obsessed with celebrating the holiday, but chaos soon follows. Watch trailer. 12:20 AM ET on Freeform

SUNDAY DECEMBER 19

1883: Series premiere. More than 100 years before the events of Yellowstone, the Dutton family embarks on a journey west through the Great Plains in hopes of reaching America’s promised land, Montana. Paramount's first Yellowstone spinoff stars Sam Elliott, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill. Read our review. Streaming on Paramount+

The Sound of Music: Annual airing. Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oscar-winning film about the real-life von Trapp family, who fled their home to escape the Nazis in 1938. Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker, and Richard Haydn star. Watch trailer. 7:00 PM ET on ABC

A Charlie Brown Christmas: Annual airing. When Charlie Brown gets the Yuletide blues, Lucy suggests he directs the school holiday pageant, a task that reminds everyone of the true meaning of Christmas. Watch trailer. 7:30 PM ET on PBS (Streaming on Apple TV+)

’Tis the Season to Be Merry: TV movie. Looking for a fresh angle for her book on relationships, Merry heads to snow-covered Vermont, where a charismatic aid worker helps her find a new perspective and Christmas cheer. Starring Rachael Leigh Cook, Travis Van Winkle, and Karen Malina White. Watch trailer. 8:00 PM ET on Hallmark Channel

Christmas Takes Flight: TV movie. CBS gets into the made-for-TV holiday movie spirit with this romance about a pilot (Katie Lowes) who begins falls for the number-crunching CEO (Evan Williams) who purchases her family’s regional airline over Christmas. Watch trailer. 8:00 PM ET on CBS

Sunday Night Football: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the New Orleans Saints in an NFC South matchup. 8:20 PM ET/5:20 PM PT on NBC

Claws: Season premiere. Niecy Nash’s dark comedy kicks off its fourth (and final) season with back-to-back episodes. Watch trailer. 9:00 PM ET on TNT

Dexter: New Blood: New episode. An old colleague from Miami Metro arrives in Iron Lake, spelling trouble for Jim (Michael C. Hall) and prompting Harrison (Jack Alcott) to unleash his own dark passenger to protect them both. Watch preview. 9:00 PM ET on Showtime

Curb Your Enthusiasm: New episode. Larry (Larry David) does the right thing — and regrets it — while seizing an unprecedented opportunity to avoid Irma (Tracey Ullman). Meanwhile, Jeff (Jeff Garlin) seeks out a pricey peace offering for Susie (Susie Essman). With guest star Bill Hader. Watch preview. 10:30 PM ET on HBO

Frosty the Snowman: It was 52 years ago that Frosty first came to life in this holiday classic, and all these years later he's still going strong. Watch trailer. 6:10 PM ET on Freeform

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: Rankin/Bass’ 1964 Christmas classic tells the story of Rudolph, a young reindeer who puts his glowing red nose to good use over the holidays. 6:45 PM ET on Freeform

How the Grinch Stole Christmas: Boris Karloff voices the original Mean One in the classic 1966 holiday special. Watch trailer. 7:00 PM ET on TNT

Home Alone: Eight-year-old troublemaker Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) must protect his house from a pair of burglars when he’s accidentally left by his family before their Christmas vacation in this 1990 classic. Watch trailer. 7:50 PM ET on Freeform

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York: History repeats itself when nine-year old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) is accidentally separated from his family and find himself on his own in the big city. Watch trailer. 10:20 PM ET on Freeform

Claire Spellberg Lustig is the Senior Editor at Primetimer and a scholar of The View. Follow her on Twitter at @c_spellberg.