TV picks for Dec. 30: 'The Kennedy Center Honors,' 'The O'Reilly Factor,' 'Benched'

December 29, 2014 at 8:28PM
BENCHED -- "Brief Encounters -- Episode 112 -- Pictured: Eliza Coupe as Nina -- (Photo by: Isabella Vosmikova/USA Network) ORG XMIT: Season:1
Eliza Coupe in “Benched.” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

That thing they do

"The Kennedy Center Honors," always a terrific way to celebrate the year in arts, should be jam-packed with memorable moments, including Mavis Staples and Sam Moore paying tribute to Al Green with "Take Me to the River" and David Letterman honoring Tom Hanks. Our own Garrison Keillor inducts Lily Tomlin. Stephen Colbert hosts. 8 p.m. WCCO, Ch. 4

The killing field

It's a special edition of "The O'Reilly Factor" as host Bill O'Reilly welcomes Glenn Beck, Juan Williams and Don Imus to talk about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. I'm sure it's just a coincidence that the conversation is followed by a repeat screening of "Killing Lincoln," which just happens to be based on a book co-written by O'Reilly. 7 p.m. Fox News

Laying down the law

"Benched," a sitcom about a hotshot lawyer having to start again in the public defender's office, didn't quite make my best-of-the-year list, but it deserves attention, if only for the high-energy performance from "Happy Endings" veteran Eliza Coupe. In a week cluttered with repeats, enjoy these two fresh episodes. 9 p.m. USA

Neal Justin

Singer Al Green; actor and filmmaker Tom Hanks; ballerina Patricia McBride; singer-songwriter Sting; and comedienne Lily Tomlin will receive honors for 2014 on THE 37TH ANNUAL KENNEDY CENTER HONORS, to be broadcast Tuesday, Dec. 30 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured: Garrison Keillor Photo: Jeffrey R. Staab/CBS ©2014 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Keillor (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
about the writer

about the writer