It's a time-honored tradition for many to spend New Year's Day sprawled out in front of the TV, doing as little as possible. To assist in that goal, many TV networks program marathons of your favorite shows, so you don't even have to lift your arm to change the channel. In 2021, the offerings range from reality shows, to classic comedies, to a record-breaking crime series. For your planning purposes, we've gathered this list of the best New Year's Day TV marathons of 2021. And for more non-stop viewing options, here are The 17 Best Movie Marathons You Can Stream Right Now.
It's all 90 Day Fiancé the long holiday weekend on TLC, starting on New Year's Eve. You can plop yourself on the couch any time between then and early Monday morning to watch long-distance couples bicker, breakup, and—occasionally—make it work. There are even some new episodes of the spinoff series, 90 Day Fiancé: Pillow Talk, during the marathon. In that one, you watch past couples watching and commenting on the mothership show. And for more recommendations, check out The Best TV Show of 2020, According to Critics.
The USA Network's Law & Order: SVU marathon is as sure of a thing as a New Year's Day hangover. Captain Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and the rest of the squad will be chasing down offenders all weekend long, kicking off the morning of December 31. And the schedule jumps around in the show's 22-season history, so expect to see plenty of cast members come and go as you while away the day.
Another New Year's tradition, Syfy's Twilight Zone marathon is also another multi-day affair. Even better, the classic (and chilling) anthology series encourages drop-in viewing, so you don't have to worry about losing the plot if you end up skipping a few.
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Over on Bravo, you can catch a whole day of episodes of the reality series Below Deck, which stars the crew of a private luxury yacht. In the primetime hours, the channel will be premiering Galley Talk, which is kind of the same thing as 90 Day Fiancé: Pillow Talk. So if you've been dying to get past cast members' takes on this year's staff, be sure to tune in.
The end of the year is Doctor Who time on BBC America, in no small part because the British sci-fi series almost always releases a special around Christmas or New Year's. This year, a brand new event episode is airing on New Year's Day at 8 p.m. ET, and the network will be airing the whole most recent season leading up to it, so there's plenty of time to get caught up. For the worst-reviewed shows of the year, check out The Worst TV Show of 2020, According to Critics.
Looking to bring in the year in with Michael Scott (Steve Carell) and the rest of the gang at Dunder Mifflin? Comedy Central has you covered. Their Office marathon is going back to the very beginning of the series: Season 1, Episode 1 is airing at 9 a.m. ET on January 1, and the binge will proceed from there, into the weekend and beyond. We hope you like the theme song, because you'll be hearing it a lot.
Beginning the afternoon of December 31, E! is your nonstop source for the '00s casino-set drama Las Vegas, starring Josh Duhamel, Vanessa Marcil, and James Caan. The network is showing all five seasons in order, stretching out until into that first Monday of January. And for characters audiences love to loathe, check out The Most Hated TV Characters of All Time.
On FXX, you can watch as many episodes of The Simpsons as you can stay awake for. The marathon of the animated institution begins on December 31 at 1 p.m. ET with two consecutive showings of The Simpsons Movie.
If you want to welcome the new year with slapstick comedy and plenty of misunderstandings, turn your TV over to IFC, which will be showing the late '70s/early '80s sitcom Three's Company. For more stars of the decade, check out The Biggest '80s Teen Idols, Then and Now.
Want to leave your TV on a marathon you really don't have to think about? MTV is handing the reins over to the clip show Ridiculousness, which is essentially a millennial version of America's Funniest Home Videos hosted by skateboarder and MTV personality Rob Dyrdek. Just remember as you watch these backyard stunts gone wrong: do not try this at home.
A slightly more high-concept reality comedy show, Impractical Jokers features four friends who go out into public places and dare each other to do embarrassing (and, to us, hilarious) things. It's surprisingly addictive, so you may not want to click away from TruTV during this marathon.
Staring at noon on New Year's Day, TNT is showing a selection of movies from the blockbuster Marvel Cinematic Universe. Included in the lineup are Captain America: Civil War, Doctor Strange, Black Panther, and Ant-Man and the Wasp. Want to know which Marvel movie is the best of the best, according to the critics? Check out Ranking Every Marvel Movie, From Worst Reviewed to Best.
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