Gossip Girl Returns for Season 2, NBC Celebrates the Dolly-Days

Hey, Upper East Siders: Gossip Girl returns today for its second season on HBO Max. Season 2 sees the return of original villain-turned-ally Georgina Sparks, played by Michelle Trachtenberg.

Also today: Dolly Parton celebrates the holidays in NBC’s Mountain Magic Christmas special, the Sesame Street gang puts their own spin on the Nutcracker, HBO takes viewers on a journey through Richard Branson’s life and career, and more. Here’s what’s new and noteworthy on TV this Thursday:

Gossip Girl: Season 2 premiere. It’s the second semester of junior year, and Gossip Girl is leaving no stone unturned in her effort to control the scandalous lives of Manhattan’s elite. As she turns up the heat, old enemies reemerge, new allyships are formed, and the fight to control the narrative becomes more intense than ever before. Watch trailer. Streaming on HBO Max

Dolly Parton’s Magic Mountain Christmas: Special presentation. Dolly Parton transports viewers to Dollywood in this movie musical about the making of a network TV special designed to uplift an exhausted world’s spirits during the holidays. The film features two of Parton’s iconic songs (“9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You”), a new Christmas tune, and special appearances from Jimmy Fallon, Willie Nelson, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Miley Cyrus, among others. Watch trailer. 8:00 PM ET on NBC and Peacock

Sesame Street: The Nutcracker: Special presentation. The Sesame Street crew retells the classic Nutcracker story in this animated special that follows Elmo and his puppy Tango on a fantastical adventure filled with new music and friends. Watch trailer. Streaming on HBO Max

Branson: Docuseries premiere. Billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson sits down with filmmaker Chris Smith for a series of revealing interviews about his upbringing, his business ventures, and his boundary-pushing life. Smith’s interviews with Branson were conducted just weeks before he made history as the first passenger to reach space in his own spacecraft in July 2021. Watch trailer. 10:00 PM ET on HBO

Sort Of: Season 2 premiere. Sabi (co-creator Bilal Baig) continues to juggle friends, family, and romance in a new season that sees them search for uncomplicated romance while navigating their dad’s unexpected return from Dubai and issues at Bar Bük. Two episodes of the Canadian comedy drop every Thursday through December 22. Watch trailer. Streaming on HBO Max

Bosé: Complete Season 1. Paramount offers an intimate look at the life and career of Miguel Bosé in this biopic about the Spanish singer-songwriter. Each episode focuses on a different Miguel Bosé song and relies on flashbacks to tie together the pivotal moments of his life. Watch trailer. Streaming on Paramount+

The Masked Scammer: Original documentary. Featuring interviews with his accomplices and victims alike, this true-crime doc explores how a master con man scammed French elites out of millions of euros. Streaming on Netflix

Thursday Night Football: The Buffalo Bills attempt to defend their position in the AFC East as they face the New England Patriots on the road. 8:15 PM ET/5:15 PM PT on Amazon Prime Video

Deck The Wall: A Holiday Spectacular: Special presentation. NBC offers a holiday-themed episode of The Wall in which a mother and daughter from Ohio team up in hopes of winning a major cash prize. 10:00 PM ET on NBC

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