CBS and ABC both cleared Tuesday primetime within hours of the news that Dolly Parton had died, and the schedule of tributes now runs through the weekend. If you are trying to work out what to watch and when, here is the full list as it stands.
Two broadcast networks tearing up a Tuesday night lineup on a few hours notice is itself the clearest available measure of what she meant. That does not happen often, and it does not happen for many people.
What Already Aired Tuesday Night
CBS News ran a special called Dolly Parton, An American Icon at 10pm Eastern, anchored by Gayle King, Tony Dokoupil and Anthony Mason. It is streaming on Paramount Plus Premium.
ABC ran a 20/20 special the same hour called Dolly Parton, An American Original, which subsequently became available on Hulu and Disney Plus. NBC gave the story extensive news coverage but has not announced a standalone primetime special.
The Sunday Special Is the Big One
Remembering Dolly, A Rhinestone Life airs Sunday, August 30 at 8pm Eastern and Pacific. It is an Entertainment Tonight production rather than a CBS News special, which is a distinction several outlets have gotten wrong.
That slot matters for a specific reason. It is Big Brother’s usual Sunday hour, and the show is being pushed to 9pm to make room. When a network moves a flagship summer franchise for a tribute, that is a scheduling decision with real money attached.
The Grand Ole Opry on Saturday
The Opry is dedicating its Saturday, August 29 show to her, with Carly Pearce confirmed among the performers. It broadcasts on WSM AM and on SiriusXM channel 58, which is how most people outside Nashville will hear it.
The Opry marquee is honoring her through Saturday. For an artist whose entire career ran through that building, from a teenage debut onward, the house show is arguably the more meaningful of the weekend’s two events.
Why Networks Move This Fast
Every major network maintains prepared obituary packages for significant figures, updated periodically and sitting ready. It sounds macabre and it is simply how broadcast news works, because the alternative is scrambling on the night.
What cannot be prepared in advance is the decision to preempt. That is a commercial call made in real time, involving advertisers, affiliates and a judgment about whether the audience will be there. Two networks made the same call within hours.
Where to Stream Everything
The CBS News special is on Paramount Plus Premium. The ABC 20/20 special is on Hulu and Disney Plus. The Sunday Entertainment Tonight special will air on CBS and should follow to Paramount Plus.
Her filmography is scattered across services and tends to move around, so check current listings rather than assuming. Nine to Five, Steel Magnolias and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas are the three most people go looking for first.
What Has Not Been Announced
There are no funeral or public memorial details. There is no announced all star tribute concert, which is the thing that usually follows within weeks for an artist at this level and which the Grammy and CMA telecasts will almost certainly address.
Anyone posting a specific date for a memorial right now is guessing. The family has said nothing about arrangements beyond the announcement itself.
The Broader Television Picture
Expect the tribute cycle to extend well past this week. The CMA Awards, the Grammys and the Kennedy Center Honors all have obvious reasons to build segments, and Dollywood will do something on its own calendar.
Network scheduling has been unusually reactive this summer generally, with streaming premieres and live events competing for the same nights, a dynamic our coverage of the Lanterns premiere numbers touched on from the ratings side.
What to Watch For Next
Watch for a memorial announcement from the family, which will drive its own coverage. Watch whether a tribute concert gets organized and who convenes it.
And watch the catalog. Streaming and sales for artists of this stature reliably spike in the days after, and the numbers that come out next week will say something about which songs a new generation actually reaches for.
There is one more reason the schedule is worth paying attention to rather than just catching what you catch. Tribute programming assembled in a hurry and tribute programming assembled with time are very different products, and both are on this week’s calendar.
The Tuesday night specials were built from prepared material under deadline. The Sunday hour has had days, which means interviews recorded since her death, contributions from people who needed time to agree, and archival footage somebody actually had a chance to choose.
The Opry show is a third thing again, because it is live and unrehearsed and the people on that stage knew her. Of the three, it is the one most likely to produce a moment nobody planned.
A practical note for anyone recording these. Network tribute specials frequently do not stay on streaming permanently, because the music licensing that clears for a broadcast window is not always the licensing that clears for an indefinite catalog run.
If a particular special matters to you, watch it or save it sooner rather than assuming it will be there next spring.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Dolly Parton specials have aired?
CBS News aired Dolly Parton, An American Icon on Tuesday, August 25 at 10pm Eastern. ABC aired a 20/20 special, Dolly Parton, An American Original, in the same hour.
What is airing Sunday?
Remembering Dolly, A Rhinestone Life at 8pm Eastern and Pacific on Sunday, August 30. It is an Entertainment Tonight production, not a CBS News special.
Is Big Brother still on Sunday?
Yes, moved to 9pm to accommodate the tribute special in its usual 8pm slot.
What is the Grand Ole Opry doing?
Dedicating its Saturday, August 29 show to her, with Carly Pearce confirmed. It broadcasts on WSM AM and SiriusXM channel 58.
Where can I stream the specials?
The CBS News special is on Paramount Plus Premium. The ABC special is on Hulu and Disney Plus. The Sunday special airs on CBS.
Has a memorial been announced?
No. No funeral or public memorial details have been released, and no all star tribute concert has been announced.
