HDTV Heads-Up: December 29-January 4 UPDATED*

The networks won’t be setting the new year alight with any HD programming fireworks.

Even by the diminishing programming standards of free-to-air TV, the line-up for the first week of 2013 is an astonishingly damp squib.

There’s nothing new of note in HD on TV One to report while TV2 offers only the network HD movie premiere of the 25 year-old Dirty Dancing on New Year’s Eve and an HD re-run of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl on Wednesday.

The series finale of Chuck airs 10.30pm Thursday and screening 10.30 most weeknights from New Year’s Day will be a second re-run of Revenge (ahead of the overrated soap’s second season presumably taking over the Desperate Housewives slot in February).

TV3’s cup doesn’t runneth over, either, with HD re-runs of Bee Movie on Sunday (followed by the HD premiere of Vampires Suck), Titanic on Monday and The Green Mile on Tuesday.

Roll on the fine weather …

* Since this post was published, TV One has confirmed its 8.30 New Year’s Day movie, Love Birds, starring Rhys Darby, will be in HD and TV3 has advised Hamish & Andy Caravan of Courage: Australia v New Zealand will air in HD 8.30 Thursdays from January 3.