1) “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946), 3, 6 and 9 p.m., E. Each Christmas Eve, NBC airs this classic. If you can’t wait until then, catch it today. James Stewart (shown here) plays a small-town banker, despairing about his life. A guardian angel offers a tour of a world with or without him. Read more…
1) “The Road” semi-finals, 9 p.m., CBS. After some emotional songs last week, no one was ousted. Now the show dumps two, before the finale. The surviving six — most of them very experienced, all deeply talented — are: Cassidy Daniels (shown here), 25; Cody Hibbard, 32; Billie Jo Jones, 34; Adam Sanders, 36; Britnee Kellogg, 40 and Channing Wilson, 49. Read more…
1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. Melissa McCarthy has hosted five times (one is shown here),each time getting an Emmy nomination for best guest actress. She won in 2017 and hasn’t tried again — until now. Starting a three-week string of three new episodes, McCarthy hosts and Dijon is the music guest. Read more…
1) Football, 7 and 8 p.m. ET. Over the next two days, 10 conference-championships will be on national TV. At 7 today, it’s the Sun Belt (Troy-James Madison) on ESPN and Conference USA (Kennesee State-Jacksonville State) on CBS Sports Network. At 8, its American Athletic (North Texas-Tulane) on ABC, Mountain West (Boise State, shown here, and UNLV) on Fox. Read more…
1) “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” 8 p.m., NBC. One of TV’s all-time great shows (shown here) brought a confluence of genius. Dr. Seuss’ brilliant book links with Chuck Jones’ witty animation. Add Boris Karloff’s narration and a booming song from Thurl Ravenscroft and you have a true classic. Read more…
1) “Christmas in Rockefeller Center,” 8-10 p.m., NBC. Now its NBC’s turn for holiday spectacle. This one is live, with the Rockettes, the tree-lighting and lots of music. That’s from Reba McEntire (who hosts), Halle Bailey (shown here in a previous concert), Gwen Stefani, Brad Paisley, Carly Pearce, Michael Buble, Marc Anthony, New Edition and Kristin Chenowith. Read more…
1) “CMA Christmas,” 9:01 p.m., ABC. This hour has plenty of country stars — Jordan Davis, Parker McCollum, Megan Moroney, Riley Green, Lady A and Little Big Town. But it also nudges elsewhere. There’s contemporary Christian singer Lauren Daigle (hosting with Davis), gospel’s Bebe Winans (shown here) and blues stars Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks. Read more…
1) “Holiday Spectacular,” 8-10 p.m. today, ABC. Here’s the sort of spectacle Disney savors — bright colors and cheery music, inside theme parks. Derek Hough (shown here amid Disney fol;k) hosts and performs; also performing are Nicole Scherzinger, Bebe Rexha, Aloe Blacc, Trisha Yearwood, Gwen Stefani, Coco Jones and Benji and Joel Madden. Read more…
1) Animation, 8-11 p.m., ABC. Here’s a rarity for a broadcast network — a three-hour burst of Christmas cartoons. First are two “Prep & Landing” tales, focusing on the guys in Santa’s elite advance team. Then comes a new one (shown here) at 9, seeing them panic when things go wrong. That’s followed by “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” and “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town.”
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1) “A Grand Ole Opry Christmas,” 8-10 p.m., Hallmark. One day after the Opry has its 100th-birthday event, here’s a film celebrating past and present. Gentry is whisked back 30 years, to when her late father was an opry star. There’s lots of music, plus old and new Opry people, from Bill Anderson and Pam Tillis to Brad Paisley (shown here) and Mickey Guyton. Read more…
