1) “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (shown here), 8 p.m., CBS. This is widely regarded as a classic, a Christmas gem for 56 years. So my opinion – good song, so-so story that would have been much better at half this length – can safely be ignored. Have fun.
2) “Next,” 9 p.m., Fox. LeBlanc (John Slattery) is running out of time. As a degenerative disease takes hold, his mind wobbles, leading to hallucinations. But he must race to stop the computer program that keeps growing. He created it, then tried to scuttle it; he doesn’t realize that his brother is the one who revived it. For now, his only allies are his daughter and a cop who is busy trying to rescue her son. Despite occasional contrivances, it’s a strong story.
3) “The Voice” and “Transplant,” 8 and 10 p.m., NBC. These shows have bounced around the schedule: They were set for tonight … then bumped over to Thursday, to make room for a COVID-delayed football game. Then that game (Ravens-Steelers) was delayed yet again, this time to (really) 3:40 p.m. ET Wednesday. So tonight’s line-up is back where it started: “Voice” results, then “Weakest Link,” then a “Transplant” that ends emotionally, as Dr. Hamed finally relates the Syrian memories that haunt him.
4) Christmas flurry. Freeform’s “25 Days of Christmas” starts its first day with Jim Carrey as Scrooge (10:30 a.m.) and ends it with him as the Grinch (8:20 p.m.). Both will rerun often. In between is the 1994 “Miracle on 34th Street” at 12:30 p.m. and “Home Alone” films at 3:10 and 5:40. And the Oprah Winfrey Network debuts “Our Own Christmas” at 9, rerunning it at 10. It has gospel greats (Clark Sisters, Kierra Sheard, Eric Campbell and more), plus Ne-Yo, Boyz II Men and Lalah Hathaway.
5) “Women Make Film” conclusion, 8 p.m. ET, Turner Classic Movies. This wraps an ambitious, 14-part series that views movie history and technique, using only the work of female directors. It’s followed at 9:15 p.m. ET by “Crossing Delancey” (1988), the praised Joan Micklin Silver film about a young New Yorker (Amy Irving) whose Jewish grandmother wants her to use a marriage broker.