1) “The Amazing Race” finale, 9-10 p.m. Wednesday, CBS. The final three duos race for the million-dollar prize. There’s a Miami firefighter (Luis Colon) and his wife (Michelle Burgess), a dancer. And a couple that met in the 2021 “Big Brother” (Derek Xiao and Claire Rehfuss, shown here). And Emily Bushnell and Molly Sinert, adopted from Korea, who learned by accident, with DNA tests, that they are twins. They met in person this year, on their 36th birthday.
2) “The Voice” and “Survivor” near-finales. The two reality leaders conclude next week, a week after “Amazing Race.” Tonight (8-10 p.m., NBC), eight “Voice” acts perform and viewers vote; on Tuesday (8-9 p.m.), four will advance quickly and viewer votes will add a fifth. On Wednesday (8-9 p.m., CBS), “Survivor” – which has already gone from 18 people to six – trims some more. Next week, we’ll have the 22nd “Voice” and 43rd “Survivor” winners.
3) “CMA Country Christmas,” 9 p.m. Thursday, ABC. There are skilled singers here, including Carly Pearce (who hosts), Scotty McCreery, Maren Morris and Dan + Shay. But what lifts this up is the work of instrumentalists. Backing many of the vocals, the house band (with a great horn section) soars. Also, Molly Tuttle brings her brilliant bluegrass group. The peppy songs do get repetitious, but then War and Treaty blasts a powerful “O Holy Night.”
4) “Must Love Christmas,” 9-11 p.m. Sunday, CBS. Plenty of Christmas movies this year have been bland (at best) or bad, but here’s a happy exception. Liza Lapira is terrific as an author stuck in cliches. The smart script offers genuine doubt about her romance, adds a second couple … and has its best touch: We see scenes from the book she’s working on, with people who look a lot like ones she knows. The result is entertaining and beautifully filmed.
5) “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “The Wizard of Oz,” 7:30 and 8 p.m. today, TNT, with “Oz” repeating at 10:15. Two of the all-time greats combine for family fun. Both have superb scripts and visuals; for “Grinch,” that reflects the brilliance of Dr. Seuss and animator Chuck Jones. Both were cast well, with Boris Karloff narrating “Grinch” and Judy Garland starring in “Oz.” And both add vibrant songs; Oz has classics, led by “Over the Rainbow.”
6) Game shows, 8-11 p.m.,Tuesday, ABC. Most dramas get December vacations, so networks make do. ABC inserts three hours with holiday themes: “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” (8 p.m.) – with Jack Black, Kal Penn and Sasheer Zamata – also continues on Sundays; the others had summer runs. “Press Your Luck” (9) has regular people as contestants; “$100,000 Pyramid” includes Jason Alexander, Bobby Moynihan, Rosie O’Donnell and Pete Holmes.
7) “People’s Choice Awards,” 9-11 p.m. Tuesday, NBC and E. After being confined to cable (where it belongs) for three years, this added NBC last year. Now it repeats that, again with Kenan Thompson as host. Some categories are silly (“favorite bromance”) and some are solid (movie of the year, TV show of the year). There are special awards for Lizzo (also nominated for her reality show and her “About” Damn Time” song), Ryan Reynolds and Shania Twain.
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8) “Stargirl” series-finale, 8 p.m. Wednesday, CW. This has been a notch above other superhero shows. It has great casting – especially Luke Wilson as Stargirl’s dad — and smart scripts that avoid reluctant-hero cliches. Now there’s a final showdown. Also at 8, NBC’s “Chicago Med” has its mid-season finale, with so-so medical stories and two romances — one wrapping up (a departing doctor’s wedding) and another – an intriguing one — just beginning.
9) “The Night Before Christmas,” 8-10 p.m. Saturday, Lifetime. After conquering urban-gospel music (16 Grammys, 22 Doves), Kirk Franklin added holiday movies. Last year’s “A Gospel Christmas” reruns at 6 p.m., leading into this one: Battered by a blizzard, a woman and her estranged daughter find refuge in a church; so do some parishioners and the music director (Franklin). Also Saturday: At 7 p.m., Nickelodeon debuts a musical “Snow Day” movie.
10) D.C. doings, Sunday. Our attention turns twice to Washington. At 6 p.m., HGTV views the White House decorations; at 8, CBS has the National Christmas Tree lighting. LL Cool J hosts, with music from Gloria Estefan, Shania Twain, Andy Grammer and Joss Stone. The night also has season-finales: HBO’s “White Lotus” at 9, Showtime’s “Let the Right One In” at 10 … after “George & Tammy” (9 p.m.) closes its hour powerfully with “Stand By Your Man.”