1) “The Sound of Music,” 7-11 p.m., ABC. One of the all-time audience-pleasers has its annual Christmastime airing. The story, based on true events, is limited, but the Rodgers-and-Hammerstein score ripples with fun and emotion. The result won five Academy Awards (including best picture) and was nominated for five more, including Julie Andrews (shown here) for best actress.
2) “Meet Me in St. Louis” (1944), 8-10 p.m. ET, Turner Classic Movies. Beautifully directed by Vincente Minnelli, this is another case of a gifted talent given great songs. Judy Garland introduced “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” which became a classic … but didn’t get an Oscar nomination; “Trolley Song” was nominated, but lost to another film’s “Swinging on a Star.”
3) “When Christmas Was Young,” 8:30 p.m., CBS (but 8 p.m. on the West Coast). His career in shambles, a music producer is desperate to land rights to a specific Christmas song. Alas, its writer has retreated to a pleasant, small-town life with her daughter. It’s hard to empathize with him … but easy to root for the writer, played by the likable Karen David. The song (by Sheryl Crow) is pretty good … as it needs to be in this story.
4) “Yellowstone” and “1923,” 8 and 9:09 p.m., Paramount Network, repeating at 10:33 and 11:42. For the second time in five weeks, the network uses its hit show to launch a series that will jump to Paramount+. Each is written by Tyler Sheridan and has a movie star – Kevin Costner (“Yellowstone”), Sylvester Stallone (Tulsa King”) and Harrison Ford (“1923”). Ford and his wife (played by Helen Mirren) are ranchers in this “Yellowstone” prequel.
5) Football, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC. Just two weeks ago, the Giants and Commanders sloggd through a scoreless overtime, emerging with a tie (one of only two this season). Now they collide again, each with a 7-5-1 record and strong playoff prospects.