1) “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (shown here), 8 p.m., NBC. Let’s put this with “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (now on Apple TV+) as one of TV’s all-time best half-hours. It blends Dr. Seuss’ brilliant story with Chuck Jones’ vibrant animation, adding droll narration from Boris Karloff and a booming song from Thurl Ravenscroft. It will be back on NBC on Christmas Night … after seven runs on TNT and TBS, between Dec. 10 and Dec. 23.
2) “Young Sheldon,” 8 p.m., CBS. We’ll catch this while we can: CBS says the upcoming season (from Feb. 15 to May 16) will be its last. Tonight’s rerun has Mandy surprising Georgie with a spa weekend. That’s followed by a “Ghosts” rerun (the new assistant, alas, has ghost-hunting equipment) and two so-so episodes of the original, British “Ghosts.” The first is the story the American version did better, with a demanding neighbor couple.
3) “The Golden Bachelor” finale, 8-10 p.m., ABC. This first season has been a surprise ratings success. It introduced Gerry Turner, a widower and retired restaurateur living lakeside in Indiana, to 22 women (10 of them retirees) ages 60-75. Now he’s down to two – Theresa Nist, 74, a financial services person from New Jersey, and Leslie Fhima, 64, a fitness instructor from Minnesota.
4) Streaming. Wednesday was drama day: Hulu launched “The Artful Dodger” (richly crafted, so-so story) and Britbox had Ashley Jensen taking over the lead in “Shetland,” which has a smart, six-week mystery. Today, it’s comedy: Netflix has Jennifer Garner’s “Family Switch” plus the animated “The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday”; Max has Sebastian Maniscalco’s “Bookie,” from Chuck Lorre, the “Big Bang Theory” producer.
5) ALSO: NBC follows the great “Grinch” with the so-so “Shrek the Halls” at 8:30 and “Transplant” at 9: Overwhelmed by problems at the hospital, Bash faces his sister’s insistence on going to a performing arts school. From 8-10 p.m., Hallmark Movies & Mysteries debuts “Time for Her to Come Home for Christmas.” Sherae Grimes-Beech (“90210”) and Chris Carmack (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Nashville”) play a music director and a returning soldier.
— Mike Hughes, TV America