1) “Call the Midwife,” 8-10 p.m. PBS. The new season is months away, but “Midwife” annually has a Christmas special. (A previous one is shown here.) Here’s its best one yet. In a hard-scrabble section of 1969 London, good people face crises — a homeless family, an escaped prisoner, a lost traveler who has Down syndrome. There’s also joy and a “Midwife” rarity – a charming romance. Read more…
1) “A Christmas Story” marathon, 8 p.m., TBS or 9 p.m., TNT. This movie (shown here) arrived back in 1983, with a modest budget and low expectations. But it brought a fresh look at a holiday in the 1940s, when Santa seemed scary and little kids wanted BB guns. It became a favorite; now both channels air it every two hours, for 24 hours. Read more…
1) “A Saturday Night Live Christmas,” 9-11 p.m., NBC. This special – airing for the second time in six days — grabs highlights from 50 years of “SNL.” It can range from Chevy Chase to Bowen Yang … with a white-haired Steve Martin somehow around during the full span. (Shown here is this year’s Black Santa/White Santa sketch, not necessarily part of the special.)
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1) “Kennedy Center Honors,” 8:30-11 p.m., CBS. Each year, this honors arts greats with a splendid mixture of films, performances and verbal tributes. This time, it honors Bonnie Raitt, Arturo Sandoval, Francis Coppola, the Grateful Dead and (in a first) the Apollo Theater. Performers include Dave Matthews, Emmylou Harris (shown here in a previous performance), Sheryl Crow and Savion Glover. Read more…
1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. It was 40 years ago that Martin Short joined the “SNL” cast. Already a star from his “SCTV” time, he helped the show’s short-term rebuild; he was gone after a year, but has returned often (shown here). Now comes only his fifth time as host, two of them with Steve Martin; Hozier is the music guest. Read more…
1) Football, 8 p.m. ET, ABC. The new college playoff system opens with teams from opposite pasts. Notre Dame has won 11 consensus national championships plus 11 disputed ones; overall, it’s won 74 percent of its games. During a 66-year stretch, Indiana(shown here) won only 37 percent and two conference titles. They collide, with three more games Saturday. Read more…
1) “Nate Bergatze’s Nashville Christmas,” 9 p.m., CBS. There’s only a tad of music — one song each by Carrie Underwood (shown here) and Noah Kahan, brief bits by Darius Rucker. Instead, this focuses on comedy. Some of it is quite good, including a stand-up set by Derrick Stroup and a sketch (Bergatze discussing the future) that’s like one he did on “Saturday Night Live.” Read more…
1) “Survivor” finale, 8-10 p.m., CBS. Four people have a shot at being the 47th million-dollar winner. “Teeny” Chirichillo, a free-lance writer, and Sam Phalen, a sports reporter, are 24. Rachel Lamont, 34, a graphic designer. Sue Smey, who owns a flight school, is 59; shee’s shown here (left) last week with Chirichillo (right) and Genevieve Mushaluk, who was ousted. Read more…
1) “Joy: Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir,” 8-9:30 p.m., PBS. This is epic music – 360-voice choir, 150-piece orchestra, bells, trumpets, organ and singer Michael Maliakel (shown here), from Broadway’s “Aladdin.” A story – Lesley Nicol telling of Victor Hugo’s parties for children – is fairly good; the music, especially Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” is sublime. Read more…
1) “American Masters,” 10 p.m., PBS. At 10, Brenda Lee was supporting her widowed mother and siblings. Now, 70 years later, she’s still a potent force, with tiny (4-foot-9) body, huge voice and vibrant personality. This fascinating hour traces someone (shown here) who has sold 100 million records, from “I’m Sorry” to the eternal “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” Read more…
