For being a Golden Age of Television, there aren’t so many great TV shows on at one time that the return of one doesn’t quickly fill the bill as all purpose entertainment. “Treme” (HBO, 9 p.m.) could have faded with dignity last season, but an admittedly truncated, five-episode final fourth season puts a epilogue on it, bringing back the many fine and occasionally interlocking characters amid a vivid depiction of a town reeling still from hurricane and neglect, but nurtured by its joyous music.
As things return tonight, it is the 2008 election of Barack Obama bringing hope and history to the citizenry. On the bandstand, Trombone Shorty rips it up.
“The Walking Dead” (FX, 10 p.m.), which was ostensibly a show about zombies, has a promotion for tonight’s “mid-season finale” that had no zombies at all. Instead the conflict is between the eyepatched Governor and the denizens inside the prison gates.
Anthony Anderson hosts The 2013 Soul Train Awards (BET, 8 p.m.) recorded in early November in Las Vegas. Dionne Warrwick and Keith Sweat win lifetime awards and the raft of performancs includes Big Daddy Kane, Bobby Caldwell, Candice Glover, Chaka Khan, Chrisette Michele, Doug E. Fresh, Eric Benet, Faith Evans, Gladys Knight, Jennifer Hudson, Jon B. Joss Stone, Keith Sweat, Kem, Slick Rick, Ron Isley, Smokey Robinson, T.I., Tamar Braxton, vanilla Ice, Wale and Warren G.
Fashion is the focus of the 2013 Soul Train Red Carpet (BET, 7 p.m.).
A slightly more top dollar cast is the difference between a network Christmas movie, “Christmas in Conway” (ABC, 9 p.m.), starring Mary-Louise Parker and Andy Garcia, and the usual cable fare, “The Christmas Spirit” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.), “Dear Secret Santa” (Lifetime, 8 p.m. and more.
It’s New York Giants at Washington (NBC, 8:20 p.m.) in Sunday Night Football.
Just about the only notice of World AIDS Day is the documentary “Sex in an Epidemic” (Showtime2, 9:10 p.m.).
It didn’t take long to shake Brody from his addictions and incarcerations and prepare him for a dangerous mission that begins tonight on “Homeland” (Showtime, 9 p.m.).
A night of L.A. Crime on Turner Classic Movies begins with “Point Blank” (8 p.m.) and “The Crooked Way” (10 p.m.).
A Spike Lee double feature offers “Do the Right Thing” (Flix, 8 p.m.) and “Jungle Fever” (Flix, 10 p.m.).
The final four teams on “The Amazing Race” (CBS, 8:30 p.m.) eat snake in Indonesia.
The new “Brody Stevens: Enjoy It!” (Comedy Central, midnight) follows the bipolar comedian and checks him on his progress.
In “Return to Downton Abbey” (PBS, 9 p.m.), Susan Sarandon hosts a special meant to summarize and freshen your memory on the first three seasons of “Downton Abbey” , before the fourth season starts Jan. 4.
Tonight’s “Getting On” (HBO, 10 p.m.) features a terrific performance from June Squibb, who is getting accolades for her work in “Nebraska.”
Sunday Talk
ABC: Reps. Tom Cole and Keith Ellison, former White House adviser David Plouffe, former National Security Adviser Tom Donilon. CBS: Sens. Bob Menendez and Bob Corker. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, author Doris Kearns Goodwin. NBC: Reps. Mike Rogers and Chris Van Hollen, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel. CNN: Rogers, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Howard Dean, Rich Santorum. Fox News: Retired Gen. Michael Hayden.