Among holiday performances, it’s already time for this: Frank Capra’s “It’s A Wonderful Life” (NBC, 8 p.m.) with Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed and the rest. Marking its 70th anniversary, surely it’s the oldest thing ever shown on prime time broadcast television these days.
Its format — going back and seeing where a different path may have led — also influenced dozens of lesser holiday movies that followed. The newest of them is “A Dream of Christmas” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.) about a woman who is granted her wish of being single again by a Christmas angel. Nikki DeLoach, Andrew Walker and Cindy Williams (as the Christmas angel) star.
A different, much younger, angel meddles in a different marriage on “Heaven Sent” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.), with Christian Kane, Marley Shelton and Ernie Hudson.
A third made-for-TV holiday romance “A Firehouse Christmas” (ION, 9 p.m.) involves firefighters, custody battles, a romance and yet another angel. Anna Hutchison, Marcus Rosner and Anita Brown star.
But your kids will all want to watch “Elf” (Freeform, 8:50 p.m.) instead.
On the other hand, “Homicide for the Holidays” (Oxygen, 8 p.m.) is a new series about the downside of celebration, though the first episode has to do with a Thanksgiving shooting; an episode at 9, though, is about a family gunned down at Christmas. This could have qualified for “Homicide for the Holidays,” though: a violent intruder on Mother’s Day on “Your Worst Nightmare” (ID, 10 p.m.).
“Pete Holmes: Faces and Sounds” (HBO, 10 p.m.) is a new standup special from the inventive comedian which originates from Chicago.
This week’s impending anniversary brings another documentary about “Pearl Harbor: 75 Years Later” (History, 9 p.m.).
Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight” (Showtime, 8 p.m.) has its premium cable premiere, as does the Key and Peele feature from earlier this year, “Keanu” (HBO, 8:15 p.m.) and “Misconduct” (Starz, 9 p.m.) with Josh Duhamel, Al Pacino and Anthony Hopkins, which only got an 8% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
It’s back to documentaries for CNN as they give its never-ending panel the night off to show “Enlighten Us: The Rise and Fall of James Arthur Ray” (CNN, 8 and 10 p.m.) about the guy who ran the Arizona sweat lodge where three people died and 20 were hospitalized.
Ludo discusses his move to L.A. on “The Mind of a Chef” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings).
“The Killing Season” (A&E, 9 and 10 p.m.) goes to New Mexico to analyze methods of tracking serial killers.
The recreated “Power of the Daleks” episode of “Doctor Who” (BBC America, 11 p.m.), moves to episode three.
A more innovative way to solve crime is found on “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency” (BBC America, 9 p.m.) — time travel.
“Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s” (OWN, 9 p.m.) begins a new season.
That time the hiccuping sword swallower ended up on “Untold Stories of the E.R.” (TLC, 9 p.m.).
“Ghost Adventures” (Travel, 9 p.m.) visit a bordello in Butte, Mont. — for work!
On “48 Hours” (CBS, 10 p.m.) a man claims he was brainwashed by his cousin to murder her ex.
Tom Hanks, Gemma Arterton, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Mo Farah and Olly Murs are on a new episode of “The Graham Norton Show” (BBC America, 10 p.m.).
Chuck D, Cheryl Burke and Shirley Caesar are tracked down on “Oprah: Where Are They Now?” (OWN, 10 p.m.).
One similarity with Ronald Reagan shared by your president elect is that he appeared in some bad movies too. Look for him in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” (AMC, 8 and 10:30 p.m.).
Worse use of Alec Baldwin: as Trump on “SNL” or as suitor in “It’s Complicated” (Pop, 8 and 10:30 p.m.)?
A big day in college football has, in primetime, Clemson vs. Virginia Tech (ABC, 8 p.m.) in the ACC championship and Wisconsin vs. Penn State (Fox, 8 p.m.) in the Big Ten championship.
Other games today include Temple at Navy (ABC, noon) in the AAC championship, Kansas State at TCU (Fox Sports 1, noon), Louisiana Tech at Western Kentucky (ESPN, noon), Troy at Georgia Southern (ESPN2, noon), Oklahoma State at Oklahoma (Fox, 12:30 p.m.), Baylor at West Virginia (Fox Sports, 3:30 p.m.), Alabama vs. Florida (CBS, 4 p.m.) in the SEC championship, Grambling State vs. Alcorn State (ESPNU, 4 p.m.), Arkansas State at Texas State (ESPN2, 7:30 p.m.) and San Diego State at Wyoming (ESPN, 7:45 p.m.).
Men’s college basketball today includes Wake Forest at Richmond (ESPNU, noon), UCLA at Kentucky (CBS, 12:30 p.m.), Saint Joseph’s at Villanova (CBS Sports, 1 p.m.), West Virginia at Virginia (ESPNU, 2 p.m.), Illinois at VCU (CBS Sports, 3 pm.), Stanford at Kansas (ESPN, 3:30 p.m.), Xavier at Baylor (ESPN2, 3:30 p.m.), Central Arkansas at Butler (Fox Sports 2, 4 p.m.), Wichita State at Colorado State (CBS Sports, 5 p.m.), Gonzaga at Arizona (ESPN, 5:30 p.m.), Maine at Duke (ESPN2, 5:30 p.m.), BYU at Southern California (ESPNU, 8 p.m.) and Akron at Creighton (Fox Sports 2, 8 p.m.).
Pro basketball includes Denver at Utah (NBA, 9 p.m.).
Hockey includes Detroit at Pittsburgh (NHL, 7 p.m.).
Swimming has its U.S. Winter Nationals (NBC Sports, 5:30 p.m.).
A 2014 performance of Nine Inch Nails is on “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 11 p.m., check local listings).
Emma Stone returns to host a new “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11;30 p.m.) and promote her new film; Shawn Mendes is musical guest.