In Quincy Jones’ long career in entertainment, he’s worked with Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra before he produced the biggest hits of Leslie Gore and the best selling albums of Michael Jackson. He went on to score soundtracks, dabble in film and television and earn the most Grammy nominations of anyone — 80. That’s just shy of the age being celebrated on a new TV special.
Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Brian McKnight, Meghan Trainor, Gladys Knight, Patti Austin, Gloria Estefan, Ledisi, Gregory Porter and Charlie Wilson are among the performers in “Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones” (BET, 8 p.m.), an event taped at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles in September, hosted by Oprah Winfrey. It’s part of a birthday celebration that began with the streaming of daughter Rashida Jones’ revealing biography “Quincy” (Netflix, streaming). He turned 85 in March.
Ledisi also shows up on the “Living by Design Holiday Special” (TV One, 7 p.m.) with Jake and Jazz Smollett.
In a less jammed field of quality series, “Counterpart” (Starz, 9 p.m.) might stand out more. As it is, the admirable series starring J.K. Simmons as a low level worker in Berlin who learns that he has an identical counterpart in a parallel dimension created during the Cold War deserves more viewers. When season one ended, the doppelgängers had switched places, and there is a lot to still discover, particularly with his wife in both dimensions, Olivia Williams.
Alex Gibney’s “Enemies: The President, Justice & the FBI” (Showtime, 8 p.m.) culminates with a feature-length examination of our current constitutional crisis.
With the weird decorations that start with lines of blood red trees, there might be a horror element to the annual tour of “White House Christmas 2018” (HGTV, 6 p.m.)
Debra finally finds John’s criminal records on “Dirty John” (Bravo, 9 p.m.), while flashbacks show what happened in his first marriage.
“60 Minutes” (CBS, 7 p.m.) interviews Elon Musk.
It’s Rams at Chicago (NBC, 8:20 p.m.) in Sunday Night Football. Earlier games include Baltimore at Kansas City (CBS, 1 p.m.), Giants at Washington (Fox, 1 p.m.) and Philadelphia at Dallas (Fox, 4:25 p.m.).
They’re making progress on the escape route on “Escape at Dannemora” (Showtime, 10 p.m.).
“Madam Secretary” (CBS, 10 p.m.) tries to keep peace between Serbia and Kosovo.
An old case gets rehashed some more in the special “Casey Anthony: Her Friends Speak” (Reelz, 8 p.m.). Do you want to listen?
Can animation deliver horror? It might if it’s as creepy as the stop-action figures populating the new “The Shivering Truth” (Cartoon Network, noon), an Adult Swim anthology series.
Miles meets a single father who recently lost his wife on “God Friended Me” (CBS, 8 p.m.).
It’s down to Miles Brown, Sky brown, Ariana Greenblatt and Mackenzie Ziegler in the finals of the first “Dancing with the Stars: Juniors” (ABC, 8 p.m.), where all 12 contestants return. That means: welcome back Tripp Palin and Honey Boo Boo!
Lord John Grey drops in with a surprise guest on “Outlander” (Starz, 8 p.m.).
“NCIS: Los Angeles” (CBS, 9 p.m.) looks into a bank heist.
Homer and the kids surprise Marge with a Christmas at a Florida resort in a new episode of “The Simpsons” (Fox, 8 p.m.).
A particularly successful season of “Doctor Who” (BBC America, 8 p.m.) comes to an end with setting the scene for an epic battle (that may occur during the New Year’s special to come).
There’s a turf war at the sledding hill on “Bob’s Burgers” (Fox, 8:30 p.m.).
“Flash” (CW, 8 p.m.) begins a body-swapping that begins the three show “Elseworlds” crossover with “Arrow” and “Supergirl” that will introduce “Batwoman.”
Bryan Cranston and Niecy Nash are guest voices on “Family Guy” (Fox, 9 p.m.).
Cranston also joins Will Ferrell, Danai Gurira, Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, Omari Hardwick, Emily Mortimer and Uzo Aduba, among others, in saluting everyday people selected for the “12th Annual CNN Heroes: An All Star Tribute” (CNN, 8 and 10 p.m.). Anderson Cooper and Kelly Ripa host; Lenny Kravitz performs.
On the made-for-TV “Welcome to Christmas” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.), Jennifer Finnigan plays a developer is stranded in Christmas, Colo. and meets the sheriff (Eric Mabius). It actually seems to have been shot in the Colorado.
Location is also a factor in another holiday romance tonight, “A Christmas in Tennessee” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.), which involves yet another developer (Andrew Walker) tangling with yet another hometown baker (Rachel Boston), with Caroline Rhea and Patricia Richardson.
Of course there’s all this other holiday fare tonight too: “The Santa Clause 2” (AMC, 6 p.m.), “The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause” (Freeform, 6:55 p.m.), “The Polar Express” (AMC, 8:30 p.m.). “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (Freeform, 9 p.m.), “Christmas Getaway” (Hallmark, 10 p.m.) and “Christmas Lost and Found” (Lifetime, 10 p.m.).
Not as cheery: The true crime “Homicide for the Holidays” (Oxygen, 8 p.m.).
Oh how they grow. The two women have fiancés on the penultimate episode of “My Brilliant Friend” (HBO, 9 p.m.).
There’s a donor mixup on “Sally4Ever” (HBO, 10:36 p.m.).
Brittany’s ex has made a terrible new rap song on “Rel” (Fox, 9:30 p.m.).
Mel’s head is spinning on “Charmed” (CW, 9 p.m.).
Three bakers create a gingerbread North Pole on “Holiday Gingerbread Showdown” (Food, 9 p.m.).
A giraffe is about to give birth on “Crikey! It’s the Irwins” (Animal Planet, 8 p.m.).
Something terrible has happened to the idea of travel on the Travel Channel, where every trip is tied to some kind of paranormal threat, such as on the new show with an unwelcome title, “Fear the Woods” (Travel, 10 p.m.).
The pun that’s the title of tonight’s “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” (Bravo, 8 p.m.) could serve for nearly any episode: “Whining and Dining.”
And the reunion drags on to its third episode on “The Real Housewives of Orange County” (Bravo, 9 p.m.).
D’Branin and his team look for a more permanent solution on “Nightflyers” (Syfy, 10 p.m.).
The werewolf is considered on “Mythical Beasts” (Science, 10 p.m.).
Kim Kardashian shows up on “Busy Tonight” (E!, 10 p.m.) after another episode of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” (E!, 10 p.m.).
Turner Classic Movies has another couple of Christmas movies without Christmas in the titles, “It Happened on 5th Avenue” (8 p.m.) and “O. Henry’s Full House” (10:15 p.m.). Then comes the 1927 silent spectacle “Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ” (12:30 a.m.) and Akira Kurosawa’s “The Bad Sleep Well” (3 a.m.).
Earlier TCM marks Kirk Douglas’ 102nd birthday (!) with “Out of the Past” (noon), “Young Man with a Horn” (1:45 p.m.), “Lust for Life” (3:45 p.m.) and “Top Secret Affair” (6 p.m.).
Basketball has Milwaukee at Toronto (NBA, 6 p.m.).
Hockey has Montreal at Chicago (NHL, 6 p.m.).
Men’s college basketball includes Columbia vs. Iona (Fox Sports 1, 11 a.m.), Arizona at Alabama (ESPN, 1 p.m.), Princeton at St. John’s (Fox Sports 1, 1 p.m.), Tennessee at Gonzaga (ESPN, 3 p.m.), Oregon State at Saint Louis (ESPNU, 3:30 p.m.), Nevada at Grand Canyon (ESPNU, 5:30 p.m.) and Purdue at Texas (ESPN2, 6 p.m.).
Women’s games include Tennessee at Texas (ESPN2, 1 p.m.) and Oregon at Michigan State (ESPN2, 3 p.m.).
In the men’s soccer College Cup final, it’s Maryland vs. Akron (ESPNU, 8 p.m.).
College wrestling includes Oklahoma at Oklahoma State (ESPNU, 1:30 p.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: Sens. Marco Rubio and Chris Murphy. CBS: Rubio, Sen. John Thune, Rep. Adam Schiff, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, managing director of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde. NBC: Sens. Rand Paul and Angus King, Wisconsin Gov. elect Tony Evers. CNN: Rubio, Reps Jerry Nadler and Adam Kinzinger. Fox News: Larry Kudlow, King.