The documentary “A Game of Honor” (Showtime, 10 p.m.) shows the behind the scenes view leading up to last week’s annual Army-Navy game (which Navy once more won). At least “24/7 Flyers/Rangers: The Road to The NHL Winter Classic” (HBO, 10 p.m.) works in real time. It airs just after tonight’s Flyers game: Philadelphia at Dallas (Versus, 7:30 p.m.).
It’s a sign of how it hasn’t caught the imagination of the American public that there is so little fanfare for tonight’s finale of “The X Factor” (Fox, 8 p.m.). Of the three who are left and will sing a couple times tonight for the final vote, just one – Melanie Amaro — has the kind of pipes that will sell records for years to come. The other two are more novelties. Josh Krajcik has a strong voice but may well be the Taylor Hicks of the competition; Chris Rene has even less going on – a middling voice, and middling rap skills. And yet he may win it all because young female voters like his looks and his back story.
A finale comes for the first season of “American Horror Story” (FX, 10 p.m.) which despite its occasional delights (mostly in the form of Jessica Lange) has been a messy disappointment.
What child is this? Justin Bieber is the cute little elf of the season, having appeared on a half dozen Christmas specials already and set to appear on a couple more tonight. He does have a Christmas album to promote, after all. So he sings a song from it on the 13th annual “A Home for the Holidays with Martina McBride” (CBS, 8 p.m.), the pro-adoption holiday special that is hosted this year by the country star with additional appearances by Mary J. Blige, Katherine Heigl and Denise Richards.
A late scheduled special “This is Justin Bieber” (TLC, 9 p.m.) comes right before a new episode of the show that may feature many of his fans: “Toddlers & Tiaras” (TLC, 10 p.m.).
The only other thing new on network TV is the terrible “I Hate My Teenage Daughter” (Fox, 9:30 p.m.) and yet another episode of “Who’s Still Standing?” (NBC, 8 p.m.), which itself is somehow still standing.
A winner is chosen for the second season of “Work of Art: The Next Great Artist” (Bravo, 9 p.m.). It’s down to Kymia Nawabi, 30, and Sara Jimenez, 26, both of New York; and Young Sun Han, 28, of Skokie, Ill.
Is it possible to watch “The Santa Clause” (ABC Family, 8 p.m.) and then “Santa Clause 3” (ABC Family, 10 p.m.) without the “2” in between? Sadly, yes.
Other holiday fare includes “A Christmas Carol” (AMC, 8 and 10:30 p.m.) for the fifth and sixth time this week, “The Christmas Pageant” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.), “Christmas Angel” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.), “A Very Merry Daughter of the Bride” (Lifetime Movie Network, 8 p.m.), “Elf” (USA, 9 p.m.), “A Christmas Wish” (Hallmark, 10 p.m.), “Thomas Kinkade’s Christmas Cottage” (Lifetime, 10 p.m.) and “Holiday Baggage” (Lifetime Movie Network, 10 p.m.).
Winona Ryder steals the spotlight on Turner Classic Movies, programming the movies. Her choices: “The Front” (8 p.m.), “Ball of Fire” (10 p.m.), “Born Yesterday” (midnight), “A Face in the Crowd” (2 a.m.) and “No Time for Sergeants” (4:15 a.m.).
Funny to watch “Back to the Future II” (More Max, 7:10 p.m.), since it takes place all the way into 2015, when cars fly, there are 80s nostalgia cafes and the premise for “Lost” – “We’ve got to go back!”
Patti LaBelle is guest judge on “Top Chef: Texas” (Bravo, 10 p.m.).
Quite logically, “Fat Albert” (BET, 8 p.m.) is paired with”Phat Girlz” (BET, 9:30 p.m.).
It’s TCU vs. Louisiana Tech in the Poinsettia Bowl (ESPN, 8 p.m.)
In college basketball, it’s Texas at North Carolina (ESPN2, 7 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly Ripa: Robert Pattinson, Jennifer Connolly, Lauren Graham, the Swamp Brothers, Seth Meyers (rerun). The View: Chuck Nice, Scott Schwartz, Zack Ward. The Talk: Robin Wright, Melody Thomas Scott. Ellen DeGeneres: Ashton Kutcher, Sherrie Gahn (rerun). Wendy Williams: Charlie Sheen (rerun). Rosie O’Donnell: Salma Hayek, Antonio Banderas (rerun).
Late Talk
David Letterman: Jon Huntsman, J. Cole. Jay Leno: Thomas Haden Church, Ernie Brown Jr., Johnny Mathis. Jimmy Kimmel: Christina Applegate, Guy Ritchie, Jack’s Mannequin. Jimmy Fallon: Louis C.K., Paula Patton. Craig Ferguson: Jason Lee, Felicity Jones, Black Dub. Tavis Smiley: Robert Blake. Carson Daly: Josef Centeno, Dumbfoundead, Kylesa. Jon Stewart: Jonah Hill (rerun). Stephen Colbert: Jimmie Johnson (rerun). Conan O’Brien: Charles Barkley, Marc Maron, John Pizzarelli. Chelsea Handler: Common, Dan Maurio, Loni Love, Josh Wolf (rerun).