There’s something deeply cynical about running all the wedding shows and find-a-gown series on weekend nights when most potential brides would be out on dates. Add to all of them a new scripted series that seems a natural, “Wedding Band” (TBS, 10 p.m.).
Brian Austin Green plays the lead singer of a wedding band who in the first episode is thrown by the fact that his ex-girlfriend has hired his band to play. Harold Perrineu of “Lost” and “Sons of Anarchy” is also part of the cast.
Two new series on CMT look to the Lone Star State. “Chainsaw Gang” (CMT, 10 p.m.) follows a group of men who use one of the loudest possible sculpting tools. “Big Texas Heat” (CMT, 10:30 p.m.) follows a police force in the tiny town of Trinity, who all happen to be grossly overweight.
The host of “Talking Dead” gets a chance to return to standup comedy in the special “Chris Hardwick: Mandroid” (Comedy Central, 11 p.m.). Jim Bruer took his 84-year-old father on his nationwide comedy tour and the feature “More than Me” (Current TV, 8 p.m.) is the result.
A new season starts for the female comedy showcase “Standup in Stilettos” (TV Guide Network, 11 p.m.).
Jason Gedrick stars in the TV movie “The Wishing Tree” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.) about a teacher with a special interest in a student.
Cable movies tonight include “Tower Heist” (HBO, 8 p.m.) with Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy, Channing Tatum in “The Vow” (Starz, 9 p.m.), and “Chronicle” (Cinemax, 10 p.m.), about teenage superheroes.
Alabama Shakes, the Carolina Chocolate Drops and Patty Griffin (who is not identified by state) all play “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings), which is in Texas.
The earliest Yuletide movie might be “The Christmas Consultant” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.), which like every contemporary TV Christmas film begins with a workaholic woman who doesn’t have time for the holiday and has to hire a helper. The woman is Caroline Rhea, but the consultant is David Hasselhoff.
For those who subscribe to the service, there’s a screening of the restored documentary “The Rolling Stones: Charlie is My Darling – Ireland 1965” (DirecTV, 9 p.m.).
Five films about memorable meals are on tonight on Turner Classic Movies, with “Dinner at Eight” (8 p.m.), “ The Thin Man” (10 p.m.), “The Moon is Blue” (midnight), “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” (2 a.m.) and “The Exterminating Angel” (4 a.m.).
Compare and contrast: the 2006 remake of “Poseidon” (AMC, 8 p.m.) or the 1972 original “The Poseidon Adventure” (AMC, 10 p.m.).
Broadcast prime time is dominated by college football, with Notre Dame at Boston College (ABC, 8 p.m.) and Kansas State at TCU (Fox, 7 p.m.). Games on cable tonight include Mississippi State at LSU (ESPN, 7 p.m.), Georgia at Auburn (ESPN2, 7 p.m.), Vanderbilt at Mississippi (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), Boise State at Hawaii (NBC Sports, 7 pm.), Idaho at BYU (ESPNU, 10:15 p.m.), Oregon at California (ESPN, 10:30 p.m.), UCLA at Washington State (ESPN2, 10:30 p.m.) and Fresno State at Nevada (NBC Sports Network, 10:30 p.m.).
Earlier games include Miami at Virginia (ABC, noon), Arkansas at South Carolina (CBS, noon), Northwestern at Michigan (ESPN, noon), Wisconsin at Indiana (ESPN2, noon), Harvard at Penn (NBC Sports Network, noon), Army at Rutgers (ESPNU, noon), Georgia Tech at North Carolina (Fox, 12:30 p.m.), Colgate at Lehigh (CBS Sports Network, 12:30 p.m.), Colorado at Arizona (FX, 1:30 p.m.), Maryland at Clemson (ESPNU, 3:30 p.m.), Oregon State at Stanford (Fox, 3:30 p.m.), West Virginia at Oklahoma State (ABC, 3:30 p.m.), Texas A&M at Alabama (CBS, 3:30 p.m.), Penn State at Nebraska (ESPN2, 3:30 p.m.), Air Force at San Diego State (NBC Sports, 3:30 p.m.), Tulsa at Houston (CBS Sports, 5 p.m.).
Anne Hathaway hosts a new “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) for a third time, while music guest Rhianna has performed four times.