There’s no stopping the holiday onslaught now. But at least one of the holidays being celebrated is actually turkey day, with the perennial “Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” (ABC, 8 p.m.), earning its way into prime time and tucking a second special “Charlie Brown’s America” into the hour long presentation. Have to check on the oven while it’s on? Don’t worry, it will repeat tomorrow at the same time.
Earlier, a new holiday special “The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Christmas” (PBS, check local time) has Cat, Nick and Sally traveling the world to help a lost reindeer.
The abrasive sports commentator who first rose on radio, and then spent eight years doing “Jim Rome is Burning” on ESPN, and “The Last Word with Jim Rome” on Fox Sports Network, debuts his new show on premium cable, “Jim Rome on Showtime” (Showtime, 10 p.m.). His first night lineup in his Los Angeles studio includes Kobe Bryant, Aaron Rodgers, producer Peter Gruber and Matthew Perry, who is said to be portraying a version of Rome on his current sitcom “Go On.”
You think your family gathering will be uncomfortable? What about the guy who had to declare “My Brother the Serial Killer” (Investigation Discovery, 9 p.m.). The two hour report profiles Glen Rogers, who has claimed to killed 70 people and is on death row in Florida, who may be the guy actually responsible for the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman in 1994 (though don’t expect O.J. Simpson to be elevated to Macy’s Parade Grand Marshall quite yet).
A replay of the charming film about a turkey guy on “Nature” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings) may make you think twice about tomorrow’s dinner.
It must be love Alex and “Whitney” (NBC, 8 p.m.) open a joint checking account.
You can’t keep a good man down; immediately after being ousted on “Dancing with the Stars” last night, Emmitt Smith pops up on “Guys with Kids” (NBC, 8:30 p.m.).
“Elliott Gould and Charles Grodin guest star on a new episode of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (NBC, 9 p.m.) that seems based on the Jerry Sandusky case.
November sweeps are over, leading to some reruns, but there are also new episodes of “Criminal Minds” (CBS, 9 p.m.), “Private Practice” (ABC, 10 p.m.) and “Chicago Fire” (NBC, 10 p.m.).
It’s very unusual for The CW to pre-empt its programming for a 25 year old movie, but “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” (The CW, 8 p.m.), with Steve Martin and John Candy, seems appropriate for the biggest travel day of the year.
Some big classics compete though, and none is bigger than “Gone with the Wind” (AMC, 8 p.m., TCM, 10:15 p.m.) on two different networks (one with commercials, the other without). Not getting what the Thanksgiving connection is quite yet. It is the 75th anniversary of Margaret Mitchell’s book, but the celebrated movie didn’t come out until two years later, in 1939.
Turner Classic Movies precedes it with a showing of “To Kill a Mockingbird” (TCM, 8 p.m.), which does have a solid anniversary: 50 years. (AMC showed it Tuesday). And there is this Turkey Day connection: “To Kill a …bird.”
The two films are part of the series on literature turned to film and continues with John Huston’s 1979 film of Flannery O’Connor’s “Wise Blood” (TCM, 2:15 a.m.) and the 1968 adaptation of Carson McCullers’ “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” (TCM, 4:15 a.m.).
No feasts planned on “Survivor” (CBS, 8 p.m.), which is turning out a pretty good season.
Pico’s on the Boulevard in Kansas City gets some retooling from Robert Irvine on the season five premiere of “Restaurant: Impossible” (Food Network, 9 p.m.).
Of course it’s a Thanksgiving dinner competition on “Top Chef” (Bravo, 10 p.m.). What else would you think it would be?
More gore is on tap for the increasingly twisted “American Horror Story” (FX, 10 p.m.).
The Top 10 singers compete against the busy stagecraft behind them on a two hour performance episode of “The X Factor” (Fox, 8 p.m.).
“Key & Peele” (Comedy Central, 10:30 p.m.) play racist superheroes.
Seems like it should be illegal to have people building their own machine guns on “Sons of Guns” (Discovery, 9 p.m.). Already clearly illegal is the activity on “Moonshiners” (Discovery, 10 p.m.). Anxiously awaiting their next series, “Meth Lab.”
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Alec Baldwin, Nicki Minaj. The View: Chris Noth, Pitbull, the Knicks City Dancers. The Talk: Toni Collette, Tony Goldwyn, Martyn Lawrence Bullard. Katie Couric: Alicia Keys, InaGarten. Ellen DeGeneres: Jennifer Lawrence.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Scarlett Johansson, Willie Nelson, Gary Clark Jr. Jay Leno: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Kris Jenner, Dan Cummings. Jimmy Kimmel: Tim Allen, Manny Pacquiao, Flo Rida. Jimmy Fallon: Amy Poehler, Alicia Keys. Craig Ferguson: Tom Hanks, Phil Hanley (rerun). Jon Stewart: Andrew Napolitano (rerun). Stephen Colbert: Ken Burns (rerun). Conan O’Brien: Will Ferrell, Tenacious D (rerun). Chelsea Handler: Max Greenfield, Chris Franjola, Sarah Colonna, Dov Davidoff.