Twenty one installments in, “The Amazing Race” (CBS, 8 p.m.) retains its original appeal of wanderlust and cutthroat competition. Except that this season, most of the teams have been helping each other out.
The remaining four in the dash for a suddenly doubled cash prize of $2 million may be unexpected: Cheery daters Trey Wier and Lexi Beerman may be the frontrunners since they’ve finished first the mot often, including last week; but Jaymes Vaughan and James Davis, the Chippendales dancers were not as annoying as we expected them to be. Josh Lilmer Purcell and Brent Ridge, the goat farmers who were featured on another reality show The Fabulous Beekman Boys” have somehow limped to the finale after finishing near the end of the pack every week. And the annoyingly chatty sisters Natalie and Nadia Anderson did finish last seven days ago, only to learn it was a non-elimination leg (always suspiciously designated). One big issue that came up this season was that the twins pocketed a dropped $200 from the long-gone rocker team, and split it with Trey and Lexi. So would a win by either team be tainted?
The four teams race tonight from Spain to France to the finish line in Brooklyn, wher they all know it may all be up to the luck of a getting a good cabbie.
Christmas movies rain down like pine needles tonight with no less than a half dozen new titles as well as a few classics. The thing to know about Christmas movies these days is that they are not necessarily about Christmas, but only occur during the holidays.
In the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie “Christmas with Holly” (ABC, 9 p.m.), for example, it’s all about a guy who wants to make a connection with his mute, orphaned neice — during the holidays. Sean Faris of “Vampire Diaries” stars in the film set in a small Washington state town but shot in Nova Scotia. Eloise Mumford stars as a romantic interest.
More cheese and less tears are promised in “The Mistle-tones” (ABC Family, 8 p.m.), starring Tori Spelling and Tia Mowry as members of a Yuletide singing group. In “Help for the Holidays” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.), Summer Glau has her ears sharpened to portray an elf sent to Earth as a nanny, sent to bring the Christmas spirit to a family.
Christmas movies are always doing something about timelines and parallel universes. In “All About Christmas Eve” (Lifetime, 9 p.m.), they have it both way, following party planner Haylie Duff on what would happen to her if she missed a plane to an important gig, or if she didn’t.
Another two new holiday films on ION are “Anything but Christmas” (ION, 8 p.m.) and “Christmas Mail” (ION, 9 p.m.)
Two old movies not always associated with Christmas are “We’re No Angels” (TCM, 8 p.m.) and “Lady in the Lake” (TCM, 10 p.m.). The 1947 version of “Miracle on 34th Street” (AMC, 8 and 10:15 p.m.) will be a shock to those looking for “The Walking Dead.” No, those aren’t zombies wandering through Macy’s.
Amid all this single minded programming, Big Cat Week couldn’t come at a better time. The second annual event looking at elusive felines starts with looking for a rare species in one of the most dangerous places. Big cat tracker Boone Smith is not overly excited to travel to a war zone to do so, but he’s psyched to be tracking a rare breed on “Snow Leopard of Afghanistan” (Nat Geo Wild, 8 and 10 p.m.). a fight: “Cat Wars: Lion vs. Cheetah” (Nat Geo Wild, 9 p.m.), filmed in Africa’s Serengeti.
Speaking of Lions, it’s Detroit at Green Bay (NBC, 8:20 p.m.) in Sunday Night Football. Earlier, it’s Baltimore at Washington (CBS, 1 p.m.) and New Orleans at New York Giants (Fox, 4:25 p.m.).
Big stuff is happening on “Homeland” (Showtime, 10 p.m.), including last week’s startling political assassination. It’s still tough to know where Brody’s head is at, or why Carrie is compelled to go after the No. 1 terrorist singlehanded.
It’s tough to imagine that “Dexter” (Showtime, 9 p.m.) would have its own Christmas episode, with its setting in Miami and focus on serial killers. But here you have it, in one of the best balanced episodes of the season.
Homer meets the hipsters of “Portlandia” as Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein guest star on “The Simpsons” (Fox, 8 p.m.).
Racial identity is the issue on the documentary “Who is Black in America?” (CNN, 8 and 11 p.m.), reported by Soledad O’Brien.
In men’s college basketball, it’s Maine at Florida State (ESPNU, 4 pm.) and UNLV at California (ESPNU, 6 p.m.).
ABC: Sens. Tom Coburn and Debbie Stabenow, Reps. Jeb Hensarling and Raul M. Grijalva, Mary Matalin, James Carville. CBS: Former Sen. Alan Simpson, Erskine Bowles, Newark Mayor Cory Booker. NBC: Sen. Dick Durbin, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Newt Gingrich. CNN: Christine Lagarde, managing director, International Monetary Fund, Reps. Marsha Blackburn and Tom Cole. Fox News: Sens. Chuck Schumer and Bob Corker, Michael Oren, Israel’s ambassador to the U.S.