The Year of Gangham Style ends with its You Tube proponent PSY performing before the First Family and many others at the annual “Christmas in Washington” (TNT, 8 p.m.) concert at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C.
Conan O’Brien hosts, and performers include Diana Ross, Megan Hilty, Demi Lovato, Scotty McCreery and Chris Mann. The President also says hello.
Hoping to get at the core of ancient stories that helped form Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the respected correspondent looks back at the Old Testament and the lands where they took place in the two hour special “Christiana Amanpour Goes Back to the Beginning” (ABC, 9 p.m.). It’s the first half of a two-part report that concludes next week.
If we’re all still here, then the outdated specials “Apocalypse 2012” (CNBC, 8 p.m.), “Evcuate Earth” (National Geographic, 8 p.m.) and “The Mayan Apocalypse 2012” (National Geographic, 10 p.m.) can be played for laughs. Not to mention the movie “2012” (FX, 8 p.m.).
To prepare for the new “Doctor Who” Christmas episode Tuesday, there’s a night of specials about the good doctor culminating with “The Brit List: The Doctor Who Ultimate List of Lists” (BBC America, 10 p.m.) in which Asha Leo and John Borrowman count down everything from scariest moments to best companions.
Holiday tunes are sung from Salt Lake City to Nashville in the back to back specials “Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings) and “Christmas at Belmont” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings), hosted by Laura Bell Bundy.
A new “Fringe” (fox, 9 p.m.) is the only fresh scripted programming on the networks tonight.
There are replays of the holiday specials “Michael Buble: Home for the Holidays” (NBC, 8 p.m.), “The Happy Elf” (The CW, 8 p.m.), “A White House Christmas: First Families Remember” (NBC, 9 p.m.) and “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” (The CW, 9 p.m.).
One of the grand traditions of late night television is played out on “The Late Show with David Letterman” (CBS, 11:35 p.m.) as he and Jay Thomas throw footballs at the meatball above the studio tree and Darlene Love comes in to sing “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” with the house band.
“Need to Know and “Washington Week” make way for the one hour special “After Newtown” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings) that looks at the fallout from last week’s massacre in Connecticut.
I believe I will repeat this joke every Friday: Tiffany Thiessen and Rob Kardashian visit, or voluntarily turn themselves in, to the “Fashion Police” (E!, 10 p.m.).
The month-long Friday night showcase of the films of director Ernst Lubitsch on Turner Classic Movies continues tonight with “The Love Parade” (8 p.m.), “Monte Carlo” (10 p.m.) and “The Merry Widow” (midnight).
They are followed by a pair of documentaries on very different artists, “Crumb” (TCM, 2 a.m.) and “Antonio Gaudi” (TCM, 4:15 a.m.).
Anyone ever heard of the Beef O’Brady’s Bowl? I think they’re starting to make this stuff up. Still there is a game of Central Florida vs. Ball State (ESPN, 7:30 p.m.).
Men’s hoops tonight include Florida Atlantic at Indiana (ESPN2, 7 p.m.), Niagara at Notre Dame (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), BYU at Baylor (ESPN2, 9 p.m.) and Middle Tennessee State at Vanderbilt (ESPNU, 9 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Richard Gere, the Love Chef, stars of “Disney on Ice: Rockin’ Ever After.” The View: Chris Cuomo, Naomi Watts, Maria Belon, Mario Cantone. The Talk: Jerry Springer, Lidia Bastianich, Ereka Vetrini. Ellen DeGeneres: Justin Bieber, Hugh Jackman.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Naomi Watts, Jay Thomas, Darlene Love. Jay Leno: Terry Bradshaw, Elle Fanning, Chris Mann. Jimmy Kimmel: Hugh Jackman, Jenna Fischer, 2 Chainz (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Paul Rudd, Mario Batali, Rod Stewart. Craig Ferguson: Jamie Foxx, Bianca Kajlich. Carson Daly: Meghan McCain, Family of the Year. Tavis Smiley: Gregg Allman, Carole King. Chelsea Handler: Amanda Seyfried, Brad Wollack, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Greg Fitzsimmons (rerun).