Thanksgiving Eve is ushered in with a smorgasbord of old Turkey-based “SNL” sketches from the years, from Paul Simon in a bird suit from season two to the family that kisses too much.
Adam Sandler sings his turkey song, but they could also play his Hanukkah song this year.
At two hours, “The Saturday Night Live Thanksgiving Special” (NBC, 9 p.m.) will be longer than even an average episode of the mother show. Seth Meyers may be seen doing “Weekend Update” bits ofthe season, but at thesame time he’ll alsobe on a new episodeof “The Getaway” (Esquire, 9 p.m.)in which he and his brother Josh travel to Amsterdam for a trip.
The actual three-hour remake won’t come for another week. But how much interest do you think there’ll be in behind the scenes looks of Carrie Underwood trying on the Julie Andrews part in “The Making of ‘The Sound of Music’ Live!” (NBC, 8 p.m.)? Weirder still will be Stephen Moyer as Captain Von Trapp.
He only came in third on “Dancing with the Stars,” but Jack Osbourne is back on his feet hosting the season premiere of “Haunted Highway” (Syfy, 10 p.m.),looking into an abandoned Florida military fort.
On your mark, get set: “Man vs. Cheetah” (Nat Geo Wild, 9 p.m.).
Holiday appropriate nature show may be the guy who raises turkeys on an Emmy-winning episode of “Nature” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings), though it may put a crimp in your cooking. It’s followed by a new special on ducks, narrated by Paul Giamatti at 9 p.m., and a replay of the report on the boom in whitetail deer at 10.
The perfect Thanksgiving eve movie for the busiest travel day of the year? “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” (The CW, 8 p.m.).
The blood ties have all been severed by now on “Survivor: Blood vs. Water” (CBS, 8 p.m.), though Tina, Laura and Vytas fight to get back in the game on Redemption Island.
It’s the first season finale of “Preachers of L.A.” (Oxygen, 10 p.m.), whose cast also appears today on “The Wendy Williams Show” (Syndicated, check local listings).
Everything on ABC is a rerun tonight, from “Modern Family” (ABC, 9 p.m.) to “Nashville” (ABC, 10 p.m.).
Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Trisha Yearwood, the Eli Young Band and Jamey Johnson all pay tribute to a group named after a state in a Nashville concert on “Alabama & Friends” (Great American Country, 9 p.m.).
“It’s Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown” isn’t on until tomorrow, but you can get a big “Peanuts” dose with the double feaure of the movie-length “Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown” (ABC Family, 7:30 p.m.) and “A Boy Named Charlie Brown” (ABC Family, 9 p.m.).
And then there’s always “Gone with the Wind” (AMC, 8 p.m.).
It’s a big night for movies as families gather for the holidays, with “Toy Story 3” (Disney, 8 p.m.) playing against “The Incredibles” (Disney XD, 9 p.m.). And you hardly ever see “The Natural” (Encore, 8 p.m.) directly opposite “Field of Dreams” (TCM, 8 p.m.).
The latter is part of the Burt Lancaster tribute that also includes “The Leopard” (TCM, 10 p.m.), “The Professionals” (TCM, 1:15 a.m.), “The Crimson Pirate” (TCM, 3:30 a.m.) and “Brute Force” (TCM, 5:30 a.m.).
Might be weird to see “Life of Pi” (Cinemax, 9 p.m.) now that it’s been reported that the Bengal tiger they used “damn near drowned” on the set.
Men’s college tournament play today includes Minnesota vs. Chaminade (ESPNU, 2:30 p.m.), Arkansas vs. Gonzaga (ESPN2, 5 p.m.), Drexel vs. Arizona (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), California vs. Dayton (ESPN2, 7:30 p.m.), Alabama vs. Duke (ESPN2, 9:30 p.m.), Syracuse vs. Baylor (ESPN, 10 p.m.) and Indiana State vs. Tulsa (CBS Sports Network, 11:30 p.m.).
NEL action includes Boston at Detroit (NBC Sports, 7:30 p.m.) and Philadelphia at Tampa Bay (NHL Network, 7:30 p.m.).
In the NBA, it’s Miami at Cleveland (ESPN, 7:30 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Woody Harrelson, Jena Malone, Sarah Silverman. The View: Cast of “Duck Dynasty,” Amber Riley, Derek Hough. The Talk: Jennifer Hudson, Antonia Lofaso. Ellen DeGeneres: Hayden Panettiere, Luke Bryan. Wendy Williams: Cast of “Preachers of L.A.”
Late Talk
David Letterman: John Goodman, Kevin McCaffrey, Iggy Azalea with T.I. Jay Leno: Garth Brooks, Jim Edds. Jimmy Kimmel: Patton Oswalt, the 1975. Jimmy Fallon: Ed Burns, Steven Van Zandt, Jeff Musial, Florida Georgia Line. Craig Ferguson: Michael C. Hall, Laura Bell Bundy (rerun). Carson Daly: Malo Meekins, Purity Ring, Powerplant Choppers (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Shemekia Copeland. Jon Stewart: Bill Cosby (rerun). Stephen Colbert: Rick Santorum (rerun). Arsenio Hall: Mike Tyson, Niecy Nash, Nathan East. Conan O’Brien: Harrison Ford, Donald Faison, Kurt Braunohler (rerun). Chelsea Handler: Jena Malone, John Caparulo, Arden Myrin, Ryan Stout. Pete Holmes: Bill Burr.