As time goes on, the story of a couple of bank robbers immortalized in a new two-night miniseries, “Bonnie and Clyde” (A&E, History, Lifetime, 9 p.m.) just loses more and more credibility. Miss Parker and Mr. Borrow were not good looking criminals; they gained glamor in Arthur Penn’s iconic 1968 movie, and maybe even more so now with the splendidly named Holliday Grainger, from “The Borgias” plays Bonnie, joining Emile Hirsch of “Into the Wild” is her browbeaten partner.
There’s some hope here, with William Hurt as their persuer and Holly Hunter as Bonnie’s maw but they’re not in it nearly enough. Mostly, it’s a waste of director Bruce Beresford and one of the worst productions from Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, who were just behind last week’s “Sound of Music.” Maybe this one should have been live, too.
As a reality check, another network shows “The Real Bonnie and Clyde” (National Geographic Channel, 8 p.m.).
The final four on “The Amazing Race” (CBS, 8 p.m.) — married doctors Nicole and Travis, the off-putting Marie and her long-suffering ex Timothy, the dating couple Jason and Amy and the Afghanimals Leo and Jamal. And one of them grabs the $1 million grand prize after two hours of final challenges from Tokyo to Juneau. (“The Good Wife” isn’t on tonight).
New Christmas movies tonight include Jennie Garth and Cameron Mathison in yet another holiday tale featuring an alternate universe, “Holidaze” (ABC Family, 8 p.m.) and another one about a dream job and a difficult client, “Christmas Belle” (ION, 9 p.m.).
“Oprah’s Next Chapter” (OWN, 9 p.m.) was already going to feature Idris Elba of the film “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.” But in honor of Mandela’s death, she’s pairing it with her show from 2000, “The Oprah Interview: Nelson Mandela” (OWN, 8 p.m.). Along these lines, there’s a repeat of the documentary “Miracle Rising: South Africa” (History, 5 p.m.). And Bob Simon reports on the life of Mandela on “60 Minutes” (CBS, 7 p.m.).
Brody is in Iraq and has heard nothing about the sanctions deal on “Homeland” (Showtime, 9 p.m.). Virginia’s ex husband returns on “Masters of Sex” (Showtime, 10 p.m.).
It’s Carolina at New Orleans (NBC, 8:20) on Sunday Night Football. Earlier NFL action includes Kansas City at Washington (CBS, 1 p.m.), Minnesota at Baltimore (Fox, 1 p.m.), Tennessee at Denver (CBS, 4 p.m.) and Seattle at San Francisco (Fox, 4:25 p.m.).
Plan the rest of your college football year with the BCS Selection Show (ESPN, 8:30 p.m.) and the Bowl Selection Show (ESPN, 9 p.m.).
It probably has a better title than the show will turn out to be: “Dude You’re Screwed” (Discovery, 10 p.m.) is a new reality competition in which survivalists are dropped into remote locations and must find their ways back to civilization. It’s preceded by the quite similar “Naked and Afraid: Double Jeopardy” (Discovery, 8 p.m.) except for the lack of clothes.
Terence Blanchard and Lucero are featured in tonight’s “Treme” (HBO, 9 p.m.) in which one of Batiste’s students is a victim of violence.
Didi is called in for insensitive language on “Getting On” (HBO, 10 p.m.).
A Debbie Reynolds double feature has “Susan Slept Here” (TCM, 8 p.m.) and “Bundle of Joy” (TCM, 10 p.m.).
Men’s college hoops today includes Virginia Tech at Miami (ESPNU, 12:30 p.m.), Washington at San Diego State (CBS Sports, 3 p.m.), Oregon at Mississippi (ESPNU, 5 p.m.), Nebraska at Creighton (Fox Sports 1, 6 p.m.) and Seton Hall at Rutgers (ESPNU, 8 p.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: Sens. Dick Durbin, Rob Portman. CBS: Former Secretary of State James Baker, Maya Angelou. NBC: The Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. CNN: Reps. Mike McCaul and Adam Schiff. Fox News: Sen. Rand Paul, former South African Foreign Minister Pik Botha.