Sue seems an odd name for a 65 million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex found two dozen years ago in South Dakota, the most complete skeleton ever found. It got the name not because it was in Sioux country, but because of the discoverer Sue Hendrickson, who was working for the Peter Larson a bone collector and amateur paleontologist.
Digging it out was tricky, but not as tricky as the 10 year legal battle that followed over its ownership with the federal government, Bureau of Indian Affairs and the local landowner — a fight that put Larson in prison for 18 months. Sue, for its part, ended up in Chicago’s Field Museum. Todd Miller’s documentary, “Dinosaur 13” (CNN, 9 p.m.), making its TV debut tonight, is so named because only 12 T. rex skeletons had been found previously, and none over 40 percent complete, while No. 13 was nearly complete. Framed like a thriller, its one sided anti-government tone is disputed by some.
Speaking of paleontology, “Bones” (Fox, 8 p.m.) celebrates its 200th episode in style — Alfred Hitchcock’s style to be precise.
“Graceland” (Fox, 9) ends its mystery in its season finale with the arrest of Danny’s killer.
Seafood is on the menu for the contestants on “The Taste” (ABC, 8 p.m.).
Dice plays a part in the designs tonight on “Project Runway All Stars” (Lifetime, 9 p.m.).
Amy hosts a Victorian Christmas party on “The Big Bang Theory” (CBS, 8 p.m.). They’re buying Christmas gifts for each other on “A to Z” (NBC, 9:30 p.m.), unaware that they’ve been canceled.
A rerun of last year’s “Blake Shelton’s Not So Family Christmas” (NBC, 10 p.m.) features Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Miranda Lambert Reba McEntire and Jay Leno.
Today’s batch of Christmas classics on Turner Classic Movies that don’t necessarily sound like Christmas classics include “The Shop Around the Corner” (8 p.m.), “Holiday Affair” (9:45 p.m.), “It Happened on 5th Avenue” (1130 p.m.), “Fitzwilly” (1:30 a.m.) “Bachelor Mother” (3:30 a.m.) and “Susan Slept Here” (5 a.m.).
More conventional fare tonight includes “Christmas Vacation” (ABC Family, 7 p.m.), “Christmas in Compton” (BET, 8 p.m.), “Debbie Macomber’s Mr. Miracle” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.) and “Scrooged” (ABC Family, 9 p.m.),
Thursday Night Football has Arizona at St. Louis (NFL, 8:25 p.m.).
In NBA action, it’s Columbus at Oklahoma (TNT, 8 p.m.) and Houston at Sacramento (TNT, 10:30 p.m.). In hockey, Chicago at Boston (NHL, 7 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Jamie Foxx, Jeffrey Tambor, Anthony Hamilton. The View: Orlando Bloom, Richard Armitage, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Diane Von Furstenberg, Olivia Munn. The Talk: Tea Leoni, Michael Lomonaco. Ellen DeGeneres: Kevin Hart, Josh Gad. Wendy Williams: Nina Terrero. Meredith Vieira: Jaleel White, Kevin Nealon. Queen Latifah: Brooke Shields, Steve Madden, Paul Stanley.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Chris Rock, Sting. Jimmy Fallon: Dwayne Johnson, Barbara Walters, Rick Ross. Jimmy Kimmel: Blake Shelton, Laura Dern. Seth Meyers: Mark Wahlberg, Diane Von Furstenberg, Kyle Dunnigan, Bob Mould. Craig Ferguson: Kunal Nayyar, Sarah Chalke. Carson Daly: Wes Bentley, Lemaitre, Remote Area Control. Tavis Smiley: Eula Biss, Chaka Khan. Jon Stewart: Mick Foley. Conan O’Brien: Rosario Dawson, Joel Edgerton, Bahamas.