American TV is not yet hip to the British idea of presenting special episodes and big finales for shows during their holidays (rather than slogging reruns). But a good case that, except for being a few days late, the finale of “The Comeback” (HBO, 10 p.m.) in its unexpected second season could certainly qualify.
It has all the elements: a climax as Valerie Cherish gets ready for the Emmys (with preparations that couldn’t have gone worse), a dramatic moment they’ve been hinting all season and the kind of resolution that wraps the reprise nicely as it makes you wish they’ll do more some day.
The two hour finale of “Downton Abbey” season four is meant to get you all up to date for next week’s season five premiere on “Masterpiece Classic” (PBS, 9 p.m.).
All things British are a good thing for PBS, you may have noticed, so here’s “The Great British Baking Show” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings.
Generally, it’s the holidays and the networks just don’t care. Here, for example, is a full night of “Revenge” (ABC, 8, 9 and 10 p.m.). A better marathon: “Doctor Who” (BBC America, 8 p.m.).
In a new TV movie, Kayla Ewell plays a woman spies on her daughter’s child care provider with presumably shocked results in “Deadly Daycare” (Lifetime Movie Network, 8 p.m.). With Christy Carlson Romano, the former voice of “Kim Possible” as the suspicious and possibly unhinged day care worker.
An episode of “The Mentalist” (CBS, 10 p.m.) is the only new scripted network program on tonight.
With any luck, the CEO of Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill, whose registered motto is “America’s Only Breastaurant,” may get an inkling on “Undercover Boss” (CBS, 9 p.m.) of how humiliating his business concept is, if they make him put on a bikini.
Sshh! “The Librarians” (TNT, 8 p.m.) are fighting dragons.
Sunday Night Football has Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (NBC, 8:20 p.m.). Earlier, it’s Dallas at Washington (Fox, 1 p.m.), Cleveland at Baltimore (CBS, 1 p.m.), Detroit at Green Bay (Fox, 4:25 p.m.) and Carolina at Atlanta (CBS, 4:25 p.m.).
Men’s college hoops include St. John’s vs. Tulane (Fox Sports 1, noon), Morgan State at Marquette (Fox Sports 1, 2 p.m.), Long Beach State at Syracuse (ESPNU, 2 p.m.) Texas Southern at Kansas State (MASN2, 3 p.m.), Wake Forest at Richmond (NBC Sports, 4 p.m.), Florida Gulf Coast at Xavier (Fox Sports 1, 4 p.m.), Belmont at Butler (Fox Sports 1, 6 p.m.) and UCLA at Alabama (ESPNU, 6:30 p.m.).
Women’s games include East Carolina at South Florida (ESPNU, noon) and Temple at Memphis (ESPNU, 8:30 p.m.).
Sunday Talk
CBS: New York City police commissioner William Bratton, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, U.S. Ebola response coordinator Ron Klain. CNN: Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Sens. Lindsey Graham and Robert Menendez. Fox News: Bob Woodward, Lauren Hillenbrand, Susan Page.