The network holiday doldrums are over and midseason has officially begun, with new episodes of everything tonight as well as a couple of new shows. The most unusual of them, “Galavant” (ABC, 8 p.m.), is a musical comedy set in the era of knights and castles.
The four-week romp is from the writers of “Tangled” and “Cars,” and it comes in place of “Once Upon a Time,” so maybe I’m thinking it has a Disney aura it shouldn’t. But the characters are drawn like cartoons, the beginning is essentially the story of “Shrek” and and while they’re having fun writing their ditties, they also often hint at naughty doings. “Oh we’re going to do it,” the evil king assures his kidnapped bride.
So it’s not for kids really, and I can’t imagine it’s for more than a slice of adult population (musical theater majors?, the immature?). After “Game of Thrones,” anything of this era looks phony, and the language they use is slangy modern for some reason (mostly, to catch a laugh). They’ll sprinkle in Ricky Gervais as special guest later; for now you get John Stamos. Aimed at the “Spamalot” crowd, it’s rather more spam. But it is an interesting idea.
Better than dredging up old ones, anyway. For example: With the seventh “The Celebrity Apprentice” (NBC, 9 p.m.) starting, there has now been just as many seasons with “names” as there were with normal people. Names here include some pretty washed out celebs though including “reality show superstar” Brandi Granville who barely rings a bell (from “Real Housewives”). Also: Vivica A. Fox, Terrell Owens, Lorenzo Lamas, Ian Ziering. But when Geraldo Rivera dominates you know you have a problem season on your hands, one shot so long ago that they speak of Bill Cosby as a possible financial angel for former “Cosby Show” cast member Keshia Knight Pulliam. And Joan Rivers pops in later in the season, somehow. Two hours tonight followed by another two Monday is excessive.
The best thing you can say about CNN these days is that they’ve been buying some awful good documentaries. The latest is “Life Itself” (CNN, 8 p.m.), a well-handled documentary about the life and influence of the movie critic Roger Ebert.
What might be renamed “The Tough Guys’ Amazing Race,” the third season of “Ultimate Survival Alaska” (National Geographic Channel, 9 p.m.). And if other adventuresome competitions can find some people scared of heights or how to drive a stick, these four teams of three are doing some amazing things. In the premiere, it seems that before every commercial break, somebody falls through ice or goes skidding off the top of a glacier. Death seems much more near in unforgiving Alaska and the teams, as prepared as they think they are for it, have to cope. It’s pretty gripping stuff.
Cary gets ready for jail on “The Good Wife” (CBS, 9 p.m.).
An anniversary dinner is interrupted on “Madam Secretary” (CBS, 8 p.m.).
There’s a funeral to plan on “Revenge” (ABC, 10 p.m.).
Premium cable reaches a dead spot between fall shows and midseason ones, which all begin next week. Instead they show “The Legend of Hercules” (HBO, 8 p.m.) and “The Heat” (HBO, 10 p.m.) and a recap of last season of “Shameless” (Showtime, 7, 8, 9, 10 p.m.), in anticipation for next week’s new season.
Today’s NFL Playoffs have Cincinnati at Indianapolis (CBS, 1 p.m.) and Detroit at Dallas (Fox, 4:30 p.m.). And it’s Toledo vs. Arkansas State (ESPN, 9 p.m.) in the GoDaddy Bowl.
The work of Henry Mancini is celebrated on Turner Classic Movies with “Charade” (8 p.m.), “Arabesque” (10 p.m.) and “Moran of the Lady Letty” (midnight).
Other movies tonight include “No Country for Old Men” (IFC, 7 p.m.), “Alice in Wonderland” (TBS, 8 p.m.), “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” (Showtime 2, 7:30 p.m.), “21 Jump Street” (FX, 8 and 10:30 p.m.), “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” (FXX, 8 and 10:30 p.m.)
Men’s college hoops include UNLV at Kansas (CBS, 4:30 p.m.), Illinois State at Wichita State (ESPNU, 5:30 p.m.), Arizona State at Arizona (Fox Sports 1, 7 p.m.), Louisville at Wake Forest (ESPNU, 8 p.m.) and Washington at Stanford (ESPNU, 10 p.m.).
There are even more women’s games with Connecticut at St. John’s (ESPN2, 1 p.m.), Texas A&M at Arkansas (ESPNU, 1:30 p.m.), St. Louis at George Mason (NBC Sports, 2 p.m.), South Carolina at LSU (ESPN2, 3 p.m.), George Washington at Dayton (ESPNU, 3:30 p.m.) and West Virginia at Oklahoma (Fox Sports 1, 4:30 p.m.).
NHL action includes Dallas at Chicago (NBC Sports, 8 p.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: Sens.-elect Ben Sasse and Thom Tillis, Rep.-elect Mia Love. CBS: Sens. Chuck Schumer and Chris Coons, Rep. Elijah Cummings. NBC: Sens. John Barrasso and Amy Klobuchar, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, D.C. police chief Cathy Lanier, chancellor of D.C. schools Kaya Henderson. CNN: Sens. Mitch McConnell, Robert Menendez and Roger Wicker, Reps. Steve Israel and Joseph Crowley, Reps.-elect Debbie Dingell and Barbara Comstock. Fox News: Sens. Bob Corker and John Thune, Reps.-elect Martha McSally and Lee Zeldin.