The second-chance season of “Survivor” (CBS, 8 p.m.), with its fan-voted cast and season of shifting voting blocs and nonexistent alliances has been one of the most entertaining in years. And it all gets sorted out tonight on the finale, followed of course by the live “reunion” at 10 p.m., which is when the actual winner will likely be announced.
Instead of a story, “Nashville” is replaced by pure music on the road. “Nashville: On the Record 3” (ABC, 10 p.m.) captures the tour featuring cast members Clare Bowen, Sam Palladio, Chris Carmack, Aubrey Peeples, Charles Esten and Lennon and Missy Stella singing on the road from a tour that played earlier this year.
And that’s the extent of new programming on network TV tonight; everything else is a rerun.
The impending sci-fi series “The Magicians” (Syfy, 10 p.m.), about an upstate New York university for magic, shows its first episode. Jason Ralph stars in the series which officially starts Jan. 25.
It follows the finale of a miniseries “Childhood’s End” (Syfy, 8 p.m.) in which the seemingly harmonious alien invasion is revealed for what it is.
James Wright Chanel, who sang the praises of the pies on YouTube, joins the diva in the kitchen on “Patti LaBelle’s Holiday Pies” (Cooking, 8:30 p.m.).
A look at how Rome’s Colosseum was built is on “Time Scanners” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings).
Awaiting checkout time on “American Horror Story: Hotel” (FX, 10 p.m.).
“Then and Now with Andy Cohen” (Bravo, 8 p.m.) is actually pretty terrible. It’s like “Best Decade Ever” with unconvincing and unqualified “personalities” spouting off about things they vaguely remember from the news. History for Bravo fans, I guess.
Will Ferrell’s popular seasonal character has gone from movie, “Elf” (ABC Family, 6 p.m.) to Broadway musical and then last winter to stop-motion animated TV special involving elements from the previous incarnations. “Elf: Buddy’s Musical Christmas” (NBC, 8 p.m.) has Jim Parsons of “Big Bang Theory” playing the Buddy role, heading a voice cast that also includes Mark Hamill, Fred Armisen, Jay Leno, Ed Asner, Gilbert Gottfried and Matt Lauer.
Other holiday fare tonight includes “Jingle All the Way” (AMC, 8 and 10 p.m.), “Bob’s Broken Sleigh” (Disney, 8 p.m.), “Bad Santa” (MTV, 8 p.m.), “Christmas on the Bayou” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.), “A Christmas Detour” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.), “Christmas Through the Decades: The 1990s” (History, 10 p.m.), and “Nestor the Christmas Donkey” (ABC Family, 10:30 p.m.).
Also, you can choose between “A Boyfriend for Christmas” (Hallmark, 10 p.m.) and “A Nanny for Christmas” (Lifetime, 10 p.m.).
The month-long Wednesday night salute to Frank Sinatra on Turner Movie Classics continues with the 1973 documentary “Frank Sinatra: Ol’ Blue Eyes is Back” (8 p.m.) followed by the musicals “On the Town” (9 p.m.), “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” (11 p.m.), “Anchors Aweigh” (12:45 a.m.), “It Happened in Brooklyn” (3:15 a.m.) and “The Kissing Bandit” (5:15 a.m.).
NBA action includes Memphis at Chicago (ESPN, 8 p.m.), Phoenix at Golden State (ESPN, 10:30 p.m.) and Milwaukee at Clippers (NBA, 10:30 p.m.).
In the NHL, it’s Pittsburgh at Boston (NBC Sports, 8 p.m.).
Men’s college basketball includes Tulane at North Carolina (ESPN2, 7 p.m.) and Kennesaw State at Louisville (ESPNU, ESPNU, 7 p.m.). In women’s games, it’s Tennessee at Stanford (ESPNU, 9 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Will Ferrell, Bella Thorne. The Talk: LeAnn Rimes, Carey Mulligan. Ellen DeGeneres: Tina Fey. Wendy Williams: Mack Wilds, Annie Georgia. The Real: Jadakiss. Meredith Vieira: Aretha Franklin.
Late Talk
Stephen Colbert: Robert DeNiro, Daniel Gilbert, Henry Rollins. Jimmy Kimmel: Donald Trump, Gary Clark Jr. Jimmy Fallon: Will Ferrell, Alicia Vikander, Twenty One Pilots. Seth Meyers: Quentin Tarantino, Moon Taxi, Ilan Rubin. James Corden: Amber Heard, Luke Bracey, Wanda Sykes, Carly Rae Jepsen. Carson Daly: Daniel Wu, Cherry Glazerr, Ross Partridge. Tavis Smiley: J.J. Abrams. Trevor Noah: Will Smith. Conan O’Brien: Dick Van Dyke, Bill Burr, Brian Setzer Orchestra.