The greatest “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) line-up in a generation — my generation anyway — features Tina Fey and Amy Poehler as hosts and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band as musical guest. Plus the Christmas show usually brings a string of returning cast members and cameos, lending to the holiday atmosphere.
Whatever its political humor, the new “SNL” probably won’t be able to cash in on the Democratic Presidential Primary (ABC, 8 p.m.) held just hours before at St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. It’s the second straight Democratic debate scheduled for a Saturday night, when primetime competition is slow, but so is the potential audience. David Muir and Martha Radiate moderate the three hour event between Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley.
The interaction of the politicians should fall somewhere between the big network offerings of the night — the singing in the well-received “The Wiz! Live” (NBC, 8 p.m.) making its first encore presentation and the battling of “UFC Fight Night” (Fox, 8 p.m.).
The 35th anniversary of the death of John Lennon passed earlier this month, but the 75th anniversary of his birth passed in October and that’s the theme of “Imagine: John Lennon 75th Birthday Concert” (AMC, 9 p.m.) with performances from an odd group that includes Sheryl Crow, John Fogerty, Eric Church, Aloe Blacc, Peter Frampton, Steven Tyler, Juanes, Tom Morello, the Roots and Willie Nelson — which sounds like any musicians that happened to be in New York and could swing by Madison Square Garden, rather than any artist with whom he had any particular connection. But yes, Paul and Ringo provide video endorsements as well in the event hosted by Kevin Bacon.
The other music star of the night is Mariah Carey, who stars and directs in “A Christmas Melody” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.) which otherwise features Lacey Chabert as a mom who runs into former high school rivals, like Mariah and Kathy Najimy. Then finally when it’s over she singsong “Mariah Carey’s Merriest Christmas” (Hallmark, 10 p.m.) with appearances from Babyface, Kelsey Grammar and her movie co-stars Lacy Chabertand Brennan Elliott.
The Nicholas Sparks cowboy romance “The Longest Ride” (HBO, 8 p.m.) with Scott Eastwood and Britt Robertson, makes its premium cable debut.
Leo can’t control his invention on “Da Vinci’s Demons” (Starz, 8 p.m.).
There’s a bat in the house on “Instant Mom” (TVLand, 8 p.m.).
Ash deals with his nightmares on “Ash vs. Evil Dead” (Starz, 9 p.m.).
A trio of films starring James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan is on Turner Classic Movies with “The Shop Around the Corner” (8 p.m.), “The Mortal Storm” (10 p.m.) and “The Shopworn Angel” (midnight).
Later comes the 1981 horror film “Possession” (TCM, 2 a.m.) with Isabelle Adjani and Sam Neill, and Louis Malle’s surreal 1975 “Black Moon” (TCM, 4:15 a.m.) with Therese Giehse, Cathryn Harrison and Joe Dallesandro.
There’s football tonight with Jets at Dallas (NFL, 8:25 p.m.).
But it’s also start of the bowl season with Alcorn State vs. North Carolina A&T (ABC, noon) in the Celebration Bowl, Arizona vs. New Mexico (ESPN, 2 p.m.) in the New Mexico Bowl, BYU vs. Utah (ABC, 3:30 p.m.) in the Las Vegas Bowl, Ohio vs. Appalachian State (ESPN, 8:30 p.m.) in the Camellia Bowl, San Jose State vs. Georgia State (CBS Sports, 7 p.m.) in the Cure Bowl and Arkansas State vs. Louisiana Tech (ESPN, 9 pp.m.) in the New Orleans Bowl. Also: Northwest Missouri State vs. Shepherd (ESPN2, 4 p.m.) in the NCAA Division II Title Game and Sam Houston State at Jacksonville State (ESPNU, 4 p.m.) in a NCAA FCS semifinal.
In hockey it’s Montreal at Dallas (NHL, 7 p.m.).
And men’s college basketball includes Wichita State at Seton Hall (Fox, noon), Utah vs. Duke (ESPN, noon), Villanova at Virginia (ESPN2, noon), Western Kentucky at Louisville (ESPNU, noon), Michigan State at Northeastern (NBC Sports, 12:30 p.m.), UCLA vs. North Carolina (CBS, 1 p.m.), Indiana vs. Notre Dame (ESPN2, 2 p.m.), Creighton at Oklahoma (ESPNU, 2 p.m.), Ohio State vs. Kentucky (CBS, 3:30 p.m.), Cincinnati at VCU (CBS Sports, 4 p.m.), Northern Iowa vs. Iowa State (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), Oklahoma State vs. Florida (Fox Sports 1, 8 p.m.), Baylor at Texas A&M (ESPNU, 9 p.m.), UNLV at Arizona (ESPN2, 9:30 p.m.), Tennessee vs. Gonzaga (ESPNU, 1 p.m.) and Texas at Stanford (ESPN2, 11:30 p.m.).
A great Tom Waits performance from December 1978 is replayed on “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 11 p.m., check local listings). Its holiday tie-in? A rendition of “Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis.”