Much has been made this season of the 50th anniversary of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (ABC, 9 p.m.), which gets presumably its final showing tonight, alongside the wan special saluting the milestone, “It’s Your 50th Christmas, Charlie Brown” (ABC, 8 p.m.).
But the oldest animated specials, and by my estimation still the best is “Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol” (The CW, 8 p.m.), the 1962 classic with Jim Backus’ nearsighted Magoo as Ebaneezer Scrooge, and in another UPA cameo of a pre-existing character, Gerald McBoing Boing as Tiny Tim.
More than that, though, the Dickens adaptation has terrific songs written by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, right around the time they were working on “Funny Girl.” Though it’s great the show is back on network TV in recent years after not being seen for years, the demand for more commercial time results in shaving about 10 minutes from the original. It would have been better if they had let it expand into the timeslot for the first of two reruns of “Who’s Line Is It Anyway?” (The CW, 9 p.m.).
Also rerun tonight: the full “It’s a Wonderful Life” (NBC, 8 p.m.), the finale of “The Great Christmas Light Fight” (ABC, 10 p.m.) and “TV’s Funniest Animated Stars: A Paley Center Special” (Fox, 8 p.m.), where Magoo once more likely gets the a short shrift.
The reality series “Santas in the Barn” (truTV, 9 p.m.) has its grand finale, just in time. Less holiday spirited, we’re thinking, is a new “Billy not he Street” (truTV, 10:30 p.m.).
For the 15th year, the nostalgic 1983 comedy “A Christmas Story” (TNT, 7 p.m.; TBS, 8 p.m.) runs for 24 hours, starting every hour — even ones on TBS; odd on TNT.
Less anticipated: A double-showing of the lowly 2012 “A Christmas Story 2” (CMT, 8 and 10 p.m.).
A different family gets a marathon with all the various Christmas episodes of “The Simpsons” (FXX, 5 p.m.), making way for “The Simpsons” (FXX, 8 and 10 p.m.).
Also: “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (ABC Family, 6:30 p.m.), “Christmas with the Kranks” (AMC, 7 p.m.), “A Prince for Christmas” (ION, 7 p.m.), the 1951 “A Christmas Carol” (FX, 7 p.m.), “Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas” (Disney, 8 p.m.), “Holiday Engagement” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.), “A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas” (MTV, 8 p.m.), “The Flight Before Christmas” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.), “Elf” (ABC Family, 9 p.m.), “A Christmas Wedding Date” (ION, 9 p.m.), “Jingle All the Way” (AMC, 9 p.m.), “A Christmas Melody” (Hallmark, 10 p.m.) and “All About Christmas Eve” (Lifetime, 10 p.m.), “A Perfect Christmas List” (ION, 11 p.m.) and “The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause” (ABC Family, midnight).
Robert Osborne picks the Christmas Eve flicks on Turner Classic Movies, with “The Bishop’s Wife” (8 p.m.), “Auntie Mame” (10 p.m.), “Mrs. Parkington” (12:30 a.m.), “The Shop Around the Corner” (2:45 a.m.) and “Little Women” (4:30 a.m.).
It’s a silent night for talk shows, with all but “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC, 11:35 p.m.) pre-empted.
Instead, there is “The Christmas Eve Mass from St. Peter’s Basilica” (NBC, 11:35 p.m.) and “May Peace Prevail on Earth: An Interfaith Christmas Special” (CBS, 11:35 p.m.) from St. Gregory’s of Nysa Episcopal Church in San Francisco.
Consider the source in “The Nativity: Facts, Fictions and Faith” (Fox News, 11 p.m.). For one thing, the flight from Nazareth to Jerusalem was apparently caused by a decree from Obama.
It’s San Diego at Oakland (NFL, 8:25 p.m.) in Thursday Night Football.
In college football, it’s Middle Tennessee vs. Western Michigan (ESPN, noon) in the Bahamas Bowl and San Diego State vs. Cincinnati (ESPN, 8 p.m.) in the Hawaii Bowl.
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Carol Burnett, Ariana Grande, Jussie Smollett, Stephen Curry. The View: Robert DeNiro, Billy Crystal, Thelma Houston, Cheryl Lynn, Martha Wash (rerun). The Talk: Elys Gabel, Robert Patrick, Ari Stidham, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Jaymes Vaughan (rerun). Ellen DeGeneres: Mark Wahlberg, Nick Jonas (rerun). Wendy Williams: Cast of “Elf: The Musical.” Meredith Vieira: Steve Harvey, Lance Bass (rerun).
Late Talk
Jimmy Kimmel: Oscar Isaac, Misty Copeland, Jeff Lynne’s ELO (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Misty Copeland.