The class event of a dreary week of TV is the annual Kennedy Center Honors (CBS, 9 p.m.) taped in D.C. earlier this month. It brings Aretha Franklin singing honoree Carole King’s “(You Make Me Feel Like a) Natural Woman,” and that most rare thing for prime time TV – a classical performance (albeit taped), to honor conductor Seiji Ozawa.
And though Rita Moreno is overdue for the award, the George Lucas salute is more likely tied to the hype of the latest installment of the franchise he created. Cicely Tyson rounds out the class, a little light because the Eagles bowed out last month due to illness (and yet Miranda Lambert still stings “Desperado”).
It’s a slight boost to have Stephen Colbert host, though he seems to be doing it as a duty to his network, whose boss is in the audience, even if the President isn’t for the whole night (it was taped the Sunday he addressed the nation on ISIS).
Otherwise, it’s a desert of reruns on network TV, including two old episodes of “New Girl” (Fox, 8 and 9 p.m.) to get you ready for the impending new season.
The new series “Almost Genius” (truTV, 10 p.m.) looks at various viral fails, in a clip show hosted by April Richardson and Chris Fairbanks.
Phoebe gets her GED on “Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce” (Bravo, 10 p.m.) and they throw a ‘90s-themed prom.
In addition to coffee, Colombia may have a little mustachioed man, according to this week’s episode of “Hunting Hitler” (History, 10 p.m.).
Contestants on “Chopped Junior” (Food, 9 p.m.) have to do something with a birthday cake, but not eat it.
Jack Maxwell travels to Hong Kong on a new “Booze Traveler” (Travel, 10 p.m.).
College football bowl games today include California vs. Air Force (ESPN, 2 p.m.) in the Armed Forces Bowl, North Carolina vs. Baylor (ESPN, 5:30 p.m.) in the Russell Athletic Bowl and LSU vs. Texas Tech (ESPN, 9 p.m.) in the Texas Bowl.
Sean goes to a Down syndrome convention on “Born This Way” (A&E, 10 p.m.).
Turner Classic Movies pays tribute to six stars who died this year but didn’t quite rate full day salutes. They are: Louis Jourdan in “Gigi” (8 p.m.), Lizabeth Scott in “Too Late for Tears” (10:15 p.m.), Theodore Bikel in “The Defiant Ones” (midnight), Coleen Gray in “Kansas City Confidential” (2 a.m.), , Anita Ekberg in “Back From Eternity” (3:45 a.m.)and Betsy Drake in “Every Girl Should Be Married” (5:30 a.m.).
Men’s college basketball includes Tulane at Memphis (ESPNU, 1 p.m.), Temple at Cincinnati (ESPN2, 3 p.m.), Texas Southern at Baylor (ESPNU, 3 p.m.), SMU at Tulsa (ESPN2, 5 p.m.), Liberty at Notre Dame (ESPNU, 5 p.m.), Florida State at Florida (ESPN2, 7 p.m.), Wake Forest at LSU (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), Connecticut at Texas (ESPN2, 9 p.m.) and UC-Irvine at Kansas (ESPNU, 9 p.m.).
Pro basketball has Milwaukee at Oklahoma City (NBA, 8 p.m.). Hockey has Nashville at St. Louis (NBC Sports, 8 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
The View: Aija Mayrock, Ree Drummond (rerun). The Talk: Carol Burnett, GloZell, Richard Blais (rerun). Ellen De Generes: Sofia Vergara, Rachel Platten (rerun). Wendy Williams: Monica, Brian Balthazar (rerun). The Real: Shameik Moore (rerun). Meredith Vieira: Mena Suvari.
Late Talk
Stephen Colbert: Jennifer Lawrence, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Sleater-Kinney (rerun). Jimmy Kimmel: John Krasinski, Chris Fowler & Kirk Herbstreit, Seal (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Mark Wahlberg, Blll Burr, Sheryl Crow (rerun). Seth Meyers: Daniel Craig, Regina King, Donny Deutsch (rerun). James Corden: Christoph Waltz, Carey Mulligan, Johnny Galecki (rerun). Carson Daly: Saffron Burrows, Swingin’ Utters, Brian Posehn (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Cicely Tyson. Conan O’Brien: Jesse Eisenberg, Lou Diamond Phillips, Six String Soldiers (rerun).