It’s one thing to fill up July schedules with a bunch of Christmas movies as if to enhance the effects of air conditioning and evoke a cooler time. But there’s even a new out-of-place holiday story debuting today in “A Perfect Christmas” (Hallmark, 9 p.m.) starring Susie Abromeit, Dillon Casey and Erin Gray about a couple with secrets that they can’t tell one another.
More seasonal is “Honeymoon from Hell” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.) in which a honeymooning couple in South Carolina are terrorized by an unknown assailant while at a bed & breakfast. It stars Lexi Giovagnolia, Cameron Richardson and Catherine Hicks.
Two big movies from last year make their premium cable TV debut. The NWA story, “Straight Outta Compton” (HBO, 8 p.m.) and Will Smith in the NFL story “Concussion” (Starz, 9 p.m.).
Instead of U.S. Olympic trials here are the 2016 Nitro World Games (NBC, 8 p.m.) with motocross, in-like skating and scooter competitions in Salt Lake City.
A South Carolina mother who fled the country with her baby in 1994 and eluded the FBI for 20 years tells her story on “48 Hours” (CBS, 10 p.m.).
Jesse James reemerges from hiding on “The American West” (AMC, 10 p.m.).
The race to finish the railroad comes down to inches on “Hell on Wheels” (AMC, 9 p.m.).
It would seem that “How (Not) to Kill Your Husband” (ID, 10 p.m.) would be perfectly easy.
Flex makes a big deal of being a parent when Shanice is away on “Flex & Shanice” (OWN, 9 p.m.).
“Ghost Adventures” (Travel, 9 p.m.) visits Nevada State Prison in Carson City.
Matt Damon overkill: “The Bourne Identity” (Esquire, 8 p.m.) and “Good Will Hunting” (Flix, 8 p.m.).
Everyone will agree, at least, that the 1989 remake “Ghostbusters II” (Sundance, 7:30 p.m.) was a disappointment.
It’s a Walter Matthau triple feature with “The Odd Couple” (TCM, 8 p.m.), “Charley Varrick” (10 p.m.) and “Fail-Safe” (midnight). Then come some stern drug warnings from the ‘30s: “Reefer Madness” (TCM, 2 a.m.), “Marijuana” (TCM, 3 a.m.) and “Cocaine Fiends” (TCM, 4 a.m.).
Baseball today includes Texas at Cubs (MLB, 2 p.m.), Kansas City at Detroit (Fox Sports 1, 7 p.m.) and White Sox at Angels (MLB, 10 p.m.).
The NBA Summer League Playoffs have Minnesota vs. Toronto (ESPNU, 4 p.m.), Phoenix vs. Denver (ESPN2, 6 p.m.), Washington vs. Chicago (ESPN2, 8 p.m.) and Cleveland vs. Brooklyn (ESPN2, 10 p.m.).
Third round play comes in golf’s British Open (NBC, 7 a.m.).
Arena football includes Philadelphia at Tampa Bay (ESPN2, 6:30 p.m.) and Cleveland at Los Angeles (CBS Sports, 10 p.m.).
Stage 14 of the Tour de France (NBC Sports, 6 a.m.) runs from Montelimar to Villars-Les-Dombes.
Spoon and White Denim perform a replay of “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 11 p.m., check local listings).
The Drake-hosted “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) is rerun.