Is Thanksgiving Eve even a thing? There are a whole lot of specials tonight that would indicate it is.
First there’s no need to get up and see all the floats at the New York parade. The one hour “Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade 90th Celebration” (NBC, 8 p.m.) looks back at 90 years of the event, with celebrities like William Shatner, Allison Janney, Brooke Shields and Zach Braff sharing their memories. But will they mention that year that the wind knocked balloons into light posts and injured people?
Other things are as expected as cranberry sauce: A replay of “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” (ABC, 8 p.m.), and the compendium of the “SNL Thanksgiving” (NBC, 9 p.m.), whose skits you may know by now by heart.
Performances by the Beach Boys, Daughtry and Michael Bolton mark “The Hollywood Walk of Fame Honors” (The CW, 8 p.m.) reviewing history of that sidewalk promotion, extolling stars, and, as the Kinks sang, “some that you recognize, some that you’ve hardly ever heard of.” Joe Mantegna and his daughter Gia host.
Usher performs a benefit show in Chattanooga on “Neighborhood Sessions” (TNT, 10 p.m.).
The top-flight music documentary “Soundbreaking: Stories from the Cutting Edge of Recorded Music” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings) wraps up the series with a focus on music formats and the work of Marvin Gaye, Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra and the Grateful Deadl
A “designated survivor” at the White House, a cabinet member slated to take over if the Capitol is bombed, is a real thing. “20/20” (ABC, 10 p.m.) talks to the real ones as well as TV’s fake one, Kiefer Sutherland.
Twin renovators Jonathan and Drew Scott go head to head in the new “Brothers Take New Orleans” (HGTV, 9 p.m.) each renovating side-by-side houses in New Orleans with equal budgets. Celebrity guests who decide how they’re doing include Hoda Kotb and Scott Bakula.
A pre-holiday “Survivor” (CBS, 8 p.m.) is two hours, with two eliminations.
Daniel has a confrontation during group therapy on “Rectify” (Sundance, 10 p.m.).
Khloe Kardashian is already getting into post-holiday shape in “Revenge Body with Khloe Kardashian” (E!, 9 p.m.).
In another life, she might have been a champion chicken breeder, a group covered in the documentary “Chicken People” (CMT, 8 p.m.).
As the 75th anniversary of the day that will live in infamy approaches, two documentaries mark it. “Pearl Harbor – USS Oklahoma: The Final Story” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings) looks at one battleship that capsized during the attack. “Pearl Harbor: Into the Arizona” (PBS, 9 p.m.) follows an expedition to find the sunken USS Arizona.
On the three week series “Little Weddings” (Lifetime, 9 p.m.) ceremonies for little people are planned.
Something to be thankful for: The cancellation of “Duck Dynasty” (A&E 8 p.m.).
One of the “Total Divas” (E!, 8 p.m.) travels to Orlando to pay respects to the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting.
Survivors of a cult’s mass suicide attempt are treated on “Code Black” (CBS, 10 p.m.).
“Expedition Unnown” (Travel, 9 p.m.) loos at the loss colony of Roanoke, and probably has nothing to do with this season’s “American Horror Story.”
On the third season start of “Cooks vs. Cons” (Food, 9 p.m.), pumpkin is the surprise ingredient.
The documentary series on Turner Classic Movies starts with one about those who have been to the moon, “For All Mankind” (8 p.m.), and continues with “The Sea Around Us” (9:30 p.m.), the classic “Salesman” (10:45 p.m.), “Routine Pleasures” (12:30 a.m.), “Chronicle of a Summer” (2 a.m.) and “Place de la Republique” (3:45 a.m.).
Hockey tonight includes Philadelphia at Tampa Bay (NBC Sports, 7:30 p.m.) and Chicago at San Jose (NBC Sports, 10 p.m.).
Basketball includes San Antonio at Charlotte (ESPN, 7 p.m.) and Minnesota at New Orleans (ESPN, 9:30 p.m.).
Men’s college basketball includes Wichita State vs. LSU (ESPN2, noon), Tennessee vs. Chaminade (ESPNU, 2:15 p.m.), VCU vs. Baylor (ESPN2, 2:30 p.m.), Connecticut vs. Oregon (ESPN, 4:45 p.m.), Michigan at South Carolina (ESPNU, 5 p.m.), Utah vs. Texas Tech (CBS Sports, 6 p.m.), William & Mary at Duke (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), College of Charleston at Villanova (Fox Sports 1, 7 p.m.), Georgetown vs. Oklahoma State (ESPN2, 7:30 p.m.), Purdue vs. Auburn (CBS Sports, 8:30 p.m.), North Carolina vs. Wisconsin (ESPN2, 9:30 p.m.), Buffalo at Alaska-Anchorage (CBS Sports, 11 p.m.), BYU vs. Valparaiso (ESPN2, midnight) and Oakland vs. Nevada (CBS Sports, 1:30 a.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly Ripa: Chris O’Donnell, Bernadette Peters, DNCE, Joe Jonas. The View: Martha Stewart, Jean Bell, Laurie Hernandez. The Talk: Kathy Bates, Scott Patterson. Harry Connick: Christina Hendricks, Ryan Seacrest. Ellen DeGeneres: Mariah Carey, Leah Remini. Wendy Williams: Kandi Burruss. The Real: Tony Cox, Angela Simmons.
Late Talk
Stephen Colbert: Danny DeVito, Max Greenfield, OK Go. Jimmy Kimmel: Dwayne Johnson, Billy Eichner, Dawes (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Leslie Mann, Jonathan Groff, Machine Gun Kelly, Camila Capello. Seth Meyers: Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Katy Tur, K. Flay. James Corden: Dana Carvey, Miles Teller, Drop the Mic with Usain Bolt. Trevor Noah: Wesley Lowery (rerun).