“How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” may have worked best in its original 1966 animated form, with Boris Karloff narrating — certainly compared to the live action Jim Carrey version “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (Netflix, streaming) in 2000 or the computer-animated 2018 “The Grinch” (FX, 8 and 10 p.m.). But there is also “Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Musical!” (NBC, 8 p.m.).
First staged in Minneapolis in 1994, it played Broadway in 2006 and 2007 before going out on the road. Now it’s the latest TV musical, with Matthew Morrison of “Glee” in the title role, Denis O’Hare as Old Max, and Amelia Minto as Cindy Lou Who, filmed at the Troubadour Theatre in London.
Timothy Mason and Mel Marven created new music for the work, but left places for TV favorites “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and “Welcome, Christmas” from the original special.
“The Great Christmas Light Fight” (ABC, 8 p.m.) returns for its eighth season of encouraging extreme holiday lighting, with Carter Oosterhouse and Taniya Nayak judging.
A snake-handling Southern preacher is also accused of letting loose a rattlesnake on his wife in the documentary “Alabama Snake” (HBO, 9 p.m.).
The BBC-made “The Surgeon’s Cut” (Netflix, streaming) profiles four innovative surgeons and their work.
The famous Profumo affair between a British Minister and a model is recounted in “The Trial of Christine Keeler” (HBO Max, streaming).