Steve McQueen’s stellar “Small Axe” series comes to an end with “Red, White and Blue” (Amazon Prime, streaming) in which John Boyega plays a West Indian man who joins the London police department with hopes of changing it from the inside.
Sad to say it’s the last time Mark Shields opines on “The PBS NewsHour” (PBS, 7 p.m., check local listings), who is stepping down after 33 years of appearing on the program with David Brooks. They’ll pay tribute to him tonight.
Another town hall tonight is on “The Color of Covid: The Vaccines” (CNN, 10 p.m.) with Don Lemon and Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
Ott needs a new vote on “Wicked Tuna” (Nat Geo Wild, 8 p.m.).
“The Christmas Caroler Challenge” (CW, 8 p.m.) goes to the finals.
One of the best Disney spinoff Christmas specials, “Shrek the Halls” (ABC, 8:30 p.m.) gets a replay.
On “The Grand Tour” (Amazon Prime, streaming), the trio try out sports cars on Madagascar.
In the latest romantic holiday made-for-TV movie, “Christmas on the Menu” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.), Kim Shaw plays a successful big city chef who goes to her small hometown where her mother has opened a restaurant. Enter a tough food critic (Clayton James) and you can guess the rest.
It’s about time there was a spoof of such films. One is found in the new “Letters to Satan Claus” (Syfy, 9 p.m.) starring Karen Knox, as a big city journalist who returns to her small hometown for a Christmas festival.
The ovens work overtime with three consecutive episodes of “Holiday Baking Championship” (Cooking, 8 p.m.).
Armed gunmen storm the federal building and trap “Magnum P.I.” (CBS, 9 p.m.) and others.
A winner emerges from among the contestants making all those miniature houses on “Biggest Little Christmas Showdown” (HGTV, 9 p.m.).
“MacGyver” (CBS, 8 p.m.) goes looking for Russ, who has been kidnapped.
Gift-wrapped evidence is received on “Blue Bloods” (CBS, 10 p.m.).
Turner Classic Movies has classic holiday movies each night through Christmas Eve, starting tonight, with films that don’t sound like Christmas movies, “Remember the Night” (8 p.m.), “The Apartment” (9:45 p.m.) and “Desk Set” (midnight). They’re followed by the darker “Black Christmas” (2 a.m.) and “The Silent Partner” (4 a.m.).
During the day are the films of William Wyler with “Jezebel” (6:30 a.m.), “The Letter” (8:30 a.m.), “The Westerner” (10:15 a.m.), “The Little Foxes” (noon), “Mrs. Miniver” (2:15 p.m.) and “The Best Years of Our Lives” (4:45 p.m.).
Championship weekend begins early with games that include the prime time meeting of Oregon at Southern California (Fox, 8 p.m.) for the Pac-12 football championship. Earlier comes include Alabama-Birmingham at Marshall (CBS Sports, 7 p.m.) in the Conference USA championship and Ball State at Buffalo (ESPN, 7:30 p.m.) in the Mid-American Conference championship.
Preseason basketball has Brooklyn at Boston (ESPN2, 8 p.m.) and Lakers at Phoenix (ESPN, 10:30 p.m.).
Men’s college basketball includes BYU at San Diego State (CBS Sports, 5 p.m.), Davidson at Rhode Island (ESPNU, 7 p.m.) and Iowa State at West Virginia (ESPNU, 9 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest: Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell. The View: Viola Davis, Darlene Love. The Talk: Sienna Miller. Ellen DeGeneres: Sarah Paulson, Kiera Allen (rerun). Drew Barrymore: Martha Stewart, Jess Rona (rerun). Kelly Clarkson: Christian Serratos, Carrie Underwood. Tamron Hall: Nnamdi Asomugha, cast of “High School Musical: The Musical.” Wendy Williams: Mario Lopez (rerun). The Real: Craig Robinson, Ryan Michelle Bathe, Adrienne & Israel Houghton.
Late Talk
Stephen Colbert: George Clooney, Black Pumas. Jimmy Fallon: Olivia Colman, Lucas Hedges, Barry Gibb, Jhené Aiko, Nas. Seth Meyers: Jimmy Fallon, Joe Manganiello, Kaz Rodriguez (rerun). James Corden: Billie Ellish, Mariah Carey, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Hudson, Rebel Wilson, Jason Derulo, Francesca Hayward, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tom Hooper (rerun). Lilly Singh: Thomas Lennon, Aisling Bea (rerun).