David Attenborough returns with more eye-popping natural history in the eight episode “Planet Earth III” (BBC America, 8 p.m.), which begins with animals battling to survive on the world’s coasts.
The Christmas movie floodgates are open. Tonight we have Janel Parrish and Pascal Lamothe-Kipnes and Tyler Hynes are a love triangle in “Never Been Chris’d” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.). And Laura Osnes and Christopher Russell are in “A Dash of Christmas” (Great American Family, 8 p.m.) about a marketing exec in a holiday bakeoff who meets a baker.
College football again dominates primetime broadcast TV with BYU at West Virginia (Fox, 7 p.m.), Washington at Southern California (ABC, 7:30 p.m.), Purdue at Michigan (NBC, 7:30 p.m.), and LSU at Alabama (CBS, 7:45 p.m.).
Horse racing has its Breeders Cup Classic (NBC, 3:30 p.m.), with a post time of 6:40 p.m. Earlier, it’s the Breeder’s Cup championships (USA, 1:30 p.m.).
On “OWN Spotlight” (OWN, 10 p.m.) Oprah Winfrey interviews Nicole Avant, the film producer and former U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas who has recently written a memoir on “
Mike Singletary is tonight’s “NFL Icons” (MGM+, 10 p.m.).
In a week when her ties to First Nation communities is being questioned, here’s an untimely replay of the Buffy Sainte-Marie profile on “American Masters” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings).
“Pets & Pickers” (Animal Planet, 9 p.m.) deals with a car crashing into the Thrift Store.
A pregnant couple probably shouldn’t go to a cabin in the woods in the made-for-TV thriller “You’re Not Supposed to Be Here” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.).
On “All Rise” (OWN, 9 p.m.), Mark is strong-armed by a mobster connected to his father.
Melody seeks vindication for KeKe on “Love & Marriage: Huntsville” (OWN, 8 p.m.).
“The Collective” (Showtime, 9 p.m.), an action thriller about a group of assassins, with Lucas Till, Ruby Rose and Don Johnson, makes its premium cable premiere.
Turner Classic Movies has both “Bruce Lee, The Legend” (8 p.m.) and Lee in “The Big Boss” (10 p.m.). The 12 o’clock noir is “Abandoned” (midnight), followed by “The Killing Fields” (1:45 a.m.) and “Sweet Revenge” (4:15 a.m.).
Hockey has Nashville at Edmonton (NHL, 3 p.m.) and Buffalo at Toronto (NHL, 7 p.m.).
Basketball has Chicago at Denver (NBA, 9 p.m.).
College football begins at noon with games that include Notre Dame at Clemson (ABC), Ohio State at Rutgers (CBS), Kansas State at Texas (Fox), Texas A&M at Mississippi (ESPN), Arkansas at Florida (ESPN2), Nebraska at Michigan State (Fox Sports 1) and Jacksonville State at South Carolina (ESPNU).
After Georgia Tech at Virginia (CW, CW, 2 p.m.) and Army vs. Air Force (CBS Sports, 2:30 p.m.), games at 3:30 p.m. include Oklahoma at Oklahoma State (ABC), Missouri at Georgia (CBS), Penn State at Maryland (Fox), Florida State at Pittsburgh (ESPN), James Madison at Georgia State (ESPN2), Central Florida at Cincinnati (Fox Sports 1), Tulane at East Carolina (ESPNU) and Iowa vs. Northwestern (Peacock).
Then comes Louisiana Tech at Liberty (CBS Sports, 6 p.m.), Marshall at Appalachian State (NFL, 6 p.m.), Kansas State at Iowa State (ESPN, 7 p.m.), Utah State at San Diego State (Fox Sports 1, 7 p.m.), SMU at Rice (ESPNU, 7:30 p.m.), Oregon State at Colorado (ESPN, 10 p.m.), Boise State at Fresno State (CBS Sports, 10 p.m.) and UCLA at Arizona (Fox Sports 1, 10:30 p.m.).
Auto racing has the Brazilian Grand Prix Sprint Shootout (ESPN2, 10 p.m.), the Brazilian Grand Prix Sprint (ESPNews, 2:30 p.m.) and NASCAR’s Series Championship (USA, 7 p.m.).
The Uruguayan musician Jorge Drexler plays a new “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 11 p.m., check local listings).
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) is already back to reruns, with a replay of last month’s season opener with Pete Davidson hosting and Ice Spice as musical guest.