Just before the 60th anniversary of his assassination, here’s a three-night, eight hour documentary on the life and times of the 35th President of the United States, “Kennedy” (History, 8 p.m.), with three episodes tonight, another three Sunday and the concluding two Monday. Peter Coyote narrates. Tonight’s episodes cover his childhood, World War II experience and his early race for Congress.
This is still happening: The 72nd Miss Universe Competition, now known as Miss Universo (Telemundo, 8 p.m.). It’s the first all-Spanish broadcast, and it originates from El Salvador, with a preshow starting at 6.
Prime time college football includes North Alabama at Florida State (CW, 6:30 p.m.), Washington at Oregon State (ABC, 7:30 p.m.) and Nebraska at Wisconsin (NBC, 7:30 p.m.). Other games listed below.
Tonight’s Yuletide movies include “A Merry Scottish Christmas” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.), presumably shot in Scotland, with Lacey Chabert and Scott Wolf; and “Santa, Maybe” (Great American Family, 8 p.m.), about staging a holiday ballet, with Aubrey Reynolds.
Even a network that usually does thrillers is in on the act, with the new “Christmas Plus One” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.).
Buddy travels to Brooklyn and then to Glendale, Calif., on a pair of episodes of “Legends of the Fork” (A&E, 9 p.m.). Then he makes cakes for Mother’s Day and the anniversary of Secretariat’s Triple Crown win on “Buddy Valastro’s Cake Dynasty” (A&E, 10 p.m.).
On “Pets & Pickers” (Animal Planet, 9 p.m.), a Labradoodle swallows a tin can.
The Fletcher family dinner ends in chaos on “Love & Marriage: Huntsville” (OWN, 8 p.m.).
The superhero film “Blue Beetle” (HBO, 8 p.m.), with Solo Maridueña, Becky G, George Lopez and Susan Sarandon, makes its premium cable debut, as does “Dead Shot” (Showtime, 9 p.m.), the revenge action thriller with Colin Morgan, Felicity Jones and Aml Ameen.
Emily represents a client charged with murder on “All Rise” (OWN, 9 p.m.).
There’s a double play of “The Wizard of Oz” (TBS, 6:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m.).
There’s a Bruce Lee double feature on Turner Classic Films tonight with “Enter the Dragon” (8 p.m.), on its 50th anniversary, and “Game of Death” (10 p.m.). The 12 o’clock noir is “Strange Bargain” (midnight), followed by two from Brian De Palma, “Dressed to Kill” (1:45 a.m.) and “Sisters” (4 a.m.).
Hockey has Minnesota vs. Ottawa (NHL, 11 a.m.) and Islanders at Calgary (NHL, 7 p.m.).
Basketball has Dallas at Milwaukee (NBA, 8 p.m.).
College football begins at noon with games that include Louisville at Miami (ABC), Michigan at Maryland (Fox), Oklahoma at BYU (ESPN), SMU at Memphis (ESPN2), Rutgers at Penn State (Fox Sports 1), Harvard at Yale (ESPNU), East Carolina at Navy (ESPNews) and Coastal Carolina at Army (CBS Sports).
After Duke at Virginia (CW, 3 p.m.), games at 3:30 p.m. include UCLA at Southern California (ABC), Georgia at Tennessee (CBS), Wake Forest at Notre Dame (NBC), North Carolina at Clemson (ESPN), Bethune Cookman vs. Florida A&M (ESPNU), Illinois at Iowa (Fox Sports 1), UNLV at Air Force (CBS Sports) and Louisiana Lafayette at Troy (NFL).
Then comes Oregon at Arizona State (Fox, 4 p.m.), Oklahoma State at Houston (ESPN2, 4 p.m.), Central Florida at Texas Tech (Fox Sports 2, 5 p.m.), Kansas State at Kansas (Fox Sports 1, 7 p.m.), Boise State at Utah State (CBS Sports, 7 p.m.), Florida at Missouri (ESPN, 7:30 p.m.), Florida International at Arkansas (ESPNU, 7:30 p.m.), Georgia State at LSU (ESPN2, 8 p.m.), New Mexico at Fresno State (Fox Sports 1, 10:30 p.m.) and San Diego State at San Jose State (CBS Sports, 10:30 p.m.).
Men’s college basketball includes Texas Southern at Creighton (Fox Sports 2, 8:30 p.m.).
Auto racing has the Las Vegas Grand Prix (ESPN, 1 a.m.).
In soccer’s FIFA Under-17 World Cup, it’s U.S. vs. France (Fox Sports 1, 7 a.m.), South Korea vs. Burkina Faso (Fox Sports 2, 7 a.m.),.
Also in soccer it’s Wales at Armenia (Fox Sports 1, 9 a.m.), Croatia at Latvia (Fox Sports 2, noon) and Ireland at Netherlands (Fox Sports 2, 2:45 p.m.).
NCAA championships are held in cross-country (ESPNU, 9:30 p.m.).
Foo Fighters play a new “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 11 p.m., check local listings).
Jason Momoa returns to host a new “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) with musical guest Tate McRae.