The making of one of the best selling albums of all time, with seven Top 10 singles and eight Grammys, is examined in Nelson George’s new documentary “Thriller 40” (Showtime, 8 p.m.).
Speaking of 40 years ago, Donna Mills, Morgan Fairchild, Loni Anderson, Linda Gray and Nicolette Sheridan all star in “Ladies of the ’80s: A Divas Christmas” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.), portraying reunited former soap stars who agree to do a final Christmas episode and who find, after some squabbles, the meaning of the season.
It’s one of a nuber of new Yuletide movies tonight. Among the others “Christmas on Windmill Way” (Great American Family, 8 p.m.) with Chad Michael Murray and Christa Taylor; “A Not So Royal Christmas” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.) with Brooke D’Orsay and Will Kemp; and “A Christmas Serenade” (OWN, 9 p.m.) with Skye Townsend and B.J. Britt.
College football’s championship weekend takes over prime time with Michigan at Iowa (Fox 8 p.m.) in the Big Ten, opposite Louisville vs. Florida State (ABC, 8 p.m.) in the ACC.
Earlier games have Oklahoma State at Texas (ABC, noon) in the Big 12; Miami Ohio at Toledo (ESPN, noon) in the MAC: Boise State at UNLV (Fox, 3 p.m.) in the Mountain West; Georgia at Alabama (CBS, 4 p.m.) in the SEC; SMU at Tulane (ABC, 4 p.m.) in the ACC: and Appalachian State at Troy (ESPN. 4 p.m.) in the Sun Belt.
The second of the three new episodes of “Doctor Who” (Disney+, streaming) continues the Storie of reconstituted doctor David Tennant with Catherine Tate, fighting a foe played by Neil Patrick Harris. The episode title is “Wild Blue Yonder.”
“Planet Earth III” (BBC, 8 p.m.) looks into wildlife of the forests.
The Gaither family celebrates the season with the new special “Home for the Holidays: A Christmas Homecoming” (UPtv, 7 p.m.).
Old animated Christmas specials rear their head, with “Reindeer in Here” (CBS, 8 p.m.) followed by two chapters from “Robbie the Reindeer” (CBS, 9 and 9:30 p.m.).
“Legends of the Fork” (A&E, 9 p.m.) visits Fiore’s House of Quality in Hoboken.
The 2020 documentary series about a con job at the core of a fast food promotion, “McMillion$” (CNN, 8 p.m.), makes its debut on the cable news network tonight.
A dog has eye trouble on “Pets & Pickers” (Animal Planet, 9 p.m.).
Turner Classic Movies has a couple from Douglas Sirk, “Imitation of Life” (8 p.m.) and “All I Desire” (10:15 p.m.). The 12 o’clock noir is “Black Angel” (midnight), followed by a pair of boxing films from the 1970s, “The All-American Boy” (1:45 a.m.) and “The Main Event” (4 a.m.).
Basketball has Denver at Sacramento (NBA, 10 p.m.).
Hockey has Tampa Bay at Dallas (NHL, 2 p.m.) and Boston at Toronto (NHL, 7 p.m.).
Men’s college hoops has Notre Dame at Miami (CW, noon), Syracuse at Virginia Tech (ESPN2, noon), Marquette at Wisconsin (Fox, 12:30 p.m.), Indiana State at Bradley (ESPNU, 2 p.m.), Memphis at Ole Miss (ESPN2, 2 p.m.), Michigan at Oregon (Fox Sports 1, 3:30 p.m.), TCU at Georgetown (Fox Sports 1, 5:30 p.m.), Charleston at Florida Atlantic (ESPNU, 6 p.m.), Colorado State at Washington (CBS Sports, 7 p.m.), Rhode Island at Providence (Fox Sports 1, 7:30 p.m.), and USC at Gonzaga (ESPN, 10 p.m.).
Women’s games have Bowling Green at Iowa (Fox Sports 1, 1:30 p.m.).
Spoon plays an “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 11 p.m., check local listings) from February.
Emma Stone hosts a new “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) — her fifth appearance as host. Musical guest is singer/songwriter Noah Kahan.