A bald-headed Jon Cryer returns to network comedy, paired with Abigail Spencer as a divorced couple taking turns raising kids in the family home. Her new beau, though, is a sports mogul played by Donald Faison, another veteran of sitcom TV. “Extended Family” (NBC, 8 p.m.) has its official debut Jan. 2, but tonight’s sneak preview counts as its first appearance.
It’s paired with a new Christmas episode of “Night Court” (NBC, 8:30 p.m.) ahead of its own second season premiere, also on Jan. 2.
There’s only a couple of new Christmas movie on the Saturday before the holiday. It’s “A Royal Christmas Holiday” (Great American Family, 8 p.m.) with Brittany Underwood and Jonathan Stoddard, “Mom’s Christmas Boyfriend” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.) and “Christmas Revisited” (OWN, 9 p.m.).
But there’s also a special: “Christmas with the Chosen: Holy Night” (CW, 8 p.m.), a spinoff of the series about Jesus, with a performance by Andrea Bocelli.
“Planet Earth III” (BBC America, 8 p.m.) ends its run with a finale about conservation heroes working to save the Earth, followed by a behind-the-scenes look at how the series was produced, at 9:23 p.m.
It’s a big college football bowl game day with Troy vs. Duke (ABC, noon) in the Birmingham Bowl from Alabama; Arkansas State vs. Northern Illinois (ESPN, noon) in the Camellia Bowl from Montgomery, Ala.; James Madison vs. Air Force (ABC, 3:30 p.m.) in the Armed Forces Bowl from Fort Worth; Georgia State vs. Utah State (ESPN, 3:30 p.m.) in the Potato Bowl from Boise; South Alabama vs. Eastern Michigan (ESPN, 7 p.m.) in the 68 Ventures Bowl 9n Mobile, Ala.; Utah vs. Northwestern (ABC, 7:30 p.m.) in the Las Vegas Bowl; and Coastal Carolina vs. San Jose State (ESPN, 10:30 p.m.) in the Hawaii Bowl.
There’s a couple of NFL games as well, with Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (NBC, 4:30 p.m.) and Buffalo at Chargers (Peacock, 8 p.m.).
“The Saturday Night Live Christmas Special” (NBC, 9 p.m.) gets a repeat.
A heatwave affects production on “Buddy Valastro’s Cake Dynasty” (A&E, 10 p.m.).
To cap the week that he declared bankruptcy there’s a timely replay of “Giuliani: What Happened to America’s Mayor?” (CNN, 8 p.m.).
“Love & Marriage: Huntsville” (OWN, 8 p.m.) has a team-building session.
Joaquin Phoenix stars in Ari Aster’s horror film “Beau is Afraid” (Showtime, 9 p.m.), making its premium cable debut.
The Christmas marathon resumes on Turner Classic Movies with “Little Women” (8:15 a.m.), “Alias Boston Black” (10:15 a.m.), “The Thin Man” (11:30 a.m.), “Bell, Book and Candle” (3:30 p.m.), “Pocketful of Miracles” (5:30 p.m.), “The Shop Around the Corner” (8 p.m.), “In the Good Old Summertime” (10 p.m.), “Desk Set” (midnight), “Susan Slept Here” (2 a.m.) and “Bundle of Joy” (4 a.m.).
Basketball has Milwaukee at New York (NBA, 12:30 p.m.).
Hockey has Dallas at Nashville (NHL, 2 p.m.) and Pittsburgh at Ottawa (NHL, 7 p.m.).
Men’s college basketball includes Butler at Providence (Fox Sports 1, noon), Seton Hall at Xavier (Fox Sports 1, 2 p.m.), Arizona at Florida Atlantic (Fox, 3 p.m.), Vanderbilt at Memphis (Fox Sports 1, 4 p.m.), Villanova at DePaul (Fox Sports 1, 4 p.m.) and St. John’s at Connecticut (Fox, 8 p.m.).
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats and Asia Victoria play a 2022 “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 11 p.m., check local listings).
The Nate Bargatze-hosted “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) from October is rerun, with musical guest Foo Fighters.