It’s one of the biggest nights of television, reporting on one of the biggest elections in recent memory.
But despite the magic screens, colorful maps, endless squads of panelists, and nonstop predictions, the night-long Election Results shows — on every major network — will likely be missing the main event: An announcement of the winner of the Presidential race.
(Not that this will keep one candidate from contemptible declarations of victory, falsely).
But there are scores of other important races to track nationally and locally (whose coverage is largely kept to crawls on the bottom of the screen).
It will be a night of anxiety and likely little resolution (the last Presidential election wasn’t determined until the Saturday following election Tuesday). But it will be all you’ll see all night on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and, shockingly, the CW, as well as commercial free options on PBS and C-SPAN. As well as day and night on the usual outlets CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and the even lesser right wing outposts, who have all been taking about this night for years.
Topical minded late night talk show hosts all have the night off on the newsiest night except for one that will probably be really good: “Indecision 2024: Nothing We Can Do About It Now” (Comedy Central, 11 p.m.), a “Daily Show” election special hosted by Jon Stewart, pictured above. Guests include Sen. John Letterman, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs and Michigan Lieutenant Gov. Carlin Gilchrist II.
One would think other networks might come through with some alternate entertainment to distract and amuse while awaiting results to slowly come in. But very few have.
There’s apparently a new episode of “The Real Housewives of New York City” (Bravo. 9 p.m.) who will have their own spats.
Elsewhere, “Churchy” (BET, 9 p.m.) approves a new youth service.
The murder of a Georgia bootlegger gets attention of colleagues on “Moonshiners” (Discovery, 8 p.m.).
“Game Changers” (Discovery, 10 p.m.) looks at the development of John Madden Football.
Women have to adjust their lives now that Aaron is in jail on “American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez” (FX, 10 p.m.).
“Caught in the Act: Unfaithful” (MTV, 8 p.m.) checks whether a man’s fiancé will be a runaway.
The actress Ruth Roman is star of the month on Turner Classic Movies, which begins a month-long Tuesday night showcase with “Belle Starr’s Daughter” (8 p.m.), “Champion” (9:45 p.m.), “The Window” (11:45 p.m.), “Invitation” (1:15 a.m.), “Always Leave Them Laughing” (2:45 a.m.), and “Starlift” (4:45 a.m.).
Earlier in the day are films with tropical locales, with “Kongo” (7 a.m.), “Safe in Hell” (8:30 a.m.), “The Bribe” (9:45 a.m.), “Red Dust” (11:30 a.m.), “Mandalay” (1 p.m.), “Bird of Paradise” (2:15 p.m.), “China Seas” (3:45 p.m.), “Law of the Tropics” (5:15 p.m.) and “Singapore Woman” (6:45 p.m.).
College football has Bowling Green at Central Michigan (ESPN2, 7:30 p.m.) and Miami Ohio at Ball State (ESPN, 8 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos: Tony Goldwyn, Ted McGinley. The View: Jonathan Karl. The Talk: Jordana Brewster, Dylan Sprouse. Kelly Clarkson: Helen Mirren, Adam Lambert, Jennifer Garner, Lake Street Dive (rerun). Jennifer Hudson: Christina Milian.
Late Talk
Entirely pre-empted.