Ron Howard’s racing movie “Rush” (HBO, 8 p.m.), about the 1976 rivalry between Formula One drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda, with Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl, makes its debut on premium cable, 13 hours after actual racers run the Formula One Russian Grand Prix (NBC Sports, 7 a.m.). It’s all a little different than NASCAR (ABC, 7:30 p.m.), which tonight is the Bank of America 500 from Concord, N.C.
If it’s too early for Christmas movies, it’s probably still too early for “The Best Man Holiday” (Cinemax, 10 p.m.). ab ou
In a made-for-TV movie “A Warden’s Ransom” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.), Diane Neal plays a warden trying to control a rich inmate offering $50 million to anyone who will break him out. It’s an unusually hard-edged film for the network. The made for tv “Recipe for Love” (Hallmark, 9 p.m.) follows the expected formula: Danielle Panabaker, currently in “The Flash,” and Shawn Roberts play two cooks forced to work in the kitchen who eventually fall in love.
“48 Hours” (CBS, 10 p.m.) reports on a gambler blown up in his Lincoln Town Car in 1996.
The two directors in “The Chair” (Starz, 10 p.m.) are a little unsteady in their positions, but in real time one of their films has already opened (to meh reviews).
The first season of “Intruders” (BBC, 10 p.m.) ends, with a hint at what the heck has been going on all this time.
Guess what? Homes are pricey in Fairfield, Conn., a couple finds on “House Hunters Renovation” (HGTV, 10 p.m.).
The crew in “Survivor’s Remorse” (Starz, 9 p.m.) go to a charity event.
Now they are rubbing our nose in it: Back to back replays of “The Mysteries of Laura” (NBC, 8 and 9 p.m.). The other reruns tonight are same week replays of “NCIS: New Orleans” (CBS, 8 p.m.) and “Stalker” (CBS, 9 p.m.).
Tonight’s “Doctor Who” (BBC America, 9 p.m.) has an intriguing title: “Mummy on the Orient Express.”
There is a timely replay of “Contagion” (TNT, 10:30 p.m.).
In the league divisional championships, it’s Kansas City at Baltimore (TBS, 4 p.m.) for the second time today (the Royals beat the Orioles in 10 innings sometime after midnight) and game one of San Francisco at St. Louis (Fox, 8 p.m.).
Your first Hockey Saturday Night of the season includes Pittsburgh at Toronto (NHL, 7 p.m.).
A trio of films about love and the wrong side of the tracks are on Turner Classic Movies tonight, with Barbara Stanwyck in “Stella Dallas” (8 p.m.), Spencer Tracy and Lana Turner in “Cass Timberlane” (10 p.m.) and Ginger Rogers in “Kitty Foyle” (12:15 a.m.).
Later, it’s the Blaxpolitation vampire “Blacula” (TCM, 2:15 a.m.) and its sequel, “Scream, Blacula, Scream” (TCM, 4 a.m.).
Preseason basketball includes San Antonio at Istanbul (NBA, noon), Cleveland at Miami (ESPNews, 5 p.m.) and Chicago at Milwaukee (NBA, 8:30 p.m.).
And there is the usual glut of college football, starting at noon with Florida State at Syracuse (ESPN), Oklahoma vs. Texas (ABC), Georgia at Missouri (CBS), West Virginia at Texas Tech (Fox Sports 1), Rice at Army (CBS Sports), Tulsa at Temple (ESPNews), Illinois at Wisconsin (ESPN2) and Indiana at Iowa (ESPNU).
At 3:30 p.m., it’s Auburn at Mississippi State (CBS), TCU at Baylor (ESPN2), North Carolina at Notre Dame (NBC), Michigan State at Purdue (ABC), Oregon at UCLA (Fox), VMI at Navy (CBS Sports), Louisville at Clemson (ESPNU), William and Mary at New Hampshire (NBC Sports). At 4 p.m., it’s Oklahoma State at Kansas (Fox Sports 1).
Tonight’s games include Alabama at Arkansas (ESPN, 6 p.m.), Houston at Memphis (CBS Sports, 6 p.m.), East Carolina at South Florida (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), Penn State at Michigan (ESPN2, 7 p.m.), Connecticut at Tulane (ESPNews, 8 p.m.), Mississippi at Texas A&M (ESPN, 9 p.m.), Air Force at Utah State (ESPNU, 10:15 p.m.), Southern California at Arizona (ESPN2, 10:30 p.m.) and Colorado State at Nevada (CBS Sports, 10:30 p.m.).
Ed Sheeran and Valerie June play a new “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings).
Former cast member Bill Hader returns to host a new “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) with musical guest Hozier. Earlier the “SNL Vintage” (NBC, 10 p.m.) is one with Alec Baldwin and The B-52’s from 1990, which also has a couple of sketches featuring Jan Hooks, who died this week at 57.