Admitting you’re in a terrible movie doesn’t absolve you from the fact that is terrible. Aubrey Plaza’s complaints and often trenchant comments during “Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.), in which she provides the voice of the famous sour puss can’t quite make up for what is actually one of the worst Christmas Movies Ever.
Paying for talent to essentially do commentary over the top, must have meant there was very little to pay other writers, cast or a director for which is mostly a kind of “Home Alone” in a mall, with dopey bad guys and brave little girl who trips them up. Grumpy Cat seems like a meme whose time has gone, but at least it beat Dramatic Chipmunk to its own cable feature film. And since its fame has to do with just how the feline’s face is formed into a permanent frown, all the fuss and comedy seems a little mean. So every time Plaza says “Are you still watching this?” you have to seriously ask yourself the same question.
It’s still technically November today, but it’s Christmas all over TV elsewhere as well, with “The Flight Before Christmas” (CBS, 8 p.m.) and “The Story of Santa Claus” (CBS, 9 p.m.) on broadcast and yet another original holiday movie on cable, “Christmas Under Wraps” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.) with Candace Cameron Bure, David O’Donnell and Brian Doyle-Murray about a woman who moves to Alaska.
THere’s a replay of “The Larry the Cable Guy Christmas Extravaganza” (CMT, 9:30 p.m.) and the third showing in three nights of the hit-and-miss “All Star Non-Denominational Christmas Special” (Comedy Central, 10 p.m.). There is also “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (Disney, 7:30 p.m.), “A Diva’s Christmas Carol” (VH1, 8 p.m.) and “A Cadaver Christmas” (The Movie Channel, 9 p.m.).
Premium cable is a letdown tonight, with a couple of movies from last year, “Escape Plan” (HBO, 8 p.m.) and “Man of Steel” (Cinemax, 10 p.m.).
It may be a good day to catch up on the whole fourth season of “Homeland” (Showtime, 3 p.m.), which has been really good.
It’s not often that a competition event is rerun in prime time — on a Saturday night — but here it is: The National Dog Show (NBC, 8 p.m.) from Thursday afternoon.
No surprise, on the other hand, that there’s college football on prime time broadcast TV: Oregon at Oregon State (ABC, 8 p.m.).
In addition to old gourds, they put pianos and TVs in the catapulting mix on “Punkin Chunkin: Superchunk!” (Discovery, Science, 8 p.m.), so big it’s simulcast on two cable channels. Kari Byron and Tory Belleci of “Mythbusters” host.
Tonight’s Big Cat Week offering follows a family of cats in Botswana, “Leopard: Ultimate Survivor” (Nat Geo Wild, 9 p.m.).
Ariadne is crowned Queen on “Atlantis” (BBC America, 9 p.m.). Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Judi Dench and Olly Murs are on a new episode of “The Graham Norton Show” (BBC America, 10 p.m.).
Funny theme on Turner Classic Movies tonight: Not Disney. So there’s the Jean Cocteau “Beauty and the Beast” (8 p.m.), the 1942 “The Jungle Book” (10 p.m.) with Sabu; and Charles Laughton in the classic 1939 “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (midnight).
Later, it’s really not Disney with the horror flick “Deathdream” (2 a.m.) and the Commie-baiting “The Fearmakers” (3:45 a.m.). Sometimes the most interesting artifacts on Turner Classic Movies are on very late at night, such might be the case with the 1962 police training film “Tear Gas in Law Enforcement” (TCM, 5:30 a.m.).
A lot of big college football games today include, at noon: Michigan at Ohio State (ABC), South Carolina at Clemson (ESPN), Kentucky at Louisville (ESPN2), West Virginia at Iowa State (Fox Sports 1), Illinois at Northwestern (ESPNU), Cincinnati at Temple (ESPNews) and Louisiana Tech at Rice (CBS Sports).
Games at 3:30 p.m.) include Florida at Florida State (ESPN), Mississippi State at Mississippi (CBS), Baylor at Texas Tech (ESPN2), Michigan State at Penn State (ABC), Rutgers at Maryland (ESPNU), Notre Dame at Southern California (Fox), San Jose State at San Diego State (CBS Sports). And a little bit later: Kansas at Kansas State (Fox Sports 1, 4 p.m.), Connecticut at Memphis (ESPNews, 4 p.m.).
Tonight’s other games include Wake Forest at Duke (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), Pittsburgh at Miami (ESPN2, 7 p.m.), Auburn at Alabama (ESPN, 7:45 p.m.), Utah State at Boise State (ESPN2, 10:15 p.m.), Washington at Washington State (Fox Sports 1, 10:30 p.m.) and Nevada at UNLV (ESPNU, 10:30 p.m.).
Not much college hoops on today, except Pacific vs. Mercer (CBS Sports, 9 p.m.) and Colorado State vs. UC Santa Barbara (CBS Sports, 11:30 p.m.).
The 39th season opener of “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings) with Juanes is replayed. Songwriter Chip Taylor is featured on a new “Bluegrass Underground” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings).
The Chris Rock episode with Prince from earlier this season — a pretty good one — is rerun on “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.). Which will make it two reruns in a night. the vintage episode at 10 p.m. with Ben Affleck and Parrell Williams’ band at the time, N.E.R.D., is from March 2004 with the Appalachian Emergency Room sketch and Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers all still in the cast.