If I were NBC, I’d show a repeat of “The Wiz Live!” tonight, but they’ve got a commitment to show the oldest film any broadcast network still shows, the Christmas perennial “It’s a Wonderful Life” (NBC, 8 p.m.). And as much as you’ve seen it, it still has the wisdom and heart to make it worth the hour of commercials with which they’ll interrupt it. If only to hear the kind of dialogue you’d want to hear in a Presidential debate full of billionaires:
You sit around here and you spin your little webs and you think the whole world revolves around you and your money. Well, it doesn’t, Mr. Potter. In the whole vast configuration of things, I’d say you were nothing but a scurvy little spider!
A similar approach is used in the new made-for-TV “Just in Time for Christmas” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.) in which a career-minded college professor (Eloise Mumford) who can’t decide between a career opportunity in Connecticut and a hometown boyfriend barista (Michael Stahl-David), gets a glimpse three years into the future thanks to a magical messenger. That the magical messenger is played by William Shatner in a crazy hat and beard may make it all worth while. And because it’s about time travel, Christopher Lloyd plays the grandfather.
“The Nickelodeon Ho Ho Holiday Special” (Nickelodeon, 8 p.m.) features the current stars on the network at a holiday gathering that also happens to be “a trap set by a curious stranger.” Given the events of the week, it seems a little inappropriate.
It’s championship time in college football with all of the bowl-determining games on board, including in prime time Clemson vs. North Carolina (ABC, 8 p.m.) in the ACC Championship and Iowa vs. Michigan State (Fox, 8 p.m.) in the Big Ten final.
Earlier, college football matches have Texas at Baylor (ESPN, noon), Temple at Houston (ABC, noon), Southern Miss at Western Kentucky (ESPN2, noon), Alabama vs. Florida (CBS, 4 p.m.), Grambling State vs. Alcorn State (ESPNU, 4 p.m.), West Virginia at Kansas State (Fox Sports 1, 4:30 p.m.), Air Force at San Diego State (ESPN2, 7:30 p.m.), Stanford at Southern Cal (ESPN, 8 p.m.).
Last week’s episode with “Doctor Who” (BBC America, 9 p.m.) fighting his biggest battle minus his companion, concludes, as does the season. At least until the Christmas special. Part one repeats at 7:45 p.m.
The thing about diminutive dwellings is that there’s less to decorate. Hence, “Tiny House Nation: 12 Tiny Homes of Christmas” (FYI, 9 p.m.).
Drugs help clear the mind on “Ash vs. Evil Dead” (Starz, 9 p.m.). Blood itself wasn’t going to do it.
Leo tries to decipher the Turkish armor on “Da Vinci’s Demons” (Starz, 8 p.m.).
I swear there was a TV movie on exactly the subject a week ago. But “The Flight Before Christmas” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.) features Mayim Bialik in her first romantic lead as a woman who meets a guy (Ryan McPartlin) when a snowstorm cancels their flight.
Another romantic holiday movie, “Merry Kissmas” (ION, 9 p.m.) has a woman torn between a couple of guys at the holiday season. I’m thinking mistletoe was involved. It follows both “A Christmas Kiss” (ION, 5 p.m.) and “A Christmas Kiss II” (ION, 7 p.m.), from a network clearly in love with liplocks.
More holiday fare: “Switchman” (FXM, 7 and 8:51 p.m.), “Elf” (ABC Family, 7:15 p.m.), “Toy Story that Time Forgot” (Disney, 8 p.m.), “Frosty’s Winter Wonderland” (Disney, 8:30 p.m.), the live action “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (ABC Family, 9:30 p.m.).
The Will Ferrell-Kevin Hart comedy “Get Hard” (HBO, 8 p.m.) makes its premium cable premiere as does the similar “Let’s Be Cops” (Cinemax, 10 p.m.) with Damon Wayans Jr. and Jake Johnson.
The lives of screenwriters are explored on Turner Classic Movies, with the classic “Sunset Boulevard” (8 p.m.) followed by “Susan Slept Here” (10 p.m.) and “In a Lonely Place” (midnight). The mood changes to horror later with the 1977 “Shock” (TCM, 2 a.m.) and “Haxan” (TCM, 3:45 a.m.).
There are by now more games in men’s college basketball today with Temple at Wisconsin (CBS, noon), Binghamton at Michigan State (ESPNU, noon), Seton Hall at Rutgers (ESPNews), Indiana State at Butler (Fox Sports 2, noon), Syracuse at Georgetown (Fox, 1 p.m.), Houston Baptist at Michigan (ESPNU, 2 p.m.), Chicago State at DePaul (Fox Sports 1, 2 p.m.), California at Wyoming (CBS Sports, 3 p.m), Arizona at Gonzaga (ESPN, 3:15 p.m.), Harvard at Kansas (ESPN2, 3:15 p.m.), Mississippi at Massachusetts (NBC Sports, 4 p.m.), Georgia Tech at Tulane (CBS Sports, 5 p.m.), Buffalo at Duke (ESPN2, 5:15 p.m.), Southeast Missouri State at Memphis (CBS Sports, 7 p.m.), Providence at Rhode Island (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), Western Kentucky at Xavier (Fox Sports 1, 8 p.m.), Wichita State at Saint Louis (ESPNU, 9 p.m.) and Texas A&M at Arizona State (ESPN2, 10:30 p.m.).
In women’s games, it’s Notre Dame at Connecticut (ESPN, 5:15 p.m.).
The bands Portugal, The Man and Local Natives play an “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 11 p.m., check local listings) from last year.
Ryan Gosling hosts a new “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) with soul man Leon Bridges as musical guest.