First, go vote.
Then you can be more invested in both the country and in 2016 Election Night Coverage (ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, C-SPAN, CNN, Fox News, Telemundo, Univision, 8 p.m.).
I wouldn’t watch a second of coverage until results come in; enough with the predictions already. And I’d avoid cable news networks just because they’ve avoided news in general this cycle, replacing actual reporting and news gathering with the assembling of panels who endlessly analyze or tote blindly their party line. PBS and C-SPAN have the virtue of no commercials. Network newscasts will pull out their big guns, but beware the local affiliates who will cut in to replace them with inferior reporting. Oh, I’ll probably be switching around, as you will be.
But will we be able to laugh at the results? A bunch of shows hope so.
The biggest risk may be “Stephen Colbert’s Live Election Night – Democracy’s Series Finale: Who’s Going to Clean Up This Sh*t?” (Showtime, 11 p.m.), in which the “Late Show” host, whose regular show is pre-empted tonight, moves to premium cable, where he’s already cussed more in promo ads than he’s been able to on network TV. There may even be nudity. The announced guests are Jeff Goldblum, Katy Perry, Larry Wilmore, Patton Oswalt, Nick Offerman, Jena Friedman, Charlemagne Tha God and, from “The Circus,” Mark Halperin, John Heilemann and Mark McKinnon. Elle King joins the band. And for those not on cable, Colbert’s monologue will stream live on the Showtime Facebook page. But will he be free to return to his “Colbert Report” character?
As long a title as Colbert has for his special, another is equally as lengthy: “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah — Live Election Night Coverage: The Series Finale of America” (Comedy Central, 11 p.m.), where the team reports for an hour.
The accompanying “@Midnight with Chris Hardwick” (Comedy Central, midnight) also has its first ever live episode, to react in real time to social media reaction to the election results. Some of its best guests are on hand to comment: Whitney Cummings, Paul F. Tompkins and Ron Funches.
But everybody on that network is getting in on the act, as “Tosh.0” (Comedy Central, 10 p.m.) has its own election special as well.
More comedy commentary can be found on “Fusion’s All Def Digital Roast of America” (Fusion, 9 p.m.) and “Desus & Mero” (Viceland, 11 p.m.).
The women on “The View” (ABC, 11 a.m.) wanted to react to the election as well, so they move to cable for a night with “The View: Live Election Special” (Lifetime, 9 p.m.), which wouldn’t be complete unless Rosie O’Donnell returns for a victory lap.
Elsewhere, “Drunk History” (Comedy Central, 10:30 p.m.) brings back its best stories about presidential elections.
At least one broadcast network doesn’t care what’s happening in the world. Instead, they have reruns of “The Flash” (The CW, 8 p.m.) and the ominously titled “No Tomorrow” (The CW, 9 p.m.).
“WWE SmackDown” (USA, 8 p.m.) travels to Glasgow, Scotland.
The chefs on “Chopped Junior” (Food, 8 p.m.) mix s’mores with french fries.
The grown-up “Chopped” (Food, 10 p.m.) see what they can do with cheap ingredients.
“Ink Master” (Spike, 10 p.m.) gets a season recap.
A Paris photo shoot is part of a “Sweet 15: Quinceanera” (TLC, 10 p.m.).
The actor and director Norman Lloyd, whose career in Hollywood spans nine decades, marks his 102nd birthday today, and Turner Classic Movies celebrates with a salute “Live from the TCM Classic Film Festival” (8 and 11:15 p.m.) as well as his work in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Saboteur” (9:15 p.m.), Charles Chaplin’s “Limelight” (12:30 a.m.), Jean Renoir’s “The Southerner” (3 a.m.) and “The Black Book” (4:45 a.m.).
In college football, it’s Eastern Michigan at Ball State (CBS Sports, 7 p.m.) and Western Michigan at Kent State (ESPN2, 7:30 p.m.).
Basketball includes Atlanta at Cleveland (NBA, 7 p.m.) and New Orleans at Sacramento (NBA, 10:30 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly Ripa: Miles Teller, Daveed Diggs, Tony Goldwyn. The View: Ana Navarro. The Talk: Wendi McLendon-Covey, Kevin Frazier. Harry Connick: Kevin James, Phoebe Robinson, Kadan Bart Rockett. Wendy Williams: Taye Diggs. The Real: Romany Malco, Ashanti.
Late Talk
James Corden: Julia Styles, Zoe Saldana, Paul Feig, Lewis Del Mar (rerun). Conan O’Brien: Jeff Bridges, Jeff Ross, Brent Sullivan (rerun). Trevor Noah is live with political coverage; everything else is pre-empted by news.