As beloved as it is an annual nostalgic holiday film, the 1983 “A Christmas Story” is less known as a musical. But it did get a Tony nomination for its 2012 Broadway run and tonight returns as the latest attempt at a live musical production on network TV.
With an added word and exclamation mark, “A Christmas Story Live!” (Fox, 7 p.m.) stars young Andy Walken as the new Ralph; Maya Rudolph and Chris Diamantopoulos star as his parents. Also in the cast are Jane Krakowski, Ana Gasteyer, David Alan Grier and Ken Jeong. Matthew Broderick narrates.
Among the new songs for the production is one sung by Bebe Rexha that opens the show, “Count on Christmas,” written by Benj Hasek and Justin Paul, who, in addition to “A Christmas Story Live!,” were Tony winners on “Dear Evan Hansen,” and lyricists of Oscar winning song “City of Stars” from “La La Land. Getting into the spirit, there will also be a two and a half minute live musical commercial for the upcoming Hugh Jackman movie “The Greatest Showman.”
A competitor plays rough with the original movie version of another classic musical, “The Sound of Music” (ABC, 8 p.m.).
Sunday Night Football has Dallas at Oakland (NBC, 8:30 p.m.). Earlier games have Arizona at Washington (Fox, 1 p.m.), Baltimore at Cleveland (CBS, 1 p.m.) and New England at Pittsburgh (CBS 4:25 p.m.).
“CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” (CNN, 8 p.m.) is its annual salute to do-gooders. Anderson Cooper and Kelly Ripa host, with appearances from Christian Bale, Sterling K. Brown, Diane Lane, Common, Andra Day, Samara Wiley, Alfre Woodard, Jim Gaffigan, Amber Tamblyn and Iain Ermitage.
Season finales come for both “Good Behavior” (TNT, 10 p.m.) and “Search Party” (TBS, 10 p.m.).
The one shot “Last Tango in Halifax: Holiday Special” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings) actually comes in two parts – one tonight and the conclusion next Sunday, on Christmas Eve.
There are special Christmas episodes of “Alaska: The Last Frontier” (Discovery, 9 p.m.) and “NCIS: Los Angeles” (CBS, 9:30 p.m.).
“SMILF” (Showtime, 10 p.m.) has no time to celebrate this week’s Golden Globe nomination; she’s got to find her towed car.
“Curb Your Enthusiasm” is over for the season (but coming back for a 10th, it was announced this week). In the mean time, here are cast members Jeff Garlin and Sussie Essman joining in on “Cash Cab” (Discovery, 10 p.m.), along with Brooke Shields.
There’s an occupy protest on “Shameless” (Showtime, 9 p.m.).
“Star Wars” stuff is tested by “Mythbusters” (Science, 9 p.m.).
“60 Minutes” (CBS, 7:30 p.m.) reports on a settlement in the biggest opioid case in U.S. history.
Nothing else going on in the news so here’s “Interview with a Monster: The Scott Peterson Case” (Fox News, 8 p.m.).
“Madam Secretary” (CBS, 10:30 p.m.) advises the Afghan government.
See it while you can: “Wisdom of the Crowd” (CBS, 8:30 p.m.) hasn’t been picked up.
On the made-for-TV “Christmas Connection” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.), Brooke Burns and Tom Everett Scott star in a film about a flight attendant returning a package to an unaccompanied minor and probably finding romance instead.
Another new one, “A Perfect Christmas List” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.), a grandmother tries to repair the damaged relationship between her daughter and granddaughter. Ellen Hollman, beth Broderick and Aaron Hill star.
Other holiday fare includes the movies “A Prince for Christmas” (ION, 7 p.m.), “Scrooged” (AMC, 8 p.m.), “A Cinderella Christmas” (ION, 9 p.m.), “Christmas in Mississippi” (Lifetime, 10 p.m.), “Enchanted Christmas” (Hallmark, 10 p.m.), “Christmas Belle” (ION, 11 p.m.).
Two comics-based films play back to back: “Wilson” (HBO2, 8:45 p.m.) and “American Splendor” (HBO2, 10:20 p.m.).
There’s a nice Albert Brooks double feature tonight on Turner Classic Movies with “Real Life” (8 p.m.) and “Modern Romance” (10 p.m.). They are followed by the F.W. Murnau silent “Sunrise” (midnight) and two from Roberto Rossellini, “The Flowers of St. Francis” (2 a.m.) and “Blaise Pascal” (3:45 a.m.).
Men’s college basketball includes Stony Brook at Providence (Fox Sports 1, 2:30 p.m.), North Carolina at Tennessee (ESPN, 3 p.m.), Florida A&M at Georgia Tech (ESPNU, 4 p.m.), Iona at St. John’s (Fox Sports 1, 4:30 p.m.) and San Francisco at Stanford (ESPNU, 6 p.m.).
Women’s games include Ohio State at Cincinnati (ESPN2, 4 p.m.).
In golf, it’s day two of the Father/Son Challenge (Golf, 11 a.m.; NBC, 3 p.m.).
U.S. Olympic Trials continue in speedskating (NBC, 1 p.m.) and curling (NBC Sports, 4 p.m.).
And there’s a NASCAR Awards Show (NBC Sports, 9 p.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: Sens. John Cornyn and Chris Van Hollen. CBS: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Sens. James Langford and Bernie Sanders. NBC: White House director of legislative affairs Marc Short, Gov. John Kasich, Sen. Joe Minchin. CNN: Mnuchin, Sen.-elect Doug Jones. Fox News: Mnuchin, Jones.