Following a successful run on Broadway “The SpongeBob Musical: Live on Stage!” (Nickelodeon, 7 p.m.) makes its debut on the network that originated the material. Its music is from the Flaming Lips, John Legend, Cyndi Lauper and Sara Bareilles; the set design won a Tony. Ethan Slater is SpongeBob, Gavin Lee is Squidward, Danny Skinner is Patrick and Brian Ray Norris is Mr. Krabs. Plus a space has been found for the cartoon show’s Tom Kenny.
Speaking of live, Kit Hoover and Dan Schachner give tips on giving canines for Christmas are offered on the two hour special “Give a Dog a Home Live!” (Animal Planet, 8 p.m.).
College football’s championship weekend dominates prime time broadcasting with Virginia vs. Clemson (ABC, 7:30 p.m.) for the ACC championship and Ohio State vs. Wisconsin (Fox, 8 p.m.) in the Big Ten championship. Earlier games have Oklahoma vs. Baylor (ABC, noon) in the Big 12 championship, Louisiana Lafayette at Appalachian State (ESPN, noon) for the Sun Belt championship, Cincinnati at Memphis (ABC, 3:30 p.m.) for the American Athletic championship; Georgia vs. LSU (CBS, 4 p.m.) for the SEC championship; and Hawaii at Boise State (ESPN, 4 p.m.) for the Mountain West championship.
The season premiere of “Criminal Confessions” (Oxygen, 6 p.m.), the case last year of a Colorado man who murdered his pregnant wife and two daughters is explored.
The Seth Rogen-Charlize Theron romantic comedy “Long Shot” (HBO, 7:55 p.m.) makes its premium cable premiere, followed by a new standup comedy special, “Dan Soder: Son of a Gary” (HBO, 10 p.m.). Also new on cable, the thriller “The Intruder” (Starz, 8 p.m.) with Dennis Quaid, Michael Ealy and Meagan Good.
Kristen Chenoweth stars in “A Christmas Love Story” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.) as a youth choir director whose standout star has a father she’s interested in, Scott Wolf.
It’s one of a few original holiday movies today. In “Christmas Unleashed” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.) Vanessa Lachey plays a woman who loses her dog on Christmas Eve and enlists an e (Christopher Russell) to find him.
Two different families book the same holiday vacation rental house in Washington, D.C., in the movie “Twas the Chaos Before Christmas” (BET, 8 p.m.) with Cynthia McWilliams, Sherri Shepherd Affion Crockett and Victoria Rowell.
But here’s something different: A Hanukah holiday romance. In “Mistletoe & Menorahs” (Lifetime, 6 p.m.) Kelly Jakle plays a toy company executive seeks to learn about the Jewish holiday and finds a guy (Jake Epstein) who is trying to learn more about Christmas.
There’s only a hint of the holidays in the new thriller “He’s Out to Get You” (Lifetime Movie Network, 8 p.m.) starring Samaire Armstrong as a paranoid woman who loses her family. It’s part of the “Slay Bells” series there.
Elsewhere, there are double doses of “A Christmas Story” (TNT, 8 and 10 p.m.) and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (AMC, 8 and 10:15 p.m.). But also for “The Mummy” (FX Movies, 7:50 and 10 p.m.).
Turner Classic Movies pairs“The Diary of Anne Frank” (8 p.m.) with a documentary about the wartime work of its director “George Stevens: D-Day to Berlin” (11:15 p.m.). The midnight noir is “Berlin Express” (12:15 a.m.) followed by two films of temptation, “The Seven Year Itch” (2 a.m.) and “Middle of the Night” (4 a.m.).
Basketball has Cleveland at Philadelphia (NBA, 7:30 p.m.).
Hockey has Toronto at St. Louis (NHL, 7 p.m.).
Men’s college hoops include Arizona at Baylor (ESPNU, noon), Florida at Butler (Fox, noon), West Virginia at St. John’s (Fox Sports 1, noon), Boston College at Notre Dame (ESPNU, 2 p.m.), Nebraska at Creighton (Fox Sports 1, 2:30 p.m.), Villanova at St. Joseph’s (ESPN2, 3 p.m.), Illinois at Maryland (ESPN2, 5 p.m.), Cincinnati at Xavier (Fox Sports 1, 8 p.m.), Memphis at Alabama-Birmingham (CBS Sports, 5:30 p.m.), Colorado at Kansas (ESPN2, 7 p.m.), Arkansas at Western Kentucky (CBS Sports, 7:30 p.m.), Missouri at Temple (ESPNU, 7:30 p.m.), Marquette at Kansas State (ESPN2, 9 p.m.) and Georgetown at SMU (ESPNU, 9:30 p.m.).
Golf has final rounds of the Hero World Challenge (Golf, 10 a.m.; NBC, noon).
It’s Day 2 of the swimming U.S. Open (NBC Sports, 7 p.m.).
Miguel and Alessia Cara play a 2018 “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 11 p.m., check local listings).
Jennifer Lopez hosts “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) for the third time in a new show with musical guest DaBaby.