George Bailey had a wonderful afterlife. The man who planned a holiday suicide was first saved by an angel and then became just about the only movie character from the 1940s to survive nearly 70 years later as a perennial prime time star come Christmas time.The first of what will be at least a couple of appearances of “It’s a Wonderful Life” (NBC, 8 p.m.) gets a showing tonight, on what is now the season of all-Christmas movies all the time on many cable networks.
“The 25 Days of Christmas” event on ABC Family begins with a popular more recent holiday comedy that is also the subject of a current Broadway musical, “Elf” (ABC Family, 8 and 10 p.m.).
In the made for TV department, there is a movie called “A Bride for Christmas” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.) that has the least to do with the holiday, which is an arbitrary deadline for one bachelor to find a mate, set in a bet by his work buddies.
The other original new TV movie tonight may be a refreshing change from the holidays. The latest in the series of features grafting creatures together for the Syfy network, and following in the predictable B-movie traditions of “Snarktopus” and “Dinoshark,” is “Dragonwasps” (Syfy, 9 p.m.), about fire-breathing insects in the jungles of Belize. Its cast is even more obscure, with Corin Nemec, Dominika Juliet and Benjamin Esterday.
To mark World AIDS Day, “I’m Positive” (MTV, 7 p.m.) profiles three young people with HIV.
Prime time football includes Texas at Kansas State (ABC, 8 p.m.), Nebraska vs. Wisconsin (Fox, 8 p.m.) in the Big Ten Championship, Florida State vs. Georgia Tech (ESPN, 8 pm.) in the ACC champtionship, and Pittsburgh at South Florida (ESPN2, 7 p.m.).
On the other hand, the results of the 2012 U.S. Open Chainsaw Sculpture Championships are in on “Chainsaw Gang” (CMT, 10 p.m.).
Like a ghost of series past, the killed-off series “Made in Jersey” (CBS, 8 p.m.) burns off a remaining episode on a Saturday night. Arielle Kebbel and Andrew Walker.
A familiar figure in every neighborhood these day is the guy who goes overboard in his holiday display, perfect fodder for the special “My Crazy Obsession: Christmas Collection” (TLC, 9 p.m.).
A man who chokes at a holiday party ends up being one of the “Untold Stories of the E.R.” (Discovery Fitness and Health, 10 p.m.).
A tea party would seem to be an out of character activity on “Redneck Island” (CMT, 9 p.m.).
The Steve Miller Band plays “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings).
The Steve Miller Band plays “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings).
It may be a good time to catch up with “Catfish: The TV Show” (MTV, 8, 9 p.m.) which is having a marathon.
The cold case on “48 Hours Mystery” (CBS, 10 p.m.) is almost frigid — it dates back more than 40 years.
The Soul Train Awards 2012 (BET, 9 pm.) gets a repeat.
A striptease class is arranged on “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s” (OWN, 9 p.m.).
Ever wonder what happened to Connie Stevens? She’s talking about the ghost in her house with her daughter Joley Fisher on a new episode of “The Haunting Of..” (Bio, 10 p.m.).
Great road movies populate Turner Classic Movies tonight with “Sullivan’s Travels” (8 p.m.), “Harry and Tonto” (10 p.m.), “Lost in America” (midnight), “The Long, Long Trailer” (2 a.m.) and “It Happened One Night” (4 a.m.).
For whatever reason, premium cable is light on premieres, with just “Contraband” (HBO, 7:30 p.m.), “Sinners and Saints” (Starz, 9 p.m.) and “Project X” (Cinemax, 10 p.m.).
Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Palin and Michael Buble are amont the guests on a new edition of “The Graham Norton Show” (BBC America, 10 p.m.).
The Daniel Craig-hosted “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) gets a repeat, with musical guest Muse.