TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS

nephew (Cheyenne Jackson) of the old ladies. Ryan McPartlin co-stars.

8PM G Silent Night: A Song for the World Hugh Bonneville (“Downton Abbey”) narrates this two-hour documentary that explores the creation and cultural impact of the song widely considered to be the world’s most famous Christmas carol. Composed in 1818 in Salzburg, Austria, the song has been translated into 140 languages and contributed to an impromptu cease fire during World War I. Kelly Clarkson, Joss Stone, John Rhys-Davies, Katharine McPhee, Randy Jackson, Josh Groban and the Vienna Boys Choir are among the artists who appear.

8 PM (LIFE) MOVIE Kirk Franklin’s

A Gospel Christmas Olivia (Demetria McKinney), a young assistant pastor, is excited but nervous when she gets assigned to be the lead pastor at a new church just a month before Christmas. She’s worried about managing the transition on such short notice, especially since her duties include getting the church choir ready to open the town’s annual Winter Jamboree. Thankfully, she finds a welcoming new home with her congregation, and as things fall into place, Olivia discovers a bit of romance as well. Chaz Lamar Shepherd and Kirk Franklin costar.

8PM (HBO) MOVIE Space Jam:

A New Legacy A blend of live action and different animation styles, Malcolm D. Lee’s 2021 sequel to the 1996 blockbuster “Space Jam” stars pro basketball legend LeBron James as a fictional version of himself, who pleads with the Looney Tunes characters to help him win a game against avatars led by an evil artificial intelligence. The sinister AI has kidnapped LeBron’s son Dom (Cedric Joe) and stashed him in a virtual multiverse.