TV Best Bets
THE A LIST: DENZEL WASHINGTON
HDNET Movies, beginning at 6:30 a.m.
Enjoy a day of films featuring memorable performances from famed actor Denzel Washington. Over the course of 16-plus hours, watch repeated showings of “Cry Freedom” (1987), “Virtuosity” (1995), “Devil in a Blue Dress” (1995) and “The Bone Collector” (1999).
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
CBS & FOX, beginning at Noon
The Michigan Wolverines hit the “Horseshoe” in Columbus for an old-school Big Ten rivalry game against the Ohio State Buckeyes. And COVID-19 attendance limits shift the 121st Army-navy game from Philadelphia to Michie Stadium in West Point.
TANYA’S KITCHEN TABLE
OWN, 1:30 p.m.
With a menu that includes shrimp Creole and cornmeal crepes with Nutella, you know soul-food maven Tanya Holland isn’t messing around this week.
MEET JOHN DOE
TCM, 3:30 p.m. Catchaclassic!in Frank Capra’s Oscar-nominated 1941 comedy/drama, reporter Ann Mitchell (Barbara Stanwyck) has a white lie spiral out of control after she writes and prints a fake suicide letter from a fictitious John Doe in protest of all that is wrong with society. When the letter garners major attention and begins to incite a grassroots political movement, Ann is forced to hire John Willoughby (Gary Cooper), a homeless exbaseball player, to pose as the anonymous writer. As the letter’s philosophy begins to spread across the country and their lie becomes more and more complicated, an unlikely romance between Ann and John blossoms.
EASTWOOD GOES WEST
IFC, beginning at 5 p.m. Saddle up for nearly 12 hours of classic Clint Eastwood Westerns. The night is bookended by repeat showings of Eastwood’s Oscar-winning 1992 masterpiece “Unforgiven, with Pale Rider” (1985) and “The Outlaw Josey Wales” (1976) airing in between.
BABY CHIMP RESCUE: “BREAKING POINT”
BBC America, 8 p.m. Jim and Jenny Desmond’s Liberian chimpanzee orphanage faces a difficult challenge when a potentially deadly sickness breaks out among the young chimps.
MLS CUP 2020
FOX, 8 p.m. Live
The MLS Eastern and Western Conference finalists meet for the 2020 MLS Cup championship match.
LOVE, LIGHTS, HANUKKAH!
Hallmark Channel, 8 p.m. Originalfilm!as Christina (Mia Kirshner) prepares her restaurant for its busiest time of year, she gets back a DNA test revealing that she’s Jewish. The discovery leads her to a new family and an unlikely romance over eight nights. Also stars Ben Savage and Marilu Henner.
THE BEE GEES: HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART
HBO, 8 p.m.
Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb — otherwise known as the Bee Gees — found early fame in the 1960s, and went on to write over 1,000 songs, including 20 No. 1 hits throughout their storied career. This film follows their meteoric rise as they negotiated the ever-shifting music business and navigated the complexities of working so intimately alongside family. A wealth of never-before-seen archival footage of recording sessions, concert performances, television appearances and home videos, as well as interviews with musicians Eric Clapton, Chris Martin, Justin Timberlake and others, make for an intimate exploration of the band.
THE CHRISTMAS SETUP
Lifetime, 8 p.m. Originalfilm!the “Christmas Setup” follows the story of New York lawyer Hugo (Ben Lewis), who heads to Milwaukee with his best friend Madelyn (Ellen Wong) to spend the holidays with his brother Aiden (Chad Connell) and his mom Kate (Fran Drescher), who is also in charge of the local Christmas celebrations. Ever the matchmaker, Kate arranges for Hugo to run into Patrick (Blake Lee), Hugo’s high school friend and
secret crush, who has recently returned after a successful stint in Silicon Valley. As they enjoy the local holiday festivities together, Hugo and Patrick’s attraction to each other is undeniable and it looks as though Kate’s Santastyle matchmaking is a success. But as Hugo receives word of a big promotion requiring a move to London, he must decide what is most important to him.
PRETTY LITTLE DEAD GIRL
LMN, 8 p.m. Originalfilm!emma (Makenzie Vega), the lucky recipient of a recent heart transplant, sets out to find the identity of her donor only to learn that it was her estranged cousin who may have been the victim of murder. Also stars Johannah Newmarch and Ben Cotton.
HISTORY’S GREATEST MYSTERIES: “ROSWELL: FIRST WITNESS — THE JOURNAL”
History, 9 p.m.
In 1947, a New Mexico farmer discovered strange debris in one of his fields. Though the government claimed it was a crashed weather balloon, it wasn’t long before speculation that the object was actually a UFO caught the public’s imagination — a theory that some still believe. Now, new evidence, including the diary of the man first on the scene of the crash, may shed light on what really was found in Roswell.
MOST TERRIFYING WITH JASON HAWES: “RIDE TO HELL”
Travel Channel, 9 p.m. Host Jason Hawes visits dire domains of the undead including a menacing medieval castle, a gilded opera house turned makeshift morgue and a terrifying train car straight out of a nightmare.
A GLENBROOKE CHRISTMAS
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, 10 p.m. Originalfilm!as Christmas nears, heiress Jessica Morgan (Autumn Reeser) seizes what seems like her last chance to experience a relaxed Christmas and heads off to the small town of Glenbrooke, where she meets a handsome fireman (Antonio Cupo).
TOYS OF TERROR
Syfy, 10 p.m. Originalfilm!dana Gould ( “Stan Against Evil” ) wrote and executive produced this holiday horror tale about a couple who take their family to an old orphanage in Washington state for Christmas. They plan it more as a working vacation rather than a family getaway, but the three kids don’t mind when they discover a bunch of old toys in an abandoned playroom and quickly form attachments to them. But, as the kids’ nanny soon suspects, something else may be afoot — something evil that is affecting the children’s behavior, almost as if the toys are manipulating them.
DESTINATION FEAR: “OLD IDAHO PRISON”
Travel Channel, 10 p.m. After many nights of torment by the paranormal, Alex Schroeder finally gets his chance to pick a haunted location for the team to investigate, and he is ready to get even. He has planned the most terrifying experiment yet for Dakota, at an infamous Idaho prison.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE: “TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET/BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND”
NBC, 11:30 p.m. Live Timothée Chalamet makes his SNL hosting debut. The Oscar-nominated actor next stars in Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch” and Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune.” Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will perform as musical guest for the third time.