ABC, 8:00 p.m. ET
In this prime-time special, Disney-owned ABC says it’s celebrating the golden anniversary of The Lion King, the animated movie that was a large part of Disney’s cartoon movie resurgence. And, of course, the long-running, still-running Broadway musical it spawned. But also, this special makes quite a point of sneak-peeking and promoting the new photorealistic, computer-generated movie version of The Lion King, which hits theaters Thursday. My alternate title for tonight’s special: Can You Feel the Promotion Tonight?
TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET
Tonight’s treats on TCM’s “Out of This World” Tuesdays festival in July are a bunch of moon movies. At 8 p.m. ET, 1950’s Destination Moon starts things off, and other lunar movies are in orbit all night long, up to and including the 5:30 a.m. ET showing of the first sci-fi and moon exploration movie ever made, George Melies’ 1902 silent classic, A Trip to the Moon (pictured). Other moon trips in the lineup tonight include 1958’s From the Earth to the Moon (1:30 a.m. ET) and 1964’s First Men in the Moon(3:30 a.m. ET).
CBS, 10:00 p.m. ET
Speaking of lunar exploration, CBS tonight has a one-hour special devoted to the real deal: a look back at Apollo 11, which launched 50 years ago tonight, and succeeded in landing a man on the moon four days later. This special includes lots of vintage coverage, especially that anchored by Walter Cronkite, who basically owned the story on broadcast TV back in 1969.