CBS, 8:00 p.m. ET
Thanks to the miracle of time travel – well, okay, the relatively less magical miracle of a newly discovered VHS tape – tonight’s new episode features Sheldon encountering his youthful alter ego. In other words, Old Sheldon meets Young Sheldon… but since the elder Sheldon is only watching on videotape, there’s no time paradox to worry about. And that’s just the sort of thing that would concern Sheldon greatly, at any age.
ABC, 8:00 p.m. ET
This is a secular recommendation, though it won’t sound like one. Gather the family, especially the kids, around the TV set tonight at 8 ET on ABC, for an inspirational recitation of Luke, Chapter 2, verses 1 through 14. Those are the passages recited from memory by Linus, who takes the time, in this 1965 animated holiday classic, to explain the true meaning of Christmas. It’s the first Peanuts TV special, and still the best, and Charles M. Schulz’s story is still one of the most direct anti-commercialism messages in a season that threatens to drown us in commercialism, and commercials. Ignore the commercials on A Charlie Brown Christmas – but listen carefully to the show itself, and watch carefully, too. Thanks, Mr. Schulz. And thanks, Linus… By the way, I've been recommending this TV special for decades, literally, so my enthusiasm hardly counts as a New Testament.
NBC, 8:30 p.m. ET
MIDSEASON FINALE: In the most recent episode of this always surprising and evolving series, Michael’s inhuman assistant Janet saved the day – then saved everyone by whisking them into her realm. It’s a mystical place we’ve never seen, but is the place where Janet, and all her lookalike, Siri-like counterparts, were created. And tonight’s new episode, the last before a two-month hiatus, is called “Janet(s),” so I’m guessing we’re going to encounter more than one.
ABC, 9:00 p.m. ET
SEASON PREMIERE: This American version of The Great British Bake-Off lasted only a few episodes into its third season when it was pulled after one of its judges, pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini, was accused of several counts of sexual misconduct. He’s gone for this holiday-themed, and holiday-timed, Season 4, which pairs returning judge Paul Hollywood with new judge Sherry Yard. And as the hosts this season, ABC is presenting Anthony Adams and former Spice Girl Emma Bunton, a.k.a. Baby Spice. It'd be too much on the nose, I suppose, to ask her to judge some holiday spice cookies. But one can hope. Or even sugar cookies, so we can have "sugar and Spice" at once.