TV tonight: 'It's A Wonderful Life,' 'Grinch'
- Can't handle another viewing of 'It's A Wonderful Life'? There's always 'Christmas Story'
- You can't beat Boris Karloff as the voice of Dr. Seuss' Grinch
- TNT picks unseasonal air date for season finales of 'Rizzoli & Isles,' 'Leverage'
It's A Wonderful Life
NBC, Monday, 8 ET/PT
NBC gives the Christmas Eve place of honor to this perennial holiday what-if favorite. Those who love it will be thrilled. As for those who don't, gather up all your holiday spirit -- and then grin and bear it. You can always detox over at TBS, which is giving another marathon run to its own favorite holiday movie, A Christmas Story (8 ET/PT)
Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
ABC, Tuesday, 8 ET/PT
Christmas is one of the least-watched TV nights of the year, and with good reason. But if your family does turn on the TV, turn it to this ideally done adaptation of Dr. Seuss' book. Never has a "mean one" been better served, from the choice of animation genius Chuck Jones to produce and direct to that of Boris Karloff to voice the big green guy -- all tied to one of the season's funniest, best constructed and most easily recalled stories, with its sweet message about the indestructibility of the Christmas spirit. The 30-minute cartoon is a gem -- and it's also enough. No need to stick around for the live-action remake that follows (8:30 ET/PT).
Leverage
TNT, Tuesday, 10 ET/PT
You know that part about how most people don't watch TV on Christmas night? That's what makes TNT's decision to air the season finales of Rizzoli & Isles (9 ET/PT) and Leverage on Tuesday so unseasonally odd. No, they don't face a lot of first-run competition -- but in case TNT forgot to check its calendar, there's a reason for that.
