Series
Mad TV (11 p.m. Sat., Fox) has its Christmas show, with guest Everclear. Lucy Liu hosts the Christmas edition of Saturday Night Live (11:30 p.m. Sat., NBC), with music from Jay-Z. On The Simpsons (8 p.m. Sun., Fox), a blizzard traps principal Skinner, groundskeeper Willie and the students at Springfield Elementary. One spoof of "The Shining," coming right up. The Sopranos (8 p.m. Sun., HBO) repeats the Emmy-winning episode "College," in which Tony takes care of a little business on the side while chaperoning Meadow on a tour of Maine colleges. Scully and Doggett investigate a mass cult murder on The X-Files (9 p.m. Sun., Fox). Behind the Music (9 p.m. Sun., VH1) looks back at the music stars of 2000. On The Practice (10 p.m. Sun., ABC), Bobby has to defend his pal Scott again, serial murderer William Hinks returns to spook Lindsay and Helen prosecutes a mob case involving a former lover. Curb Your Enthusiasm (10 p.m. Sun., HBO) ends its season (too short!) with Cheryl exhibiting uncharacteristic jealousy toward Larry's former girlfriend. Laraine Newman guests. On Queer as Folk (10 p.m. Sun., Showtime), the guys keep watch over Ted, who is in a coma after being slipped a party drug.
Specials
The lame-duck president and the senator-elect host The First Family's Holiday Gift to America: A Personal Tour of the White House (8 p.m. Fri., Fox). If those walls could talk ... In Scott Hamilton's Farewell to Stars on Ice (8 p.m. Fri., CBS), Hamilton skates his last show on the tour he founded. Performers include Kristi Yamaguchi, Ekaterina Gordeeva, Tara Lipinski and Kurt Browning. Martina McBride and comedian Jimmy Tingle perform with the Boston Pops in Holiday at Pops 2000 (8 p.m. Sat., A&E). The hills are alive with The Sound of Music (7 p.m. Sun., NBC). Dress up like Nazis and nuns and have your own singalong viewing party. The two-part documentary Christianity: The Second Millennium (8 p.m. Sun., A&E) charts the history of the religion from 1000 to the present. Laurence Fishburne narrates. President Clinton presides over his last Christmas concert in Christmas in Washington (8 p.m. Sun., TNT), and this one's pretty special -- it's hosted by Sarah Michelle Gellar. Slay ride anyone? Among the guests are the Corrs, Marc Anthony and Jessica Simpson. Enjoy it while you can; next year, the host will be Billy Ray Cyrus. The new TV movie The Christmas Secret (9 p.m. Sun., CBS) stars Richard Thomas as a man who believes that reindeer can fly and Beau Bridges as, um, Santa Claus. The documentary John Gotti: Life Behind Bars (9 p.m. Sun., Discovery) looks at the dapper don's daily routine at the maximum-security pen in Marion, Ill., using surveillance tapes of Gotti's jailhouse visits with family members. Now that's a Christmas special!
Sports
Hockey:
Red Wings at Avalanche (8 p.m. Fri., ESPN)
Panthers at Sabres (6:30 p.m. Sat., ESPN2)
Football:
Redskins at Steelers (12:30 p.m. Sat., Fox)
Raiders at Seahawks (4 p.m. Sat., CBS)
Packers at Vikings, Falcons at Saints or Lions at Jets (1 p.m. Sun., Fox)
Broncos at Chiefs, Jaguars at Bengals, Patriots at Bills, Chargers at Panthers or Titans at Browns (1 p.m. Sun., CBS)
Bears at 49ers (4 p.m. Sun., Fox)
Ravens at Cardinals or Colts at Dolphins (4 p.m. Sun., CBS)
Giants at Cowboys (8:30 p.m. Sun., ESPN)
Talk
Rosie O'Donnell (syndicated) Johnny Depp, Christopher Plummer
David Letterman (CBS) Music group At the Movies
Jay Leno (NBC) Claudia Schiffer, Kevin Sorbo, Moby
Politically Incorrect (ABC) Jimmy Kimmel, Wolfgang Puck
Conan O'Brien (NBC) Helen Hunt, Craig Bierko
Craig Kilborn (CBS) Omar Epps, Aimee Mann
All times Eastern unless noted.
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