TV This Week, Dec. 4-10: ‘Hairspray Live!’ and more
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SUNDAY
It’s orcas versus dolphins — advantage, orcas — in the new nature special “Killer Whales: The Mega Hunt.” 7 p.m. Animal Planet
“A Very Soul Train Christmas” features vintage performance footage of such R&B favorites as Luther Vandross, Chaka Khan and Smokey Robinson. 7 p.m. BET
Looks like Anne Heche is starring in the new TV movie “Looks Like Christmas.” 8 p.m. Hallmark Channel
Whodunit? Find out on the second-season finale of “Secrets and Lies.” Juliette Lewis stars. 9 p.m. ABC
“Ocean Warriors” set sail to keep the seas safe from poaching, overfishing, etc., in this new six-part docu-series. 9 and 10 p.m. Animal Planet
Get up close and personal with pop music diva Mariah Carey in her new reality series “Mariah’s World.” 9 p.m. E!; also, Bravo
The futuristic drama “Westworld” logs out of its first season with an extended episode. With Anthony Hopkins and Evan Rachel Wood. 9 p.m. HBO
Infamy! The events of Dec. 7, 1941, are recalled in the specials “Ghosts of Pearl Harbor” and “Pearl Harbor: The Truth.” 9 p.m. National Geographic Channel; 10 p.m. History Channel
“The Royals” return to lord it over the rest of us in a third season of this soapy drama. With Elizabeth Hurley. 10 p.m. E!
MONDAY
James Taylor, Kelly Clarkson, et al., get spruced up to perform at this year’s “National Christmas Tree Lighting” ceremony in Washington D.C. With Yolanda Adams, Chance the Rapper, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. 7 p.m. Hallmark Channel
“The Great Christmas Light Fight” is back on for another season with celebrity judges Carter Oosterhouse and Taniya Nayak. 8 p.m. ABC
Bell Biv DeVoe, En Vogue and “30 Rock’s” Tracy Morgan head up to Harlem for a special edition of the long-running talent showcase “Showtime at the Apollo.” Steve Harvey hosts. 8 p.m. Fox
Caitlyn Jenner, Laverne Cox and other transgender individuals share their stories in Timothy Greenfield-Sanders’ latest “List” documentary, “The Trans List.” 8 p.m. HBO
Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, Vanessa Williams, Teyana Taylor and Mariah Carey will sing in the season in the new special “Divas Holiday: Unsilent Night.” 9 p.m. VH1; also Logo
Ooh la la! This year’s edition of “The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show” emanates from Paris, as in France. The Weeknd, Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga perform. 10 p.m. CBS
The staff at the tony “Timber Creek Lodge” tries to be accommodating in this new workplace reality series. 10 p.m. Bravo
TUESDAY
Too much “Monkey Business”: The scandal that sank the presidential hopes of former Sen. Gary Hart is recalled on the season premiere of “Barbara Walters Presents.” 8 p.m. Investigation Discovery
“I Bought a Rainforest” says a nature photographer who’s just purchased some prime Peruvian real estate in this new special. 9 p.m. Animal Planet
“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” return for a seventh season. 9 p.m. Bravo
The new reality series “Knocked Up” follows three women who weren’t expecting to be expecting at this point in their lives and careers. 10 p.m. Lifetime
Former BFFs must mend fences if they hope to win the big cash prize in the new reality series “The Battle of the Ex-Besties.” 11 p.m. Oxygen
WEDNESDAY
“Burn Notice’s” Jeffrey Donovan plays a shady storefront psychic in the new streaming series “Shut Eye.” With KaDee Strickland, Emmanuelle Chriqui and Isabella Rossellini. Any time, Hulu
Like mother, like daughter: Tony winner Harvey Fierstein and newcomer Maddie Baillio head an all-star cast for “Hairspray Live!” Dove Cameron, Kristin Chenoweth, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson and Martin Short are also featured in this small-screen adaptation of the hit Broadway musical based on John Waters’ 1988 indie comedy set in early 1960s Baltimore. 8 p.m. NBC
THURSDAY
Christmas Cookie: “Empire’s” Taraji P. Henson hosts the star-studded special “Taraji’s White Hot Holidays.” With Tyler Perry, Terry Crews, Jussie Smollett, Taye Diggs, Pharrell Williams, Missy Elliott, Alicia Keys, Darryl McDaniels and TLC. 8 p.m. Fox
Patagonia — the remote region in Argentina, not the outdoor-clothing company — is the setting for a new season of the wilderness-survival series “Alone.” 9 p.m. History Channel
The biker gang’s all here in a second season of the docudrama “Gangland Undercover.” 10 p.m. A&E
Civilians are subjected to the same grueling “tip of the spear” training that Navy SEALs, Green Berets, etc., receive in the new unscripted series “The Selection: Special Operations Experiment.” 10 p.m. History Channel
FRIDAY
The new true-crimes series “Captive” offers case studies in kidnapping and hostage-taking from around the world. Any time, Netflix
The “Full House” followup “Fuller House” is back with new episodes. With Candace Cameron-Bure and Jodie Sweetin. Any time, Netflix
Once more, with feeling: The classical-music drama “Mozart in the Jungle” returns for a third season. With Gael García Bernal, Bernadette Peters and Saffron Burrows. Any time, Amazon
The B team from “Mythbusters” is back in the similar new series “White Rabbit Project.” With Kari Byron, Tory Belleci and Grant Imahara. Any time, Netflix
“Albert” is a little Douglas fir who pines for the big time in this animated holiday tale featuring the voices of “SNL’s” Bobby Moynihan and Sasheer Zamata. 7 p.m. Nickelodeon
“Pitch Perfect’s” Brittany Snow guest stars as Rebecca’s (Rachel Bloom) romantic rival on a new “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.” 9 p.m. KTLA
The Material Girl rocks the whole wide world in the new concert doc “Madonna: Rebel Heart Tour.” 9 p.m. Showtime
The state of the union is...? “VICE Special Report: A House Divided” surveys America’s post-election political landscape. 10 p.m. HBO
SATURDAY
College football’s top player is named at the “Heisman Trophy Presentation.” 5 p.m. ESPN
“30 for 30” revisits a storied 1988 college-football match-up between Notre Dame and the University of Miami in the sports doc “Catholics vs. Convicts.” 6 p.m. ESPN, 9:30 p.m. ESPN2
Julie Andrews is the whimsical “Mary Poppins” and Dick Van Dyke is a chimney sweep with the worst Cockney accent in London in this beloved 1964 Disney musical. 8 p.m. ABC
Amy Acker (“Person of Interest”) plays a former ballerina called upon to save the show in the new holiday tale “A Nutcracker Christmas.” With Sascha Radetsky. 8 p.m. Hallmark Channel
Opa! Nia Vardalos and company are back in the 2016 rom-com sequel “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2.” 8 p.m. HBO
Marla Sokoloff (“The Practice”) makes a love connection in the TV movie “A Christmas Wedding Date.” With Chris Carmack and “Cheers’” George Wendt. 8 p.m. Lifetime
Nicole Kidman and Jason Bateman’s performance-artist parents go AWOL in the quirky 2015 comedy-drama “The Family Fang.” 9 p.m. Starz
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