Arrow (CW, 8 p.m.) — Oh yes, it’s cheesy as hell, and yes, the acting is almost as stilted as the writing, but you know what? I kind of like it anyway. The island mythology is actually what I’m most fascinated with at the moment. Meanwhile, if you want to enliven your viewing experience of The Arrow, Dan over on Gamma Squad runs a live blog of each episode, so stop on by.
Survivor (CBS, 8 p.m.) — Penner was one of the show’s smartest contestants, and I’m kind of sad to see him go, especially when it means that flippin’ Blair from Facts of Life is in a good position to win it all. Without Penner, I don’t even know for whom to root.
Whitney (NBC, 8 p.m.) — Remember how last season, we ranted and raved about how awful Whitney is and how no one should ever, ever watch it? Good times! Yeah, well, until this moment, I had completely forgotten that it was still on the air. Considering it receives less than 4 million viewers (even less than the cancelled show it replaced, Animal Practice), I’m assuming most of America forgot about it, too.
The Hour (BBC America, 9 p.m.) — If you love Mad Men, but you think all it’s missing is a good murder mystery and brilliant commentary on the advent of televised news, you should check out The Hour. It’s fantastic, it stars McNulty and Skyfall’s Ben Wishaw, and Romola Garai will make your tongue wag.
Suburgatory (ABC, 9:30 p.m.) — There’s no new Modern Family tonight, but Suburgatory is being advertised as the second-season fall finale, which is strange only in that there have only been six episodes this season so far. They’ve all been great, though.
American Horror Story (FX, 10 p.m.) — Ian McShane as Santa Claus? I’m sure I’m not the first, and I’m positive I won’t be the last to make this joke, but “Merry Christmas, C**ksucker.”
LATE NIGHT LISTINGS: The coup of the night is that both Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert will be on Kimmel; Don Johnson is on Leno; Albert Brooks is on Dave; Ferguson has Cheryl Hines; Fallon has Tracy Morgan; Alan Simpson is on Jon Stewart, and Peter Jackson stops by The Colbert Report.
