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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Around the Remote: Thomas Rhett rings in ‘CMA Country Christmas’

Thomas Rhett performs during the American Music Awards on Nov. 24, 2019, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.  (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
By Chuck Barney Tribune News Service

DON’T MISS: “CMA Country Christmas” – Set to ring in the holidays, married co-hosts Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins headline this annual music-filled hour in an intimate, at-home setting. The show, shot in Nashville, Tennessee, features performances by Kelsea Ballerini (“Santa Baby”), Gabby Barrett (“The First Noel”), Lady A (“Wonderful Christmastime” and “Little Saint Nick”), Little Big Town (“Christmas Time Is Here”), Tim McGraw (“It Wasn’t His Child”) and Darius Rucker with Lindsey Stirling (What Child Is This?”). Also included: new original tunes from Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line and Rhett. For the first time in 11 years, the special was filmed without a live audience. (9 p.m. Monday, ABC).

Other bets

SUNDAY: Who killed Elena? We’ll find out tonight when the Nicole Kidman-Hugh Grant thriller “The Undoing” wraps up its electrifying run. Going in, several characters have fallen under suspicion. (9 p.m., HBO).

SUNDAY: Another riveting edition of the Midwestern crime series “Fargo” comes to an end with a finale that sees Josto getting revenge, Oraetta coming clean and Ebal teaching Loy a lesson about business. (10 p.m., FX).

MONDAY: Ryan Seacrest returns to host “The Disney Holiday Singalong.” In the third iteration of the popular franchise, Andrea Bocelli, BTS, Michael Buble, Katy Perry, Pink, Adam Lambert and more belt out seasonal standards while encouraging us to sing along from home. (8 p.m., ABC).

TUESDAY: Laugh and call him names all you want, but “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” has, indeed, gone down in history. The evergreen classic that premiered in 1964 returns for its annual airing. (8 p.m., CBS).

WEDNESDAY: Despite serving as the butt of many jokes, the disheveled 75-foot Norway spruce in Manhattan will still get its shine on during the 88th Annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center special. Kelly Clarkson, Dolly Parton, Leslie Odom Jr., Pentatonix and more lend musical accompaniment. (8 p.m., NBC).

WEDNESDAY: “SEAL Team” kicks off Season 4 with a turbo-charged two-hour opener. It sees Bravo Team entering enemy territory in the snowy Spin Ghar Mountain Range to capture the son of a terrorist leader who Jason took down early in his career. (9 p.m., CBS).

THURSDAY: “My Gift: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood” has the country music superstar delivering a 45-minute concert special while accompanied by a live orchestra and choir. The program includes songs from Underwood’s first Christmas album and a duet with John Legend. (HBO Max).

FRIDAY: In the Season 3 opener of “Magnum P.I.,” romance is in the air as Higgins becomes smitten with her dashing surgeon (Jay Ali) while recovering from a gunshot wound. “Magnum P.I.” is sandwiched between the season premieres of “MacGyver” and “Blue Bloods.” (9 p.m., CBS).

FRIDAY: In “Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special,” the pop superstar presides over an hour pegged to an offbeat story line: Santa Claus seeks Mariah’s help when the North Pole faces a holiday “cheer crisis.” So she stages a song-and-dance spectacular – with plenty of special guests – to make spirts bright. (Apple TV+).

SATURDAY: Hosted by Kevin Bacon and Eve, “Play On: Celebrating the Power of Music to Make Change” is a virtual concert event that raises money for Why Hunger and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Performers include Andra Day, Bon Jovi, Jon Batiste, Machine Gun Kelly, Maren Morris, Sheryl Crow, Snoop Dogg and more. (9 p.m., CBS).