The new Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, "Front of the Class" (CBS, 9 p.m.) is based on a true story about a young teacher who succeeds despite having Tourette's syndrome. It seems an old fashioned movie; haven't most people learned and understood this malady by now? (Maybe I'm watching too many HBO documentaries).
Newcomer Jimmy Wolk is suitably engaging as the would-be educator, but Patricia Heaton and Treat Williams are seen far less often as his parents. And the story moves along in its feel-good, by-the-numbers way.
Personally I'm more interested in the season finale of "The Amazing Race" (CBS, 8 p.m.) that precedes it. There, nothing but a bum cab ride can stop the brother-sister team of Nick and Starr as the action concludes in Portland, Ore.
Timothy Hutton stars in a fairly sharp new series "Leverage" (TNT, 10 p.m.) in which the former insurance investigator goes rogue, assembling a team of thieves, grifters, hackers and apparent acrobats to right corporate wrongs.
It's not meant to be a fulltime squad of Robin Hoods, but the group has so much fun taking down their first target, who burns them in an aerospace investigation, they decide to continue.
At least the first episodes of the series have just the right mix of action and light humor to make it stick.
One of the producers, Dean Devlin, is also behind the lingering series of made for TV features that continue tonight with "The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice" (TNT, 8 p.m.). Noah Wyle stars in the series of a guy who goes after the world's treasures and we like his bosses - Bob Newhart and Jane Curtin and the female co-stars (this time, Stana Katic from "Quantum of Solace" and the upcoming "The Spirit"). But the story which combines stories of the Bible with vampires - on a New Orleans setting - seems to burst the adventures' ambitions at the seams.
Two public figures with legal problems, past and present, make cameos on "The Simpsons" (Fox, 8:30 p.m.), Marv Albert and Mark Cuban.
It's bumped from its regular time slot by the BCS Selection Show (Fox, 8 p.m.). The president-elect, we assume, will be tuning in.
Barack Obama, for his part, pops up on Tom Brokaw's last "Meet the Press" (NBC, 10:30 a.m.; MSNBC, 6 p.m.).
It's Washington vs. Baltimore on Sunday Night Football (NBC, 8 p.m.).
Earlier NFL games include Eagles at Giants (Fox, 1 p.m.), Patriots at Seahawks (CBS, 4 p.m.) and Cowboys at Steelers (Fox, 4 p.m.).
Two NBA games: Pistons at Knicks (CSN, MSG, noon) and Celtics at Pacers (CSN, 6 p.m.).
The lurid documentary import is called "Too Fat to Toddle" (BBC America, 8 p.m.). Then roll, baby, roll.
The lurid domestic documentary of the night is "Sex Slaves in the Suburbs" (MSNBC, 8 and 11 p.m.).
But the most entertaining documentary of the night might be the one about the World Rope Skipping Championship, "Jump!" (Showtime, 5 p.m.).
Lately he's been raising his megaphone in northeast Connecticut. Find out how the guy works on "Ty Pennington: Behind the Scenes" (ABC, 7 p.m.), preceding the regular "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (ABC, 8 p.m.), this time in Minnesota.
Bobby Flay, Giada DeLaurentis, Guy Fieri and the gang gather to begin holiday planning on "Holiday Extravaganza" (Food Network, 9 p.m.).
Other holiday fare: "Prancer" (AMC, 8 p.m.), the 1984 "A Christmas Carol" (AMC, 10 p.m.) with George C. Scott; "A Christmas Visitor" (Hallmark, 7 p.m.) and "The Christmas Card" (Hallmark, 9 p.m.).
How can Bethlehem, Conn., not be one of "The Top 10 Christmas Towns" (HGTV, 8 p.m.)?
Source: blogs.courant.com
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