Saturday nights remain alright for fighting Elton John, but what’s new with Saturdays is that the one-time TV garbage dump is now becoming more of a desired location. This is even true on nights like tonight when there is not a new SNL (although there is a worthy re-run, see below). That being said, with the new viewing, your choices are stark between educating yourself and indulging in some way-too-early Christmas cheer (although this year, even we’ll admit all rules are kinda off).

BRAD’S PICK:
Between The World & Me [HBO, 9p]
When Ta-Nehisi Coates’ groundbreaking letter to his young son was first published in 2015, it became a deservedly instant classic. Now as we are we are looking at the end of the Trump error in the shadow of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor the time is perfect for a film version, and an important one. Do not miss it.

KATHERINE’S PICK:
Earth’s Great Seasons [BBC America, 8p]
The series catches up to press time with autumn!

JASON’S PICK:
Saturday Night Live [NBC, 10p]
Yes, there’s no new SNL, but the early re-run is a 2013 episode worth watching. As a host, actress Kerry Washington, while a bit one-note, is endlessly charming and not bad with the comic timing either. She particularly shines in a cold open where SNL addresses its then lack of Black female representation as she breathlessly runs in and out of the room for multiple wardrobe changes. The sketch itself is a bit cynical, but Washington elevates it into a landmark SNL moment. Stick around for the Cartoon Catchphrase sketch which is silly, but Washington may be the best guest game show host since Steve Martin and Aidy Bryant is gloriously over-the-top as a put-upon contestant.

BUT, WAIT, THERE’S MORE:

• While we want to make fun of a Lifetime movie with the title Feliz NaviDAD (and, yes, the “dad” is capitalized and, no, we did not have a stroke), 2020 might be a good year to embrace the corn. Based on the image above, it looks like Mario Lopez is the titular dad and he’s having a big month as apparently he’s reprising his role as something called a “Slater” but we’ll always know him for his most important gig as host of Pet Star, which gave us the 21st Century’s greatest star, Spaghetti Cat.
• Lifetime Movie Network did not get the Christmas cheer message as its Saturday night viewing is anchored by the high school thriller Pretty Cheaters, Deadly Lies, in which a blackmailed girl ups the stakes with her tormenters and things get, well, Lifetime-y.
• Hallmark is, however, all aboard the St. Nick train as the Hallmarck Channel debuts A Nashville Christmas Carol and the Hallmark Movie Channel brings us A Little Christmas Charm. And now, more than ever, we, and the world, need Spaghetti Cat. We could not book Spaghetti Cat, so filling in, here’s Spaghetti Mouse!