Entertainment

A feast of programs

GUYS WITH KIDS
Tuesday, 8:30 p.m.,NBC (Vivian Zink/NBC)

MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE
9 a.m., NBC (AP)

NATIONAL DOG SHOW PRESENTED BY PURINA
12 p.m., NBC (© NBC Universal, Inc.)

TEXANS AT LIONS
12:30 p.m., CBS (AP)

REDSKINS AT COWBOYS
4:15 p.m., FOX (AP)

PUNKIN CHUNKIN
8 p.m., Science Channel (The Science Channel)

A CHARLIE BROWN THANKSGIVING
Wednesday and Thursday 8 p.m., ABC (©1973 United Feature Syndicate I)

PATRIOTS AT JETS
8:30 p.m., NBC (Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post)

MIKE & MOLLY

Monday, 9:30 p.m., CBS

You have to say one thing about “Mike & Molly.” It’s one of the few TV shows where the characters look like they actually eat. Mike (Billy Gardell), though, is spending the holiday in bed; he’s sick. Molly (Melissa McCarthy) is excited that she doesn’t have to cook — until Vince (Louis Mustillo) invites his brother to town for a homemade Thanksgiving meal. With Reno Wilson and Rondi Reed.

GUYS WITH KIDS

Tuesday, 8:30 p.m.,NBC

After a failed attempt to figure out who should spend Thanksgiving with their son, Chris (Jesse Bradford, second from left) and Sheila (Erinn Hayes) decide to spend the holiday together with his friends. Sheila plans a very traditional dinner in hopes of befriending the group. Meanwhile, Gary (Anthony Anderson) chooses to spend the holiday waiting in line to buy a brand-new television during the Black Friday sales. Also starring Jamie-Lynn Sigler as Emily. Guest star: Emmitt Smith, former “Dancing With the Stars” champion.

MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE

9 a.m., NBC

The main chunk of television viewing on turkey day starts at 9 a.m., with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Few specials have such a loyal audience, even if two of the hosts — Matt Lauer and Al Roker — seem like leftovers (the third host, Savannah Guthrie, may be a breath of fresh air). All anybody wants to see are the giant balloons and there are three new ones this year: Elf on the Shelf, Hello Kitty and Papa Smurf. While we wait for glimpses of them between the bare tree branches on Central Park West, we will give half an ear to performers Carly Rae Jepsen, Colbie Caillat and Jimmy Fallon & the Roots while taking dishes out of the oven. The parade always trots out the casts of Broadway musicals and this year, the casts of “Annie,” “Bring It On” and “Nice Work If You Can Get It,” among others, will ring in the morning on key.

Some folks who get the most excited about the parade are the members of the 11 marching bands that travel to New York from all over. There’s also the US Naval Academy Glee Club and a gaggle of clowns — 900 of them — for those who love slapstick. The parade winds up with the usual tour de force performance of the Radio City Rockettes in front of Macy’s, where you should go shopping the very next day — Black Friday.

TEXANS AT LIONS

12:30 p.m., CBS

The Eating Season officially kicks off with an inter-conference clash of 2011 playoff teams. Led by running back Arian Foster and sack machine J.J. Watt, Houston is well on its way to its second-ever post-season berth. After a 1-3 start, the Lions and receiver Calvin “Megatron” Johnson, who is dealing with knee and nerve problems, are fighting to stay in the playoff race.

NATIONAL DOG SHOW PRESENTED BY PURINA

12 p.m., NBC

John O’Hurley and David Frei return as hosts for the 11th annual edition of “The National Dog Show Presented by Purina.” Now in its second decade on NBC, “The National Dog Show” celebrates America’s continued fascination with man’s best friend, and is one of only five remaining “benched” dog shows where the public can interact with the animals, enjoy day-long, family-oriented features and learn about responsible pet ownership. This year also features the introduction of two new breeds and will showcase some 2,000 purebred canines competing for the title of “Best in Show,” with $20,000 in prize money and enormous prestige at stake. NBC’s Mary Carillo will report from inside the show ring.

REDSKINS AT COWBOYS

4:15 p.m., FOX

An afternoon of stuffing yourself with turkey and stuffing may slow you down, but don’t let it affect your attention span. You will need some rapid eye movement to keep up with Redskins rookie sensation Robert Griffin III. The QB known as RG3 gets his first taste of this classic NFC East rivalry, with QB Tony Romo and the Cowboys battling to remain in the NFC wild-card hunt and get coach Jason Garrett off the hot seat.

PUNKIN CHUNKIN

8 p.m., Science

Channel

You may want to wait until after you’ve finished your pumpkin pie before you tune into “Punkin Chunkin.” It’s the show that sends innocent, defenseless pumpkins catapulting into the air to meet a squishy end against some hard surface. There’s no point in describing the kind of people this sport attracts because you’re unlikely to ever know them. Instead, enjoy the inane pleasures of the various “events,” including the Air Cannon, which can send a pumpkin flying a full mile in the sky and the Centrifugal, which propels pumpkins skyward with a huge metal beam by a truck spinning at top speed.

A CHARLIE BROWN THANKSGIVING

Wednesday and Thursday 8 p.m., ABC

In the 1973 “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” Charlie Brown wants to do something special for the gang. However the dinner he arranges is a disaster when the caterers, Snoopy and Woodstock, prepare toast and popcorn as the main dish. Humiliated, it will take all of Marcie’s persuasive powers to salvage the holiday for Charlie Brown. The special is followed by a bonus cartoon, “This Is America, Charlie Brown: The Mayflower Voyagers.” In the special, history comes to animated screen life in a captivating and informative program about the Mayflower voyagers.

PATRIOTS AT JETS

8:30 p.m., NBC

An overstuffed belly may have you feeling green, but don’t start napping just yet. The Jets are clinging to playoff hopes and need a crucial win as QB Tom Brady, coach Bill Belichick and the rival Patriots invade MetLife Stadium. QB Mark Sanchez and Gang Green lost a heartbreaker Oct. 21 in New England, squandering a chance to win in regulation only to fall 29-26 in overtime. If Jets backup QB Tim Tebow is to have a breakout game, it likely won’t be here. The Patriots bottled him up in two meetings last season, when Tebowmania was running strong in Denver, including a rout in the divisional playoffs. Since the Jets’ playoff win in Foxborough following the 2010 season, Rex Ryan’s team has lost three straight to the Pats. If the playoffs are in the Jets’ future, they need to snap that skid.