This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Fifty years and four days after it first aired, Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol (Saturday, 7 p.m., NBC/Ch. 5) returns to network TV.It was TV's first animated Christmas special, and it was an instant hit, with performances by Jim Backus, Morey Amsterdam, Jack Cassidy and Paul Frees and music by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill - who would do the songs for "Funny Girl" shortly thereafter."Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol" holds up half a century later. Funny, scary and heartfelt, it can bring a tear to your eye.Friday on TV ...College football (5:30 p.m., ESPN): St. Petersburg Bowl - Ball State vs. Central FloridaMen's college basketball: Cal State-Northridge at Utah (6:30 p.m., P12N); BYU at Baylor (7 p.m., ESPN)The Good Wife (7, 8 and 9 p.m., CBS/Ch. 2): A three-episode mini-marathon of one of TV's best shows.Back to the Beginning with Christiane Amanpour (8 p.m. ABC/Ch. 4): Amanpour travels to the lands of the Bible to explore the stoies of the Old Testament. (This two-part special concludes Friday, Dec. 28.)Fringe (8 p.m., Fox/Ch. 13): Peter, Olivia, Astrid and Walter get help from Nina Sharp.Saturday on TV ...College football: New Orleans Bowl - East Carolina vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (10 a.m., ESPN); Las Vegas Bowl - Boise State vs. Washington (1:30 p.m., ESPN)NBA (5:30 p.m., ROOT): Utah Jazz at Miami HeatNFL (6:30 p.m., ESPN): Atlanta Falcons at Detroit LionsMade in Jersey (7 and 8 p.m., CBS/Ch. 2): A woman is killed during a botched robbery; a nightclub owner is accused of murder.Wedding Band (8 and 9 p.m., TBS): Eddie's employer hires the band to work a corporate event.Joyful Noise (9:45 p.m., HBO): Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton star in this 2012 musical.Sunday on TV ...NFL: Minnesota Vikings at Houston Texans (11 a.m. Fox/Ch. 13); Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos (2 p.m., CBS/Ch. 2); New York Giants at Baltimore Ravens (2 p.m. Fox/Ch. 13); San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (6:20 p.m., NBC/Ch. 5)NBA (4 p.m., ROOT): Utah Jazz at Orlando MagicThe Sound of Music (6 p.m., ABC/Ch. 4): Classic 1965 movie musical.Sister Wives (10 p.m., TLC): The wives make a "polygamy pilgrimage" to Illinois, where Mormon leader Joseph Smith Jr. introduced polygamy.