Animated theologians return for holidays

You don’t have to be Lutheran to love “Davey and Goliath.” The classic stop-motion animated morality-tale series featuring a little rubber boy and his faithful talking dog returns to television after more than 30 years with the holiday special “Davey and Goliath’s Snowboard Christmas” (11 a.m. Sunday, Hallmark).

A Sunday-morning staple in the 1960s and ’70s, “Davey and Goliath” was a presentation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and had the clear intent of bringing a religious message to young viewers. In every episode, Davey would follow his free will and get into some kind of jam, while Goliath doggedly offered cautionary advice.

As a young, cartoon-obsessed non-Lutheran, I always found the stories fascinating, and the “message” parts vaguely spooky and a tad out of the blue. All of the sudden Goliath would ask, “Why do we die, Davey?” only to get an earnest answer from Davey’s dad or some other authority figure. It’s interesting to note that in subsequent decades some of the most popular cartoons, from “Peanuts” to “The Simpsons” and even “South Park,” have gone on to tackle questions of faith.

Today’s highlights

  • The voices of Ed Asner, Betty White and Tim Curry animate the 1996 holiday special “The Story of Santa Claus” (7 p.m., CBS).
  • Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo and Randy Quaid star in the 1989 comedy “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (7 p.m., NBC).
  • Denzel Washington stars in the 1997 football drama “Remember the Titans” (7 p.m., ABC).
  • A departed mother returns for the holidays in the 2004 Christmas weepy “Angel in the Family” (8 p.m., Hallmark).
  • Scheduled on “48 Hours Mystery” (9 p.m., CBS): new theories about the murder of JonBenet Ramsey.
  • A body is fished from a swimming pool on “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” (9 p.m., NBC).
  • Robert De Niro hosts “Saturday Night Live” (10:30 p.m., NBC), featuring musical guests Destiny’s Child.

Sunday’s highlights

  • Scheduled on “60 Minutes” (6 p.m., CBS): Miami Dolphins renegade Ricky Williams; Gretchen Wilson; a controversial biblical ossuary.
  • Scheduled on “Dateline” (6 p.m., NBC): an interview with Kirstie Alley.
  • A Kansas farm girl (Judy Garland) gets blown far off course in the 1939 musical fantasy “The Wizard of Oz” (6:30 p.m., WB).