Charles Durning finally gets the role he was born to play: Santa Claus. He stars as the matchmaking jolly guy in the cable romance “A Boyfriend for Christmas” (8 p.m. today, Hallmark). Kelli Williams (“The Practice”) plays a hard-driving do-gooder, and Patrick Muldoon (“Melrose Place”) is a slick corporate lawyer who does pro bono work on the side. It’s hate, or at least contempt, at first sight, until Kris Kringle gets into the act.

• “A Christmas Carol” (8 p.m. Sunday, NBC) combines the sweeps spectacular tradition of producer Robert Halmi (“Gulliver’s Travels”) with an original musical score by Oscar-winning composer Alan Menkin (“Beauty and the Beast”) and Tony-winning lyricist Lynn Ahrens (“Ragtime”).

Jason Alexander portrays Marley’s ghost with a curiously comic spin. He’s accompanied by a collection of ghouls who would not look out of place on a theme-park ride. They’re far more appropriate to a Halloween special than to “A Christmas Carol.” Kelsey Grammer gives his all as Scrooge. Oddly, his character grows less interesting as the musical runs on.

Today’s highlights

• Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed star in the 1946 Frank Capra favorite “It’s a Wonderful Life” (7 p.m., NBC).
• Frank the pug gets even more screen time in the 2002 sequel “Men in Black II” (7 p.m., Fox).

Sunday’s highlights

• Scheduled on “60 Minutes” (6 p.m., CBS): how the case against two alleged spies fell apart; a 12-year-old prodigy’s five symphonies; Dustin Hoffman.
• The voices of Mike Meyers and Cameron Diaz animate the 2001 comedy “Shrek” (6 p.m., NBC).
• A new home for an ailing child on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (7 p.m., ABC).
• Penelope Cruz and Susan Sarandon star in the holiday romance “Noel” (7 p.m., TNT).
• The neighborhood confronts a tragedy on “Desperate Housewives” (8 p.m., ABC).