Cage falls short of Capra classic

I know some of you are getting nervous. Breaking into a sweat, even. It’s already the day after Thanksgiving, and NBC hasn’t broadcast “It’s A Wonderful Life” yet. What gives? NBC has decided to wait until Dec. 10 to air the 1946 Frank Capra holiday favorite.

In its stead, NBC airs “The Family Man” (7 p.m., NBC). Nicolas Cage stars as a hard-charging businessman who wakes up Christmas morning to discover everything has changed. He finds himself married to his former college sweetheart (Tea Leoni) and is the father of two. It may be a wonderful life, but it’s not his. Or is it?

¢ While we’re on the subject of moldy wax fruit, Fox presents “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones” (7 p.m., Fox). This film is the second chapter in a trilogy set more than a decade after the events of “The Phantom Menace.” But we all know it’s the second installment in a lame trilogy of prequels made more than two decades after the last decent “Star Wars” movie. Dazzling special effects and battle scenes don’t begin to make up for some of the worst dialogue and wooden acting ever committed to celluloid.

¢ You’ve heard of “The Incredibles.” Now meet “The X’s” (7 p.m., Nickelodeon), a family of superspies who battle the world’s most nefarious evildoers without ever upsetting their suburban neighborhood or revealing their secret lives to their prying neighbors. Nickelodeon launches “The X’s” with three consecutive episodes, featuring the voices of Wendy Malick (“Just Shoot Me”) and Patrick Warburton (“Seinfeld”).

Tonight’s other highlights

¢ An eager bride has competition from beyond the grave on “Ghost Whisperer” (7 p.m., CBS).

¢ Peter Gallagher (“The OC”), George C. Scott and Catherine Zeta-Jones star in the 1996 miniseries “Titanic” (7 p.m., WE) about a liner’s unfortunate run-in with an iceberg.

¢ Toxic avengers on “Numb3rs” (9 p.m., CBS).

¢ Adrian worries if he can stay faithful to his deceased wife on “Monk” (9 p.m., USA).