Halloween looms. And we lose time to darkness tonight as the clocks tick back one hour. Is this a weekend for monster movies, or what? The networks don’t miss a beat, abandoning programming for the 2000 horror spoof “Scary Movie” (7 p.m. today, NBC) and “Monsters, Inc.” (7 p.m. today, ABC), the 2001 computer-animated comedy.

Over on the Sci Fi Channel, every Saturday night is Halloween. Their latest low-budget shocker “Cerberus” (8 p.m. today, Sci Fi) “stars” the legendary hound from Hades, the guardian of the dead. A very convoluted plot concerns a cabal of stereotypical bad guys, including a sadistic biker dude, various henchman and a demented renegade general from North Korea.

Do you pine for the days when movies were based on good books and not mind-numbing video games? You’re in luck. Based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, “Kidnapped” on “Masterpiece Theatre” (8 p.m. Sunday, PBS, concludes next Sunday) recalls old fashioned tales where the action never stopped, or failed to surprise you. Young country boy Davie Balfour (Anthony Pearson) loses his father, discovers he has a rich uncle, gets hoodwinked and sold into slavery amidst rough pirates. And that’s just in the first 20 minutes. Beautiful scenery, memorable performances and impressive special effects abound. Watch this classic, or you’ll wish you had walked the plank.

Nine boldface names get a chance to live out their pop star dreams on “But Can They Sing?” (9 p.m. Sunday, VH1). Would-be crooners include Morgan Fairchild, Joe Pantaliano, Bai Ling, Antonio Sabato Jr, and others.

Tonight’s highlights

¢ Scheduled on “48 Hours Mystery” (9 p.m., CBS): a cop accused of killing his wife to further his career.

¢ Shooter Jennings, son of Waylon, appears in his own music special “Shooter” (9 p.m., CMT).

¢ Lance Armstrong hosts “Saturday Night Live” (10:30 p.m., NBC), featuring musical guest Sheryl Crow.

Sunday’s highlights

¢ Dancing on a third rail on “West Wing” (7 p.m., NBC).

¢ Patti LaBelle performs on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (7 p.m., ABC).

¢ A train wreck fills the hospital on “Grey’s Anatomy” (9 p.m., ABC).