‘The Simpsons’
COMEDY. There have been plenty of “ha-ha!” moments on “The Simpsons,” but as the series hits 500 episodes on Sunday, has the beloved dysfunctional family overstayed their welcome? We mean that literally more than critically — we’ll watch this comedy as long as Matt Groening and co. keep churning out episodes — when the Simpson clan is evicted from Springfield and joins an off-the-grid community in the milestone half-hour.
Sunday, 8 p.m., Fox
‘Downton Abbey’
DRAMA. You, like us, probably decided to stick with this sumptuous period drama despite its strange turns — like the misdiagnosed paraplegic plot — this season. (That soundtrack, after all, is quite hypnotic.) Soapy red herrings aside, fans will eagerly tune in to Sunday’s melodramatic season finale, in which stoic servant Bates is on trial for his wife’s murder and evil Sir Richard Carlisle still stands between lady Mary and heir Matthew. Oh, and it’s Christmas! So expect the manor and its inhabitants to look even more dazzling than usual.
Sunday, Season finale, 9 p.m., PBS
‘The Amazing Race’
REALITY. Is this global adventure still “amazing” as it enters its 20th season? Well, one team consists of a pair of married Ringling Bros. clowns, so in regards to casting, at least, we’ll say yes.
Season premiere, Sunday, 8 p.m., CBS
“I Ain’t Scared of You: A Tribute to Bernie Mac”
SPECIAL. The late, great comedian — who died in 2008 at the age of 50 due to complications from pneumonia — is honored in this documentary, which features never-before-seen performances by the star and remembrances by famous friends, like Chris Rock.
Sunday, 10 p.m., Comedy Central
‘The Celebrity Apprentice’
REALITY. New Jersey “Real Housewife” Teresa Giudice is a contestant. If there’s a table-flipping challenge, she is so going to win this.
Season premiere, Sunday, 9 p.m., NBC
