What's On Tonight (Saturday): Moms need lovin', too

Mom's Christmas Boyfriend

Merry Christmas Eve Eve! Here's what's on television for tonight, Saturday, December 23!

Our Top Pick tonight is the TV movie Mom's Christmas Boyfriend (Lifetime, 8 p.m.), one of the night's few original offerings. The movie, the last Lifetime Christmas original this year, stars Jeananne Goossen (The Night Shift!) as the adoptive mom of young Emma (Ai Barrett), who wins a contest to have her wish granted. The love interest played by Zach Smadu, who is a regular on Family Law.

Elsewhere, Extended Family premieres, Night Court is in Christmas session, Planet Earth III concludes, Peter Quill gets What If... treatment, and the final TV Christmas movies premiere.

(All times are Eastern. All listings are new unless otherwise stated. For more listings, visit The Futon Critic or Zap2it.)

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EARLY STREAMING & EVENING

What If...? (Disney+, 3 a.m.): What If... the Peter Quill attacked Earth's mightiest heroes? (The United States marines?)

WHAT ELSE IS ON

🏈 2023 Las Vegas Bowl (ABC, 7:30 p.m.): Utah vs. Northwestern

🏈 2023 68 Ventures Bowl (ESPN, 7 p.m.): South Alabama vs. Eastern Michigan

🇰🇷 Maestra: Strings of Truth (Hulu, 8:50 a.m.)

🇰🇷 My Demon (Netflix, 8 a.m.)

🇰🇷 Welcome to Samdal-ri (Netflix, 8:30 a.m.)

What If... (via Giphy)

🕗 8 P.M. EASTERN / 🕖 7 P.M. CENTRAL

Extended Family (NBC, 8:05 p.m. / Peacock, Sunday): SERIES PREMEIRE. "Jim, a recently divorced dad, has a mishap with his daughter's beloved pet goldfish and must begrudgingly seek the help of his ex-wife and her new boyfriend, deepening the bonds of their still-shaping, unconventional co-parenting arrangement."

🎥🎄 A Royal Christmas Holiday (Great American Family): In the midst of the fourth year of the War on Christmas, reporter Elizabeth Lane lands an interview with Krampus, the ruler of the Koal Federation. In his palace, they discuss his domestic policies and treatment of his people, something he rarely does since there is no free press in the Federation. He saw an opportunity with the growing vocalness of the peace-seeking lawmakers in the Christmasia Parliament. Maybe he can win sympathy. But Lane is not easily influenced. She presses Krampus on his wartime tactics since he is the aggressor who started it, and in retreat his forces have a scored-earth habit. In 4 years, his gains have been minimal, though Christmasia has cracks as regions get isolated and supply lines broken. Then Lane sees Marvin Merchant. The interview ends, and she sneaks off to find him. The last time they met, she was interviewing him for his (weak) espionage in the Pumpkin/Spice community. And then the lights went dark and he disappeared. She spots and chases him through halls, but then she is stopped by a hooded man. He tells her to stop because it will only lead to a dark part of continental politics and society. However, Elizabeth knows the voice. It's Arthur Charles, the forgotten son of Christmasia Prime Minister Kris Kringle and big figure in the underworld.

⭐🎥🎄 Mom's Christmas Boyfriend (Lifetime): "A precocious 10-year-old girl makes a Christmas wish for her adoptive mother to find true love." "Mommy needs to get laid," she said?

🎄 Night Court (NBC, 8:35 p.m. / Peacock, Sunday): It's Christmastime at Night Court. Abby enlists Dan on her quest to track down a little girl's letter to Santa. Gurgs' gift for Dan isn't what she expected. Olivia is haunted by a witness who believes herself to be the Ghost of Christmas Present.

Planet Earth III (BBC America & AMC+): SERIES FINALE. Conservation advocates take risks to save wildlife by exploring remote jungles, going undercover to catch criminals and making a microlight journey to lead endangered birds to safety.

WHAT ELSE IS ON

All Elite Wrestling: Collision (TNT)

🎥 Christmas with the Chosen: Holy Night (The CW)

Love & Marriage: Huntsville (OWN)

🎥 Svengoolie (MeTV): The Black Cat

🕘 9 P.M. EASTERN / 🕗 8 P.M. CENTRAL

🎥🎄 Christmas Revisited (OWN): Old college friends gather at a mountain cabin for Christmas. New secrets surface as they learn about each other's old resentments, but the spirit of Christmas proves to be a healing influence and an unexpected romance blossoms.

WHAT ELSE IS ON

🎥 Beau Is Afraid (Showtime)

Heartland Docs, DVM (National Geographic Wild)

📺 A Saturday Night Live Christmas Special (NBC)

🕙 10 P.M. EASTERN / 🕘 9 P.M. CENTRAL

📺 Combat! (Heroes & Icons): Saunders helps a soldier reunite with his French father — a collaborator.

WHAT ELSE IS ON

🏈 2023 Hawai'i Bowl (ESPN, 10:30 p.m.): Coastal Carolina vs. San Jose State

Buddy Valastro's Cake Dynasty (A&E)

Beau Is Afraid (via Giphy)

💤😴 LATE NIGHT 😴💤

📺 Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (MeTV, 2 a.m.): Nelson is brainwashed into trying to destroy the Seaview, and comes perilously close to succeeding.

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Key Sources: The Futon Critic; IMDb; TV Passport; Zap2it
⭐: Top Pick
💲: Game show🇰🇷: Korean Drama

🎥: Movie
📺: Throwback

🎄: Holiday program

✔️: Video/gif/photo included

Happy watching, everyone!