AP-AM Prep-TV

       MORNING PREP - MORNING PREP - MORNING PREP - MORNING PREP        

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! TONIGHT'S TV !

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TONIGHT'S TV

It's the animated animals of "Madagascar" to the rescue.

NBC is replaying the new animated special, "Merry Madagascar." Santa gets amnesia when his sleigh crashes. So the animals of the "Madagascar" movies deliver the presents and save Christmas. The animals, voiced by Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith, learn a few lessons in the process. Carl Reiner is the voice of Santa Claus. NBC stays animated by showing "The Incredibles" next. A former superhero tries to live a quiet life with his super-powered family. But, they eventually have to save the world.

Andrew McCarthy and Evan Williams star in tonight's original Hallmark Channel movie: "The National Tree." Based on a novel, they play a father and son who transport an evergreen from Oregon to The White House. The movie is being shown twice tonight. In between screenings is the debut of Billy Ray Cyrus' latest music video. It's "We'll Get By (We Always Do)" which is inspired by next week's Hallmark Channel movie, "Christmas in Canaan," starring Cyrus.

CBS has reruns of "The Good Wife" and "Criminal Minds," followed by a new "48 Hours Mystery."

If you want more "Criminal Minds," A&E is running a marathon of the series.

Fox has a new "Cops," an old "Cops" and a new edition of "America's Most Wanted."

College football is on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and Fox Sports.

And, looking at more movie choices: "Scream 3" is on MTV, Will Ferrell, James Caan and Bob Newhart star in "Elf" on USA, "Footloose" with Kevin Bacon is on TV Land and "Gladiator," with an Oscar-winning Russell Crowe, is on TNT.

by Rosalie Fox