Jingle bell rock

Traditional carols get a twist in two new musical specials starting with "CMT Country Christmas" (7 p.m., KSTP, Ch. 5), hosted by Reba McEntire and featuring a duet by Diana Krall and Tony Bennett. Follow the twang with the a cappella chaser "Pentatonix: A Not So Silent Night" (9 p.m., KARE, Ch. 11) with guest harmonies from Kelly Clarkson and the Backstreet Boys.

Not so precious

Andy Serkis, best known for his performance-capture roles in "Lord of the Rings" and "Planet of the Apes," directs and portrays the bear Baloo in "Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle," a long shelved film based on tales by Rudyard Kipling. The movie's delay is a head-scratcher considering that Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett and Benedict Cumberbatch are among the stars who lent their voices to this ambitious effort.

Now streaming on Netflix

Can you spare a dime?

It's not often that presidents take a back seat in a documentary on U.S. history, but in "Vice Special Report: The Untold Story of the 2008 Financial Crisis," Barack Obama and George W. Bush are eloquent bystanders who cede the spotlight to "the money guys" — Henry Paulson, Ben Bernanke, Timothy Geithner — whether they like it or not. All the players are frank and humble as they look back at this often misunderstood chapter.

9 p.m., HBO

Neal Justin