What a wonderful world

"The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" is more marvelous than ever, as long as you don't get hung up on historical accuracy. During the first five episodes of Season 3, our hero hits the road to open up for a black soul singer who never experiences any racial discrimination despite the fact that the Emmy-winning series is set around 1960. What else do you expect in a fantasy world where pregnant women never show, Lenny Bruce is all charm and our wisecracking heroine has more shoes than Imelda Marcos? This is escapism TV at its best — or worst — depending on how you look at it.

Now streaming on Amazon Prime

The gift of giving

Ellen DeGeneres has so much fun playing Santa Claus that she may want to consider sporting a white beard. The daytime queen's holiday list is lengthy, so NBC is airing her prime-time special, "Ellen's Greatest Night of Giveaways," over three consecutive nights. Jennifer Aniston, Sterling K. Brown and Jason Momoa serve as elves, delivering presents to unsuspecting strangers in extra need of some Christmas cheer.

7 p.m. Tue.-Thu., KARE, Ch. 11

Basic instincts

It takes awhile for "Timeless" star Abigail Spencer to prove she's a formidable femme fatale in the stylish new drama "Reprisal," but when she finally bares her teeth you'll think Barbara Stanwyck is back in business. Much of the tawdry action, which includes an elaborate scene in a kinky strip joint, owes as much to Quentin Tarantino as it does to classic film noir.

Now streaming on Hulu

Neal Justin