Happy 14th – today is Brains‘ birthday! What’s new / what’s worth watching to celebrate?

The 8:00 Hour –

ABC has an all new holiday special with JENNIFER HUDSON: I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS.  The Oscar winner sings some Christmas classics, and does some duets with the adorable Michael Bublé.  Over on CBS, the whole night is all new – on HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, the gang tries to quit their previously unmentioned smoking habit; on ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE, Billie’s parents come over for Christmas, and Billie and Zack try to keep them from finding out that he lives there.

FOX has a rerun of HOUSE – the Christmas episode where Cuddy gets her baby girl!  NBC throws their hat in the singing competition ring with the acapella group show THE SING OFF.  Ben Folds, Shawn Stockman, and Nicole Scherzinger are the judges.  The five day marathon of THE VAMPIRE DIARIES starts tonight – check out the Pilot either again or for the first time.

The 9:00 Hour –

On ABC, you’ll find another episode of FIND MY FAMILY.  CBS has new episodes of TWO AND A HALF MEN and THE BIG BANG THEORY.  On 2.5, Charlie teaches Jake the tricks of infidelity – always a good plan.  Over on TBBT, Leonard’s mother, played by Christine Baranski, stops in for a visit with a happy Sheldon.

NBC continues with THE SING OFF through the hour.  Don’t miss the Fall Finale of LIE TO ME – The Lightman Group deals with a disgruntled farmer, and Loker keeps an eye on a stranded class of school kids stuck at the office!  Check out the second episode of THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, which finds Elena and Damon meeting for the first time.  Another great episode of THE CLOSER airs on TNT – Provenza’s ex partner, played by Beau Bridges, comes out of retirement to help investigate an old case that has come up again.

The 10:00 Hour –

CASTLE is a rerun on ABC – it’s the episode where the lead singer of Alexis’ favorite band is found murdered and the lyrics of her latest song help solve the case.  CSI: MIAMI is brand new as Alex Rodriguez returns to play Delko – this time an expert witness for the defense, pitting him against his old team mates.

Over on NBC, Leno is all new.  Another all new episode of MEN OF A CERTAIN AGE airs on TNT – Joe contemplates moving out of the hotel he’s been living in since splitting with his wife (Penelope Ann Miller);  Owen deals with his jerky dad who gives him a crappy car to drive around in; and Terry deals with the guy who almost hits him while driving recklessly through town.