Brotherly Not-Quite-Love at ‘St. Denis,’ Jonathan Groff Plays ‘Password,’ ‘Midsomer Murders’ at 25, Elmo Meets Mark Rober

St. Denis Medical

This week’s guest-star list on the hospital mockumentary includes It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia‘s David Hornsby and comedian Paul Scheer as combative brothers whom the staff hopes will put aside their sibling rivalry long enough for one to donate his kidney — anonymously — to the other. Charge nurse Alex (Allison Tolman) is all for this selfless act, though cynical Ron (David Alan Grier) isn’t buying it — and baits Alex to show her true colors when she insists, “Credit is of no interest to me.” Elsewhere, surgeon Bruce (Josh Lawson) enlists naïve nurse Matt (Mekki Leeper) to help him form a male friendship with someone, anyone (except maybe Matt), to avert loneliness. And former The Daily Show regular Al Madrigal visits St. Denis as a building inspector whom Joyce (Wendi McLendon-Covey) is sure she once dated — so why doesn’t he recognize her?

Password

One of the joys of growing up watching the daytime Password was discovering how well some celebrities played the word game. So it’s a total delight to watch Tony winner Jonathan Groff in action, whose performance in Merrily We Roll Along can now be seen in movie theaters, and who’s killing it nightly on Broadway as Bobby Darin in Just in Time. Playing opposite Jimmy Fallon, the radiant Groff uses his face and voice to great effect in holiday-themed rounds. (His depiction of a Nutcracker won’t soon be forgotten).

Game show fans are also in for a treat in the season finale of Fox’s Celebrity Weakest Link (9/8c), when host Jane Lynch prescribes the harsh medicine of sarcasm to a group of TV doctors — some actual physicians, some who just play docs on TV — who leave a lot to be desired in the arena of trivia. Players include Grey’s Anatomy‘s Jason George and former fake TV docs Torrey DeVitto (Chicago Med), Ryan Eggold (New Amsterdam), Kal Penn (House), and Hill Harper (The Good Doctor), alongside Dr. Terry Dubrow (Botched), Dr. Sandra Lee (Dr. Pimple Popper), and dermatologist Dr. Will Kirby (Big Brother).

Midsomer Murders

The popular British mystery series set in the cozy yet lethal country villages of Midsomer County marks its milestone 25th season with four feature-length whodunits, creating new challenges for DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) and DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix). In the first episode, “Treasures of Darkness,” the detectives enter the world of treasure-seeking mudlarkers, whose rivalry while looking for gems during low tide turns deadly.

Sesame Street

The giggly Sesame Street icon meets Mark Rober, the former NASA engineer turned star of YouTube and Netflix DIY science videos, for a holiday special in which they team up to create festive, imaginative gifts for a Merry Giftmas exchange. The special features three original songs, including “The Best Christmas Gift Is You.” Awww together now, how sweet is that!

DMV

Airing at a special earlier time, the freshman comedy steps away from the East Hollywood DMV office to attend a holiday party in Sacramento, where office manager Barb (Molly Kearney) hopes to impress the state’s DMV director with a hand-delivered card. That goes about as well as you’d expect, but all is not lost when the director’s exuberant assistant, played by Saturday Night Live alum Leslie Jones, steps in. Hoping for her own holiday miracle: Colette (Harriet Dyer), who’s urged to take advantage of Noa’s (Alex Tarrant) brief window of singlehood after his breakup with fellow surfer Mary.

INSIDE MONDAY TV:

• Celebrity Name That Tune (8/7c, Fox): Comedians Rob Riggle and Finesse Mitchell get serious about music in the first round of the tuneful game show.
• Monday Night Football (8:15 pm/ET, ABC and ESPN): The game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Chargers can also be seen in an alternate animated “Monsters Funday Football” format with a Monsters, Inc. twist on Disney+, Disney Channel, Disney XD, and ESPN2.
• The Neighborhood (8:30/7:30c, CBS): Holly Robinson Peete guest-stars as Tina’s (Tichina Arnold) new friend from the salon, whose past relationship with Calvin (Cedric the Entertainer) could sour the couple’s anniversary plans. In other relationship news, Marty (Marcel Spears) takes Dave (Max Greenfield) along to shop for a ring, which leads to a misunderstanding with Gemma (Beth Behrs).
• The Paper (8:30/7:30c, NBC): While Ned (Domhnall Gleeson) chases a story about a scammer using a dating app, he learns that Esmeralda (Sabrina Impacciatore) might have already fallen victim.
• FBI (9/8c, CBS): The team suspects an assassination attempt when a journalist is shot while interviewing a prime minister, but the conspiracy goes even deeper. Followed by a new episode of Watson (10/9c).
• Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse: Give the Man a Prize (11:30/10:30c, Comedy Central): The Daily Show regular satirizes the president’s desire to be rewarded a Nobel Peace Prize.

 ON THE STREAM:

• Dance Moms: A New Era (streaming on Hulu): In the reality show’s second season, Coach Flo hopes to rebuild her brand as Project X after Studio Bleu suddenly closes.
• Here Come the Irish (streaming on Peacock): The sports docuseries following the Notre Dame Fighting Irish college football team on and off the field returns for a second season.
• Predators (streaming on Paramount+): The documentary exploring the controversial legacy of Dateline‘s “To Catch a Predator” franchise makes its streaming debut.
• Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures (streaming on Disney+): Jedi Younglings Kai Brightstar, Lys Solay, and Nubs are back for a third season of schooling under the guidance of Jedi Master Yoda in the animated Star Wars