TV tonight: 'Music,' 'Homeland,' 'Mentalist'

The Sound of Music
ABC, 7 ET/PT

Looking for a family-friendly TV stop on the Sunday before Christmas? Consider ABC's rebroadcast of one of the most popular movie musicals of all time, the big-screen version of Rodgers & Hammerstein's The Sound of Music. It's always been a bit sweet for some, but there's no denying it's gorgeously shot and professionally polished to a near blinding shine. (Before you discount the joys of professionalism, consider the amateurishness that marred last season's live TV version.) And its virtues have always been considerable, including Julie Andrews, Alps, kids, and a great score — presented tonight in the version that encourages you to sing along. Go ahead: You know you want to.

Homeland/The Affair
Showtime, Sunday, 9 ET/PT

Not feeling the holiday? Showtime has the answer: Two finales that promise to be less than festive. Let's face it: If the Von Trapp kids had been in Homeland, they never would have made it over those mountains alive.

The Mentalist
CBS, 9:30 ET/9 PT

This long-running mystery puts Patrick Jane's deductive skills to a new test. Can he solve a murder without leaving his office, where he's confined due to a plot-driving illness? The smart money says "yes," and if we're lucky, it should be fun watching him prove the smart money right. And if nothing else, it's a change in the formula.