Tonight's TV Hot List: Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010

Community
8/7c NBC
Tonight Troy reaches an important milestone: his 21st birthday. What initially starts as a tame study-room celebration soon changes into a night out at a bar. While Shirley focuses her efforts on getting rid of incriminating photos of herself scattered throughout the establishment, Annie decides to get into character based on her fake ID. And while the others enjoy socializing, Senor Chang is hot on their tails, determined to crash the party. — Brie Hearn

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The Santa Suit

8/7c Hallmark
Kevin Sorbo plays a modern-day Scrooge in tonight's original movie. Sorbo's Drake Hunter is a selfish toy-company executive whose encounter with a mysterious man transforms him into a Santa doppelgänger. The change in his appearance presents several problems for Drake, especially when he's mistaken for a vagrant and forced into a homeless shelter. But experiencing a simpler life and learning how he's perceived by others leaves Drake a kinder and more compassionate man...just in time for Christmas. — Brie Hearn

NBA Basketball
8/7c TNT
Expect plenty of flashbulbs and an a demonstrative crowd as LeBron makes his initial return to Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena in the season's first meeting between the Miami Heat and the Cavaliers. Cavs fans have to be happy to see that James (along with former Cavs/current Heat teammate Zydrunas Ilgauskas) hasn't exactly been dominating the league with his new team; but the season is young, and James will be doing his best to quiet his former fans as quickly as possible. — Dave Roeder

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Grey's Anatomy9/8c ABC It certainly has been an autumn of discontent for Cristina, who hit bottom (let's hope she did, anyhow) at Joe's in the last episode. Maybe Derek, who has been acting almost fatherly toward her lately, can help her snap out of it when he takes her on a fishing trip tonight. Back in the OR, tension is brewing between their respective better halves, Owen and Meredith, and they'll go at it. But not in the way that "Grey's Anatomy" hot docs usually do. Scott Foley guests as Teddy's dying — and uninsured — patient. — Paul DroeschBrad Meltzer's Decoded10/9c HistorySuspense-and-mystery writer Brad Meltzer's novels have dealt with conspiracies and secret codes. In his 10-part series, he turns from fiction to the real world to examine the world's secret symbols, codes and conspiracy theories. The opener focuses on the mystery surrounding a cornerstone at the White House laid by Freemasons. Meltzer has serious credibility when it comes to the White House, as his novel The Book of Fate, which involves a code written by Thomas Jefferson (and the subject of an upcoming episode) was researched with the help of Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush. — Bill Ecklund
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia10/9c FX It's not hard to get from Philadelphia to Atlantic City. It's a straight shot, about 60 miles on an expressway, and any idiot can get there easily. Of course, Frank, Mac and the very-pregnant Dee aren't just any idiots, and they manage to get lost in the woods on the way there tonight. Hope that Jersey Devil doesn't get ya', guys. Meanwhile, Dennis and Charlie do make it to the shore and end up livin' large. Philadelphia Phillies stars Ryan Howard and Chase Utley have cameos. — Paul Droesch
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The Apprentice10/9c NBC Cycle 10 of Donald Trump's big-business reality series begins its seasonal downsizing in Part 1 of the two-part finale. (The conclusion airs next week.) Tension flares right away when one candidate takes some Trump lumps and is fired, leaving the final two players to battle it out in the climactic challenge with help from previously ousted contestants. One finalist tees off and takes a mighty swing by overseeing a VIP golf tournament featuring funnywoman Kathy Griffin. The other must face the music, organizing a Liza Minnelli concert and dinner. — Dean Maurer