Jean-Christophe Novelli runs Bravo's "Chef Academy."

Two reality-competitions wrap up this week, while another launches, and the first Christmas specials break the pre-Thanksgiving barrier. (At least they waited until after Halloween.) Here’s all that and more.

“Chef Academy,” 9 p.m. Monday on Bravo
Chef Jean-Christophe Novelli, who is apparently famous — and considered quite sexy — in Great Britain, comes to Los Angeles to start a training program for chefs, but first he wants to test the concept on a bunch of students ranging from the trained (some have already attended culinary school) to novices (one big-haired blonde seems to have wandered in from a “Real Housewives” installment). Novelli arrives with a sous chef and a pregnant fiancee and acquires a personal assistant (think Kenneth the Page), then auditions candidates in the opening episode. The concept is overly contrived, and the dialogue sometimes seems scripted, but once Novelli settles in, there’s real cooking  going on here.  

“Merry Madagascar,” 7 p.m. Tuesday on NBC
Kids who loved the “Madagascar” movies should enjoy this animated holiday special with the same voices. And who could resist a sleigh full of toys pulled by penguins. Later in the week, “Larry the Cable Guy’s Hulu-Palooza Christmas Luau” (8 p.m. Friday on CMT) is exactly what it sounds like.

“Frontline: A Death in Tehran,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on PBS
The hour looks at the life and on-camera death of Neda Soltan, shot to death during protests over Iran’s controversial presidential election last summer.

“Melrose Place,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on the CW
Heather Locklear finally arrives, as Amanda Woodward, to save the CW’s “Melrose Place” remake, which hasn’t been setting the ratings on fire. And speaking of fire — Amanda (who when last seen had staged her own fiery death) is head of the advertising agency now and has firing on her mind.
 
“‘World Magic Awards,” 7 p.m. Thursday on MyNetworkTV (Channel 46)
Robert Wagner and Jill St. Johns are hosts, but I’m not watching magic awards until they promise me GOB from “Arrested Development.”

“Project Runway,” season finale, 9 p.m. Thursday on Lifetime
The three finalists (Irina, Althea and Carol Hannah) show their drab, grey-and-black collections in the finale of one of the least interesting “Runway” seasons, possibly because inconsistent judging eliminated some of the most visionary designers too early. Also wrapping up their seasons this week is “America’s Next Top Model” (8 p.m. Wednesday on the CW).

‘American Music Awards,” 7 p.m. Sunday on ABC
Janet Jackson opens the show, with performances by Rihanna, Green Day, Shakira, Mary J. Blige, Keith Urban, Lady GaGa, Eminem, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Lopez, Black Eyed Peas, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Daughtry and Adam Lambert.