Posted Sunday, May 20, 2018 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
The old-school broadcast season ends on Wednesday so a few shows finish up this week including "Dancing With the Stars" and "American Idol" on ABC Monday, CBS's "NCIS" and NBC's "The Voice" Tuesday and Fox's "Empire" and NBC's "Law & Order: SVU" Wednesday.
Plus, ABC wraps "The Middle" after nine seasons on Tuesday after "Roseanne," which concludes its technical 10th season but its first in two decades.
This covers Monday, May 21 through Sunday, May 27, 2018.
MONDAY
"Dancing With the Stars" 8 p.m. ABC (26th season finale) — This truncated athletic edition features three finalists: figure skaters Tonya Harding and Adam Rippon as well as an NFL player Josh Norman.
"The Voice" 8 p.m. NBC — It's the live performance finale for the final four.
"Miss USA" 8 p.m. Fox — Vanessa and Nick Lachey host.
"The Final Year" 8 p.m. HBO — Following members of President Barack Obama's foreign-policy team during the last year of his administration, as they negotiate the Paris climate accord and pursue friendlier relations with Cuba.
"American Idol" 9 p.m. ABC (16th season finale) — Georgia's Caleb Lee Hutchinson faces off against Iowa's Maddie Poppe and Pittsburgh's Gabby Garrett for the crown.
"The Terror" 9 p.m. AMC (first season finale) — The expedition's epic journey reaches its climax as men find themselves in a final confrontation with the Inuit mythology they've trespassed into.
"Elementary" 10 p.m. CBS — Watson considers making a major life change after reading her own therapy file while Holmes and she investigate the murder of her former psychologist.
"Running With Bear Grylls" 10:01 p.m. NBC — Bear takes Lena Headey on the ride of her life as they paramotor deep into the Spanish wilderness.
TUESDAY
"NCIS" 8 p.m. CBS (15th season finale) — Sloane is adamant that a man who held her hostage and tortured her years ago in Afghanistan, and was believed to have been killed following her rescue, is alive and in D.C.
"Roseanne" 8 p.m. ABC (10th season finale) — Roseanne's knee gets worse so Dan is forced to a make an important work decision.
"The Middle" 8:30 p.m. ABC (series finale) — A Heck leaves the nest as the family takes a road trip to Denver, where Axl will start his new job—and new life away from home.
"The Voice" 9 p.m. NBC (14th season finale) — Lots of big stars show up including Jason Aldean, Halsey, James Bay, Florence + the Machine and Dua Lipa.
"Splitting Up Together" 9:30 p.m. ABC (first season finale) — Lena and Martin choose to share the house for the summer while the children are away at camp despite Lena's reservations, but soon realize it might not be the worst idea.
"For the People" 10 p.m. ABC (first season finale) — Sandra defends a hydrologist accused of spying for the Chinese government, but the similarities between this and a former case she lost has her confidence shaken.
WEDNESDAY
"Empire" 8 p.m. Fox (fourth season finale) — As the Empire ownership bid presentation nears, Lucious must make a difficult decision to save the future of the company and his family, while Eddie shows no signs of backing down.
"Survivor" 8 p.m. CBS (36th season finale) — Is there any way anybody but Domenick or Wendell can win this?
"Star" 9 p.m. Fox (second season finale) — When egos clash, Take 3's future as a group is at risk. Noah's continued substance use jeopardizes his relationships with the people who care about him most and Simone and Angel's relationship faces the biggest test yet.
"Law & Order: SVU" 9 p.m. NBC (19th season finale) — A young woman takes a man hostage at gunpoint; and Benson makes a dangerous attempt to defuse the situation.
"Brockmire" 10 p.m. IFC — Jules visits Jim, who gives her a tour of New Orleans.
"The Americans" 10 p.m. FX — Elizabeth wrestles with competing loyalties, and Philip has an encounter that turns into much more than he had bargained for.
"Colony" 10 p.m. USA — Will and Katie fear they might be in danger when the Resistance camp is put in lockdown.
THURSDAY
"The Last Days of Michael Jackson" 8 p.m. ABC — A look into the sad end of a legend.
"Terence Howard's Fright Club" 8 p.m. Fox — The "Empire" star pranks a bunch of super fans.
"Hollywood Game Night" 9 p.m. NBC — Kelly Clarkson, Sean Hayes, Jack Black, Chelsea Handler, Isla Fisher, Sarah Silverman, Sasheer Zamata and Cedric the Entertainer compete in support of the mission to end child poverty.
"Red Nose Day" 10 p.m. NBC — A star-studded cast of Hollywood favorites comes together to change the lives of kids in need.
"Citizen Rose" 10 p.m. E! (new series) — Rose cancels the remainder of her press tour and travels to an undisclosed location with her aunt, after being verbally attacked by a protester at a reading for her book.
FRIDAY
"Steve Martin and Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life" 3:01 a.m. Netflix (second season debut) — The two old buddies yuk it up.
"Phenoms" 8 p.m. Fox (new series) — Kickoff of a five-part series chronicling the lives of rising world soccer stars with eyes on success in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
"Quantico" 8 p.m. ABC (new time slot) — Alex and McQuigg are assigned to protect a prince following the assassination of an emir—but the team soon realizes the killer is closer than they think.
"Undercover Boss" 8 p.m. CBS — YouTube sensation and author Bethany Mota goes undercover to identify up-and-coming YouTube talent.
WEEKEND
"The Tale" 10 p.m. Saturday HBO — A journalist re-examines her childhood memories after her mother discovers a story she wrote four decades earlier that detail sexual relationships she had with two adult coaches when she was 13 years old.
"The Good Fight" 3:01 a.m. Sunday CBS All Access (second season finale) — CBS has given this a third season.
"Instinct" 8 p.m. Sunday CBS — When a woman is shot outside a community center, Dylan and Lizzie are challenged by the mayor to solve the case in less than 24 hours to quell pressure from the media and special interest groups.
"1968: The Year That Changed America" 9 p.m. Sunday CNN (new series) — The premiere of the documentary series, which recalls the tumultuous year of 1968.
"Deception" 9 p.m. Sunday ABC (series finale) — The Deception team goes up against the Mystery Woman in a battle of dueling deceptions.
"Saints & Sinners" 9 p.m. Sunday Bounce (third season finale) — Cypress tragedies come full circle as Lady Ella embraces Rex and the dark side. Lady Byrd gets a taste of her own medicine.
"Westworld" 9 p.m. Sunday HBO — No descriptive, just a show title "Phase Space."
"Trust" 10 p.m. Sunday FX (first season finale) — The Gettys and the Italians deal with the repercussions of the kidnapping.
