TV Best Bets

Friday, May 19: ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ Season 3 on Netflix

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Eric Liebowitz/Netflix

All Times Eastern.

ALSO SEE: The End Is Near: 2017 TV Season Finale Schedule, Renewals and Cancellations

Friday, May 19

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Netflix
Season Premiere!
The popular and acclaimed comedy starring Ellie Kemper and Tituss Burgess returns for Season 3, with new guest stars including Laura Dern, Daveed Diggs, Rachel Dratch, Ray Liotta, Andrea Martin and Maya Rudolph, along with returning guest stars Fred Armisen, Anna Camp, Mike Carlsen, Josh Charles, David Cross, Tina Fey, Jon Hamm and Amy Sedaris.

Undercover Boss: “Marcus Samuelsson”
CBS, 8pm
Season Finale!
The Undercover Boss season ends with this celebrity special, as internationally acclaimed chef and restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson goes undercover to find and mentor new culinary talent in a special celebrity edition. During his mission, he discovers some gifted aspiring chefs at a public cooking class, a culinary institute, a high-end food truck and a soup kitchen.

First Dates: “I Take a Lot of Selfies”
NBC, 8pm
One dater talks about her insecurities that stem from being bullied as a child, but her date showers her with compliments to get her to open up. At another table, a medium is trying to meet someone who understands his unique talents, while elsewhere, two daters open up to each other about the struggles of dating after a divorce.

12 Monkeys
Syfy, 8pm
Season Premiere!
The sci-fi hit airs its penultimate season, its third, in a unique way. The entire 10 episodes of Season 3 will air May 19-21, with the first four episodes premiering tonight, with three episodes airing both Saturday and Sunday. Joining the cast as recurring guest stars are Hannah Waddingham, Faran Tahir and James Callis. Christopher Lloyd is set to appear in what is billed as a “memorable” guest-starring role as a deadly cult leader with sinister motives.

The New “I Love Lucy” Superstar Special
CBS, 9pm
CBS presents two newly colorized episodes of I Love Lucy from 1955 in this one-hour special. In “The Dancing Star,” Lucy (Lucille Ball) hopes special guest Van Johnson can help her get out of a jam. Then in “Lucy and Harpo Marx,” Ricky (Desi Arnaz) gets comedian Harpo Marx to give Lucy a surprise visit.

American Masters: “James Beard”
PBS, 9pm
Experience a century of food through the life of iconic chef James Beard. The quintessential American cook, he hosted the first cooking show on television in 1946, was a pioneer of the farm-to-table movement, and introduced Julia Child to New York.

Saturday, May 20

Becoming Bond
Hulu
This unique documentary/narrative hybrid chronicles the stranger-than-fiction true story of George Lazenby, a poor Australian car mechanic who, through an unbelievable set of circumstances, landed the role of James Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), despite having never acted a day in his life.

Horse Racing: 142nd Preakness Stakes
NBC, 5pm Live
Can Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming go 2 for 2? The second leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown, the 142nd Preakness Stakes, takes place today at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: All-Star Race
FS1, 6pm Live
The Monster Energy All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway has NASCAR’s top drivers competing in three stages of 20 laps and a final 10-car, 10-lap stage to determine the winner of a $1 million prize. The night begins with the Monster Energy Open (formerly the Sprint Showdown) qualifying race, giving drivers a final opportunity to drive in the main event. In a new competition wrinkle, teams will be given the option to use one set of Goodyear soft tires, which provide better grip and increased speed, forcing crew chiefs to strategize on when to use the soft tires.

The Wizard of Lies
HBO, 8pm
Original Film!
Robert De Niro and Barry Levinson executive produce this devastating examination of the human toll of Bernard Madoff’s decades-long Ponzi scheme, with a special focus on how Madoff fooled federal investigators and his closest intimates, and the suffering he inflicted on his own family. Based on New York Times reporter Diana B. Henriques’ 2011 bestseller The Wizard of Lies: Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust, the film stars De Niro as the disgraced financier, Michelle Pfeiffer as his emotionally fragile wife Ruth, and Nathan Darrow and Alessandro Nivola as the sons who struggled to their last day with the fallout of their father’s deceit.

Autopsy: The Last Hours Of … Prince
Reelz, 8pm
Pop superstar Prince ascended to (one presumes) purple heaven one year ago and is now the latest subject of Reelz’s series Autopsy: The Last Hours Of…, which will explore the possibilities of why the cryptic one’s life was cut short, resulting in his passing at age 57. In this week’s installment, Prince’s appears as a “fit and health-conscious person,” says series consultant and medical examiner Dr. Michael Hunter, “but we’ll also analyze his medical history to uncover possible contributing factors in his untimely death.” With Prince’s demise ruled an accidental overdose of the pain med fentanyl, Autopsy will explore its larger impact.

The Son: “Honey Hunt”
AMC, 9pm
In 1849, Prairie Flower (Elizabeth Frances) is torn between love and duty. In 1915, Pete (Henry Garrett) grows closer to Maria (Paola Nuñez), while Eli (Pierce Brosnan) brings Phineas (David Wilson Barnes) in on a dangerous secret.

Training Day: “Elegy: Part 2”
CBS, 9pm
Series Finale!
In “Elegy: Part 2,” Frank (Bill Paxton) goes on a rogue mission to Mexico to locate intel linked to the murder of Kyle’s (Justin Cornwell) father. CBS didn’t renew Training Day for a second season, so this episode serves as the series finale.

The Art of Us
Hallmark Channel, 9pm
Original Film!
Harper Higgins (Taylor Cole) is determined to land a tenured position at Boston Art College, and she’s counting on curating a big art gallery at the university to do so. But when she loses her showcase artist and can find no one else, she turns to her new dog walker (Steve Lund), who, unbeknownst to anyone, is a skilled painter.

Saturday Night Live: “Dwayne Johnson/Katy Perry”
NBC, 11:30pm Live
Season Finale!
Former wrestler and global box-office superstar Dwayne Johnson (star of the new theatrical film Baywatch) brings SNL’s 42nd season to a close with his fifth guest-hosting appearance. Katy Perry returns for her third time as a musical guest.

Sunday, May 21

America’s Funniest Home Videos
ABC, 7pm
Season Finale
!
On AFV’s Season 27 finale, the season’s two $100,000 winners compete for three fabulous Disney vacations to family destinations around the world.

Bob’s Burgers: “Paraders of the Lost Float”
FOX, 7:30pm
Season Finale!
Kevin Kline and Sarah Silverman return as guest voices in the Season 7 finale. When the forecast calls for rain on the day of the Bog to Beach parade, Teddy convinces Bob to enter the float contest with the promise of an easy win. As the parade goes awry, Bob realizes he might need an attitude adjustment.

Major League Baseball: Texas at Detroit
ESPN, 8pm Live
The Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers wrap up a three-game series tonight at Detroit’s Comerica Park on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball.

Food Network Star: Comeback Kitchen
Food Network, 8pm
In this tourney, seven former finalists — Rob Burmeister, Emilia Cirker, Matthew Grunwald, Josh Lyons, Danushka Lysek, Jamika Pessoa and Joy Thompson — return to the Food Network Star kitchen for a second shot at stardom! Hosts Valerie Bertinelli and Tyler Florence kick off the proceedings by identifying what kept each of the also-rans from prevailing.

The Simpsons: “Dogtown”
FOX, 8pm
Season Finale!
When Homer’s court case determines that a dog’s life is more valuable than a human’s, Springfield’s pooches recognize their new position of power and assert their dominance over the humans.

Making History: “Body Trouble”
FOX, 8:30pm
Season Finale!
Chris’ life is in shambles, so Dan plays the time travel card with Dr. Cobell (guest star Ben Vereen) to help get Chris’ job back, but his efforts go awry when he accidentally gives him a heart attack instead.

Madam Secretary: “Article 5”
CBS, 9pm
Season Finale!
In the Season 3 finale “Article 5,” Elizabeth (Téa Leoni) heads to Brussels to seek NATO’s support against Russia when it threatens to invade Bulgaria, but when France refuses to cooperate, it could threaten the alliance’s very existence. Madam Secretary has been renewed for Season 4.

Family Guy: “Dearly Deported/A House Full of Peters”
FOX, 9pm
Season Finale!
Giggity giggity goo — tonight’s season finale is an hour long! First, when Chris’ Mexican girlfriend gets deported, he volunteers to take care of her twin babies. And after learning that she can’t come back to the U.S., the Griffins go to Mexico to return her children. Then, Peter’s past as a sperm donor catches up to him when many of his children show up unannounced.

Good Witch: “How to Say I Love You!”
Hallmark Channel, 9pm
The whole town is caught up in romance when Cassie helps Ben find an old film for him to show at opening night of the refurbished movie theater. Martha’s promises to the town are in jeopardy when she overextends herself with the Middleton budget.

A Bundle of Trouble: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, 9pm
Original Film!
Aurora Teagarden (Candace Cameron Bure) and her boyfriend Martin (Yannick Bisson) are thrilled when they get an unexpected visit from his niece and her new baby. Their excitement is short-lived when his niece disappears and the baby is left behind. Once again, Aurora finds herself drawn into a deadly investigation as she risks it all to help Martin reunite with his family. Also stars Marilu Henner.

Shades of Blue
NBC, 9pm
Season Finale!
In tonight’s 2-hour season finale, Harlee (Jennifer Lopez) is forced to get dangerously close to a man who is obsessed with her when it looks like Stahl (Warren Kole) may finally have the goods to take her down.

Dark Angel
PBS, 9pm
Joanne Froggatt, who stole the hearts of millions of viewers as Anna on Downton Abbey, stars in a totally different role in this spine-tingling drama — she plays the notorious Victorian poisoner Mary Ann Cotton, Britain’s first female serial killer.

Twin Peaks
Showtime, 9pm
New Series!
Creators David Lynch and Mark Frost wrote and produced, with Lynch directing, this 18-hour limited series event that brings fans back into the surreal Pacific Northwest town of Twin Peaks. Much of the original cast of the early ’90s cult series is back, including Kyle MacLachlan as FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper, along with Mädchen Amick, Miguel Ferrer (who completed his work on the series before his passing this year), David Duchovny, Sherilyn Fenn, Kimmy Robertson, Harry Goaz, Dana Ashbrook and James Marshall. The plot has been kept tightly under wraps, but we know the series does pick up 25 years after the murder of homecoming queen Laura Palmer.

Into the Badlands: “Wolf’s Breath, Dragon Fire”
AMC, 10pm
Season Finale!
In the blood-soaked season finale, Sunny (Daniel Wu) faces the toughest showdown of his life, while Bajie’s (Nick Frost) loyalty is pushed to the limit.

Elementary: “Hurt Me, Hurt You”
CBS, 10pm
Season Finale!
In the Season 5 finale “Hurt Me, Hurt You,” Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) and Watson (Lucy Liu) investigate a murder that appears to have ignited a gang war in New York City. CBS has renewed Elementary for Season 6.

Monday, May 22

Princess Diana: Her Life — Her Death — The Truth
CBS, 8pm
This two-hour primetime special, hosted by the compassionate Gayle King, explores the life and legacy of Princess Diana, and puts to rest many questions that still surround the crash that killed her.

Supergirl: “Nevertheless, She Persisted”
The CW, 8pm
Season Finale!
Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) challenges Rhea (guest star Teri Hatcher) to battle to save National City. Meanwhile, Superman (guest star Tyler Hoechlin) returns and Cat Grant (guest star Calista Flockhart) offers Supergirl some sage advice.

Young & Hungry
Freeform, 8pm
Tonight, the culinary comedy starring Emily Osment has its tasty spring finale.

The Voice: “Live Finale, Part 1”
NBC, 8pm Live
The final four artists perform live, with one of the artists getting a step closer to being named “The Voice.”

Baby Daddy
Freeform, 8:30pm
The comedy starring Jean-Luc Bilodeau, Derek Theler and Tahj Mowry alongside Melissa Peterman and Chelsea Kane has its spring finale.

The Bachelorette
ABC, 9pm
Season Premiere!
Season 13 of the dating series finds gorgeous attorney Rachel Lindsay searching for love among a pool of suitors. Franchise host Chris Harrison shares, “Rachel, coming off last season [of The Bachelor] with Nick, was incredibly popular with our crew, with the producers, with Nick, with the other girls, with the viewers. She struck a chord with everybody. She has the whole package.”

Jane the Virgin
The CW, 9pm
Season Finale!
So you thought Rogelio (Jaime Camil) and Xo’s (Andrea Navedo) big day would go swimmingly? Ha! First Jane (Gina Rodriguez) discovers a mysterious letter from Michael, and then Rogelio gets some shocking news that could put everything on hold.

Better Call Saul: “Expenses”
AMC, 10pm
Jimmy (Bob Odenkirk) attempts to settle his debts. Nacho (Michael Mando) reunites with an old acquaintance. Mike (Jonathan Banks) helps Stacey (Kerry Condon) with a project and makes a meaningful connection.

The Late Late Show Carpool Karaoke Primetime Special 2017
CBS, 10pm
In this special, Katy Perry buckles up with The Late Late Show host James Corden for a new edition of Carpool Karaoke, and Jennifer Lopez takes a Toddlerography dance lesson.

Running Wild With Bear Grylls: “Sterling K. Brown”
NBC, 10pm
Actor Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story) joins Bear for an icy journey across the high mountains of Colorado.

Independent Lens: “They Call Us Monsters”
PBS, 10pm
Go behind the walls of the Compound, the facility where Los Angeles houses its most violent juvenile criminals. To their advocates, they’re kids. To the system, they’re adults. To their victims, they’re monsters.

Neon Joe, Werewolf Hunter
Adult Swim, 12am
Season Premiere!

Season 2 of Neon Joe, Werewolf Hunter airs over five consecutive nights starting late-night tonight. Having fulfilled his life’s mission of getting revenge on his father, Neon Joe (Jon Glaser) has retired from werewolf hunting, and satisfied another life goal: opening his tropical themed dream bar, Oahu Joe’s. But it’s not all peaceful in paradise, as the bar’s struggles are compounded by an ominous visit from Joe’s past, that forces him to not only confront his demons, but puts Neon Joe back into the werewolf hunting game.

Tuesday, May 23

Casual
Hulu
Season Premiere!
The surprising consequences following Charles’ death and Valerie’s decision to move out propel the trio to rebel, exploring different jobs, partners and unfulfilled passions. As they adjust to a new normal, can they maintain boundaries or will they revert to the comfort of codependency?

Downward Dog: “Boundaries”
ABC, 8pm
New Series!
Tonight, the clever canine comedy moves to its regular night and time. While Nan (Allison Tolman) struggles to impress at work and define her relationship with Jason (Lucas Neff), her dog Martin (voiced by series co-creator Samm Hodges) discovers that he can control his newly installed doggie door and believes that he has magic powers.

The Flash: “Finish Line”
The CW, 8pm
Season Finale!
With nothing left to lose, Barry (Grant Gustin) takes on Savitar in an epic conclusion to Season 3.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: “The Bank Job/Crime & Punishment”
FOX, 8pm
Season Finale!
The Nine-Nine has guest stars a-plenty in this hourlong season finale. First, Jake and Rosa search for a bank-robbing operation with Lt. Hawkins (guest star Gina Gershon), and realize there’s more to her team than meets the eye. And when they discover a dangerous secret, they call for backup from Holt and Pimento (guest star Jason Mantzoukas). Meanwhile, Boyle objects to Gina’s new boyfriend (guest star Ryan Phillipe). Then, Jake and Rosa are framed for a crime they didn’t commit.

Victorian Slum House: “The 1890s”
PBS, 8pm
Enter the 1890s, when mass manufacturing and social reform offer a bit of hope for some of the residents, while others are plagued by a water shortage that dashes their hopes for a promising laundry business.

Dancing With the Stars
ABC, 8:30pm
Season Finale!
After a surprise-laden season, who will take home the coveted Mirrorball Trophy? Find out tonight!

Bull: “Benevolent Deception”
CBS, 9pm
Season Finale!
Bull (Michael Weatherly) and the Trial Analysis Corp. team travel to Miami with top criminal defense attorney J.P. Nunnelly (guest star Eliza Dushku) to work on a controversial drug trafficking case in the Season 1 finale “Benevolent Deception.” CBS has renewed Bull for a second season.

The Voice: “Live Finale, Part 2”
NBC, 9pm Live
Season Finale!
Host Carson Daly will reveal who America has chosen as “The Voice.” There will also be special duets with the final four artists and A-list performers.

American Epic: “Blood and Soil”
PBS, 9pm
Travel to the rural South as Elder Burch, Charley Patton and others record early Delta blues, gospel and protest songs. The Great Flood of 1927 devastates Mississippi River communities, leading to northern migration and the creation of the Chicago blues by Howlin’ Wolf.

Frontline: “Bannon’s War”
PBS, 10pm
Examine Trump adviser Stephen Bannon’s war — with radical Islam, Washington and White House rivals. Learn about his fight to deliver on the president’s promises, with a confrontational style based on his personal crusade to dramatically transform America.

Wednesday, May 24

Dirty Dancing
ABC, 8pm
Original Film!
Newcomer Colt Prattes plays Johnny Castle to Abigail Breslin’s Baby Houseman in this musical update of the 1987 film classic, which blends the original’s coming-of-age story with a coming-of-middle-age story for Baby’s parents (Bruce Greenwood and Debra Messing). Nicole Scherzinger, Katey Sagal and Sarah Hyland also costar (and sing!).

Survivor
CBS, 8pm
Season Finale!
Which of the game-changing contestants altered the competition so much that they beat out the rest and won this season of Survivor: Game Changers? Tonight, Jeff Probst reveals the victor.

Arrow: “Lian Yu”
The CW, 8pm
Season Finale!
The battle between Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Adrian Chase (Josh Segarra) culminates in a final epic battle on Lian Yu.

Shots Fired
FOX, 8pm
Series Finale!
As Shots Fired closes its run, the season-long cases that Department of Justice investigator Ashe Akino (Sanaa Lathan) and special prosecutor Preston Terry (Stephan James) pursued will be resolved: What led to Deputy Beck (Mack Wilds) fatally shooting the unarmed Jesse Carr (Jacob Leinbach), and who killed Joey Campbell (Kelvin Harrison Jr.)?

The 100: “Praimfaya”
The CW, 9pm
Season Finale!
It’s a race against the end of the world as Praimfaya arrives and forces everyone to make impossible decisions to ensure their survival.

Law & Order: SVU
NBC, 9pm
Season Finale!
The world has not stopped providing a steady stream of harrowing storylines for Law & Order: SVU, which concludes its 18th season this week. The two-part finale (both installments air tonight) interconnects a pair of hot-button issues: hate crimes against Muslims and the consequences that arise after an undocumented witness is threatened with deportation.

Empire
FOX, 9pm
Season Finale!
Demi Moore guest-stars in the Season 3 finale as a nurse with a mysterious past. Next season, Moore’s role will be expanded as her character becomes entangled with the Lyon family. And speaking of families, Moore’s daughter, Rumer Willis, also plays a recurring character on the hip-hop soap opera.

Food — Delicious Science: “A Matter of Taste”
PBS, 10pm
Travel the world with Michael Mosley and James Wong to learn about the science that makes our food taste delicious and the powerful effect it has on our tongue and nose.

Thursday, May 25

Beat Shazam
FOX, 8pm
New Series!
In FOX’s new game show, teams of two go ear-to-ear to see who’s fastest to identify the biggest musical hits of all time. The team with the biggest score tries for a cash prize by going up against the Shazam app, which can recognize millions of songs within mere seconds. The series is hosted by Jamie Foxx and executive produced by Mark Burnett (Survivor) and Jeff Apploff (Don’t Forget the Lyrics!).

American Ninja Warrior: “Celebrity Ninja Warrior”
NBC, 8pm
In the first celebrity edition of the competition series, nine celebrities tackle the course. Competing will be Stephen Amell, Erika Christensen, Jeff Dye, Ashton Eaton, Nikki Glaser, Derek Hough, Natalie Morales, Nick Swisher and Mena Suvari.

Million Dollar Listing New York
Bravo, 9pm
Season Premiere!
High-profile real estate vets Fredrik Eklund and Ryan Serhant are joined by a new major player in Manhattan’s luxury real estate market, Steve Gold, who is determined to do whatever it takes to double his sales.

Love Connection
FOX, 9pm
New Series!
Bravo’s Andy Cohen hosts this updated revival of the classic dating show where singletons search for romance.

Running Wild With Bear Grylls: “Red Nose Day With Julia Roberts”
NBC, 9pm
In a special Red Nose Day episode, Julia Roberts joins Bear on a life-saving mission to deliver vaccines to a remote African village before the drugs expire.

The Red Nose Day Special
NBC, 10pm
Much of the original cast from the popular 2003 romantic comedy Love Actually will take part in a short-film follow-up called Red Nose Day Actually, airing as part of the annual Red Nose Day charity drive designed to raise awareness of and funds to fight childhood poverty. Red Nose Day was created by filmmaker Richard Curtis, who wrote and directed Love Actually, and who is back to update fans on the film’s characters, with returning actors including Liam Neeson, Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, Andrew Lincoln, Colin Firth and more. Chris Hardwick hosts the special.

Inside the FBI: New York: “Global Fight”
USA Network, 10pm
After receiving intel from the UK, the FBI works to stop an attack on the subways. The JTTF meets with a former terrorist in Uganda while awaiting the verdicts in the Kampala bombings case.

Friday, May 26

War Machine
Netflix
Original Film!
This film, inspired by the book The Operators: The Wild and Terrifying Inside Story of America’s War in Afghanistan, depicts a U.S. general’s (played by Brad Pitt) roller-coaster rise and fall as part reality, part savage parody, raising the question of just where the line between them lies today. The four-star general leaps in like a rock star to command NATO forces in Afghanistan, only to be taken down by his own hubris and a journalist’s no-holds-barred exposé. Emory Cohen, RJ Cyler, Topher Grace, Anthony Michael Hall, Meg Tilly, Tilda Swinton and Sir Ben Kingsley also star.

First Dates: “Never Been Kissed”
NBC, 8pm
Season Finale!
One dater envisions her life as a power couple, while another dater admits he has never been kissed. Also, a vegan chef looks for someone to bond with over his love of kale, while another dater finds out a secret about her match that wins her over.

American Masters: “Jacques Pépin”
PBS, 9pm
Discover the story of Chef Jacques Pépin, a young immigrant with movie star looks and a charming Gallic accent, who elevated essential kitchen techniques to an art form to become one of America’s most beloved food icons.

Saturday, May 27

Memorial Day Weekend Movie Marathon
Discovery Family Channel, 5pm
Celebrate Memorial Day with a weekend filled with family-favorite flicks including Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, Planet 51, Alice in Wonderland and more!

The Essentials: “No Time for Sergeants”
TCM, 8pm
Host Alec Baldwin and guest David Letterman introduce the 1958 comedy No Time for Sergeants, directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Andy Griffith.

Class: “The Metaphysical Engine, or What Quill Did”
BBC America, 10pm
In the seventh and penultimate Season 1 episode “The Metaphysical Engine, or What Quill Did,” the gang is trapped in detention and out of the way, so Miss Quill (Katherine Kelly) accepts Dorothea’s (Pooky Quesnel) astonishing offer: to help remove the Arn from her head, and to reclaim her freedom.