1) “Game of Thrones” finale, 9-10:20 p.m. Sunday, HBO, rerunning at 11:30 p.m. and 2 a.m. In a week filled with big-deal finales, this is the biggest. Over eight seasons and 73 episodes, “Game of Thrones” has told a massive story. It’s had dragons, armies, nudity, incest and more. Rulers have been toppled; key people – some good, some not – have been killed. To prepare us, HBO reruns the previous episode often, including 7:35 p.m. today, 11:05 p.m. Thursday,11:50 p.m. Saturday and 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
2) “The Big Bang Theory” finale, 8 and 8:30 p.m. Thursday, CBS. Here’s the week’s other huge farewell. “Big Bang” has lasted 12 seasons – a record for situation comedies done in front of an audience. It got its Emmys honors early — four comedy-actor wins for Jim Parsons, four comedy-series nominations – and remains popular. Only football and “Game of Thrones” get more viewers. CBS also plans “Unraveling the Mystery: A Big Bang Farewell” at 9:30; the cast visits Stephen Colbert at 11:29.
3) “The Bachelorette” opener, 8-10 p.m. today, ABC. Often, the new “Bachelorette” is someone who came close to being chosen on “The Bachelor.” Not this time; it’s Hannah Brown, who finished seventh. She’s 24, a former Miss Alabama USA, and has 30 guys to choose from, ages 23 to 33. Some have serious jobs (two are pilots); others include a singer, a surfer, a pro golfer and a guy who plays pro basketball overseas. There’s also a political consultant, an unemployed guy and “Chicago’s Box King.”
4) “Survivor” finale, 8-10 p.m. Wednesday, CBS, with reunion at 10. This began with 14 newcomers and four people who had done two previous editions. Now those four are at the “edge of extinction,” with a slim chance of returning. Surviving are: Lauren O;Connell, 21, a Baylor student; Victoria Baamonde, 23, a Bronx waitress; Gavin Whitson, 23, a YMCA program director in Erwin, Tenn; Rick Devens, 33, a morning TV anchor in Macon; and Julie Rosenberg, 46, a New York City toymaker.
5) “American Idol” finale, 8-10 p.m. Sunday, ABC. We’ll soon have two new music champions. NBC’s “The Voice” still has eight people; they’ll sing today (8-10 p.m.) and half will be eliminated Tuesday (9-10 p.m.), setting up a finale May 20-21. But “Idol” will have its winner first. On Sunday, it heard the final five – Madison VanDenburg, 17; Laine Hardy, 18; Laci Kay Booth, 23; Alejandro Aranda, 25; and Wade Cota, 27. Three of them will reach the finals, with a shot at becoming the 17th “Idol” winner.
6) “New Amsterdam” season-finale, 10 p.m. Tuesday, NBC. You can spend all night Tuesday with drama finales. It’s CW’s “The Flash” at 8 p.m., CBS’ “FBI” at 9 and then the hour that “Amsterdam” has led up to all season. Max, the medical director, has tried to be everywhere and do everything. Now cancer puts his own life in danger; as he fades, Dr. Sharpe tries a creative approach. Meanwhile Dr. Kapoor gets some surprising news and Dr. Reynolds takes a big step in his relationship with Evie.
7) “Catch 22,” any time, starting Friday, Hulu. After being a bombardier in World War II, Joseph Heller slowly wrote his great war novel. When it came out in 1961, it spoke to a world soon changed by the ’60s and Vietnam. The first hour of this six-part series captures the book’s mix of horror and humor. Alongside tragedy and gore, there are hilarious diatribes by officers (George Clooney, who produced this, and Kyle Chandler). And the scene explaining the title ranks with the classic “Who’s on first?”
8) “Saturday Night Live” season-finale, 11:29 p.m. Saturday, NBC. Right now, “Avengers: Endgame” is approximately the only movie in existence. In its first weekend, its U.S. box office was eight times as big as EVERY other movie – all 111 of them. After the second weekend, it had made $621 million here, $2.3 billion worldwide. So it’s logical that the “SNL” season ends with one of the “Endgame” stars. Paul Rudd (who plays Ant-Man) hosts; he’s done it three previous times. DJ Khaled is the music guest.
9) “The Red Line” conclusion, 8-10 p.m. Sunday, CBS. After all the twists and turns, coincidences and contrivances, “Red Line” is worth the trip. Yes, it required absurd actions, many of them involving a videotape; ultimately, we get some deep characters: Daniel (Noah Wyle), whose husband was killed by a cop … Jira, their adopted daughter … Tia, who was 15 when she gave her up for adoption, and now is running for city council … plus cops, lawyers and more, all written and played with uncommon depth.
10) “Masterpiece: Les Miserables” conclusion, 9-10:30 p.m. Sunday, PBS. How grim does this get? Even a long (L-OOOO-NG) trek through the Paris sewers, dragging a nearly dead man, doesm’t seem out of place. This has been one tough slog through obsession and despair. Cosette is now a stunning beauty, in love with Marius. Valjean, who is raisin her, resists. Now Marius is fighing in the latest French revolution. Valjean pursues him … Javert (the obsessed cop) pursues Valjean, life gets messy.