1) “The Big Bang Theory” finale, 8 and 8:30 p.m., CBS. Television’s best comedy is finally ending after 12 seasons — a record for situation comedies done in front of an audience. The show has drawn huge laughs, but it’s also made us care deeply about its weird-but-good-hearted characters. As the end nears, we’ll see how their lives turn out. Will Sheldon and Amy (shown here) win the Nobel Prize? Will Penny change her mind about not having kids? Will Raj’s fiance return? We’ll root for them.
2) More “Big Bang” stuff, all day. To get us in the mood, cable’s TBS has “Big Bang” reruns from 2-8 p.m. It has more from 9-11 p.m., but CBS will keep us busy for part of that time. There’s the “Young Sheldon” season-finale at 9 and “Unraveling the Mystery: A Big Bang Farewell” at 9:30. And at 11:35 p.m., the seven main “Big Bang” stars will visit Stephen Colbert.
3) “Better Things” season-finale, 10 p.m., FX. Here’s a different form of TV greatness – not the big laughs of “Big Bang,” but quiet chuckles alongside deep bits of character. At the core is Sam’s ‘relationship with her brilliant and testy middle daughter, Frankie. That’s beautifully contrasted with the breezy joy of the youngest daughter, Duke. The final minutes are deeply (albeit quietly) moving.
4) “Grey’s Anatomy” season-finale, 8 p.m., ABC. This show is even three years older than “Big Bang.” Now a fog encases Seattle, while Meredith and Alex struggle to save Gus, the autistic boy with thymoma. More season finales — “Station 19” and “How to Get Away With Murder” — follow.
5) “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” 9 and 9:30 p.m., NBC. These are the last new episodes for a while, because “Nine-Nine” will again be a mid-season show next year. In the first episode, Terry learns if he’s passed the lieutenant’s exam. In the second, our heroes must link with old enemies.