Mike Hughes on TV

1) “Cruel Summer” finale, 10 p.m., Freeform. Flashing between three times, each six months apart, we’ve seen teens transform. Megan (Sadie Stanley, shown here) and Luke went from platonic to passionate; then she hardened, covering up details of the night he died. This has required deft writing and acting; now, at last, we learn which people (directly and indirectly) were responsible for his death. Stick with this one to the final twist; it’s a strong finish to a surprisingly good tale. Read more…

1) “Dark Winds” season-opener, 9 p.m., AMC. Under his stoic exterior, police Lt. Joe Leaphorn has deep layers of emotion. A mining explosion killed his son – his only child, because many Navajo women (including his wife, now a nurse) were sterilized after giving birth. Now he has a case that may be linked to the explosion. Like the first season, this is a six-week story, beautifully crafted and perfectly played, especially by Zahn McClarnon (shown here) as Joe. Read more…

1) “Dawn” finale, 8-10 p.m., Lifetime. The first three movies (rerunning at 2, 4 and 6 p.m.) battered Dawn emotionally. Now she has actually found joy – a warm husband, a sweet-16 daughter Christie (shown here) and a comfy estate. This, of course, must change. The final film offers tragedy, then propels Christie to New York and to the eerie plantation where she was born. Surrounded by relatives who are berserk, even by soap standards, she gropes for a normal life. Read more…

1) “Family Law,” 8 p.m., CW. This is the sort of hour “Law” does well – blending courtroom tales with personal stories of the family, while jugging heavy and light. Abby (Jewel Staite) and her brother Daniel handle a complex “mail-order bride” case, at the same time that she’s breaking the divorce news to her kids and he’s trying online dating. Another story involving her dad (Victor Garber, shown here with Staite) is quite goofy and some of the “solutions” are iffy. Overall, however, this is a solidly involving hour. Read more…

1) “Ghosts,” 8 and 8:30 p.m., CBS. Jay’s sister first visited under wobbly circumstances: Fresh from a break-up, she was enamored with a video contact … who turned out to be dead Trevor. Now she’s back at Christmastime (yes, these are reruns), with a guy friend (they’re shown here); Sam, having seen too many holiday films, wants to stir a romance. It’s a funny two-parter that displaces “Young Sheldon” for a week. Read more…

1) “The Wonder Years,” 9 p.m., ABC. After being bumped for two straight weeks, this has an episode that’s a “West Wing” reunion. In late-’60s Alabama, Dean’s dad (Dule Hill) isn’t used to the idea of an inter-racial friendship. But he’s a musician and likes Dean’s music teacher (Bradley Whitford, Hill’s “West Wing” colleague; they’re shown here with Dean). They plan a couples’ night – while the kids have home-alone schemes. Read more…

1) “America’s Got Talent,” 8-10 p.m., NBC. Fresh from “Idol” and “X-Factor,” Simon Cowell (shown here) wanted a broader contest – any age, any genre. The result has been adapted in 69 countries, from Azerbaijan to Slovenia. Cowell has judged all 16 seasons of “Britain’s Got Talent” and the past eight in the U.S.; now he shows his favorite auditions from both. One may be Susan Boyle; an unknown when she auditioned at 48, she had the best-selling debut album in British history. Read more…