TV best bets for the week of May 12
Sunday, May 12
“Our Cartoon President”
Showtime, 8 p.m.
Season premiere
A brand-new season of the animated political comedy that takes a fictional documentary crew behind the scenes in the Oval Office begins Sunday. This series features the voices of Jeff Bergman, James Adomian and Gabriel Gundacker.
“Game of Thrones”
HBO, 9 p.m.
“Blackwater.” “The Rains of Castamere.” “Battle of the Bastards.” With maximum bloodshed, “Game of Thrones’ ” penultimate episodes often eclipse the actual finales. Will Sunday’s 80-minute installment follow suit?
“Veep”
HBO, 10:50 p.m.
Series finale
The acclaimed political comedy, starring Emmy winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus as former Vice President and President Selina Meyer, bows out after seven season. In Sunday’s finale, the nominating fight between Selina and her rivals reaches its climax as their race comes to a historic finish.
Monday, May 13
“The Bachelorette”
ABC, 8 p.m.
Season premiere
Fresh off Colton Underwood’s season of “The Bachelor,” Hannah Brown gets a second chance at love as Season 15’s “Bachelorette.”
“Bull”
CBS, 10 p.m.
Season finale
In the Season 3 finale “Pillar of Salt,” Bull (Michael Weatherly) works to convince a jury that the alleged murder of a 3-year-old girl was actually a tragic accident.
“Desi Lydic: Abroad”
Comedy Central, 11 p.m.
In her first one-hour special, “The Daily Show’s” Desi Lydic is setting out on a global expedition to explore how and why the U.S. has fallen so far behind much of the world when it comes to opportunities for women in education, economics, health and politics. Lydic travels the world to learn about the policies, cultural shifts and fierce women who have catapulted other countries ahead of the U.S. in gender equality.
Tuesday, May 14
“Still Laugh-In”
Netflix
Netflix pays tribute to the 50th anniversary of Rowan & Martin’s “Laugh-In” with this special celebration. Original cast member Lily Tomlin will reprise her role as snorting phone operator Ernestine and rocking grandma Edith Ann. Joining Tomlin will be a slew of comedians and actors, including Billy Crystal, Tiffany Haddish, Neil Patrick Harris, Taye Diggs, Michael Douglas, Jay Leno, Rita Moreno, Margaret Cho, Brad Garrett, Bobby Moynihan, Cheri Oteri, Jon Lovitz and more.
“What’s My Name: Muhammad Ali”
HBO, 8 p.m.
This first feature-length HBO production from LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s SpringHill Entertainment is directed by Antoine Fuqua, who is also an executive producer. Exploring the life of Muhammad Ali, the film uses recordings of the boxer’s voice and archival footage — some of it previously unseen — to paint an intimate portrait of a man who was a beacon of hope for oppressed people around the world and, in his later years, became a symbol of humanity and understanding.
“FBI”
CBS, 9 p.m.
Season finale
In the Season 1 finale, “Closure,” a woman with information about the death of Maggie’s (Missy Peregrym) husband is abducted, leading the team to uncover a criminal operation larger than anyone imagined.
Wednesday, May 15
“MasterChef Celebrity Family Showdown”
Fox, 8 p.m.
Celebrities pair up with friends and family to compete in culinary challenges and raise money for charity. Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir and his brother, Boz, go head to head against Johnny’s broadcast partner Tara Lipinski and her husband, Todd, in a fish dish showdown. Then, in a reality-TV Blind Taste Test, Lisa Vanderpump and her daughter, Pandora, face off against “Jersey Shore” stars Snooki and JWoww to replicate one of Joe Bastianich’s dishes from taste alone. The second part of this two-night special airs next Wednesday.
“NOVA: First Horse Warriors”
PBS, 9 p.m.
Horse riding played a key role in human expansion and civilization. But when and how did people first master these animals? Scientists use archaeology and genetics to uncover clues about the first horse riders and how they shaped the world.
“The Employables”
A&E, 10 p.m.
New series
This new docuseries follows struggling job seekers with conditions such as autism or Tourette syndrome as they search for meaningful employment. With the help of specialists, the job seekers uncover their talents and work to show potential employers that their perceived disabilities can often provide unexpected benefits in the workplace.
Thursday, May 16
“The Big Bang Theory”
CBS, 8 p.m.
Series finale
In this hourlong send-off, Chuck Lorre’s comedy about a group of nerdy scientists goes out with a bang after 12 seasons and 279 episodes. At 9:30 p.m., series stars Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco will host the retrospective special “Unraveling the Mystery: A Big Bang Farewell.”
“Better Things”
FX, 10 p.m.
Season finale
Pamela Adlon’s comedy about a single mom struggling to raise three girls and maintain her acting career wraps up its third season with the episode “Shake the Cocktail.”
“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
NBC, 10 p.m.
Season finale
When a teenager is found dead in the Hudson River, Lt. Benson (Mariska Hargitay) suspects Rob Miller (guest star Titus Welliver) is behind the mysterious death but can’t prove it. Despite having only circumstantial evidence, ADA Stone (Philip Winchester) takes the case to court before Miller can destroy more lives.
Friday, May 17
“Fleabag”
Amazon Prime Video
Season premiere
The British dark comedy starring “Killing Eve” creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge returns with a season featuring appearances by Kristin Scott Thomas and Fiona Shaw. In the second season, a handsome priest (Andrew Scott) helps Fleabag change the way she looks at the world. “I think that this series is about the power, the impact that humans can have on each other’s lives, really, and that they can arrive at any time in your life and be a surprise,” Waller-Bridge says.
“Meghan and Harry Plus One”
CBS, 8 p.m.
Gayle King anchors this CBS News special marking the one-year anniversary of the marriage of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, and how the couple has dealt with life changes and becoming parents to baby Archie.
“No Exit!”
CBS, 9 p.m.
Jane Pauley anchors this one-hour CBS News special exploring America’s love-hate relationship with our highways and byways, and how millions of us cope with our increasingly difficult daily commute.
Saturday, May 18
“Cake Boss”
Discovery Family Channel, 9 p.m.
Season premiere
Season 9 premieres with back-to-back episodes. First, in “Fiery Dragons and Marrying Cats,” Buddy’s client is a modern-day medieval knight who wants an epic, fire-breathing dragon cake, and Buddy goes a little crazy with the pyrotechnics. Then, in “Flamenco and Capture the Flag,” Buddy flaunts his dance moves while Mauro makes a cake for a nearby summer camp.
“Sailing Into Love”
Hallmark Channel, 9 p.m.
Biology teacher Claire (Leah Renee) takes action when she learns that her former boyfriend (Chris McNally) works for the developer who’s building a new resort on Blue Island.
“Saturday Night Live”
NBC, 8:30 and 11:30 p.m.
Season finale
Season 44 comes to a close with Paul Rudd, who reprises his role as Ant-Man in the current Marvel theatrical hit “Avengers: Endgame,” making his fourth appearance as host. DJ Khaled makes his “SNL” debut as musical guest.
