MONDAY
MAY 19
2014

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

NBC, 8:00 p.m. ET

SEASON FINALE: Part 1 of 2. There are three elements, as always, to this year’s finale performance night. In order of importance, they are 1) the byplay among the judges, and how the show can boost their individual profiles, projects and careers; 2) the guest performers who help fatten up the two-hour performance finale; and 3) the three finalists who are competing for the title of The Voice winner for 2014. The first part is reflected in tonight’s scheduled live opening, in which the four judges – Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Usher and Shakira – sing together. The second part is when Coldplay and Tim McGraw, among others, pop up. And the third part is when Christina Grimmie, Jake Worthington and Josh Kaufman compete for the crown. And yes, those three elements are ranked in descending order of importance.

 
  
 
 

Fox, 9:00 p.m. ET

In tonight’s show, one of the patented split-screen 24 scenes has Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) speaking on the phone with President Heller (William Devane), asking for his trust even though the entire CIA is closing in on Jack as a most-wanted fugitive. "I’ve never lied to you, and I’ve always told you the truth," Jack tells him redundantly.

 
  
 
 

Syfy, 9:00 p.m. ET

SERIES FINALE: I’ve really enjoyed this charming little Syfy series, which displays more wit than most, while still managing to create some touching characters and relationships. The show ends tonight with a finale that has each of the Warehouse 13 characters using a sort of high-tech séance to confront their key moments from their time at the Warehouse – moments that are newly presented as well as repeated, and which include such fanciful elements as a passel of dancing stage-musical chorines, part of an artifact emergency in which everyone is forced to dance while trying to save the world. Saul Rubinek, CCH Pounder, Allison Scagliotti, Aaron Ashmore, and leads Joanne Kelly and Eddie McClintock all get their moment in the spotlight – Scagliotti’s Claudia quite literally, with tap shoes and sparkly costume to match.

 
  
 
 

FX, 10:00 p.m. ET

Last week’s double helping of Louie ended with “Elevator, Part 1,” a two-story episode that started with one of Louie’s daughter insisting that, at that moment, her life was but a dream, and ended with Louie (Louis CK) helping an elderly resident of his apartment building, a woman played with gusto by guest star Ellen Burstyn, who had gotten stuck in an elevator. Tonight’s new half-hour installments of Louie are called “Elevator, Part 2” and “Elevator, Part 3,” so we’re getting more of that story. But whether we’re getting more of that waking dream, only time will tell.

 

 
  
 
 

NBC, 10:01 p.m. ET

SPECIAL: This prime-time variety special wasn’t available for preview, but I wish it well. The former Saturday Night Live regular takes her talent to prime time, along with some old SNL buddies and other game guests, such as Sean Hayes and Kristen Bell. If it draws enough viewers, NBC and Rudolph hope to make this a recurring series of specials, which would be quite welcome for those of us who were raised on variety shows and still miss the format. Good luck, Maya.

 
  
 
 
 
 
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David Bianculli

Founder / Editor

David Bianculli has been a TV critic since 1975, including a 14-year stint at the New York Daily News, and sees no reason to stop now. Currently, he's TV critic for NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross, and is an occasional substitute host for that show. He's also an author and teaches TV and film history at New Jersey's Rowan University. His 2009 Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of 'The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour', has been purchased for film rights. His latest, The Platinum Age of Television: From I Love Lucy to the Walking Dead, How TV Became Terrific, is an effusive guidebook that plots the path from the 1950s’ Golden Age to today’s era of quality TV.