ABC, 8:00 p.m. ET
SPECIAL: Jason Lynch of Adweek, measuring the impact and legacy of ABC’s Modern Family sitcom, noted something I’d forgotten: That at the 2009 ABC upfront presentation in New York revealing its fall TV schedule to advertisers, the network did something that hasn’t occurred since. ABC was so proud of Modern Family that it showed the entire series pilot to that very important audience. Modern Family deserved it, and after 11 seasons and 22 Emmys, tonight it says goodbye. (Those Emmys include five in a row for Outstanding Comedy Series, tying the record set by another brilliant TV comedy, NBC’s Frasier.) Before showing tonight’s Modern Family finale, ABC presents this one-hour tribute – and one of the aspects I hope it treats prominently is the show’s significant contribution to America’s embrace of gay rights. Sometimes TV entertainment can move the national consciousness significantly, and this was just such a case.
PBS, 8:00 p.m. ET
“Tell me again about the rabbits, George.” This week’s new episode focuses on one of the creatures that I need only look out my backyard window to see – but, nonetheless, promises to reveal some “remarkable” things. Okay, I’ll bite, and ask of this new Nature documentary: What’s up, doc? Check local listings.
ABC, 9:00 p.m. ET
SERIES FINALE: Obviously, this is
the TV show to watch tonight. And it might even be considered the end of an era. Is there another current TV sitcom so deserving of a finale? Aside from HBO’s
Curb Your Enthusiasm, that is, which started 20 years ago and has done brilliant work for 10 seasons – but the whole tenor of
Curb would tend to run in the opposite direction from such sentiment. Yet here, on
Modern Family, it’s not only appropriate, it’s very welcome.
For some fond memories from the cast and creators, see Mike Hughes' Open Mike.
ABC, 10:00 p.m. ET
SERIES REVIVAL: In 1999, Regis Philbin hosted an American version of the British quiz-show hit Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, and ended up presiding over an instant and mammoth U.S. hit so huge, it propelled ABC to first place – and only lost steam because the network greedily overexposed it by programming it at every opportunity, over up to four nights weekly. But tonight, Millionaire returns for a limited 10-show run – with celebrity contestants playing for their favorite charities, and with Jimmy Kimmel as host. If you’re interested, phone a friend.