1) “Next” finale, 8 and 9 p.m., Fox. Monday’s episode ended with LeBlanc stealing a computer virus from his old office … with swarms of cops failing to rush outside and find him. There are many such moments tonight that jettison credibility. (On the first night of a black-out, people are already starving, with violent mobs roaming the street?) If you can overlook these, you’ll enjoy a tense story, as LeBlanc and Shea (shown here) try to contrive a bomb and destroy a computer program that’s keen on world domination.
2) “The Bachelorette” finale, 8-10 p.m., ABC. Tayshia Adams used to be a phlebotomist, doing blood draws; then came the swirl: She was runner-up in last year’s “Bachelor” … did “Bachelor in Paradise” … then was pulled into emergency duty. The “bachelorette” had made up her mind too early, departing with her guy. Adams was brought in to finish the season. Tonight, we see her final choice.
3) Football, 3:30 and 7 p.m. ET, ESPN. First is the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl – the potato may be famous; the bowl isn’t – with Tulane and Idaho. Then the Boca Rotan Bowl has Brigham Young University and Central Florida. BYU is ranked 17th in the nation; the others are unranked.
4) Pro basketball season-opener, 7 and 10 p.m. ET, TNT. Just 10 weeks after the previous season (delayed by COVID) ended, a new one begins. This time, teams will be on their own courts, instead of in a Florida “bubble.” The opener has the Warriors at the Nets and the Clippers at the champion Lakers. Everyone else plays Wednesday (including games at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT and 10:30 on ESPN). Then the annual Christmas Day marathon will put five games back-to-back on ABC and ESPN.
5) Also: CBS has primetime variations of its daytime games, adding holiday themes; it’s “The Price is Right” at 8 p.m. and “Let’s Make a Deal” at 9. NBC counters with reruns – “The Voice” holiday special at 8 p.m. and “Saturday Night Live” Christmas sketches at 9. Also, “Tell Me a Story” (9 p.m., CW) sets up next week’s finale.