Best-bets for May 22: It’s finale time for “Idol” … and many others

1) “American Idol” finale, 8-11 p.m., ABC. Three young singers remain. Noah Thompson (shown here) and HunterGirl are from small-town South; Leah Marlene is from Illinois, but spent two college years in Nashville. Now they’ll each do two songs (one from Bruce Springsteen) and viewers will pick a champ. The judges will also perform; so will Carrie Underwood, Sara Bareilles, Michael Buble, Melissa Etheridge, Flo Rida, Thomas Rhett, Gabby Barrett, Tai Verdes, and more, including Earth, Wind and Fire. Read more…

1) “American Idol” finale, 8-11 p.m., ABC. Three young singers remain. Noah Thompson (shown here) and HunterGirl are from small-town South; Leah Marlene is from Illinois, but spent two college years in Nashville. Now they’ll each do two songs (one from Bruce Springsteen) and viewers will pick a champ. The judges will also perform; so will Carrie Underwood, Sara Bareilles, Michael Buble, Melissa Etheridge, Flo Rida, Thomas Rhett, Gabby Barrett, Tai Verdes, and more, including Earth, Wind and Fire.

2) “Ridley Road” finale, 9 p.m., PBS. After a slow start, this four-parter added intensity last week. In 1961 London, a young Jewish woman learned that her boyfriend was working undercover to investigate neo-Nazis. She dyed her hair blonde and, last week, seduced the group’s leader. That leads to some potent moments tonight; even when it strains believability, the finish remains thoroughly involving.

3) “The Simpsons” season-finale, 8 p.m., Fox. There are plenty of finales tonight, but only one has Hugh Jackman as a magical singing janitor. After being embarrassed at church, Homer struggles to impress Bart; he can’t do it, but maybe the janitor can. Three more animated finales follow – “Great North,” “Bob’s Burgers” and “Family Guy.”

4) “NCIS: Los Angeles” season-finale, 9 p.m., CBS. “The Equalizer” wrapped its season last week (leaving a mega-cliffhanger), so “60 Minutes Presents” will borrow the 8 p.m. slot. Then this show probes a casino robbery that used military-grade weapos. Also, there’s progress in the Callen/Anna relationship and the Kensi/Deeks adoption effort.

5) “SWAT” season-finale, 10 p.m., CBS. Next season, this gets nt 8 p.m. Friday slot. For now, however, it has another Sunday crisis: Terrorists have taken over a university chemistry lab and could trigger devastation.

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