Daily Best Bets

1) Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, 9 p.m., PBS. Lionel Richie (shown here) gets his due, as the 13th winner of an annual prize that has included Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder and Gloria Estefan. This hour is poorly crafted — too many speeches, too many broad-brimmed hats, too many attempts to involve a masked audience. But making up for that is the magnificent music. Richie’s songs are performed beautifully by Andra Day, Chris Stapleton, Yolanda Adams, Boyz II Men, Miguel, Luke Bryan and by Richie. Read more…

1) The Good Doctor” season-finale, 10 p.m. today, ABC. When this show started, Shaun was an autistic kid who was brilliant at surgery and overwhelmed by life. Things transformed when Lea, a sweet-spirited techie, moved into the apartment next door. (They’re shown here.) Last week, she was in her wedding gown when she realized a big-deal ceremony would be too much for him. Tonight, they try again, this time with a less-formal wedding. Then, ABC says, someone has a medical emergency. Read more…

1) “The Equalizer” season-finale, 8 p.m., CBS. This is a classic case of making the best of a bad situation. After sex-abuse accusations, Chris Noth was fired, leaving a void;. He’d been Bishop, Robyn’s former mentor and her CIA contact., so a new story emerged: Bishop was killed when Mason Quinn downed his plane; now Robyn’s obsession with revenge turns dangerous. Also, her daughter (shown here in a previous episode) finally meets the people Robyn has been working with. Read more…

(This is an improved version of the five TV best-bets for Saturday, May 14, adding CNN’s “Navalny” rerun. It moves No. 3 to the No. 5 spot, where it adds “Navalny”; the others move up to 3 and 4.)

1) “Top Gun” (1986), 8-10:30 p.m., CBS. Tom Cruise’s career was off to a good start, with a dandy comedy (“Risky Business”) and some dramas. Then this film shot it into the stratosphere. Playing a cocky pilot, Cruise was surrounded by director Tony Scott’s flashy visuals, plus soaring music, macho-guy dialog and strong support from Anthony Edwards, Meg Ryan, Val Kilmer, Kelly McGillis and more. The result was the year’s top box-office draw; it’s back, two weeks before its sequel reaches theaters.
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1) “Great Performances: Anything Goes,” 9 p.m., PBS. Last summer – before Broadway began its comeback – Sutton Foster (shown here) and director/choreographer Kathleen Marshall did this show in London. They had done it on Broadway a decade earlier, winning Tonys; now they triumphed again. The plot is way too silly, but the Cole Porter songs ripple with wit and zest. Foster is superb in Marshall’s epic song-and-dance numbers.
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1) “Young Sheldon,” 8 p.m., CBS. After pausing last week for reruns, the show is back to its best storyline: Georgie, 17, lied about his age; now his ex-girlfriend, 29, is pregnant. (They’re shown here with his grandmother.) His mom (who was pregnant with Georgie when she married) was stunned when friends avoided her Bible club. Now it’s time to face the congregation. Sheldon is perplexed, but his twin sister speaks up for Georgie. Read more…

1) “Nova: Dinosaur Apocalypse,” 9 and 10 p.m., PBS. Long ago, a meteor struck Mexico, sending clouds that killed the dinosaurs and more. Now – some 2,000 miles (and 66 million years) away – paleontologists in North Dakota have apparently found remnants of the meteor and some of its victims. “Nova” spent three years filming the work, adding special effects and David Attenborough (shown here). The result is fascinating – top-drawer science, related in a thoroughly entertaining way. Read more…

1) “American Masters,” 8-9:30 p.m., PBS. To some, Duke Kahanamoku (shown here) was one of the all-time great athletes. He won swimming medals in three Olympics, spread over a dozen years … then popularized the sport of surfing. Statues of him are in Australia, New Zealand, California and his native Hawaii. Most amazing, however, was the day he individually saved eight people from drowning. This fascinating film even has the moment they thanked him, decades later. Read more…

1) “American Song Contest” finale, 8-10 p.m., NBC. This started with 56 acts (one per state or territory), each with an original song; now it has its top 10. Michael Bolton (shown here) is here, representing Connecticut. Two others were reality-show finalists in 2015: Jordan Smith (Kentucky) was the “Voice” winner; Riker Lynch (Colorado) was the “Dancing with the Stars” runner-up.  Others are from Alabama, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Samoa. Read more…

1)“American Idol,” 8-10 p.m., ABC. The twice-a-week phase is done now; there are just three rounds left, all on Sundays. Tonight, we have the top seven — Leah Marlene (shown here), Christian Guardino, Fritz Hager, HunterGirl, Jay, Nicolina and Noah Thompson. Next Sunday has the top five; a week later, “Idol” will have its 20th champion. Read more…