TV Top Picks This Week
Don’t Miss: “Scandal” — Break out the red wine and popcorn, gladiators. After seven seasons of political intrigue and lustful romance, the drama series that has been described as “D.C. on crack” is bidding farewell. Yes, the show was chaotic, ludicrous, shocking and bat-dung crazy — but millions of devotees couldn’t resist it. We have no idea of how brazen crisis manager Olivia Pope and the gang will go out, but clearly “Scandal” has taught us to be prepared for anything. (10 p.m. Thursday, ABC).
Other bets:
Sunday: Reba McEntire returns to host the “53rd Academy of Country Music Awards” in Las Vegas. The star-studded roster of performers includes Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban and more. (8 p.m., CBS).
Monday: “I Am Evidence” is a revelatory documentary that examines why hundreds of thousands of rape kits, containing crucial DNA evidence, are languishing untested in policeevidence storage rooms across the country. Mariska Hargitay (“Law & Order: SVU”), a longtime advocate for survivors of sexual assault, produced the film. (8 p.m., HBO).
Tuesday: Another familiar face pops up on “Roseanne” as Johnny Galecki returns to play David, Darlene’s boyfriend (and later husband). After being absent for years, David unexpectedly shows up for Harris’ birthday, forcing Darlene to re-examine their relationship. (8 p.m., ABC).
Tuesday: A reality TV knife fight? Well, not quite, but “Forged in Fire: Knife or Death” is a new competition series in which top bladesmiths, martial artists and knife experts slice, stab and chop their way through daunting obstacle courses. Don’t ask us to explain. (10 p.m. Discovery).
Wednesday: “Riverdale” attempts to hit the high notes in its first song-filled episode as Archie’s high school begins rehearsals for “Carrie the Musical.” Based on Stephen King’s teen horror tale, this one should be a scream. (8 p.m., The CW).
Friday: “Mercury 13” is a documentary about 13 remarkable female pilots who reached for the stars, but were ahead of their time. In 1961, they passed spaceflight tests and, in some cases, outdid their male counterparts. But in plotting America’s first voyages beyond Earth, NASA dismissed them all in favor of men. (Netflix).
Saturday: “War for the Planet of the Apes,” the third installment in the rebooted series, makes its cable TV debut. It follows a confrontation between the simians — led by a vengeful Caesar — and the humans for control of Earth. (8 p.m., HBO).