Season finales seem to come earlier and earlier, thanks to the tendency of shows to run straight through with fewer reruns and summmer shows beginning earlier in the summer. Four occur tonight alone.
The third season finale of “Scandal” (ABC, 10 p.m.) comes on election day. And in a first for broadcast TV, there is an equivalence of the talking aftershow when show creator Shonda Rimes is the sole guest on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC, 11:35 a.m.) on an episode called “Behind the Scandalabra,” with a blooper reel and a Spanish language version called “Escandalo.”
“Community” (NBC, 8 p.m.) ends its strange, short fifth season that featured the return of creator Don Harmon, by examining the legacy of a former dean, played by Chris Elliott.
The first season of “The Crazy Ones” (CBS, 9 p.m.) ends with two episodes featuring Brad Garrett and guests Marilu Henner, Gayle King, Melody Thomas Scott. And the fifth season of “Parenthood” (NBC, 10 p.m.) ends with that familial rite of pasage, the driving leson.
With the kind of winter we’ve just had, there may not be much enthusiasm for the second season start of “Life Below Zero” (National Geographic, 9 p.m.). But the compellingly-shot series following four individuals and couples living off the grid in and near the Arctic Circle concentrates, in this episode anyway, on gathering food for the winter. One couple spreads a net before the lake freezes; another devises an ingenious river wheel that does the fishing for them, a guy goes deer hunting and a woman goes out to get a bear before the bear gets her.
In the pause between the end of the regular season and the start of playoffs, here’s an NBA story: All about the Detroit Pistons of the late 80s and early 90s, named, like this documentary, “Bad Boys” on “30 for 30” (ESPN, 8 p.m.).
Cooking for a panel of VIP chefs is the task on “Hell’s Kitchen” (Fox, 8 p.m.).
An auction to raise money for the Unity Concert is planned on “Parks and Recreation” (NBC, 8:30 p.m.), where Leslie copes with her newly discovered pregnancy.
Josh Homme and Nick Swardson visit “Portlandia” (IFC, 10 p.m.).
A new “Hollywood Game Night” (NBC, 9 p.m.) features Wayne Brady, Lauren Cohan, Zachary Levi, Jaime Pressley, Tara Lipinski and Rachael Ray.
Cast member Paul Wesley directs tonight’s episode of “The Vampire Diaries” (The CW, 8 p.m.), as the Travelers try to take over Mystic Falls.
Before the TV sitcom version begins a week from tonight, here’s the Cameron Diaz original, “Bad Teacher” (FX, 7 and 10 p.m.).
A jolting Republican president double bill: “W.” (TMC, 8 p.m.) and “Lincoln” (TMC, 10:10 p.m.).
Turner Classic Movies throws a 48-hour salute to MGM on the occasion of its 90th anniversary with “Flesh and the Devil” (8 p.m.), “Grand Hotel” (10 p.m.), “Mutiny on the Bounty” (midnight), “Ninotchka” (2:15 a.m.) and the 1938 “Marie Antoinette” (4:15 a.m.).
“Forrest Gump” (AMC, 8 and 10 p.m.) shows for the sixth and seventh time since Monday.
Online weddings can be crazy too on “My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding” (TLC, 9 p.m.).
Aslaug is about to give birth on “Vikings” (History, 10 p.m.).
You’d think the Food Network were an especially violent episode of “Game of Thrones” with such fare as “Chopped Canada” (Food, 9 p.m.) and “Beat Bobby Flay” (Food, 10 p.m.).
More first round Stanley Cup Playoff action with Philadelphia at Rangers (CNBC, 7 p.m.), Chicago at St. Louis (NBC Sports, 8 p.m.), Minnesota at Colorado (CNBC, 9:30 p.m.) and Los Angeles at San Jose (NBC Sports, 10:30 p.m.).
Baseball includes Atlanta at Philadelphia (MLB, 1:05 p.m.) and Yankees at Tampa Bay (MLB, 7:05 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: David Duchovny, Max Greenfield. The View: Wendy Williams, Steve Schirripa, Susan Lucci, Ana Ortiz, Roselyn Sanchez,Darby Stanchfield. The Talk: Billy Ray Cyrus, Dionne Warwick, Diana Madison, Tre Wilcox (rerun). Ellen DeGeneres: Chelsea Handler, Elisabeth Moss, Jason Derulo.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Billy Crystal, Tony Hale, Kwasi Enin, Liv Warfield (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Michelle Obama, Will Ferrell, Arcade Fire (rerun). Jimmy Kimmel: Shonda Rhimes. Seth Meyers: Kathie Lee Gifford, Hoda Kotb, Kyle MacLachlan, Karmin (rerun). Craig Ferguson: Kevin Bacon, Andy Hendrickson. Carson Daly: Sirah, Steph Green (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Jackie Collins. Jon Stewart: Colin Firth (rerun). Stephen Colbert: Jane Goodall (rerun). Arsenio Hall: TGT (rerun). Conan O’Brien: Tracy Morgan, Judy Greer, Broken Bells. Chelsea Handler: Brooklyn Decker, Michael Yo, Loni Love, Matt Braunger. Pete Holmes: Jim Jeffries, jamie Lee.