Born into privilege, privately educated, speaking in patrician town, George Plimpton could have been a high society horror. Instead, he was something of a literary gadfly and player in New Journalism of the 1960s. As editor of The Paris Review he got to hobnob with writers he interviewed and published an awful lot of groundbreaking work, though most years the publication was broke.
Because he got a notion to participate in some of the big sports he was covering for Sports Illustrated, he carved out a niche for himself doing participatory journalism, producing memorable bestsellers and barely recalled TV specials. There’s an awful lot of film to be collected, and literary types to give their opinions to make this bio of Plimpton on “American Masters” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings) very lively. He appeared on a number of TV talk shows, and was opposite Hef on “Playboy After Dark.” But nothing there match the pictures of the parties he’d throw, attracting a mind-blowing array of literary giants. Pity the party is over.
It’s the final episode for Barbara Walters on “The View” (ABC, 11 a.m.) after a career of 100 years and it’d be worth paying attention to, if only we’d actually believe she’d stay off TV. Rather, it sounds like the farewell ours of Cher and Kiss. Indeed, she’s already back on by tonight with “Barbara Walters: Her Special” (ABC, 9 p.m.).
“Shark Tank” (ABC, 8 p.m.) reaches its fifth season finale. Also closing seasons are two other shows coming back next season, “Grimm” (NBC, 9 p.m.) and “Hart of Dixie” (The CW, 9 p.m.).
The sixth season of “Kitchen Nightmares” (Fox, 9 p.m.) ends at an Italian restaurant in Pennsylvania.
Odd night for the Oscar nominated “Captain Phillips” (Starz, 9 p.m.) to make its cable premiere.
Guests on a new “Real Time with Bill Maher” (HBO, 10 p.m.) include Kevin Nealon, former Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, Kellyanne Conway, Dr. Robert Lustig and Ian Bremmer.
Jack Osbourne is guest on a new “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” (The CW, 8 p.m.).
Rerunning “24: Live Another Day” (Fox, 8 p.m.) on Fridays is becoming a regular thing.
The Friday Night Spotlight on Australian film continues with “My Brilliant Career” (8 p.m.), “Starstruck” (10 p.m.), “An Angel at My Table” (midnight) and “Sweetie” (2:45 a.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Adam Sandler. The View: James McAvoy, Sally Field, B.J. Novak, John Leguizamo, Sofia Vergara, Diane Keaton, John Cena, Jason Priestley, Jon Cryer, Neil Patrick Harris. The Talk: Idina Menzel, Chi-Lan Lieu, Sal Scognamillo. Ellen DeGeneres: Amanda Seyfried, Ed Sheeran. Wendy Williams: Chef Theo Gumbs, Don Lemon, Jane Velez-Mitchell, Jenny Hutt.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Lea Michele, Andy Kindler, Chromeo. Jimmy Fallon: Drew Barrymore, Giovanni Ribisi, Elbow. Jimmy Kimmel: Adam Carlla, Royal Blood. Seth Meyers: Sofia Vergara, Natalie Dormer, Jonah Keri (rerun). Craig Ferguson: Sophia Bush, Jackie Collins. Carson Daly: Phil Lord & Chris Miller, the Crystal Method (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Mel Brooks. Arsenio Hall: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jermaine Dupri.