For an awards show that has always had the least surprising results — the best-selling recordings of the year, listed week-in and week-out, The 2014 Billboard Music Awards (ABC, 8 p.m.) is concentrating instead on surprising performances, from Robin Thicke crooning apologies to his wife, Carrie Underwood will duet with Miranda Lambert, and Ariana Grande will perform with Iggy Azalea. But the big event will be unearthing Michael Jackson and having him perform his “new” “Slave to the Rhythm” via hologram, from the people who bro. And who says Sunday has been without “The Walking Dead”?
Other performers include Miley Cyrus, Imagine Dragons, Lorde, Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, OneRepublic, Florida Georgia Line and Jason Derulo. Jennifer Lopez will get a special Icon Award and Ludacris hosts from Las Vegas.
Perhaps trying to hang on to the coattails of the big music show “Coldplay: Ghost Stories” (NBC, 7 p.m.) is the rare network music special about a single band.
As unnecessary as it is to have “all stars” returning to compete for the second and third time, it’s been a fairly exciting season for “The Amazing Race” (CBS, 8 p.m.). Dave and Connor might be the first father/son team to win; Caroline & Jennifer (who really don’t deserve to be in the finale) might be the only female team; and Brendon & Rachel may be the most hated team to win. The latter have won individual legs of the race four times; the father/son team five times and the country singers none. The race concludes in Las Vegas, where they just might run into the Billboard Music Awards after their date with David Copperfield.
There are a lot of finales tonight, chief among them “The Good Wife” (CBS, 9 p.m.) with Michael J. Fox fighting for turf. Also closing its seasons are “The Mentalist” (CBS, 10 p.m.) and “Bob’s Burgers” (Fox, 7 p.m.), where Zach Galifianakis is special guest.
It’s finale night on public television, too, with the end of the third season of “Call the Midwife” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings) coming to a close and the unending “Mr. Selfridge” closing its second full season on “Masterpiece Classic” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings)
A season three winnner is announced on “America’s Best Cook” (Food, 9 p.m.).
In the midst of its campaign “Veep” (HB, 10:30 p.m.) suddenly goes to London.
Jackie’s fake identity comes to light on “Nurse Jackie” (Showtime, 9 p.m.).
Pied Piper has a booth at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference tonight on “Silicon Valley” (HBO, 10 p.m.)
Sensa tries to adjust to her new castle in Eyrie with the big hole in the floor on “Game of Thrones” (HBO, 9 p.m.) as Tyrion awaits a verdict.
Dorian Gray’s story unfolds on a new “Penny Dreadful” (Showtime, 10 p.m.).
I’m beginning to think that one night of “Last Week Tonight with Jon Oliver” (HBO, 11 p.m.) almost packs as much satiric punch as a week’s worth of “The Daily Show.”
Hank gets involved with cast members on “Santa Monica Cop” on “Californication” (Showtime, 9:30 p.m.).
So far, no crossover episodes are expected for “Naked and Afraid” (Discovery, 8 p.m.) and “My 600-pound Life” (Discovery Fitness and Health, 9 p.m.).
It’s one thing to have “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” (Bravo, 8 p.m.) act the way they do, but it’s more disheartening when the same things happen to the degreed women on “Married to Medicine” (Bravo, 9 p.m.).
“Gentleman’s Agreement” (TCM, 8 p.m.) and “Pinky” (TCM, 10:15 p.m.) are paired.
Game one of the Eastern Conference NBA Finals has Miami at Indiana (ABC, 3:30 p.m.).
Baseball includes Pittsburgh at Yankees (MLB, 1 p.m.), and Detroit at Boston (ESPN, 8 p.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: Rep. Keith Ellison, former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. CBS: White House chief of staff Denis McDonough, American Legion National Commander Dan Dellinger, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former treasury secretary Timothy Geithner, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. NBC: Sen. Clare McCaskill, Republican national committee chairman Reince Prebus, Rep. Adam Kinziner, Glenn Greenwald, former Sen. Blanche Lincoln. CNN: Massachusetts Gov. Duval Patrck, Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Fox News: former vice president Dick Cheney.