Not so long ago, it was exiled to public television, if it was on the airwaves at all. Now, The 68th Annual Tony Awards (CBS, 8 p.m.) is one of the top handful of awards show, a classier than usual occasion with far fewer onstage explosions that gives a great overview of what’s on stage in New York. It has also, in recent years, included an awful lot of familiar faces from film and TV among the Broadway regulars.
The Tony comeback has had a lot to do with Neil Patrick Harris’ hosting job. Tonight he’s one of the top nominees for his role in the revival of “Headwig and the Angry Inch,” so Hugh Jackman returns to take the job at Radio City Music Hall. Performers will include Harris, of course, but also Idina Menzel, Sutton Foster, Gladys Knight and Fantasia, Sting and Jennifer Hudson, among others. And there will be articulate, tearful acceptance speeches!
Tawdrier than the still-exiled Miss America, Miss USA 2014 (NBC, 8 p.m.) continues as if it’s the 1950s, given a Sunday night prime time perch because Trump is still behind it all. It’s live from Baton Rouge, oddly. So maybe somebody like Turtleman from “Call of the Wildman” (Animal Planet, 10:30 p.m.) will be one of the judges. Or one of the events will involve a “Crocpocalypse” (Nat Geo Wild, 10 p.m.).
The network ratings champ tonight among all this will likely be Game 2 of the NBA Finals with Miami at San Antonio (ABC, 8 p.m.). Hope the air conditioning is fixed. “Jimmy Kimmel Live: Game Night” (ABC, 7 p.m.) will seem way early tonight.
With event programming on all the other broadcast channels, only Fox has regular programming with reruns of “The Simpsons” (Fox 8 p.m.) and “Family Guy” (Fox, 8:30 p.m.) before a season finale of the science series “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey” (Fox, 9 p.m.).
“Veep” (HBO, 10 p.m.) caps its fast and furious campaign season with a two episode finale, with Selena trying to topple the poll-topper Joe Thornhill, a former baseball manager, just before the New Hampshire primary (clearing the way for a general election showdown next season?).
There are probably no provisions for an appeal process after last week’s trial by gladiator at King’s Landing on “Game of Thrones” (HBo, 9 p.m.). Also there are some stirrings at the Wall, in this series which is reaching its own season finale next week.
This morning, it’s Rafael Nadal vs. Novak Djovic in the men’s final of the French Open (NBC, 9 a.m.).
They managed to make computer-building look pretty exciting last week. Let’s see how “Halt and Catch Fire” (AMC, 10 p.m.) continues as a series.
Kodiak bears will be unhappy to learn of the new documentary series “The Hunt” (History, 10 p.m.). It’s narrated by James Hetfield of Metallica, because jobs in TV for metal singers are more rare than Kodiak bears.
Rappers, however, are all over reality TV. “Rev Run’s Sunday Suppers” (Cooking, 10 p.m.) is the second or third show from the Run DMC member, this one about food.
With so many shows now about food, here’s one about the people who serve them: “The Big Tip with Rachel Ray” (Food, 10 p.m.) interviews servers who’ve gotten quite a bit more than the usual 15 percent.
On the new reality show “Escape Club” (E!, 9 p.m.) 12 singles in their 20s go off to an island beach competing for a prize to spend a year there. I say leave them all there.
The DEA invades All Saints Hospital on a new “Nurse Jackie” (Showtime, 9 p.m.).
Vanessa writes to Mina on a new “Penny Dreadful” (Showtime, 10 p.m.).
“Sister Wives” (TLC, 9 p.m.) begins its fifth season with an announcement from Meri: She can’t keep the toothbrushes straight at the kitchen cabinet.
Hank remembers the old days with Karen on “Californication” (Showtime, 9:30 p.m.)
If you missed it last week: Here’s the “CMT Music Awards” (CMT, 9 p.m.) all over again.
Tim McGraw, an honoree there, sits with Miss Winfrey on “Oprah’s Master Class” (OWN, 10 p.m.).
Animation tonight includes “The Smurfs” (ABC Family, 6 p.m.), “Despicable Me” (ABC Family, 9 p.m.) and “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” (ABC, 10 p.m.). Of course, “Smurfs” is more animation with live action, which was pioneered decades earlier in films like “The Incredible Mr. Limpet” (TCM, 8 p.m.) and “Anchors Aweigh” (TCM, 10 p.m.).
The 1925 silent version of “The Wizard of Oz” (TCM, midnight) gets a rare screening. It’s directed by Larry Semon, who also plays the Scarecrow and features Oliver Hardy as the Tinman.
Baseball includes Seattle at Tampa Bay (MLB, 1:40 p.m.) and Boston at Detroit (ESPN, 8 p.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: Reps. Mike Rogers and Tom Cole, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson. CBS: Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Saxby Chambliss. CNN: Secretary of State John Kerry, Sen. John McCain. Fox News: Former Attorney General Michael Mukasey.