There has already been some casualties from the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards (MTV, 9 p.m.). Iggy Izelia, who was to open the event with Ariana Grande and Nick Minaj singing “Bang Bang,” fell off the stage in rehearsal. One of Minaj’s backup dancers was bitten by a snake in her “Anaconda” number. And — this just in — Suge Knight was shot at Chris Brown’s pre-party.
Much more can go wrong at the live event at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif. And they probably wish they do, dreading as they do in chaos and edge. Other performers are Usher, Taylor Swift, 5 Seconds of Summer, Adam Levine, Rita Ora, Sam Smith, Zedd and DJ Mustard. Beyonce will both perform and receive the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. She’s also up for the most awards — eight– with Azalea and Eminem behind her with seven each.
The end finally comes for “True Blood” (HBO, 9 p.m.), a series that may have outlasted its interest level but provided several seasons of good storytelling, a wealth of splendid characters in the town of Bon Temps, La., and some wry commentary on modern life as seen through the uneasy alliance with vampires in the Deep South. Now, Sookie and Bill have to come to some sort of agreement (long since their actors have actually gotten married) and Eric and Pam have to settle issues as well in a final episode called “Thank You.”
Stick around for “The Leftovers” (HBO, 10 p.m.) if only to hear Amy Brenneman speak for the first time on an episode-long pre-disappearance flashback episode.
For a guy specializing in the field Masters is kind of fumbling his relations with Johnson on “Masters of Sex” (Showtime, 10 p.m.).
Liev Schreiber plays double duty tonight as he directs an episode of “Ray Donovan” (Showtime, 10 p.m.).
With “Daily Show” and “Colbert Report” AWOL for two news-filled weeks, “This Week with John Oliver” (HBO, 11 p.m.) has been ably filling in the sharp satiric void.
A winner is chosen on the finale of “Rising Star” (ABC, 9 p.m.).
Here’s something new for “Masterpiece Mystery” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings), a new series set in 1961 about a doctor holding a secret. Jack Davenport stars in “Breathless.”
Nicole is back on “Big Brother” (CBS, 8 p.m.) and all is right with the world. Until they evict her again.
It’s Cincinnati at Arizona (NBC, 8 p.m.) in preseason Sunday Night Football. Earlier, it’s San Diego at San Francisco (Fox, 4 p.m.).
The tough actress Gladys George is the star all day on Turner Classic Movies, with “Bright Leaf” (6 a.m.), “The Hard Way” (8 a.m.), “Flamingo Road” (10 a.m.), “A Child is Born” (11:45 a.m.), “Marie Antoinette” (1:15 p.m.), “They Gave Him a Gun” (4 p.m.), “The Roaring Twenties” (6 p.m.), “The Maltese Falcon” (8 p.m.), “Madame X” (10 p.m.), “The Lullaby of Broadway” (11:30 p.m.), “He Ran All the Way” (1:15 a.m.), “Alias a Gentleman” (2:45 a.m.) and “Love is a Headache” (4:15 a.m.).
Baseball today includes San Francisco at Washington (TBS, 1:30 p.m.) and Angels at Oakland (ESPN, 8 p.m.).
In the WNBA playoffs it’s Atlanta at Chicago (ESPN2, 7 p.m.) and Phoenix at Los Angeles (ESPN2, 9 p.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: Reps. Michael McCaul and William Lacy Clay Jr. CBS: Clay, Rep. Paul Ryan, Sen. Kelly Ayotte. NBC: Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, Rep. Mike ROgers, Rev. Al Sharpton, Sen. Rand Paul, British Ambassador to the U.S. Peter Westmacott. CNN: Nixon, Sens. Lindsey Graham and Jack Reed, Detroit Police Chief James Craig, Dallas police Chief Malik Aziz, Montgomery County, Md., police Chief Thomas Manger. Fox News: Sen. John McCain.