Gillian Laub ruffled some feathers when she went down to Montgomery County, Ga., in 2009 and photographed one of the most glaring vestiges of segregation in the South – separate proms for races just as they used to have separate drinking fountains. (Some locals said it made them look racist, imagine that).
The result was a memorable spread in the New York Times Magazine. She returned to finish the story, when they decided to have their first integrated prom a year later and stumbled onto a more complicated local story: A young black man shot by a white man, who was guardian to a young black woman the victim was visiting. The resulting story on the documentary “Southern Rites” (HBO, 9 p.m) points to how ingrained and messy the simplest of stories can seem.
Even when tables are occasionally turned, and “The Bachelor” can become “The Bachelorette” (ABC, 9 p.m.), men still sometimes hold the power. That happens tonight when two women, Britt Nilsson and Kaitlyn Bristowe, who lucked out by not being chosen by small-town Iowa farmboy Chris Soules last season, have to compete to decide which will proceed as official Bachelorette.
That means the 25 potential suitors will be judging them that first cocktail party and making their own deciding votes. Women never seem to win on this thorny show of rose-giving.
Soules was a castoff himself, not only on the previous “Bachelorette,” but this season on “Dancing with the Stars” (ABC, 8 p.m.), which has its final dance-off tonight between its three remaining “stars,” one who is the daughter of stars, another who is a singer of a band you’ve never heard of, the third is a personal trainer. The show has been renewed for another year, but it should be renamed “Dancing without the Stars.”
They’re giving two hours to the series finale of “The Following” (Fox, 8 p.m.). Since the dark Kevin bacon vehicle hasn’t been renewed for a fourth season, we presume that all threads will be tied in tonight’s conclusion.
Also going for good tonight is “Stalker” (CBS, 9 p.m.) and good riddance to all that.
Finales are also set tonight for “2 Broke Girls” (CBS, 8 p.m.) and “Mike & Molly” (CBS, 8:30 p.m.), “The Night Shift” (NBC, 10 p.m.) and “NCIS: Los Angeles” (CBS, 10 p.m.). All will be back in the fall.
“The Voice” (NBC, 8 p.m.) begins the first night of its finale, which spreads out over four hours on two nights this week.
Just after Congress voted to put curbs on the NSA’s phone surveillance program, “Independent Lens” (PBS, 10 p.m.) has a timely replay of its documentary “1971,” on the citizens break-in of an FBI office in suburban Pennsylvania that lead to the first Congressional hearing on domestic spying.
One of the better broadcast choices tonight is a simple movie: “Celeste and Jesse Forever” (The CW, 8 p.m.), which stars Andy Samberg and Rashida Jones.
“Keeping up with the Kardashians” (E!, 9 p.m.) finally catches up to the news about Bruce Jenner. Tonight is part two of an episode that began Sunday.
Turner Classic Movies goes back to the 15th Century. Not movies that were made then, but those that were about the 1400s: “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (8 p.m.), “Tower of London” (10:15 p.m.), “Quentin Durward” (midnight), “Christopher Columbus” (2 a.m.) and “Saint Joan” (4 a.m.).
It’s Tampa Bay at Rangers (NBC Sports Network, 8 p.m.) in game two of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals.
Baseball includes Angels at Toronto (MLB, 1 p.m.) and St. Louis at Mets (ESPN, 7 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Christina Aguilera. The View: Kelly Rutherford, Danai Gurira, Raven-Symone, Michele Collins. The Talk: Tracee Ellis Ross, Shelley Wade, Eric Greenspan. Ellen DeGeneres: Sandra Bullock, James Bay. Wendy Williams: Jordi Lippe. Meredith Vieira: Debbie Gibson, Michelle Williams, Brad Garrett, Heidi Skolnik. Queen Latifah: Julianne Hough, Train (rerun).
Late Talk
David Letterman: Tom Hanks, Eddie Vedder. Jimmy Fallon: Hugh Jackman, Nick Offerman, Janelle Monae. Jimmy Kimmel: Mariah Carey, Alexandra Daddario. Seth Meyers: Mariska Hargitay, Chelsea Peretti, Father John Misty, Elle King. James Corden: Rebecca Romijn, Sam Rockwell. Tavis Smiley: B.B. King tribute. Jon Stewart: Peter Dinklage (rerun). Conan O’Brien: Betty White, Clio Cresswell, Lord Huron.