The idea for The Highwaymen, the touring country supergroup of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson came from the time they all were booked for a TV Christmas special in Switzerland. They all got along so well, they decided to tour and then to record.
But touring seemed like the main thing and they rightfully filled arenas on four world tours, each of them stepping up to take lead a handful of their own classics with the others backing them up. Far less time was spent coming up with original recordings that showed off the four distinct voices – blending them was not easy.
A new “American Masters” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings) looks at the Highwaymen by way of mostly a single concert, using each song to introduce a member and aspects of their union – sobriety was a recent issue for both Cash and Jennings. Newer interviews with Kristofferson and Nelson are combined with very old ones from Jennings, who died in 2002 and Cash, who died a year later. The film could have benefitted from at least one full performance of something from a group that will never quite be duplicated again. Near the end, a bit is heard of them doing the classic song “Desperados Waiting on a Train,” written by Guy Clark, who died last week,
A second season drops for “Bloodline” (Netflix, streaming), the family drama about a deadly secret and squabbling siblings in the Florida Keys that stars Kyle Chandler and Sissy Spacek. New to the series this season is John Leguizamo.
A new season also comes for the well-regarded cooking series, “Chef’s Table” (Netflix, streaming) which will look into the kitchens of Dominique Crenn, Ana Ros, Grant Achatz, Gaggan Anand, Alex Atala and Enrique Olvera.
Spring comes early for “Alaskan Bush People” (Discovery, 9 p.m.).
Shane Smith travels to Moscow to talk to Edward Snowden on a new “Vice” (HBO, 11 p.m.).
Bernie Sanders, Scott Adams, Melissa Harris-Perry, Wayne Allyn Root and Michael Moynihan are guests on a new “Real Time with Bill Maher” (HBO, 10 p.m.).
A season finale comes to “Tyler Perry’s For Better or Worse” (OWN, 9 p.m.).
“Wynona Earp” (Syfy, 10 p.m.) consoles herself with the bottle.
“Buddy’s Family Vacation” (Food Network, 8:30 p.m.) eats in Savannah.
Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone star in the Woody Allen film from last year, “Irrational Man” (Starz, 9 p.m.), making its premium cable debut.
The final installment of the month-long Friday night salute to actor Robert Ryan on Turner Classic Movies dovetails into Memorial Day weekend with “Battle of the Bulge” (8 p.m.), “The Longest Day” (11 p.m.), “The Dirty Dozen” (2 a.m.) and “Men in War” (4:30 a.m.).
The NBA playoffs have Cleveland at Toronto (ESPN, 8:30 p.m.) in game 6.
Baseball includes Dodgers at Mets (MLB, 7 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly Ripa: Tyler Perry, Lizzy Caplan, Richard Blais, Andy Cohen. The View: Martina McBride, Katie Linendoll. The Talk: Derek Luke, Julie Watts. Chelsea Handler: Ashton Kutcher, Cindy McCain. Ellen DeGeneres: Steve Harvey, Gal Gadot, Quincy Jones, Rita Wilson (rerun). Wendy Williams: Andre Leon Talley, Designer (rerun). The Real: Jermaine Dupri (rerun). Meredith Vieira: Fran Drescher, Renee Elise Goldsberry (rerun).
Late Talk
Stephen Colbert: Rashida Jones, Daveed Diggs, Marina Franklin, the Struts. Jimmy Kimmel: Dax Shepard, Katie Nolan, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Maya Rudolph, Martin Short, Leslie Odom Jr., Courtney Barnett. Seth Meyers: Rachel Maddox, Judd Apatow, Joe Pera, Eric Kretz (rerun). James Corden: Amanda Peet, Max Greenfield, Panic at the Disco (rerun). Carson Daly: Jason Jones, the Coathangers, Amy Seimetz (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Arianna Huffington, Reginald Dwayne Betts.