The respectful tone and bipartisan praise engendered by the thorough biography “John McCain: For Whom the Bell Tolls” (HBO, 8 p.m.), might make you think its subject, the Arizona senator, has already died. Even the title, cribbed from his favorite book, is ominous.
But McCain is still here, despite a diagnosis of brain cancer, to banter light-heartedly about his life, which began as a slacker in a military family, changed by a brutal stint as prisoner of war in Vietnam, got sidetracked to Washington when he became a Navy liaison where he gained friends from both sides of the aisle. Eventual entry into the U.S. Senate and a couple of tries for the presidency come with a divorce, a nearly career-ending involvement in a savings and loan scandal, and a disastrous choice for vice presidential candidate, which validated and promoted the worst aspects of his party that are currently in control.
Because of the way he’s conducted himself, a number of political foes and friends get involved with interviews from Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton, John Kerry, Hillary Clinton and Biden.
The striking brunette Becca Kufrin famously got a proposal from the last bachelor, only to have him change his mind weeks later, a twist compounded in the finale by having the heartbroken woman cheerfully accept being “The Bachelorette” (ABC, 8 p.m.). Hats off to her for being able to pivot from engagement to meeting two dozen suitors back at the mansion in tonight’s season premiere. One wears a chicken suit; another cares entirely too much about his suit. And she manages to send someone home during the opening cocktail party.
The Stanley Cup finals gets the prime time spotlight it deserves as it begins with Washington at Las Vegas (NBC, 8 p.m.).
Here’s an unusual approach to Memorial Day: A documentary on the Ms. Veteran America beauty pageant, organized for women in the military. “Served Like a Girl,” which explores the female experience in soldiering, is on “Independent Lens” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings).
Following the success of last year’s “Girl in the Box,” about a girl abducted in Oregon and held in Northern California, here is the TV movie, “Girl in the Bunker” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.) about the 2006 abduction of a teenager in South Carolina kept underground in the woods. Creepier still: The abductor is played by Henry Thomas, once the kid you loved in “E.T.” Julia Lalonde and Moira Kelly also star in the movie, which is followed by a documentary on the real story, “Elizabeth Shoaf: The Girl in the Bunker” (Lifetime, 10 p.m.).
“Wasted! The Story of Food Waste” (Starz, 9 p.m.) is a documentary about chefs tackling the problem.
They may also want to look into the excesses of “Man v. Food” (Travel, 9 p.m.), which begins a new season with Casey Webb returning to his Jersey Shore roots. At 9:30, he heads to Minneapolis.
A crew convenes to save Olivia on the season finale of “iZombie” (CW, 9 p.m.). It will return for one final season.
Megan Mullally looks into her genealogy on a new “Who Do You Think You Are?” (TLC, 10 p.m.).
Animal Planet has run out of actual animals to have shows about, so presents the second straight night of a two hour show about a fake one in “The Lost Kingdom of Yeti” (Animal Planet, 8 p.m.).
Elvis’ comeback special is about the only good thing that happened in “1968” (CNN, 10 p.m.), which reaches episode four.
Elizabeth Vargas hosts an investigation into “Cults and Extreme Belief” (A&E, 10 p.m.).
Technology scours the deep to find evidence of pirates and others on “Drain the Oceans” (National Geographic, 8 p.m.), Then at 9, they focus on Nazis.
Eleventh seasons start for the noisy moorhead series “Street Outlaws” (Discovery, 8 p.m.) and “American Chopper” (Discovery, 10 p.m.).
“Supergirl” (CW, 8 p.m.) finds out part of Krypton has survived, which may be a surprise to producers of that series.
A suspect is arrested on “The Crossing” (ABC, 10 p.m.).
Six remaining bakers must make Boston cream pies on “Best Baker in America” (Food, 9 p.m.). Pies are also the assignment on “Chopped” (Food, 10 p.m.).
Two women vanish on “Dead of Night” (Investigation Discovery, 8 p.m.).
“Dead North” (Investigation Discovery, 9 p.m.) looks for a missing person in Michigan’s upper peninsula.
Leah goes trick-or-treating on “Teen Mom 2” (MTV, 9 p.m.).
Tami and Evelyn spar on “Basketball Wives” (VH1, 9 p.m.).
“Vanderpump Rules” (Bravo, 9 p.m.) ends its season with leftover clips.
It’s not armistice but the end of Memorial Day Weekend that finally puts an end to the war movie marathon on Turner Classic Movies, with “Battleground” (6:45 a.m.), “The Red Badge of Courage” (9 a.m.), “Friendly Persuasion” (10:15 a.m.), “Men in War” (12:45 p.m.), “Pride of the Marines” (2:45 p.m.), “The Best Years of Our Lives” (5 p.m.), “The Great Escape” (8 p.m.), “The Bridge on the River Kwai” (11 p.m.), “Breakthrough” (2 a.m.) and “The Naked and the Dead” (3:45 a.m.).
It’s Golden State at Houston (TNT, 9 p.m.) in the decisive Game 7 of the NBA Playoffs’ Western conference finals.
Baseball includes Houston at Yankees (ESPN, 1 p.m.), White Sox at Cleveland (ESPN, 4 p.m.), San Francisco at Colorado (ESPN, 7 p.m.) and Philadelphia at Los Angeles (MLB, 10 p.m.).
In soccer, it’s U.S. vs Bolivia (Fox Sports 1, 6:30 p.m.) in an international friendly. Also: Portugal vs. Túnex (beIN Sports, 2:30 p.m.) and Mexico vs. Wales (Fox Sports 1, 9 p.m.).
First round play continues in the French Open (Tennis, 5 and 10 a.m.; NBC, noon).
It’s Duke vs. Yale (ESPN2, 1 p.m.) for the NCAA men’s lacrosse championship.
And ultimate frisbee makes its TV sports debut in the USA men’s college championship (ESPNU, 3 p.m.) followed by the women’s championship (ESPNU, 5 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest: Andy Cohen, Dylan Minnette, Dr. Taz Bhatia, Phillip Phillips. The View: James Comey (rerun). The Talk: Donny Osmond, Samira Wiley. Harry Connick: Candice Bergen (rerun). Steve Harvey: Hill Harper, Keri Hilson, Tamar Braxton, Kimberly Caldwell (rerun). Ellen DeGeneres: Milo Ventimiglia, Dax Shepard (rerun). Wendy Williams: Jason Biggs, Jenny Mollen, Dr. Drew Pinsky (rerun). The Real: Amara La Negra (rerun).
Late Talk
All reruns: Stephen Colbert: Charlize Theron, Ron Howard. Jimmy Kimmel: Will Arnett, Lilly Singh, MGMT. Jimmy Fallon: Blake Shelton, Scott Eastwood. James Corden: Alicia Vikander, Walton Goggins, James Blunt. Carson Daly: Lennie James, the Aces, Cameron Cuffe. Conan O’Brien: Zach Galifianakis, Jamie Anderson, They Might Be Giants.