This was posted Sunday, March 26, 2017 by Rodney Ho on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
Two very different but very popular TV shows are bowing out this week: Fox's "Bones" after 12 seasons and 256 episodes and Duck Dynasty after 11 seasons and 125 episodes.
"Bones" arrived in 2015 with a seemingly narrow premise but two interesting leads in Emily Deschanel as a quirky forensic archeologist and David Boreanaz, fresh off "Angel," as the FBI agent tasked to work with her. Of course, over time, they became more than work colleagues. They now are married with two kids.
"The arc of Booth and Brennan was really the most gratifying," executive producer Stephen Nathan told USA Today earlier this year. "There was something so slow and honest about their evolution as individuals and as a couple. You didn't have to force it or rush it. While there was always this Moonlighting curse hanging over our heads," he says, referring to the Bruce Willis-Cybill Shepherd series that flamed out once the couple became a romantic couple, but "at a certain point, the tension was dishonest. They needed to be together."
That series ends Tuesday night.
A&E"s "Duck Dynasty," about the Louisiana Robertson family and its duck-calling business, was truly the last supernova reality hit of its kind, peaking at more than 9 million viewers a week in 2013. It ends on Wednesday night.
Then patriarch Phil Robertson in a GQ interview that year made comments many regarded as racist and homophobic. He was briefly suspended. It became clear the show smoothed out many of his rougher edges.
The show's popularity plummeted but for three years remained plenty strong enough for A&E to keep around.
Much like "Jersey Shore" and "The Hills" on MTV years before and VH1's "Love and Hip Hop" and USA's "Chrisley Knows Best" now, "Duck Dynasty" is heavily staged. What was unusual is the Robertsons were not shy to say that it was "guided reality."
As the New York Times noted: "The producers would often sketch out the parameters of a situation and have the family live it. What made the show work so well was that the Robertsons, fitting the Eastern elite's image of hicks, were in fact savvy media manipulators, excellent improvisers and telegenic as heck."
What mattered was nobody cared that much of the "plotting" was hardly reality at all as long as the Robertsons themselves were real.
Speaking of something that is far from "real," the most popular show shot in metro Atlanta "The Walking Dead" concludes its seventh season Sunday with an all-out war between Negan and Rick. The entire season was a set up to this and deaths will surely ensue, possibly some big-name characters (though certainly not Daryl, Rick or Michonne.)
This covers Monday, March 27 through April 2, 2017.
MONDAY
"Dancing With the Stars" 8 p.m. ABC — Simon Biles and Rashad Jennings are early frontrunners.
"24: Legacy" 8 p.m. Fox — A threat forces CTU to go on lockdown.
"APB" 9:01 p.m. Fox — Another fire at a gang-run building appears to be worse than an act of a rival's retaliation.
"Bates Motel" 10 p.m. A&E — Norman checks in a special guest at the motel.
"Rock and a Hard Place" 10 p.m. HBO — A chronicle of a 16-week boot camp for incarcerated young people run by the Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation Department that aims to make them constructive members of society who are less likely to return to prison. Dwayne Johnson is an executive producer.
"Quantico" 10:01 p.m. ABC— While their newly appointed leader gets familiar with the team of CIA and FBI agents, Owen leads an investigation into the strange world of fake news.
TUESDAY
"The Mindy Project" 8 p.m. Hulu (fifth season finale) — Mindy swears off marriage and Ben buys a ring but will he drop to one knee?
"NCIS" 8 p.m. CBS — A Marine is murdered at an event for the Honor Flight Network, a non-profit that arranges for veterans to visit the World War II, Korea and Vietnam War Memorials in Washington, D.C., for free.
"Bull" 9 p.m. CBS — Bull helps thousands of people bring a class action suit against a bank.
"Trial & Error" 9 p.m. NBC — A new piece of evidence emerges that leads Josh to an unlikely, and dangerous, new suspect: Larry's brother-in-law.
"Mann & Wife" 9 p.m. Bounce TV (third season debut) — A new lieutenant arrives at the precinct, and everyone discovers that she and Hobbs shared a romantic past. Meanwhile, a cable installer confuses Toni for a singer.
"Bones" 9:01 p.m. Fox (series finale) — Kovac is still on the loose as the team look for evidence to track him down, but they'll have to do it without Brennan after she experiences a setback, and their task isn't made any easier when it appears he's got outside help and a hideout. Series star David Boreanaz directs.
"Chicago Fire" 10 p.m. NBC — When similar car accidents uncover the fact that someone may be targeting innocent people, a determined Dawson takes matters into her own hands to help push things along.
"NCIS: New Orleans" 10 p.m. CBS — While investigating a deadly accident at a naval base, the team discover that a unit of Seabees was poisoned with a contagious super virus, leaving the rest of the base and the entire city of New Orleans at risk for a catastrophic outbreak.
"Rebel" 10 p.m. BET (new series) — A renegade cop has to make a series of tough choices after an on-the-job incident changes her life forever.
"People Icons: Sexiest Man Alive" 10 p.m. ABC — A-list male celebrities from People's past and current "Sexiest Man Alive" covers are highlighted, including George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
"The Americans" 10 p.m. FX — Philip and Elizabeth have qualms about a new assignment while a specter from Philip's past creates unforeseen dangers.
WEDNESDAY
"Shots Fired" 8 p.m. Fox — A controversial video leaks that features Deputy Beck.
"Survivor" 8 p.m. CBS — Marietta's Malcolm Freberg was cut last week after some absurd shenanigans in tribal council. Could Sandra be next?
"Blindspot" 8 p.m. NBC — Jane and Oliver get into a dangerous situation.
"Imaginary Mary" 8 p.m. ABC (new series) — Jenn Elfman's life turns to chaos when an imaginary friend she created as a child returns after she begins dating a divorced father with three kids.
"Criminal Minds" 9 p.m. CBS — The BAU investigates an urban vampire in New York who kidnaps his victims at night and holds them underground in the sewer system.
"Duck Dynasty" 9 p.m. A&E (series finale) — Si decides to retire to pursue a music career and the family organize a party in his honor.
"Law & Order SVU" 9 p.m. NBC — A top-level investment banker accuses her billionaire client of rape.
"Major Crimes" 9 p.m. TNT — A war between bikes and cars escalates on the streets of Los Angeles.
"Modern Family" 9 p.m. ABC — A look at 300 seconds in the lives of the Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker clan includes Mitch and Cam hurrying to catch a flight for which they prematurely took sleeping pills
"Empire" 9 p.m. Fox — Cookie tries to move forward with Angelo.
"Chicago PD" 10 p.m. NBC — When a "night crawler" is murdered over a piece of mysterious footage, Intelligence investigates one of Chicago's wealthiest families and uncovers a lineage of old money and secrets.
"Designated Survivor" 10 p.m. ABC — Turmoil in an African country forces President Kirkman to rely on an unlikely ally for help.
"Greenleaf" 10 p.m. OWN — After one of Mac's victims attempts suicide, Grace makes a rash decision that may have lasting consequences.
"Legion" 10 p.m. FX (first season finale) — David faces his biggest challenge yet.
"The Quad" 10 p.m. BET — Sydney and Madison shake up the GAMU homecoming parade with help from a few friends.
"Underground" 10 p.m. WGN — Cato and Noah must face the choices they've made to get where they are.
THURSDAY
"Grey's Anatomy" 8 p.m. ABC — Maggie's mom's health deteriorates.
"The Big Bang Theory" 8 p.m. CBS — Raj moves in with Leonard and Penny and a period of adjustment begins for the three.
"60 Days In " 9 p.m. A&E — Uneasy alliances form that create new risks for the participants while they face even more difficult obstacles in order to survive life on the inside.
"Chicago Med " 9 p.m. NBC — Will fights to save his former teacher, who faces a life-threatening disease.
"Mom " 9:01 p.m. CBS — Christy helps Jill adjust to being a new foster mother.
"Scandal " 9:01 p.m. ABC — The events from election night are retold from Abby's perspective.
"The Catch " 10 p.m. ABC — Alice and Ben get caught in each other's crosshairs when they must choose between loyalties.
"The Amazing Race " 10 p.m. CBS (29th season debut) — For the first time, complete strangers are paired up.
"The Blacklist: Redemption" 10 p.m. NBC — Professional kidnappers abduct a wealthy businessman, his wife and young son.
"Colony" 10 p.m. USA — Will, Katie and Broussard battle the Red Hand for control of the RAP gauntlet.
"Review with Forrest McNeil" 10 p.m. Comedy (series finale) — Forrest sets out to cryogenically freeze himself and get struck by lightning. Also: A surprising message arrives from Suzanne.
FRIDAY
"13 Reasons Why" 3:01 a.m. Netflix (new series) — It follows teenager Clay Jensen (Dylan Minnette) as he returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker (newcomer Katherine Langford) - his classmate and crush - who tragically committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Will Clay be one of them?
"Last Man Standing" 8 p.m. ABC (sixth season finale) — Mandy job shadows Mike and causes a dispute between Chuck and Joe.
"MacGyver" 8 p.m. CBS — Mac and Jack help Mac's close friend from M.I.T. after she fakes her own death to prevent someone from killing her in order to suppress her scientific research.
"Grimm" 8 p.m. NBC (series finale) — Nick must look to his ancestors for strength to save the world from a terrifying end as he faces off against a seemingly unbeatable foe.
"RuPaul's Drag Race" 8 p.m. VH1 — Lisa Kudrow from "Friends" stops by.
"Hawaii Five-O" 9 p.m. CBS — Five-0 helps a close friend work the case of a kidnapped wealthy woman whose husband may have something to hide.
"Sleepy Hollow" 9 p.m. Fox (fourth season finale) — Dreyfuss finally has enough power to infiltrate the White House, and his group of minions now has the strength to take action, so it's up to Team Witness to stop him once and for all.
"Blue Bloods" 10 p.m. CBS (150th episode) — Danny investigates the disappearance of a former cop who planned to make amends with a woman she wrongfully convicted years ago.
"Dr. Miami" 10 p.m. WE (new series) — Dr. Miami is shocked by a surprise at Ashley's makeover reveal.
WEEKEND
"Fatal Defense" 8 p.m. Saturday Lifetime — After a home invasion, a single mother signs up for self-defense classes from a handsome martial arts instructor. But when her instructor develops a frightening obsession with her, he orchestrates an increasingly deadly array of "tests" to see if she has truly learned from his lessons
"The 52nd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards" 8 p.m. Sunday CBS — Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley host. Performers include Jason Aldean, Little Big Town and Lady Antebellum. And Florida Georgia Line works with the Backstreet Boys.
"Big Little Lies" 9 p.m. Sunday HBO (first season finale) — Read the book if you want to spoil the ending.
"Chicago Justice" 9 p.m. Sunday NBC — A woman murders a pregnant woman to get the baby.
"Sniper: Into the Kill Zone" 9 p.m. Sunday History — Feats of marksmanship are recounted, including tales of the longest shots and the deadliest ambushes.
"Homeland" 9 p.m. Sunday Showtime — Carrie and Quinn make a discovery; Keane makes a decision; Max finds trouble at work.
"The Walking Dead" 9 p.m. Sunday AMC (seventh season finale) — Let the war between Negan's crew and Rick's crew begin!
"American Crime" 10 p.m. Sunday ABC — Luis learns his son's fate as Coy devises a plan to get himself off the farm.
"Into the Badlands" 10:25 p.m. Sunday AMC — While Sunny and Bajie struggle to stay alive, the Widow faces challenges as she consolidates her power.
"Feud: Bette and Joan" 10 p.m. Sunday FX — Bette is on track to win a record-breaking third Best Actress Oscar and Joan and Hedda launch a clandestine campaign against her.
"Shades of Blue" 10 p.m. Sunday NBC — The Mafia seeks revenge on Harlee by framing her for murder.
About the Author
