2015 Spring Finale Preview: What’s About to Happen on All Your Favorite Shows
The spring marathon of finales has already started: The Last Man on Earth, Gotham, Mom, Person of Interest, New Girl, and others have already wound down for the season (while a few, including Revenge, will soon be done for good.) Here, TV Insider has the scoop on what to expect from the final episodes of the rest of your favorite series.
Wednesday, May 6
Criminal Minds (9/8c, CBS)
For Kate Callahan (Jennifer Love Hewitt), the newest member of Criminal Minds‘ Behavioral Analysis Unit, the case in the finale won’t merely hit close to home–it’ll land right on her doorstep. Remember the first episode of the season, about that icky unsub who kidnapped people and auctioned their body parts off online? Well, he had partners–and they’ve just captured Meg (Hailey Sole), Kate’s adopted 13-year-old daughter. “Her kid is out there, and Kate’s also pregnant with another one, so this is sort of ‘worst day ever’ mentality for her,” says executive producer Erica Messer. “But rather than breaking her down, it fuels her. We’ll see her tough FBI side get tougher.”
By the time the end credits roll, we’ll know whether that was enough to save Meg–which leaves only one cliffhanger: What will happen to the team next season when both Hewitt and costar AJ Cook (Special Agent JJ Jareau) take maternity leave? “We’re still trying to figure that out,” Messer says with a laugh. “But it feels like a fun opportunity for a guest star!” –Ingela Ratledge
Schitt’s Creek (10/9c, Pop)
The Roses’ problems might be solved when Johnny finds someone willing to take the town off their hands once and for all. But then David and Alexis realize they may actually be fond of the little village they’ve learned to call home. We’ve got more details in our preview here.
Thursday, May 7
The Big Bang Theory (8/7c, CBS)
Wedding bells could soon be ringing for Leonard and Penny when Sheldon puts the pressure on the engaged couple to finally lock down a date for their ceremony. But it’s Sheldon’s own relationship with girlfriend Amy that really goes to the next level.
Friday, May 8
Hawaii Five-0 (10/9c, CBS)
Kono’s getting married! We hope she doesn’t believe in signs, because a crazed patriot is planning to detonate a stolen nuclear warhead (and fram a terrorist) on the eve of her wedding.
Sunday, May 10
The Good Wife (9/8c, CBS)
Alicia (Julianna Margulies) discovers one of her clients is under lock and key at a secret police facility where people are detained off the books.
Wolf Hall (9/8c, PBS)
There’s a deadly chill in the Tudor court as the tide turns against Anne Boleyn (Claire Foy) in the harrowing conclusion to Masterpiece‘s masterful historical miniseries. “Madam, nothing here is personal,” insists a solemn Thomas Cromwell (Mark Rylance). Try to convince someone who’s about to lose her head. –Matt Roush
Monday, May 11
Jane the Virgin (9/8c, The CW)
Watch out world, Baby Villanueva is on the way! This photo from the finale is our first look at the soon-to-arrive bundle of joy, but are Jane (Gina Rodriguez) and Rafael (Justin Baldoni) the proud parents of a boy or a girl? We talked to executive producer Jennie Urman about what we can expect from the show’s last episode of the season and what it all might mean for Season 2.
The Returned (10/9c, A&E)
After the startling revelation by Peter (Jeremy Sisto) in this week’s episode, the May 11 finale will grapple with the fallout. We have an exclusive clip from the final episode and more information on how it will diverge from its French source material here.
Castle (10/9c, ABC)
How will the show cap off a season in which the titular mystery novelist (Nathan Fillion) and Det. Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) finally tied the knot, honeymooned at a dude ranch, and solved the confounding case of Castle’s two-month disappearance? Creator Andrew Marlowe and showrunner David Amann were able to give us three major clues.
The Originals (8/7c, The CW)
Klaus (Joseph Morgan) continues tearing through New Orleans, and the season finale promises he’ll make another shocking more. Will fans be able to forgive Klaus? “That depends on whose side you’re on,” says Morgan, who tells us more about his alter ego’s unconscionable actions here.
Bates Motel (9/8c, A&E)
Norma has finally had enough of son Norman’s bad behavior. Piece of advice for Norma: Don’t make him angry. You won’t like him when he’s angry.
Tuesday, May 12
NCIS (8/7c, CBS)
What a difference a year makes when it comes to NCIS season finales. “Last season was about a very somber time for us, with Ralph Waite’s passing and Jackson Gibbs’s passing,” says executive producer Gary Glasberg of the late actor and his character, the father of NCIS leader Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon). “This year, ending our 12th on the show, we wanted to remind everybody that we can still keep people on the edge of their seats.”
The finale, Glasberg says, “ends with a surprising and emotional death [involving] an important character.” The three-part arc kicked off in the April 28 episode with terrorists soliciting young people in chat rooms, leading to a May 5 trip to Cairo that has Agent McGee (Sean Murray) and cyber expert Ned Dorneget (returning guest Matt Jones) looking to track down those teen-trolling terror cells. That penultimate episode also introduces Mimi Rogers as CIA Off. Joanna Teague, who will play a bigger role in the Gibbs-centric, action-filled finale. –Chris Willman
NCIS: New Orleans (9/8c, CBS)
The mayhem from the May 5 episode opens the door to a wider world of crime involving the New Orleans seaport for the season finale. We were on set for the filming; read more about what to expect (and what the cast thinks of the city and Season 1) here.
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (9/8c, ABC)
The two-hour finale sees S.H.I.E.L.D and the Inhumans on a collision course. And what about S.H.I.E.L.D. turncoat Grant Ward (Brett Dalton), who recently realigned himself with Coulson (Clark Gregg)–what’s his endgame? “Ward is such a wild card you never know if he’s going to kiss you or kill you,” says executive producer Jeffrey Bell. “You will know exactly where he stands by the season finale. He may be the most changed of any of our characters.” Is he really smitten with Agent 33 (Maya Stojan)? “Having them be crazy lovers on the run has been fun,” Bell says. “But it’s time to see how much Ward truly cares for her.” –Michael Logan
Chicago Fire (10/9c, NBC)
The season finale promises to be a scorcher. “At least one character dies, and other lives are in danger,” reveals executive producer Matt Olmstead. Read more about the series’ final episode of the spring here.
Newlyweds: The First Year (10/9c, Bravo)
The one-year anniversary approaches for all the couples in this docuseries. Poor Nadine will spend it enduring 36 hours of labor.
Wednesday, May 13
Arrow (8/7c, The CW)
If you think it’s been a wild year for Arrow so far–killing off a major character in the premiere, cutting another one loose this spring–just wait. “The end of this season is so much more shocking,” teases executive producer Marc Guggenheim. “We really blow up the show.” The Hong Kong-flashback storyline will impact the present day, and “Starling City is once again in peril,” he says, “because that is how we do things.”
Hot on the heels of what Guggenheim considers the “most insane cliffhanger we’ve ever done,” in the May 6 episode, the finale finds Starling City at the mercy of Ra’s al Ghul (Matt Nable), while Oliver (Stephen Amell) has a serious amount of blood on his hands. “Given his descent into the darkness of the League of Assassins, the big questions are ‘Is Oliver redeemable?’ and ‘Can he still be a hero?'” Guggenheim says. He promises that the finale will answer those questions–”or at least give a strong indication of where we’re headed in Season 4″–but that viewers may not be able to handle the truth. “Oliver’s actions in the finale are very surprising,” he continues ominously. “Any surviving cast members and the audience are going to be stunned by what is going on with him.” Surviving cast members?! Kill us now. –Damian Holbrook
CSI: Cyber (9/8c, CBS)
TMI? Not on the season finale of CSI: Cyber. The two-parter kicks off with an episode concerning a mass power outage in Detroit–the same crime that hacker-turned-CSI analyst Raven Ramirez (Hayley Kiyoko) was once arrested for, only this one is revealed to be a cover-up for murder. The second hour is about the crime team’s personal secrets–especially those haunting Avery Ryan, the FBI agent played by Patricia Arquette.
Avery’s former career as a psychologist came to a tragic end when a cyberhacker exposed her private files, causing one of her clients to commit suicide. Now that hacker has done the same thing to another shrink, and that makes Avery go rogue. “She will finally learn who hacked her and why,” says executive producer Pam Veasey. “Avery has remained very secretive about her past, but this will lead to something sad yet incredibly joyful, and she will finally be able to move on.” Veasey notes that “some people will say we reveal way too much, instead of stringing the audience along, but there’s a reason for that. The Avery you’ll see next season will be a very different person.” –Michael Logan
The Middle (8/7c, ABC)
Graduation arrives for Sue (Eden Sher), proving that even TV characters grow up too fast. Sher told us more about “The Year of Sue” and the finale’s twist here.
The Goldbergs (8:30/7:30c, ABC)
Matters of the heart will play a big role in the finale, as both Adam (Sean Giambrone) and big brother Barry (Troy Gentile) grapple with dropping the L-bomb on their respective girlfriends, while patriarch Murray (Jeff Garlin) is unable to utter those three little words to his own daughter, Erica (Hayley Orrantia), as she heads to summer camp. It’s a fitting send-off for the season, says creator Adam F. Goldberg: “I think we’ve realized that love is what makes our show work. Ending with a feel-good episode was the way to go.” –Ingela Ratledge
Thursday, May 14
The Vampire Diaries (8/7c, The CW)
The heated debate over which Salvatore brother is Elena Gilbert’s true love–Stefan (Paul Wesley) or Damon (Ian Somerhalder)–ends in the May 14 season finale when Nina Dobrev, who’s played the sensitive fangster caught between the sexy immortals for six seasons, makes her final appearance.
“We knew for a long time that Nina wanted to leave after Season 6,” says executive producer Caroline Dries. “Knowing her decision early gave us the chance to write this season around her exit and write Elena the satisfying arc completion that she’s due.” While mum on where the character ends up going, Dries does rule out one destination: “She definitely won’t be dragged to Hell like [her wicked doppelgänger] Katherine Pierce!”
Hell would be just deserts for evildoers who left much of the Mystic Falls gang picking up the pieces after last week’s tragedy, especially Elena and Damon, whose future plans have been drastically altered. Watching Jo (Jodi Lyn O’Keefe) and Alaric (Matt Davis) commit to each other, Damon intended to take his own big leap. But as the season comes to an end, he is left with a terrible decision to make, says Dries. “Can the character once known as Selfish Damon put others before himself, even if it means losing Elena?”
Stefan and Caroline (Candice Accola) are at their own crossroads. Caroline hopes to make amends for luring Stefan into switching off his humanity and joining her on a killing spree. Tyler Lockwood (Michael Trevino)–the onetime nasty jock turned werewolf turned hybrid turned good guy–leaves Mystic Falls. “Tyler’s current arc is over,” Dries confirms, “but we’re keeping it open-ended so that he can return. We love both the character and Michael.”
There is no coming back for Elena, but whatever the outcome, Dries promises “a beautiful end to her story. I’m excited for fans to see how we finish her journey.” –Ileane Rudolph
Plus:
Grey’s Anatomy (8/7c, ABC)
They’ve survived earthquakes, plane crashes and the loss of McDreamy. But as Season 11 comes to a close, the docs face even more changes at Seattle Grace.
The Blacklist (9/8c, NBC)
Cooper receives some shocking news, and Liz realizes she’s being framed, forcing Red to utilize his network of well-connected criminals to clear her name.
The Odd Couple (9/8c, CBS)
Oscar gets an unpleasant visit from both the taxman and his ex-wife, Gaby (Lauren Graham), when the IRS audits the former couple. While attempting to referee the bickering exes, Felix discovers he might be the reason for his roomie’s financial woes.
Reign (9/8c, The CW)
Let the royal battle begin! Catherine conspires with Queen Elizabeth to exact revenge on Mary.
Scandal (9/8c, ABC)
Brace yourselves, Gladiators. The body count is sure to rise as the investigation into B613 intensifies.
American Crime (10/9c, ABC)
The verdict is in and the fallout promises to forever alter the lives of everyone involved with the case.
Elementary (10/9c, CBS)
Could Holmes’s investigation into the disappearance of his recovery sponsor, Alfredo, lead him back down the dark path of addiction?
Friday, May 15
Grimm (8/7c, NBC)
Yes, there are worse things than finding out your girlfriend is having sex with your boss. Grimm ends its fourth season with monster hunter Nick (David Giuntoli) discovering something so gruesome involving his lady love, Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch), that he’s ready to kill. “It doesn’t hold a candle to Juliette sleeping with Renard [Sasha Roiz],” says Giuntoli. “In fact, it’s so horrible Nick wants to get even with a good many people, including the Royals.”
Nick’s fellow Grimm, the ragamuffin Trubel (Jacqueline Toboni), will be back, and looking surprisingly stylish, to help him in his quest for revenge. “Clearly, Trubel got her s–t together wardrobe-wise,” Giuntoli cracks. “She started out real rail yard. Now she’s Neiman Marcus.” The finale also includes the return of a rapidly aging Diana, the baby stolen from Adalind (Claire Coffee), while the cliffhanger, according to Giuntoli, “is like one of those Game of Thrones moments that says no one is safe. It’s the most dramatic episode we’ve ever done–and I say that without a shred of corporate BS. This is huge.” –Michael Logan
Sunday, May 17
Mad Men (9/8c, AMC)
We’ve chronicled its origin story, and now it’s time to say goodbye to Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and his tale of 1960s-70s America. Fan theories about how the groundbreaking series will end are running rampant, but creator Matthew Weiner keeps his cards close to his vest when it comes to the finale episode.
The Simpsons (8/7c, Fox)
Math and satire don’t tend to mix, except on The Simpsons. In fact, the show has such a long history of having fun with numbers that it inspired a book last year–Simon Singh’s The Simpsons and Their Mathematical Secrets. “Now that book has encouraged us to see if we can push it with an episode that’s all about math,” says executive producer Al Jean. The plot of “Mathlete’s Feat” has Springfield Elementary going from high-tech to low-tech after Groundskeeper Willie screws up its computer server and all the electronics explode.
The timing couldn’t be worse: “Springfield is up against a snooty rich school that has great students and advisers,” says Jean. “Necessity becomes the mother of invention, and Lisa and her team are forced to go with simple, ancient math methods–ways so ancient they were actually in use when The Simpsons hit the air!” –Michael Logan
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (8:30/7:30c, Fox)
The cops of Brooklyn Nine-Nine say goodbye to one of their own in the Season 2 closer when a series regular is dismissed from the force as a result of a workplace conflict. “They are not necessarily leaving the show,” says executive producer Dan Goor. “But they are leaving the precinct.”
The station also gets a visit from Dep. Chief Madeline Wuntch (Kyra Sedgwick), who returns to inflict her final act of revenge on nemesis Captain Holt (Andre Braugher). “There’s an amazing sequence where she frisks him for eight minutes,” Goor says. “It’s one of my favorite things we’ve ever had on the show.”
And the burgeoning romance between detective colleagues Jake (Andy Samberg) and Amy (Melissa Fumero) intensifies after they share their first kiss. “I’m not saying they’re going to end up together,” Goor says. “But there’s a lot of fun to be had with the realistic relationship between two people who work together, especially if they have such different personalities.” –Rob Moynihan
Plus:
The Amazing Race (8/7c, CBS)
The remaining teams hit Dallas for the last leg, which involves a cattle ranch and rappelling 500 feet down Reunion Tower.
Family Guy (9/8c, Fox)
Surprise! Lois books a romantic Bahamian getaway for her and Peter. Surprise No. 2: It’s actually a marriage counseling program.
Mr Selfridge (9/8c, PBS)
The staff of Selfridges prepares for the sale of the century. (Clearly, they have yet to hear of Black Friday.)
Tuesday, May 19
The Flash (8/7c, The CW)
Team Flash is in for a future shock as its dazzling first season races toward what executive producer Andrew Kreisberg calls “an unbelievably emotional” conclusion filled with questions about destiny. “Brace yourselves for a lot of tears,” he warns of the hour that finds Barry (Grant Gustin) torn between stopping Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh)–whose body has been inhabited by Reverse Flash villain Eobard Thawne (Matt Letscher)–and changing his fate, as well as those of his loved ones.
In the penultimate episode (airing May 12), Barry and Co. get wind of how Thawne plans to get back to his original timeline (in the future). And with a potentially time-shattering disaster looming, the members of the S.T.A.R. Labs crew must make several tragic choices. “Some of them have very happy futures and others have very dark ones,” Kreisberg says. “They have to deal with whether they’re going to accept what [they learn] or if they’re going to fight against it.” –Damian Holbrook
Wednesday, May 20
black-ish (9:30/8:30c, ABC)
“We knew we wanted to go big for the finale,” executive producer and star Anthony Anderson told us. Indeed, the lavish end-of-season episode goes back to the 1920s and features celebrity guest stars (Mary J. Blige and Sean “Diddy” Combs. See out full story on the finale here.
