Worth Watching: A ‘Blue Bloods’ Wedding and Other Finales, ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ Returns, Songbirds on PBS

Matt Roush May 10, 2019, 7:00 am

A selective critical checklist of notable Friday TV:

Blue Bloods (10/9c, CBS): Wedding bells chime in the ninth-season finale of the police/family drama, as NYPD Sgt. Jamie Reagan (Will Estes) walks down the aisle — filmed at NYC’s Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral — with fellow officer Eddie Janko (Vanessa Ray), with families in attendance. (The guest list includes Christine Ebersole as Eddie’s mom.) Naturally, there a few hitches before they’re hitched, including Jamie’s sister Erin (Bridget Moynahan) doubting Eddie’s honesty after interviewing a witness in one of her cases. Maybe she shouldn’t line up for the bouquet toss.

'Blue Bloods' Wedding: 5 Things We Know About Jamie and Eddie's Big Day

Last Man Standing (8/7c, Fox): Having survived cancellation by ABC and, after a year’s absence, triumphantly moved to Fox for its seventh season, the Tim Allen sitcom takes its summer break with Mike (Allen) and Vanessa (Nancy Travis) anxiously waiting for Mandy (Molly McCook) and Kyle (Christoph Sanders) to move from the house into their own apartment. Why are they dragging their heels? The answer is actually quite touching.

Nancy Travis Reflects on 'Last Man Standing's 150th Episode & Season 8 Renewal

Followed by the first-season finale of The Cool Kids (8:30/7:30c), which finds the golden-age buds celebrating their “Friend-aversary,” but when Margaret (Vicki Lawrence) realizes she’s not invited to their party since she’s not one of the “founding fathers,” she springs into overreaction. Stick with it for a fun final sight gag involving fellow resident Jamie Farr (M*A*S*H) in what some might see as a throwback to his days as Klinger.

'The Cool Kids' Star Vicki Lawrence Takes a Look Back on Her Life in Comedy (PHOTOS)

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (8/7c, ABC): The late-arriving sixth season of the action fantasy opens with the team scattered across the galaxy, still grieving Coulson — but Clark Gregg isn’t altogether MIA. He directs the season opener and is now playing a new, more menacing character named Sarge. And while Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) also perished in last season’s finale, thanks to time travel, there’s an unharmed, cryogenically frozen version of him floating in deep space. As one does.

6 Things to Know About 'Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' Season 6

Live From Lincoln Center (9/8c, PBS, check local listings at pbs.org): The first of three Stars in Concert specials, filmed at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s scenic Appel Room, showcases Tony-winner Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple revival), who’s been making a splash in movies including Widows and the upcoming Harriet Tubman biopic Harriet. She performs an eclectic set including Annie Lennox’s “Why,” Brian Wilson’s “God Only Knows” and Aretha Franklin’s “Ain’t No Way.” (Following weeks will feature Tony winner Annaleigh Ashford and Smash star Megan Hilty.)

'Sneaky Pete': Giovanni Ribisi & Marin Ireland Preview a Wild Season 3

Streaming Ever Onward: Among the many, many new streaming options: a third season of Amazon Prime Video’s twisty crime dramedy Sneaky Pete; and the usual deluge from Netflix, including first-time director Amy Poehler‘s female buddy comedy Wine Country, with a starry ensemble of Saturday Night Live alums including Maya Rudolph, Tina Fey, Ana Gasteyer and Rachel Dratch; a supernatural YA thriller series The Society, about a group of teens who find themselves mysteriously transported to a New England town with no parents in sight. (The fun doesn’t last long.); a real-life Orange Is the New Black in the docuseries Jailbirds, about women incarcerated in the Sacramento County Jail; and the third and final season of Joe Swanberg’s star-studded rom-com anthology Easy.

The CW's 'Dynasty' Finds Its Dominique Devereaux in Michael Michele

Inside Friday TV: The glamorous Diahann Carroll created the role some 35 years ago, and now The CW’s Dynasty reboot (8/7c) introduces a “New Lady in Town,” in the form of Jeff’s (Sam Adegoke) mother, Dominique Deveraux, now played by Michael Michele… With only one more episode to go this season, NBC’s The Blacklist (8/7c) pits Cooper (Harry Lennix) and the Task Force against presidential advisor Anna McMahon (Jennifer Ferrin) in a race to find a dossier with details of a conspiracy against America… Showtime takes a deep dive into the history of one of hip-hop’s most influential groups in the four-part docuseries Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men (9/8c).

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OrangeCandy
May 11, 2019
Watched the season finale of Blue Bloods. After all the hype about it, it wasn't worth watching.
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RedQuill
May 10, 2019
"The Passage Canceled at Fox"...

SAD!!!

Oh well...'Tis better to have loved and lost...than never to have loved at all...
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  CyanCoathanger
  May 10, 2019
  Too bad. I was hoping they'd give it another chance, but we all knew the ratings were very low.
  
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  GoldSubmarine
  May 10, 2019
  Oh yes indeed.
  
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OliveBullhorn
May 10, 2019
Definitely looking forward to the finales of Blue Bloods, Cool Kids and Last Man Standing which seems to be the little show that could. And of course very excited with the return of Agents of Shield!
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  GreenElephant
  May 10, 2019
  I just read that "Cool Kids" is among the cancelled Fox shows...
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  CyanCoathanger
  May 10, 2019
  Yep...and that surprised me. I knew it didn't keep all of Last Man's audience, but I thought it did well enough for a Friday night comedy.
  
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  CyanCoathanger
  May 11, 2019
  I only watched one or two episodes after they got rid of Clayne. He WAS the show to me.
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RedCupcake
May 10, 2019
All CBS, including finales of MacGyver and Blue Bloods, along with the light popcorn show Hawaii Five-O.
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  GoldSubmarine
  May 10, 2019
  Now t\hat we know CBS renewed the entire Friday night lineup, I wonder if they will shift one to another night so Magnum P.I. can air alongside H5-0. That was the rumor at least.
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  OliveBullhorn
  May 10, 2019
  My father always talked about how the CBS Friday night line up used to be iconic back in the day with the iconic late seventies\early eighties Friday night line up of Dukes of Hazzard, The Incredible Hulk and Dallas. Back then Fridays were actually pretty popular night not seen as a dumping ground for lower rated tv series or bubble series. That and TGIF in the 90s
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  GoldSubmarine
  May 10, 2019
  Yes , I was an avid Friday night TV viewer back in the 70s/80s/90s
  
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  GreenElephant
  May 10, 2019
  I myself used to watch "Donny and Marie" as a pre-teen kid on ABC on Fridays during the late '70s. I later found out that network had "The Brady Bunch" and "The Partridge Family" on that same night during the early part of that decade...
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  GoldSubmarine
  May 10, 2019
  I was too young in the early 70's to remember the network airings of Partridge and Brady. But I did watch in syndication later in the decade.
  
  Yes I recall Donnie and Marie. But my most vivid memories are from the 80's and later.
  
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  CyanCoathanger
  May 10, 2019
  I've never seen any of those shows...even in reruns!
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  CyanCoathanger
  May 10, 2019
  Did you put on your bell-bottom pants and platform shoes and sing along with them?
  
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  CyanCoathanger
  May 10, 2019
  Did I ever tell you I saw Marie starring in The Sound of Music once?
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  OliveBullhorn
  May 10, 2019
  Whattt? Man, The Incredible Hulk and Dukes of Hazzard were a family must see tv in my house lol when Dukes was airing reruns on Tv Land and The Hulk on Sci-Fi channel. I'll admit I have never seen Dallas though I know all about Who Shot JR
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  GreenElephant
  May 10, 2019
  I'm guessing you knew it was the daughter of Bing Crosby...
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  GreenElephant
  May 10, 2019
  Uh, no. Not that I remember...
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  GoldSubmarine
  May 11, 2019
  No, how was she?
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  CyanCoathanger
  May 12, 2019
  Pretty good...a lot better than Carrie Underwood was. It was hard to get used to a dark haired Maria at first.
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CyanCoathanger
May 10, 2019
Looks like MacGyver, Cool Kids, and Graham Norton again for me!

I wonder what Fred will watch???
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  GoldSubmarine
  May 10, 2019
  ABC's Marvel Agents of S.H.IE.L.D. live followed by FOX's Proven Innocent . Later on, Last Man Standing/Cool Kids and possibly 20/20 .
  
  ABC canceled For The People : (
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  CyanCoathanger
  May 10, 2019
  I was just teasing because Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is back, and we all knew you'd be watching it.
  
  I don't really care one way or the other about For the People. I only watched it because there wasn't anything else I really liked on at that time.
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  GoldSubmarine
  May 10, 2019
  For The People is not the greatest law show ever, but I found it highly watchable week after week.
  
  Proven Innocent is another solid law show but it's also a heavily serialized murder mystery, much like How To Get Away With Murder.
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  OliveBullhorn
  May 10, 2019
  Have to admit I have never been a fan of straight lawyer shows or straight cop procedurals or even straight medical shows. They just seem too minutia driven and a bit dull I also hate the large turn over in casts. I tend to get more engaged in character driven procedurals The only technical law shows I love are Perry Mason and Matlock and those are much more mystery based.
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  GoldSubmarine
  May 10, 2019
  I'm disappointed about the cancelation of The Passage , but the ending was satisfactory. Leaves a lot to the imagination. Seems like a perfect show for FX (Disney owned now) or the new Disney + streaming service.
  
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