TV's Best Bets

Sunday, May 29

“National Memorial Day Concert,” 8 p.m., PBS, rerunning at 9:30. For the first time in three years, this is back to what it does brilliantly — a live event on the Capitol lawn, on the eve of Memorial Day. Some of Broadway’s greatest voices — Brian Stokes Mitchell, Lea Salonga and Norm Lewis — will be there, plus country star Craig Morgan, old-time/blues master Rhiannon Gibbons and Pia Toscano, once a powerhouse “American Idol” singer. There will also be tributes, including one to the late Colin Powell.

“The Great Escape” (1963), 11:45 a.m., Turner Classic Movies. At the midsection of a three-day military marathon, Steve McQueen stars in this popular adventure about a real-life prisoner-of-war escape during World War II. Also on this Memorial Day eve, the History Channel reruns “Band of Brothers,” a superb Tom Hanks/Steven Steven Spielberg mini-series about one unit’s journey, from D-Day to the German surrender. That’s from 9:30 a.m. to midnight, with the final parts repeating to 4 a.m.

“61st Street” finale, 10 p.m., AMC. This began with a series of tragic accidents: Moses, a college-bound track star, tried to help his brother. Instead, he was entangled in a drug bust, a chase and the death of a cop who pursued him. Now his defense lawyer (Courtney Vance) faces a setback and gets possible help. That follows the season’s second-to last “Fear the Walking Dead” (9 p.m.), with the survivors trying to escape by raft.

Racing. It's time for an annual classic, the Indianapolis 500. That’s at 12:30 p.m. on NBC; racing fans can then switch to Fox at 6 p.m., for NASCAR and the Coca-Cola 600. It’s a frantic sports day that could include game-seven playoffs (if needed) in basketball and hockey; baseball (Phillies-Mets, 7 p.m.) slides to ESPN2.

Game shows. For now, networks are settling for reruns. ABC has “Celebrity Family Feud” at 8 and 9 p.m. and “$100,000 Pyramid" at 10. NBC has “Weakest Link” at 7 and 8, with a rerun of the “American Ninja Warrior” women’s championship, from 9-11. For scripted shows, catch HBO, Showtime or Starz, plus the CBS reruns.

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Sunday TV's Best Bets