Parting is such sick sorrow

Time for one final bloodbath. After seven seasons, "Sons of Anarchy" rides into the sunset with a 90-minute episode that should spell out the fate of the most violent Shakespearean family in TV history. "Sons" got a little too tangled for some, but it was also the most popular show in FX history, with a breakout performance by Katey Sagal and an unflinching dedication to showing the repercussions of violence by creator Kurt Sutter, who wrote and directed the finale. Whatever happens, something tells me the gang will not go quietly into the good night. 9 p.m. Tuesday, FX

One of us

Honorary Minnesotan Howard Deutch directs the last two episodes this season of the woefully underappreciated "Getting On," the downbeat comedy about a geriatrics hospital struggling to keep a heartbeat. We sort of claim Deutch as one of our own since he a) directed "Grumpier Old Men," b) married Rochester native Lea Thompson and c) may produce a crime drama for HBO set in Stillwater. 9:30 p.m. Sunday, HBO

On the road again

"The Talk" returns to New York all this week to do some window shopping and welcome guests, including Carrie Underwood and the cast of "Blue Bloods." Host Julie Chen will also present her annual list of favorite holiday gift items, which may or may not include a "Big Brother" lunch box. 1 p.m. Mon.-Fri. WCCO, Ch. 4

Bah, humbug!

Network programmers have put viewers in a bit of a pickle by pitting "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (7 p.m. Monday, WCCO, Ch. 4) against "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (7 p.m. Monday, KSTP, Ch. 5), both top-notch examples of stop-action animation. Which one should you go with? I'm leaning toward "Rudolph" if only because it's the 50th anniversary of the special.

Neal Justin