TV picks for Sept. 27-28:  "MasterChef Junior," "Homeland," "Breaking Bad," "Hello Ladies"

Kids in the kitchen

Gordon Ramsay shows off his soft side — yes, he has one — in "MasterChef Junior" (7 p.m. Friday, KMSP, Ch. 9), in which the competitors consist of cute kids ages 8 through 13. There's no yelling, but those who do a poor job are grounded for a week.

Missing in action

Emmy winner Claire Danes returns for a new season of "Homeland" (8 p.m. Sunday, Showtime), but she — and the show — is operating without Damian Lewis. His absence may serve the story, but it may turn off viewers who are left with Danes spending most of the hour yanking at her hair. Hurry back, Brody!

Bad to the bone

This is it. It's not hyperbole to say that the series finale of "Breaking Bad" (8 p.m. Sunday, AMC) is shaping up to be the TV event of the year. To mark the occasion, I'll be live tweeting (@nealjustin) and we'll have full coverage online Monday and in the paper Tuesday. Tread lightly.

Ladies man

Stephen Merchant proves he doesn't need longtime writing partner Ricky Gervais in "Hello Ladies" (9:30 p.m. Sunday, HBO), a very funny new comedy that reminds us nobody does cringe-worthy comedy better than the Brits. For an interview with Merchant, see Sunday's Variety section.

Neal Justin