Political agenda

If Hillary Clinton and Amy Klobuchar end up on a campaign ticket together, don't count on them being available for any fundraisers that dare to take place during "Madam Secretary." Both powerhouse Democrats have pledged their allegiances to the drama, and you can see why in this winter finale, in which the secretary of state (Tea Leoni, above) must contemplate a deal with the Russian government that could strain relations at home. While the writers make politics look a lot sexier than on C-Span, the emphasis is squarely on procedure, which means underutilizing the undeniably talented Leoni, who still manages to breathe a sense of levity into the bureaucratic banter. This weekend's episode concludes with a cliffhanger that puts a significant character's life in jeopardy. Just who is in the cross hairs won't be revealed until the drama returns after the holiday break. 7 p.m. Sunday WCCO, Ch. 4

All-star panel

One-panel cartoons, an art form on mainstream media's extinction list, are celebrated in "Very Semi-Serious: A Partially Thorough Portrait of New Yorker Cartoonists," a documentary honoring the magazine's unsung heroes. Director Leah Wolchok does a nice job of humanizing the oft-kilter contributors, but the failure to properly address the group's shortage of minority artists is glaring. 8 p.m. Monday, HBO

She must be going

Linda Ellerbee never went in for salacious reporting or cosmetic makeovers, which may explain why her retirement from TV journalism isn't getting more attention. That's unfortunate. As "Hello, I Must Be Going: 25 Years of Nick News With Linda Ellerbee" reminds us, the anchor's mission to help kids comprehend tragic events justifies her induction into the TV Hall of Fame. 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nick

What you waiting for?

If you'll be watching the season finale of "The Voice" primarily to see who will be crowned champ, you're one of the few. Most of us have been too focused on the byplay between Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton, the "it" couple of the fall season. The upcoming season of "American Idol" may not have to be its last, as long as Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr. can start making goo-goo eyes at each other. 7 p.m. Tuesday, KARE, Ch. 11

Neal Justin