Dear John letter

The 2015 Emmy nominees for variety talk shows are dominated by sentimental favorites David Letterman, Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart, who will all have departed their programs by ceremony time. Then there's Jimmy Kimmel, whose tireless schedule and consistent likability deserve more critical attention. But my gut — and heart — belong to "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver." It may be the newcomer, but it feels like a veteran vessel with a crafty captain not afraid to maneuver the choppiest of waves. Stewart may have shepherded him, but Oliver has quickly become his own man — tackling often overlooked issues with clarity and biting wit. Mr. Oliver, the podium is yours. 10 p.m. Sunday, HBO

Imperial grounds

Natalie Portman hosts "Dudamel Conducts a John Williams Celebration With the L.A. Phil," a rather dull title for a program of such attention-grabbing music, including the themes from "Jaws," "Schindler's List" and "The Empire Strikes Back." Look for cameos from Itzhak Perlman and Darth Vader. 1 p.m. Sunday, TPT, Ch. 2

Rose garden

Kaitlyn faces her own version of Sophie's Choice when she must choose between Shawn and Nick in the two-hour season finale of "The Bachelorette." That's immediately followed by "The Bachelorette: After the Final Rose," in which we're hoping the two male contestants ditch Kaitlyn and run off to live happily ever after in a Vermont cabin. 7 p.m. Monday, KSTP, Ch. 5

Weapon of mass destruction

The upcoming 70th anniversary of the detonation of the atomic bomb dovetails with the premiere of "The Bomb," a documentary that includes rare footage of early experiments and insight from former Cabinet members George Shultz (above) and William Perry. As of press time, Dr. Strangelove had no comment. The two-hour film is followed by "Uranium: Twisting the Dragon's Tail." 7 p.m. Tuesday, TPT

Neal Justin