Twists in a Mafia family’s ties; ‘Ellen’ bids goodbye to ABC; Two stories of Holocaust defiance

Sunday

“Rescuers: Stories of Courage” / 8 p.m. Showtime

Dana Delany and Linda Hamilton give fine performances in a pair of dramas from producer Barbra Streisand about non-Jews who rescued victims of the Holocaust. The only problem with these two otherwise commendable tales is their similarity in plot (i.e., lack of rations, Nazis constantly dropping in on the protagonists). The first story casts Delany and Martin Donovan as newlyweds who sheltered 36 Jews. Hamilton and Alfred Molina play a childless couple who concealed Jewish children at a Catholic boarding school.

****

“Only Love” / 9 p.m. CBS; concludes Monday

Lost love. Brain tumor. Forbidden romance. Yes, Erich Segal, whose “Love Story” was a smash as both book and movie nearly three decades ago, makes another strike on the tear ducts of America with this two-part melodrama. Rob Morrow stars as Matthew Hiller, a renowned New York neurosurgeon treating a former lover (Mathilda May) with the aforementioned affliction. Marisa Tomei plays a college friend who maintains a close friendship with Hiller that leads to the altar. If only CBS had hired Francis Lai to compose the music ....

****

“Witness to the Mob” / 9 p.m. NBC; concludes Monday

On the heels of “The Last Don II” comes a presumably grittier two-part drama about betrayal in the Mafia. Nicholas Turturro of “NYPD Blue” plays Sammy “The Bull” Gravano, the killer who turned on crime boss John Gotti (Tom Sizemore), head of the Gambino family. Gotti went to prison, of course, and Gravano went into hiding. Based on court records and FBI transcripts, the story begins in 1960s Brooklyn as small-time hood Gravano dreams about reaching the “big leagues,” otherwise known in his violent world as La Cosa Nostra.

****

“Masterpiece Theatre” / 9 p.m. KCET

The esteemed PBS series presents a four-hour adaptation of “Far From the Madding Crowd,” Thomas Hardy’s 1874 novel about the ill-fated passions of a young woman and her three suitors. Newcomer Paloma Baeza plays Bathsheba Everdene, an independent woman who attracts the attention of yeoman Gabriel Oak (Nathaniel Oak), neighbor Mr. Boldwood (Nigel Terry) and soldier Frank Troy (Jonathan Firth). One of these men will treat her badly, and therein lies Hardy’s tale of suffering and redemption.

Monday

“Reno Finds Her Mom” / 10 p.m. HBO

The search for one’s biological parent can a daunting, traumatic experience. In this HBO special, it’s the basis for light entertainment. Billed as a “docu-comedy,” this 90-minute program follows New York performance artist Reno as she attempts to learn the identity of her mother, only to be thwarted by “the system.” The show interweaves hidden-camera footage with fantasy sequences featuring Mary Tyler Moore (as Reno’s adoptive mother) and Lily Tomlin (as her imaginary godmother).

Wednesday

“Ellen” / 9 p.m. ABC

No previous episode of this historic yet uneven comedy can prepare you for the banality of its series finale, a mostly flat and somewhat bizarre hour unfolding as a tongue-in-cheek tribute to its star, Ellen DeGeneres. Linda Ellerbee interviews DeGeneres, who recalls her start in 1932 vaudeville before moving on to radio, nightclubs and TV, where her show’s scrapped 1959 pilot was made with Woody Harrelson as her husband. Oh, yes, Ellen was also the host of a ‘50s game show called “Who’s the Commie?” On the plus side, there are amusing cameos from Cindy Crawford, Jada Pinkett and Julianna Margulies.

Thursday

“ER” / 10 p.m. NBC

In a bid to close the season on a strong note, some series resort to weddings, weepers or cliffhangers to heighten their appeal. When you’re the most popular drama on TV, that formula for survival does not apply. Consequently, the finale of this first-rate hour sticks with the compelling character conflicts that have made it No. 1. The key story line: Ross’ (George Clooney) treatment of a drug-addicted baby continues to complicate his life with Greene (Anthony Edwards) and other staffers at the hospital.

Friday

“25th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards” / 9 p.m. NBC

“The Young and the Restless” tops the field with 18 nominations, Oprah Winfrey gets a lifetime achievement award and Susan Lucci shows up again with the faint hope of finally winning a statuette as best actress for “All My Children.” Those are the most interesting elements of this two-hour telecast hosted at Radio City Music Hall by Leeza Gibbons, who is assisted by NBC daytime hunks Peter Reckell (“Days of Our Lives”), Joe Barbara (“Another World”) and Jason George (“Sunset Beach”).