These days, no one knows when a cable season begins and ends. Take “White Collar” (9 p.m., USA). The series, about handsome forger and con man Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer) who now plies his trade for the FBI, premiered Oct. 23 and its fall season concluded with a cliffhanger Dec. 4. It returned Jan. 19 and wraps up its entire first season tonight, as Neal hatches a scheme that may allow him to escape his tracking collar, his FBI handler, Peter Burke (Tim McKay), and run off into the sunset with his girlfriend, Kate (Alexandra Daddario).

The show’s buddy-cop premise puts special emphasis on the bond between Neal and Peter, often at the expense of the attractive females in the cast. Peter’s wife, Elizabeth (Tiffani Thiessen), pops in from time to time and looms large in tonight’s finale. It’s easy to forget that Diahann Carroll appears on the show as Neal’s unlikely landlady. She shows up tonight for a few moments.

A second season of “White Collar” is reportedly in the works. But there’s no saying when it will return, or for how many episodes or how many mini “seasons” they will comprise.

• Just last week, TLC announced that it would not be broadcasting the Miss America pageant next year. So, for at least the third time, the once-proud event (and major-network special) has been cast out onto the street, tiara in hand. The ghost of Bert Parks is not smiling.

But TLC hasn’t gotten out of the pageant business entirely. Tonight, it airs “The Miss Turkey Trot and Miss Drumstick Pageants” (9 p.m., TLC), a glance at a colorful events held in Yellville, Ark., where young women compete in turkey calling. Other events involve dressing up and bobbing one’s hair to best resemble a drumstick.

Future events include “Top Yam: The Louisiana Yambilee Pageant (March 26) and “The Queen Mallard Pageant” (April 2), held in Stuttgart, Ark.

Tonight’s other highlights

• The competition continues on “American Idol” (7 p.m., Fox). Ellen is quickly wearing out the word “adorable.”

• A street racer’s death reveals a military connection on “NCIS: Los Angeles” (8 p.m., CBS).

• McKinley makes the sectionals on “Glee” (8 p.m., Fox).

• The focus shifts to Ben on “Lost” (8 p.m., ABC).

• Peter plans his next step on “The Good Wife” (9 p.m., CBS).

• Amnesia alert! A beating victim awakens from a coma with no memory about his background on “The Forgotten” (9 p.m., ABC).

• Max’s parents continue to reel from his diagnosis on “Parenthood” (9 p.m., NBC).

• A triple homicide invites a number of approaches on “Southland” (9 p.m., TNT).