TV Best Bets

Sunday, July 24: Geeking Out With Kevin Smith at Comic-Con

AMC Geeking Out Ben Leuner/AMC

All Times Eastern.

Sunday, July 24


Geeking Out
AMC, 10pm
New Series!
Director Kevin Smith joins Greg Grunberg (Heroes, Star Wars: The Force Awakens) for this new series celebrating all things pop culture, sci-fi, comics and more. Geeking Out features reports and segments by a diverse group of correspondents and genre fans from around the world. The series launches tonight with a Comic-Con special episode and then begins its eight-week run in late August.


NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Brickyard 400
NBCSN, 3pm Live
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to the legendary 2.5-mile oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Brickyard 400, as top drivers Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott and others race for a win on the famed track.

The Rise and Fall of El Chapo
History, 8pm
This two-hour special takes an in-depth look at Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and his international drug cartel. It details how the poor Mexican orange-seller with a third-grade education rose to lord over a multinational drug cartel with billion-dollar profits. The documentary includes rarely seen footage of the prison escape that stunned the world, as well as the chase that followed, and a firsthand look at the intricate drug-smuggling tunnels that have become El Chapo’s trademark. People interviewed for this program include El Chapo’s beauty-queen wife, Emma Coronel; former undercover DEA agent Mike Vigil; former Department of Justice senior official and Department of Homeland Security legal advisor Peter Vincent; and investigative reporter Anabel Hernandez.

Preacher: “Finish the Song”
AMC, 9pm
Jesse (Dominic Cooper) is on the run as those around him face life-altering decisions. The Cowboy (Graham McTavish) returns to Ratwater to exact his revenge.

The Hunt: “Hunger at Sea — Oceans”
BBC America, 9pm
This episode follows blue whales, sharks, sea lions, frigate birds, dolphins and albatrosses to reveal the strategies they use to hunt for prey. The open ocean is an immense wilderness that covers more than half the surface of our planet. Predators face an endless search to find and catch food, yet these great tracts of ocean are home to some of the most remarkable hunters on the planet.


BrainDead: “Back to Work: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Congress and How It Gets Things Done (and Often Doesn’t)”
CBS, 10pm
In this new episode, Laurel (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) asks her brother, Luke (Danny Pino), for his help to get the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the bugs, but he insists she first consult with entomologist Dr. Joanne Alaimo (guest star Margo Martindale).

Ozzy and Jack’s World Detour
History, 10pm
New Series!
Metal legend Ozzy Osbourne and his son, Jack, are featured in this new non-scripted series that finds the self-proclaimed history nerds hitting the road to visit iconic and historically significant spots, from Mount Rushmore and Stonehenge to the Alamo and Roswell, and beyond.

Survivor’s Remorse
Starz, 10pm
Season Premiere!
From business deals to relationships and friendship, the rookie NBA basketball star Cam Calloway (Jessie T. Usher) and his cousin/confidant Reggie (RonReaco Lee) confront the challenges of balancing the needs of family with the rewards and responsibilities generated by their newfound wealth and fame. Cam, Reggie and the unforgettable group of characters that is the Calloway clan wrestle with the rewards and pitfalls of stardom, love and loyalty.

Monday, July 25


2016 Democratic National Convention
Various Networks, Live
It’s the Democrats’ turn to nominate their presidential candidate at the DNC, running four days in Philadelphia. All of the usual news networks will feature some sort of coverage during the run of the convention.

So You Think You Can Dance: “The Next Generation: Top 9 Perform + Elimination”
FOX, 8pm Live
The top nine dancers and their pro mentors have another chance to wow America — and judges Nigel Lythgoe, Paula Abdul, Jason Derulo & Maddie Ziegler — before one of them is sent home.

The Fosters: “Forty”
Freeform, 8pm
Guest Star Alert!
Lena is excited that her family is coming together to throw her a ’70s-themed 40th birthday party. But when Lena’s mom Dana (guest star Lorraine Toussaint, Orange Is the New Black) shares her suspicions about Stewart’s (guest star Bruce Davison, X-Men) behavior, it threatens to put a damper on the festivities.

American Ninja Warrior: “Indianapolis Finals”
NBC, 8pm
The top 30 competitors from the city qualifier tackle an even more challenging obstacle course, including the salmon ladder, hourglass drop, circuit board and invisible ladder.

Guilt: “A Simple Plan”
Freeform, 9pm
While Luc is on lockdown at the police station, Gwen tries to get information linking Grace to Molly’s murder. But, with Luc sticking to his story that he and Grace were on the roof together all night, and Stan working every angle to get Luc out, Gwen is running out of time.

Devious Maids: “I Saw the Shine”
Lifetime, 9pm
Carmen (Roselyn Sanchez) is caught in the middle of the Powells’ marital discord. Genevieve (Susan Lucci) can’t seem to butt out of Marisol’s (Ana Ortiz) love life. Shannon confesses something that moves Rosie (Dania Ramirez) even closer to solving Peri’s (Mariana Klaveno) murder. Zoila (Judy Reyes) and Kyle (Ryan McPartlin) get unwelcome surprises.

The Making of the Mob: Chicago: “Blood Filled Streets”
AMC, 10pm
Torrio and Capone seek revenge against the Irish gangs, as betrayal destroys the peace in Chicago. The city’s “Beer Wars” elevate Capone to Chicago’s top gangster.

Campaign 2016: Democratic National Convention
CBS, 10pm
CBS News’ nightly coverage of the 2016 Democratic National Convention July 25-28 will feature extensive, multi-platform coverage and original reporting led by CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley; CBS This Morning cohosts Charlie Rose, Norah O’Donnell and Gayle King; and Face the Nation anchor and CBS News Political Director John Dickerson.

UnREAL: “Fugitive”
Lifetime, 10pm
Rachel (Shiri Appleby) shares a secret with Coleman (Michael Rady), following an incident with Darius (B.J. Britt). Quinn (Emmy-nominee Constance Zimmer) struggles to balance dealing with her feelings for John (Ioan Gruffudd) and controlling the chaos on set. Chet (Craig Bierko) gets attention from an unlikely source.

Tuesday, July 26


Hotel Hell: “Landoll’s Mohican Castle”

FOX, 8pm
Season Finale!
Gordon Ramsay travels to Ohio and meets a woman who works tirelessly to keep her castle — yes, a castle — afloat. Gordon urges the woman’s son to get involved in the family business and helps them throw a fairytale wedding.

Married at First Sight
FYI, 8pm
Season Premiere!
Six more desperate singles get matched by Dr. Pepper Schwartz and her team of experts. Tonight’s two-hour premiere follows brides and grooms to be from Miami as they prepare for blind weddings. Sound crazy? Over 30,000 people applied for this privilege.

America’s Got Talent: “Live Show 1”
NBC, 8pm Live
Twelve people compete in the first live show, hoping to win America’s vote for a spot in the semifinals.

Zoo: “Sex, Lies and Jellyfish”
CBS, 9pm
In the new episode “Sex, Lies and Jellyfish,” the team travels to Portugal where they square off against a dangerous venom dealer in order to get one step closer to the cure.

Ice Sharks
Syfy, 9pm
Original Film!
A team of scientists is sent to the Arctic Ocean to study the effects of climate change on marine life under the ice. Unfortunately, a new breed of aggressive, ravenous sharks — with the ability to pierce ice — begins bursting through the huge ice pool in the middle of their research vessel and devouring all who fall through. As the station begins to sink into the frigid waters, the team must do what they can to avoid being eaten alive.

Animal Kingdom: “Man In”
TNT, 9pm
Tensions run high as the Codys prepare for their big heist. Catherine (Daniella Alonso) gets a shock and must decide what’s best for her family. J (Finn Cole) faces pressure from the cops.

MADtv
The CW, 9pm
Season Premiere!
Seven years after its original run ended and gave the world Jordan Peele, Ike Barinholtz and Alex Borstein, among others, the sketch comedy show returns with an all-new cast, new time slot and a new home on The CW. But according to executive producer David E. Salzman, who is back for the reboot, the irreverence is here to stay. “The targets for skewering may have shifted and multiplied,” he says, “but the MADtv POV is largely intact.” The show’s move from late night to primetime on the younger-skewing CW means some changes. Salzman teases an eye toward parodying tabloid culture and presidential politics. The new series will also feature weekly guest appearances by stars of MADtv’s initial 14-season run, who’ll reprise fan-favorite characters. “Back in ’95, we vowed to be equal opportunity offenders,” Salzman says. “Everything is still fair game.”

Feed the Beast: “Be My Baby”
AMC, 10pm
Fearing the worst about his son, Tommy (David Schwimmer) confronts Dion (Jim Sturgess). Meanwhile, TJ (Elijah Jacob) deals with his tormentor.

The Daily Show With Trevor Noah
Comedy Central, 11pm
The Daily Show With Trevor Noah visits Philadelphia for coverage of the Democratic National Convention.

Wednesday, July 27


America’s Got Talent: “Live Results 1”
NBC, 8pm Live
America finds out which acts are going to the semifinals.

American Gothic: “The Chess Players”
CBS, 9pm
In the new episode “The Chess Players,” when the Hawthornes are publicly implicated in the SBK case and forced to hole up in the house to avoid media scrutiny, they quickly begin to turn on one another.

Wayward Pines: “Bedtime Story”
Season Finale!
FOX, 9pm
The Abbies are coming! As the proto-human monsters descend on the Pines, Dr. Yedlin (Jason Patric) is forced to make one of those big life decisions that will forever affect the fate of humanity.

The Night Shift: “Unexpected”
NBC, 9pm
When a bomb explodes outside the hospital, TC (Eoin Macken), Topher (Ken Leung) and Drew (Brendan Fehr) are forced to make the tough decision of whether to stay and treat the injured or evacuate and begin transfers to nearby hospitals.

Sing It On
Pop, 9pm
Season Premiere!
Follow the journeys of dynamic a cappella teams as they compete in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA). This season, meet five new teams: One Note Stand (University of Texas at Austin), Hexachords (University of Massachusetts), Off the Beat (University of Pennsylvania), S#arp Attitude (University of Massachusetts) and Faux Paz (University of Maryland). See what it’ll take them to get to the top of the aca-podium.

Planet of the Sharks
Syfy, 9pm
Original Film!
In the near future, glacial melting has covered nearly all of the earth’s landmass. Sharks have flourished and now dominate the planet, operating as one massive school led by a mutated alpha shark.

Mr. Robot: “eps2.2_init_1.asec”
USA Network, 10pm
As Elliot friends Ray, he hopes that he can finally delete Mr. Robot. Meanwhile, Dom makes a big discovery, while Darlene wonders who is the bigger threat — the FBI or the Dark Army.

Thursday, July 28


Ripper Street
BBC America, 10pm
Season Premiere!
BBC America’s critically acclaimed drama Ripper Street returns for Season 4 tonight, as Detective Inspector Edmund Reid (Matthew Macfadyen) and Detective Inspector Bennet Drake (Jerome Flynn) continue their descent into the shadowy, often-violent lives of the men and women of Whitechapel in late Victorian London.

Jeff Ross Presents Roast Battle
Comedy Central, 10pm
This bracket-style insult-comedy event features the world’s most venomous comedians in one-on-one standoffs, with an all-star panel of judges deciding their tournament fate. Roast Battle is led by Roastmaster General Jeff Ross and referee/comedian Brian Moses and will be filmed in four nights at the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal.

Queen of the South: “El Engaño Como la Regla”
USA Network, 10pm
Camila, riddled with debt and short on supply, grows desperate and ponders giving Teresa up. Meanwhile, Brenda’s burgeoning drug enterprise creates a rift between her and Tony.

Friday, July 29


Home: Adventures With Tip & Oh
Netflix
New Series!
The animated adventures continue for the heroes of DreamWorks Animation’s Home. After alien Oh befriends teen girl Tip, he moves in with her and her human family, and the duo navigate their crazily combined cultures. Netflix has revealed that the series will feature original musical numbers and, in casting news, Rachel Crow takes over Rihanna’s role as Tip and Mark Whitten (Rolling High) will lend his voice to Oh, a role originated by Jim Parsons.

Masters of Illusion: “Money Matters, Separation Anxiety and One Ninja Turtle”
The CW, 8pm
This week, magicians Nathan Burton, Bill Cook, Chipper Lowell, Titou, Greg Gleason, Greg Frewin and Jason Bishop wow the live studio audience with their incredible illusions, thrilling escapes, perplexing mind magic and hilarious comedy routines.

The Fifth Musketeer
TCM, 8pm
Every Friday this month TCM has showcased the work of screen great Olivia de Havilland (she turned 100 July 1!). TCM host Robert Osborne tells that he first met her in 1976 when a scheduled one-hour interview turned into four hours and a long-lasting friendship. Tonight we see TMC’s Star of the Month in a lesser-known film that is rarely shown, The 5th Musketeer (1979). “The night she celebrated her 80th birthday in Paris in 1996, Olivia told me she’d just made a vow to live to be 100. And she’s done it,” Osborne said. In a more recent chat, she told him, “I’ve changed my goal. I’ve decided I want to live to be at least 110.”

Killjoys: “Meet the Parents”
Syfy, 9pm
Johnny escorts Pawter home for a chilly family reunion while D’av experiences surprising side effects from Khlyen’s Red 17 experiments.

Dark Matter: “We Voted Not to Space You”
Syfy, 10pm
The Android goes undercover to help the Raza crew track down a dangerous but familiar foe.


Saturday, July 30

Trisha’s Southern Kitchen
Food Network, 10:30am
Season Premiere!
Country music superstar and best-selling cookbook author Trisha Yearwood returns for an eighth season of creating food and fun memories with her family and friends.

Stride Gum Presents Heaven Sent
FOX, 8pm Live
Skydiver and precision flyer Luke Aikins will jump from an airplane at 25,000 feet with no parachute or wingsuit — nothing but the clothes on his back. We hope the clothes on Aikins’ back are parachute pants and a jet pack, and we plan on watching this death-defying stunt through our fingers.

Watters’ World
Fox News Channel, 8pm
In this series of monthly specials, Jesse Watters takes a comedic look at the latest headlines surrounding the 2016 presidential election. Tonight, Jesse recaps the highlights of the Republican and Democratic conventions.

Killer Coach
Lifetime, 8pm
To quote an astute copy editor: “I think this film was originally titled Mother, May I Sleep With Danger My Swim Coach?” Same thing — just ask star swimmer Samantha Morgan (Javicia Leslie) who feels pushed to the brink by her head coach and her determined mom Gina (Keesha Sharp, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story). Gina brings in handsome new assistant coach Bryce (Tom Maden, Scream: The TV Series) to ensure her daughter’s success, but when the pair’s relationship crosses the line, Sam tries to end things and learns just how dangerous her new coach can be.

Rush Hour: “Knock, Knock … House Creeping!”
CBS, 9pm
In “Knock, Knock … House Creeping!” Capt. Cole (Wendie Malick) enlists the help of Detectives Carter (Justin Hires) and Lee (Jon Foo) as she fears the return of a serial killer when a young woman’s recent disappearance from a believed-haunted hotel mirrors a series of chilling unsolved cases from five years ago.

For Love & Honor
Hallmark Channel, 9pm
Original Film!
A by-the-book Army veteran takes over as commandant at an ailing military academy, instantly squaring off with the school’s free-thinking dean of academics. But when they must join forces to put the school back in tip-top shape, sparks fly as they attempt to save the town’s longtime centerpiece. Stars James Denton, Natalie Brown and Rebecca Liddiard.

The American West: “The Last Vendetta”
AMC, 10pm
Season Finale!
Wyatt Earp abandons the law in search of justice. Jesse James is confronted by the Ford brothers. Sitting Bull is accused of inciting rebellion.