TV Best Bets

Wednesday, Aug. 24: An Abused Bird Unites Toucan Nation

Toucan Nation © Discovery Communications

All Times Eastern.

Wednesday, Aug. 24

Toucan Nation
Animal Planet, 10pm
This documentary from Emmy winner Paula Heredia (In Memoriam: New York City, 9/11/01) shows how an abused toucan named Grecia — who had half of his beautiful bill torn from his face — helped bring Costa Ricans together to help him. Technology is implemented to create a prosthetic beak for the bird, while schoolchildren and activists strive to get tougher penalties for animal cruelty implemented in their country.

Chrisley Knows Best
USA Network, 10pm
The second half of the reality series’ fourth season picks up tonight with two back-to-back episodes. The current season has been extended to 26 episodes, 14 of which will air in this second half.

Penn & Teller: Fool Us: “Juggle, Juggle, Penn’s in Trouble”
The CW, 8pm
Magicians Vitaly Beckman, Simon Coronel, Mac King and Kevin Viner try to stump Penn & Teller by performing their best tricks before the duo. If the magic legends can’t work out the trick after seeing it only once, the victorious magician wins the right to perform in Penn & Teller’s Las Vegas act.

MasterChef: “5 Star Food/Hot Potato”
FOX, 8pm
In part one of tonight’s 2-hour episode, guest judge Kevin Sbraga cooks alongside the top nine in a mystery box challenge that features unique and upscale foodstuffs. Then in part two, the top eight face a three-part skill test starring the humble potato.

Ghost Hunters: “Children in the Attic”
Syfy, 9pm
One of the oldest yacht clubs in America is also one of the most haunted, as a mother and her son become entangled in phenomena involving a frightening family from the past with a strange story to tell.

Suits: “Shake the Trees”
USA Network, 9pm
Harvey, Louis and Donna search for a missing link to Sutter’s inside trading, while Mike takes a drastic step to get Kevin on his side, and Rachel and Jessica give Leonard Bailey some bad news.


American Gothic: “The Veteran in a New Field”
CBS, 10pm
In the new episode “The Veteran in a New Field,” the city is in a panic after the Silver Bells Killer’s accomplice strikes again. Alison (Juliet Rylance) enlists Brady’s (Elliot Knight) help to clear her name and find the real culprit.

Cleveland Hustles
CNBC, 10pm
New Series!
For their uplifting new series, NBA superstar LeBron James and his longtime business partner Maverick Carter handpicked successful, Cleveland-based business leaders to assist local entrepreneurs in getting their brick-and-mortar ventures up and running in one of the city’s reemerging neighborhoods.

Camp Cutthroat 2: Alton’s Revenge: “Heat One: Ax to Grind”
Food Network, 10pm
New Series!
Alton Brown has retreated deeper into the woods to plot his most devious sabotages yet. Sixteen new chefs have been lured into the wilderness to cook in his new backwoods location, but only one will make it back out and have the chance to win up to $75,000. On tonight’s premiere, Jet Tila judges as three chefs try to cook a scramble with either an ax, a knife or an arrowhead. The two survivors don a giant life jacket to make meat and potatoes. Finally, one chef cooks dessert pancakes on an enormous compass.

Gomorrah
SundanceTV, 10pm
New Series!
SundanceTV acquired two seasons of this enthralling, subtitled Italian import that tells the story of Naples’ Camorra crime family through the eyes of Don Pietro Savastano (Fortunato Cerlino, Hannibal), his impulsive only son Gennaro (Salvatore Esposito) and his best enforcer, Ciro (Marco D’Amore).

The Night Shift: “Emergent”
NBC, 10pm
In Part 1 of a two-part season finale, Scott and Jordan face grave danger during a rescue mission at a rapidly spreading wildfire outside San Antonio. Part 2 airs next week.

Paranormal Witness: True Terror: “The Contract”
Syfy, 10pm
When a loving Christian family learns a mysterious and evil “Tall Man” is stalking their home, they are shocked to discover their eldest son is to blame, for he has apparently entered into a deadly contract with Satan.

Thursday, Aug. 25

NFL Preseason: Atlanta at Miami
NBC, 8pm Live
The Atlanta Falcons take on the Miami Dolphins in this Week 3 preseason game held at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla., which will be the site of the 2017 Pro Bowl.

RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars
Logo, 8pm
Season Premiere!
Ginger Minj FTW! Ten more members of Drag Race royalty — including the deliciously John Waters-esque Ginger — vie for the show’s top crown. Only this time around, Mama Ru won’t be doing the eliminating, and it will be up to the queens to vote each other off, Survivor-style.

AXS TV Concerts Hosted by Mark Cuban: “Bret Michaels”
AXS TV, 9pm
The rocker most famous as the lead singer for Poison performs tonight.

Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders: Making the Team
CMT, 9pm
Season Premiere!
In the world of professional cheerleading, no squad is as iconic as the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. And in Season 11, a new crop of wannabes compete with veteran cheerleaders for the right to wear the coveted hot pants and go-go boots.

I Love Kellie Pickler
CMT, 10pm
Season Premiere!
Country cutie Kellie Pickler returns for all-new adventures with her hilarious friends and family and polar-opposite husband, Kyle.

Friday, Aug. 26

XOXO
Netflix
Original Film!
This ensemble comedy film follows a group of 20-somethings on a crazy adventure to the biggest EDM festival in America. Sarah Hyland, Graham Phillips and Ione Skye are among the cast.

“Star Trek: The Next Generation” Season 7 Marathon
BBC America, beginning at 8am
BBC America airs a marathon of episodes from the seventh and final season of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton and Denise Crosby star.

NFL Preseason: Cleveland at Tampa Bay
CBS, 8pm Live
The Cleveland Browns and new quarterback Robert Griffin III visit Raymond James Stadium for a preseason matchup against new head coach Dirk Koetter and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Bring It: “Scholarship Dreams and Dating Nightmares”
Lifetime, 9pm
The dancers compete for a coveted scholarship at a local university plus a spot on their elite dance squad. Coach D has her work cut out for her as she trains the battle squad to dance on a college level, with many Dolls failing to make the grade. Meanwhile, Tina and Rittany decide to sign Selena and Mimi up on a dating website and send them on blind dates.

Killjoys: “Johnny Be Good”
Syfy, 9pm
Dutch and Johnny are at odds when Pawter’s plans to free Old Town from Jelco’s control results in Dutch being seized by an angry mob.

College Football: Cal vs. Hawaii
ESPN, 10pm Live
The Cal Golden Bears and Hawaii Rainbow Warriors kick off the 2016 college football season at ANZ Stadium in Sydney, Australia.

Dark Matter: “Going Out Fighting”
Syfy, 10pm
The crew must pull off a dangerous op inside the headquarters of Dwarf Star Technologies in a desperate bid to save their ailing leader.

Saturday, Aug. 27


NASCAR Xfinity Series: Road America 180
NBCSN, 3pm Live
The rising stars of the NASCAR Xfinity Series take on the 4.05-mile, 14-turn road course at Elkhart Lake, Wis., for the Road America 180.

Major League Baseball
FS1, beginning at 4pm Live
A Saturday MLB doubleheader on FS1 has the Chicago Cubs at the L.A. Dodgers, followed by the L.A. Angels at the Detroit Tigers.

NFL Preseason: Tennessee at Oakland
CBS, 8pm Live
This NFL preseason matchup has Marcus Mariota and the Tennessee Titans visiting Derek Carr and the Raiders at Oakland Coliseum.

UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. Condit
FOX, 8pm Live
Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg call the action when welterweights Demain Maia and Carlos Condit face off in the headline fight at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C.

Unwanted Guest
Lifetime, 8pm
It’s winter break, but co-eds Amy and Christine feel anything but joyful. A classmate is found dead on campus and police have no suspects, so, with Amy having nowhere to go during this emotional time, Christine invites her friend home for the holidays. Though Christine’s family is taken with their guest, accidents begin to happen as the cops trace the campus killer’s path … straight to Christine’s house. Can she protect her family from the nightmare she brought home? Beth Littleford (Crazy, Stupid, Love), Ted King (General Hospital) and Kate Mansi (Days of Our Lives) star.

Summer of Dreams
Hallmark Channel, 9pm
Original Film!
Eighties pop star Deborah Gibson stars as Debbie Taylor, a former 1980s pop star who is determined to kick-start her career and return to the Billboard charts. But as she’s poised for a comeback, her music label drops her, and the cash-strapped singer flees New York and heads to her sister’s small town to recoup and regroup. There, she reluctantly accepts a job as a substitute music teacher, meets a group of teenage misfits and a charming guidance counselor (Robert Gant), and changes their perspectives on music, life and love.