TV Best Bets

Tuesday, Aug. 13: ‘America’s Got Talent’ Live Shows Begin Tonight on NBC

Trae Patton/NBC

ALSO SEE: NFL Preseason 2019 TV Schedule

Tuesday, Aug. 13

America’s Got Talent
NBC, 8pm

Performers take the stage live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood as judging is turned over to the American viewing audience; with judges Simon Cowell, Gabrielle Union, Julianne Hough, Howie Mandel and host Terry Crews.

https://twitter.com/AGT/status/1160581641170898949

Pandora: “Most Likely to Go Your Way (And I’ll Go Mine)”
The CW, 8pm

Thomas’ (Martin Bobb-Semple) telepathic father arrives on campus and tries to enlist his estranged son in a dangerous heist in which nothing is as simple as it appears.

Family Pictures USA: “Detroit”
PBS, 8pm

Explore America’s comeback city through photos and personal stories shared by residents. From the influence of the auto industry to labor unions to the Motown sound, Detroit’s multilayered story is revealed via family narratives and memories.

Intervention: “The Heroin Hub: Chapter 2”
A&E, 9pm

Thirty-eight-year-old heroin addict Bill finances his addiction by selling clean needles to other addicts. The city of Philadelphia organizes a mass eviction in Kensington to remove addicts from the neighborhood.

The Real Housewives of Orange County: “(Not So Happy) Housewarming”
Bravo, 9pm

Kelly is shocked to learn how the allegation from last year’s reunion has affected her daughter Jolie. Tamra invites the ladies to her housewarming party and warns Kelly that Vicki will be there. At the party, Shannon and Tamra watch the infamous animoji Kelly sent Vicki. Braunwyn and Tamra hit it off, and sparks fly when Vicki arrives.

Mysteries Decoded
The CW, 9pm
New Series!

Join private investigator Jennifer Marshall as she reexamines some of history’s most infamous cases, from Area 51 and Roswell to the Salem Witch Trials and the Bermuda Triangle, with new technology and previously undiscovered information.

Family Pictures USA: “Southwest Florida”
PBS, 9pm
Visit the Paradise Coast from Fort Myers to the Everglades, home to ranchers, Native Americans and fishing communities. Explore cattle country in rural Florida and meet a family of migrant workers who own a company that harvests produce.

Animal Kingdom: “Ghosts”
TNT, 9pm

In the penultimate episode, the Cody family sets off on Smurf’s (Ellen Barkin) mysterious heist, unaware of the surprises that await them when they arrive, which will change the family forever.

Flipping Exes: “Hell on Heels”
Bravo, 10pm

The Flipping Exes work with a questionable investor who hands them a very small budget, a half-completed house and a strict deadline. Every new construction obstacle brings out the devil in Nina as her budget dwindles and her temper rises. On the side, Nina hustles to find the perfect home for a longtime client with picky taste.

Supermarket Stakeout
Food Network, 10pm
New Series!
Four chefs compete in a pop-up kitchen outside a grocery store. Assigned a theme for each round, the chefs must size up shoppers as they exit the store and attempt to negotiate for their grocery bags. The judges send the chefs with the least successful dishes home, and the last chef standing walks away with a year’s worth of groceries. Alex Guarnaschelli hosts.

’Til Death Do Us Part: “The 22-Year Itch”
Investigation Discovery, 10pm

When devout young Christians Curt Thorngren and Donna Vetter marry in Meridian, Idaho, in 1980, they seem set for a life of love and happiness together. Then, 22 years of wedlock ends in murder. Detectives discover a marriage destroyed by debt, deceit and drug addiction. They identify a suspect, but with no murder weapon, can they secure a conviction?

Bring the Funny: “The Comedy Clash 2”
NBC, 10pm

The Comedy Clash round continues as the best acts from the Open Mic round will go head-to-head with another comedic act. The winner of each clash, as chosen by the judges, will advance to Semi-Final Showcase and be one step closer to ultimately winning the $250,000 grand prize and becoming the first ever winner of Bring the Funny.

The Disappearance
WGN America, 12am (late-night)
Series Finale!

Hear that sound? It’s the clock ticking down to find missing 10-year-old Anthony Sullivan (Michael Riendeau). Will the police and his family locate him before time runs out in tonight’s final hour? Or will solving the mystery of his disappearance lead to the revelation of more secrets and a tragic conclusion?

Wednesday, Aug. 14

Bulletproof
The CW, 8pm

Nell (Christina Chong) alerts Pike (Ashley Walters) and Bishop (Noel Clarke) to a notorious wanted criminal, Michael Sharp (guest star David Allen), who is heading into London. The boys finally collar an innocent Sharp, only to see him executed in an ambush.

MasterChef: “Mind Blowing Food”
FOX, 8pm

This week, after discovering the MasterChef kitchens decorated with laser lights and smoke machines, this season’s top nine home cooks learn from visionary chef Grant Achatz about the art of unconventional plating. Then, the home cooks must cook and plate a dish of their choice using an array of props. One cook will earn immunity and a special prize, while the others will face elimination.

Southern Charm: “White Gloves Off”
Bravo, 9pm
Season Finale!

The Charleston socialites get ready for another grand event hosted by Miss Patricia, and battle lines are drawn when Austen learns that Shep and Craig’s dates are the girls from his infamous threesome video. Shep and Craig aren’t the only ones causing trouble as Ashley, against Eliza’s advice, considers crashing the event to confront Patricia over her “lies.”

BH90210: “The Pitch”
FOX, 9pm

When FOX greenlights a 90210 reboot on the condition that seven of the original Beverly Hills, 90210 cast members get onboard, Tori and Jennie are met with more resistance from their former castmates than they had anticipated. Meanwhile, what happened in Vegas didn’t stay there and the gang deal with the fallout, and former costar Christine Elise pops back into their lives.

Forged in Fire: “The Falchion”
History, 9pm

The odds are stacked against four bladesmiths when they must each forge a chopper in a distinct Damascus pattern. After surviving an intense round of testing, two smiths return home to re-create one of the most widely used and dangerous medieval weapons: the Falchion.

Turquoise Fever
INSP, 9pm
New Series!

Turquoise gems are the diamonds of the Nevada desert, but unearthing them is risky. Meet gutsy third-generation miners (and reality TV newcomers) the Otteson family. To score a blue-green payday, they brave rough terrain, killer weather and perilous dynamite blasts — all while working 70 miles from the nearest hospital.

Songland: “Macklemore”
NBC, 9pm
New Episodes!
Undiscovered songwriters are put center stage as they pitch their original material to megastar Macklemore and a panel of chart-topping music producers. Viewers get an authentic peek into the creative process behind songwriting as three of music’s most successful and sought-after writer-producers — Ryan Tedder (Adele, Taylor Swift), Ester Dean (Rihanna, Katy Perry) and Shane McAnally (Kacey Musgraves, Sam Hunt) — produce the songwriters to creatively adapt their songs to perfectly fit Macklemore’s style. One song is chosen to be recorded by Macklemore and released for a global audience the same night.

NOVA: The Planets: “Ice Worlds”
PBS, 9pm

In the far reaches of the solar system, Uranus and Neptune dazzle with unexpected rings, supersonic winds and dozens of moons. And NASA’s New Horizons gets a stunning up-close view of Pluto before venturing deep into the Kuiper Belt.

Suits
USA Network, 9pm
Mike Ross is back! Two seasons after leaving to head a firm in Seattle, Patrick J. Adams’ series original is home for a visit, but it’s not all hugs and kisses with former mentor Harvey (Gabriel Macht). “I’m coming in with something against one of their clients, so yeah, we get to see them go toe-to-toe,” Adams says. But which movie will they quote?

Match Game: “Code Blue”
ABC, 10pm

He’s not only your host, but he’s also played a doctor on TV. Alec Baldwin scrubs in to host a very dramatic episode, and you don’t need a second opinion! Celebrity panelists include Joel McHale (Dr. Matthew Maker on Dimension 404 — it was one memorable episode, but it counts!), Mayim Bialik (Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler on The Big Bang Theory), Kal Penn (Dr. Lawrence Kutner on House), Sarah Chalke (Dr. Elliot Reid on Scrubs), Donald Faison (Dr. Christopher Turk on Scrubs) and Bebe Neuwirth (Dr. Lilith Sternin on Cheers and Frasier).

The Strongest Man in History: “Revolutionary Strongmen”
History, 10pm
Season Finale!

The strongmen travel to Virginia to take on the unbelievable feats of strength of the American Revolution. It’s the U.K. versus the U.S. once again as they race to see who can throw a ton of tea into a harbor and carry an actual cannon off a battlefield.

The InBetween: “Monsters and Angels”
NBC, 10pm

Tom (Paul Blackthorne) and Damien (Justin Cornwell) investigate the murder of a young schoolteacher, only to discover that her killer is someone very close to home. Cassie (Harriet Dyer) realizes that she must deal with Ed Roven once and for all.

David Makes Man
OWN, 10pm
New Series!

David (Akili McDowell) is a 14-year-old prodigy from the projects who is his hardworking mother’s only hope to escape poverty. Haunted by the death of his closest friend, he must choose between the South Florida streets that raised him and the higher education that may offer him a way out.

Thursday, Aug. 15

Little League Baseball World Series
ESPN & ESPN2, beginning at 1pm Live

Action from the Little League Baseball World Series tournament in Williamsport, Pa., opens with four games between regional champions airing across ESPN and ESPN2. The tournament airs on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC through Aug. 25.

The Outpost: “Because She’s Worth It”
The CW, 8pm

Talon (Jessica Green) and Zed (guest star Reece Ritchie) leave on a quest to Talon’s childhood home. Meanwhile, Tobin (guest star Aaron Fontaine) proves his worth to Gwynn (Imogen Waterhouse), Janzo (Anand Desai-Barochia) experiments with plaguelings and Naya’s (guest star Amita Suman) Prime Order connections return to haunt her.

NFL Preseason: Oakland at Arizona
ESPN, 8pm Live

Week 2 of the NFL preseason has the Oakland Raiders at the Arizona Cardinals on ESPN.

MasterChef: “Pigging Out”
FOX, 8pm

After the home cooks are introduced to this week’s inspiration, “Marley the Pig,” judge Aarón Sánchez teaches them his family’s chorizo sausage recipe. Then, the amateur cooks have 60 minutes to create a tasty dish using their own homemade sausage.

NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series: UNOH 200
FS1, 8:30pm Live

Expect Grant Enfinger, Stewart Friesen, Brett Moffitt, Matt Crafton and Austin Hill to be among the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series drivers in the running for the season championship as the playoffs get underway tonight at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Family Food Fight
ABC, 9pm
Season Finale!

The final two family teams must pull out their best culinary moves as they face an amuse-bouche challenge that will be tasted and judged by some familiar faces. Then, in their final task as competitors, the families will take on a 60-45-30 challenge, requiring them to utilize ingredients handpicked by the judges, while delicately balancing difficult time restrictions. Only one family will take home the $100,000 prize.

Million Dollar Listing New York: “Tech-nical Difficulties”
Bravo, 9pm

Ryan pitches his brand new Chelsea townhouse as a smart-home paradise for tech enthusiasts, but soon finds himself squaring off with Steve’s boss in a tense negotiation. Luis and Ronita explore the idea of reuniting to become business partners and realize that the last two years apart have changed both of their lives professionally and personally.

Ax Men: “Whiteout”
History, 9pm

A breakdown forces Jason Rygaard to choose between his crew’s safety and finishing the job. Frank Harkness is caught in a whiteout while moving the excavator on a narrow mountainside logging road. Wade Etienne finally tests his six-wheel, custom-fabricated log hauler, and Buckin’ Billy tests his son, Hogan, on a solo cutting mission 100 feet above the ground.

Hollywood Game Night: “The Anchorman and the Wrestlers”
NBC, 9pm

Two contestants step into the Hollywood Game Night ring with wrestlers Brie Bella and Nikki Bella, and celebrity guests Lester Holt, Chris Sullivan, Michael Ealy and Natasha Leggero to win the $25,000 grand prize. Emmy Award-winning host Jane Lynch leads two teams in playing comical party games I Love a Charade, Smash the Buzzer and the new game Dazed & Reviewed.

Elementary
CBS, 10pm
Series Finale!

Detective drama Elementary concludes its seven-season run with the series finale episode “Their Last Bow.” While Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) and Watson (Lucy Liu) battle with tech billionaire Odin Reichenbach (James Frain), they receive word of their old enemy and Holmes’ former flame, Jamie Moriarty (Natalie Dormer).

Alone: “Thin Ice”
History, 10pm

The Arctic cold hits in full force, freezing the lake and cutting the survivalists off from valuable resources. The participants are forced to form new strategies, all while risking frostbite and hypothermia. In desperation, one survivalist turns to a gruesome food source, while another starts to slip mentally, tipping them towards the breaking point.

Friday, Aug. 16

Jim Gaffigan: Quality Time
Amazon Prime Video

Jim Gaffigan brings his signature everyman brand of humor to Prime Video in the streaming service’s first ever standup special, which is directed by Gaffigan’s wife and writing partner, Jeannie.

Love After Lockup
WE tv, 9pm
New Episodes!

Six more couples, each with one partner just released from prison, join returning duo Angela and Tony on the relationship roller coaster in the reality series’ return. Oh, and three of the new twosomes came together as pen pals!

The UnXplained: “Bizarre Rituals”
History, 10pm

This episode of the William Shatner-hosted series examines the hidden power of ancient practices such as prayer, blood sports, voodoo and exorcism.

Killjoys: “A Bout, a Girl”
Syfy, 10pm

Dutch (Hannah John-Kamen) enters the deadly Supermax prison fights for a chance to take over the prison ship.

Saturday, Aug. 17

Cook With Your Kids
Food Network, 7am

The Pioneer Woman, The Kitchen and Trisha’s Southern Kitchen are all new in this junior-friendly seven-hour block of culinary fare.

Off the Deep End Weekend
Syfy, beginning at 9am

Today and tomorrow, Syfy airs many of your favorite Syfy shark movies, including all six movies of the Sharknado franchise, surrounding tonight’s premiere of the Ian Ziering-led original movie Zombie Tidal Wave.

Addiction Unplugged: “Ground Zero of the Crisis”
A&E, 1pm
New Series!

Ohio has become ground zero for the United States opioid epidemic. This episode explores the reasons why, as an unfettered prescribing of pain medications, the strategic geographical distribution appeal of the state and the massive influx of black tar heroin have become catalysts of the worst drug epidemic in U.S. history.

Welcome Back, Kotter
Antenna TV, 1pm
A back-to-school marathon of the ’70s sitcom collects 18 big episodes for John Travolta’s lovable Sweathog, Vinnie Barbarino — from the pilot to the actor’s memorable exit, delivering a baby in an elevator.

Major League Baseball
FS1, beginning at 4pm Live

FS1’s Saturday MLB doubleheader has the Houston Astros at the Oakland A’s, followed by the Milwaukee Brewers at the Washington Nationals.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race
NBCSN, 7:30pm Live

The steeply banked, .533-mile short track at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee provides a 500-lap endurance test for Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin and other top Cup Series drivers tonight.

V.C. Andrews’ Gates of Paradise
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!

Heaven’s daughter Annie (Lizzie Boys) finds herself orphaned and injured, and Tony Tatterton (Jason Priestley) whisks her away to Farthinggale Manor to recuperate. While there, Annie mourns the loss of her parents and her separation from her beloved half brother (Keenan Tracey), suffers under the care of a tyrannical nurse (Daphne Zuniga), and discovers her family’s final secrets.

A Summer Romance
Hallmark Channel, 9pm
Original Film!
Erin Krakow stars as Sam Walker, whose family’s ranch in Bighorn County, Mont., is struggling and facing foreclosure. When a New York real estate developer (Ryan Paevey) shows up to buy it, she isn’t interested in hearing the offer of the “city slicker.” But as he tries to win her trust and her ranch, Sam finds he might also be winning her heart.

Zombie Tidal Wave
Syfy, 9pm
Original Film!

With no more Sharknados to battle, the star of that former cult Syfy film franchise, Ian Ziering, is moving on to fighting the undead. Ziering stars in and also produces this flick about a zombie-slinging tidal wave that hits a small town, causing maritime mayhem. The film is directed by Sharknado franchise helmer Anthony C. Ferrante and is being seen as “the first of many installments,” according to a Syfy release.