1) “Alien: Earth” debut, 8 p.m , FX. A big monsters-and-machines tale links neatly with a deeply personal story. In one, a ship with captured creatures has crashed on Earth. In the other, a dying tween girl’s mind and memories are injected into a synthetic body (shown here). In this two-episode debut, she and other synths try to rescue the brother of her human self. Read more…
1) “Match Game,” 10 p.m., ABC. The network is heavily pushing this reboot, hosted by Martin Short (shown here in a previous episode). Tonight’s episode debuted Wednesday and will have a third run at 9 p.m. Saturday. Ego Nwodim of “Saturday Night Live,” is a panelist, along with Andrea Martin, Thomas Lennon, Pete Holmes, Jackie Tohn and Triumph the Insult Comedy Dog. Read more…
As it prepares to go live, “America’s Got Talent” (shown here) has a wild variety of acts.
There are robots and roller skaters, acrobats and aerialists, magicians and musicians — lots of musicians. There’s also a lady with a crossbow, dubbing herself Anna Danger.
And yes, there are some Americans. We’re told that America’s got talent. Read more…
1) U.S. Gymnastics Championships, 7-9 p.m., NBC. It’s time for the women (shown here) to have their finals. The men were relegated to Friday on CNBC. Read more…
1) “Alien Earth” debut, 8 p.m Tuesday, FX. Here’s an ideal sci-fi mix: epic monsters-and-machines space scenes (shown here), plus a deeply human story. On one note, a ship with captured creatures has crashed on Earth. On the other, a dying tween girl’s mind and memories are injected into a synthetic body. With other synths, she tries to rescue the brother of her human self. Read more…
1) “Resident Alien” season-finale, 10 p.m., USA and Syfy. One of TV’s best shows wraps its fourth season. Last week’s hour could have been a great finale: The Mantid and its offspring were slain, people were rescued, Asta and Harry decided to move — she to a city, he to his home planet. Then, infused with his alien blood from an emergency transfusion (shown here), she had a sense of new terror. Read more…
As “Alien Earth” (shown here) arrives, we face two vital questions:
1) What is the future of mankind, in an artificially enhanced world? and
2) Is it wise for an actor to work barefoot?
OK, one question might be more vital than the other, but we’ll ponder both.
“Alien Earth” opens with two episodes at 8 p.m. Tuesday (Aug. 12) on FX, continuing a story that has spanned (directly and indirectly) nine movies. FX will have four of them Tuesday — “Prometheus” (2012) at 10 a.m.; “Alien: Covenant” (2017) at 12:30 p.m., the original “Alien” (1979) at 3 and “Alien: Romulus” (2024) at 5:30. Read more…
1) “Nexaca,” debut, 9 and 10 p.m., FXX, rerunning at 11 and midnight. Created 102 years ago, Club Nexaca has had years of greatness in Mexican soccer … and years of decline. Now Eva Longoria (shown here) fronts a group that bought half of it. After her charming introduction, this Spanish-language series (with sub-titles) has a sharply filmed look at revival efforts. Read more…
1) “Good Cop/Bad Cop” return, 9 p.m., CW. If you missed this excellent show the Read more…
Just as TV hits its low point, Turner Classic Movies fills the void.
It does that each August, with “Summer Under the Stars.” Each day brings a marathon of films from one star.
Some of those people have been featured often. On Saturday and Sunday (Aug. 9-10), Elizabeth Taylor (shown here with Paul Newman) and Clark Gable will be back-to-back.
But others get their first time in the August spotlight. Read more…
