1) “Human Footprint” season-finale, 9 p.m., PBS. The natural world creates extinctions, we’re told here. Of all species since Earth began, 99% are extinct. But humans accelerate this … or slow it. We see efforts by scientists (a “frozen zoo” in San Diego, a “de-extinction” project in Texas) and laymen, helping elephants in Kenya, trees in Appalachia, rhinos (shown here) and more, Read more…
1) “The 1% Club,” 8 p.m., Fox. One of TV’s best game shows. this offers devilishly clever questions, a sharp host (Joel McHale, shown here) and fun contestants. Tonight’s 100-person field includes a mother and son, three math-teacher colleagues and a guy trying to top his wife and his brother. It’s a fun hour. Read more…
1) “Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time” conclusion, 8 and 9 p.m., National Geographic, rerunning at 11 and midnight. Sunday’s hours (rerunning from 5-8 p.m. today) showed the storm crush New Orleans and others. In the aftermath (shown here), we see rescue efforts continue. In the final hour, some people rebuild the city; others find new lives elsewhere. Read more…
1) “Nautilus,” 9 p.m., AMC, rerunning at 10:10. After saving the ship last week, Lucas (shown here) found herself drifting to the bottom of the sea. Now, after a clever flashback, that’s where we start. Based on Jules Verne’s 19th-century tale, this blends quiet awe and deep tragedy. Parts of it stretch way too long, but the grand-scale adventure keeps us watching. Read more…
(Here are the five TV best-bets for Saturday, July 26, sent a bit early; feel free to use in any form — all or some, print and/or web)
1) “Shark Week” finale, Discovery. We’ve survived another summertime blitz of shark shows. This final day has lots of reruns, plus new hours with ominous titles: At 8 p.m. is “Attack of the Devil Shark”; at 9, “Battle for Shark Mountain” views in-fighting in a shark stronghold. Read more…
1) “Resident Alien,” 10 p.m., USA and Syfy. Things are unfolding quickly. Last week, Harry finally got his alien persona (shown here in a previous episode) back … just as the mayor and his wife arrived; they hadn’t known that the town doctor is also is a 12-foot-tall alien. We also learned that the Mantid has assumed the body of an FBI agent. Now Harry enlists an unlikely ally, trying to save the town. Read more…
1) “Revival,” 10 p.m., Syfy. At first, this juggled humor and horror; now it gets deeper and darker. One night in Wausau, Wis.; some of the dead revived. Most are benign, but people are freaked out. Now we see the sheriff’s daughters — one dead/revived, the other (a deputy, shown here) at the brink. There are surprises, plus strong moments for the sheriff (David James Elliott). Read more…
1) “Match Game” debut, 9 p.m., ABC. Since 1962, this game has sprawled across three networks and beyond. Gene Rayburn was the first host; Alec Baldwin (2016-21) the most recent. Now it’s Martin Short. Panelists include Selena Gomez (his “Only Murders in the Building” colleague) and Cara Delevingne (who played her friend in the second season). They’re shown here, upper left. Read more…
1) “Daredevil: Born Again,” 8-11 p.m., FX. Created by Stan Lee 61 years ago, this blind crimefighter still thrives. Ben Affleck played him in a 2003 movie; then Charlie Cox (shown her) took over. Cox starred in a Netflix series for three seasons and was briefly in a movie, a mini-series and three TV series. Then came this nine-hour series on Disney+; it now reaches FX. Read more…
1) “Lego Masters,” 8 p.m., Fox. We’re down to the final four duos in this fun competition. There are brothers … and a brother-sister … and two wedding DJ’s … and two school guys, a coach and a band director. Inan impressive hour, they make Lego creations (shown here) that can nudge a ball across a table. That leads into next week’s finale … and, for four Mondays after that, a junior edition. Read more…
