1) “The ’90s Boy Band Boom,” 8-10 pm., CW. As the ’90s began, A.J. McLean said, pop music was ignored. “It was grunge or rap.” His group (Backstreet Boys, shown here) sputtered in the U.S., but soared in Europe; it has sold130 million records. Amid attacks — one rocker called them “the spawn of Satan”– boy bands thrived, as this lively film shows Read more…
1) “Big Brother” opener, 8-9:30 p.m., CBS. This 27th season starts with an expanded episode to introduce the housemates and usher them into their re-designed home (shown here). After that, it has an hour on Thursdays and Sundays, 90 minutes on Wednesdays … and (starting July 25) an hour-long “Big Brother Unlocked” on alternate Fridays. Read more…
1) “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” season-opener, 9 p.m., FX and FXX. Last season, the “Sunny” people (shown here) did an “Abbott Elementary” episode, “helping” at the school. Now the “Abbott” people offer extra footage of what happened that day. It’s hilarious… and R-rated. Janine, the gentle grade-school teacher, even manages a harsh word. Read more…
1) “The 1% Club,” 8 p.m., Fox. After a one-week break, “Club” (shown here) — slick and smart — is back. The questions are clever and the contestants are quirky, including Lego and roller-coaster buffs and all four guys from the first “Farmer Wants a Wife.” Joel McHale toys with them verbally. Read more…
1) “Bachelor in Paradise” opener, 8-10 p.m., ABC. “Bachelorette” is gone for a year (undergoing a makeover), so “Paradise” gets the top summer spot. It has seven people from last year’s “Bachelorette,” three (Alexa Godin, Bailey Brown, Zoe McGrady) from the recent “Bachelor” and more, including “Golden Bachelor” and “Golden Bachelorette.” Jesse Palmer hosts, with Wes Adams (shown here) as bartender and Hannah Brown leading “Paradise relations.” Read more…
1) “Holidazed” opener, 8 and 9 p.m., Hallmark. Last year, this ambitious mini-series (shown here) helped launch Hallmark+; now it moves to the general channel. The first episode meets families on a cul-de-sac, re-uniting for Christmas. The next ones tell their stories, one family per hour, leading to the overall finale in the eighth episode. Read more…
1) “Sharks Up Close,” 8 p.m., National Geographic. On Earth Day, we saw Bertie Gregory (shown here) communing with cute penguins. Now he goes the other way — hoping to swim with great white sharks off South Africa. There’s a lot of frustration here, but there are some good moments with gorgeous filming. Read more…
1) “A Capitol Fourth,” 8 p.m., PBS, rerunning at 9:30. Leading into the Washington, D.C., fireworks (shown here), we get tributes (including the 250th anniversary of the U.S. military) and lots of music. That includes the Beach Boys, the Temptations and gospel great Yolanda Adams, plus Josh Turner, LoCash, Lauren Daigle, Abi Carter and the National Symphony. Read more…
1) “Transplant,” 8 p.m., NBC. A terrific season has its key episode tonight. As usual, there are odd patients — including spouses who are literally glued together. There are career crises for Bash and Theo. And there’s Mags, a doctor (and Bash’s loved one, they’re shown here), with a transplanted heart. The result is beautifully crafted and deeply emotional. Read more…
1) “Human Footprint,” 9 p.m., PBS. The notion of “biocontrol” — one part of nature controls another — can work well: In Thailand, 10,000 ducks are released to gobble up farm pests. And it can fail: In 1935, Australia brought cane toads (shown here) to stop beetles; they soon swarmed everywhere … just as rabbits did earlier. Like last week’s opener, this is a terrific hour. Read more…
