1) “Big Brother” opener, 8 p.m. Thursday, CBS. This 27th season is the largest yet. Its opener is 90 minutes, to introduce the housemates. After that, it will have an hour each Sunday and Thursday and 90 minutes each Wednesday; Julie Chen Moonves (shown here in the redesigned house) hosts. And starting July 25, there will be “Big Brother Unlocked” hours on alternate Fridays. Read more…
1) “A Capitol Fourth,” 8 and 9:30 p.m. Friday, PBS. Blending vibrant music, stories and fireworks (shown here in a previous year), this is an annual delight from Washington, D.C. This year has the Beach Boys and the Temptations, plus “American Idol” winner Abi Carter and stars from country (Josh Turner, LoCash), Christian music (Yolanda Adams, Lauren Daigle) and jazz (Trombone Shorty). Read more…
1) “CMA Fest,” 8-11 p.m. Thursday, ABC. The night will be stuffed with 30 country songs, from hosts Cody Johnson (shown here) and Ashley McBryde and others. There’s Blake Shelton, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Ella Langley. Darius Rucker, Trace Adkins, Riley Green and more, including Shaboozey with Jelly Roll. Read more…
1) “Walking With Dinosaurs,” 8-10 p.m. today, Tuesday and Wednesday, PBS. Fact and fiction blend neatly, in a lush production. We see scientists finding bones … then get stories imagining those creatures. Special-effects and animatronics link with great filming (shown here). Rebooting a 1999 series, this starts with a baby triceratops and a 13-foot-high tyrannosaurus. Read more…
1) “Underdogs,” 9 and 9:54 p.m. Sunday, National Geographic. Here is a gentle gem — a three-Sunday, five-hour look at lowly creatures (shown here). The first hour (also on ABC at 9:03) shows superpowers, from invisibility to superglue slime. The second has terrible parents, including one that simply drops her eggs into other nests. Ryan Reynolds has fun with the narration. Read more…
1) Tony Awards, 5 p.m. PT Sunday, CBS, repeating at 8. Cynthia Erivo hosts a night packed with big-deal musical numbers. We can expect the nominated musicals — five new ones and four revivals, including Audra McDonald’s “Gypsy” and Nicole Scherzinger’s “Sunset Boulevard.” And there will be a 10th-anniversary performance by the origial “Hamilton” cast (shown here). Read more…
1) “American Music Awards, 8-10 p.m. ET today, CBS. Jennifer Lopez hosts a night with music by Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani and more. There are songs by young stars — Benson Boone, Renee Rapp, Lainey Wilson — plus memories, via Gloria Estefan and career awards for Janet Jackson (shown here) with her first TV performance in seven years, and Rod Stewart. Read more…
1) “The Voice” finale, 8-10 p.m. today, 8-11 p.m. Tuesday. NBC. Tonight, finalists have a last chance to grab votes. On Tuesday, those songs are recapped at 8 p.m., with guest performances at 9. That includes the coaches; former coaches Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson, Alicia Keys and Chance the Rapper; plus Joe Jonas, James Bay, Foreigner and previous winner (shown here) Bryce Leatherwood. Read more…
1) Grey’s Anatomy” season-finale, 10 p.m. Thursday, ABC. This week overflows with finales. On Thursday alone, that includes all three NBC shows, CBS’ “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage,” Fox’s “Next Level Chef” and all three ABC shows, including this “Grey’s” (shown here in a previous episode). The interns are cheerful about ending their first year; then an emergency intervenes. Read more…
1) “The Masked Singer” finale, 8-10 p.m., Wednesday, Fox. Last week, the show propelled all four singers to the finals. Instead, it unmasked its “Lucky Duck” helper — Taika Waititi, the director, producer, actor, Oscar-winning writer (“Jojo Rabbit”) … and husband of panelist Rita Ora. Now Ora (shown here in a previous event) starts the finale by singing “Pink Pony Club” with the final four. Read more…
