1) “Tough as Nails” opener, 8-10 p.m., CBS. After pushing its summer shows back to August, CBS relented: After tonight, “Tough” will have a new hour each Friday and Sunday. This season was filmed in Canada, with four Canadians among the 12 contestants. The field ranges from a 31-year-old ironworker to a 58-year-old toolmaker; it includes two firefighters and a motorcycle-builder. Phil Keoghan (shown here) hosts the show, which he co-created. Tonight, each person must cut, grind and torch 500 pounds of scrap metal.
2) “Endeavour” series-finale, 9-11 p.m., PBS. A 26-season run — with “Inspector Morse,” its sequel and this prequel – ends. This last season has had darkness looming over Endeavour Morse and his mentor,
Fred Thursday. Tonight’s main case is settled easily, giving extra time to resolve Thursday’s life. There are a couple false step near the end, but the result is still quietly moving, a worthy end to a long tale.
3) “The Lazarus Project,” 9 p.m., TNT, rerunning at 10:02. The first 11 minutes of this hour are brilliantly written. They focus on Archie as she confronts two job offers (in flashbacks) and a crisis. After that, alas, we’re back to the main story, with George desperate to create a disaster that forces the project to wind back the clock – bringing his girlfriend back to life.
4) “SharkFest” opener, National Geographic Channel. “Shark Week” is still nine days away, but this competing splurge arrives for a four-week stay. It has reruns of “When Sharks Attack” (9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and of “Vs.” episodes (2-8 p.m.). Then come the first three new specials. They probe reports of bull sharks stealing from fishermen (8 p.m.), sharks attacking each other (9) and dolphins and others rescuing people from sharks (10).
5) ALSO: Sportscasts collide. At 5 p.m. ET, NBC has NASCAR; at 7, Fox has soccer, with the U.S. and Nicaragua … “Yellowstone” reruns continue on the Paramount Network, leading into reruns of the “1983” prequel at 6:30 and 8 … And Turner Classic Movies has Harold Russell’s first two films – which were 34 years apart. He won an Oscar for “The Best Years of Our Lives” (1946, 8 p.m. ET) and didn’t act again until “Inside Moves” (1980, 11 p.m.).
— Mike Hughes, TV America