Month: July 2023

1) “The Wonder Years,” 9 p.m., ABC. After being bumped for two straight weeks, this has an episode that’s a “West Wing” reunion. In late-’60s Alabama, Dean’s dad (Dule Hill) isn’t used to the idea of an inter-racial friendship. But he’s a musician and likes Dean’s music teacher (Bradley Whitford, Hill’s “West Wing” colleague; they’re shown here with Dean). They plan a couples’ night – while the kids have home-alone schemes. Read more…

1) “America’s Got Talent,” 8-10 p.m., NBC. Fresh from “Idol” and “X-Factor,” Simon Cowell (shown here) wanted a broader contest – any age, any genre. The result has been adapted in 69 countries, from Azerbaijan to Slovenia. Cowell has judged all 16 seasons of “Britain’s Got Talent” and the past eight in the U.S.; now he shows his favorite auditions from both. One may be Susan Boyle; an unknown when she auditioned at 48, she had the best-selling debut album in British history. Read more…

1) “Cruel Summer,” 10 p.m., Freeform. “You actually think you’re this good guy,” an ex-friend tells Luke. Many people think he is; he brings a sense of sweetness and pain. But there’s real depth to this show’s characters. Last week, Megan and Lexi extracted his confessions; then a gun was fired. Now – setting up next week’s finale – we learn much more. We also see that Griffin Gluck — like colleagues Sadie Stanley and Lexi Underwood (they’re shown here) — is a talented actor. Read more…

1) “Shark Week” begins, Discovery. While “SharkFest” continues on National Geographic, the original returns for its 35th year, with lots of imposing creatures (shown here). This time, Jason Momoa hosts and it’s also on Max. There are reruns all day and new hours at night: At 8 p.m., cameras are inside a fake whale carcass, to film a feeding frenzy. At 9, experts ponders the extinct MEG — some 50 feet long. At 10 is a look at attacks near posh Red Sea resorts. At 11, an hour looks back at 35 years. Read more…

1) “NCIS Hawaii,” 8 and 9 p.m., CBS. This year’s season-finale was spread over two Mondays. Now, however, it reruns in one gulp. When the body of a former British spy is found, secrets are uncovered from the past of Tennant (Vanessa Lachey,shown here in a previous episode). She goes to extremes to find who’s responsible. Read more…

1) “Praise Petey” (shown here) debut, 10 and 10:30 p.m., Freeform, rerunning at midnight. In New York, Petey has lots of clothes, lots of therapy and few opinions. Then her world implodes … and a new one appears: She inherits the small-town cult her father created. Freeform’s first animated show stars Annie Murphy (“Schitt’s Creek”). Like many cartoons, it sometimes pushes too hard for laughs; still, it’s a fairly clever show about colliding values in a new world. Read more…