TOP PICK
Extant (CBS, 9 p.m.): The headline is a bit of a misnomer: Extant follows Halle Berry’s central astronaut character after she returns home from an extended stay among the stars, so the majority of what you’ll see here is earthbound. But the show also arrives with the imprimatur of legendary one-time Columbo director Steven Spielberg, who knows a thing or two about making compelling outer space stories that feature very little outer space. Of course, the last time Spielberg put his name on a CBS summer series, it had everyone chanting “dome” like a mantra for 13 weeks, so Sonia Saraiya’s hoping Extant makes a smoother re-entry.
ALSO NOTED
The Bridge (FX, 10 p.m.): The Bridge is back, and so are Molly Eichel’s reviews of The Bridge, marking the second go-round for a summer tradition of starkly realized drama crisscrossing the U.S.-Mexico border.
Tiny House Nation (FYI, 10 p.m.): Don’t let the title deceive you: This is not the long-awaited, full-series realization of Geico’s old Tiny House ad. This is a chronicle of people living in small domiciles by choice—so they probably know how to make an omelette by now.
Wilfred (FXX, 10 p.m.): Wilfred plays test subject to a study conducted by Ryan. And every time Rowan Kaiser rings a bell, Wilfred begins to salivate.
TV CLUB CLASSIC
Lost (1 p.m.): The mystery of the distress signal is solved, freeing up Myles McNutt to focus on more pressing matters, like unraveling the enigma of Webdriver Torso (and don’t give him any of that “It was Google the whole time” business.)
Six Feet Under (3 p.m.): In other ongoing mystery news, Ruth makes an important discovery that, to John Teti’s chagrin, didn’t lead to a Ruth Fisher: Private Investigator spin-off.
ELSEWHERE IN TV CLUB
That familiar, friendly whistling isn’t an indication that you’ve finally snapped—it’s just the sound of the Andy Griffith Show theme wafting over from Stephen Bowie’s 100 Episodes trip to Mayberry. Erik Adams looks at broadcasts from similarly exotic locales: Notably Sweden and Canada, the nations of origin for NBC’s two upcoming comedy premieres, Welcome To Sweden and Working The Engels.
WHAT ELSE IS ON
American Fringe (National Geographic, 10 p.m.): An exploration of extreme subcultures begins with a trip to Leith, North Dakota, a small town whose association with white supremacist Craig Cobb earns this episode the decidedly un-Mayberry-esque title “Nazi Town.”
Catfish: The TV Show (MTV, 10 p.m.): The first clue that things are not as they appear in the third-season finale of Catfish is right there in the title: “Bianca & Brogan.” If someone online is claiming their first name is Brogan, they’ve already started making things up.
iHeartRadio Ultimate Pool Party (The CW, 8 p.m.): Join Nick Cannon and a bevy of poolside strangers to celebrate the eternal good vibes of a summer pool party and the enduring appeal of newly minted dubstep hero Lil Jon.
Mansion Hunters (Reelz, 10 p.m.): Real-estate expert seeks mansions for Hollywood royalty, does not hunt those houses for sport.
Ghostbusters (AMC, 8 p.m.): Question: You know what was a great year for summer movies?
Gremlins (Encore, 8 p.m.): Answer: 1984 was a great year for summer movies.
2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil: Netherlands vs. Argentina (ESPN, 2 p.m.): Over the weekend, the Netherlands was unable to break out of Costa Rica’s offside trap until the point in the game when no one could be offsides. Assuming the orange has since been allowed to leave said trap, they face an Argentine side that’s minus star midfielder Angel Di Maria.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family, 8 p.m.): LaToya Ferguson drops in on the show’s 100th episode, a milestone that would be even more impressive if PLL hadn’t burned through 100 episodes worth of plot twists in its first season.