Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Tuesday, August 2. All times are Eastern.
Top picks
The Nazi Games: Berlin 1936/The Boys Of ’36 (PBS, 8 p.m./9 p.m.): The potentially disastrous Rio Olympics are just around the corner, so what better time to revisit quite possibly the most infamous Games of them all? PBS has a pair of specials on the Nazi-organized 1936 Olympic Games. The Nazi Games examines how Adolf Hitler’s obsession with proving Aryan superiority on the global stage actually helped transform the Olympics from a relatively minor event into the international spectacle it has become. The Boys Of ’36 is a little more hopeful, as these things go, as it follows the working-class rowing team from the University Of Washington as it goes up against the heavily favored German rowers.
The Hills (MTV, 9 p.m.): A full six years after this show went off the air, robbing Joel McHale of some of his best material for The Soup, Lauren Conrad returns to catch people up on her life since the show went off the air. Wait, is Lauren Conrad the memoir-writing, Jay Cutler-marrying anti-vaxxer? No? That’s Kristin Cavallari? Okay, fine, this officially could be much, much worse.
Impossible Engineering (Science, 9 p.m.): The summer doldrums means we’re just going to keep flagging any Science specials that sound vaguely interesting. Tonight’s “Kings Of The Sea” episode of Impossible Engineering looks at the world’s biggest cruise ship and the world’s “greatest”—not biggest, but greatest!—submarine.
Premieres and finales
Feed The Beast (AMC, 10 p.m.): We didn’t stick with this David Schwimmer show about restaurants and crime, but tonight’s the first-season finale, so on the off chance it’s going to do something crazy that will help it turn the corner for a potential season two, this might be worth a check-in. After all, Tommy does make “a daring offer to the Tooth Fairy,” and TJ does begin to remember “the unsettling truth about Rie’s death,” so a shocking swerve is certainly possible.
Botched (E!, 9 p.m.): If you ever wondered what could make an E! show about unsuccessful plastic surgeries even more distasteful than it already is, just know the third season finale’s title is a play on Here Comes Honey Boo Boo: “Here Comes Tummy Boo Hoo.” We’re not even sure where to start diagnosing all that’s wrong with this.
Coupled/Bachelor In Paradise (Fox, 8 p.m./ABC, 8 p.m.): As one dating reality show has its two-hour finale, another has its two-hour premiere. Sunrise, sunset (in paradise, we guess).
SmackDown! SmackDown! SmackDown!
WWE SmackDown Live! (USA, 8 p.m.): Last week’s proper debut of SmackDown Live answered at least half our question of just who is going to be challenging for the show’s belts at SummerSlam, as Dolph Ziggler scored the shocking victory to become the number one contender to Dean Ambrose’s WWE World Championship. It’s been a little while since Ziggler was relevant enough on the card to make such a victory feel plausible—though that could all change with some sharp storytelling over the next few weeks!—so let’s all relive the greatest moment in Dolph Ziggler history.
Regular coverage
Steven Universe (Cartoon Network, 7 p.m.)
Streaming pick
“Garth Marenghi,” Man To Man With Dean Learner (Seeso): We already highlighted the brilliance of Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace a few weeks back, so let’s go for an even deeper cut with this spin-off, in which Garth’s disquieting manager and best friend Dean Learner hosts a subtly terrifying talk show. Garth is his first-ever guest, because who the hell else was he going to get on?