TCM, 6:00 a.m. ET
The penultimate day of “Summer Under the Stars” is given over to Charlton Heston, whose movies showcased for the next 24 hours include 1959’s epic Ben-Hur (at 4 p.m. ET), Orson Welles’ moody 1958 film noir drama Touch of Evil (8 p.m. ET), and two sci-fi cult favorites, 1968’s Planet of the Apes (12:15 a.m. ET, pictured) and 1973’s Soylent Green (2:15 a.m. ET). The coveted prime-time leadoff spot at 8 p.m. ET, though, is reserved for 1966’s Khartoum, which is not my favorite. For the record, my favorite Khartoum is The Simpsoms.
Various Networks, 8:00 p.m. ET
From its inception back in the 1980s, when MTV actually played music videos, the annual Video Music Awards show has been little more than an excuse to hold a big party, present a (hopefully) memorable live performance or two, and present a bunch of statuettes in a bunch of categories, none of which matters in the least to viewers or the performers. But it persists – and tonight, while dealing with social distancing and music artists who will be phoning it in more literally than usual this year, the 2020 edition is televised live on MTV – and also on sister networks Nickelodeon, BET, Comedy Central, Paramount, and even on one broadcast platform, the CW. Scheduled performers tonight include BTS, Black Eyed Peas, The Weeknd, Miley Cyrus, and two artists who combined for “Rain on Me,” one of the songs and productions up for Video of the Year: Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga (pictured).
Showtime, 8:00 p.m. ET
How will The Circus cover the week of the Republican National Convention? And the other breaking news events of the past seven days, from yet another shooting by police to yet another protest march and gathering? Only one way to find out: Tune in, as I’ll be doing…
HBO, 9:00 p.m. ET
Each episode of Lovecraft Country, at least every one of the installments I’ve seen in advance, further the ongoing story line while still evoking the spirit of a different genre film classic every week. This week, Leti (the magnetic Jurnee Smollett) buys her sister Ruby (Wunmi Mosaku) an old, run-down Victorian home on Chicago’s North Side, with plans to have Ruby run it as a boarding house. But the neighbors are hostile to the idea – and so are some of the ethereal inhabitants of the house, who are both ghostly and angry. This week’s clear inspiration? Think Poltergeist. And prepare to be scared.
Showtime, 10:00 p.m. ET
The slow pace of this murder mystery miniseries works in its favor, because the filmmakers have used the time to reveal, very slowly and deliberately, key insights about their primary four characters. The two sets of complicated people have a lot in common: both the British investigators and the killers they’re pursuing are a white woman paired with a black man, and, as we’ve come to learn, the women in both relationships are more flawed, less kind, and aggressively abrasive. It took three episodes for the police duo to realize that the female suspect in their sights was working with a partner – and tonight is episode four, in which the cops get more dogged and determined, which frustrates their weary boss. When she’s waiting for an elevator at work, and the doors open to reveal the persistent pair within (pictured), the boss says something that made me laugh out loud. “Jesus, you two,” she tells them. “You’re like those kids from The Shining.” Watch and enjoy – and also enjoy the clever opening credits, where neon signs dotting city streets are shown with letters that burn out into darkness, revealing a whole new, and much more sinister, meaning. “DANGER” becomes “ANGER,” “GARAGE” becomes “RAGE.” “DINE” becomes “DIE,” And “STRIP CLUB,” with six letters that suddenly go dark, becomes “R.I.P.”
HBO, 11:00 p.m. ET
Last week, deconstructing the Democratic National Convention, John Oliver was both very funny and extremely incisive. This week, he gets his chance to do the same with the Republicans… an absolute DVR Alert!