Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Monday, August 26. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Glickman (HBO, 9 p.m.): This documentary has everything: track & field, anti-semitism, and the guy that coined the term “swish!” A day before he was supposed to compete as part of the 400-meter relay at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Jewish-American Marty Glickman was replaced by a non-Jewish runner (who just happened to be Jesse Owens). This HBO documentary tracks that initial disappointment as well as Glickman’s rise to prominence as a sportscaster, where he pioneered many industry-standard practices that continue today.
REGULAR COVERAGE
Under The Dome (CBS, 10 p.m.): It didn’t take long for Chester’s Mill to turn into a Hunger-Games-style (or Battle Royale if you prefer) dystopian future. Barbie fights for his life in an arena contest, which is kind of how Scott Von Doviak feels about reviewing this show each week.
TV CLUB CLASSIC
The IT Crowd (11 a.m.): Caroline Framke says “cheers mate” to The IT Crowd as it finishes its fourth series with a bet, a bomb scare, and a divorce trial. The show is set to return for a finale special sometime in the near future, but for now try turning it off and on again one last time.
Justice League (1 p.m.): Two rock climbers discover an alien machine called Dark Heart that can convert raw matter into attack robots. Oliver Sava is kind of like the Dark Heart except his raw matter is TV shows and his attack robots are the words he writes about those TV shows.
WHAT ELSE IS ON?
Xiaolin Chronicles (Disney XD, 8:30 p.m.): This new Disney XD show is actually a sequel to a popular WB cartoon Xiaolin Showdown, which ran from 2003-2006. We’ll chalk this show’s return up to the early-2000s nostalgia that is sweeping the nation. We can’t wait to hear 50 Cent’s “In Da Club” on the radio again!
Fashion Police: 2013 MTV Video Music Awards (E!, 9 p.m.): With segments including “Bitch Stole My Look” and “Guess Me From Behind,” Fashion Police is the perfect pairing for the the vapid, colorful commercial that is the VMAs.
Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives (Food Network, 9:30 p.m.): Hedgehog-haired Guy Fieri returns for the 18th season priemère of this Food Network staple. He’ll be highlighting all the restaurants that didn’t make the cut in the show’s first 17 seasons, so you know they’ve got to be good.
Teen Mom 3 (MTV, 10 p.m.): This MTV reality show (which is a follow up to the fourth season of 16 And Pregnant) harkens back to a simpler era when the media claimed Juno, The Secret Life Of The American Teenager, and that so-called “pregnancy pact” were responsible for teen pregnancy. And not, you know, a lack of sex ed and access to birth control.
Shaun Of The Dead (Cinemax, 4:35 p.m.): Celebrate the release of the final film in the Cornetto trilogy, The World’s End, with a big scoop of the film that started it all. Shaun Of The Dead has a creamy base of British humor, decadent swirls of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and a healthy sprinkling of warm, toasty zombies. Cup or a cone?
Jerry Maguire (CMT, 8 p.m.): We’re not sure why Country Music Television is showing a film about a sports agent, but maybe the network just wants someone to show it the money! Or possibly it wants to inform its audience that the human head weighs eight pounds. Or maybe this movie just had it at hello. Help us, help you CMT. Help us, help you.
MLB Baseball: Reds At Cardinals (ESPN, 7 p.m.): The Cincinnati Reds face off against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals beat the Reds 15-2 in their last matchup earlier in August, but the real winner will be the team that can eat the most toasted ravioli and provel cheese.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Dog With A Blog: Plenty of shows feature talking dogs, but this talking dog has a blog! Pilot Viruet has a blog, and we can’t be 100 percent sure she’s not also a dog so we sent her to fetch a review of this first season finale.