Part of the fun of writing about Shark Week each year is getting the pun-filled press releases from the Discovery Channel publicity crew.
For example, they tell me that "television's longest-running event takes a bite out of summer for its 30th anniversary." They promise "jawsome" programming and say it will all be "fintastic."
They may be having fun, but I can't argue with the lineup that begins at 6 p.m. today and continues through July 29. Discovery has rounded up an all-star lineup of athletes and celebrities to celebrate the milestone.
Chief among them is Shaquille O'Neal, who has been featured in the Shark Week commercials that seem to be airing every 10 minutes.
Others along for the fun, adventure and education include Ronda Rousey, Aaron Rodgers, Rob Gronkowski, Lindsey Vonn, Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O'Leary, Daymond John, Guy Fieri and Bear Grylls.
They'll join Shark Week's roster of scientists and experts as they "deliver all-new groundbreaking shark stories incorporating innovative research technology to reveal compelling insight into the mysterious world of sharks."
There will be more than 20 hours of "jaws-dropping" specials and it all begins with four hours tonight. Here's the lineup. I plan to watch from the dry safety of my recliner.
• Alien Sharks: Greatest Hits, 6 p.m. Deep below the ocean's surface live some of the strangest creatures and most terrifying sharks on Earth. In Alien Sharks: Greatest Hits, Discovery recounts "the biggest discoveries, weirdest adaptations and most memorable moments" from the past five years of Alien Sharks.
• Bear vs Shark, 7 p.m. Man's man Grylls takes on a whole new set of challenges as he chums the water from a helicopter, dives into a feeding frenzy and uses himself as human bait. And, I suppose, lives to tell the tale.
• Shaq Does Shark Week, 8 p.m. Shaq finds out too late that it's "Shark" Week not "Shaq" Week, so he enlists actor/comedian Rob Riggle (The Daily Show) to help him train for the big plunge in the Bahamas.
• Ronda Rousey Uncaged, 9 p.m. Olympian and Ultimate Fighting Championship star Rousey tests her courage by staring down sharks, including a fearsome mako. Former Navy diver and shark attack survivor Paul De Gelder coaches her on how to survive outside a cage.
Here's what's on tap for the rest of the week.
Monday:
7 p.m., Monster Tag. Rodgers, Vonn and Gronkowski join forces with scientists to learn why shark populations are declining worldwide.
8 p.m., Great White Abyss
9 p.m., Cuba's Secret Shark Lair
Tuesday:
7 p.m., Guy Fieri's Feeding Frenzy. Ultimate restaurateur and foodie Fieri and his son, Hunter, head to the Bahamas to sample local cuisine and explore why the waters around these islands enjoy such a wide variety of shark species.
8 p.m., Laws of Jaws. Experts examine why shark attacks are on the rise.
9 p.m., Air Jaws: The Hunted
Wednesday:
7 p.m., Air Jaws: Back From the Dead
8 p.m., Shark Tank Meets Shark Week. ABC's Shark Tank titans hook up with shark-centric nonprofit outfits to vie for a $50,000 donation. Cuban, John, Corcoran and O'Leary try to convince their fellow Sharks, including Robert Herjavec, why their nonprofit deserves to win.
9 p.m., SharkCam Stakeout
Thursday:
7 p.m. SharkCam Strikes Back
8 p.m., Sharkwrecked
9 p.m., Tiger Shark Invasion
Friday:
7 p.m., Megalodon: Fact vs. Fiction. This was an original Shark Week special 30 years ago and is still my favorite. It tackles the question, what if the largest shark that ever existed were still alive today? It's the stuff of nightmares.
As a bonus, there will be a first look at the forthcoming Warner Bros. action/horror film, The Meg. It opens Aug. 10 and stars Jason Statham and Rainn Wilson.
8 p.m. Bloodline: Spawn of Jaws. In 1964, a giant great white shark was killed off Long Island and gave rise to Steven Spielberg's gripping 1975 film Jaws. Wait. Are the giants coming back?
Aside: For many, the fascination with -- and fear of -- sharks began with Jaws, the very first summer blockbuster. From the tense opening tuba ostinato and the demise of Chrissie Watkins to "You're gonna need a bigger boat," America would never go to the beach the same way again.
9 p.m., Great White Shark Babies
Saturday:
8 p.m., Return of the Mega Shark
9 p.m., Sharks Gone Wild
July 29:
8 p.m., Naked and Afraid of Sharks. Five Naked and Afraid all-stars are inserted separately on a barren island in the Bahamas surrounded by some of the most shark-infested waters on earth. They must survive 14 days with only a couple of items to help them through.
The TV Column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Email:
mstorey@arkansasonline.com
Style on 07/22/2018