Television shows you’ll want to watch this week
The Summer Olympics — Yes, we’re bummed out that, due to coronavirus concerns, there will be no fans in attendance for the Tokyo Games. But the global event, after being delayed for a year, should still deliver plenty of must-see TV. As usual, things get rolling with the opening ceremony, and because of the vast time difference, NBC will broadcast the festivities live in the morning (7 a.m. Friday) for the first time ever. But for viewers wanting to stick to traditional evening viewing, the network’s “comprehensive” prime-time broadcast will feature special coverage of Team USA, along with the performances, pageantry and Parade of Nations. (Prime-time coverage: 7:30 p.m. NBC).
Other bets Sunday:
Set in early-’90s Queens, “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” is a prequel to the original “Power” franchise. It’s the coming-of-age story of Kanan Stark (Mekai Curtis), the teen son of a cocaine dealer. The cast also includes Patina Miller and Omar Epps. (8 p.m., Starz).
Monday: It’s semifinals time on “American Ninja Warrior.” The action begins in Los Angeles, where the competing ninjas will face up to 10 challenges, including new obstacles Wall-to-Wall and the Inverter. (8 p.m., NBC).
Tuesday: “Man vs. History” is a new series that follows storyteller and historian Bil Lepp as he travels across the country to discover the truth behind mysteries and legends of America’s past. Tonight’s opener focuses
TV picks
on infamous Old West outlaw Billy the Kid. (10 p.m., History Channel).
Wednesday: Before they hit it big on the pop charts, the Jonas siblings apparently had visions of winning gold medals. In the hourlong special “Olympic Dreams Featuring Jonas Brothers,” Joe, Kevin and Nick train under some of Team USA’s best athletes as they compete against their biggest rivals — each other. (8 p.m., NBC).
Thursday: On a new episode of “Walker,” our title character and Micki investigate a bomb threat at the school that targeted Liam and Stan. Meanwhile, Abeline and Bonham plan a vow renewal, and Trey’s mother (guest star Schelle Purcell) comes for a visit. (8 p.m., The CW).
Friday: The beloved soccer comedy “Ted Lasso,” last summer’s underdog hit, returns for a highly anticipated second season. We can only hope that the goofy, chatty and eternally optimistic title character (Jason Sudeikis) finds some way to put his ragtag team on the path to glory. (Apple TV+).
Saturday: “Tig Notaro: Drawn” is the first-ever fully animated stand-up comedy special. Using a variety of artistic styles, it has Notaro telling funny stories about a hospital bed proposal, a high school talent show gone awry, a road trip with Dolly Parton and more. (10 p.m., HBO).