WGN imports Mennonite mafia series
TV loves a criminal conspiracy set in a hidden subculture. Even Canadian TV. A critical hit north of the border, “Pure” (10 p.m., WGN, TV-14) makes its U.S. debut. Set in Mennonite society, “Pure” stars Ryan Robbins (“Arrow”) as a newly ordained preacher who goes undercover to expose the sprawling drug syndicate operating under the guise of simple farmers riding horse-drawn carriages.
“Pure” makes the most of the contrast between public piety and drug-running and between taciturn humility and violent gunplay.
A second season of “Pure” is already in the works and is scheduled to appear on both WGN and Hulu. Alyson Hannigan (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “How I Met Your Mother”) has joined the cast for those episodes, scheduled to air (and stream) later this year.
› It’s Hogwarts night on Syfy. “The Magicians” (9 p.m., TV-MA) enters its fourth season at Brakebills University for Magical Pedagogy. This series leads into “Deadly Class” (10 p.m., TV-MA), the 1980s period fantasy set in a secret training academy for hired assassins and others studying for their learner’s permit leading to a license to kill.
› “Nature” (8 p.m., PBS, TV-PG, check local listings) concludes its series “Equus: Story of the Horse,” a glance at how the relationship between man and workhorse, racehorse and noble steed changed both species and shaped civilizations.
Along the way, we visit with breeders and racehorse trainers from Kentucky to Saudi Arabia and discover breeds specific to the Arctic and other forbidding climates. “Equus” asks us to consider the fact that we are merely a century or two removed from the time, dating back to the dawn of man, when horse travel was the fastest means of transportation — and the only way of covering long distances at a pace faster than walking.
› Boy George (Culture Club) competes with Laverne Cox (“Orange Is the New Black”) on “Drop the Mic” (10 p.m., TNT, TV-14). Comics Taran Killam and Rob Riggle
also face off. Afterward, Michael Strahan and New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman appear on “Snoop Dogg Presents The Joker’s Wild” (10:30 p.m., TNT, TV-14).
For those keeping score at home, both series were developed for TBS and its comedy brand, but have now moved to TNT to emphasize that network’s more sports-centric fare.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
› A helicopter proves too slow on “Chicago Med” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
› The Memphis-based Catfish Cabin gets a wakeup call from “Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
› Casey revisits a motorcycle fatality on “Chicago Fire” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
› “NOVA” (9 p.m., PBS, TV-PG, check local listings) explores the recent activity of Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano.
› Hand-to-hand combat on “Vikings” (9 p.m., History, TV-14).
Contact Kevin McDonough at kevin .tvguy@gmail.com.