Summer’s the time for sci-fi sagas, apparently. Even on Lifetime, where the new series “The Lottery” (Lifetime, 10 p.m.) follows the premise of a near future in 2025 that has a worldwide fertility crisis. No babies are being born, swingsets are out of use, school buses sit fallow. The drama comes when a doctor who has been creating 100 viable embryos, holds a lottery to see who should get them. Marley Shelton stars, with Michael Graziadei, David Alpay and Athena Karkanis. The future is odd, though: The cars are really old.
It follows a night of new programming on Lifetime, starting with the more familiar territory of original movies and a high school sexual assault case on “Guilty at 17” (Lifetime, 7 p.m.), followed by a new episode of “Witches of East End” (Lifetime, 9 p.m.).
But I’m wondering how “The Lottery” will fare in direct competition with the entertaining sci fi entry that began last week, “The Strain” (FX, 10 p.m.).
In less than a year, the American Heroes channel is already belying its brand with a new series mostly about outlaws. But the first episode of “Gunslingers” (American Heroes, 10 p.m.) at least begins with a lawman, Wyatt Earp, participant in the shootout at the O.K. Corral. It’s narrated by Kurt Russell who played Earp in “Tombstone.”
If you missed the return of the two strongest dramas going last week, catch the second season premieres of “Masters of Sex” (Showtime, 7 p.m.) and “Ray Donovan” (Showtime, 8 p.m.) before the new episodes of each at 9 and 10 respectively.
Eric and Pam go to Dallas for a fund-raiser on a new “True Blood” (HBO, 9 p.m.) and Kevin has unexpected visitors at home on “The Leftovers” (HBO, 10 p.m.).
And let us not forget “Halt and Catch Fire” (AMC, 10 p.m.), in an episode where scandal hits Cardiff Electric.
One piece of news this weekend is that a new cast member of “Homeland” when it returns in October will be Suraj Sharma, star of “Life of Pi” (HBO Family, 9 p.m.).
Mark Salling, the former Puck on “Glee,” stars as a banker who returns home to drive his dad’s ice cream truck on the made for TV movie “Rocky Road” (Up Network, 8 p.m.).
Duels begin on “Rising Star” (ABC, 9 p.m.).
Reality show wars are increasing. Now: “Insane Coaster Wars” (Travel, 7 and 7:30 p.m.) just before “Xtreme Waterparks” (Travel, 8 p.m.).
Time to play catch up with three latest episodes of “Rectify” (Sundance, 7, 8 and 9 p.m.).
Seems like the ship has enough problems without worrying about a former drug kingpin of Nicaragua on “The Last Ship” (TNT, 9 p.m.).
Porthos has pathos when he’s sentenced to death on “The Musketeers” (BBC America, 9 p.m.).
“Flipping the Block” (HGTV, 9 p.m.) seems like a lot of work.
Billy Bob Thornton is interviewed on “Oprah’s Master Class” (OWN, 10 p.m.).
Funny that the plastic surgery nightmare show “Botched” (E!, 10 p.m.) comes directly after “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” (E!, 9 p.m.).
The women make a bet on “Game of Crowns” (Bravo, 9 p.m.), which would seem to get them banned from the Mrs. America Hall of Fame.
On a new episode of “Finding Bigfoot” (Animal Planet, 10 p.m.), they don’t.
Devin is out on “Big Brother” (CBS, 8 p.m.), so things are probably a bit calmer as new nominations for evictions are revealed from the Heads of Households who weren’t quite revealed when Thursday’s live show ended.
It’s a royal flush for Secretary of State John Kerry, who appears on all five major Sunday morning talk shows.
A bunch of great silent comedies are on Turner Classic Movies tonight. Think of them as viral videos of a century ago. It begins with Buster Keaton in “Coney Island” (8 p.m.) followed by Charlie Chaplin’s “The Immigrant,” Harold Lloyd’s “Never Weaken” and Laurel and Hardy in “Two Tars.”
Chaplin’s epic “The Gold Rush” (TCM, 10 p.m.) is followed by “His First Tooth,” “Captain Kidd’s Kids” (TCM, midnight) as well as “Take a Chance,” “A Submarine Pirate” and “Court House Crooks.” “Help!” (TCM, 1:33 a.m.) is not the 1965 Beatles movie, but a 1916 comedy from Sidney Drew.
The final round is played in golf’s British Open (ESPN, 6 a.m.).
Stage 15 of the Tour de France (NBC Sports Network, 8 a.m.) travels from Tallard to Nimes.
Baseball today includes Kansas City at Boston (TBS, 1:30 p.m.) and Dodgers at St. Louis (ESPN, 8 p.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: Secretary of State John Kerry, Rep. Mike Rogers, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer, Ambassador Maen Areikat, chief representative, PLO delegation to the U.S. CBS: Kerry, Rep. Peter King, former U.S. Middle East Envoy Martin Indyk. NBC: Kerry, Sen. Lindsey Graham. CNN: Kerry, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Rep. Mike McCaul, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Philip Breedlove. Fox News: Kerry, Sens. Ted Cruz, Bob Corker and Robert Menendez.