Issa Rae’s adaptation of a web series to a glossy premium cable comedy might have had some bumps in its first season, but by tonight’s season premiere, “Insecure” (HBO, 10:30 p.m.) is more assured and bold in depicting the life of an African-American woman in Los Angeles and several of her interesting friends navigating love and work. Like “Atlanta” it depicts black lives from the knowingness of those in it; outsiders are welcome to join in and learn.
It comes alongside the premiere of the much more popular “Ballers” (HBO, 10 p.m.), a kind of “Entourage” for the sports world that further pushes Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as a political force everyone can love. At least Sen. Elizabeth Warren has told Samantha Bee that “Ballers” is her favorite TV show. Which I still can’t figure out was a joke for not.
But watch out, it’s the start of Shark Week, which begins with its best stunt yet, in pitting Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps against a toothy one in “Phelps vs. Shark: Great Gold vs. Great White” (Discovery, 8 p.m.). Don’t worry, they don’t race side by side; they are only timed.
It comes alongside a number of other specials with lurid titles, “Great White Serial Killer Lives” (Discovery, 7 p.m.), “Shark-Croc Showdown” (Discovery, 9:10 p.m.) and “Devil Sharks” (Discovery, 10:10 p.m.) followed by the nightly talk show, “Shark After Dark” (Discovery, 11 p.m.).
Nat Geo Wild boldly goes head-to-head with Shark Week with its own SharkFest, which even got Ryan Lochte as its own counter Olympian swimmer (only to do promotion, not swim apparently). Still there is a roster of shows that begins with “Shark vs. Predator” (Nat Geo Wild, 8 p.m.).
A strong environmental statement comes in the thorough documentary “From the Ashes” (National Geographic, 9 p.m.), which takes another look at the fate of the miners in West Virginia, before eventually revealing that most of the coal industry has since moved to Montana and Wyoming, that coal will not return as an industry, that clean coal does not exist and that it remains the worst contributor to rising carbon in the atmosphere around.
Kyra Sedgwick directs a new TV film adaptation of the young adult novel “Story of a Girl” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.) that involves other members of her family — Kevin Bacon and their daughter Sosie Bacon are in the cast; their son Travis did the music. Ryann Shane stars as the slut-shamed girl.
Daenerys has a surprise visitor, Jon Snow faces a revolt and Tyrion gets more than one line on tonight’s “Game of Thrones” (HBO, 9 p.m.).
Later, the cast of “Game of Thrones” are on a rare rare Sunday night edition of “Conan” (TBS, 11 p.m.) from Comic-Con.
Silver warns Ghost that Tasha may have to testify on “Power” (Starz, 9 p.m.).
A nail competition on “Claws” (TNT, 9 p.m.) represents Desna’s hope of escaping Uncle Daddy’s grasp.
The six word clue for “Twin Peaks: The Return” (Showtime, 9 p.m.) is “There’s fire where you are going.”
Dutch tries to escape the breeding program on “The Strain” (FX, 10 p.m.).
Sydney tries to right a wrong on “Grantchester” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings) in the season two finale.
Eddie helps Cassie hone her material on “I’m Dying Up Here” (Showtime, 10 p.m.).
“Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge” (NBC, 9 p.m.) reaches its season two finale, with the winner getting the $250,000.
Paul Scheer and June Diane Raphael lead teams of comics on “Celebrity Family Feud” (ABC, 8 p.m.).
It’s Cobie Smulders vs. Ryan Eggold and Kathy Najimy vs. Ali Wentworth on “The $100,000 Pyramid” (ABC, 10 p.m.).
A sports ball bag is one of the items presented on “Steve Harvey’s Funderdome” (ABC, 9 p.m.).
Oh good god, Cody is back in the house on “Big Brother” (CBS, 8 p.m.).
A double feature of Judy Holliday films, “It Should Happen to You” (TCM, 8 p.m.) and “The Marrying Kind” (TCM, 10 p.m.) leads into a 1928 silent “The Mating Call” (midnight) about a World War I vet vs. a Klansman and Wim Wenders’ epic director’s cut of the 1991 “Until the End of the World” (TCM, 2 a.m.) with William Hurt and Max Van Sydow, that looked forward to 1999 and had a soundtrack that included U2, R.E.M., Talking Heads and Julee Cruise.
Baseball includes Houston at Baltimore (TBS, 1:30 p.m.) and St. Louis at Chicago Cubs (ESPN, 8 p.m.).
There are four different games between the made-up teams in The Basketball Tournament (ESPN, noon and 2 p.m.; ESPN2, 4 and 6 p.m.).
Final rounds are played in the British Open (Golf, 4 a.m., NBC, 7 a.m.).
It’s Manchester United vs. Real Madrid (ESPN, 5 p.m.) in the International Champions Cup. Also in soccer, it’s the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal of Mexico vs. Jamaica (Fox Sports 1, 9 p.m.).
Auto racing includes NASCAR’s Brickyard 400 (NBC, 2:30 p.m.).
And the Tour de France (NBC Sports, 10:30 a.m.) runs its final stage.
Sunday Talk
ABC: Jay Sekulow, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Sen. Chuck Schumer. CBS: Sens. Susan Collins and John Barrasso, Rep. Adam Schiff. CNN: Anthony Scaramucci, Sens. Rand Paul and Al Franken. Fox News: Scaramucci Sens. John Thune and Ben Cardin.