The image of Labor Day Weekend is going out to the beach to soak up the last lazy days of summer. For others, it’s a much more sheltered time – when to crowd before a TV in a darkened room for marathons of middling series.
So theres a 17 hour marathon of “American Ninja Warrior” through 5 p.m. today, a 10 hour run of “The Game” (8 a.m.) through 6 pm.), eight hours of “BBQ Pitmasters” (Destination America, 9 a.m.) through 5 p.m.). six hours of “Oprah: Where Are they Now?” (10 a.m.) through 4 p.m.
Also: six hours of “Top Gear” (BBC America, 11 a.m.) through 4 p.m., six hours of “My Fair Wedding with David Tutera” (We tv, 12:30 p.m.) through 6:30 p.m., five hours of “Below Deck” (Bravo, 12:30 p.m.) through 5:30 p.m., ten hours of “Who Do You Think You Are?” (TLC,2 p.m.) through 8 p.m.; seven hours of “Too Cute!” (Animal Planet, 3 p.m.) through 10 p.m. that culminates with a couple of new episodes at 8 and 9 p.m. that looks in on past subjects after a year to see if they’ve turned into acceptably cute levels.
Plus: ten hours of the fake “Amish Mafia” (Discovery Channel,5 p.m.) through 3 a.m.; four and a half hours of “Ridiculousness” (MTV, 5:30 p.m.) through 10 p.m.) and and ten hours of “Storage Wars” (A&E, 6 p.m.) to 4 a.m.
When a good student’s website is hacked, she faces violent consequences on the new TV movie “Social Nightmare” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.) featuring Kristen Prout of “Kyle XY” and “The Lying Game,” Chloe Bridges of “Freddie” and “Camp Rock 2,” Brandon Smith of “Phil of the Future” and Rachel True of “Half & Half,” with Daryl Hannah as mom of the victim.
In Hallmark’s series that plays like a romantic film that won’t end, “Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.), Olivia and Jack take a trip.
Back to back episodes of “Do No Harm” (NBC, 9 and 10 p.m.) help lead up to next week’s series finale.
Now’s your chance to see Russell Crowe sing in the premium cable premiere of “Les Miserables” (HBO, 8 p.m.), directed by Tom Hooper. The musical that also starred Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, who won best supporting actress for her work.
Did you read my story about the local production company that produces shows like “Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry?” (Investigation Discovery, 8 p.m.)? You can find it here.
Does anyone recall Paul McGann’s short stint as the eighth Doctor? It came in just one TV movie in 1996 but was good enough to energize the series, according to the special “Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited” (BBC America, 9 p.m.).
The final night of its Summer of Stars concentrates on Rex Harrison with a 12-film, 24-hour salute featuring “Men are Not Gods” (6 a.m.), “Storm in a Teacup” (7:45 a.m.), “The Citadel” (9:30 a.m.), “Over the Moon” (11:30 a.m.), “King Richard and the Crusaders” (1 p.m.), “Unfaithfully Yours” (3 p.m.), “My Fair Lady” (5 p.m.), “Anna and the King of Siam” (8 p.m.), “St. Martin’s Lane” (10:30 p.m.), “The Foxes of Harrow” (midnight), “The Rake’s Progress” (2:15 a.m.) and “The Long Dark Hall” (4:30 a.m.).
The biggest ratings for the night will likely be the prime time college football of Georgia at Clemson (ABC, 8 p.m.) and LSU vs. TCU (ESPN, 9 p.m.). Also on tonight: Washington State at Auburn (ESPNU,7 p.m.), Kentucky vs. Western Kentucky (ESPNews, 7 p.m.), Miami (Ohio) at Marshall (CBS Sports Network, 7 p.m.), Boise State at Washington (Fox Sports 1, 10 p.m.) and Northwestern at California (ESPN2, 10:30 p.m.).
Earlier games include Buffalo at Ohio State (ESPN2, noon), William & Mary at West Virginia (Fox Sports 1, noon), Purdue at Cincinnati (ESPNU, noon), Villanova at Boston College (ESPNews, noon), Louisiana Tech at North Carolina State (CBS, 12:30 p.m.), Rice at Texas A&M (ESPN, 1 p.m.), BYU at Virginia (ESPNU, 3:30 p.m.), Temple at Notre Dame (NBC, 3:30 p.m.), Mississippi State at Oklahoma State (ESPN2, 3:30 p.m.), Penn State at Syracuse (ABC, 3:30 p.m.), Nicholls State at Oregon (Fox Sports 1, 4 p.m.) and Alabama vs. Virginia Tech (ESPN, 5:30 p.m.),
More football on “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) with a rerun of the episode hosted by Peyton Manning, with Carrie Underwood as musical guest.
Mumford and Sons play a rerun of “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings).