Networks scramble to put on programming in the summer, usually grabbing something from Canada, or a weird reality show from the U.S. Sometimes they import something that’s accidentally kind of good.
“Dates” (The CW, 9 and 9:30 p.m.) is the kind of thing they wouldn’t normally put on. It doesn’t have the usual gang of good looking teen actors or some pop music soundtrack. Not even any vampires. Instead, creator Bryan Elsley’s little 30-minute bites serve4 as one-act anthologies. Two people meet on a blind date, and either something clicks or it doesn’t. In this case there’s usually something else at work as well, and with some sharper than usual writing and some accomplished acting from people like Will Mellor and Oona Chaplin, it actually works. At least as a breather from other fare.
One of my favorite shows of the past couple of years is back in a typically low key way. The lyrical “Rectify” (Sundance, 10 p.m.) will only have six episodes this season, though it’s been renewed for a fourth. It stars Aden Young putting in a nuanced performance as a man who was released from death row after 20 years to a small town in the South where he’s had to adjust to a new world, his family, and people who would just as soon lock him right back up. The cast includes Agibail Spencer, J. Smith Cameron and the great Aelaide Clemens as his sister, mother and sister-in-law respectively. Clayne Crawford plays his half brother, who has a confrontation with him as season three begins.
The new “Living with the Enemy” (Lifetime, 10 p.m.) is a kind of “Wife Swap” made more blunt: Two mothers with strong opinions on child-raising trade places with those using an opposite tack.
One of the best thing going on this week is the spoofy, comedy-star filled “The Spoils Before Dying” (IFC, 9 and 9:30 p.m.).
The second season of the angel battle “Dominion” (Syfy, 10 p.m.) begins, as does the sixth season of “Teen Mom 2” (MTV, 10 p.m.), whose participants are long since being teens. But I guess they’re still being affected by decisions they made in their teens, which is the whole point of the preachy “One Bad Choice” (MTV, 11 p.m.), in which someone recounts a deadly night of drunk driving.
Will the Mercury 7 families get along with the Gemini group coming in on “The Astronaut Wives Club” (ABC, 8 p.m.)?
It’s a web designer who battles professional chefs on “Food Fighters” (NBC, 8 p.m.). And he agreed to come on the show because he thought it said Foo Fighters.
Cat gets a new partner on “Beauty and the Beast” (The CW, 8 p.m.).
The penalty is wedding cake to the kisser on “Boom” (Fox, 8 p.m.).
Looks like Manson won’t be caught any time soon as the side stories pile up like LSD flashbacks on “Aquarius” (NBC, 9 p.m.).
On “Maron” (IFC, 10 p.m.), Marc is really taking hallucinogenics. Or his character is.
“The Seventies” (CNN, 9 p.m.) concentrates on the surge of crime that decade.
Pastor T.D. Jakes pops in on “Braxton Family Values” (We, 9 p.m.) and once he gets a load of what’s going on, probably hi-tails it out of there.
Pheasant makes its long overdue appearance “Under the Dome” (CBS, 10 p.m.).
It’s Alison Brie vs. Will Arnett on “Lip Sync Battle” (Spike, 10 p.m.).
Aliens land on Turner Classic Movies with a wealth of films mostly from the 1950s: “Earth vs. the Flying Saucers” (8 p.m.), “It Came from Outer Space” (9:30 p.m.), “The Day the Earth Stood Still” (11 p.m.), “The Man from Planet X” (1 a.m.), “Invisible Invaders” (2:30 a.m.) and “They Came from Outer Space” (3:45 a.m.).
Baseball includes Oakland at Yankees (MLB, 1 p.m.) and St. Louis at Pittsburgh (MLB, 7 p.m.).
The women’s semifinals at Wimbledon (ESPN, 8 a.m.) include Serena Williams vs. Maria Sharpova.
Tour de France (NBC Sports, 8 p.m.) reaches stage six, from Abbeville to La Havre in northern France.
And in Canadian football, it’s Ottawa at Edmunton (ESPN2, 9 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Kyle MacLachlan, Rachel Platten. The View: Chris Tucker, Tori Kelly. The Talk: Michael Sheen, Big Boy, Hunter Hayes, Carnie Wilson. Ellen DeGeneres: Johnny Depp, Gweneth Paltro, Paul Bettany, Asia Newson, Sam Hunt (rerun). Wendy Williams: Don Lemon, Siggy Flicker, Lisa Evers, Dave Mizejewski. Meredith Vieira: Stacy London, Dr. Tery Dubrow, Dr. Paul Nassif, Grace Helbig. Queen Latifah: Big & Rich, Tom Arnold, Freddie Prinze Jr. (rerun).
Late Talk
Jimmy Fallon: Colin Ferrell, Jason Schwartzman, Elmo (rerun). Jimmy Kimmel: Emilia Clarke, Vanessa Bayer, Miguel (rerun). James Corden: Betty White, Kyle MacLachlan (rerun). Carson Daly: Simon Helberg, the Budos Band, Kevin Macdonald (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Kentaro Toyama, Candace Bushnell. Jon Stewart: Malala Yousafzai (rerun). Conan O’Brien: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth.