The slowest sports day of the year is also the best one to grab all the available athletes for the annual ESPY Awards (ABC, 8 p.m.), which moves to network TV for the first time (both ABC and ESPN are owned by Disney). Joel McHale hosts the event at the event which will honor big names in sports all year, including some who have made news for things beyond their long ago sports achievements, such as Caitlyn Jenner, winner of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. Also to be honored: Danielle Green, Devon and Leah Still and top athletes in many fields. There’s a pre-show that starts at 6, but back on cable on ESPN.
Jim Gaffigan has concentrated a lot of his standup humor and one book to fatherhood, so it’s natural that the material finds its way to a sitcom. “The Jim Gaffigan Show” (TVLand, 10 p.m.) finds its way to cable after a couple of attempts to make it a network sitcom. Perhaps its humor was too deadpan for it; it’s not a bad show, though its star is whiny and food-obsessed and actually wants nothing to do with his children despite his boasts to the contrary (it may take us a few episodes to learn all of their names). The humor is sharp if not edgy, but that’s fine. It’s a cut above what it looks like — another schlubby dad with beautiful wife (in this case the underrated Ashley Williams). And the cast is filled out admirably with all kinds of favorites, from Michael Ian Black to Adam Goldberg. It’s not the best sitcom that will be on this summer, but it’s not bad.
Mostly, it denotes a kind of change for TV Land from a kind of sitcom fetish for former TV stars to an edgier product. “Impastor” (TV Land, 10:30 p.m.) even gets a TV-MA rating for its language. It stars Michael Rosenbaum (the onetime Lex Luthor on “Smallville”) as a small time gambler in big time trouble, who flees the thugs after him by taking over the identity of a small time pastor who dies in front of him. It brings to mind the much better “The Riches” but this, too, has a good backing cast, especially Sarah Rue as the church secretary. Rosenbaum has a Chevy Chase thing going on, but may lack the charm to keep this afloat.
The new series “I Am Jazz” (TLC, 10 p.m.) is not about music, but about a 14-year-old transgender girl from Florida preparing to go to high school.
“Mr. Robot” (USA, 10 p.m.) has been amassing an audience with its first few episodes.
An “America’s Got Talent” (NBC, 8 p.m.) results show is forced to replay most of the acts from Tuesday night.
What creatures are next for “Operation Wild” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings)? A tailless dolphin and a bear needing brain surgery.
“NOVA” (PBS, 9 p.m.) jumps on the Pluto wagon with the new photos from the New Horizons probe unleashed Tuesday.
A fourth season starts for “Wahlburgers” (A&E, 9:30 p.m.), which so far has no accompanying series named “Fries” to go with it. There is, however, another neighborhood bistro run by erstwhile boy band brothers in “Lachey’s Bar” (A&E, 10:30 p.m.).
What kind of stunt is planned for the finale of “Bullseye” (Fox, 9 p.m.)? Probably nothing worth watching.
Players for the Class AAA All-Star Game (MLB, 8 p.m.) probably have to pay their own plane fare.
To mark the 50th anniversary this year of the UCLA Film & Television Archives, Turner Classic Movies shows six of the films it has restored tonight including “Her Sister’s Secret” (8 p.m.), “Turnabout” (9:45 p.m.), “The Night of the Hunter” (12:30 a.m.), “Wanda” (2:15 a.m.) and “The Pitfall” (4:15 a.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Paul Rudd, Bill Hader, Shawn Mendes. The View: Ian McKellen, Laura Linney, the Crystals. The Talk: Katharine McPhee, Rob Gronkowski. Ellen DeGeneres: Kristen Bell (rerun). Wendy Williams: Dascha Polanco, Selenis Leyva, Diane Guerrero. Meredith Vieira: Brittany Snow, Hailee Steinfeld, Anna Camp, Robert Herjavec, Vivica A. Fox, Joy Bauer (rerun). Queen Latifah: Rosario Dawson, Russell Peters (rerun).
Late Talk
Jimmy Fallon: Amy Schumer, Ian McKellen, Alan Jackson. Jimmy Kimmel: Andre Iguodala, Chris Tucker, Mark Feuerstein, Robert DeLong (rerun). Seth Meyers: Paul Rudd, James Anderson, Paula Pell, Anderson East. James Corden: Cat Deely, Kid Cudi, Ed Cage & Nicole Paris. Carson Daly: Jemaine Clement, Sweat Lodge, Damien Chazelle (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Chris Tucker. Conan O’Brien: 50 Cent, Anders Holm, Father John Misty.