Raymond Burr seems the farthest thing away from the new adaptation of “Perry Mason” (HBO, 9 p.m.). Rather than a stocky defense lawyer of the 50s, the Erle Stanley Gardner character is a rumpled detective and former World War I soldier trying to scratch out a living in 1930s Los Angeles. Matthew Rhys of “The Americans” puts on the battered fedora (replacing the original intended actor, Robert Downey Jr., who remains a producer). The HBO production brings the usual measure of premium cable sex and violence amid brilliant cinematography and terrific casting, from John Lithgow to Tatiana Maslany, with Lili Taylor, Nate Corddry, Stephen Root and Shea Whigam thrown in.
The 10-episode caper, with a pretty good story, serves as fair summer entertainment, probably closest to “Boardwalk Empire,” whose Rolin Jones is a co-writer and Tim Van Patten is an oft-used director.
Oddly, Sunday already has a show with a lot of the “Chinatown” elements in “Penny Dreadful: City of Angels” (Showtime, 10 p.m.) which shares the same genre, 30s L.A. setting and time period, a similarly lurid mutilated murder and a stand-in for female evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson.
A third season starts earlier than originally announced for “The Chi” (Showtime, 9 p.m.), Lena Waithe’s saga from the Windy City. Characters take on new challenges and look into a case of missing girls in the community.
The Kevin Costner western “Yellowstone” (Paramount, 9 p.m.) returns for its third season, with Josh Holloway of “Lost” added as a potential new foe – a hedge fun manager looking to gobble up parts of Montana.
Zachary Quinto returns for a second season of the vampire drama “NOS4A2” (AMC, BBC America, 10 p.m.).
John Legend hosts a variety special saluting dads with “John Legend and Family: A Bigger Love Father’s Day” (ABC, 8 p.m.).
It plays opposite another musician, Harry Connick Jr., hosting “United We Sing: A Grammy Tribute to the Unsung Heroes” (CBS, 8 p.m.) who salutes essential workers. Performers also include Jon Batiste, Andra Day, John Fogerty, Jamie Foxx, Herbie Hancock, Cyndi Lauper, Little Big Town, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Dave Matthews, Tim McGraw, Rockin’ Dopsie, Irma Thomas and Trombone Shorty. And a raft of celebrities will surprise essential workers with messages of thanks, from Brad Pitt to Oprah Winfrey.
Things will be weird at The 2020 ESPYS (ESPN, 9 p.m.), the annual sports show that will be socially distanced. Instead of sports achievements, it will focus on humanitarian and heroic standouts.
In the news special “The Room Where It Happened: ABC News Exclusive Interview with John Bolton” (ABC, 9 p.m.), Martha Raddatz talks with the former national security adviser, two days before his book is released.
Tamron Hall moderates a discussion of the series “Why We Hate” in a special “Why We Hate: The Reckoning” (Discovery, 9 p.m.) with Will Packer, Jelani Cobb, Brandon Marshall and Nikole Hannah-Jones.
In the new three-part miniseries “Lucy Worsley’s Royal Myths & Secrets” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings) the reign of England’s Elizabeth I is examined. It runs opposite a special on another queen of history, “Cleopatra: Sex, Lies and Secrets” (Science, 8 p.m.).
“Vice” (Showtime, 8 p.m.) ends its season reports on the Covid-19 pandemic in Cambodia and New York’s “last responders.”
A hit and run leads to a hidden garden on “Grantchester” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings).
On “Snowpiercer” (TNT, 9 p.m.), Layton plans an overthrow while hiding out.
A new season starts for “Worst Cooks in America” (Food, 9 p.m.).
Comedians compete in the single-elimination “Tournament of Laughs” (TBS, 10 p.m.).
The documentary “The Beat Don’t Stop” (TVOne, 8 p.m.) celebrates the origins of Washington D.C.’s sound, go-go.
“Top Gun: Behind Closed Doors” (Reelz, 8 p.m.) looks at the making of the old Tom Cruise pic.
“Good Witch” (Hallmark, 9 p.m.) hosts a chocolate festival.
John’s family meets Chandrika on “Beecham House” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings).
Bill Nye, Bobby Moynihan, Amber Riley, Fortune Feimster, Miranda Cosgrove and Adam Pally play “Hollywood Game Night” (NBC, 7 p.m.).
“Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted” (National Geographic, 10 p.m.) goes to Louisiana.
A doctor adjusts to life away from her husband on “Married to Medicine: Los Angeles” (Bravo, 9 p.m.).
The Father’s Day roster on Turner Classic Movies has “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father” (5:30 p.m.), “Life with Father” (8 p.m.) and “Father of the Bride” (10:15 p.m.). A bunch of silent “Our Gang” comedy shorts come at midnight, starting with “July Days” (12 a.m.), “Every Man for Himself” (12:20 a.m.), “No Noise” (12:35 a.m.), “It’s a Bear” (12:50 a.m.), “High Society” (1:10 a.m.), “High Society” (1:25 a.m.) and “The Buccaneers” (1:40 a.m.). They are followed by two from Austrian director Michael Haneke, “The Castle” (2 a.m.) and “Funny Games” (4:15 a.m.).
Final rounds are played in the PGA’s Heritage (Golf, 1 p.m.; CBS, 3 p.m.).
NASCAR runs its Geico 500 (Fox, 3 p.m.).
Soccer’s English Premier League has Sheffield United at Newcastle (NBC Sports, 8:55 a.m.), Chelsea at Aston Villa (NBC Sports, 11:10 a.m.) and Liverpool at Everton (NBC, 2 p.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: Sen. Tim Scott, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. CBS: Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, Sen. Mark Warner, former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb. NBC: Wolf, Rep Adam Schiff, Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. CNN: Rep. Jerrold Nadler, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, former Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Fox News: Trump campaign adviser Mercedes Schlapp, Biden campaign adviser Symone Sanders, Dr. Tom Inglesby, director of the Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins University.