It’s always interesting to hear about the nuts and bolts of reality TV gone wrong, and the new three-episode documentary series “Fit for TV: The Reality of ’The Biggest Loser’” (Netflix, streaming) takes on the juggernaut where the morbidly obese were abused in prime time until they could become winners for losing the most weight.
More than just taunted, desperate contestants were mistreated, given caffeine drugs and suffered lifelong maladies. We see past participants, many of whom have packed the weight back on. The producers and trainer Bob Harper take part, blissfully unaware of any help they should have given participants they were profiting so mightily from. A few maintain that it actually improved their lives. The appetite for such a series though has since subsided, but the documentary raises some interesting questions.
Vanessa Kirby stars as woman who desperately tries to raise enough money in one night to save her family’s home in the new thriller “Night Always Comes” (Netflix, streaming). Based in the novel Willy Vlautin (who is also in the band The Delines). it also stars Jennifer Jason Leigh, Randall Park, Julia Fox and Eli Roth.
Tonght is the finale for “Perfect Match” (Netflix, streaming), the addictive but often annoying dating show that entirely involves characters from other Netflix dating shows — and in the biggest twist of the season, people from “The Bachelor” as well. Should anyone really “win”?
The documentary “The Echoes of Survivors: Inside Korea’s Tragedies” (Netflix, streaming) looks at four incidents that shook South Korea, from a department store collapse to the Jesus Morning Star cult from the makers of the 2023 film about a different cult, “In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal.”
The new five-part documentary series “Magic City: An American Fantasy” (Starz, 10 p.m.) looks at an Atlanta strip club run by the same family for 40 years and has played a part in the city’s hip hop scene.
The new series “The Rainmaker” (USA, 10 p.m.), based on John Grisham’s novel, concerns a recently aired lawyer who teams with an ambulance chaser and her paralegal to look into a death that’s connected to his old firm. Milo Callaghan, Lana Parrilla, P.J. Byrne, John Slattery and Madison Iseman star. It follows the fourth season finale of “BMF” (Starz, 9 p.m.) about the Black Mafia Family.
“The Great American Recipe” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings) ends its fourth season with a winner named after the three finalists complete hometown recipes.
Sheryl Crow hosts the ninth annual telethon “Stand Up to Cancer” (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, 8 p.m.) fro Nashville that will also feature Dolly Parton, Jelly Roll, Jonas Brothers, CeCe Winans, Dan + Shay, Gavin DeGrraw, Jon Pardi and others. It also shows on MTV, Paramount, Comedy Central, CMT ESPN2 and HBO.
Even the high minded streamers try their hand on realist programming with “Celebrity Escape to the Country” (BritBox, streaming) that features stars looking for dream homes in the British countryside.Among the stars, though, are Cheryl Baker, Christopher Biggins and Dr. Ranj.
The series formerly known as “Limitless with Chris Hemsworth” returns for a second season, still with the star, but now named “Limitless: Live Better Now” (Hulu, streaming).. They’ll still give advice on the show, which comes to cable’s National Geographic channel Aug. 25.
A typhoon hits “Deadliest Catch” (Discovery, 8 p.m.) while “Bering Sea Gold” (Discovery, 9 p.m.) is hit by its first storm of the summer.
Odd to see a replay of the bad 2021 reality dating “Naked and Afraid of Love” (Discovery, 8 p.m.) but here we are.
“Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” (Food, 9 p.m.) goes to a gourmet taco shop in Phoenix.
Pretty sure the officers on “Border Security: Australia’s Front Line” (National Geographic, 9 p.m.) all identify themselves and don’t wear masks.
“Ready to Love” (OWN, 8 p.m.) goes on a getaway.
When a cheating husband fights with another man, a wife has to figure out if he’s a weirdo on the made for TV thriller “Eat, Pray, Lie” (Lifetime Movie Network, 8 p.m.).
Janet Leigh gets the spotlight on Turner Classic Movies’ Summer Under the Stars with “Holiday Affair” (6 a.m.), “Little Women” (7:45 a.m.), “Angels in the Outfield” (10 a.m.), “Two Tickets to Broadway” (noon), “Just This Once” (2 p.m.), “The Naked Spur” (4 p.m.), “Bye Bye Birdie” (6 p.m.), “Psycho” (8 p.m.), “Touch of Evil” (10 p.m.), “Act of Violence” (midnight), “Pete Kelly’s Blues” (1:30 a.m.), “Confidentially Connie” (3:15 a.m.) and “Night of the Lepus” (4:30 a.m.).
Baseball has Pittsburgh at Chicago (MLB, 2:20 p.m.), Milwaukee at Cincinnati (Apple TV+, 6:40 p.m.), Texas at Toronto (Apple TV+, 7 p.m.), Seattle at Mets (MLB, 7 p.m.) and San Diego at Dodgers (MLB, 10 p.m.).
Preseason football has Tennessee at Atlanta (NFL, 7 p.m.) and Kansas City at Seattle (NFL, 10 p.m.).
WNBA action has Washington at Indiana (Ion, 7:30 p.m.) and Seattle at Atlanta (Ion, 10 p.m.).
The Little League Baseball World Series has Hawaii vs. Connecticut (ESPN, 7 p.m.).
NASCAR ends its season with the Eero 250 (Fox Sports, 7:30 p.m.) at Richmond.
Daytime Talk
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos: Chase Stokes, Brian Tyree Henry, Nikki Glaser. The View: Kara Swisher, Donny Osmond (rerun). Kelly Clarkson: Justin Hartley, Vanessa and Nick Lachey, Step Afrika! (repeat). Drew Barrymore: Chip and Joanna Gaines, Matt Friend (rerun). Jennifer Hudson: Adam Levine, Aldis Hodge (rerun). Tamron Hall: Tia Mowry, Nathan lee Graham (rerun).
Late Talk
Stephen Colbert: Bad Bunny, Leanne Morgan (rerun). Jimmy Kimmel: Taraji P. Henson, Tony Hale, Brad Mehldau, Nicole Byer (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Spike Lee, Zane Lowe, Olivia Carter (rerun). Seth Meyers: Bill Hader, Brittany Snow, Kat Sadler, Lizzie Davidson (rerun). Taylor Tomlinson: Maria Bamford, Zach Noe Towers, Laura Peek (rerun). Bill Maher: Thomas Chatterton Williams, Walter Kirn, Molly Jong-Fast.