Lifetime has been the origins of some of the creepiest TV movies of the year. First the two “Flowers in the Attic” films, and now this, “Outlaw Prophet: Warren Jeffs” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.), which posits the notion that religious-minded polygamists are not as cuddly as the dude in “Sister Wives.” You may never think of the president on “Scandal” the same way after you see him as the addled fundamentalist Mormon preying on 14 year old girls and conducting uncomfortable bedroom sessions with his many wives.
Goldwyn is suitably intense as the religious megalomaniac, but Martin Landau as the patriarch Prophet might succeed in being even creepier, as he marries a teen and plants an uncomfortably sloppy kiss on her. Molly Parker is good as Wife No. 1 but it seems like she’s suffered in these kinds of roles before.
Because it’s tied to actual events, it seems to end at an odd moment. But you can test how close it is to reality by the documentary that follows, “Beyond the Headlines: Warren Jeffs” (Lifetime, 10 p.m.).
While Jeffs might have been a straight up criminal, “Buying Naked” (TLC, 9 p.m.) is merely perverse. It’s about a walled nudist housing development in Florida (of course) and its clothed agents who show homes while trying to not look down. Those of us who already know that more and more reality shows are scripted and directed will notice that the nudists are almost always artfully placed behind tables and flower arrangements. Most of what you see are a lot of rear ends.
Syfy gets back into the monster movie business with its latest, “Snakehead Swamp” (Syfy, 9 p.m.).
In another original movie tonight, “When Sparks Fly” (Hallmark, 9 p.m.) in which Meghan Markle plays a journalist returns to her hometown for a Fourth of July story to find her old boyfriend is getting married (and she’s the maid of honor). Good to see the network spreading out to holidays other than Christmas.
Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem and Cameron Diaz star in “The Counselor” (HBO, 8 p.m.), a Ridley Scott film from a Cormac McCarthy screenplay, making its premium cable debut. Elsewhere, Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell and Christopher Walken star in “Seven Psychopaths” (Showtime, 8 p.m.).
On the amusing “Almost Royal” (BBC America, 10 p.m.), Georgie and Poppy go to Texas.
I read that the failed series “The Assets” (ABC, 8 p.m.) was actually a product of the ABC News re-enactment team gone wild.
Sad that children have become sources of bar games on “Bet On Your Baby” (ABC, 8 p.m.).
The World Cup Round of 16 is here, which means there are half as many games and they are much more widely available on broadcast TV (at least today) with hosting Brazil vs. Chile (ABC, noon) and Colombia vs. Uruguay (ABC, 4 p.m.). To prove how much soccer fever has not caught on in America, though, check the audience at the MLS game of Los Angeles at San Jose (NBC Sports, 10:30 p.m.).
It’s sad how many young people don’t know the sublime comic skills of Jack Benny. They’re on display tonight on Turner Classic Movies with “To Be or Not to Be” (8 p.m.), “The Big Broadcast of 1937” (10 p.m.) and “College Holiday” (midnight).
Baseball today includes White Sox at Toronto (MLB, 1 p.m.) Minnesota at Texas (Fox Sports, 4 p.m.), Washington at Cubs (Fox, 7 p.m.) in the second game of a double header, and Cincinnati at San Francisco (MLB, 10 p.m.).
Early round play continues at Wimbeldon (ESPN, 8 a.m.). And in golf, Tiger Woods is already out at his own Quicken Loans National (CBS, 3 p.m.).
Wilco plays on an old “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 9 p.m.) check local listings.
Because her new movie is coming out, the Melissa McCarthy-hosted “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) is rerun, with Imagine Dragons as musical guest.