It’s a little late for both of these things: Conan O’Brien the TNT talk show host makes a cameo in the typically over-the-top monster B movie “Sharktopus vs. Pterecuda” (Syfy, 9 p.m.) in which he is split in half. Roger Corman produces the film that stars Robert Carradine (“Revenge of the Nerds”).
Seems like they’re running out of hybrid names to mash together with the returning shark-octopus battling a half-pterodactyl, half-barracuda. After all, they’ve already done “Piranhaconda” (Syfy, 11 p.m.). Still, neither will It seem like much after a replay of this week’s “Sharknado 2: The Second One” (Syfy, 7 p.m.).
Despite all the hype for the rest of its series, from “Mad Men” to “Halt and Catch Fire,” one of the most popular series on AMC is the Western “Hell on Wheels” (AMC, 9 p.m.), now entering its fourth season. It could be that it fills the historical, long buried Saturday night Western fix, or that it’s just a solid enough serial of building the railroad. By now they’re trapped in a Mormon fort somewhere along the way and there’s a bear fight to be determined.
With its fans, it’s not a bad time to rerun the American Revolution-era “Turn” (AMC, 10 p.m.) for another showing, right afterwards.
The half-decent “Power” (Starz, 9 p.m.) reaches its first season finale with a big party. But the big news on that network is the late night sneak of the first episode of “Outlander” (Starz, midnight) that actually does a good job with Diana Gabaldon’s popular series of historical fiction and romance books, chiefly because of the alluring casting of Caitriona Balfe as the World War II Army nurse suddenly transported in time to feudal Scotland circa 1743. The series, from “Battlestar Galactica” writer Ronald D. Moore, looks to be one of the best yet from Starz.
“Crossbones” (NBC, 8 and 9 p.m.) is being summarily sunk with the running of its final two episodes. As a result, there’s no “Dateline NBC” tonight, but there are double doses of both “20/20” (ABC, 9 and 10 p.m.) and “48 Hours” (CBS, 8 and 10 p.m.).
Well this just seems silly: World War I reimagined in documentary style as a battle between humans and aliens. Would explain their willingness to use chemical weapons, though.
Even the Saturday night premium cable premieres are s0-so, with last year’s “Kick-Ass 2” (HBO, 8 p.m.) that’s unlikely to reach a third. But the coming-of-age “Kings of Summer” (Showtime, 9 p.m.) with Nick Offerman and Alison Brie looks promising.
In the burgeoning Saturday night ghost field, “The Dead Files” (Travel, 10 p.m.) goes to a supernatural site in Toledo, and there’s a new episode of “My Haunted House” (Lifetime Movie Channel, 9 p.m.).
Jack wants his relationship with Olivia to progress faster on “Cedar Falls” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.) but he must realize: This is Hallmark! This is a series! Slow your horses, man.
“House Hunters Renovation” (HGTV, 10 p.m.) has its season four premiere with a Colorado couple looking for a home in Boston.
It’s a good time to catch up on a bunch of the entertaining “The Carbonaro Effect” (truTV, 8 p.m.) with a four hour marathon. It’s show that brings smart illusion to the hidden camera freakout level.
A man gets a headache after sex on “Sex Sent Me to the ER” (TLC, 10 p.m.).
In the second season premiere of “Murder in Paradise” (Investigation Discovery, 10 p.m.), a pregnant woman is killed in Hawaii.
Miss Robbie goes to the career fair on “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s” (OWN, 9 p.m.).
There’s way too much Tyler Perry on tonight with “Madea goes to Jail” (Oxygen, 8 and 10:15 p.m.), “Tyler Perry’s Good Deeds” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.),
David Niven is the star all day on Turner Classic Movies with “Dodsworth” (6 a.m.), “The Charge of the Light Brigade” (8 a.m.), “The Way Ahead” (10 a.m.), “Bachelor Mother” (noon), “Toast of New Orleans” (1:30 p.m.), “55 Days at Peking” (3:15 p.m.), “Please Don’t Eat the Daisies” (6 p.m.), “The Pink Panther” (8 p.m.), “Around the World in 80 Days” (10 p.m.), “The Guns of Navarone” (1:15 a.m.) and “Curse of the Pink Panther” (4 a.m.).
Fans of “The Strain” might be suddenly interested in Guillermo del Toro’s similar “Mimic” (Flix, 9:45 p.m.).
Baseball today includes Yankees at Boston (Fox Sports 1, 4 p.m.).
The NFL holds its Pro Football Hall of Fame (ESPN2, 7 p.m.), which it calls “enshrinement.” Please.
Jim James of My Morning Jacket plays a replay of “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 9 p.m.).
The Jim Parsons-hosted “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) with Beck is rerun.