Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Tuesday, August 20. All times are Eastern.
TOP PICK
Life Of Muhammad (PBS, 8 p.m.): Sure, you’d like to temporarily forsake all material possessions and personal identification to undergo the religious pilgrimage known as the Hajj—we all would! But it’s such a hassle—not to mention the fact that you like all your stuff and can’t imagine leaving it behind for even a short amount of time. But now you don’t have to, thanks to journalist Rageh Omaar and Life Of Muhammad, an exploration of the Islamic prophet’s life that also helpfully condenses the arduous journey to Mecca into three, quick-and-easy one-hour installments. Act now and we’ll throw in the opinions of Sonia Saraiya—for no extra charge!
REGULAR COVERAGE
Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family, 8 p.m.): The Liars’ next chance of nabbing “A” comes at a school-sponsored hoedown, which Joe Reid expects to be the source of venomous wordplay at some point in the episode. Oh, nevermind: The episode beats itself to the punch with its title, “Bring The Hoe Down.” (ABC Family: A new kind of family. A family where the members call one another “hoe.”)
Nine For IX (ESPN, 8 p.m.): The ’99ers tells the story of the 1999 U.S. women’s World Cup soccer team, combining new interviews with archival video shot by the World Cup champions themselves. Kevin McFarland has already triumphantly torn off his jersey in celebration.
So You Think You Can Dance (Fox, 8 p.m.): As if to say “Please stop confusing me with Christina Applegate,” Jenna Elfman stops by to lend her expertise to the judges’ panel—a role Applegate occupied with great success back in July. Meanwhile, Oliver Sava pauses to remember whether or not Elfman was in Krippendorf’s Tribe. (She was.)
Suits (USA, 10:01 p.m.): The show gets into the 1983 Week spirit—though not literally, because the events Harvey and Mike are looking back on didn’t happen 30 years ago. Though if the show’s producers think they have a Jim Henson’s Suits Babies spin-off in them, Carrie Raisler would surely listen to the pitch.
TV CLUB CLASSIC
The Shield (11 a.m.): TV Club Classic starts heading into fall hibernation as Brandon Nowalk wraps up season three of The Shield, then tucks in the Strike Team for a long nap. That’s not meant euphemistically—it’s not like Brandon’s been spending that much time with Vic and company (plus, there are still three more seasons of the show for him to review).
Six Feet Under (1 p.m.): John Teti returns from his own, short nap (at The A.V. Club, we don’t take vacations—we just retire to hibernation chambers for a few days) refreshed and ready to tackle “The Opening.”
The Office (3 p.m.): The show’s season of secrets comes to a head in an episode fittingly titled “The Secret.” This is not to be confused with The Secret, though Erik Adams admits that when he first saw this week’s Offices, he asked the universe to provide him with a website where he could express his opinions about them.
WHAT ELSE IS ON
Johnny Test (Cartoon Network, 7 p.m.): Tonight, this Canadian co-production earns the distinction of being the first half-hour Cartoon Network series to pass the 100-episode mark—news to The A.V. Club, as this is the first we’re hearing of Johnny Test. It sounds a lot like Dexter’s Laboratory, so are we sure it’s not just passing off that series’ 78 episodes as its own?
Twisted: Socio Studies 101 (ABC Family, 9 p.m.): A recap of the show’s first 10 episodes, somehow not hosted by Chris Hardwick. But surely the hardest working man in geek business is looking for a way to break into the teen-soap arena.
Storage Wars: New York (A&E, 9:30 p.m.): The reality franchise’s Noo Yawk cousin finishes its second season, with renewal likely dependent on how easily the next round of episodes can shoehorn bearded, rowdy-yet-pious rednecks into the proceedings.
Charlamagne And Friends (MTV2, midnight): Guy Code panelist and radio DJ Charlamagne Tha God gets the Ricky Gervais Show treatment (or, you know, the Stand Down treatment) in what looks like a five-night burn-off—but what MTV would like you to treat as a five-night build-up to the Video Music Awards. Does that mean the VMAs will also be animated this year?
Love And A .45 (Flix, 8 p.m.): Plenty of amped-up, wise-ass, faux-grindhouse fare made it to the arthouse in the wake of Reservoir Dogs, but only Love And A .45 featured Jeffrey Combs as a southern mobster named Dinosaur Bob—so that’s reason enough to watch this broadcast, right?
Man On The Moon (TMC, 8 p.m.): Hello, this is Andy Kaufman’s biopic, with all of the mythologizing, fake-death theorizing, and Serious Jim Carrey that implies. Thank you very much—now let’s all go out for milk and cookies!
Tunnel Of Fire (CMT, 8 p.m.): Spoiler alert: This is what happened to the bike on which Clint Ewing drove through more than 180 feet of flame earlier this month. Additional spoiler alert: Ewing is in better condition, which is why CMT can still show footage of the stunt as part of its ongoing Bike Week coverage.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
The Man With The 132-Lb. Scrotum: Sonia Saraiya takes on the week’s most envied assignment, a review you’d have to be nuts to miss out on. Seriously, it’s a ball—two balls, even. A sack of fun. 132 pounds of pure enjoyment. (Did we mention testicles?)