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Must See HDTV (August 20th - 26th)

Richard Lawler
Senior News Editor
Updated ·4 min read

Welcome to the summer doldrums between the Olympics, and later in the fall when new shows premiere and the box office hits get their home releases. There are a few things to keep an eye out for with some premieres and finales, plus a series of Disney combo packs on Blu-ray. Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.

WarGames


The 1983 hit starring Matthew Broderick as a young hacker who takes the US to the brink of World War III is finally here on Blu-ray. Judging by the descriptions we're not seeing a lot in the way of extras above and beyond the 2008 25th Anniversary release on DVD, but we'll take what we can get and hey, it's currently on sale for less than $13.
($12.86 on Amazon)

The Newsroom


Already renewed for a second season, Aaron Sorkin's drama about the daily life of a fictional cable news channel wraps up season one this week. Whether you think the show's style is smug and self serving or witty and sophisticated, there's at least been plenty of time in the ten episodes to make up your mind. Reportedly internet trolling will play a big part in the season finale, not that we'd at all be familiar with that phenomenon.
(August 26th, HBO, 10PM)

The Inbetweeners


Since Skins did so well in its transition from the UK to the US, MTV is apparently trying again with The Inbetweeners. A series focused on a group of high school boys making the transition to adulthood, it seems hard to see this following the path of The Office and not other ill fated shows. Of course, the US version of Being Human wasn't all bad, so maybe there's a chance?
(August 20th, MTV, 10:30PM)

Blu-ray & Games

  • The Dictator

  • Good Will Hunting (15th Anniversary Edition)

  • House (S8)

  • WarGames

  • Bernie

  • Pocahontas / Pocahontas II

  • The Aristocats

  • The Tigger Movie

  • The Rescuers / The Rescuers Down Under

  • Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (Xbox 360, PS3)

  • JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (Xbox 360, PS3)

  • Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (Xbox 360, PS3)

Monday

  • Eagles/Patriots preseason Monday Night Football, ESPN, 8PM

  • The Inbetweeners (series premiere), MTV, 10:30PM

  • Stars Earn Stripes, NBC, 9PM

  • Alphas, Syfy, 8PM

  • The Secret Life of the American Teenager, ABC Family, 8PM

  • Bachelor Pad, ABC, 8PM

  • WWE Raw, USA, 8PM

  • Bunheads, ABC Family, 9PM

  • Single Ladies, VH1, 9PM

  • Warehouse 13, Syfy, 9PM

  • Major Crimes, TNT, 9PM

  • Perception, TNT, 10PM

  • Grimm, NBC, 10PM

  • The Glass House (season finale), ABC, 10PM

  • Web Therapy, Showtime, 11PM

Tuesday

  • Face Off (season premiere), Syfy, 9PM

  • Top Gear (US), History, 9PM

  • America's Got Talent, NBC, 8PM

  • Pretty Little Liars, ABC Family, 8PM

  • White Collar, USA, 9PM

  • The LA Complex, CW, 9PM

  • NY Med, ABC, 10PM

  • Hard Knocks, HBO, 10PM

  • Covert Affairs, USA, 10PM

  • The Burn, Comedy Central, 10:30PM

Wednesday

  • Dirty Jobs (season premiere), Discovery, 10PM

  • NY Med (season finale), ABC, 10PM

  • Oh Sit!, CW, 8PM

  • Melissa & Joey, ABC Family, 8PM

  • Baby Daddy, ABC Family, 8:30PM

  • America's Got Talent, NBC, 9PM

  • Royal Pains, USA, 9PM

  • Damages, DirecTV, 9PM

  • Necessary Roughness, USA, 10PM

  • The Franchise, Showtime, 10PM

  • Futurama, Comedy Central, 10PM

  • The Real World, MTV, 10PM

Thursday

  • Burn Notice (summer finale), USA, 9PM

  • Anger Management (season finale), FX, 9:30PM

  • Suits (summer finale), USA, 10PM

  • Cardinals/Titans preseason football, ESPN, 8PM

  • Impact Wrestling, Spike TV, 8PM

  • Oh Sit, CW, 8PM

  • Wipeout, ABC, 8 & 9PM

  • Caught Looking, NBC Sports Network, 9PM

  • Saving Hope, NBC, 9PM

  • Wilfred, FX, 10PM

  • Sullivan & Son, TBS, 10PM

  • Rock Center With Brian Williams, NBC, 10PM

  • Awkward, MTV, 10:30PM

  • Louie, FX, 10:30PM

  • Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell, FX, 11PM

  • Children's Hospital, Cartoon Network, 11:59PM

Friday

  • Boss, Starz, 9PM

  • Strike Back, Cinemax, 10PM

  • Bears/Giants preseason football, CBS, 8PM

  • WWE SmackDown, Syfy, 8PM

  • XIII, Reelzchannel, 9PM

  • Lost Girl, Syfy, 10PM

  • John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show (season finale), Comedy Central 11PM

Saturday

  • Colts/Washington preseason football, NFL Network, 4PM

  • NASCAR Sprint Cup Series @ Bristol, ABC, 7PM

  • Texans/Saints preseason football, CBS, 8PM

  • Haunted High, Syfy, 9PM

  • Wrestlemania 28, NBC, 9PM

  • Roger Corman's Attack of the 50ft Cheerleader in 3D, Epix, 10PM

  • Larry Wilmore's Race, Religion & Sex (special presentation), Showtime, 11PM

Sunday

  • The Great Escape (season finale), TNT, 10PM

  • The Newsroom (season finale), HBO, 10PM

  • Episodes (season finale), Showtime, 10:30PM

  • True Blood (season finale), HBO, 9PM

  • 49ers/Broncos preseason football, Fox, 4PM

  • Panthers/Jets preseason Sunday Night Football, NBC, 8PM

  • Survivorman, Discovery, 8PM

  • Storm Surfers, 3Net, 9PM

  • One Car Too Far, Discovery, 9PM

  • Copper, BBC America, 10PM

  • Indycar Series @ Sonoma, NBC Sports Network, 4PM

  • Leverage, TNT, 9PM

  • Hell On Wheels, AMC, 9PM

  • Breaking Bad, AMC, 10PM

  • Weeds, Showtime, 10PM

  • Small Town Security, AMC, 11PM