TV: Five shows worth watching tonight: July 16
Your select viewing guide for Monday, July 16
MUSIC: The Next Star (YTV, 7 p.m.) Back for its fifth season, this summer TV perennial renews the search for the next great Canadian pop star with fresh attitude and new judges. This season the singing hopefuls, aged 15 and under, will be judged by a panel comprising Juno-winning popstress Keshia Chanté, country singer Tara Oram and music-industry executive Mark Spicoluk, and hosted by former Degrassi: The Next Generation regular Adamo Ruggiero, who oversaw the cross-country audition process last spring. Tonight’s opener documents the auditions in Edmonton and Vancouver.
HISTORY: Dig WW2 (History, 8 p.m.) In this new series, host Dan Snow – known as the “History Hunter” – unfurls the history of the Second World War through his participation in archeological digs and excavations of former military sites throughout Europe. Tonight’s first show, he explores the wreckage of a downed fighter plane in Northern Ireland and takes a ride on a vintage RAF seaplane. In the second hour, he checks out the remains of a B-17 that crashed off the coast of Ireland and discovers the engine of a prototype Canadian Spitfire plane in Normandy, France.
REALITY: Market Warriors (PBS, 9 p.m.) No doubt inspired by the success of cable shows like Storage Wars and Storage Hunters, this new PBS series comes from the creators of Antiques Roadshow and puts forth a challenge to four professional treasure hunters searching for precious objects to flip for profit. In tonight’s opener, pickers Miller, John, Bob and Kevin roll into Lancaster, Pa., to take part in a huge indoor-outdoor flea market. While perusing the tables laden with Hummel figurines and Pennsylvania Dutch antiques, the four are tasked to find an Eames chair, a Moss floor lamp and a Tiffany jelly jar.
DRAMA: White Collar (Bravo!, 10 p.m.) From the USA Network, this offbeat comedy-drama about buttoned-down FBI agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay) who enlists the assistance of charming con man Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer) to catch crooks is an acquired taste, but many Canadian viewers are discovering it via new episodes this summer. People are watching the show for familiar TV faces – including Diahann Carroll as Neal’s landlady and ex-Saved by the Bell regular Tiffani Thiessen as Peter’s wife – and for the original story lines that constantly test the unlikely partnership between the two principals.Bravo
MOVIE: Captains Courageous (TCM, midnight) The great Spencer Tracy won his first best actor Oscar for this ripping adventure story. Based on the Rudyard Kipling novel, the 1937 film stars Tracy as humble fisherman Manuel, who rescues rich kid Harvey (Freddie Bartholomew) from the chilly waters near Newfoundland. Once cast out to sea, Harvey has no choice but to accept a humble job on the fishing boat, and naturally the spoiled brat becomes a better person under Manuel’s tutelage. Supporting cast includes Lionel Barrymore as the ship’s captain and Mickey Rooney as his son.