Something’s in the water on Discovery this summer when the long-running must-see summer TV event, SHARK WEEK, returns with more than 20 hours of ground-breaking, shark-themed content. Running from Sunday, August 9 to Sunday, August 16, with bigger sharks and breathtaking breaches, SHARK WEEK 2020 is a feeding frenzy of magnificent shark stories, world famous celebrities, and a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the popular film series, AIR JAWS.
Discovery’s SHARK WEEK continues to be the preeminent destination for shark programming with nearly two dozen of the world’s most respected marine biologists and science institutions on-board to bring brand-new, innovative research technology, and compelling insight on some of the most unique shark species. During SHARK WEEK 2019, Discovery was the most-watched entertainment specialty channel in primetime among total viewers and in the A25-54 demo, with the event reaching over 4.4 million Canadians.
The fearsome franchise kicks off with AIR JAWS: ULTIMATE BREACH OFF, premiering Sunday, August 9 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, where the pop culture phenomenon will take viewers to oceans around the world revealing phenomenal insights into the mysterious world of these brilliant creatures. Then, at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson trains to go toe-to-fin with one of the ocean’s top apex predators, a great white shark, in TYSON VS. JAWS: RUMBLE ON THE REEF; click here for a sneak peek. SHARK LOCKDOWN immediately follows with an exploration of COVID-19’s impact on the largest female great whites at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT.
This year’s catch also includes the Season 4 premiere of Discovery original series CHASING MONSTERS, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT, beginning August 11. Hosted by extreme angler and adventurer Cyril Chauquet, CHASING MONSTERS takes viewers on a high adrenaline quest to seek out the world’s most colossal underwater creatures in remote and dangerous corners of the planet. From giant barracudas to 500lb stingrays, this high-stakes series explores the elusive monster fish living in the hidden depths of the oceans, lakes, and rivers.
Capping off each day’s SHARK WEEK programming, archeologist and adventurer Josh Gates hosts a special SHARK WEEK edition of EXPEDITION UNKNOWN: JOSH GATES TONIGHT, August 9 to August 13 at 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT.
Subscribers can live-stream every minute of SHARK WEEK through the Discovery app and Discovery.ca. Select SHARK WEEK episodes will also be available on-demand for free on the Discovery app and Discovery.ca following each broadcast. Viewers can also catch up now on previous collections of SHARK WEEK titles on-demand.
Below are programming highlights for Discovery’s 32nd annual installment of SHARK WEEK. A full list of programming is available here on The Lede.
Note: all programming is subject to change; visit Discovery.ca to confirm local broadcast times.
AIR JAWS: ULTIMATE BREACH OFF
Sunday, August 9 at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT
Three teams of researchers return to one of the last hunting grounds for AIR JAWS. They will use decoys, drones, and underwater cameras to count the number of breaches and collect data on hunting techniques to see if the shark population is rebounding.
TYSON VS. JAWS: RUMBLE ON THE REEF
Sunday, August 9 at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT
Legendary boxer and entrepreneur Mike Tyson is taking on a new challenge – and he picked the most unlikely training partner. Iron Mike will go head to head with some of the ocean’s top apex predators including the black tip reef shark. With famed ring announcer Michael Buffer calling the shots, these two heavyweights will square off underwater, where Mike Tyson will try to score a TKO over the massive shark, all in the name of research. No sharks were harmed in the making of this episode.
SHARK LOCKDOWN
Sunday, August 9 at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT
In the waters off New Zealand, the largest female great whites are measuring over 20 feet long, earning the nickname “the 747s.” With no human interaction during COVID-19, researchers built a self-propelled cage to see how hunting patterns have changed.
ABANDONED WATERS
Monday, August 10 at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT
COVID-19 has changed the world’s behavior and that has presented shark researchers with a once in a lifetime opportunity to study the massive great whites at Australia’s Neptune Islands. With no human interaction for the first time in decades, some of the biggest great white sharks on earth are returning to their natural behaviors, allowing scientists to study them up close and personal in ways that were nearly impossible before.
SHAQATTACK
Monday, August 10 at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT
After surviving a shark encounter in Shaq Does Shark Week, Shaquille O’Neal is back and he’s on a mission to determine what shark has the perfect predatory attack. But he can’t do it alone. Shaq is deploying YouTube stars Dude Perfect and Mark Rober to put various species to the test and uncover the most mind-blowing hunting techniques of this ultimate predator.
CHASING MONSTERS Season 4 Premiere – “Besieged By Sharks”
Tuesday, August 11 at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT
Is it possible to catch the fish Cyril is after without them getting devoured by the sheer number of sharks? Cyril is in Polynesia, in the South Pacific, to catch a huge, legendary fish known to the locals as the Uruati. But Cyril wasn’t prepared for the incredible number of sharks lurking below the beautiful turquoise waters. Why are there are so many and why are they so aggressive are just two of the questions Cyril’s trying to get the answers to as he’s faced with more sharks than he’s ever seen before.
WILL SMITH: OFF THE DEEP END
Will Smith is diving headfirst into action, excitement, and shark infested waters, as he confronts his fear of the open seas and the open jaws of nature’s fiercest predators.
ADAM DEVINE’S SECRET SHARK LAIR
Wednesday, August 12 at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT
Last year, Adam Devine and a team of marine biologists deployed a CATS camera tag on a massive tiger shark that yielded a surprising scientific discovery; a SECRET TIGER SHARK LAIR. Scientists believe this may be the largest congregation of tiger sharks on the planet or in Adam’s mind, the ultimate shark party! Adam Devine, Anders Holm and Blake Anderson find out what makes this tiger shark party so epic. Are they mating? Are they pupping? Are they feeding? What makes this such a great shark party?
AIR JAWS 2020
Thursday, August 13 at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT
SHARK WEEK celebrates 20 years of flying sharks with Jeff Kurr, Chris Fallows, Dickie Chivell and many more as they revisit the most popular and iconic “Air Jaws” moments.
SHARKADELIC SUMMER
Thursday, August 13 at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT
Snoop Dogg takes a look at why great white sharks are taking up residence along America’s shores. Will this be the “sharkiest” summer in U.S. history? In this special, Snoop will breakdown the craziest shark encounters caught on tape, marvel at the wild and unpredictable reactions, and meet with the leading experts who are trying to unlock the secrets behind this great white shark invasion.
TIGER SHARK KING
Friday, August 14 at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT
In the Caribbean, a deepsea camera captured footage of a 14-foot tiger shark suffering an assault by a large, unseen beast. It could be an unknown species of mega-shark or even a cannibalistic tiger shark. Dr. Austin Gallagher wants to find out.
NAKED & AFRAID OF SHARKS 2
Sunday, August 16 at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT
On the edge of the Bermuda Triangle, five Naked and Afraid veterans — Matt Wright, Jeff Zausch, Serena and Amber Shine, and Alex Manard – attempt to survive on a remote strip of islands whose waters are so teeming with predators, locals call it “Shark Alley.” With limited resources and punishing conditions on land, they’ll have no choice but to take to the waters and compete with hungry sharks for the same food.
Source: Numeris, Total Canada, Shark Week was 7/28/2019 to 8/3/2019
