NBC Sports Network, 9:30 a.m. ET
Saturday's Day 1 of the 2012 Summer Olympics had the U.S. women's volleyball team winning again, the USA archery squad missing gold on the final arrow, and Michael Phelps coming up just short in his quest for another Olympic medal, placing fourth in his first race - opposite team rival Ryan Lochte, who won gold. Today's events, spread across many TV and Internet venues, include another swimming event in which Phelps is competing, but this time as part of a U.S. relay team. NBC's prime-time coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET, but one event worth seeking out as a live telecast is presented on NBC Sports Network at 9:30 a.m. ET, when the U.S. men's basketball team, led by LeBron James, starts its quest for the gold by taking the court against France. Viva la dunk!
HBO, 9:00 p.m. ET
This show amazes me by its dizzying pace, and its ability and desire to pivot, in a second, with major plot points that most TV shows would milk for half a season. Last week, a few drops of blood from the fabled “original vampire,” Lilith, turned out to have instant transformative power, turning Bill and Eric (Stephen Moyer, Alexander Skarsgard) into, quite literally, bloodthirsty killers. Eric snapped out of it, but what’s to happen next? Especially since, in other subplots, both Russell (Denis O’Hare) and Tara (Rutina Wesley) are getting stronger and more deadly?
AMC, 10:00 p.m. ET
Last week’s opening of this season’s second episode, with its German-language scene set inside a food-science manufacturing laboratory, was a marvel of singularly different and daring TV writing. (Thanks, Vince Gilligan!) And by the end of that episode, a major new character (Lydia, played by Laura Fraser, right), and new motivations and conflicts, had been established, setting the stage for tonight’s hour. Which, by the way, is the first of this season’s batch that I wasn’t sent in advance, so I’ll be watching just as eagerly, and nervously, as you. Against the best drama on TV, the Olympics can wait.
HBO, 10:00 p.m. ET
I know people who love to hate this show, but I’m just the opposite: I love it, and really am happy to be watching it. Last week’s installment centered on the Egyptian spring, and also gave Olivia Munn, as economics reporter Sloan, her best scenes yet – with more to come this week, as Sloan is asked to sub as anchor for the network’s lead-out 10 p.m. show.
Showtime, 10:30 p.m. ET
The ratings continue to tank on Pucks, but the people on the show have other significant problems with which to deal. One is that Matt LeBlanc’s amorous stalker has resurfaced, thanks to a Facebook misstep by Sean (Stephen Mangan) – and another is that Sean is dispatched to the house of Pucks co-star Morning (Mircea Monroe) to learn why she’s staging a “sick-out” day and not coming to the set. What he discovers when he gets there is a shock, which you can see in his face. (And, very shortly thereafter, hers.)