Disney’s ‘Monsters’ Work It, Raining Cats and Dogs on Netflix, ‘Big Brother’ and ‘Love Island’ Invade CBS, TV Land Gets ‘Younger’

Monsters at Work

Changing its corporate motto from “We Scare Because We Care” to “It’s Laughter We’re After,” the world of Monstropolis is undergoing constant change in the frantic funhouse world of this Monsters, Inc. spinoff and sequel. Shaggy “Sulley” (John Goodman) and one-eyed Mike (Billy Crystal) are put in charge of the transition, and everyone’s on a learning curve: especially newly arrived “scarer” Tylor Tuskmon (Superstore’s Ben Feldman), who’s so ill-equipped at generating laugh power that he’s assigned to the MIFT (Monsters, Inc. Facilities Team) unit of misfits, led by the huggable “Uncle Figure” Fritz (Henry Winkler). Other voices participating in the slapstick fun: newbies Mindy Kaling, Lucas Neff and Alanna Ubach joining returning players including Jennifer Tilly, John Ratzenberger and Bob Peterson.

Cat People

The bond between human and dogs is legendary-isn’t that right, Lassie?-but when it comes to people and their feline masters, obsession might be the most appropriate term. This purr-fectly compelling six-part docuseries, paired with the second season of Dogs (more on that below), celebrates some of the world’s most remarkable “cat people”—including a couple inspired by a feral kitten to move to the Greek isle of Soros to establish a sanctuary for stray cats. And how about Maverick the Bengal emotional support animal, who takes to the surfboard to be there for its human.

Dogs

Not to be outdone, Dogs is back for a second season of four heartwarming hourlong episodes. Among the vignettes guaranteed to get tails wagging: the case of the war veteran trying to get a stray puppy from Iraq to the U.S., the former astronaut who travels with his Rhodesian ridgeback to honor the crew from the fatal flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia, and Trip, the English bulldog facing retirement as Butler University’s mascot while his longtime handler undergoes risky surgery.

Big Brother

Oh brother, here we go again. The claustrophobic reality competition returns for a 23rd season, with 16 new contestants (ages 20s to 40s) sharing digs in what’s described as a Monte Carlo/Miami-style BB Beach Club for a vibe that feels more like vacation than house-arrest prison. Gambling is a major theme this season, starting with a double-or-nothing offer from host Julie Chen Moonves that is likely to be too good to refuse. Episodes also air Sundays and Thursdays at 8/7c.

Love Island USA

Also clogging the summer schedule is a third season of the trashy “romance” competition, following the 90-minute premiere of Big Brother with its own 90-minute wallow. In the opener, 12 singles arrive in Hawaii, hoping to hook up. Because if they don’t, a new batch of island visitors is ready to take their place. The show airs weekly Tuesdays through Fridays, also Sundays, at 9/8c. Extra content, for those for whom this isn’t quite enough, can be found streaming on Paramount+.

Younger

After an initial streaming run on Paramount+, the seventh and final season of the popular rom-com finds its way back to its original cable home with back-to-back episodes. Liza (Sutton Foster) and her publishing workplace bestie Kelsey (Hilary Duff) begin the season in relationship transition mode, but soon focus on the professional challenge of wooing a teenage climate-change activist into their flock.

Inside Wednesday TV:

• The Good, The Bart, and The Loki (streaming on Disney+): Try telling the God of Mischief to eat his shorts. That’s the gist of a new animated Simpsons-meets-Marvel short, premiering as the live-action Loki series is nearing its endgame. The crossover vignette finds Loki (Tom Hiddleston) once again banished from Asgard, only to meet his match among the Simpsons and other outrageous outliers from Springfield. Also new to Disney+: the latest edition of Marvel Studios Legends, offering a quick backgrounder on a certain female Avenger in advance of Friday’s Black Widow premiere.
• Abby’s Places (streaming on ESPN+): With Peyton Manning currently busy as host of NBC’s College Bowl, a series of sports legends takes over his signature show with deep dives into their own sport, starting with World Cup and Olympic champion Abby Wambach welcoming guests from the world of soccer.
• Music’s Greatest Mysteries (8/7c, AXS TV): The investigative pop-culture docuseries returns for a six-week run, looking into lingering questions about the 1982 airplane crash that cut short the life of heavy-metal guitar prodigy Randy Rhoads and then reliving the infamous country-music feud between LeAnn Rimes and Trisha Yearwood.
• If These Walls Could Rock (8:30/7:30c, AXS TV): A new series from the music-focused channel travels across the country to explore the rich history of iconic performance venues from L.A.’s Troubadour to New Orleans’ Preservation Hall. First up: blues rockers Vintage Trouble lead a personal memory tour of Charleston’s Old Brick Church.
• Shark Gangs (10/9c, National Geographic): A SharkFest special poses a troubling question: Are sharks, once thought of as solo predators, now hanging out in gangs to hunt their prey even more effectively?
• Lookalike Love (10/9c, Lifetime): File under “don’t try this at home,” or maybe anywhere. A new reality show profiles four women risking their relationships while staking their futures on their resemblance, often achieved through surgeries, to famous femmes including Marilyn Monroe, Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian and even Barbie.
• Crank Yankers (10:30/9:30c, Comedy Central): The season finale of the puppet prank show features Schitt’s Creek’s Annie Murphy, Adam Carolla and Wanda Sykes schooling a driving instructor about his road-rage attitude.