A Tip of the Carrot to Bugs, Olympics in Full Swing, Checking Back in to ‘Hotel Portofino,’ ‘Snowpiercer’s New Villain

Special

SATURDAY: “We all want to be Bugs Bunny, I think,” says voice actor Jeff Bergman, one of many professional admirers heaping praise on the wisecracking cartoon rabbit, who was first introduced in his definitive form 84 years ago in the Oscar-nominated short A Wild Hare. To mark the occasion, MeTV Toons commissioned an engaging retrospective documentary that depicts Bugs’ development on screen and how he became a TV staple in prime time and Saturday mornings in the 1960s, so much so that TV Guide Magazine named Bugs the No. 1 Greatest Cartoon Character of All Time in 2002. Hare’s to Bugs! smartly reveals the pop-culture influences, from Groucho Marx to Clark Gable, that influenced Bugs’ creators, while paying homage to the many genres Bugs spoofed over the years, the comedians he inspired and his enduring presence in hits including 2021’s Space Jam: A New Legacy. The special repeats at 2 pm/1c, 6 pm/5c, 10 pm/9c and 2 am/1c, amid a Looney Tunes marathon of Bugs classics airing through 6 am/5c on Sunday.

Special

SATURDAY & SUNDAY: The Summer Olympics from Paris and environs are now in full swing, with live coverage on NBC starting early on Saturday with women’s diving (5 am/ET), men’s gymnastics (5:50 am/ET) and U.S. men’s beach volleyball vs. Cuba (8 am/ET). Swimming finals occupy the afternoon (2:30 pm/ET) with U.S. women’s beach volleyball vs. Canada at 4 pm/ET. More events can be found on USA Network (including U.S. men’s soccer vs. New Zealand at 1 pm/ET), CNBC (including U.S. women’s field hockey vs. Argentina at 1:45 pm/ET) and E!, with all events available live on Peacock and NBC’s prime-time highlights show at 8/7c. The action continues Sunday with women’s gymnastics qualifying round, men’s basketball (U.S. vs. Serbia at 11:15 am/ET) and more swimming finals. For a full schedule, go to nbcolympics.com.

For those trying to keep up with what’s happening, Peacock launches Gold Zone (livestreaming 7 am/ET to 5 pm/ET daily), hosted by Scott Hanson, Andrew Siciliano, Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbajabiamila with up-to-the-minute reports and highlights of the Games’ main events.

Season Premiere

8/7c

SUNDAY: Without doubt a glorious place to visit, the Italian-set Hotel Portofino is also a hotbed of romantic drama as Season 3 opens in the pivotal year of 1929, when hotelier Bella (Natascha McElhone) is blindsided by estranged husband Cecil’s (Mark Umbers) surprise visit, announcing his intention to divorce. Bella already has enough on her plate, including keeping clear of the local Fascist leader Danioni (Pasquale Esposito) while preparing for the arrival of her father and sister. And those who know their history should prepare for the shock waves of the impending Wall Street crash.

Season Premiere

9/8c

SUNDAY: Marvel veteran Clark Gregg storms his way into the post-apocalyptic thriller’s final season as Admiral Anton Milius of the International Peacekeeping Forces. His presence is anything but peaceful as the series rewinds nine months to show how he and his armed troops took over Snowpiercer and its engine room, using passengers as leverage. Their ultimate mission, however, comes as a surprise even to a rebellious Melanie (Jennifer Connelly).

INSIDE WEEKEND TV:

• An Ice Palace Romance (Saturday, 8/7c, Hallmark Channel): A holiday title from last December (as a streaming exclusive) makes its linear network debut, starring Celeste Desjardins as a reporter who returns home to cover the closing of the local ice rink where she once nursed Olympic dreams. Marcus Rosner co-stars as the rink’s owner.
• The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper (Saturday, 8/7c, CNN): Following the attempted assassination of the former president, correspondent Sara Sidner explores “Political Violence: America’s Bloody History.” Two more installments air Sunday: “Kamala Harris: Making History” at 8/7c, and “Joe Biden Passes the Torch” at 9/8c.
• KCON LA 2024 (Sunday, 8/7c, The CW): K-pop performances are broadcast live from L.A.’s Convention Center, Gilbert Lindsay Plaza and Crypto.com Arena in the culmination of a three-day fan and artist festival.
• Blue Ridge: The Series (Sunday, 9/8c, INSP): Johnathon Schaech returns to his role from the 2020 TV movie as North Carolina Sheriff Justin Wise in a six-episode series sequel, tackling crime in his Appalachian town. In the opener, a traffic stop turns into a dangerous chase, and then the police station is burned to the ground.
• Grantchester (Sunday, 9/8c, PBS): In the penultimate episode of Season 9, Detective Inspector Geordie (Robson Green) discovers his wife Cathy’s (Kacey Ainsworth) mood-stabilizing pills, while soon-to-be-churchless vicar Alphy (Rishi Nair) is rocked when an intimate acquaintance goes off the grid and the inquiry leads to murder at an irreverent university newspaper. And Leonard (Al Weaver) has an alarming encounter with popular street preacher Sam White (Elliot Warren).
• House of the Dragon (Sunday, 9/8c, HBO): What does it mean for the Blacks that the very picky and fiery Seasmoke chose Velaryon bastard Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty) as the new dragonrider? We should find out in Season 2’s penultimate episode.
• In the Eye of the Storm (Sunday, 10/9c, Discovery): Eyewitnesses capture 2023’s devastating Maui wildfire on camera as they attempt a desperate evacuation.
• Orphan Black: Echoes (Sunday, 10/9c, AMC): The “printout” clones’ identity crisis escalates when Jules (Amanda Fix) is taken prisoner in billionaire Darros’ (James Hiroyuki Liao) compound and makes an enigmatic ally, while on the outside, Kira (Keeley Hawes) seeks answers about Jules’ mysterious origin.