America’s Toughest Jobs
NBC, MONDAYS, 8 P.M. EASTERN, PREMIERES AUGUST 25
Thirteen desk jockeys ditch their offices to compete in more dangerous settings, from oil refineries in Texas to Nielsen鈥搑atings鈥揳pproved commercial fishing boats in Alaska. Judging their performance each week: real鈥搇ife tough鈥搄obbers, from oilmen to fishermen.
Survival School
MOJO HD, THURSDAYS, 9 P.M. EASTERN, PREMIERES OCTOBER 2
In 2007, 47 airmen began the U.S. Air Force’s Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) program, which teaches them to stay alive if shot down over mountains, desert, or Arctic terrain. It’s so tough that only half the men make it through. This “docu鈥搑eality” series lets us watch them suffer.
Into the Unknown with Josh Bernstein
DISCOVERY CHANNEL, MONDAYS, 10 P.M. EASTERN, PREMIERES
AUGUST 18
New threads, new network, same compelling schtick: A hat鈥揻ree Bernstein travels the world, investigating age鈥搊ld mysteries (Noah? ark?) and cultural curiosities (mummification in Papua New Guinea).
Whale Wars
ANIMAL PLANET, PREMIERES IN NOVEMBER
Sea Shepherd founder and eco鈥搗igilante Paul Watson let Animal Planet film crews aboard the Steve Irwin last winter as the ship, loaded with water cannons and sailors trained in ship鈥搑amming techniques, hunted for Japanese whalers in icy Antarctic waters.
Eleventh Hour
CBS, THURSDAYS, 10 P.M. EASTERN, PREMIERES OCTOBER 9
From hit鈥搈aking producer Jerry Bruckheimer (Pirates of the Caribbean), this high鈥搕ech drama follows fictional biophysicist Jacob Hood as he swoops in, again and again, to save the world from extreme鈥搒cience鈥揵ased disasters (think out鈥搊f鈥揷ontrol cloning and killer viruses).