It’s the most wonderful time of the year … “Shark Week!”
On Sunday, (June 26), The Discovery Channel kicks off eight days of shark-filled programming. There are 17 new shows featuring everyone’s favorite lethal sea species, and Zap2it has created the ultimate schedule to make sure you don’t miss any of the best stuff. How sad would it be to miss Lena Headey’s (“Game of Thrones”) episode of “Air Jaws?” Don’t even get us started on the awesomeness of “Nuclear Sharks!”
RELATED: Katy Perry lets Left Shark swim again for Shark Week
Returning to host “Shark After Dark” is director Eli Roth, which will air each night until July 3, at 11 p.m. ET/PT. With all the new recent developments in underwater camera technology, 2016’s “Shark Week” looks to be more emersive than ever.
Without further ado, here are the must-see new programs to watch during “Shark Week.”
‘Tiger Beach’
When: Sunday, June 26, at 8 p.m. ET/PT
Kicking off the shark infested week of programming is this can’t-miss special about tiger sharks. This breed is sometimes referred to as “garbage eaters” because they will literally eat anything. Shark biologist Dr. Neil Hammerschlag takes viewers to the aptly named Tiger Beach, a shallow water area in the Bahamas, where he will not only be investigating why this particular area creates the largest tiger sharks in the world, he will also perform an ultrasound on a 1500 pound pregnant tiger shark.
‘Jaws of the Deep’
When: Monday, June 27, at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Marine biologist Greg Skomal and the REMUS SharkCam team are tracking the largest great white shark named Deep Blue. According to Entertainment Weekly, this special promises audiences “never seen before” footage and “unprecedented” shark behavior. Amy Kukulya, a senior engineering assistant, says the “REMUS SharkCam, can take you on a special ride alongside great white sharks deepest dives in unknown, uncharted waters. Our latest scientific breakthrough with this technology … will blow the minds of shark enthusiasts around the world.”
‘Air Jaws: Night Stalker’
When: Tuesday, June 28, at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Because anything narrated by Lena Headey is a must-watch, and this special will teach you how to hunt great white sharks in complete darkness without using night-vision goggles. Dr. Hammerschlag says, “Our observations have been limited to the daytime, but we have always believed that great whites may be capable of hunting seals at night. In this show, we embark on an epic adventure using a variety of exciting new technologies, such as imaging sonar and special low-light cameras, to investigate if great whites are actively hunting seals at night, and if sharks could be using moonlight to their advantage to launch ambush attacks on seals.”
‘Deadliest Shark’
When: Wednesday, June 29, at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Dr. Michael Dormeier and Dr. Barry Bruce take viewers to the Bahamas and Hawaii to figure out if the oceanic white-tip shark has actually earned its title as “World’s Deadliest Shark, says Dormeier. “The oceanic white-tip shark has killed more people in the history of mankind than any other shark on the planet, and yet it’s a shark that is virtually unknown to the public and poorly understood by scientists.” This program will “determine if the oceanic white-tip is still a threat to humans, or if perhaps the tables have turned and we are a threat to the oceanic white-tip.”
‘Nuclear Sharks’
When: Thursday, June 30, at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Philippe and Ashlan Cousteau travel to the Marshall Islands with marine biologist Luke Tipple to explore the Bikini Atoll, a sea that has since been revived after serving as the nuclear weapons testing grounds during the Cold War. “The U.S. detonated 62 atomic bombs in the Marshall Islands, annihilating everything in their wake and completely destroying the ecosystem,” says Ashlan. “Just how is nature able to bounce back after total devastation? Our show has nuclear bombs, hundreds of sharks, real science, pirates and bikinis … enough said!”
‘Shark Bait’
When: Friday July 1, at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Dr. Greg Skomal and his team travel to Cape Cod, the place which “Jaws” made infamous, and explore the ongoing ferocious battle between sharks and seals. The two marine mammals are constantly at war with each other and this special will show how each species fight to survive in the deathly waters off Cape Cod.
‘Sharksanity’
When: Saturday, July 2, at 9 p.m. ET/PT
If you only have time to watch one special this year, this would be it. Advertised as a highlight reel from the entire series, this program will feature “the closest calls, biggest bites, and great technology,” from 29 years of “Shark Week” madness.
‘The Killing Games’
When: Sunday, July 3, at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Dr. Jonathon Werry says this program explores the “remote areas where large white sharks are almost void of human contact” and “real insight into the ‘wild’ and untamed behaviors of white sharks.” Shark cinematographer Andy Casagrande says they will take you “into the mind of the shark” and “reveal fascinating details about how they think, how they calculate their approach, how they use the sun to their advantage, and ultimately, how they are also able to attack prey on land. How crazy is that?”
So. Crazy.
