It takes a lot to shock the disgraced spies (aka “slow horses”) who occupy Slough House, and the mass shooting in a London public square that opens Season 5 of the Emmy-winning drama certainly qualifies. But what really has everyone’s jaw agape is the spectacle of arrogant tech nerd Roddy Ho (a pathetically funny Christopher Chung) in the company of a glamorous woman who’s not a figment of his digital imagination. “Is that real?” marvels fellow agent River Cartwright (Jack Lowden) as Roddy and his mysterious hottie companion dance the night away. The season opener piles on the intrigue and humor, with a heated mayoral campaign (Ted Lasso‘s Nick Mohammed plays the incumbent) adding to the high stakes.

TV’s most distinctive sound effect (“Chung-chung!”) knows no borders. The latest attempt to adapt the durable Law & Order franchise to a different country is a reminder that the formula still works, regardless of locale. Like its predecessor (2001-2011), Criminal Intent is basically a weekly whodunit, and its success depends on the personality of those doing the legwork. Shouldering the burden as erudite Det. Sgt. Henry Graff, Aden Young (Rectify) lacks the laser intensity of Intent‘s original star Vincent D’Onofrio, but it can be fun watching him make Sherlock-style observations. (In the premiere, he’s the only one who notices that a piece of abstract art is upside down.) He’s paired with the no-nonsense Det. Sgt. Frankie Bateman (Kathleen Munroe), and together they tackle Toronto’s toughest cases, beginning with the disappearance of a crypto investor from his yacht during a VIP event. “Hiding from his own party, that’s my kind of guy,” Graff quips, channeling the mordant spirit of Law & Order‘s beloved Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach).

Following a recap special at 8/7c, the summer’s most popular talent competition stages a starry finale to crown Season 20’s $1 million winner from the top 10 who performed on Tuesday. Before the climactic reveal, special guests perform with the finalists, including Ciara with Team Recycled, Leona Lewis joining Lightwire, Aloe Blacc accompanied by the Leo High School Choir, musician Manuel Turizo dueting with Micah Palace, Danny O’Donoghue with Jourdan Blue, AGT alum trap choir Sainted teaming with Mama Duke, and Season 19 winner Richard Goodall supported by Journey founder Neal Schon on his original single “Long Time Coming.”

The heat is on as the reality competition that launched an entire genre celebrates 25 years and the start of its 49^th season (the landmark Season 50 premieres in 2026), with host Jeff Probst welcoming 18 new castaways during scorching conditions in Fiji. The players include a correctional officer, an MBA career coach, a Marvel movie producer, a rocket scientist and a clinical social worker. In the two-hour premiere, they battle it out for camp supplies and then face off for a huge reward (which probably doesn’t include air conditioning).

Mel Owens, 66, a former pro-football linebacker for the L.A. Rams, is taking aim at Cupid, as the divorced father of two seeks a soulmate in a new season of the unstoppable dating franchise. In the two-hour premiere, he meets the 23 women, ages 58 to 77, who are also hoping for a love match, a group that includes a retired firefighter, a vineyard owner, a retired biomedical engineer and a family manager for L.A. Dodgers all-star Freddie Freeman (so there’s at least one sports connection). The opener includes a date on the Queen Mary, a cheerleading competition judged by Paula Abdul with backup from the L.A. Rams Cheerleaders, and a pool party.

Inside Wednesday TV:

• The Many Lives of Lane Kiffin (7 pm/ET, ESPN): E60 profiles the colorful and polarizing Ole Miss head coach.
• The Floor (8/7c, Fox): 100 is the magic number for Fox’s Wednesday game shows. The fourth season of the trivia battle, hosted by Rob “Activate the Randomizer” Lowe, opens with 100 players facing off to acquire more territory on the floor. Followed by 99 to Beat (9/8c), hosted by The Masked Singer‘s Ken Jeong and Erin Andrews, where a field of 100 players are whittled down in a series of challenges through the season, with the last one standing taking home $1 million.
• Help! I Wrecked My House (8/7c, HGTV): Jasmine Roth leaves Southern California behind, moving in Season 5 to Park City, Utah, where she comes to the rescue of DIY disasters while renovating her own family home.
• Shark Tank (10/9c, ABC): The Season 17 premiere gets its feet wet with pitches involving eco-friendly socks and shock-absorbing shoes.
• South Park (10/9c, Comedy Central): It’s been a quiet time (kidding), so what will the latest episode of the brazenly satirical animated comedy find to spoof?

On the Stream:

• Marvel Zombies (streaming on Disney+): The Avengers become the walking dead in a gory four-part animated series in which the superheroes succumb to a zombie plague and it’s up to a group of survivors to save the world. The voice cast includes Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Tessa Thompson, Simu Liu, Awkwafina, and Hailee Steinfeld.
• The Morning Show (streaming on Apple TV+): While Bradley (Reese Witherspoon) makes an awkward return to TMS, Alex (Jennifer Aniston) discovers the perils of deepfake technology as she tries to clear her name over her involvement in helping an Olympic athlete and her nuclear-scientist dad defect from Iran. Elsewhere, their former boss Cory (Billy Crudup) is hitting up ex-colleagues to raise money for his imperiled movie.
• Platonic (streaming on Apple TV+): In the penultimate episode of the buddy comedy’s second season, Will (Seth Rogen) tries to set boundaries with Sylvia (Rose Byrne) — which isn’t easy when she’s so desperate to escape her chaotic household she invites herself as a third wheel to Will and Katie’s (Carla Gallo) kayak trip down the polluted L.A. River.
• Hotel Costiera (streaming on Prime Video): The gorgeous Italian scenery as reflected in Jesse Williams‘ penetrating gaze is the best reason to watch this escapist caper, starring the Grey’s Anatomy alum as an ex-Marine fixer for a luxurious resort in Positano on the Amalfi coast.
• The Terminal List: Dark Wolf (streaming on Prime Video): The finale of the military thriller prequel jumps three months to find Ben (Taylor Kitsch) living off the grid in the Black Forest, preparing to avenge the victims of traitorous spymaster Haverford (Robert Wisdom).