1. The Quest
Thursday, 8 p.m., ABC
Fantasy and reality clash with scripted drama in this new series, a competition show in which 12 contestants, broken up into two teams, enter a fantasy world called “Everealm,” where they compete in challenges while being bombarded with animatronic creations and 3-D images. Or something. It all sounds very confusing, but it’s got a nice pedigree, since it’s from the executive producer of “The Lord of the Rings” movie franchise with an assist from the people behind “The Amazing Race.”
2. James Garner Tribute
Monday, 6 a.m., TCM
Turner Classic Movies salutes the late actor James Garner, who passed away July 19 at the age of 86, with a 24-hour marathon of his best-known movies. While Garner is known for his TV roles in “Maverick” and “The Rockford Files,” he has a rich history of film work, which will be highlighted here starting with “Toward the Unknown” at 6 a.m. and continuing with, among others, “Grand Prix” (9:30 a.m.), “Darby’s Rangers” (4 p.m.), “The Thrill of It All” (8 p.m.), “The Americanization of Emily” (10 p.m.) and “Victor/Victoria” (2 a.m.).
3. The Leftovers
Sunday, 10 p.m., HBO
This new series about a global rapture which swallows up 2 percent of the world’s population is starting to generate some buzz and pick up a slew of viewers as word-of-mouth spreads. In Sunday night’s episode, “Gladys,” Laurie’s (Amy Brenneman) resolve is put to the test after a brutal hate crime, while Kevin (Justin Theroux with Christopher Eccleston) turns down an outside offer to rid the town of its problems after he fails to maintain the peace in Mapleton. Meg (Liv Tyler), meanwhile, takes on a new role.
4. Ray Donovan
Sunday, 9 p.m., Showtime
The popular series continues with the second episode of Season 2. In Sunday’s hour long showcase, Ray (Liev Schreiber) and wife Abby (Paula Malcomson) face a big hurdle in trying to get daughter Bridget (Kerris Dorsey) into her dream school. Jon Voight, Dash Mihok, Pooch Hall and Katherine Moennig co-star.
5. Sharknado 2: The Second One
Wednesday, 9 p.m., Syfy
Call it “summer camp.” Syfy will try to replicate at least part of the social media firestorm generated by last summer’s mega-cheesy “Sharknado,” in which a tornado unleashed a mess o’ sharks on the streets of LA. This time around, the Sharknado hits New York City, and back in action are original stars Ian Zieiring and Tara Reid, aided and abetted by many guest stars, including Judd Hirsch, Andy Dick, Billy Ray Cyrus, Kelly Osbourne, Al Roker and Robert Klein.
6. Running Wild with Bear Grylls
Monday, 8 p.m., NBC
Adventurer/survivalist Bear Grylls stars in this new series in which he takes six celebrities — including Zac Efron in Monday’s series opener — into remote locations in the US and around the world for a two-day journey in which they endure harsh wilderness conditions while doing outdoorsy things like skydiving and repelling down cliffs. Future episodes will feature Ben Stiller, Channing Tatum, Deion Sanders, Tom Arnold and MSNBC/“Today” show anchor Tamron Hall.
7. Manhattan
Sunday, 9 p.m., WGN America
Following on the heels of its first original series, “Salem,” WGN America goes to the historical well again — this time in a more realistic way. “Manhattan” is a 13-episode series revolving around the top-secret race to build the world’s first atomic bomb in Los Alamos, NM, during World War II (even US veep Harry Truman didn’t know about the project). The series will mix history and melodrama as it tracks how the events, dubbed “The Manhattan Project,” affect both the scientists involved in the mission, and their family members (wives, children, etc.). The large ensemble cast includes Daniel Stern with Sid Liao, and Harry Lloyd, Rachel Brosnahan (“House of Cards”), John Benjamin Hickey, Olivia Williams, Ashley Zukerman, Christopher Denham and Michael Chernus.
8. Hell on Wheels
Saturday, 9 p.m., AMC
AMC’s Western drama returns for a fourth season of 13 episodes — airing in two parts — with stars Anson Mount, Colm Meaney and Common. The series performed well last season in its new Saturday night timeslot, and the new season picks up where “Hell on Wheels” left off, with Cullen (Mount) married to a pregnant Naomi and living in the Mormon fort where The Swede (Christopher Heyerdahl) was impersonating church leader Bishop Dutson. “Doc” Durant (Meaney), meanwhile, was back in control of the Union Pacific Railroad and Elam (Common) was gravely injured by a bear while searching for Cullen. Season 4 will also include new characters including John Campbell, played by Jake Weber (“Medium,” “The Following”).