Gamechangers in Women’s Sports, John Oliver on ‘GH,’ ‘Human Vapor’ Reimagined, All-American Wildlife

Gamechangers: America’s Top 25 Female Athletes

Where do you start, and where do you stop, when it comes to compiling a list of top American female athletes of all time? WNBA star Sue Bird, World Cup champ Alex Morgan, and NFL legend Peyton Manning are among the executive producers of a special under the Gamechangers anthology banner that counts down the women who dominated and changed the face of their respective sports. Expect to see the likes of Billie Jean King, Simone Biles, Serena Williams, Mikaela Shiffrin, and Mia Hamm debated and celebrated. TV sports personalities, comedians and Olympians are among those sharing their opinions. You’ll have your own.

General Hospital

It’s no joke. Or maybe it is. But it’s a fact that after goofily begging to be cast on a soap opera, Emmy-winning comedian John Oliver (Last Week Tonight) gets his wish and will appear in three episodes of the venerable daytime drama. Shown in a production photo with jet-black hair, wearing a slick suit and a determined grimace, Oliver’s hush-hush guest role will be seen in episodes airing today, Friday, and Monday. On his HBO show, he quipped, “I don’t want to brag, but they did say that of any guest star they’ve ever had, I used the most takes.” He’ll also appear later this summer on Days of Our Lives for several episodes. What is CBS waiting for? Oliver may not be young, but he’s obviously restless. (Check local listings.)

Human Vapor

Holy smokes! The 1960 Japanese cult classic The Human Vapor has been reimagined as an eight-part Japanese-language series, co-written by Train to Busan‘s Yeon Sang-ho. The sci-fi thriller depicts the terror when a menace who can dissolve into a gaseous cloud begins executing people in public, announcing his victims in advance and taunting the authorities who seek to expose and stop him. Sounds freaky? It is.

The Americas: A Wild 250th

Seems everyone’s getting aboard the nation’s 250th-birthday bandwagon, and why should our iconic wildlife be an exception? A special edition of the Emmy-nominated nature series, which will return for a second season in 2028, focuses on species that have come to symbolize the American spirit, including the bald eagle and the bison.

The Bear

For those watching the final season weekly (the entire season can be streamed on Hulu), the dramedy’s third episode resumes on the rainiest day in Chicago history, with five hours to go until an uncertain dinner service at the fine-dining restaurant. (The beef sandwich window is closed because of weather.) With drainage problems, power outages, and a diminished food supply in the pantry, new head chef Syd (Ayo Edebiri) tries to rally her crew, but a slip of the lip causes yet more emotional chaos.

INSIDE THURSDAY TV:

• Rod, White & Blue: A Twilight Zone Celebration (6 am/5c, Heroes & Icons Network): Immersing oneself in Rod Serling‘s fantastical world has become a July 4 tradition. H&I’s The Twilight Zone four-day marathon continues through Monday at 6 am/5c with episodes from the original series and The New Twilight Zone. New to the network: “Miniature,” a 1963 episode from the fourth season, featuring Robert Duvall.
• FIFA World Cup: The knockout round continues with Spain vs. Austria in L.A. (3 pm/ET, Fox), Portugal vs. Croatia in Toronto (7 pm/ET, Fox), and Switzerland vs. Algeria in Vancouver (11 pm/ET, FS1).
• Surviving Earth (8/7c, NBC): The natural history series reaches back 94 million years and goes beneath the sea to depict the impact of erupting underwater volcanoes on marine and land species.
• Fear and Doping in Las Vegas (9/8c, ESPN): An E60 documentary explores the impact and wisdom of May’s Enhanced Games event in Las Vegas, where athletes were rewarded, not banned, for taking performance-enhancing drugs.

ON THE STREAM:

• Survival of the Thickest (streaming on Netflix): Michelle Buteau‘s body-positive comedy returns for a third and final season, with ambitious stylist/designer Mavis (Buteau) pursuing her professional and romantic dreams. Guest stars include Wanda Sykes, Ice-T, and The Daily Show‘s Wyatt Cenac and Ronny Chieng.
• Criminal Minds: Evolution (streaming on Paramount+): Zach Gilford, who stars as serial killer Elias Voit, directs an episode where Voit comes face-to-face with someone he suspects might be his copycat “Fan,” while the BAU heads to New Mexico to investigate some grisly cop killings.
• Trigger Point (streaming on BritBox): Another explosive episode of the taut British crime drama exposes the motives of the vengeful bomber, but when the Counter Terrorism Command goes public with what they know, it’s up to Lana (Vicky McClure) and the bomb squad to defuse the situation when more lives are put at risk.
• Wonder Presents: The Stand-Ups (streaming on Wonder Project on Prime Video): A series of six stand-up specials, featuring comedians who keep it clean, opens with Sterling Scott: Good Days, Better Nights, in a set riffing on fatherhood and amusing life lessons.