Shark Week 2020 Features More Science, Stars, and Sharks Than Ever

By: Discovery

SHARK WEEK returns August 9 with special appearances by stars like Mike Tyson, Will Smith, and Shaquille O'Neil!

Updated: July 31, 2020

July 24, 2020

The best week of the year is almost here! With more than 20 hours of shark programming throughout the week, SHARK WEEK 2020’s fin-credible lineup will bring brand-new, innovative shark research technology and compelling insight on some of the most unique shark species in the world. This year, we'll travel from Australia to South Africa to New Zealand in search of the world's most incredible shark stories. See the full lineup below!

Air Jaws: Ultimate Breach Off

Sunday, August 9 at 8P

Three teams of researchers return to one of the last hunting grounds for AIR JAWS. They will use decoys, drones, and underwater cameras to count the number of breaches and collect data on hunting techniques to see if the shark population is rebounding.

Tyson vs. Jaws: Rumble on the Reef

Sunday, August 9 at 9P

Legendary boxer and entrepreneur Mike Tyson is taking on a new challenge, and he picked the most unlikely training partner. Iron Mike will go head to head with some of the ocean's top apex predators, including the black tip reef shark. With famed ring announcer Michael Buffer calling the shots, these two heavyweights will square off underwater, where Mike Tyson will try to score a TKO over the massive shark… all in the name of research. And don’t worry, no sharks were harmed (or bitten) in the making of this episode.

Shark Lockdown

Sunday, August 9 at 10P

In the waters off New Zealand, the largest female great whites are measuring over 20ft long, earning the nickname “the 747s.” With no human interaction during COVID-19, researchers built a self-propelled cage to see how hunting patterns have changed.

Abandoned Waters

Monday, August 10 at 8P

COVID-19 has changed the world’s behavior and that has presented shark researchers with a once in a lifetime opportunity to study the massive great whites at Australia’s Neptune Islands. With no human interaction for the first time in decades, some of the biggest great white sharks on earth are returning to their natural behaviors…allowing scientists to study them up close and personal in ways that were nearly impossible before.

ShaqAttack

Monday, August 10 at 9P

After surviving a shark encounter in Shaq Does Shark Week, Shaquille O’Neal is back, and now he’s on a mission to determine what shark has the perfect predatory attack. But he can’t do it alone. Shaq is deploying YouTube stars Dude Perfect and Mark Rober to put various species to the test and uncover the most mind-blowing hunting techniques of this ultimate predator.

Jaws Awakens

Monday, August 10 at 10P

Shark expert Chris Fallows joins Jeff Kurr and Dickie Chivell to search for the largest male great white shark in the world. Together, Chris, Jeff, and Dickie explore the waters of New Zealand trying to find a nearly 20-foot long, two-ton shark named Fred.

Extinct or Alive: Land of the Lost Sharks

Tuesday, August 11 at 8P

Wildlife biologist and conservationist Forrest Galante dives into some of the most treacherous, shark-infested waters in the southern hemisphere all in an attempt to rediscover three unique sharks lost to science for as long as 100 years.

Will Smith: Off The Deep End

Tuesday, August 11 at 9P

Will Smith is diving headfirst into action, excitement, and shark-infested waters, as he confronts his fear of the open seas and the open jaws of nature’s fiercest predators.

Great White Serial Killer Extinction

Tuesday, August 11 at 10P

The Great White Serial Killer returns and it's on a killing spree that may push the California Sea Otter to extinction. Investigators deploy an otter dummy to get a closer look and witness one of the most spectacular attacks in Shark Week history.

Monster Under the Bridge

Wednesday, August 12 at 8P

Scientists believe that monster sharks make their home under the Old Seven Mile Bridge. Fishermen claim that one of the sharks is a 15-foot-long, half-ton great hammerhead named Big Moe. If this is true, he will be the largest hammerhead on the planet.

Adam Devine’s Secret Shark Lair

Wednesday, August 12 at 9P

Last year, Adam Devine and a team of marine biologists deployed a CATS camera tag on a massive tiger shark that yielded a surprising scientific discovery; a secret tiger shark lair. Scientists believe this may be the largest congregation of tiger sharks on the planet or in Adam's mind, the ultimate shark party!

Great White Double Trouble

Wednesday, August 12 at 10P

Australia is in the midst of a rising wave of shark attacks, with great whites leading the way. Scientists have just discovered that Aussies are facing not one population of great whites, but two! Researchers want to know who rules the waters.

Air Jaws 2020

Thursday, August 13 at 8P

Shark Week celebrates 20 years of flying sharks with Jeff Kurr, Chris Fallows, Dickie Chivell, and many more as they revisit the most popular and iconic "Air Jaws" moments.

Sharkadelic Summer

Thursday, August 13 at 9P

Snoop Dogg takes a look at why Great White Sharks are taking up residence along America's shores. Will this be the "sharkiest" summer in US history? In this special, Snoop will breakdown the craziest shark encounters caught on tape, marvel at the wild and unpredictable reactions, and meet with the leading experts who are trying to unlock the secrets behind this great white shark invasion.

Mako Nation

Thursday, August 13 at 10P

Shark scientist Riley Elliot and underwater cameraman Andy Casagrande are on an epic expedition to uncover the mysteries of the mako shark in one of the last places on earth where these apex predators rule the waters.

Alien Sharks: First Contact

Friday, August 14 at 8P

Mysterious and bizarre alien sharks lurk far beneath the waves in remarkably deep waters where researchers are on a quest to make first contact. Pursuing the elusive frilled shark, sleeper shark and cookie-cutter shark bring even more unexpected encounters.

Lair of the Great White

Friday, August 14 at 9P

A team of experts attempts to find out why a population of great whites off the coast of Western Australia is so much more aggressive than others. The team must brave the elements and venture into treacherous underwater caves to find out for themselves. Produced by TaleSmith Ltd.

Tiger Shark King

Friday, August 14 at 10P

In the Caribbean, a deepsea camera captured footage of a 14-foot tiger shark suffering an assault by a large, unseen beast. It could be an unknown species of mega-shark or even a cannibalistic tiger shark. Dr. Austin Gallagher wants to find out.

I Was Prey

Friday, August 14 at 11P

Two adventure seekers recount their horrifying shark attack experiences. Off the coast of Australia, a spearfishing expedition turns into a nightmare featuring a ferocious bull shark and a great white attacks a paddle boarder on Ascension Island.

Sharks of Ghost Island

Saturday, August 15 at 8P

On the edge of the Bermuda Triangle lies Ghost Island, a place locals have abandoned after multiple shipwrecks and shark attacks. Dr. Craig O'Connell has been here before to study the potential shark hot spot, but his first trip ended abruptly when his boat nearly sank. Now Craig is back with a team of experts and they are determined to find why this island attracts so many sharks, even the great white.

Wicked Sharks

Saturday, August 15 at 9P

As the number of great white shark encounters on Cape Cod spikes, shark expert Dr. Greg Skomal breaks out cutting-edge tech to capture the white shark’s point-of-view – revealing exactly how and where they hunt in the summer to better protect the public.

Sharks Gone Wild 3

Saturday, August 15 at 10P

Everything you always wanted to know about viral shark videos but were afraid to ask! SHARKS GONE WILD 3 reviews everything from viral videos and the biggest news stories to the latest in cutting-edge shark science.

I Was Prey: Terrors from the Deep

Saturday, August 15 at 11P

A California surfer, a Canadian thrill-seeker, an Alabama football coach, and a mother from North Carolina reveal how they each came face-to-face with the ocean's top predator and lived to tell their stories.

Naked & Afraid of Sharks 2

Sunday, August 16 at 8P

On the edge of the Bermuda Triangle, five Naked and Afraid veterans -- Matt Wright, Jeff Zausch, Serena and Amber Shine, and Alex Maynard – attempt to survive on a remote strip of islands whose waters are so teeming with predators, locals call it “Shark Alley.” With limited resources and punishing conditions on land, they’ll have no choice but to take to the waters and compete with hungry sharks for the same food.

Fans can dive into all things SHARK WEEK at SharkWeek.com, from bonus video to amazing shark photography and more. Catch up on classic episodes by downloading the Discovery GO app, join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #SharkWeek and follow SHARK WEEK on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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