Shark Week continues Tuesday, July 28 with a three-hour Discovery lineup covering prehistoric sharks, the relationship between orcas and great whites, and an investigation off Australia's southern coast.
Discovery's official U.S. schedule begins at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT and includes three new Shark Week premieres.
Here is what is airing and which programme Flicklevel thinks deserves the most attention.
Shark Week Tuesday Schedule
8:00 p.m. ET/PT
Jurassic Sharks
9:00 p.m. ET/PT
Jaws vs Orca
10:00 p.m. ET/PT
Chum Island: Catching a Killer
Discovery schedules encore programming from 11:00 p.m. ET/PT. These are U.S. Discovery broadcast times, so international schedules can differ.
Jurassic Sharks — 8:00 P.M. ET/PT
Tuesday begins with one of the week's most unusual concepts.
Jurassic Sharks combines real-world expeditions with CGI recreations to explore prehistoric shark species and compare them with rare sharks that still exist today.
Discovery describes the special as a Shark Week first, using modern visual effects alongside actual expeditions to explore both ancient oceans and surviving shark species.
Why Watch?
This programme should appeal to viewers who want something beyond another conventional shark-tracking documentary.
The prehistoric angle gives Discovery an opportunity to explain how sharks evolved and how some characteristics found in modern species connect with a much older history.
The CGI is therefore most useful when it supports the science rather than replacing it.
Best For
Choose Jurassic Sharks when you enjoy:
Prehistoric animals, marine science, evolutionary history and visual reconstructions.
Flicklevel Preview Verdict
Most unusual programme of Tuesday night.
It is probably the best starting point for families and viewers interested in the broader history of sharks rather than only modern encounters.
Jaws vs Orca — 9:00 P.M. ET/PT
At 9:00 p.m., Shark Week shifts to the relationship between two of the ocean's most powerful predators.
Jaws vs Orca examines changing interactions between orcas and great white sharks and asks what researchers can learn about how these animals influence one another's behaviour.
Discovery says Dr. Tristan Guttridge participates in the investigation, which looks at orca hunting behaviour and its relationship with great whites.
Why This Could Be Tuesday's Biggest Show
The programme has the strongest immediately understandable question of the night:
What happens when great white sharks encounter orcas?
That alone gives it strong television appeal.
But the programme will be most valuable when it goes beyond the dramatic “versus” title and explains what scientific observations actually show.
Animal behaviour is more complicated than a simple competition between two species.
The best version of Jaws vs Orca will make that complexity interesting.
Best For
Choose it when you enjoy:
Great-white research, orca documentaries, marine-predator behaviour and science-driven wildlife programming.
Flicklevel Preview Verdict
Our most anticipated Shark Week programme on Tuesday.
The subject has enough natural interest that the programme does not need exaggerated spectacle to work.
Chum Island: Catching a Killer — 10:00 P.M. ET/PT
The final premiere follows marine biologist Dr. Riley Elliott as he investigates an unusual increase in shark incidents affecting a community off Australia's southern coast.
Discovery says Elliott attempts to identify and tag sharks in the area and investigates whether researchers may be dealing with a previously unrecognised local population. The team's “chum island” experiment is intended to help bring sharks into an area where they can be studied.
Why Watch?
This has the most traditional investigative structure of Tuesday night's lineup.
There is a mystery.
Researchers have a set of possible explanations.
And the programme follows the attempt to gather evidence.
That gives Chum Island a clearer narrative than a standard collection of underwater footage.
Best For
Choose it when you enjoy:
Field research, Australian marine environments, scientific investigations and expedition-style documentaries.
Flicklevel Preview Verdict
Best choice for viewers who enjoy mystery-driven wildlife programmes.
Which Shark Week Show Should You Watch Tuesday?
For prehistoric science and something different:
Jurassic Sharks
For the biggest predator-behaviour story:
Jaws vs Orca
For an investigative expedition:
Chum Island: Catching a Killer
Flicklevel Tuesday Pick
Jaws vs Orca
Of the three, Jaws vs Orca has the strongest combination of public curiosity and genuine scientific potential.
Great whites and orcas are already two of the ocean's most closely watched large predators.
Examining how the presence and behaviour of one species may influence the other gives the programme more depth than a simple “which animal is stronger?” premise.
That is what Flicklevel will be watching for.
Does the programme provide useful explanation and evidence?
Or does the dramatic title become more important than the science?
That difference will determine whether it becomes one of Shark Week 2026's stronger documentaries.
Where Can You Watch Shark Week 2026?
The Tuesday programmes premiere on Discovery in the United States.
Warner Bros. Discovery also lists Shark Week 2026 as a major part of its July HBO Max programming, but exact streaming availability can vary by programme and territory.
International readers should therefore check their local Discovery/HBO Max listing rather than assuming the U.S. schedule applies everywhere.
Is Tuesday's Lineup Worth Watching?
Yes, particularly because the three programmes are not trying to tell exactly the same story.
Jurassic Sharks goes backwards into prehistoric oceans.
Jaws vs Orca examines modern predator behaviour.
Chum Island presents a contemporary field investigation.
That variety should make Tuesday one of the more balanced nights of Shark Week.
Who Should Watch?
Tuesday's lineup should appeal to viewers interested in:
Marine biology, wildlife documentaries, prehistoric life, shark research, orcas and scientific expeditions.
Parents should check individual programme ratings and descriptions when selecting programming for younger viewers.
Final Opinion
Tuesday demonstrates why Shark Week can remain interesting when it moves beyond simply showing large sharks.
Jurassic Sharks offers history.
Jaws vs Orca offers behavioural science.
Chum Island offers investigation.
For Flicklevel, Jaws vs Orca is the first choice, with Jurassic Sharks close behind for anyone interested in prehistoric marine life.
Flicklevel's recommendation: watch Jaws vs Orca at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT when you can choose only one Tuesday programme.
Trusted Source
Warner Bros. Discovery — Official Shark Week 2026 Tuesday schedule
Tuesday Publishing Order
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Shark Week 2026 Tuesday Schedule: Jurassic Sharks, Jaws vs Orca and Chum Island
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