Critic’s corner

August 03, 2011|By Wesley Morris, Globe Staff

The Franchise: A Season With the San Francisco Giants 10 p.m. Showtime

Last week’s installment lacked the intoxicants of the first two (episode one is available at Showtime’s website). But this is painstakingly assembled nonfiction television that, thus far, has risen to an intimidating and inevitable challenge. How far inside-baseball can a series go without being too inside-baseball? The answer might be lots of close-ups of closer Brian Wilson and his disturbing yet alluring beard, an element of baseball you don’t at all want to go inside of. Tonight, the gang visits the White House during happier Beltway times.

Killer Stress: A National Geographic Special 10 p.m., Channel 2

My job is killing me. These sneakers are killing me. Your cologne is killing me. This coffee queue is killing me. This content management system is killing me. The gym is killing me. The debt ceiling is killing me. “Hoarders’’ is killing me. “Dance Moms’’ on Lifetime is killing me. Syria is killing me. The NBA lockout is killing me. Rebecca Black is killing me. “Toddlers and Tiaras’’ on TLC is killing me. This Icelandic butter is killing me. The heat is killing me. My rent is killing me. “Killer Stress’’ is killing me. (With apologies to Robyn.)

Love in the Wild 10 p.m., Channel 7

There are some television shows that are so disgusting that they manage to loop back around to “addictive’’ or “fascinating’’ by also being either secretly smart or incidentally subversive. This is not that show. This show is just disgusting.

Primetime: Nightline: Beyond Belief 10 p.m. Channel 5

Or how ABC News really likes colons.

Rocco’s Dinner Party 10 p.m., Bravo

The cocky chefs compete to create fashion-inspired dishes that Rocco DiSpirito and his celebrity acquaintances will strain to enjoy.

Babies Behind Bars, 9 p.m. OWN

This show always feels like a trick. If Oprah catches you watching it, you go to jail.