How to watch Shark Week 2020 online: TV schedule, where to stream and more

watch shark week 2020 live online
(Image credit: twitter.com/SharkWeek)
Shark Week start time, channel

Shark Week starts in less than an hour, at 8 p.m. ET today (Sunday, August 9) on Discovery.

Get out of the water! It's time to watch Shark Week 2020 online, either with your cable provider or the streaming service of your choice. Discovery's annual summer fest of sharks starts this Sunday. 

And this year, Shark Week is bigger and more biting than ever with a record 24 specials, including Tyson Vs. Jaws: Rumble on the Reef. Yes, former heavyweight champ Mike Tyson will face off against a shark "in the name of research," with the iconic announcer Michael Buffer narrating the action.

The 32nd installment of Shark Week will explore the deadly ocean predators over eight days. Aside from Tyson, other celebrities making appearances include Will Smith and Shaq. And in a nod to Netflix's big hit from the spring, there's a special titled Tiger Shark King that investigates what kind of creature might have attached a 14-foot tiger shark. We've got the full schedule below!

Shark Week will also celebrate the 20th anniversary of Air Jaws, the 10-film Discovery series about great whites. 

But the big kahuna is Tyson Vs. Jaws: Rumble on the Reef. As Tyson said in a statement, "I took on this challenger to overcome fears I still deal with in life. I equate this with overcoming my fear of getting back into the ring at 54 years old. I learned from this experience doing Shark Week that whatever intimidates me, I am still able to step up to the challenge of overcoming anything that would prevent me from accomplishing my life’s mission of reaching my highest potential in life and bringing me closer to God.”

Here's everything you need to know about how to watch Shark Week 2020 online. Plus, check out the teaser for Tyson vs. Jaws below:

How to watch Shark Week 2020 online anywhere, with a VPN

Just because the Discovery Channel isn't available everywhere doesn't mean you can't watch Shark Week 2020. Watching it live can be pretty easy with the right VPN (virtual private network), which lets you stream the show from wherever you go.

Our pick for the best VPN is ExpressVPN. It meets the VPN needs of the vast majority of users, offering outstanding compatibility with most devices and impressive connection speeds. It's also affordable at $12.95 per month. (Signing up for longer periods of six months or a year reduces the cost even more.)

ExpressVPN

Our favorite VPN service, <a href="https://go.expressvpn.com/c/4550836/1330033/16063?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.expressvpn.com%2Foffer%2Ftomsguide%3Foffer%3D3monthsfree%26a_fid%3D744" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ExpressVPN, is a top choice for anyone who wants to watch Siesta Key. It's got a solid mix of safety, speed and ease-of-use. Plus, you get an extra 3 months free if you sign up for a year. And if you've never used a VPN before and are curious and not sure, there's a 30-day money-back guarantee if you just want to give it a try.

How to watch Shark Week 2020 in the US 

Dive in and watch Shark Week 2020 tonight! Yes, today (Sunday, August 9), starting at 8 p.m. ET on Discovery, the annual shark attack begins — but only if you have a cable or satellite package that includes the network. 

If you've already cut the cord, you can get Discovery on multiple live TV streaming services including Sling TV, Philo, Fubo TV, Hulu With Live TV, YouTube TV and AT&T TV Now. There's also a special Shark Week section on The Roku Channel.

Of these options, we recommend Sling TV, which is $30 a month and offers more than 50 channels. Philo is a great, cheaper option at $20 a month for 58 channels and unlimited DVR recordings.

Sling TV

<a href="https://sling-tv.pxf.io/c/221109/1132376/14334?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sling.com%2F" data-link-merchant="sling.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Sling TV offers a three-day free trial so you can check out the streaming service before committing. The Sling Blue package includes Discovery and 50+ other top channels, like NBC and Fox (in certain regions) and AMC, CNN, Comedy Central, Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, TNT and USA. 

Philo

<a href="https://www.jdoqocy.com/click-6361382-13693161?sid=hawk-custom-tracking" data-link-merchant="jdoqocy.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Philo is one of the cheapest live TV streaming services in the market, at just $20 per month for 58 channels. And you can try it with a free trial for seven days — no registration required. Philo's lineup has many popular networks including Discovery, MTV, AMC, BET, Lifetime, Paramount, TLC and VH1.

How to watch Shark Week 2020 in the UK

Good news for great white lovers — Shark Week 2020 will air on Discovery UK. The slightly not-so-good news is that it will premiere a week after it plays in the U.S.

Americans far from home should check out ExpressVPN to watch it live with us back in the states.

How to watch Shark Week 2020 in Canada

Canadians can tune into Shark Week 2020 along with U.S. viewers on Discovery Canada. So, watch the action start at 8 p.m. on Sunday.

Shark Week 2020 schedule

Here's the full schedule of Discovery's Shark Week 2020.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 9

Air Jaws: Ultimate Breach Off (8 p.m.)
Official description: "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 (9 p.m.)
Official description: "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 in “Tyson vs. Jaws: Rumble on the Reef.” 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 (10 p.m.)
Official description: “In the waters off New Zealand, the largest female great whites are measuring over 20-feet 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.”

MONDAY, AUGUST 10

Abandoned Waters (8 p.m.)
Official description: “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 (9 p.m.)
Official description: “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. ”

Jaw Awakens (10 p.m.)
Official description: “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.”

TUESDAY, AUGUST 11

Extinct or Alive: Land of the Lost Sharks (8 p.m.)
Official description: “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 (9 p.m.)
Official description: “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 (10 p.m.)
Official description: “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.”

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12

Monster Under the Bridge (8 p.m.)
Official description: “Scientists believe that monster sharks make their home under the Old Seven Mile Bridge. Fishermen claim that one of the sharks is a 18-foot-long, one-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 (9 p.m.)
Official description: “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! Adam Devine, Anders Holm, and Blake Anderson find out what makes this tiger shark party so epic. Are they mating? Are they pupping? Are they feeding? What makes this such a great shark party?”

Great White Double Trouble (10 p.m.)
Official description: “Australia is in the midst of a rising wave of shark attacks, with great whites leading the way. And scientists have just discovered that Aussies are facing not one population of great whites, but two and researchers want to know who rules the waters.”

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13

Air Jaws 2020 (8 p.m.)
Official description: “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.”

Jaws in America (9 p.m.)
Official description: “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 U.S. history? In this special, Snoop will break down 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 (10 p.m.)
Official description: “Shark expert 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.”

FRIDAY, AUGUST 14

Alien Sharks: First Contact (8 p.m.)
Official description: “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 (9 p.m.)
Official description: "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.”

Tiger Shark King (10 p.m.)
Official description: “In the Caribbean, a deep-sea camera captured footage of a 14-foot tiger shark suffering an assault by a large, unseen beast. It could be an unknown species of megashark or even a cannibalistic tiger shark. Dr. Austin Gallagher wants to find out.”

I Was Prey Shark Week 2 (11 p.m.)
Official description: “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.”

SATURDAY, AUGUST 15

Sharks of Ghost Island (8 p.m.)
Official description: “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 (9 p.m.)
Official description: “As the number of great white shark encounters on Cape Cod spikes, shark expert Dr. Greg Skomal breaks out cutting-edge technology 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 (10 p.m.)
Official description: “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 (11 p.m.)
Official description: “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.”

SUNDAY, AUGUST 16

Naked & Afraid of Sharks 2 (8 p.m.)
Official description: “On the edge of the Bermuda Triangle, five Naked and Afraid veterans — Matt Wright, Jeff Zausch, Serena and Amber Shine, and Alex Manard — 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."

(Image credit: Future)
Kelly Woo
Streaming Editor

Kelly is the streaming channel editor for Tom’s Guide, so basically, she watches TV for a living. Previously, she was a freelance entertainment writer for Yahoo, Vulture, TV Guide and other outlets. When she’s not watching TV and movies for work, she’s watching them for fun, seeing live music, writing songs, knitting and gardening.