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Everything to know for Shark Week 2023
Shark Week 2023, the 35th edition of Discovery Channel's weeklong shark celebration, returns Sunday.
Shark Week 2023 is almost here, with the Discovery Channel’s weeklong annual tribute to the apex ocean predator set to kick off this Sunday. Viewers can tune in at almost any time from July 23-29 and expect to find sharks on the channel, which is basically Discovery Channel’s “Super Bowl,” according to one executive.
Among the changes coming to Shark Week 2023 are the ability to stream episodes on Max (formerly known as HBO Max), thanks to the merger that created Warner Bros. Discovery. Also new to Shark Week this year is host Jason Momoa, a fitting choice given the “Aquaman” star’s ties to the ocean.
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With some exceptions, new content created for Shark Week 2023 will generally air on Discovery from 8-11 p.m., and will be streaming on Max at any time following their debut. The titles of this year’s shows run the gamut from spine-chilling (“Belly of the Beast: Feeding Frenzy,” “Monster Mako: Fresh Blood”) to absurd (“Cocaine Sharks,” “Raiders of the Lost Shark”).
Here is the full schedule for Shark Week 2023, including episode descriptions provided by Discovery.
Shark Week 2023 schedule
Sunday, July 23
“Belly of the Beast: Feeding Frenzy” (8 p.m.)
“Ocean researchers give us an inside look at what a great white shark feeding frenzy looks like from the inside of a fake life-size whale. This is their chance to potentially finding the biggest great white sharks in South African history.”
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“Jaws vs the Meg” (9 p.m.)
“MEG used to be a pretty notorious predator. The 50 foot and 60-ton shark could devour a killer whale easily. However, new research suggests that its cousin, the great white shark may have caused its extinction.”
“Serial Killer: Red Sea Feeding Frenzy” (10 p.m.)
“In an attempt to figure out the cause behind three deadly shark attacks near some of the Red Sea’s most famous resorts, Shark attack investigator Brandon McMillan and cinematographer Fo Zayed travel to Egypt.”
“Shark Week: Off the Hook” (11 p.m.)
“Discovery gives viewers the chance to go behind the scenes and watch never before seen footage of some of the biggest thrills and most terrifying Shark Week moments.”
Monday, July 24
“Great White Fight Club” (8 p.m.)
“In order to prove that female white sharks unequivocally rule the ocean, a team of experts set out to explore the treacherous New Zealand waters.”
“Monsters of the Bermuda Triangle” (9 p.m.)
“Scientists find that the porbeagle shark, which was tagged off the coast of New England, has vanished in the Bermuda Triangle. They decide to dive to the depths of the ocean to uncover what become of it.”
“Alien Sharks: Strange New Worlds” (10 p.m.)
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“Unusual sharks with alien appearances and behavior to match are known to frequent the waters surrounding the tip of South Africa. Wildlife Forrest Galante guides us through stunning kelp forests and legendary ocean depths to get a closer look at these extraordinary creatures.”
Tuesday, July 25
“Mako Mania: Battle for California (8 p.m.)
“The mako shark population is ready to challenge the great white sharks for hunting territories. Dr. Craig O’Connell, Fo Zayed, and Kendyl Bernet use state of the art technology to reveal their dominance off the coast of Los Angeles.”
“Raiders of the Lost Shark” (9 p.m.)
“Shark expert Matt Dicken and Shark Week legend Dickie Chivell are on a mission to find mysterious colossal shark dutchess that vanished from Gansbaai, South Africa without a trace.
“Monster Hammerheads: Killer Instinct” (10 p.m.)
“The only way to prove Dr. Tristan Guttridge’s theory about hammerhead sharks reaching monster sizes by hunting other sharks, is to collect tissue samples from some of the largest sharks on the planet.
Wednesday, July 26
“Air Jaws: Final Frontier” (8 p.m.)
“Shark filmmakers Andy Casagrande and Jeff Kurr look for the “Air Jaws” in New Zealand.”
“Florida Shark: Blood in the Water” (9 p.m.)
“In an attempt to decrease the risk of shark attacks and get the truth about the shark attack capital of the world, Paul de Gelder is running experiments underwater.”
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“Cocaine Sharks” (10 p.m.)
“Fishing communities have heard rumors about cocaine-fueled sharks for decades, but shark expert Tom Hird travels to the Florida Keys to find out what really happens to sharks on cocaine. “
Thursday, July 27
“Jaws in the Shallows” (8 p.m.)
“As great white sharks have gone on to terrorize New Zealand beaches, Dr. Riley Elliott and his wife Amber Jones set out to find some answers on how to keep their loved ones safe before it’s too late.”
“Monster Mako: Fresh Blood” (9 p.m.)
“As the 12 foot mako shark continues to compete with the great white for food off the coast of California, a team of scientists head into a shark dome to observe both sharks and to track makos breaking through eight feet of ocean water. “
“Shark vs Snake: Battle of the Bites” (10 p.m.)
“A number of tiger sharks have washed up dead on the shores of Western Australia without rhyme or reason. Forrest Galante has a theory that deadly sea snakes might have something to do with it.”
Friday, July 28
“Tropic Jaws” (8 p.m.)
“Bali Indonesia’s unusually warm waters have attracted the presence of a 16-foot great white shark. Locals are a little worried that they could adapt to looking for prey on tropical beaches, so Dr. Craig O’Connell and Madison Stewart are called in to figure out how true this may be.”
“Deadly Sharks of Paradise” (9 p.m.)
South American scientists are studying a shark species thought to be responsible for an increase in attacks over the past 33 years. Marine biologist Danni Washington and shark conservationist Paul de Gelder accompany a team tracking tiger sharks off a pristine tropical archipelago in Brazil.
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“The Haunting of Shark Tower” (10 p.m.)
Underwater cinematographer Andy Casagrande and shark expert Koi Burkhardt head to North Carolina after a harrowing shark encounter at Frying Pan Tower.
Saturday, July 29
“Dawn of the Monster Mako” (8 p.m.)
“Underwater cinematographer Joe Romeiro and marine biologist Lauren Romeiro head to Portugal’s Azores region to film a 14-foot giant mako shark that was spotted in the area.”
“Megasharks of Dangerous Reef” (9 p.m.)
“Some of the biggest white sharks on the planet are said to live in remote islands off the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, but they’re rarely seen.”
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