The Week’s guide to what’s worth watching

Glickman

Sports broadcasts wouldn’t sound the way they do today if there’d been no Marty Glickman. This fascinating documentary resurrects an unsung hero of the biz—the man who popularized the use of the word “swish” in basketball parlance. A gifted athlete, Glickman was denied his shot at the 1936 Berlin Olympics because he was Jewish, but turned to sportscasting and developed a fluid style that has influenced contemporary announcers from Marv Albert to Bob Costas. Monday, Aug. 26, at 9 p.m., HBO

POV: 5 Broken Cameras

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It’s tough to be neutral in the West Bank. In 2005, Palestinian farmer Emad Burnat began using a video camera to record his neighbors’ protests against Israelis’ annexation of their land for a security barrier and the expansion of a Jewish settlement. As Burnat loses camera after camera in the violent fray, an electrifying documentary takes form, capturing the beating heart of a decades-long conflict. Monday, Aug. 26, at 10 p.m., PBS; check local listings

Drugs, Inc.: Designer Drugs

As if illegal narcotics weren’t trouble enough. Recent years have seen a proliferation of synthetics that mimic the chemical composition of cocaine or other illicit substances but are sometimes sold over the counter as bath salts or plant food. This episode of the documentary series Drugs, Inc. can be ham-handed, but it sheds needed light on an epidemic that’s claiming lives and outstripping law enforcement’s efforts to control it. Thursday, Aug. 29, at 8 p.m., National Geographic Channel

Side by Side

Digital video has democratized cinema, making films like 5 Broken Cameras possible. But digital is also overtaking big-budget filmmaking, and the medium has both its critics and its proselytizers. In this compelling 2012 documentary, actor Keanu Reeves interviews Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, and other top directors to usher viewers into a debate that illuminates the craft behind the movie magic. Friday, Aug. 30, at 9 p.m., PBS; check local listings

Cracked

Sometimes, the cops are crazier than the criminals. This well-tuned police procedural is a Canadian import, like Rookie Blue. But the reason to watch is David Sutcliffe, who stars as a SWAT officer who’s reassigned to a psych crimes unit after he begins suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Friday, Aug. 30, at 10 p.m., Reelz

Other highlights

Modern Dads

A quartet of Austin-based stay-at-home dads navigate a series of Mr. Mom–type mishaps in this new reality series that should appeal to a growing demographic. Wednesday, Aug. 28, at 10:30 p.m., A&E

Saturday Night Football

Clemson hosts Georgia in an ACC-SEC showdown as 2013 college football makes its prime-time debut. Saturday, Aug. 31, at 8 p.m., ABC

MDA Show of Strength Telethon

Ryan Seacrest, the Backstreet Boys, Paula Abdul, and others headline the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s 48th annual Labor Day telethon, which will air for two hours in prime time. Sunday, Sept. 1, at 9 p.m., ABC