Discovery’s shark programs timely

Discovery Channel’s Shark Week has been must-see TV since it began in 1988, but the timing this year – following two shark attacks off the coast of Florida – makes it especially compelling.

In the lineup that includes four new programs, Discovery attempts to set the record straight on questions including whether sharks are attracted by certain bright colors or are aware of even a drop of blood in the ocean.

An online companion site at discovery.com includes interactive puzzles and games, video, photo galleries and maps charting shark attacks on humans over the past five years.

The action starts with the two-hour “Mythbusters: Jaws Special,” Sunday at 9 p.m. (cable channel 9 in Spokane, 28 in Coeur d’Alene).

Scientists Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman visit shark-filled waters of the Bahamas and California’s Farallon Islands to investigate whether the shark behavior depicted in the thriller “Jaws” is accurate – including whether a punch in the nose can be a deterrent, and if a scuba tank can serve as an anti-shark explosive device.

“Sharkbite! Surviving Great Whites,” 9 p.m. Monday, relates tales of people who survived encounters with the awesome creatures, while “American Shark,” 9 p.m. Tuesday, focuses on the sharks that prowl America’s coasts.

“Shark Hunter: Chasing the Great White” concludes the week at 9 p.m. Thursday. The special profiles Frank Mundus, who served as a model for the character of Capt. Quint in “Jaws.”

Mundus made a record-setting rod-and-reel catch of a 3,000-pound-plus great white before shifting from shark hunter to conservationist.