The Brow Beat

HIGH
It's reminiscent of Friday Night Lights, but the Sundance Channel's miniseries Nimrod Nation is a documentary, lending further urgency to its exploration of social issues—and to the hoops team's quest to win.

LOW
A star was born at Nathan's July 4 hot dog eating contest on ESPN, and Joey Chestnut's winning battle with Takeru Kobayashi, complete with the Japanese great's costly "reversal," was as gripping as it was disgusting.