What to Watch on Thursday: Two documentaries commemorate D-Day’s invasion of Normandy
The Battle of Normandy: 85 Days in Hell (8 p.m., Smithsonian Channel) - This new documentary commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Normandy with rare and previously unseen images to give an intimate account of the battle that freed Europe from Nazi rule. French archivist Dominique Forget, one of the world’s most foremost experts on World War II archives, has meticulously identified each frame within the timeline of the larger battle and converted it from 16mm film to high-definition footage. Directed by Guilain Depardieu.
The Cold Blue (8 p.m., HBO) - “The Cold Blue” features meticulously restored footage and outtakes from William Wyler’s 1944 documentary “The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress,” reconstructed into a new documentary executive produced by Wyler’s daughter and directed by Erik Nelson. Described by HBO as a meditation on youth, war, trauma and bravery, it presents a glimpse into the daily lives of the heroic young men of the Eighth Air Force, who flew deadly missions over Germany in World War II. The film has interviews with nine surviving members of the Eighth Air Force.
Mountain Men (9 p.m., History) - Season 8 opens with Eustace Conway, in the Turtle Island area of the North Carolina mountains, taking on an apprentice. Preston Roberts, Eustace’s old cohort from the show, died from liver cancer in 2017.
Hero Ink (10 p.m., A&E) - The latest twist in the tattoo reality genre chronicles artists at Prison Break Tattoos in Houston, which specializes in creating meaningful ink for first responders. On the show, first responders share their stories and pay tribute to the moments on the job that have had great impact on their lives. The owner of the shop is BK Klev, a veteran of the Houston Police Department. Tonight’s premiere episode features a sergeant getting ink to commemorate years of service. Other stories include tributes to service animals, 9/11 heroes and more.
Queen of the South (10 p.m., USA) - In the Season 4 premiere, Teresa expands her business and proves herself to a smuggler who offers her a business opportunity.
Some programming descriptions are provided by networks.