Shark Week 2014 Schedule: Top TV Shows to Watch on Discovery Channel

Sunday, August 10, is the beginning of Discovery Channel's celebration of all things shark-based. And, despite this species of fish being widely feared and known for its predatory tendencies, the week-long TV programming theme manages to draw considerable attention and viewers, proving that these creatures manage to fascinate and induce awe, despite their less-than-friendly reputations.

It's been recently learned that Hollywood star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson had kicked off the event with a video tribute of "Fast & Furious" co-star Paul Walker, who passed away late last year in a shocking vehicular accident. The deceased actor had "studied marine biology in college, and he later went on to use his fame in support of the BillFish foundation," according to CinemaBlend.

Tribute video aside, there are a number of shows that are worth your while on the small screen. After all, the week's set of shows, which feature quirky titles, have been "brainstormed" and planned by some of Discovery Channel's most creative minds.

Here are some of the specials that you should watch out for during Shark Week 2014, as noted by Entertainment Weekly:

Air Jaws: Fin of Fury - August 10

This story documented seasoned filmmaker Jeff Kurr's quest for a "massive, aggressive great white with a deformed dorsal fin he captured breaching in South Africa in 2011," appropriately named Colossus.

Shark of Darkness: Wrath of Submarine - August 10

CinemaBlend describes this special as being about "'Submarine,' a 30-foot great white shark that's said to be the deadliest of its kind, of all time and may have been involved in 'countless fatal attacks,' though that's unproven."

Lair of the Mega Shark - August 12

A 20-foot great white? Why not? And so Kurr and cameraman/shark expert Andy Casagrande made a beeline to New Zealand to check out whether rumors of the said creature are real.

"Casagrande and colleague Kina Scollay take part in the first cage dive at night in those waters-where sharks are known to work in tandem as a gang," EW said.

"Honestly, we've never seen anything like that. Jeff Kurr even says in the show, 'Twenty-five years, and I've never seen anything like it.' Those sharks are super aggressive, really amped up, and almost tore that cage apart," noted Discovery Channel's VP of development and production, Michael Sorensen.

Alien Sharks: Return to the Abyss - August 12

Researcher Paul Clerkin plumbs the depths of the Indian Ocean to find new shark varieties and check out "the last known group of bioluminescent sharks."

Zombie Sharks - August 13

Zombie story/movie fans may find this special interesting: it's about the possibility of orcas learning "how to immobilize and prey on sharks" and seeing whether "great whites can even achieve 'tonic immobility,' a catatonic state sharks appear to enjoy-unless it renders them helpless at the wrong time."

Spawn of Jaws: The Birth - August 13

Nobody has ever really documented the birth of a great white. And this show follows Dr. Michael Dormeier in his quest to be the first to ever do so, after tagging a pregnant female shark last year.