What To Watch: Your Guide To July 4th Specials, Marathons And More
Poolside BBQs and fireworks are excellent ways to celebrate Independence Day, but we at TVLine are just as excited for the holiday television. To that end, we've curated a list of specials and marathons bowing Friday, July 4, including a staggeringWalking Dead parade, a chance to bone up on Masters of Sex and, of course, the best light shows in the country. Here are 13 programs to keep on your radar this Friday. (More weekend programming will be covered in Saturday and Sunday editions of What to Watch.)
Series premiere, all 12 episodes: Based on the popular manga series by Tsutomu Nihei, Netflix’s first original anime series follows Nagate Tanikaze, a low-born youth who must defend the massive ship Sidonia against the alien race Guana.
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'Gold Crown Christmas' Marathon
Hallmark Movie
(Through midnight Sunday, July 13) Talk about Christmas come early! This 10-day marathon of Yuletide flicks -- eight to 10 to unwrap each day -- includes Angel in the Family, Christmas in Canaan, Christmas Comes Home to Canaan, Anne Tyler’s Saint Maybe, The Case for Christmas, The Ultimate Gift, Our First Christmas, November Christmas and The Christmas Card.
Batman
IFC
(Through 5:15 pm)Biff! Thwak! The classic 1960s series officially joins IFC’s daily lineup, beginning with this marathon of memorable episodes.
NCIS
USA Network
(Through 8 pm) Rule 39: There is no such thing as coincidence. Rule 41: There is no such thing as a holiday without an NCIS marathon.
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'American Psychos' Movie Marathon
Epix
(Through 7:30 am Saturday) Because nothing says “Freedom!” like a celebration of cinema’s most messed-up characters, tune in for You’re Next, Breakdown, The Frozen Ground, The Usual Suspects, Primal Fear, Silence of the Lambs, Carrie (2013) and Texas Chainsaw.
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Star Trek: The Next Generation
BBC America
(Through 6 am Saturday) Boldly go... to the couch, to revisit the journey of Picard & Co.
The Twilight Zone
Syfy
(Through 8 pm) The annual spookfest returns, with such classic episodes as “The Hitchhiker,” “Eye of the Beholder” and, of course, “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet.”
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The Walking Dead
AMC
(Through 9 pm Sunday) Is your DVR nice and empty? You'll need the space for this every-episode-ever marathon, as all four TWD seasons air back-to-back-to-back-to-back.
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Criminal Minds
A&E
(Through 4 am Saturday) The marathon includes a grab bag of episodes from Seasons 4, 5 and 6.
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The American Bible Challenge
GSN
(Through midnight) Thou shalt not overdo it with the cheeseburgers at this year's barbecue.
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Masters of Sex
Showtime
(Through midnight) Before Season 2 bows July 13, start catching up with the first six episodes of Season 1. (Episodes 7-12 will air Saturday, July 5.)
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A Capitol Fourth
PBS
Dancing With the Stars host Tom Bergeron leads the celebration from Washington, D.C., alongside the National Symphony Orchestra.
Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular
NBC
Live from New York’s East River, Nick Cannon (America’s Got Talent) hosts the special, with performers including (of course) Ariana Grande, Hunter Hayes, Miranda Lambert and Lionel Richie.
