1) “Top Gun: Maverick” (2022), 8-11 p.m., CBS. As July 4 nears, networks give us big-budget crowd-pleasers that put Americans in fighter planes. On Thursday, ABC has “Independence Day,” which has lots of flaws and little to do with the holiday. But today, CBS gives us Tom Cruise (shown here) in a film that’s solidly written, slickly made and kind of exciting. Read more…
In the olden days — well, a few years ago — shows doled out big moments carefully.
There were 22 episodes (or more) each season. If they rushed things, their world would implode the first year.
And nowadays? With short seasons, streaming shows can be high-octane. The latest example is “Dutton Ranch” (shown here), which closes its first season with a powerhouse episode Friday (July 3) on Paramount+ and, at 10 p.m.,, on the Paramount Network. Read more…
1) “R.J. Decker,” 8 p.m., ABC. If you haven’t seen this show (which has been renewed), here’s a chance to catch it from the start. Fresh from prison, a former photographer (Scott Speedman, shown here) becomes a private detective in Florida. That’s followed by the season’s first two episodes of “Will Trent.” Read more…
1) “Disney Celebrates America,” 8-10 p.m., ABC. This starts a six-day project that culminates in a 4th-of-July party, Saturday in Nashville. Today’s special (repeating Friday) views “The Pursuit of Happiness.” It ranges from the Disney parks to Jon Batiste (shown here at a previous event) in New Orleans and historical glimpses of baseball, Marilyn Monroe and the moon landing. Read more…
1) “BET Awards,” 8 p.m., BET, MTV, TV Land, Nickelodeon and more; repeats at 11:04 on BET. There are lots of music awards (plus a few for acting, sports and fashion) and lots of performances. That includes Cardi B (shown here), Queen Latifah, Common, MC Lyte, Jill Scott, Doechi and The War and Treaty. Druski, a mono-named comedian, hosts. Read more…
After a way-too-long pause, NBC has decided there will be a second season of “The Americas.”
It has also added a surprise: A new hour — “The Americas: A Wild 250th — will air at 9 p.m. July 2, two days before the U.S. turns 250.
The series (shwon heree) is a lush British-American co-production, viewing the natural world in all three continents. Some critics (including me) raved, some had restrained approval.
Award voters were also restrained. The show drew nominations for narrator Tom Hanks and composer Hans Zimmer, but not for the show itself. Read more…
1) “Disney Celebrates America,” all week, ABC. This start from 8-10 p.m. today, ranging from Disney parks to Jon Batiste in New Orleans and Savannah Bananas baseball. That repeats at 8 Friday, launching a marathon that reaches Nashville at 8 Saturday, with Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Clint Black, Nick Jonas and Fourth of July fireworks. Read more…
1) “I Am Patrick Swayze” (2019), 8-10 p.m., CW. Growing up in Houston, Swayze (shown here) jumped from football to theater to his mom’s dance studio. All served him well, in a strong movie career. Here’s a profile of Swayze, who died of cancer at 57, in 2009. Also, IFC is showing two of his films — “Red Dawn” (1984) ar4:40 p.m. and “Point Break” (1991) at 7:30. Read more…
1) “Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness” debut, 9 p.m., HBO; also 9:34 and 11:08. There are a lot of serious celebrations of the country’s 250th birthday, but here’s a chance for fun. Sub-titled “An Almost History of America,” it’s a six-week sketch-comedy series produced by Barack Obama, who was president, and Larry David (shown here with the Wright Brothers, sort of), who wasn’t. Read more…
1) CMA Fest, 8-11 p.m., ABC. Country’s top stars perform in Nashville. There are long-familiar names — Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Lainey Wilson, Keith Urban, Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw. And there are relatively fresh forces, including Riley Green (who co-hosts), Ella Langley (shown here), Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Molly Tuttle and Shaboozey. Read more…
Best-bets for July 1: TV guns for holiday mood 
Best-bets for June 30: R.J., T and soccer 
Best-bets for June 29: The July 4th build-up begins 
