Even though Independence Day falls on a Tuesday this year, the American celebration is still a holiday, from the activities you and your friends have planned to the programming set forth by various television networks. The 2017 Fourth of July TV schedule includes some expected traditions and a few surprises. No matter what you're feeling on your day off, you should be able to flip the channel to something that hits your craving.
Maybe you need something to put on while you're preparing a Fourth of July feast. Maybe it's just too hot outside, and you need some AC time. Maybe you want to set your DVR for the big fireworks display. There's no shame in watching TV all day, or just for a few hours in between activities. What you do on a holiday is your prerogative, not anyone else's.
That said, there's still a major decision to be made. What exactly do you want to sit down and watch? So check out a movie you haven't seen in a while, indulge in hours of a TV show you wouldn't normally watch thanks to the many catch-up marathons taking place, or catch one of the day's big events. Here's what you can find on the tube come July 4th.
Movies
Confuse your non-superhero loving fans with a mix of all franchises on FX. Starting with Green Lantern at 7 a.m. you can keep the comic love flowing with The Amazing Spider-Man at 9:30 a.m., The Amazing Spider-Man 2 at 12:30 p.m., and then Captain America: The First Avenger, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier at 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. respectively. Something for everyone.
TBS is giving you a different kind of comic offering with 17 Again, Tammy, and Blended starting at 10 a.m. — and MTV is taking a similar path with Superbad and The Hangover at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., respectively.
Freeform also has some supernatural picks on the docket, starting with Race To Witch Mountain at 11 a.m. and followed by Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, Night At The Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, and Twilight. You won't even need to turn to Netflix.
Marathons
You can catch Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager all day on BBCA. On TruTV is Impractical Jokers, with a few episodes of You Can Do Better thrown in. Bravo is showing Below Deck Mediterranean all day. Before and after the afore-mentioned movies, MTV is running marathons of Ridiculousness, and then old episodes of Fear Factor. Comedy Central is alternating between mini-marathons of South Park and Tosh.0. USA has NCIS and SyFy, as usual, has a Twilight Zone marathon.
You can celebrate in style by watching Independence Day on repeat over on E! network — which I know is a movie, but it counts as a marathon.
Events
A Capitol Fourth starts at 8 p.m. on PBS, hosted by John Stamos and featuring American classics like the Beach Boys, the Four Tops, the Blues Brothers, and Broadway star Phillipa Soo. NBC will air the Macy's 4th Of July Fireworks Spectacular at the same time. ABC's programming has yet to be announced.
As for sports, there's the first round of Wimbledon on ESPN from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by Major League Baseball in the evening.
So, if you're hitting the couch instead of the pool or the grill on Tuesday, at least you know there are plenty of enticing choices available on TV. Make the most of them!
