Series
The past season's second most shocking episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (9 p.m. Wed., WB) has its first rerun; yep, it's "The Body," and you'll want to watch it so you'll know what all the fuss was about. Our long national nightmare returns: Big Brother 2 (8 p.m. Thurs., CBS) kicks off its 11-week run, and the producers promise that this one won't suck as bad as the first. Oh, great -- take away all our fun! At least we still have Julie Chen to kick around. On Sex and the City (9 p.m. Sun., HBO), Carrie and Aidan confront the past, Charlotte ponders a future with a family and Miranda has an injury that forces her to slow down. Nate makes some surprising discoveries about his father and Claire feels drawn to Brenda's manic-depressive brother on Six Feet Under (9:30 p.m. Sun., HBO). Flickerstick and Soulcracker compete for all the marbles on the finale of Bands on the Run (10:30 p.m. Sun., VH1).
Specials
"I believe in America." Those are the first words of "The Godfather," so what better way to spend Independence Day than with a Godfather marathon (6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT, Wed., American Movie Classics)? The festivities get underway with the documentary The Godfather Family: A Look Inside, and continue with back-to-back showings of The Godfather (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) and The Godfather, Part II (11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT). Keith Lockhart conducts a program of all-American favorites in Pops Goes the Fourth! (7:30 p.m. Wed., A&E), the annual Boston Pops concert on the banks of the Charles River. Cyndi Lauper, Arlo Guthrie and Debbie Reynolds guest. Expect musical fireworks of a softer kind in An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson (9 p.m. Wed., TNT), in which Paul Simon, Elton John, the Go-Go's, Aimee Mann and Michael Penn, Wilson Phillips, Billy Joel, Ann and Nancy Wilson and many others sing the songs of the former Beach Boy. Manhattan's holiday celebration is on display in NBC's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular (9 p.m. Wed., NBC), with narration from Martin Sheen, Angela Bassett, Gary Sinise and Kelsey Grammer and music from Jon Bon Jovi and Jessica Simpson. Diane Sawyer and Charles Gibson anchor the ABC News special Independence Day 2001 (10 p.m. Wed. ABC), a Philadelphia salute to freedom featuring fireworks, music by Garth Brooks and readings from the Declaration of Independence by Mel Gibson, Kevin Spacey, Edward Norton, Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman and others. Barry Bostwick hosts A Capitol Fourth (8 p.m. Wed., PBS, check local listings), the annual Washington gala. This year's performers are the Pointer Sisters, Harolyn Blackwell and a National Symphony salute to Stanley Kubrick. Dr. Nancy Snyderman hosts the ABC News special Women and Cigarettes: A Fatal Attraction (10 p.m. Thurs., ABC). The new TV movie Dean Koontz's "Black River" (8 p.m. Fri., Fox) stars Jay Mohr as a burned-out Hollywood screenwriter who thinks he's found the perfect little town for some rest and relaxation. Oh, sure. Melissa Etheridge: Live and Alone (10 p.m. Fri., VH1) features the suddenly loose-lipped rocker (enough about your failed relationship, already!) in a concert of songs selected by fans. John Travolta outdoes himself in every way possible in the howlingly awful bomb Battlefield Earth (9 p.m. Sat., HBO). Enjoy!
Sports
Baseball:
Cubs at Mets (1 p.m. Wed., ESPN)
Red Sox at Indians (1 p.m. Wed., ESPN2)
Yankees at Orioles (4 p.m. Wed., ESPN)
Diamondbacks at Astros (4 p.m. Wed., ESPN2)
Phillies at Braves (7 p.m. Wed., ESPN)
Giants at Dodgers (9 p.m. Wed., ESPN2)
Braves at Red Sox (7 p.m. Fri., TBS; 5 p.m. Sat., FX)
A's at Diamondbacks (10 p.m. Sat., FX)
Mets at Yankees (8 p.m. Sun., ESPN)
Wimbledon:
Men's quarterfinals (10 a.m. Wed., NBC; 1 p.m. Wed., TNT)
Women's semifinals (1 p.m. Thurs., NBC; 5 p.m. Thurs., TNT)
Men's semifinals (noon, Fri., NBC; 5 p.m. Fri., TNT)
Women's final (9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT, Sat., NBC)
Men's final (9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT, Sun., NBC)
All times Eastern unless noted.
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