Fourth of July TV lineup: Specials, marathons and more

What's today's forecast? Rain? Heat?

Or perhaps, TV.

Holiday tube lineups can be mindblowing enough to keep you inside. Here's an astonishing program note -- MTV, VH1 and CMT are airing music all day!

Less surprising: Other channels plan to spotlight the significance behind America's Fourth of July festivities.

Either way, there's plenty to watch.

EVENTS

"Music Independence Day" (6 a.m.-6 p.m., MTV/VH1/ CMT) Emerging artists are showcased across all three "platforms," also on channel websites.

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"Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular" (8-11 p.m., NBC/4) Nick Cannon hosts New York's celebration with wife Mariah Carey, Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift, Cher, Pitbull, Selena Gomez.

"A Capitol Fourth" (8 p.m., PBS/13; 9 p.m., WLIW/21) Tom Bergeron hosts D.C. show with Barry Manilow, Candice Glover, Scotty McCreery, Darren Criss, Jackie Evancho.

"Philly 4th of July Jam" (8-11 p.m., VH1/Palladia) Comic Kevin Hart hosts annual outdoor bash, with The Roots, Ne-Yo, John Mayer, Jill Scott, Hunter Hayes.

HISTORY

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"The Revolutionary War" (6 and 11 a.m., 5 p.m., Military) Six-part tale of the American war of independence repeats three times.

"America: The Story of Us" (10 a.m.-4 p.m., History) First half of re-creation saga covers Revolution to Civil War.

"The Revolution" (11 a.m.-midnight, H2) American independence docuseries.

"John Adams" (noon-9 p.m., HBO2) Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney star in 2008 mini-series.

"Anthem: The Story Behind the National Anthem" (2 p.m., 1 a.m., WLIW/21) Documenting Francis Scott Key's "Star- Spangled Banner" composition during the War of 1812.

MOVIES

"Back to the Future" (6:15 a.m., 12:05, 6 and 11:50 p.m., Encore) Michael J. Fox triple feature runs four times.

"Harry Potter" films (11:40 a.m., 7 p.m., HBO Family) Triple feature runs twice: "Chamber of Secrets," "Prisoner of Azkaban," "Deathly Hallows Part 2."

"Dinotopia" (11:45 a.m.-6:55 p.m., Encore Family) Humans live alongside dinos in 2002 saga.

"1776" (7 p.m., Sony Movie Channel; 1:30 a.m., Turner Classic Movies; Friday 9 a.m., Antenna TV) Broadway musical-turned-1972 Hollywood film of independence, with William Daniels, Ken Howard, Blythe Danner.

"North and South, Book III" (8 p.m.-12:45 a.m.; repeats Friday 9:10 a.m.-2 p.m., Encore Westerns) 1994 post-Civil War mini-series, with Kyle Chandler, Jonathan Frakes, Genie Francis.

SERIES

"The Lone Ranger" (7 and 10 a.m., 8-10 p.m., Cozi TV) Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels in '40s-'50s Western classic.

"The Twilight Zone" (8 a.m.-6 a.m. Friday, Syfy) Fan-favorite episodes in prime time: "Eye of the Beholder," "To Serve Man," "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet."

"I Love Lucy" (9 a.m.-9 p.m., WLNY/10/55) Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz's timeless 1950s gagfest.

"Beverly Hills 90210" (10 a.m.-7 p.m., SoapNet) Life's a beach in '90s Fox teen fave.

"Gidget" (11 a.m.-2:30 a.m., Antenna TV) All 32 episodes of Sally Field's '60s "girl midget" surfer chick.

"The Walking Dead" (1-8 p.m., 8 p.m.-3 a.m., AMC) First-season marathon of zombie nail-biter, with nighttime black-and-white version for squeamish viewers. (Season 2 encore tomorrow at 1p.m., season 3 Saturday at 1p.m.)

"Charlie's Angels" (24 hours, Universal HD) "From the beginning" marathon of '70s fave runs through tomorrow night, includes "Love Boat Angels" (9-11 a.m.).

REALITY

"Aerial America" (6 a.m.-6 a.m. Friday, Smithsonian) National landscapes include New York (10 p.m.), Hawaii (11 p.m.).

"North America" (11 a.m.-6 p.m., Animal Planet) Recent docuseries gets a marathon run.

"Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" (1:30 p.m.-3 a.m., TLC) Southern fried hokum, plus-sized.

"Pawn Stars" (4 p.m.-4 a.m., History) The shop assesses items linked to Americans from John Hancock to Elvis Presley.