Off the Wall: Classic stars, critters and the 'Daily Show' departure

Off the Wall

is going

to the dogs.

Monthlong madness

Saturday launches Turner Classic Movies' annual month of Summer Under the Stars, spotlighting a different star for 24 hours daily. Gene Tierney starts it all, but the week's real biggies are Fred Astaire (Wednesday) and Katharine Hepburn (Friday). If vintage flicks aren't your thing, maybe dogs are. Ubiquitous animal advocate Betty White plays host for Discovery Family's Pawgust, showcasing four-legged series, specials and movies, like Saturday's live-action "101 Dalmations" (8 p.m., Discovery Family) starring Glenn Close as Cruella De Vil. There's a kid-timed Yappy Hour weekdays at 5 p.m., plus the new series "Animals LOL" (Friday at 8 p.m., Discovery Family). Lineups at tcm.com/summer and discoveryfamilychannel.com

Inside showbiz

Because there just isn't enough attention paid to an industry already honoring itself with about a dozen "insider" shows, here's more! "Close Up With The Hollywood Reporter" (Sunday at 11 a.m., Sundance) launches a weekly hour of "star-studded Emmy panels" prepping for a big night not coming till Sept. 20. "From Wags to Riches" (Thursday at 9 p.m., Discovery Family) follows Connecticut animal trainer Bill Berloni as he turns rescue dogs into theatrical stars. "The Comment Section" (Friday at 10:30 p.m., E!) is yet another half-hour dissection of pop culture, hosted by comic Michael Kosta. See his spinning head at michaelkosta.com

Talk talk

Because stars just don't have enough opportunity to talk about themselves, here come more daily chatfests, airing locally in test runs to see if they're ready for national syndication. "Ice & Coco" (weekdays at 11 a.m., WNYW/5) features "Law & Order: SVU" star Ice-T and his wife in interviews, games and lots of bulldog love. They slide into the slot just vacated by fellow test couple Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker's "The Boris and Nicole Show." Follow bulldog tweets at twitter.com/cutespartacus

Here comes comedy

It's summer's last wave of scripted originals. The premiere of "Significant Mother" (Monday at 9:30 p.m., CW/11) has "90210's" Josh Zuckerman discovering his best bud has started dating his newly separated mom. "The Office" fave Craig Robinson now stars as a musician who becomes "Mr. Robinson" (Wednesday at 9 and 9:30 p.m., NBC/4) when he takes a day job substitute teaching. And back for Season 2 are writer-stars Lennon Parham and Jessica St. Clair, as small-town BFFs raising a baby in "Playing House" (Tuesday at 10 p.m., USA), co-starring Keegan-Michael Key and Jane Kaczmarek. Binge through all 10 previous episodes on USA Friday, 2-7 p.m., or online anytime at usanetwork.com/videos

Big finales

Savvy LI native Melissa Joan Hart ends another successful series, as "Melissa & Joey" (Wednesday at 8 p.m., ABC Family) laughs its last. Then comes a pop culture milestone -- the final outing of political buzz-magnet "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" (Thursday at 11 p.m., Comedy Central). Taking over his desk Sept. 28: South Africa-born comic Trevor Noah. Vintage Stewart episodes now streaming at thedailyshow.com/monthofzen