Newsday, Melville, N.Y., Glued To The Tube Column

By Diane Werts, Newsday, Melville, N.Y.

Jun. 30–Off the Wall just loves Christmas in July!

“LONESOME DOVE” ALERT: Network TV really doesn’t make miniseries anymore like 1989′s grand Emmy-winner “Lonesome Dove” (tonight 9-11, ION/31). The eight-hour classic from Larry McMurtry’s novel, starring Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones, gets broadcast over four consecutive Saturdays. Online exhibit from the “Lonesome Dove” production archives (scripts, storyboards, photos, more) at www.library.txstate.edu/ swwc/ld/ldexhibit.html.

HOW DO YOU SAY “STRIKE THREE” IN HEBREW? Maybe we’ll find out in the new documentary “Israel Baseball League Opening Day” (tomorrow at 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on WNET/13, 10 p.m. on WLIW/21), covering the historic event for the country’s first-ever pro baseball circuit. Official site (in English, too) at israelbaseballleague.com.

DIANA DAY. You won’t be able to miss Sunday’s “Concert for Diana” (tomorrow 11 a.m.-5 p.m., VH1), London’s Wembley Stadium birthday bash featuring the likes of Fergie, Kanye West, Elton John, Joss Stone, Diddy, Duran Duran, Nelly Furtado, Rod Stewart and Tom Jones. It’s simulcast live in high-def on MHD, delayed to run noon-6 p.m. on VH1 Classic, and highlighted 8-9 p.m. on NBC/4. Need more Princess Di? “Diana: Queen of Hearts” (tomorrow noon-2 p.m., WE) traces the late charmer’s life story, followed by a fashionista look at “Diana’s Dresses” (tomorrow at 2 p.m., WE). Sunday’s concert is also streamed live online at vh1.com.

CHRISTMAS IN JULY. No, not Preston Sturges’ wacky 1940 movie comedy of that title starring Dick Powell. This is an entire month of Christmas flicks weeknights at 8 on Lifetime Movie Network. First up: “Noel” (Monday at 8 p.m., LMN) with Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams and Penelope Cruz. Mark your calendar: A 40-movie holiday marathon airs July 14-15. Full lineup at lmn.tv.

FLYING FLICKS. Aviation is in the Tuesday spotlight all month on Turner Classic Movies. After a day of 1930s air films starting with John Trent’s “Mystery Plane” (Tuesday at 6 a.m., TCM), the evening is devoted to vintage real-life aviators. James Stewart stars as Charles Lindbergh in “The Spirit of St. Louis” (Tuesday at 8 p.m., TCM), while “Wrong Way” Corrigan plays himself in “The Flying Irishman” (early Wednesday at 4:15 a.m, TCM). Lots more at tcm.com/ thismonth/index.

MARATHON MANIA. Lots of stacked-up options fill tube time on the July 4 holiday. Series faves having marathons include Tony Shalhoub’s comedy suspenser “Monk” (Wednesday 6 a.m.-4 a.m., USA); TNT’s inevitable “Law & Order” (Wednesday 8 a.m.-11 p.m., TNT); those wacky “Wayans Bros.” (Wednesday 9 a.m.-6 p.m., BET); NBC’s water-logged adventure “Surface” (Wednesday 1-7 p.m., 8-10 p.m.; Thursday 7 a.m.-3 p.m., Universal HD); and our favorite animated Texas BBQ maven in “King of the Hill” (Wednesday noon-midnight, FX). You’d have to back up to catch the beginning of Sci Fi’s marathon of “The Twilight Zone” (Tuesday 8 a.m.-Thursday 5 a.m., except Tuesday 10-11 p.m., Sci Fi). Among the reality offerings: “MythBusters” (Wednesday 9 a.m.-midnight, Discovery) and “Project Runway” (Wednesday 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Bravo).

MOVIE MANIA. It’s a festival of film fests July 4. “Rocky” (Wednesday 9 a.m.-6 a.m., Spike) leads off a Sylvester Stallone quintuple feature. “Back to the Future” (Wednesday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., HBO) unreels with its two Michael J. Fox sequels. “Shaft in Africa” (Wednesday noon-6 p.m., TV One) is immediately followed by Richard Roundtree’s other two outings as the suave private eye. All six films in the “Star Wars” cycle (Wednesday 3:30 p.m.-Thursday 5:30 a.m., HBO2) get another run. But our fave would have to be the four Godzilla flicks led by “Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah” (Wednesday 9 a.m.-4:35 p.m., repeating 4:35 p.m.-midnight, Encore Action).

THE AMERICAN WAY. Certainly the Fourth of July is a great time to revisit our national creation story in documentaries like “The Revolution” (Wednesday 10 a.m.-11 p.m., History) and “The Revolutionary War” (Wednesday 6 a.m.-Thursday 6 a.m., Military Channel). But it’s also an ideal moment for modern-day Americana, by which we mean Coney Island’s “Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest” (Wednesday noon-1 p.m., ESPN). Details at nathans famous.com/nathans/contest.

FIREWORKS FUN. Wow, the networks aren’t even scheduling their big July 4 extravaganzas against each other. First comes New York’s perennial “Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular” (Wednesday at 9 p.m., NBC/4), with “American Idol’s” Jordin Sparks, Blake Lewis and Melinda Doolittle, plus Joss Stone and Martina McBride. Then you can change channels to the annual “Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular” (Wednesday at 10 p.m., CBS/2), featuring John Mellencamp, doubtless sledgehammering us again with his ain’t-that-America Chevy-ad song. PBS also offers its traditional “A Capitol Fourth” (Wednesday at 8 p.m. on WNET/13, 9:30 p.m. on WLIW/21), with “American Idol’s” Elliott Yamin and other stars. That’s right after the fireworks documentary “Pyromania” (Wednesday at 9 p.m., Ch. 21). Macy’s fireworks viewing info at macys.com/campaign/fire works/index.jsp.

“JERICHO’S” TRIUMPHANT RETURN. In encore form, anyway. CBS reintroduces its revived series “Jericho”

(Friday at 9 p.m., CBS/2) with the series pilot, followed on July 13 by an hour clipfest at 8 and later weekly episodes at 9. Let’s hope it does better than NBC’s encore of “Friday Night Lights,” whose ratings collapse got it yanked from the lineup last week. Every “Jericho” episode streams online at cbs.com/jericho.

Copyright 2007 Newsday Inc.

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