The best TV and movie marathons for Fourth of July 2020

INDEPENDENCE DAY
INDEPENDENCE DAY, 1996, TM and Copyright (c) 20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved. Courtesy: Everett Collection. Photo: Everett Collection

As we roll into our fifth month of quarantine (deep, exhausted sigh) just in time for Fourth of July weekend, the usual beach outings and barbecues are off the table this year (or, at least, they should be). But, on the bright side, there's plenty to watch while we're cooped up this Independence Day. We're aware you could just watch Hamilton over and over again on Disney+, but if you choose to tune in to good old-fashioned cable TV, there's a smattering of marathons and specials to choose from.

On Friday, July 3, Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest will kick off the weekend with Live's Coast-to-Coast Fourth of July Show, welcoming viewers and guests (including Hamilton star Renée Elise Goldsberry) from across the country into their backyards via video chat as they host the show from home. That night, the CW will air the iHeartCountry 4th of July BBQ, with performances by Kane Brown, Lauren Alaina, and Old Dominion.

Then, on the Fourth, PBS will present the 40th anniversary edition of its annual A Capitol Fourth special, hosted by John Stamos and Vanessa Williams. The star-studded event will feature performances by Patti LaBelle, John Fogerty, Andy Grammer, Chrissy Metz, and more, with live fireworks from Washington, D.C.

Read on for more Independence Day viewing options.

Specials

July 3

Live's Coast-to-Coast Fourth of July Show — ABC (Check local listings)

iHeartCountry 4th of July BBQ — The CW, 8 p.m.

July 4

A Capitol Fourth — PBS (Check local listings)

Marathons

AMC: Independence Day (1 p.m. to 1 a.m.)

Bravo: Below Deck (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.)

Comedy Central: The Office (8 a.m. to midnight)

DIY: Pool Kings (7 a.m. to 2 p.m.), Insane Pools: Off the Deep End (2 p.m. to 4 a.m.)

E!: House (11:30 p.m. on July 3 to 3:30 p.m. on July 4)

Food Network: Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (1 p.m. to 4 a.m.)

Freeform: The Twilight Saga (Twilight, 11:30 a.m.; New Moon, 2:30 p.m.; Eclipse, 5:40 p.m.; Breaking Dawn: Part 1, 8:40 p.m.; Breaking Dawn: Part 2, 11:20 p.m.)

FX: Marvel marathon (Logan, 1:30 p.m.; Thor: The Dark World, 4:30 p.m.; Iron Man 3, 7 p.m.; Captain America: The Winter Soldier, 10 p.m.)

HGTV: Home Town (7 a.m. to 4 a.m.)

Nickelodeon: SpongeBob SquarePants (6 a.m. to 8 p.m.)

Paramount Network: Top Gun (12 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.)

SyFy: Bourne marathon (The Bourne Identity, 3:30 p.m.; The Bourne Supremacy, 6 p.m.; The Bourne Ultimatum, 8:25 p.m.)

TBS: Fast and Furious marathon (The Fast and the Furious, 12:00 p.m.; 2 Fast 2 Furious, 2 p.m.; The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, 4 p.m.; Fast & Furious, 6 p.m.)

TV One: Empire (6 a.m. to midnight)

TV Land: Roseanne (4 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

USA: Chrisley Knows Best (11 a.m. to 11 p.m.)

WEtv: Criminal Minds (10 a.m. to midnight)

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