Robert Philpot 
Channel surfing: Music, movies and more
Previous Columns
Robert Philpot
- Channel surfing: Ready for a marathon
- Channel Surfing: North Texans fall into step
- Channel surfing: Documentaries save the night
- Channel Surfing: Little Richard gets 'Restless'
- Channel surfing: Everybody plays tonight
- Dancing, Reeg and tributes
- BET examines hip-hop culture
- 'Farmer’ picks a wife tonight
- Networks still playing games with three new entries
- North Texans dealing with reality on the tube tonight
- Get in training for Olympics
- Daytime soaps get their big night
- 'Dance' the night away with two high-steppin' reality shows
- Reality TV can take the heat
- Kimmel’s back in prime time
- See hometown heroes tonight
- A marathon of 'Made'
- Lots going on off the tube
- 'Boys,' Bill and Bravo's A-List
Walker, Texas Ranger: USA gives you three mini-marathons today: Four Walker episodes, followed by five JAGs, followed by eight NCISes. Begins 5 a.m., USA
Rough N Ready 4th of July Showdown: Or, 30 hours of Westerns, beginning with the not-so-rough City Slickers. 8 a.m., HALL
Fa La La La Fourth:Reba’s Melissa Peterman hosts a 14-hour marathon of Christmas movies.You read that right. Begins 8 a.m., LIFE
A Capitol Fourth: Jimmy Smits hosts this annual celebration, which has an eclectic musical lineup including Huey Lewis, Jerry Lee Lewis and several singers not named Lewis. 7 p.m., KERA/Channel 13
The 2008 Hero Awards: Dean Cain, once a caped superhero on TV, hosts this special honoring philanthropists, emergency personnel and volunteers. B.J. Thomas, Gloria Gaynor and American Idol’s Ace Young perform. 7 p.m., KDFI/Channel 27
Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular:Today’s Natalie Morales and Tiki Barber host. Performers include Kenny Chesney, Natasha Bedingfield and American Idol’s Jordin Sparks and Katharine McPhee. 8 p.m., KXAS/Channel 5
Chevy’s Freedom Over Texas: This two-hour special originates from a Houston celebration that boasts that it has the biggest land-based fireworks show in America. Miranda Lambert, Sara Evans and Jo Dee Messina perform. 8 p.m., KTVT/Channel 11
Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular: This is CBS late-night host Craig Ferguson’s second turn at hosting this shindig, but it’s his first as a U.S. citizen — the Scottish-born personality took the oath in February. Rascal Flatts will perform with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra. 9 p.m., KTXA/Channel 21
Mabe in America: Comedian Tom Mabe hosts this new hidden-camera prank show. 9:30 p.m., CMT
