TVSquad

Ted Danson is one of those actors who just keeps chugging along through the years. He could have easily disappeared after Cheers, but he's been working steadily in both movies and TV.

Becker sort of flew under the radar, but aired from 1998 to 2004. There was the short-lived Help Me Help You in 2006. Danson even voiced a part on King of the Hill (Tom Hammond in "The Accidental Tourist" episode).

But it's his stint as the sinister Arthur Frobisher in Damages that's brought him into the forefront again. It also helped to catapult him into his next gig -- a lead role in HBO's comedy pilot Bored to Death.

Pushing Daisies, my favorite new show from last season, has just announced that Stephen Root is set to guest star on its upcoming season, which premieres October 1st. Although Root is probably best known as the Swingline Stapler-loving Milton Waddams from Office Space, he's no stranger to television. Root also played eccentric boss Jimmy James on the David Foley comedy NewsRadio for four years and currently voices Bill on King of the Hill.

Root is signed up for a four-episode arc on Daisies. His character apparently has a connection to both Ned and Chuck's fathers. Series creator Bryan Fuller says that "He stirs up a lot of hullabaloo for everyone, particularly Aunts Lily and Vivian."

It's another holiday, and that means more TV marathons and specials! Here's a handy guide to the 4th (and the 5th and 6th).

July 4

• AMC has Planet of the Apes movies all morning, then the Jaws movies starting at 10:30am.
• At 6am, USA has a Walker, Texas Ranger marathon.
• TMC has episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents (80s version) at 6, then Hitchcock movies all day.
• At 7, ESPN2 has coverage of Wimbledon Tennis.
• At 8, A&E has a marathon of Paranormal State.
• Biography has a City Confidential marathon starting at 8.
• There's a Twilight Zone marathon starting at 8 on Sci-Fi.
• At 9, TruTV has a Beach Patrol marathon.
• FX has a King of the Hill marathon at 9.
• At noon, NBC has more Wimbledon.
• At 2pm, TV Land has an I Love Lucy marathon.
• At 3, HGTV has a Design Star marathon.
• At 8, PBS has A Capitol Fourth.
• At 9, NBC has the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular.
• At 10, CBS has the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular.

For many longtime TV Squad readers the name Adam Finley could only be associated with one thing: the wide world of animation. Adam was passionate about animation, covering many shows for us here as well as reporting on anything and everything happening in the industry. So it's only right that the award for Excellence in Animation be named after him.

There's all kinds of possibilities for contenders here. I'd give a nod to both Star Wars tributes -- Family Guy and Robot Chicken -- and South Park definitely stretched their animation style with 'Major Boobage,' but I didn't think the episode was all that good. Aqua Teen Hunger Force had some good episodes this season (personal favorites include the VeggieTales parody and that crazy trilogy that opened the season).

But I've by no means watched all the best in animation this year, so I call out to you, dear readers. Which episodes or shows do you think set the bar or even raised it in this past year? Are The Simpsons out of their prime and not worthy of TVS recognition? How about King of the Hill or American Dad? The new The Mr. Men Show is retro-tastic, simple, but still cleverly awesome! Too many to handle! Help me TVS Readers, you're my only hope!

• At 7, ABC has two new episodes of Extreme Makeover, followed by the two hour season finale of Desperate Housewives.
• CBS has a new 60 Minutes at 7, then The Country Music Awards.
• NBC has a new Dateline at 7, followed by a marathon of The Office.
• At 8, The CW has the season finale of Everybody Hates Chris, then the series finale of Aliens in America and the season finale of The Game.
• FOX has the season finales of The Simpsons and King of the Hill at 8.
• History Channel has the special Indiana Jones and the Ultimate Quest at 8.
• TV Land has the M*A*S*H series finale at 8.
• Also at 8: Food Network has a new Challenge.
• At 8:55: Sci-Fi has the Indiana Jones-related documentary The Mystery of the Crystal Skulls.
• At 9, PBS has a new Masterpiece.
• There's a new episode of The Tudors on Showtime at 9, then a new This American Life.
• At 9:30, FOX has the season finale of American Dad.
• At midnight, Cartoon Network has a new Metalocalypse, followed by new episodes of Squidbillies and Assy McGee.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, followed by the season finale of Survivor and the Survivor Live Reunion Show.
• ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos at 7, then new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
• NBC has the special America's Favorite Mom at 7, followed a mini-marathon of The Office.
• Also at 7: ABC Family has Mary Poppins, then the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
• At 8, FOX has a new Simpsons, then a new King of the Hill.
• There's a new Everybody Hates Chris on The CW at 8, followed by new episodes of Aliens in America and The Game.
• PBS has new episodes of Nature and Masterpiece.
• TNT has NBA Playoffs at 8.
• At 9, Sci-Fi has the new movie Never Cry Werewolf.
• Showtime has a new episode of The Tudors at 9, followed by a new This American Life.
• At 9:30, FOX has a new American Dad.
• At 10, Food Network has a new Throwdown with Bobby Flay.
• At 12:15am, Cartoon Network has a new Squidbillies, then a new Assy McGee.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• TNT has NBA playoff action all night.
• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, then new episodes of Big Brother and Cold Case, then an episode of Dexter.
• ABC has two new episodes of Extreme Makeover starting at 7, followed by new episodes of Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters.
• NBC has a new Dateline at 7, then new episodes of Monk and Psych.
• At 8, FOX has new episodes of The Simpsons, King of the Hill, and Family Guy.
• There's a new Everybody Hates Chris on The CW at 8, then new episodes of Aliens in America and The Game.
• Nickelodeon has a new Zoey 101 at 8, then a new Dance on Sunset.
• Food Network has a new Challenge at 8.
• At 9, Sci-Fi has the new movie Infected.
• Showtime has a new episode of The Tudors at 9, followed by a new Tracey Ullman's State of the Union.
• At 10, Food Network has a new Throwdown with Bobby Flay.
• At 12:15am, Cartoon Network has a new Squidbillies.

Check your local TV listings for more.

Great news here for fans of the short-lived HBO sitcom, Lucky Louie. According to The Hollywood Reporter, LL alums Louis C.K. and Pamela Adlon have been tasked with writing a new sitcom for CBS, where surprise - they play a husband and wife.

Sounds a lot like Lucky Louie to me.

CBS being network TV and all, there will obviously be some changes though. For one, the trademark raunchiness of the original Honeymooners-inspired half-hour will be gone, but I'm sure we can still expect plenty of laughs. The yet-to-be-titled series will focus on a married couple with too many children. Louis C.K. will executive produce.

While I'm thrilled about the return of something even remotely similar to Lucky Louie (they'll reach a much broader audience on CBS), I do have one worry. Between her duties as the voice of Bobby on King of the Hill and her role with this new project, is Adlon still going to have time for Californication? Her character was one of the best parts of season one.

• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, then new episodes of Big Brother and Cold Case, then an episode of Dexter.
• ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos at 7, followed by new episodes of Oprah's Big Give, Desperate Housewives, and Eli Stone.
• NBC has a new Dateline at 7, then episodes of Monk and Psych.
• At 8, FOX has a new Simpsons, followed by a new King of the Hill.
• There's a new Everybody Hates Chris on The CW at 8.
• PBS has a new Nature at 8, then a new Masterpiece.
• Comedy Central has the live Night of Too Many Stars charity event at 8.
• Also at 8: ESPN has the Red Sox/Yankees game.
• At 8:30, Nickelodeon has a new Dance on Sunset.
• At 9, The CW has a new episode of The Game.
• HBO has a new John Adams at 9.
• Showtime has a new episode of The Tudors at 9, then a new Tracey Ullman's State of the Union.
• National Geographic has the special Human Footprint at 9.
• At 10, FX has a new Dirt.
• Food Network has a new Throwdown with Bobby Flay at 10.
• At 12:15am, Cartoon Network has a new Squidbillies.

Check your local TV listings for more.

(S03E16) "This is what someone told me reading a book is like." - Randy Hickey

I really can't decide if the writers for Earl are geniuses or drunks. Right when people start to complain that the show is getting stale they take it in a new direction that no one could see coming and yet is perfectly believable.

A big part of why I love this show is seeing the flashbacks where Earl was a complete reprobate. Even better is seeing Randy as the same kind of reprobate and yet just as simple. Joy, of course, remains exactly the same, no matter where or when she is, even if she's only in Earl's imagination.

• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, then new episodes of Big Brother and Cold Case and an episode of Dexter.
• ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos at 7.
• NBC has a new Dateline at 7, then episodes of Monk and Psych.
• At 8, The CW has a new Everybody Hates Chris.
• PBS has a new Nature at 8, then a new Masterpiece.
• Nickelodeon has new episodes of Zoey 101 and Dance Sunset.
• Disney has two new episodes of The Wizards of Waverly Place starting at 8.
• Also at 8: VH-1 has a new Celebrity Fit Club, followed by a new Rock of Love with Bret Michaels.
• At 8:30, FOX has a new King of the Hill.
• At 9, ABC has a new Oprah's Big Give, followed by a new Here Come The Newlyweds.
• The CW has a new episode of The Game at 9.
• Food Network has a new Iron Chef America at 9, then a new Throwdown with Bobby Flay.
• HBO has a new John Adams at 9.
• Showtime has a new episode of The Tudors at 9, then a new Tracey Ullman's State of the Union.
• At 10, FX has a new Dirt.
• At 12:15am, Cartoon Network has a new Squidbillies, then a new Assy McGee.

Check your local TV listings for more.

Propane rules! Fox has renewed King of the Hill for a 13th season. The down home hilarity of Hank and Peggy Hill, their son Bobby and dog Lady Bird, will continue for another year, likely remaining in Fox's strong Sunday night animation lineup that includes The Simpsons, Family Guy and American Dad -- although that's only speculation on my part.

Creators Mike Judge (the voice of Hank and Boomhauer) and Greg Daniels (The Office) will continue at the helm, and all the usual characters remain. That means more of Kathy Najimy as Peggy, Brittany Murphy as Luanne, Pamela Adlon as Bobby, Johnny Hardwick as Dale, and Stephen Root as Bill.

• TV Land continues its Andy Griffith Show marathon all night.
• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, then a new Big Brother.
• ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos at 7, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Oprah's Big Give, and Here Come The Newlyweds.
• NBC has a new, two hour Dateline at 7.
• At 8, The CW has a new Everybody Hates Chris, then a new Aliens in America.
• TCM has All About Eve at 8.
• Also at 8: HBO has the premiere of John Adams.
• At 8:30, FOX has a new King of the Hill.
• At 9, HGTV announces the winner of the Dream House Giveaway 2008.
• Showtime has a new L Word at 9.
• At 9:30, FOX has a new Unhitched.
• At 10, FX has a new Dirt.
• CBS has an episode of Dexter at 10.
• At 12:30am, Cartoon Network has a new Frisky Dingo.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, then a new Big Brother.
• ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos at 7, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Oprah's Big Give, and Here Come The Newlyweds.
• NBC has 100 Most Outrageous Moments at 7.
• At 8, FOX has a new Simpsons, then a new King of the Hill.
• There's a new Everybody Hates Chris on The CW, followed by a new Aliens in America.
• Also at 8: TCM has The Absent-Minded Professor, then Son of Flubber.
• At 9, HBO has the series finale of The Wire at 9, then a new episode of Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam.
• Showtime has a new L Word at 9.
• Sundance has a new Shameless at 9.
• At 9:30, FOX has a new Unhitched.
• At 10, CBS has an episode of Dexter.
• Breaking Bad's season finale airs on AMC at 10.
• FX has a new Dirt at 10.
• At 11:45, Cartoon Network has a new Aqua Teen Hunger Force, followed by new eps of Squidbillies and Frisky Dingo.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, then a new Big Brother, a new Cold Case, and an episode of Dexter.
• ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos, then a new, two hour Extreme Makeover and a new Brothers & Sisters.
• NBC has a new, two hour American Gladiators at 7, then the new Knight Rider movie.
• The CW has a new CW Now at 7.
• At 8, FOX has a new Simpsons, then new episodes of King of the Hill, Family Guy, and American Dad.
• PBS has a new Nature at 8, followed by a new Masterpiece.
• At 8:30, TNT has the NBA All-Star Game.
• At 9, HBO has a new episode of The Wire, then a new Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam.
• There's a new episode of The L Word on Showtime at 9.
• At 10, AMC has a new Breaking Bad.
• At 11:45, Cartoon Network has a new Aqua Teen Hunger Force, then a new Squidbillies.

Check your local TV listings for more.