What's on TV
Monday 7/1
Mystery! Forgotten (PBS, 9-10:30 a.m., check local listings): Diana Rigg returns to host the excellent British series. The first installment is a contemporary mystery about two child murders committed 20 years apart. Part 1 of three begins July 1. Continues through July 15.
Romeo and Juliet (PBS, 10-11:30 p.m., check local listings): Great Performances presents Charles Gounod's exquisite opera from Shakespeare's play. Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu are beautiful and wonderful together. Filmed in a fantastic 13th-century castle in the Czech Republic, the film is a delight to watch (see story, page 20).
The Men Who Made the Movies (TCM, 8-9 p.m.): Five influential filmmakers are honored in this series. Sam Fuller is first, and his retrospective includes a long interview and clips from his films, including "The Big Red One," "Verboten!" and "Naked Kiss." Fuller is a treasure trove of cinematic insight. The series continues with Howard Hawks (July 9), George Cukor (July 16), Raoul Walsh (July 28), and King Vidor (July 30). Best of all, these documentaries are followed by films by the directors.
Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey (AMC, 10 p.m.-12 midnight): Filmmaker John Little has restored missing footage from Lee's final film, "The Game of Death."
Ultimate Guide: Fireworks (Discovery Channel, 9-10 p.m.): Fireworks are special to the Fourth, like flags and Uncle Sam on stilts. The history of the art and craft of firework displays began in China in the 9th century. The displays we think of today started in the 19th century with the discovery of potassium perchlorate. Learn about how they are made, by whom, and why we love them.
A Capitol Fourth 2002 (PBS, 8-9:30 p.m.): Barry Bostwick hosts this live event from Washington D.C. Aretha Franklin, Chuck Berry, Jane Monheit, and other singers join the National Symphony Orchestra.
Fawlty Towers (BBC America, 11 a.m.-5:20 p.m.; 8-10:15 p.m.): One of the funniest sitcoms ever made was British and John Cleese was its star in 1975. Here's the chance to see all 12 episodes in order. Cleese then talks about the real-life experience he had with the rudest hotel manager on earth the man who inspired Cleese to create Basil Fawlty, the inn proprietor from outer darkness.
