Your guide to navigating the long, holiday weekend if fireworks aren’t enough entertainment:
Kick off the long holiday weekend early as everyone else in the office sneaks out with SOAPnet’s 10-part web series in which two characters from different ABC daytime dramas meet in vignettes unrelated to their show’s storylines. Among the star-crossed encounters is a clash of egos between AMC diva Erica Kane and GH mobster Sonny Corinthos.
“Royal Pains” (Friday, starting at 6 a.m., USA) Couldn’t get that house in the Hamptons for the long holiday weekend? At least you can imagine what it’d be like to be there–and experiencing a medical emergency–with this exhaustive “Royal Pains” marathon.
“Merlin: The Last Dragon” (Friday, 10 p.m., Syfy) Mama always thought Colin Morgan, the title star of this re-imagined legend, looked more like a secondary hobbit than a vaunted boy wizard. But the second season finale promises some of its own fireworks as the boys track down Morgana, abducted by sister Morgause, and as Merlin deals with the consequences of freeing the dragon that could threaten Camelot.
“The Forgotten” (Saturday, 9 and 10 p.m., ABC) Mama actually forgot about this series while she was watching the pilot episode. You can re-acquaint yourself with this canceled procedural now that ABC is finally getting around to burning it off with back-to-back episodes. Someday, there will be a worthy Christian Slater TV vehicle–but this was definitely not it.
“True Blood” (Sunday, starting at 8 p.m., HBO) Mama would prefer watching the werewolf/vampire clash any day over witnessing the post-fireworks fight for a 6 train. And what’s more patriotic than the red synthetic blood, pasty white skin of Sookie and blue mood that Tara has been in all season? Catch up on the first three episodes of season 3.
“Mad Men” (Monday, starting at 8 p.m., AMC) It’s only 24 days until Mama’s boyfriend, Don Draper, returns with season 4. So spend your day off checking out his much cooler, hipper and more intoxicated workplace with the best of season 1.