• Independence Day brings tradition, fireworks and familiar pop stars to an overlapping array of prime-time celebration.

Jimmy Smits hosts the 29th annual installment of “A Capitol Fourth” (7 p.m., PBS, check local listings), live from Washington, D.C. Crooner Barry Manilow will perform his biggest hits as well as patriotic numbers, making the West Lawn of the Capitol Building the hottest spot north of Havana.

Manilow will be joined by Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, pop star Natasha Bedingfield, the cast of the Four Seasons tribute musical “Jersey Boys” and pianists Michael Feinstein and Andrew von Oeyen. As he has for years, Erich Kunzel directs the National Symphony Orchestra.

In addition to celebrating the republic’s 233rd birthday, “Fourth” salutes 40 years of “Sesame Street” with songs and medleys from furry favorites, including Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch.

• Pop legend Neil Diamond joins host Craig Ferguson on the “Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular” (9 p.m., CBS). Diamond, with 37 top-10 hits over five decades, will recall some of these favorites, accompanied by the Pops Orchestra, under the direction of conductor Keith Lockhart. Look for Diamond to get crackin’ on his Cracklin’ Rosie in short order, because the last 21 minutes of the show will be devoted to fireworks.

• Just how far should a “player” go on reality television? The scripted Fox movie (and possible) series “Virtuality” posed that question when a key player on a 10-year mission to space (and extended reality series) discovered a tumor mid-flight. Tonight on a real (non-scripted) reality show “Expedition Africa” (9 p.m., Sunday, History), one of the participants contracts malaria, putting the expedition, if not the series, in some peril.

• What do you do after losing 100 pounds on cable television? If you’re “Ruby” (7 p.m., Sunday, Style), you return for a second season. As many know, shedding weight is one thing, but keeping it off is quite another. And this season, Ruby, who once tipped the scales at more than 700 pounds, must deal with an emotional setback — the death of her father.

Today’s highlights

• While on a mission, David learns more about his father’s demise on “Kings” (7 p.m., NBC).

• Catch the first four episodes of “Nurse Jackie” (7 p.m. through 9 p.m., Showtime).

• “The Suze Orman Show” (8 p.m. and 11 p.m., CNBC) fields money questions from men and women in military service.

• Eli and Jordan fight for the recently laid-off on “Eli Stone” (9 p.m., ABC).

• The Founding Fathers declare independence and sing, too, in the 1972 adaptation of the Broadway musical “1776” (9:15 p.m., TCM).

Sunday’s highlights

• Viewers can trawl for crabs during a “Deadliest Catch” (Discovery) marathon from 8 a.m. through 2 a.m., Monday.

• Lancelot comes to the young wizard’s rescue on “Merlin” (7 p.m., NBC).

• An antidrug crusader’s killing revisited on “Cold Case” (8 p.m., CBS).

• Matt Damon stars in the 2004 thriller sequel “The Bourne Supremacy” (8 p.m., NBC).

• Julia McKenzie stars in “Miss Marple: A Pocket Full of Rye” on “Masterpiece Mystery” (8 p.m., PBS, check local listings).