SPECIALS

“Pops Goes the Fourth! 2001” (7:30 p.m. A&E;) celebrates America’s 225th birthday as Keith Lockhart conducts the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra on the banks of the Charles River.

Barry Bostwick hosts “A Capitol Fourth 2001” (8 p.m. KCET, KVCR), the PBS perennial marking its 20th year on Capitol Hill. Luther Vandross, Donny Osmond, the Pointer Sisters and the Irish Tenors perform with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Erich Kunzel.

“Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular” (9 p.m. NBC), an hour offering colorful pyrotechnic displays in New York City, features Bon Jovi, Jessica Simpson and the cast of Broadway’s “42nd Street”

Michael Douglas, Mel Gibson, Whoopi Goldberg and other celebrities appear on “Independence Day 2001” (10 p.m. ABC), a gala anchored in Philadelphia by Diane Sawyer and Charles Gibson.

MOVIES

Billy Zane plays a reporter in “Sole Survivor” (8 p.m. Fox), a mediocre thriller based on Dean Koontz’ yarn about a mysterious plane crash. The two-part film concludes Thursday.

SPORTS

The Fourth of July generally marks the half-way point of the baseball season and with the pennant races heating up, ESPN presents a tripleheader beginning at 10 a.m. Also, the Giants visit the Dodgers at 6 p.m. on FSN2.