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Mary Tyler Moore is the cat’s meow; a visit with Apted’s ’14 Up’; cable gets case of ‘L.A. Detectives’

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

Sunday

“Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger’s Drift” / 6 and 10 p.m. A&E;

Looking to curl up with a new mystery? A&E;, the home of such stalwart sleuths as Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot and Inspector Morse, presents the first of two from author Caroline Graham, who sets her story in Midsomer, an English county filled with intrigue and eccentrics. The protagonist is Chief Inspector Barnaby (John Nettles), a Brit with a loving wife and a younger assistant (Daniel Casey). In “Badger’s Drift,” an elderly woman witnesses a “shocking” event, but dies before she can tell anyone about it.

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“Mary Tyler Moore in Three Cats From Miami ...” / 8 p.m. HBO

People who respond to the unconditional love of an animal are the subjects of this special showcasing the Delta Society, a group that has pioneered the field of animal-assisted therapy through its Pet Partners Program. Essentially, this HBO project offers highlights from a recent awards show honoring animals that helped children and adults in need. A turtle named Mo gets the Hard Shell, Soft Heart Award for building self-esteem in a child born without legs. But what about the titular felines? They get the Cat’s Meow Award for the joy brought to nursing home residents.

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“14 Up in America” / 8 p.m. Showtime

Michael Apted produced this American version of his provocative documentary series following the maturity of individuals from age 7 through adulthood. “14 Up” revisits the youngsters introduced in “Age 7 in America,” including children from Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, rural Georgia and Lincoln, Neb. The L.A. connection features Michael, who attends private school; Julio, who dreams of attending Harvard, and Salina, a latch-key kid who has moved to a town in Washington.

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Tuesday

“Private Screenings: June Allyson” / 5 and 8 p.m. TCM

Host Robert Osborne’s interview series turns the spotlight on the Brooklyn-born actress whose husky voice and wholesome beauty led to roles as the proverbial girl-next-door in MGM musicals of the ‘40s. How did that typecasting affect her? “It bothered me a lot,” says the sunny retiree, who subsequently starred for director Jose Ferrer in “The Shrike,” a 1955 drama in which she drove her husband (Ferrer) into a breakdown. The film’s downbeat ending was reshot “just so I could be good.”

Wednesday

“Live From Lincoln Center” / 8 p.m. KCET

Wynton Marsalis, the New Orleans native and first jazz artist to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize in music, always gets our attention. In this PBS appearance, he leads the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra in a program featuring big band favorites (Duke Ellington’s “Boy Meets Horn”) and one of his own creations called “Big Train.” Shirley Horn also performs on the two-hour show, which sets aside time for backstage segments designed to broaden our appreciation of the music makers and their melodies.

Friday

“L.A. Detectives” / 6 and 10 p.m. A&E;

The long-running success of “Cops” inspired the creation of such syndicated entries as “Real Stories of the Highway Patrol” and “LAPD: Life on the Beat.” Now cable gets into the act with “Rescue 911” producer Arnold Shapiro’s weekly look at the exploits of detectives in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Stressing that the “action is all real,” A&E; says each episode probes cases involving theft, drugs, arson, prostitution, stolen cars and homicide, just the sort of illicit behavior that one can find every Saturday night on Fox.

Saturday

“Pops Goes the Fourth!” / 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. A&E;

“A Capitol Fourth” / 7:30 p.m. KCET

Two traditional specials celebrate the holiday with a bang. On the three-hour A&E; show set by the Charles River, Keith Lockhart leads the Boston Pops in renditions of spirited tunes sung by Melissa Manchester. Later on PBS, host Tony Danza turns song-and-dance man as Erich Kunzel oversees the National Symphony Orchestra in the nation’s capitol. Michael Feinstein, Lesley Gore, Sha Na Na and Metropolitan Opera luminary Harolyn Blackwell also lend their voices to the Fourth of July bash, with plenty of fireworks to light the way.

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