Marathons for Labor Day weekend

Another holiday weekend, another mountain of marathons.

There's the overnight return of "Friends," the usual overdose of "Law & Order(s)" and, for those new to BBC America, a handy U.K. "Top Gear" blowout.

Some of our top choices:

COMEDY

Awkward (Sunday 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., MTV) -- Find out why this eccentric new show has quickly become must-see, with the pilot, plus six episodes.

Friends (Monday-Sept. 11, 8 p.m.-6 a.m., Nick at Nite) -- Weeklong celebration welcomes NBC's '90s hit to the lineup, where it then airs weeknights 10-11 p.m.

Other shows "Two and a Half Men" (Sunday noon-midnight, FX); "How I Met Your Mother" (Monday noon-midnight, FX); Australian original version of "Wilfred" (Monday 1-4 p.m., IFC).

DRAMA

Battlestar Galactica (Friday at 9 p.m.-Saturday at 9 p.m., BBC America) -- Start over with the amazing 2003 miniseries, the entire first season and much of Season 2, starring Edward James Olmos and Katee Sackhoff.

Torchwood: Miracle Day (Monday noon-9 p.m., StarzEdge) -- The first nine episodes of the acclaimed series' current U.S.-set season, concluding next Friday.

Charlie's Angels (Monday 6 a.m.- Tuesday 6 a.m., Universal HD) -- Original '70s adventures (Farrah, etc.), to compare with ABC's soon-to-debut remake.

More marathons "Burn Notice" (Saturday 1 p.m.-Sunday 6 a.m., Cloo); "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (Sunday 6 a.m.-Monday 6 a.m., Cloo); "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (Sunday night at midnight-Monday 8 p.m., Chiller); "Law & Order: SVU" (Monday 6 a.m.-11 p.m., Cloo); "NCIS" (Monday 6 a.m.-9 p.m., USA); "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" (Monday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., ABC Family); "My So-Called Life" (Monday 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Sundance); "The Closer" (Monday 1-10 p.m., TNT).

UNSCRIPTED

Top Gear (Sunday 6 a.m.-8 p.m., early Monday 1-6 a.m., Monday 8 a.m.-Tuesday 5 a.m., BBC America) -- Watch the U.K.'s witty Jeremy, Richard and James test Ferraris, Bugattis, McLarens, Citroens and even NASA.

Other shows "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" (Saturday 1-7 p.m., Sunday noon-4 p.m. and 8-11 p.m., Monday 3-11 p.m., E!); "So You Think You Can Dance" (Saturday 4 p.m.-3 a.m., Sunday 5 p.m.-5 a.m., Monday 10 a.m.-2 a.m., Ovation); "American Ninja Warrior" (Monday 9 a.m.-4 a.m., G4); "Jersey Shore" (Monday 9 a.m.-10 p.m., MTV); "American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior" (Monday 9 a.m.-10 p.m., Discovery); "Undercover Boss" (Monday 1-9 p.m., TLC)

MOVIES

Lonesome Dove (Saturday 4 p.m.-midnight, AMC) -- Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones and Anjelica Huston in Larry McMurtry's classic Western miniseries.

Star Wars (Saturday 4:20 p.m.-2:30 a.m., Spike) -- Episodes III, II and I kick off a host of weekend airings. Sunday-Monday airtimes at spike.com/tv-schedule.

Twilight (Saturday 9 p.m.-1:30 a.m., Monday 2-6:15 p.m., The Movie Channel) -- "Eclipse" leads into "New Moon."

50 Documentaries to See Before You Die (Sunday 8:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m., Monday 12:30- 5:30 p.m., Current) -- Count down the top docs with comments from iconic filmmakers.

Star Trek (Monday 8:15 a.m.- 10:45 p.m., Cinemax) -- Start with 1978's "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" and watch in order through 8 p.m.'s "First Contact."

Jerry Lewis comedies (Monday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., 5 p.m.-1 a.m., Antenna TV) -- He's still on Labor Day with this four-film '60s marathon: "Three on a Couch," "The Big Mouth," "Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River" and "Hook, Line and Sinker."

Moguls & Movie Stars (Monday 12:45-8 p.m., Turner Classic Movies) -- Smart seven-part history of Hollywood, crammed with clips and interviews.