When in Rome
"Spartacus: War of the Damned" (8 p.m. Friday, Starz), deemed by watchdog groups to be the bloodiest series in TV history, returns for a final season — and don't expect the warriors to suddenly switch from swords to Tiddlywinks. For the five of you who watch for a history lesson and not the carnage, note that Todd Lasance shows up as the legendary Julius Caesar.
Cliff notes
Does the Bard drive you batty? Let some top actors guide you through the rough stuff. "Shakespeare Uncovered" (8 p.m. Friday, TPT, Ch. 2), a six-film series, kicks off with Ethan Hawke tutoring viewers on "Macbeth," followed by Joely Richardson and Vanessa Redgrave dissecting Shakespeare's comedies.
Petrie's prize
Two things are almost certain to happen during "The 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards" (7 p.m. Sunday, TBS, TNT): Daniel Day-Lewis will pick up yet another piece of hardware for his portrayal of "Lincoln" (unless Bradley Cooper scores an upset) and Dick Van Dyke will receive the lifetime achievement award (unless he trips over an ottoman on his way to the stage).
Child's play
If you still haven't caught "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" (8 p.m. Sunday, TLC), consider yourself lucky. Those who insist on seeing what all the fuss is about may want to start off with this episode, which features favorite clips from the past 26 episodes and behind-the-scenes footage.
Neal Justin
