July Fourth is a time to reflect on what unites us as Americans. TV watching, of course, is practically the new national pastime, and if you're putting the word America or American in the title of your show, it suggests that you have the ambition of reflecting our values in some way.

What can we learn about our country from some of these current or recent "American" series?

American Idol: It stands to reason that the most popular show in the U.S. would have to be the most American, by definition. But central to our culture is the idea that a person can come from nowhere and make themselves rich and famous, and Idol speaks to that more than does, say, CSI. It's no coincidence that Idol contestants from more rural and less affluent parts of the country tend to be embraced as fan favorites, or that those who have already had and lost record deals are usually resented. You've had your chance at the American dream, the thinking goes. Let others have their chance.

America's Next Top Model: You can't strike the proverbial pose without a very healthy ego, and Americans are known internationally for their fondness for bragging. Tyra Banks, the host of ANTM, is a very attractive woman who has gone a very long way without any real charm or talent -- something disturbingly common here, and something many Americans aspire to.

America's Got Talent: This is a country that celebrates individualism, and where people in pursuit of their dream tend to be encouraged, no matter how hopeless (one reason Simon Cowell's bracing honesty on Idol became so controversial). This series is dedicated to the belief that if someone is good at something, then by God, it ought to be rewarded.

America's Most Wanted: This is now one of the longest running prime time series in history, which speaks to two things: an awful lot of people live in the United States, and a good many of those people are criminals. The show does not glamorize those that it features all that much, so it could really be even more American than it already is.

Greatest American Dog: Americans love dogs in the abstract, but not so much in reality as they used to, as the cat (horrors!) is now the most popular pet in the country. This helps to explain why this series, which was actually not that bad and included some truly adorable pooches, didn't make it past one season.

America's Funniest Home Videos: Americans love to tinker, to find uses for items that no one had ever anticipated was possible. Let us now honor those pioneers of 20 years ago who realized that the camcorders they had bought to lovingly record Junior's first steps could also be used to tape him passing out after being hit in the stomach with a football.

American Experience, American Masters: By and large, we're not much into history, or high culture. Which is why these shows air on PBS.

American Gladiators: But we do like to watch behemoths in gaudy outfits tackling, throwings objects at, and otherwise tormenting civilians. Which is why the various forms of this series have not aired on PBS.

American Chopper: It's a show that doubles as a hour-long ad for a particular business, and that business is devoted to creating loud and garish motorcycles. I doubt I need to explain any further than that.

American Dad: The show is animated, and depictions of fathers in pop culture tend to be cartoon-like to begin with. Plus, it co-stars an alien. What American doesn't love E.T.?

Secret Life of the American Teenager: Every generation of American teenagers, going back to before my time, has been accused of setting a new low for behavior, ambition, academic achievement ... you name it. But one thing our kids are excellent at is keeping secrets.

Iron Chef America: We loved the notion of turning cooking into a competition, and the campy insanity of the original Japanese production. What we don't like near as much is stuff like eel, so the American version is much more domesticated ... and much less interesting.

The Miss America Pageant: This event is not nearly the spectacle it used to be, but its name tells us a good deal about what Americans have tended to prize in women: looks over substance, old-fashioned values over current mores, swimsuits over dress-for-success. At least the pageant still maintains a talent portion, although lack of interest in these singers, tumblers, and ventriloquists is believed to be one reason the pageant has been struggling. Because when you get right down to it, America will choose a pretty face over real accomplishment every time.

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