Television

Even though, like other critics DAVID BIANCULLI wasn't given a preview of Curb Your Enthusiasm's return, he's celebrating the show with a retrospective.

Tom and Dick Smothers came to CBS in 1967 not really intending to lead or support a revolution. They just got caught up in it — and they happened to have a network program "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour", with some 30 million viewers, on which they criticized the war in Vietnam, celebrated rock 'n' roll music and satirized politics and politicians.

David Bianculli offers an appreciation of Tinker, who died last month. Also, we listen to a Fresh Air interview with Tinker from 1994, and an interview with Tinker's wife, Mary Tyler Moore, from 1995.

Critic at large John Powers remembers TV mogul Aaron Spelling, who died last week at age 83. Spelling created such TV classics as Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Charlie's Angels, Dynasty and Melrose Place.

Critic David Bianculli says the commentary, questioning and ridicule of Jon Stewart, Larry Wilmore, John Oliver and Bill Maher help keep news outlets — and news-makers — honest.

The off-beat funnyman retires this month after 33 years hosting late-night television. Fresh Air's David Bianculli says that David Letterman's humor "provided a new blueprint for the TV talk show."

The perfect example, says critic David Bianculli, is HBO's The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst. Spread out over six weeks, the finale had the most chilling TV moment he's seen in years.

TV critic David Bianculli says that he's encouraged by how far TV has come. He picks The Good Wife as the best show of 2014, having "the deepest roster of really strong regulars and guest stars."

NBC is airing a live version of Peter Pan on Thursday, nearly 60 years after the first live telecast. Critic David Bianculli says the cast and the revival of the medium are genius.

As technology gets more complex, TV producers aim to take advantage of it, such as relying on phoned-in votes from viewers. The interactive talent show, it turns out, predates TV itself.