Television

TV critic David Bianculli previews the new TV season.

TV critic David Bianculli reflects on televisions coverage of the attacks and the aftermath, and the transition to the new TV season next week.

TV Critic David Bianculli reviews HBOs Band of Brothers.

TV critic David Bianculli on the 20th anniversary of MTV. The 24-hour cable music channel turns 20 tomorrow, and celebrates with an all-day retrospective, and a prime-time concert.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the return of the reality show Big Brother and considers other new reality shows.

John Lithgow is one of the stars of the animated hit movie, Shrek. His comedy TV series Third Rock From the Sun just finished its run on NBC. Lithgow also writes children's books. He's just published the book Marsupial Sue (Simon and Schuster), and he has released a new CD of music for children called Farkle and Friends (Watershed Records). Lithgow is currently performing his children's material live in concert.

Animation director J.J. Sedelmaier is the animator of the TV Funhouse skits which run on Saturday Night Live. They include The Ambiguously Gay Duo, Fun with Real Audio, and The X-Presidents. Sedelmaier and his animation company work on many other projects for TV and commercials. They have worked for MTV and Nickelodeon. He also has his own Cartoon Network series, Capt. Linger.

Alan Ball is the creator of the new HBO series Six Feet Under. Ball won an Academy Award for writing the screenplay for American Beauty. He also has production credits on the TV shows Cybill and Oh Grow Up. Ball has served as producer, writer and director on Six Feet Under. Ball is a return guest on the show. His first visit was in December of 1999.

Journalist James Fallows is National Correspondent for The Atlantic Monthly, a regular commentator on NPR, and a licensed pilot. In his new book Free Flight: From Airline Hell to a New Age of Travel he looks into the technological innovations which will change airline travel. For instance, smaller jet planes will ferry passengers from local airports, bypassing the crowded international airports. Fallows is also the author of Breaking the News: How the Media Undermine American Democracy.

Darren Star is the creator and executive producer of the HBO series, Sex and the City which begins its fourth season on June 3rd. The series stars Sarah Jessica Parker as a columnist in New York City who chronicles the mating habits of single New Yorkers. Much of her material comes from her life and that of her three closest friends. STAR is also the creator of Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place.