Television

Broadcast journalist John Merrow. He's the anchor and Executive Editor of "The Merrow Report" a quarterly series of documentaries on PBS that examines education and surrounding issues. Their latest documentary is "Attention Deficit Disorder: A Dubious Diagnosis?" In the documentary Merrow disputes the widely held belief that Ritalin, the drug given to children with Attention Deficit Disorder, is not "dangerous and addictive." Merrow also found that the drug has been overprescribed, and that some kids have begun to abuse it.

TV Critic David Bianculli previews a two-part documentary titled "The Private Life of Plants." It will be featured on cable TV's TBS network tonight and tomorrow night. Bianculli says its the best documentary he's seen this year.

Rock writer and critic Robert Palmer. He was the New York Times's first full-time rock writer and chief pop critic, and he's a contributing editor at Rolling Stones. He's written several books on blues and rock and roll, and was the writer and music director for the award-winning documentary films, "The World According to John Coltrane," and "Deep Blues." His latest work is chief advisor to the ten-part PBS documentary, "Rock & Roll: An Unruly History," currently airing on PBS. He's also a companion book (Harmony Books).

TV Producer Michael Berk for the show "Baywatch." The show, which is filmed in Malibu, California, is about a group of lifeguards who patrol the beach. It's been called the "number one show on earth." It has one billion viewers in more than 110 countries.

Jonathan Katz is another comic who has broadened his horizons. He went into animation. His "Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist" is a half-hour animated sitcom on Comedy Central (Sundays at 10:30 PM and Tuesdays at 8:30 PM). Katz is the voice of the psychiatrist, and fellow comics supply the voice of the patients, and the routines on therapy. (Also: Tonight Jonathan Katz will be doing standup on HBO's Comedy Half-Hour)

T.V. critic David Bianculli reviews two new shows this fall: "Murder One" which premieres on ABC tonight, and "American Gothic" on CBS Friday Night.

Stand up comic Ellen DeGeneres, the star of the sitcom "Ellen." The show airs on Wednesday nights on ABC. Last year DeGeneres co-hosted the 1994 Emmy awards and received a People's Choice Award for Favorite Female in a New Television series. She now has a new book, My Point. . . And I Do Have One. (Bantam News).

ABC News political and media analyst Jeff Greenfield. He appears regularly on Nightline and World News Tonight. He also has a weekly column on World News Sunday. He's just written his first novel about presidential politics and the electoral college, The People's Choice: A Cautionary Tale, (G.P. Putnam).

T.V. critic David Bianculli tells us about the new TV season.

Veteran television announcer Bill Wendell retires this week after 37 years at NBC. Wendell is currently the announcer for "Late Night with David Letterman." He's famous for adding the long "A" in his introduction "Here's...Daaay-vid Letterman" Wendell also emceed several games shows and was the Tonight Show announcer in 1956 and 1957.