Television

The director lives in San Francisco, far from the filmmaking hub of Los Angeles. Takahashi's isolation has allowed him to develop a unique directorial style. He join Fresh Air to discuss how he best takes advantage of the creative freedom given to him when making a commercial or logo.

David Bianculli reviews Andrea Martin: Together Again special, which weaves together skits featuring her many celebrity impressions. He says it may not live up to the best of episodes of SCTV, but it's still funnier than almost anything else on television.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the television special, which features clips of past shows and discussion in front of a live audience. He admires the dueling critics' regular programming, but he can't say the same for their anniversary show.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews First Born, about the unlikely birth of a half-human, half-gorilla hybrid. He says it has an absurd sense of humor and horror -- even the theme music is weird.

Television critic David Bianculli reviews two shows that wouldn't have been possible on network TV. Steven Banks: Home Entertainment Center succeeds in part because it unfolds uninterrupted, without commercial breaks; cable gives the macabre and funny Tales from the Crypt license to be as violent as it needs to be.

Critic Ken Tucker reviews a three-tape release of The Milton Berle Show, a classic variety program known for featuring prominent jazz musicians, among others. Tucker says that some of the humor doesn't hold up, but it's easy to see why Berle was successful.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the revamped satirical news show, which swaps prerecorded footage for live interviews and coverage. He says it's a smart move for the seven-year-old program.

Television critic David Bianculli reviews the series finale of the glossy crime show. He says the ending was as contrived as the past few seasons -- big on action, short on character development.

Family Ties and Moonlighting both ended recently. TV critic David Bianculli says their final episodes highlight the programs' strengths and weaknesses.

Hoblit's new made-for-TV movie dramatizes the groundbreaking Supreme Court case. The film has faced criticism from anti-abortion activists -- even though several have admitted to never having seen it. Hoblit is best known for producing television programs like Hill Street Blues, which broke conventions by relying heavily on hand-held cameras and degraded film, and pushing the boundaries of what kind of material was appropriate for broadcast.