Television

The final episodes of Garrison Keillor's much-loved public radio program have been broadcast on the Disney Channel. TV critic David Bianculli says seeing the show on television has its own unique charm.

Allan Arkush is part of a new breed of directors who switches back and forth between film and television. A veteran of B-movies and cult films, he says TV offers more room for experimentation and narrative innovation.

TV critic David Bianculli says that the documentary show, which shared a time slot with The Cosby Show, didn't deserve to be canceled -- despite its low ratings.

The Australian miniseries, about prisoners in World War II, is presented in full in a new home video release. Critic Ken Tucker says it powerfully illustrates the cultural divide between Great Britain and Australia.

Jay Tarses cut his teeth writing television programs like the Carol Burnett Show and Buffalo Bill. His latest creation is The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd.

The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd dispenses with laugh tracks and multi-camera shots, which allows the show to explore new territories in television comedy.

Harry Shearer got his start in show business at the age of seven. He now writes comedy for television and radio. Shearer joins Fresh Air's Terry Gross to discuss his experiences onstage, finding an outlet for his political humor, and his love of bad TV.

TV critic David Bianculli regrets the mixed reviews he once gave to what he later considered the best show on television. Though it often never reached its full potential, Bianculli credits Hill Street Blues with laying the groundwork for more sophisticated programming and storytelling on TV.

Film critic Stephen Schiff believes that the proliferation of film critics on television, whose insights he believes are often superficial, has led moviegoers to believe that emotional manipulation is the sole criterion for great cinema.

The Frontline documentary, about the conflict between MOVE activists and the Philadelphia Police, will be broadcast this week throughout the country -- except for Philadelphia, which has a mayoral primary. TV critic David Bianculli reviews the program and questions why the broadcast has been delayed in the region.