Television

Tonight NBC devotes its entire prime-time schedule to a sendoff of ER, the medical drama series that has been running on the network since 1994. Critic David Bianculli wonders what comes next.

Actor Idris Elba is best known for his portrayal of a drug dealer on HBO's The Wire, but he will play a very different role as Michael's boss on NBC's The Office.

Comic actor Danny McBride stars in Eastbound and Down, a new HBO series about a washed-up baseball star who becomes a substitute gym teacher.

David Potter's gripping, enigmatic writing for TV made him one of British culture's defining figures from the 1960s through the 1980s. Critic-at-large John Powers reviews the new DVD collection Dennis Potter: 3 to Remember.

Joss Whedon's new television show, Dollhouse, follows a group of young women and men who have volunteered to have their personalities and memories erased.

James Bobin is the co-creator and director of HBO's series Flight Of The Conchords. He has been nominated for eight Emmys since 2003 for his work on Conchords and Da Ali G Show.

Bill Paxton plays Bill Henrickson, the head of a polygamous family in the HBO series Big Love. He received Golden Globe nominations for his work on the show in 2007 and 2008.

What's new on TV? A slew of new television episodes and series are premiering this weekend. David Bianculli reviews a sampling, including Friday Night Lights, The L Word, Big Love, Flight of the Conchords and the premiere of The United States of Tara.

The seventh season of 24 premieres this Sunday. Critic David Bianculli assesses the four-hour, two-night return of counterterrorist Jack Bauer — who's got some new allies, and some new enemies.

The year in television started with a bust — or to be more precise, a writer's strike — but Fresh Air's TV critic says there were plenty of TiVo-worthy programs in 2008. Prominent among them: AMC's Mad Men.