Television

He's the creator and producer of NBC's new series Mr. Sterling, about a freshman senator on Capitol Hill. O'Donnell was a writer and producer for the first two seasons of NBC's The West Wing. Before his television career, O'Donnell was in politics himself. He was Democratic chief of staff of the United States Senate Committee on Finance from 1993 to 1995. Prior to that he was senior advisor to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan D-NY from 1989 to 1992. Currently O'Donnell is also senior political analyst for MSNBC.

TV critic David Bianculli on some of the newer reality-TV shows, such as Married by America and Joe Millionaire.

He died of stomach cancer on February 27, 2003, at the age of 74. His popular show, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, was the longest-running program on public television. It ended in 2001 after 33 years on the air. Last year, Rogers was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor the nation can bestow. This interview first aired November 13, 2002.

We present an earlier interview with Fred Rogers. Terry Gross spoke with him in 1985, when Fresh Air was not yet a national show.

TV critic David Bianculli reflects on the career of the late Fred Rogers.

Composer Alf Clausen, the man behind the music of The Simpsons. This interview first aired May 14, 1997.

Matt Groening, the creator of The Simpsons, talks with TV critic David Bianculli about the series. TV's longest-running animated series broadcasts its 300th episode Feb. 16, 2003. The Simpsons were first featured during episodes of The Tracey Ullman Show, then earned their own prime-time series in 1990. This interview first aired April 22, 1998.

Stand-up comic David Cross co-created the 1995 HBO cult hit Mr. Show (an amalgam of live sketch video pieces and occasional animation). He also wrote for the short-lived Ben Stiller Show. One reviewer writes of his act, "foul mouthed and razor sharp, doesn't shy away from vicious social criticism and outright political dissent."

TV critic David Bianculli reviews The Simple Life, the Fox reality show starring heiress and general party girl Paris Hilton. The Simple Life premieres tonight at 8:30 p.m.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews two new series: ABC's Dragnet, and NBC's Kingpin. Both premiere Sunday.

Bianculli reviews Clone High, a new animated series on MTV.

He stars as maverick cop Vic Mackey in the FX channel drama series The Shield. Last year, in the first year of the series, Chiklis won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Now it's year two. The Shield is a major departure from the sunnier roles Chiklis had in his past TV shows, The Commish and Daddio.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews Mark Twain the new two-part documentary series by Ken Burns which airs on PBS tonight and tomorrow night.

Chuck Barris is the creator of "The Dating Game," "The Newlywed Game," and "The Gong Show." He also composed the themes for each show. The new film "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" is based on Barris' 1980 autobiography in which he claims - while he was creating game shows - he was also a CIA assasin. "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" is George Clooney's directorial debut. (REBROADCAST from 1/28/86)

They are the creators of the original TV reality show An American Family. The 1973 PBS series followed the Loud Family. The new film Lance Loud! A Death In An American Family premieres on PBS January 6, 2003 at 9 p.m.

TV critic David Bianculli previews the HBO docudrama Live from Baghdad. It's a behind-the-scenes story about how CNN scooped its rivals in covering the first night of the Persian Gulf War 12 years ago. The show premieres on Saturday.

Lewis Gould is a professor of American History at the University of Texas at Austin. He’s edited the new book, “Watching Television Come of Age” (University of Texas Press) a collection of the New York Times reviews by his father, Jack Gould who covered TV for the Times from 1947 until 1972. Jack Gould died in 1993.

He starred in HBO's parody of talk-shows, The Larry Sanders Show. It featured Shandling as a veteran talk-show host. His guests included Robin Williams, Howard Stern, and, actual talk show host, David Letterman playing themselves. The show went off the air in 1998, but reruns of the show are currently airing on the network Bravo. Shandling also starred in It's Garry Shandling's Show. Shandling also appears in the new Seinfeld documentary, Comedian,which shows in theaters now.

David Bianculli reviews The Osbournes, the MTV reality series about the family of rocker Ozzy Osbourne. The new season starts tonight.

TV personality Tom Arnold hosts FOX television's The Best Damn Sports Show Period. Arnold is probably best known for his marriage to Roseanne Barr. He was a writer, actor and executive producer on Roseanne, and starred in three tv shows of his own including The Jackie Thomas Show. He has a new memoir, How I Lost 5 Pounds in 6 Years