Television

Critic at large John Powers has been watching the HBO show Entourage -- about a handsome young movie star and his buddies -- and has some thoughts on the way the rich and powerful are often protected from reality.

Tim Winter is executive director of the Parents Television Council, a watchdog group that speaks out against sex, violence, and profanity in the media.

As May draws to a close, fans of some of television's biggest shows -- American Idol, CSI, Desperate Housewives, among others -- are being treated to season-ending finales. At the same time, TV is testing the waters for its fall season.

David Shore and Dr. David Foster combine to be the driving force behind the new medical series House, on FOX TV. Shore is the executive producer; Foster is the medical consultant and writes for the series. On the show, medical maladies play the role of villain. The hero is an irreverent and controversial doctor who trusts no one.

Critic-at-large John Powers tells us about the Japanese TV animated series Paranoia Agent by Satoshi Kon. It's now out on DVD.

Amy Sherman-Palladino is the creator and executive producer of Gilmore Girls, on the WB network. The show is about a single mother and her daughter who are best friends. Lauren Graham plays Lorelai Gilmore, the hip mom who does her best to keep teenage daughter Rory (Alexis Bledel) from repeating her own mistakes. Lorelai was a teenager herself when she became pregnant with her daughter. The popular show is now in its fifth season. Warner Brothers has just released season three on DVD.

Evangelista, a bail bondsman, starred in the now-defunct reality TV series, Family Bonds, on HBO. Evangelista was formerly an insurance underwriter who had a mid-life crisis and decided to go for a more colorful job.

Gary Leffew is a former bull-riding champ, actor, stunt coordinator and consultant to HBO's Deadwood. He punches up scripts for David Milch's Deadwood, making sure the cowboys talk like real cowboys do. In 1970 he won the world championship bull riding competition. After that Leffew took up acting and appeared in many commercials. Now he teaches bull riding at his California Ranch.

Colbert is the senior correspondent on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Colbert started his comic career with Second City in Chicago. He wrote and performed sketches on The Dana Carvey Show. He is also the voice of Ace for Saturday Night Lives's animated shorts Ace & Gary: The Ambiguously Gay Duo. This interview was originally broadcast on Jan. 24, 2005.

The Office is a sitcom that debuts Thursday night on NBC. The show is based on the popular British series of the same name, and is also shot in the style of a documentary set in a paper supply company.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new season of The Shield. The critically acclaimed show is adding actress Glen Close to its cast of burly, often violent alpha males.

Journalist Hugh Miles is the author of Al-Jazeera. Al-Jazeera, the premier news channel in the Arabic-speaking world, plans to launch an English channel sometime in the next few months.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews recently released DVD compilations of TV series. He reviews the first seasons of Miami Vice from the 1980s, Murder One from the 90s, and Deadwood, which premiered last year.

Ken Tucker's new book is Kissing Bill O'Reilly, Roasting Miss Piggy, a look at television. His new book touches on TV mainstays, from James Garner to Pamela Anderson and David Brinkley.

Comic and journalist Stephen Colbert is the fake senior correspondent on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. We talk with Colbert about his reports, from "Rathergate" to "This Week in God."

TV critic David Bianculli reviews two high-action drama series that return to TV this week, Alias on NBC and 24 on FOX.

Actor Jerry Orbach, best known for his long-running role as Lennie Briscoe on TV's Law and Order, died Tuesday at age 69. Orbach also enjoyed a successful Broadway career, winning a Tony for his role in Promises, Promises, and appeared in films such as Crimes and Misdemeanors and Dirty Dancing. We listen to a Nov. 21, 1989, interview with Orbach.

The first season of the HBO TV series The Wire is now out on DVD. Critic John Powers has a review.

Actor Hank Azaria stars in the new Showtime series Huff, about an urban psychiatrist with troubles of his own. Azaria does the voices of Apu the convenience store owner, Moe the bartender and Chief Wiggum, among others, on The Simpsons. He directed and starred in the film Nobody's Perfect, and has acted in many other movies, including The Birdcage, Eulogy, and Shattered Glass.

The complete 45-episode series of the TV show Pee-Wee's Playhouse is now out on DVD. Reubens originally created the Pee-Wee character at the Los Angeles improv group called The Groundlings. Pee-Wee's Playhouse went on the air in 1986. It ran on CBS for 5 years, garnering 22 Emmys.