Television

TV critic David Bianculli tells us about the new Fall TV season.

TV Critic David Bianculli previews six new network tv shows that premiere this week. Also he comments on last night’s Emmy Awards.

TV critic David Bianculli on the coverage of Princess Diana's death and funeral.

Sister Wendy Beckett is a member of the Notre Dame order, a teaching order of nuns and a celebrity. In 1980 she began the serious study of art, and since has written a number of books on the subject and hosted the popular PBS series "Sister Wendy's Odyssey" and "Sister Wendy's Grand Tour." This week PBS begins airing her newest 10-part series, "Sister Wendy's Story of Painting." There's a companion book (published by DK Publishing)

The former president of NBC Entertainment Brandon Tartikoff died yesterday at the age of 48 from complications from treatment for Hodgkin's disease. We remember him with a 1992 interview excerpt. While at NBC, he was responsible for such hit series as "The Cosby Show," "Cheer," "Miami Vice," and "Hill Street Blues." He went on to become chairman at Paramount Pictures. He wrote a book about his NBC years, "The Last Great Ride." (Turtle Bay Books). (REBROADCAST from 10/20/92)

TV Critic David Bianculli reviews two shows appearing on cable tv this weekend. "George Wallace" on TNT and "Snow White" which stars Sigourney Weaver on Showtime.

Saturday Night Live cartoonist Robert Smigel. He’s created such popular segments as The Ambiguously Gay Duo, and Fun with Real Audio. Smigel is no stranger to SNL or comedy TV. He was a writer for Saturday Night Live from 1985-93.

Ken Finkleman is the writer/producer/star of "The Newsroom" -- the hit satirical comedy series out of Canada's CBC. It's broadcast in the U.S. over many PBS stations. There's no studio audience, no laugh track, and the show is shot with one hand-held camera. (Interview by Barbara Bogaev)

Director of the Center for Study of Popular Television and Professor of Television at Syracuse University Robert J. Thompson. He discusses his curriculum which includes shows like "I Love Lucy," "Leave It to Beaver," and "The Brady Bunch." (Interview by David Bianculli)

Emmy-award winning writer-producer Paul Haggis. He's written for Norman Lear's sitcoms, was writer-producer of the first season of thirtysomething, and wrote sketches for The Tracey Ullman Show. His new TV series is "EZ Streets." (Interview by David Bianculli)

Guest host (and our TV critic) David Bianculli interviews Tommy Smothers of the comedy duo The Smothers Brothers. In 1967, their show The Smothers Brothers Comedy hour first went on the air. The show has been credited with helping pave the way for a new generation of TV comedy shows including Saturday Night Live.

This month National Geographic "Explorer" will broadcast a behind-the-scenes documentary about NFL films, whose innovative presentation of football has helped make the sport as popular as it is today. The show, which is called "Inside NFL Films: The Idol Makers," will air on August 17th at 7 PM (ET) on TBS Superstations. Marty Moss-Coane talks with Steve Sabol, the president of NFL films, who also directs many of the NFL films.

Television producer Tom Fontana has collaborated with Barry Levinson on the critically acclaimed drama "Homicide: Life on the Street." The team is now premiering a new adult drama for HBO, called "Oz," which FONTANA also wrote. "Oz" is a realistic look at an experimental unit of a maximum security prison whose aim is to rehabilitate its inmates. Each episode focuses on a specific theme, such as sex or capital punishment, and how it affects the characters. "Oz" debuted on July 12 on HBO and can be seen on Mondays at 11 PM ET.

TV critic David Bianculli looks back and ahead at the television season.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the the last episode of Roseanne -- which is vying for viewers with a special Mad About You episode.

TV Critic David Bianculli talks about the history of television laugh tracks and a new development in their usage.

Composer Alf Clausen is the man behind the music of "The Simpsons." There's a new compliation CD of music from the animated cartoon TV series, "The Simpsons: Songs in the Key of Springfield" (Rhino).

Emergency room doctor Joe Sachs has a consultant to the popular TV drama series "E.R." He'll discuss how he works with the show, and his work in a real E.R.