Television

TV critic David Bianculli has just gotten a satellite dish. He reflects on seeing obscure network programming and closed circuit feeds -- and not being able to tear himself away.

The former television executive has written a memoir called "Tinker in Television." He was co-founder of the production company MTM Enterprises with his then wife Mary Tyler Moore. He left MTM at the peak of its success to become the chairman of NBC, and made it the top-rated network, with shows like "Cheers," "The Cosby Show," and "St. Elsewhere."

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new shows "Madman of the People," with Dabney Coleman, and "The Martin Short Show."

Comedy writer Alan Zweibel discusses his 14 year friendship with Gilda Radner. They met working on the original Saturday Night Live and teamed up to create such memorable characters as Roseanne Roseannadanna and Emily Litella. Zweibel has written a new memoir about their friendship, called "Bunny Bunny: Gilda Radner: A Sort of Love Story."

TV critic David Bianculli previews producer Ken Burns' new, nine-part documentary series, "Baseball." Bianculli says it stopped him in his tracks, and will even appeal to people who aren't fans of the sport.

Critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the new Robert Redford film, about a real-life game show scandal in the 1950s.

Aside from "My So-Called Life," critic David Bianculli isn't impressed by any of the new TV offerings this fall. But with so many excellent returning shows, the season is guaranteed to be good.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews ABC's excellent new teen drama by the producers of "thirtysomething." This series premieres tonight.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews two new comedy shows that that look at humor from a woman's point of view -- ABC's "She TV" and Showtime's "National Lampoon's Attack of the 5 Foot 2 Women."

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new BBC-produced documentary that premieres Sunday on the Discovery Channel.

Television critic David Bianculli talks about the power of TV programs' opening theme songs. The president of ABC Entertainment wants to do away with them.

Susan Douglas is a professor of media and American studies at Hampshire College. She has just written a book “Where the Girls Are,” that looks at women in baby-boomer pop culture. She explains how the media’s alternating images of stereotypical femininity and feminism created a kind of “schizophrenia” in American women. She talks about how this confusion has caused ambivalence in American women about what feminism means.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new public television sitcom “The Steven Banks Show," starring the comedian of the same name. Bianculli says it's a little like "Seinfeld," but with more music.

Television critic David Bianculli reviews Aaron Spelling's newest Fox network show, "Models, Inc.," about a woman who runs a modeling agency. Spelling is the executive producer of the successful shows "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Melrose Place."

Television and movie score composer Henry Mancini, who died of cancer on Tuesday. He is best known for composing "Moon River" for the film "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and the title theme to the movie "The Pink Panther." In 1954 he received his first Academy Award nomination for his score to "The Glenn Miller Story," and in 1961 his score for the movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's" won that year's Academy Award.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new "CBS Reports" documentary "When America Trembled -- Murrow/McCarthy."

Rebroadcast a January 14, 1992 interview with Dennis Potter who died today at the age of 59.

Critic David Bianculli on the veteran British television writer, Dennis Potter, the author of "The Singing Detective" and "Pennies From Heaven"; Potter is gravely ill, and yet he continues to compose a new mini-series. At New York's Museum of Television & Radio, they are running his most recent miniseries, "Lipstick on Your Collar".

Television correspondent Robert Krulwich. In a Frontline production (co-produced with the Center for Investigative Reporting) called "Public Lands, Private Profits" to be aired at 9 p.m. tonight on PBS (check local listings), Krulwich examines today's gold mining industry--the impact of mining activities and the current political battle for control of mineral resources on public lands. The Mining Law of 1872 was passed to encourage settlement and development in the West. It's still on the books.

Television critic David Bianculli has a review of ABC's mini-series, "Stephen King's The Stand," which begins Sunday.