Television

Creator and CEO of the Cable Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN), Brian Lamb. He launched the network in 1979 to broadcast Congressional hearings and political events from beginning to end, so that audiences could get a full picture of what transpired. The channel provides hours of footage without commentary, editing, or government or corporate funding.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews two new FOX programs, a youth drama, "Class of 96," and a comedy drama, "Key West."

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead switches art forms and has some thoughts on the TV soap opera -- specifically on the waning days of his soap opera obsession "Santa Barbara." The last episode airs tomorrow.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews reruns of one of his favorite shows from the 1960s. It's being rebroadcast on the cable channel E! Entertainment Television.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews two new outer space adventure series, "Space Rangers," and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine."

TV critic David Bianculli reviews "Buy Me That 3!" a consumer reports special on HBO about food commercials aimed at children.

Comedian and actor Garry Shandling stars in HBO's television parody, "The Larry Sanders Show." It features Shandling as a veteran talk-show host. His guests have included Mimi Rogers and Robin Williams, playing themselves. Starting December 7, "The Larry Sanders Show" will compete with late-night talk-shows by presenting a different episode each night for ten days.

This week, Nick at Nite and TBS present telecasts of three-decade old TV flops that aired only once. One of them later became "The Dick van Dyke Show." Critic David Bianculli has a review.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new telemovie on the HBO network. He says star Duvall gives an excellent performance, despite the poor script.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews "The Jacksons: An American Dream," about Michael Jackson and his family. He says it suffers from strange narrative choices and missed opportunities.

O'Hara is one of the co-founders of the comedy series, "SCTV," and started her acting career with Toronto's Second City comedy troupe. She's best known for her role as the distraught mom in "Home Alone." There's now a sequel, "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York," in which O'Hara reprises her roles as the mother.

Reiser was a stand-up comedian for years and was in the sit-com "My Two Dads." He's the creator and co-star of a new show, "Mad About You," a Seinfeldesque comedy on NBC, about a married couple. Helen Hunt plays Reiser's wife.

The comedian plays the sensitive twelve-stepper Stuart Smalley on "Daily Affirmations with Stuart Smalley" -- a Saturday Night Live skit based on Franken's own experience with a 12-step group. Franken is a co-producer of SNL and works on the cable network "Comedy Central," where he anchored the Democratic and Republican Conventions for "Indecision '92." He has a new book (written by Stuart Smalley) called "I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me."

TV critic David Bianculli considers the strange trends in this year's election, among which involves all three major candidates making an unprecedented number of television appearances. He thinks this is overall a good thing, and will become the new normal in future elections.

TV critic David Bianculli review the original pilot of "Gilligan's Island," which will be broadcast for the first time. He says it might be worse than the original.

Actor Rocky Carrol, who plays Joey Emerson on the popular sitcom, talks about the show's recent change to a live broadcast format. He says it works because Carroll and his costars have ample experience in theater.

TV critic David Bianculli takes another look at the documentary series. His only quibble is in the billing: unlike the broadcasting company, the show is only 18 years old.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews a new documentary about the Beatles' classic album on the Disney Channel. He says it covers familiar ground -- but producer George Martin's segments breaking down each song's elements make it worth checking out.

English actress Helen Mirren. She stars in "Prime Suspect," a three-part thriller premiering this week on public television's "Mystery" series. Mirren has preformed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and the films "The Comfort of Strangers," "Age of Consent," "The Long Good Friday," and "Excalibur."

Stiller is the son of the comedy team of Jerry Stiller & Anne Meara. He's acted in the Lincoln Center's revival of "House of Blue Leaves," and appeared in the films, "Fresh Horses," "Stella," and "Empire of the Son." He's got a new comedy show "The Ben Stiller Show," which grew out of his work as a writer-performer with "Saturday Night Live."