Television

Television critic David Bianculli previews "Fall From Grace," a NBC telemovie about Jim and Tammy Bakker. It airs this Sunday and stars Kevin Spacey and Bernadette Peters.

Actor, comedian, filmmaker, and author Michael Palin. In the fall of 1988, Palin set out to recreate the journey Jules Verne described in "Around the World in 80 Days." Palin circled the globe by using just about every means of transportation except airplane (since that wasn't available in Verne's time). Palin turned his journey into an 8-part TV BBC series (it aired in this country on the A&E network) and a book that's a bestseller in England.

Television critic David Bianculli reviews "Spy Magazine Presents How To Be Famous." It's a prime-time special by the same folks who put out the satire and humor magazine. It airs this Wednesday night on NBC.

Television critic David Bianculli previews "Capital News," starring Lloyd Bridges as the head of a Washington DC newspaper. It premieres this week on ABC.

Comedian Imogene Coca. Coca is a television legend, co-starring with Sid Caeser on the groundbreaking comedy series, "Your Show of Shows," in the 1950s. Since then, Coca's had numerous roles on TV, on stage, and in movies. Imogene Coca is teeming up with Sid Caesar once again, for a series of appearances at Michael's Pub in New York City, beginning April 17th.

Television critic David Bianculli reviews film director David Lynch's new television series, "Twin Peaks," starring Kyle McGlaughlin. Lynch is best-known for directing the film "Blue Velvet."

Television critic David Bianculli previews three new shows, coming up this week on each network. They are: "Bagdad Café," "Equal Justice," and "Carol & Co." (with Carol Burnett).

Television critic David Bianculli reviews two new CBS sitcoms: "Normal Life," starring Frank Zappa's kids, Dweezil and Moon Unit Zappa, and "Sydney," starring Valerie Bertinelli of "One Day at a Time" fame. Bianculli says one is pretty good, and the other needs some polishing.

Actress Jamie Lee Curtis. She stars in the new thriller, "Blue Steel," as a rookie cop tracking down a serial killer, who turns out to be her lover. Her earlier film roles include "Halloween," "The Fog," "Trading Places," and "A Fish Called Wanda." She also co-stars on the ABC TV series, "Anything But Love."

Television critic David Bianculli two Showtime cable specials about the British comedy group, Monthy Python's Flying Circus. The specials are called "Life of Python," and "Twenty Years of Monty Python--Parrot Sketch Not Included." David says they're both fun, but both fall short of telling the full story of the group.

Television critic David Bianculli reviews "The Secret Life of Ian Fleming," a telemovie on the man who created James Bond. It stars Jason Connery, the son of Sean Connery, the first 007. And it shows the real-life inspirations for some of the characters who peopled the 007 movies and stories. Bianculli says it's enjoyable if you approach it with the right attitude. It airs over the TNT cable network.

Television critic David Bianculli reviews an episode of "Rescue 911," the CBS series that sends a film crew out on emergency police calls. Their most famous piece of tape yet is the call from Charles Stuart in Boston to say he and his pregnant wife had been shot by a black assailant (this turned out to be a cover up for Stuart, who apparently murdered his wife and shot himself). Bits of the tape have been shown on newscasts, but this is its first full airing on the show.

Actor Timothy Busfield. He plays Elliot Weston on the ABC series, "thirtysomething." (he's the one with the red hair). He also appeared last summer in the movie, "Field of Dreams." Those roles follow a career that included commercials, parts in "Revenge of the Nerds," "Reggie," and "Trapper John M.D." Next week, Busfield is hosting a Lifetime cable special called "Don't Divorce the Children," about the trauma of childhood separation and divorce.

Television critic David Bianculli previews a new ABC docudrama based on the Challenger disaster. It stars Karen Allen, Peter Boyle, and Barry Bostwick. Bianculli says the movie is helped by the limits it keeps.

Television critic David Bianculli previews "The Kennedys of Massachusetts." It's a 6-hour miniseries based on historian Doris Kearns Goodwin's bestseller, "The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys," about America's most prominent political family. The series premieres this Sunday on ABC.

Actress Laurie Metcalf. Metcalf plays Roseanne's sister in the hit TV series. She's appeared in several movies, such as "Uncle Buck," "Making Mr. Right," and "Desperately Seeking Susan," and she plays a cop in the new film "Internal Affairs," starring Richard Gere and Andy Garcia. Metcalf got her start at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theater, which she started with John Malkovich and Terry Kinney.

Critic Maureen Corrigan reflects on the television show, "thirtysomething," and how the illness of one of the characters has affected the show.

Documentary Producer Henry Hampton. In 1987 he produced the prize-winning documentary series on PBS, "Eyes on the Prize." The series documented the civil rights movement from 1954 to 1965. The New York Times' Walter Goodman called the series, "a moving documentary" in which "the nobility of America's civil-rights struggle comes through with the directness and strength of a spiritual." It's sequel, "Eyes on the Prize II," is now being broadcast and covers the movement from 1965 to the 1980s.

Actor Tom Hulce. He was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Mozart in the movie "Amadeus," and for a Golden Globe for his role as brain-damaged garbage man in "Dominick & Eugene." More recently, Hulce played the black-sheep of the family in "Parenthood." Next week, Hulce stars in "Murder in Mississippi," a made-for-TV movie about the freedom summer.

Television critic David Bianculli previews "Elvis," the new ABC series based on the life of the King of rock and roll. David says you would expect it to be horrible, but it turns out to be pretty good.