Television

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the sexiest new shows on the premium cable channels.

Anthropologist David Maybury-Lewis. He's the founder of Cultural Survival, an organization that that helps indigenous peoples whose ways of life are threatened by development. He's hosting a new PBS series called "Millennium," which starts tonight, and he's the author of the companion book, also called "Millennium." The series and the book seek to gain tribal wisdom for the modern world. (The book is published by Viking.)

TV critic David Bianculli looks at May Sweeps programs, and notices that the networks are relying on violence to get high ratings.

TV critic David Bianculli previews the final "Cosby" show that airs on Thursday night.

Comedian Jon Lovitz. He played the pathological liar on Saturday Night Live, among many other characters, such as Annoying Man and Harry Chanukah. Now he's got a comedy special coming up on May 17th on the Fox Television Network (right after "Married With Children").

Writer David Marc. He's the co-author of the new book, "Prime Time Prime Movers," about how TV's producers are the ones who most influence its creative and ideological direction. They cite such examples as Stephen Bochco, the creator of "Hill Street Blues," and "L.A. Law," and "Cop Rock." (published by Little, Brown & Co.)

TV critic David Bianculli reviews Shelley Duvall's "Bedtime Stories" on Showtime.

TV critic David Bianculli looks at how the different television networks are reacting to their ratings in the 1991-1992 rating results which just came out.

Commentator Maureen Corrigan reviews "West of Everything: The Inner Life of Westerns," by Jane Tompkins (Oxford Univ. Press)

Actress and producer Shelley Duvall. She was "discovered" by Robert Altman in 1970 and learned about acting on the set. She's been in Altman's films, "Brewster McCloud," "McCabe and Mrs. Miller," "Nashville," and others. Ten years ago she began producing her "Faerie Tale Theatre" on Showtime, an award-winning series of classic fairy tales featuring some of Hollywood's best actors, directors, and writers. Her new "Bedtime Stories," a weekly animated series premiers this month on Showtime.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews two shows that highlight two veteran performers: James Taylor and Bob Newhart. One is on Disney and the other on Showtime. With Newhart, this is his first full-length standup act in 25 years. They'll be broadcast on Sunday.

Producer Gil Cates. He produced the Academy Awards last night. Terry will talk with him about what it takes to put together such an endeavor.

Sheila Kuehl is now a women's rights lawyer. But most people will remember her as Zelda Gilroy on the old TV show "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis." Her TV career ended when rumors began to circulate that she was a lesbian -- and those rumors were true. Now Kuehl is one of the most vocal lesbian activists in Los Angeles

Television critic David Bianculli previews "Nickelodeon Special Edition: A Conversation with Magic." on the Nickelodeon network in which Magic Johnson discusses AIDS with a group of kids. (David says, don't miss it).

British actress Juliet Stevenson of the Royal Shakespeare Company. She's probably best known for her role in "Truly, Madly, Deeply," a role that was written for her. She create the role of Madame de Tourvel in the original British production of "Les Liaisons Dangereuses." And she's playing the role of Nora in Ibsen's "A Doll's House," which airs on PBS'S Masterpiece Theatre this Sunday (March 29).

Television critic David Bianculli reviews "MGM: When the Lion Roars." It's an eight-hour documentary about the MGM studios. It premieres this Sunday on the TNT cable network (which by the way is owned by the same man who owns MGM, Ted Turner).

TV Critic David Bianculli tells us about the new season of "MTV Unplugged," the music video network's one-hour acoustic music series. It begins this Wednesday with an acoustic concert by Eric Clapton.

Actor Stephen Lang. He starred in the film adaptation of "Last Exit to Brooklyn," and is about to play Hamlet on Broadway. He's also co-starring in a made-for-TV movie based on the story of the rape of Nancy Ziegenmeyer.

Television critic David Bianculli reviews "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles," the TV spin-off of the popular film trilogy.

Political journalist Hodding Carter. This week, the Public television series "Frontline" is airing Carter's report, "Who Is David Duke?" about the Klansman turned presidential candidate.