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These listings cover television programs up to Thursday, May
30th.
Greetings, TV viewers!
This week's MediaHour will highlight the experiences of a bunch of kids who go through one of the military's toughest schools -- watch "Surviving West Point: From Day One to Graduation" on Monday, then come talk with us about anything you find interesting in the show.
Here's another advanced notice that Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli will be discussed at the Whyville Media Hour on June 11th. Prior to that you can listen in on a streaming audio "Book Club of the Air For Young Adults" discussion on June 6, 2pm PST at
http://www.kpcc.org.
Want some clams? Watch the show-of-the-week, then talk about them with me and other citizens (including other City Workers, if they're available) at the Greek Theater, over in City Hall. You'll find that the Theater makes discussions a little easier, since City Workers are able to direct people's movement and behavior, when we need to, and keeps everyone's chat bubbles from overlapping too much. We meet for MediaHour on Wednesdays from 6:30pm and 7:30pm Whyville Time (that's the same as Eastern Daylight Time).
If you see the show, then come and really take part in the meeting, you'll get up to 50 clams from City Hall... you like that?
Everyone is welcome to write to me what you and your parents think:
Y-mail me, the MediaWiz of Whyville!
And now... the Media Menu!
Friday, May 23
"On The Town" (TCM Network, 6-8pm ET, 3-5pm PT) If you liked "Chicago", you should see this movie. It's about New York: "it's a helluva town; the Bronx is up and the Battery's down; the people ride in a hole in the ground...." Well, you get the idea. Those Oscar winning lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, set to Leonard Bernstein's music, have made On the Town a permanent part of people's mental image of New York City. The story, inspired by Jerome Robbins's ballet Fancy Free, is pretty slight: Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Jules Munshin play sailors with 24 hours' leave to take their bite out of the Big Apple. But you'll remember everything in this movie. Available on video.
"20/20" (ABC, 10-11pm E/P) In this newsmagazine, host Barbara Walters will conduct a one-on-one interview with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. She's a strong interrogator and won't let his off the hook if he tries to be vague. He's been under pressure from the United States to agree to essential points in a "road map" for peace that has been presented to him and the new Palestinian premier, Mahmoud Abbas. The sticking points are the future of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories, and whether or not Palestinians have a "right of return" to Israel.
Saturday, May 24
"Our Town" (Showtime, 8-10pm E/P) Paul Newman stars in this theatrical event filmed as it is performed live on stage, a Westport Country Playhouse production of Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1938 play. Nowadays it's often performed in schools. It follows the lives, loves and even deaths of the residents of Grovers Corners, a small turn-of-the-century American town. Jane Curtin, Frank Converse, Ben Fox and Maggie Lacey costar in this original interpretation of a dramatic masterpiece, presented in conjunction with PBS's "Masterpiece Theatre."
"Showbiz 101: No Guts, No Glory" (PBS, various hours E/P today, also for the next 7 days -- check local listings) This is a documentary for folks who like to watch "American Idol". More than just talent and luck, it takes a hard-nosed attitude to break into show business. In this episode, we shine the spotlight on teens trying to make it as dancers, singers, rappers and stand-up comedians to find out what drives their hearts and minds when auditioning and performing. We also meet three talented teens in the world famous Cirque du Soleil and see how they balance the rigors of touring with their personal lives. With lots of advice from talented teens and established professionals, this episode offers a head start to those interested in a career onstage.
Sunday, May 25
"The Last Mission" (History Channel, 6-8pm E/P) This documentary features a radio operator, Kim Smith, who was on a B-29 bomber that flew WWII's final mission. Attached to the secret 315th Bomb Wing, he flew the longest continuous mission of WWII, six days after America dropped 2 atomic bombs on Japan. On August 14, 1945, the 315th Bomb Wing was ordered to strike the Akita oil refinery, northwest of Tokyo. Incredibly, the mission blacked out Tokyo in one precise moment of time that spared the Emperor from being kidnapped by military rebels who had taken over the palace. The rebels had planned to isolate the Emperor and prevent him from recording a war-stopping surrender message to his people. Aided by historians, see how the B-29 air strike unwittingly collapsed the coup, saved Tokyo from nuclear strike, and ended WWII. For more info on this amazing story log on to
http://pw1.netcom.com/~jb29miss/index.html.
"National Memorial Day Concert" (PBS, 8-9:30pm E/P) Actor Ossie Davis hosts a blend of musical performance, dramatic readings and archival footage in this annual event honoring veterans. Broadcast live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, the concert offers a tribute to the heroes and victims of September 11 and a segment on the Korean War. Guest artists include opera star Rene Fleming, actress Ruby Dee, and actors Charles Durning, Tony Randall and Joe Mantegna. Erich Kunzel conducts the National Symphony Orchestra. There's background info on the historical events referred to during the concert at http://www.pbs.org/memorialdayconcert.
"60 Minutes" (CBS, 7-8 pm E/P) Because last week's
Media Hour revealed your interest in certain kinds of news stories, here is a
description of two main stories from this weekly newsmagazine: "Boys" -- Just as
educators' special efforts to improve the performance of girls in school is
showing success, they now have a new problem: boys are falling behind at all
levels of education. "The Mind Of A Suicide Bomber" -- Who becomes a suicide
bomber? Reporter Bob Simon speaks to two failed suicide bombers and to the
psychiatrists who analyze such would-be martyrs. The program also includes "The
Sheriff Of Wall Street" -- The New York State attorney general is suing
brokerage firms to stop a conflict of interest that is at the root of Wall
Street's troubles: analysts touting the stocks of companies that their firms get
lucrative business from.
Monday, May 26
"Surviving West Point: From Day One to Graduation" National Geographic Channel, entire series airs from 1-8pm E/P) Today is the official celebration of Memorial Day in the U.S.. Schools are closed. Here are all 14 episodes of a documentary series about teens in training for the ultimate "Survivor" situation: war. The titles of these 30 minute episodes reveal what happens in each one (log on to
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/channel
for further content and schedule details): Shock to the System, Pushed to the Limit, Learning to Lead and Learning to Follow, Make or Break, The Shock of War, An Uncertain Future, Playing to Win, A World Apart, Studying War, Hearts and Minds, Women Warriors, Leaders of Character, Put to the Test, Coming of Age.
"Russia: Land of The Czars" (History Channel, Part I: 9-11pm E/P) This documentary miniseries examines the leaders of Russia from the Viking invasion in 862 A.D. to the Communist Revolution in 1918 A.D.. It covers complex political intrigues, the development of a nation, the process and consequences of introducing new political ideas, and the role of opposition movements in historical change. Part II airs Tuesday, May 27 at 9pm. If you can't watch the tv program, there are some superb websites, laying out details of real-life Russian palace plots worthy of the finest video games, at
http://www.historychannel.com/russia and http://www.departments.bucknell.edu/russian/history.html
Tuesday, May 27
"William Shakespeare: A Life of Drama" (A&E Network, 7-8 am E/P) Here's a documentary on the life of the Bard which you should set your videorecorder for, to tape it as a favor to your theatre arts teacher. It contains clips from films of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Laurence Olivier's "Hamlet", dramatic readings, and location filming in London and Stratford-upon-Avon Wednesday,
Wednesday, May 28
"Berga: Soldiers Of Another War" (PBS, 8-9:30pm E/P) This documentary reveals WWII Nazi Holocaust atrocities inflicted on 350 American POWs "classified" as Jewish. It is the final work in the long and distinguished career of the late documentary filmmaker Charles Guggenheim; the four-time Academy Award-winner wrote and directed the film. Because of his personal connection to the story, he also narrated, for the only time in his career. Thousands of American GIs, including soldiers in Guggenheim's 106th Infantry Division, were captured by the Nazis during the Battle of the Bulge. Those "identified" as Jewish
-- along with fellow GIs who "looked Jewish" or had "Jewish-sounding" last names
-- were selected to fill a quota and shipped off to a satellite of the notorious concentration camp at Buchenwald, where they suffered harrowing atrocities. Guggenheim, who had remained stateside with a debilitating infection during the final months of the war, carried with him a personal and moral obligation to tell this untold story for his comrades who did not return and for those who have lived with the horror of their experience. While completing the film, Guggenheim faced a heroic battle of his own with terminal cancer. He died six weeks after the film was finished. See also,
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/berga/sitemap.html.
Thursday, May 29
"A Midsummer Night's Dream" (TCM 8-19:30pm ET, 5-7:30pm PT ) Here's another chance to score some points with your teacher by taping and bring to school a Shakespeare program. This one is a lavish, black and white classic movie version of his story about two pairs of lovers and an amateur actor who get mixed up with imaginary creatures. James Cagney, Dick Powell, Mickey Rooney star.
Friday, May 30
"Saudi Arabia: A Bill Kurtis Special Report" (A&E Network, 9-11pm E/P )
This documentary examines how terrorism, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and cultural misunderstandings have shaken the 65-year alliance between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. The report includes a look at Osama bin Laden's use of Saudi operatives on 9/11, which some believe was an attempt to undermine the Saudi royal family as well as America.
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