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Critic's corner
The Globe's Matthew Gilbert tells you what's up with tonight's shows. Tune in here before you turn on the tube.
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Features
Matthew Gilbert's TV14
Most tragic shark jumps
Here's the story of 14 shows and that dark moment when Matthew Gilbert realized they were heading into a tailspin.
Photo Gallery
The return of TV
Now that the writer's strike is over, take a look at when some of TV's hottest shows will return.
audio slideshow
The home of 'The Office'
Tour Scranton with Mindy Kaling, the actress who plays Kelly Kapoor on "The Office."
blog
Presidential politics, "Idol" style
Voters of America, "Idol"-watchers, bear me out on my latest...
globe critics
- What's on Critic's corner
- Reader Q&A Joanna Weiss took 'Idol' questions
Check local listings
- Chat transcript TV critic Matthew Gilbert
- Chat transcript Joanna Weiss on 'American Idol'
Radio Tracks
Long-running show boosts its local focus
"Exceptional Women" cohosts Candy O'Terry (pictured) and Gay Vernon have searched closer to home for women to profile on their show.
Review
Journey to the center of a cult
Michael Travesser (pictured), leader of the Strong City cult in New Mexico, gave National Geographic filming access for seven months. The result is "Inside a Cult," a fascinating hour-long documentary.
- Viewer Discretion update Travesser arrested
- Check your local television listings
Review
The trials of a gifted soul
Marvin Gaye's brilliance was tainted by his troubled life, and his story is told in the PBS documentary "Marvin Gaye: What's Going On," airing on Channel 2.
TV and radio news
- Small TV stations lose appeal (AP, 2:37 p.m.)
- Gray TV 1Q loss narrows on higher ad revenue (AP, 11:31 a.m.)
- Jeff Probst: Surviving 16 seasons of `Survivor' (AP, 9:04 a.m.)
- Speedy new character debuts on new season of NBC's `Heroes' (AP, 8:09 a.m.)
- 'CSI' star Gary Dourdan charged with felony drug possession (AP, 7:04 a.m.)
- Jeff Probst: Surviving 16 seasons of `Survivor' (AP, 5/8/08)
- Study of 'Daily Show': It's a lot like O'Reilly (AP, 5/8/08)
- Satellite TV companies gain after DirecTV's strong 1Q (AP, 5/8/08)
- NBA playoff matchup No. 1 on cable for April 28-May 4 (AP, 5/8/08)
- North Carolina TV market to make early switch to digital TV (AP, 5/8/08)
More from the Globe
Critic's corner
Gentleman’s Agreement 8 p.m., Fox Movie Channel This 1947 movie about everyday anti-Semitism isn’t very subtle by today’s standards. Elia Kazan directed with a not-so-light hand. But still, it’s a gem. Gregory Peck (above) brings intelligence to this best-picture Oscar-winner, as a writer who pretends to be Jewish to write a story about discrimination against Jews. Peck never veers into ... (Boston Globe, 12 a.m.)
Critic's corner
Scrubs 8:30 p.m., Channel 7 It’s the season finale, and not the series finale, for ‘‘Scrubs.’’ In one of the worst-kept Hollywood secrets, the sitcom is moving to ABC in the fall. ABC won’t make that shift official until it announces its fall schedule in New York next week. Tonight’s episode finds Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley, above left) telling ... (Boston Globe, 5/8/08)
Long-running show boosts its local focus
For 15 years, "Exceptional Women" cohosts Candy O'Terry and Gay Vernon have intentionally cast a broad net for the women they profile on their program, which airs Sunday mornings (7:30-8 a.m.) on "Magic" WMJX-FM (106.7). Role models and pioneers, teachers, principals, doctors, researchers, and what Vernon calls "quiet community heroes" have all been among their subjects. This year, say the ... (Boston Globe, 5/8/08)
TV chat
Normal View Title Matthew_Gilbert: Greetings, friends. IM4Quality__Guest_: Hey Matt, Matthew_Gilbert: Hey. dee_s_nutz__Guest_: Hi Matt i can't wait for LOST tonight.. great show Matthew_Gilbert: Yeah, I'm with you on that. Lost has mastered the art of giving us information but still keeping the mystery tense. Matches_Malone__Guest_: Hello Matthew. Can you tell me what ever happened to the show "Wanted"? Matthew_Gilbert: Wow. ... (Boston Globe, 5/8/08)
'American Idol' chat
The Boston Globe's Joanna Weiss was online May 7 at 1 p.m. to field all your "American Idol" questions and comments. Curious what Joanna thought of this week's competition? Catch up here. (Boston Globe, 5/8/08)
Critic's corner
Cross-promotion Audition: Barbara Walters’ Journey 10 p.m., Channel 5 Fresh from grilling presidential candidates, Charles Gibson now feeds softballs to colleague Barbara Walters (above, with Gibson), in a special timed to coincide with the release of her book. But didn’t Oprah already get the big scoop? (Boston Globe, 5/7/08)
The trials of a gifted soul
Most people know a couple of salient facts about Marvin Gaye: He was a brilliant musician and he died a tragic death, shot by his father the day before his 45th birthday. Beyond that, though, the story of Gaye's life and music hasn't been widely told, and the PBS documentary "Marvin Gaye: What's Going On," which premieres tonight, feels long ... (Boston Globe, 5/7/08)
Journey to the center of a cult
I kept looking deep into the eyes of the members of Strong City, a New Mexico cult led by a man who claims to be "the embodiment of God." Would I see a profound hunger for existential truth, the philosophical longing of 1960s acid casualties, hints of the commune that T.C. Boyle portrayed in his novel "Drop City"? Would I ... (Boston Globe, 5/7/08)
The Air This Week
Throughout the week Midnight-5 a.m. Jazz with Bob Parlocha (Mon.-Thurs.) (WGBH: 89.7, wgbh.org) . . . 7 a.m. In Performance (Mon.-Fri.) (ABC Classic FM: abc.net.au/classic) . . . 9 a.m.-noon Classics in the Morning/Cathy Fuller (Mon.-Fri.) (WGBH) . . . 10 a.m.-noon Performance Today (daily) (WGBH HD 2) . . . 10 a.m. Concerts ephemeres (Mon.-Fri.) (France Musique: radiofrance.fr/francemusique) . ... (Boston Globe, 5/6/08)
Critic's corner
Dancing With the Stars Special: Judges' All-Time Top Ten 8 p.m., Channel 5 First or second rule of reality TV: There's always room for a retrospective. (Boston Globe, 5/6/08)
Kicking around Nixon and more
He's back. But you knew he would be. Suddenly he is everywhere - Richard M. Nixon, the 37th president of the United States. (Boston Globe, 5/6/08)
Critic's corner
How I Met Your Mother 8:30 p.m., Channel 4 Sarah Chalke is back for an episode as Stella/Mother Contender. But all I care about is brokenhearted Barney. (Boston Globe, 5/5/08)
New look at the first Bush is a kinder, gentler view
"George H.W. Bush," which airs tonight and tomorrow on WGBH, will be remembered for two things: its effort to rehabilitate the 41st president and the inescapable comparison it invites with his son, George W. Bush, the current president whose approval rating in a recent poll registered 28 percent. (Boston Globe, 5/5/08)
A few of Joe Ligotti's rants:
On road rage : "Come into Boston - you'll love it. Want to spend three days in Boston? You better spend a week - it's four days of [expletive] detours." (Boston Globe, 5/5/08)
'The Guy From Boston' has smoking commentary
His name is Joe Ligotti, but you might know him as "The Guy From Boston." He's the cigar-smoking man with the loud voice, outsized personality, unmistakable Boston accent, and politically incorrect opinions. Each Wednesday on his website, theguyfromboston.net, Ligotti stands in front of an American flag and delivers his biting and unfiltered takes on politics, the war, the Big Dig, ... (Boston Globe, 5/5/08)
In a dark space: Edward James Olmos on the end of 'Battlestar Galactica'
WASHINGTON - Now in the midst of its fourth and final season, SciFi's "Battlestar Galactica" - a tale of humans nearly destroyed by a race of machines called Cylons - is as bleak, allegorical, and groundbreaking as ever. And the stakes seem especially high, as four humans turn out to be sleeper Cylons, a pilot named Starbuck returns from the ... (Boston Globe, 5/3/08)
ESPN sued for using Rockwell illustration
NEW YORK - The owner of Norman Rockwell's "Bottom of the 6th" - showing three umpires looking skyward as first raindrops fall - is steaming over the use of the classic illustration in the television series "The Bronx is Burning." (Boston Globe, 5/4/08)
'Cranford' takes in full scope of pre-industrial England
It will be hard to make "Cranford" sound like anything but a nice little PBS tea cozy. This new three-parter from "Masterpiece" has all the ingredients of a stereotypical bonnet 'n' bustle melodrama, from its portrayal of 19th-century small-town proprieties to its cast of older, formidable British actresses who all seem typecast to play "the chaperone." Based on three works ... (Boston Globe, 5/3/08)
Critic's corner
The Shell Seekers 9 p.m. Saturday, The Hallmark Channel Vanessa Redgrave (above), who might be the busiest actress in showbiz, takes another spiritual journey. (Boston Globe, 5/3/08)
Tragedy and trysts, but too little passion
Vanessa Redgrave wanders through "The Shell Seekers" with red-rimmed eyes, as if a flood of tears lurks just beneath the surface, destined to never arrive. Stiff British upper lip and all that, which is a pity. Some good, old-fashioned histrionics would make this two-hour film a lot more entertaining. (Boston Globe, 5/3/08)