These listings cover television programs up to Sunday, May 1.
Greetings, TV viewers!
The discussion topic for the Media Hour in the Greek Theatre Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Whyville Time will be related to programs about families airing this week. Mother's Day is coming up, and next month Father's Day is observed. But traditional family roles have been changing lately. Some people are emotionally closer to their aunts, uncles, grandparents -- even closer to their e-mail friends -- than to their actual parents. So, if you want to, come and join the discussion on the topic: "How I define family."
For the Media Hour, watch the show(s)-of-the-week, jot down some ideas, 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 pretty easy, since City Workers are able to direct people's movement and behavior, when we need to, and it keeps everyone's chat bubbles from overlapping too much. We meet for MediaHour on Wednesdays from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Whyville Time (that's the same as Eastern Daylight Time).
Monday, May 3
"American Experience:
Golden Gate Bridge" (PBS, 9-10 p.m. E/P)
This is a technology documentary about the construction of what was then the
longest suspension bridge in the world, built above the San Francisco Bay. This
engineering marvel was designed by a person who was not a graduate engineer.
Details of the story available at
http://www.pbs.org/amex/goldengate/
Tuesday, May 4
"Innovation: Brain
Fingerprinting" (PBS, 9-10 p.m. E/P)
This documentary explains a new technology that
looks at brainwaves to detect lying. It's considered by the FBI and CIA to be
potentially the most significant breakthrough in crime detection since the DNA
analysis. You can go online at
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/innovation/episode8.html and try your hand at
identifying the perpetrator of a crime based on their brain fingerprinting test
results. Plus, log onto http://www.washingtonpost.com/liveonline on May 5 at 1 p.m. ET
to discuss the program with Dr. Lawrence Farwell, inventor of brain
fingerprinting and Chairman and Chief Scientist of Brain Fingerprinting
Laboratories.
Wednesday, May 5
"Dateline
NBC" (NBC, 9-11 p.m. E/P)
This is a documentary filmed "behind-the-scenes" of the final TV taping of the
media phenomenon, "Friends." It includes interviews of the cast and creators
about the last ten years and what lies ahead for them.
"Searching for Asian
America" (PBS, 10-11:30 p.m. E/P)
This documentary covers several real life stories about what it's like to be
Asian American in today's United States. There's a companion website with an
interactive web-original animation feature by Lela Lee and Kim from the
underground comic "Angry Little Asian Girl."
http://www.pbs.org/searching/
Thursday, May 6
"Frontline: Cyber War!"
(PBS, 9-10 p.m. E/P) This is a
documentary about a new kind of warfare. The battleground is cyberspace. With
weapons like embedded malicious code, there is the potential for massive
assaults aimed at America's
communications and industrial infrastructure. At the companion web site there
are reports by scientists who think a cyber attack is an increasingly attractive
and effective weapon -- and how imminent the threat to the USA might be.
http://www.pbs.org/frontline/shows/cyberwar
Friday, May 7
"Beyond The Movie:
Conquering Troy" (National Geographic Channel, 9-10 p.m. E/P)
Airing a week before a new Brad Pitt movie about ancient Troy opens in theatres,
this documentary tells a story almost as complicated as the epic poems, The
Iliad and The Odyssey, on which the movie is based. Historians discuss how much
of the Trojan War saga is true. Did a Greek queen really fall in love with a
Trojan warrior and run away with him? Did King Agamemnon launch 1,000 ships
across the Aegean Sea in an effort to
win her back? The program features dramatic recreations, and visits to what many
believe are the ruins of Troy. Lots more information at
www.nationalgeographic.com/channel.
Saturday, May 7
"Time Machine:
Bloodlines -- The Dracula Family Tree" (History Channel, 7-8 p.m. E/P)
Here's a documentary about genealogy (Mother's Day is tomorrow).If you plan to
watch it, you should talk to your parents beforehand because it is rated TV-PG.
It's about a team of researchers who are members of a
family linked to a 15th Century prince, Vlad Dracul. He was a cruel ruler in
eastern Europe 500 years ago whose misdeeds became the basis for the myth of
Dracula. The researchers try to discover the truth behind myth.
Sunday, May 9
"My Flesh And Blood"
(HBO, 6:30-8 p.m. E/P) This Mother's
Day broadcast raises the question, "Who says you can't choose your family?"
Susan Tom who lives in Fairfield California has done just that -- adopting
eleven special-needs children and giving them love, hope and as close to a
normal childhood as possible. This film is the winner of the Audience Award and
Director's Award at 2003's Sundance Film Festival, and follows a year in the
life of this family as it confronts daily routines, celebrates life's small
pleasures and copes with major crises.
"Mothers & Daughters In
Hollywood" (A&E Channel 8-10 p.m.
E/P) Here's another
kind of Mother's Day broadcast. Imagine being a kid and seeing hundreds of
crazed fans chasing your famous Hollywood mother, or reading about your parents'
divorce in the paper. Well, being a celebrity mother or daughter can be tough.
This special looks at women who have gone through the experience. Debbie
Reynolds, Naomi Judd, Rosanna Arquette, Joan and Melissa Rivers, Tippi Hedren,
Diane Ladd, and Shirley Jones.
