History Detectives
• 8 p.m. tonight, KRMA-Channel 6
PBS' History Detectives is unique in a TV universe littered with history shows. Seventy-five percent of its stories involve artifacts viewers have submitted for researchers to investigate.
History Detectives launches its fifth season tonight with a trio of mysteries: the validity of an early aluminum recording of the Amos & Andy radio show, purchased at a flea market; whether a 3-D photography screen was used by President Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis; and the origin of a painting used as a poster during a 1913 women's suffrage march.
The show's detectives are Wesley Cowan, an independent appraiser and auctioneer; Elyse Luray, an expert in art history; Gwendolyn Wright, professor of architecture at Columbia University; and Tukufu Zuberi, professor of sociology and director of the Center for African Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.
The researchers exhibit unbridled enthusiasm, but occasionally harder tones creep in. An example is Zuberi's quest to authenticate the Amos & Andy recording. That early radio and TV show was (and still is) considered racist by blacks.
Zuberi is assisted by a teen helper, and he takes every opportunity to tell his young charge about the inequities that existed in the entertainment industry for minorities. Is he wrong? No. But Zuberi's passion often seems tinged with anger.
Tonight's season premiere is a bit ordinary compared with upcoming shows. On July 2 the researchers explore the authenticity of Colonial American currency, and later in the season they'll try to validate everything from journalist Ernie Pyle's last typewriter to an altimeter from Howard Hughes' fabled XF-11 spy plane.
The value of this show goes beyond mere historical curiosities. It stresses the amount of research and diligence needed to uncover the truth.
REMOTE PATROL
What's your favorite show? Is it a series or a special? Each week one reader will be the critic, sharing his choice in this space. Tell us about your favorites in about 50 words, then e-mail it to spotlight@ RockyMountainNews.com (please include your name).
Tuesday
Shaq's Big Challenge
• 8 p.m., Denver's 7
The show: Miami Heat center Shaquille O'Neal embarks on a crusade to transform six obese, middle-school Florida youngsters into healthy, fit kids and, in the process, demonstrate how others can help fight the fat battle. The NBA superstar's own physician-trainer helps out.
Wednesday
Hidden Palms
• 7 p.m., the CW
The show: Johnny (Taylor Handley) confronts Cliff (Michael Cassidy) about Greta's (Amber Heard) bloody Halloween dress, and Nikki (Tessa Thompson) discovers a surprising secret about Cliff. Catch up on this prime-time soap.
Thursday
Burn Notice
• 8 p.m., USA
The show: Think of a "burn notice" as a combination of getting the boot and being blacklisted. It all happens to secret agent Michael Westen (+Jeffrey Donovan), hero of USA's lighthearted action drama. Unemployed and stuck in Miami, he helps out locals who can't rely on the police.
Friday
Man Vs. Wild
• 7 P.M., Discovery Channel
The show: Adventurer Bear Grylls must find his way out of Mexico's Copper Canyon with only a water bottle, flint and knife. While surviving, he'll show how to build a compass, catch and eat scorpions, make a fire and fish without a line (and we don't mean "You must be a Pisces").
Saturday
Battlefield Breakdown
• 6 and 9 p.m., CNN
The show: It's no secret that the price of the war in Iraq is staggering - current spending at $2 billion each week. Meanwhile, more than 3,500 U.S. military personnel have died. A CNN Special Investigations Unit documentary examines the unexpected consequences of this protracted war.
Sunday
Concert for Diana
• 7 p.m., 9News
The show: Princes William and Harry organized this hourlong birthday tribute to the memory of their late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. Performers include Elton John; Duran Duran; Bryan Ferry; Lily Allen; Kanye West; Rod Stewart; Natasha Bedingfield; the Feeling; James Morrison; Status Quo; Joss Stone; Nelly Furtado; P. Diddy; Tom Jones; Take That; Will Young; Roger Hodgson; and Pharrell Williams. Matt Lauer hosts.From Associated Press and Scripps Howard News Service reports
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