Comedy

Actor Rowan Atkinson. Atkinson's one of England's best-known comic actors. He starred in the TV series, "Black Adder," and co-starred in the 1990 comedy, "The Tall Guy." Atkinson stars in his own H-B-O Comedy hour special throughout March. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Television critic David Bianculli reviews three new CBS series premiering this week; "Scorch," "Fish Police," and "The Boys of Twilight."

Charles Dutton, star of the T-V comedy series "Roc." Dutton came to acting in a very roundabout way: while serving a manslaughter sentence in the Maryland State Penitentiary, he organized the performance of a play, and realized he loved acting. ("Roc" airs Sunday nights on Fox.)

Larry David, the co creator, executive producer, and on of the writers of the comedy series "Seinfeld." David's also the basis for the character "George," Jerry Seinfeld's neurotic best friend. He was a writer for Saturday Night Live and the short lived ABC late night series, "Fridays."

Comedian Chris Rock. Rock's a cast member on Saturday Night Live. He also played the junkie in the movie "New Jack City."

Television critic David Bianculli reviews "Memories of MASH," a 90-minute special that looks back at the popular TV series. It airs tonight on CBS.

Television critic David Bianculli reviews "The Carol Burnett Show," which premiered last Friday on CBS.

Comedian Bill Cosby. Cosby talks about his TV show, his early years doing stand-up comedy, and his new book, "Childhood." It recounts some of his favorite stories of his youth. (It's published by Putnam).

Comedian Nora Dunn. Dunn was a cast member of Saturday Night Live for 6 years, and portrayed such roles as the vapid talk show host Pat Stevens, the lounge singing Sweeney Sisters, and French sex kitten Babette. She was also at the center of controversy when she refused to appear on SNL when Andrew Dice Clay was the guest host. Dunn has written a new book, in the personas of her characters, called "Nobody's Rib." (It's published by Harper Perennial).

Television critic David Bianculli reviews two new programs this season: "Good & Evil," by the creator of "Soap," and "Golden Girls," and "Brooklyn Bridge" by the creator of "Family Ties."

Television critic David Bianculli takes a first look at the new fall TV season.

From the Comedy Central cable channel's "Mystery Science Theater 3000," creator and host Joel Hodgson, and head writer Mike Nelson. Their show spoofs badly made science-fiction movies by talking back to the them, much like you'd talk back to your TV.

Television critic David Bianculli reviews "Morton and Hayes," a new CBS series about a fictitious comedy team from the 40s. It's the creation of Rob Reiner, who made "When Harry Met Sally," and "This is Spinal Tap."

Television critic David Bianculli checks out Comedy Central. It's the new cable comedy network formed by the merger of "The Comedy Channel," and the "HA! Comedy Network." David's favorites are "Mystery Science Theater 3000," which lampoons old B-movies, and the rebroadcasts of Ernie Kovacs specials.

Grier is a regular cast member of the popular sketch comedy show, which has been hailed as a black alternative to Saturday Night Live.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz tries his hand at television reviewing. He turns to one of his favorite Norman Lear shows from the late 70s, "Fernwood 2-Night," a satirical talk show whose edgy humor still resonates today. It airs nightly on cable TVs Nick-at-Nite.

Mark McKinney and Scott Thompson are cast members in the Canadian sketch comedy show, The Kids In The Hall. It's is produced by Lorne Michaels, and often features gender-bending humor.

Television critic David Bianculli previews the CBS comedy-drama, about a local TV news station. He says the well-cast pilot has a purposeful feel reminiscent of Hill Street Blues.

Steve O'Donnell, the head writer for Late Night with David Letterman, writes many of the program's top ten lists. A new book compiles the best of these, called, simply, The Late Night with David Letterman Book of Top Ten Lists.

In anticipation of the new season, networks have been trying to one-up with each other with pilots of new shows. TV critic David Bianculli says NBC's Parenthood is the best of the bunch, while Hull High can't compete.