What's On TV
Saturday 4/15
Parkinson Meets McCartney (BBC America, check local listings): Part of "The Sixties Season" which includes a new comedy "Hippies" (Fridays); a paean to the new music, "Pop Goes the Sixties" (April 16); and a reprise of the popular miniseries, "Our Friends in the North" (Mondays). For Beatles fans, hearing Paul recount his first meeting with John is quite touching. His solo career and his relationship with his wife of 30 years, Linda, are all illuminating, but the high point is hearing him sing "Yesterday."
Sunday 4/16
Walking with Dinosaurs (Discovery Channel, 7-10 p.m.): The special effects are dino-mite in this utterly spectacular documentary. From hatchings to hunting, the production transports viewers to the Jurassic age, for a slightly too-long three-hour tour. And for those who wonder how it was all made, tomorrow night's "Making of...." (9-10 p.m.) decodes the process (see story, right).
Kiss Toledo Goodbye: (Starz! 8 p.m.): Comic gangster movies are not for everyone, and this one has some truly lame moments. But Christopher Walken and assorted funny guys give the film its punch, as it were. Kevin (Michael Rappaport) is kidnapped by a mafioso, Sal. When Sal is blown away, Kevin inherits his "business" and his troubles. A decent guy, though, Kevin outwits the bad guys. For mature audiences.
David Copperfield (PBS, check local listings): A gem of a production. Charles Dickens's immortal characters come to life in this coming-of-age story. The star-studded cast includes Maggie Smith, Bob Hoskins, and Ian McKellen. Concludes Monday (see story, right).
An All-Star Tribute to Joni Mitchell (TNT, 9-11 p.m.): Wynonna Judd to Bryan Adams, Tony Bennett, Laurence Fishburne, Susan Sarandon, Elton John, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Cyndi Lauper, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell herself, and a host of others. Her personal rise to success is interesting as the one who ushered in folk rock, but it's her songs, covering around 35 years of music history, that make this show special for fans of the genre. Hillary Clinton tells the story of naming her daughter after "Chelsea Morning." Ashley Judd hosts.
Tuesday 4/18
Happily Ever After: The Snow Queen (HBO, check local listings): This politically correct series continues with a charming retelling of the icy-hearted queen, this time set in the Arctic. All the animals help a little Yupic girl rescue her friend, a boy named Kai, from the clutches of the cruel Snow Queen. Well told and charming.
Men Strike Back (VH1, 9-11 p.m.): VH1's "Divas" proved to be such a success that the producers decided to devote a whole show to men - well, almost. Sting, the Backstreet Boys, Enrique Iglesias, and Christina Aguilera will perform at Madison Square Garden.
Thursday 4/20
Intimate Portrait: Golda Meir (Lifetime, 7-8 p.m.): Golda Mabovitch emigrated from Kiev, Russia, to the United States with her parents as a young child. The involving documentary of the Israeli prime minister includes interviews with Meir herself, and reminds us what a woman can do when she sets her mind to it.
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