Tuning In

PBS’ incendiary ’Fire’

When a growing wave of anger against not only American Indians, but also conservationists, teachers and civic unions struck a Montana town, its residents decided to stop the hate before it got worse. Their story is told in tonight’s “P.O.V.” series on WETA.

“The Fire Next Time,” airing at 11 p.m. on the public television station, follows the highly charged aftermath of the breakup of a domestic sleeper cell whose members were plotting to kill local leaders.

The film examines the rising conflict, how different groups became involved in the debate, and the role local talk radio played in fueling the controversy. What sets the hourlong special apart is the way the community rallied to examine and confront its own biases.

Many of the Montana community’s problems mirror those facing the country in general, the special says, from a decline in public discourse to the fears Americans too often feel about their society.

’Today’s’ tomorrow

The ratings free-fall at the “Today” show has come to an end, and NBC can thank a new producer and a certain runaway bride for the good news.

Television’s most popular morning program has improved enough that network execs can take a breather this week to enjoy its 10-year milestone, Associated Press reports.

Nielsen Media Research is expected to confirm Thursday that “Today” has been the top-rated morning news show for 500 consecutive weeks, a winning streak that started in December 1995. This past May, however, “Today” was holding off ABC’s “Good Morning America” by a mere 43,000 viewers in one week’s ratings battle.

During the angst-ridden spring, the top “Today” executive got his walking papers, host Katie Couric endured her first bout of critical press, and “GMA” clearly seemed the more aggressive, interesting show.

However, newsmaking interviews, including Miss Couric’s chat with runaway bride Jennifer Wilbanks and Matt Lauer’s recent debate with Tom Cruise over psychiatry, have since made “Today” must-see morning TV. The advantage over ABC grew to 700,000 viewers June 20 through 26, and 524,000 the week after.

Some of the upswing can be credited to new “Today” executive producer Jim Bell, who was working with NBC Sports before the move. The changes made by Mr. Bell and his executive partner, Jim Griffin, probably aren’t visible to most viewers. The two men have tried to give the first half-hour a harder, more newsy edge.

Mr. Bell took a peek at the past to revive the news franchise.

After a trip to the “Today” video archives, he was entranced by old tapes of Miss Couric and Mr. Lauer bantering during the show’s five-minute local news breaks. A handful of small NBC stations don’t show local news then, and “Today” instead offers a few minutes with the hosts chatting.

That easygoing charm was rarely visible on air anymore, so he encouraged more ad-libbing.

“Viewers sense when things are really scripted,” Mr. Bell told AP. “It’s not always going to be magical television, but I think that’s part of the allure of live TV that it’s not always honed to a fine polish.”

“GMA” executive producer Ben Sherwood isn’t ready to concede that Mr. Bell has engineered a turnaround after a few strong weeks.

“I know from my own experience, it’s really too soon to see a producer’s work after a couple of months,” Mr. Sherwood told AP. “He’s still trying to sort it out and get used to the sleep deprivation.”

Bochco bags politics

TV producer Steven Bochco decided to tackle the Iraq war on-screen only after convincing himself he could do so while leaving politics on the cutting-room floor.

“I don’t think you have to deal at all with the politics of [the war],” Mr. Bochco told Reuters News Agency of his new drama, “Over There.” “Ultimately, a young man being shot at in a firefight has absolutely no interest in politics.”

Audiences may read into the program messages shaped by their own opinions, but Mr. Bochco, 61, denies that his own political views about the conflict show through.

His new series, filmed near Los Angeles and around the high-desert town of Lancaster, Calif., debuts July 27 on FX, the News Corp.-owned cable network.

“Over There” focuses on a U.S. Army sergeant, nicknamed Sgt. Scream by his troops and played by Eric Palladino (who appeared on the television shows “ER” and “Homicide: Life on the Street”), and a small band of soldiers he leads on their first tour of duty in Iraq.

War dramas are not new to American television, but “Over There” marks the first time a show has captured a conflict in progress.

“Combat” and “Rat Patrol,” both set during World War II, were made in the 1960s. The Korean War satire “M*A*S*H” debuted during the Vietnam War, and “China Beach,” about life on a Vietnam-era military base, aired more than 10 years after that war came to an end.

Compiled by Christian Toto from staff and wire reports.