What's on TV

SHOWS WORTH NOTING FOR April 14-20

A Question of Miracles (HBO, 10-11:15 p.m.): "America Undercover" debunks the Christian charismatic healing movement, demonstrating that the techniques of mass hypnosis used by televangelist Benny Hinn and charismatic healer Reinhold Bonnke can be replicated in a lab. But examining the careers of these men is not the same as exploring the much broader field of spiritual healing, though the film purports to do so. Nor is its discussion about the evolution of the brain an effective refutation of religious experience.

Monday 4/16

Alfred Stieglitz: The Eloquent Eye (PBS, check local listings): It's fantastic to see so much of Stieglitz's photography and to see it placed in the context of the early 20th century. What Stieglitz did in exploring photography he also did in promoting the great artists of his period. He discovered the brave new world of painter Georgia O'Keeffe (whom he eventually married), and showed Marsden Hartley's paintings in his famous gallery.

Weakest Link (NBC, 8-9 p.m.): Another British quiz-show import, but this one is meant to humiliate its contestants. Host Anne Robinson may think it's all in good fun, but this game show has been a hit because the host is offensive. Just what we need, more incivility.

Tuesday, 4/17

Chains of Love (UPN, 8-9 p.m.): This is "Temptation Island" on an even more intimate level. A man is chained to four women and frees one every few days as he gets closer to choosing the one he prefers. In three weeks, a woman will be chained to four men - same drill. Dull-witted at best, callous and crass at worst.

All Souls (UPN, 9-10 p.m.): A hospital drama with a twist - a touch of Gothic horror enlivens the action. The main character is aptly named Mitchell Grace, and those who help him have names like Glorie St. Claire and Lazarus. This intriguing new series questions the ethics of scientists who chase biological immortality at the expense of the innocent.

Friday, 4/20

Last Stand of the Tallgrass Prairie (PBS, 9-10 p.m.): Eloquently written, this magnificent film investigates the history and the future of the Flint Hills of Kansas. Once an inland sea, then a prairie with the most fertile loam in North America, it is now an endangered ecosystem. The surprise here is just who knows what's best for the prairie. Lyle Lovett hosts.

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