What's on TV

Super Bowl XXXVI (Fox, 6 p.m.): The New England Patriots take on the St. Louis Rams in New Orleans, which hosts Super Sunday for the ninth time. It's the first time the event takes place in February due to a delay in the season following Sept. 11. Before kickoff, the Boston Pops, Mariah Carey, and Marc Anthony will perform together. At halftime, U2 will provide the main entertainment.

Thursday 2/7

American Porn (PBS, check local listings): Frontline's report on the big business of pornography is disheartening in the extreme. As the $10-billion-a-year industry thrives, big business has found it respectable to profit from it. Among the big earners are AT&T and Yahoo, and hotel chains like The Westin and Marriott, which earn more from in-room video porn than from their minibars. While Frontline does its best to cover the salacious issues - particularly the increase in extreme pornography - it fails to ask some key questions: Why have feminists been all but silenced on these issues? What is the demographic for this industry - who's buying it? Is viewing it an addiction? Why aren't obvious comparisons made to the illegal drug industry (pornography used to be illegal)? Why isn't participating in the filming of pornography considered prostitution? At one point, when an "actress" is really being beaten and kicked, the Frontline crew walks out. Why didn't they call the cops?

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Friday 2/7

The Directors: The Films of Terry Gilliam (Encore, 7-8 p.m.): Fans of this eccentric director's films will be absolutely fascinated as Gilliam tells the stories behind his bizarre and meaningful movies. From "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" and "Brazil," to "The Fisher King" and "12 Monkeys," this director's amazing imagination, his fabulous vision, and outrageous humor shake up complacency while seeking out the meaning behind the madness of contemporary life.

Winter Olympics (NBC, 8 p.m.): Athletes from more than 80 nations gather for the Opening Ceremony at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. After the lighting of the Olympic torch, the Utah Symphony and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir will perform music composed by John Williams. Musicians such as Sting, the Dixie Chicks, and Yo-Yo Ma will also perform in the event, hosted by Bob Costas and Katie Couric.

The following are not necessarily recommended by the Monitor. All times Eastern, check local listings.