The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 51

Ihave a kind of collect- them-all affection for the PBS biographical series now in its 22nd year and happily catholic in its definition of who qualifies as an American Master. Jasper Johns, Julia Child and James Brown, to name just three whose names start with J. Some editions are better than others, of course, and few are really critical of their subjects, even when allowing a peek at the warts their American mastery is expressed and explicated, yet always taken as read. But most all are better than what passes for on most other networks, where a couple of hit records or a popular sitcom is considered reason enough to haul a old elementary school teacher in front of a video camera. (There are a lot of hours of TV to fill.) It takes a little more than that to become an American Master.

The latest episode, airing tonight, Neale Hurston: Jump at the concerns the author of Eyes Were Watching which, most famously, Oprah Winfrey and Halle Berry converted into aTV movie a few seasons back. But Hurston wroteother novels, nonfiction books, plays, and newspaper and magazine articles. The first African American to graduate from Barnard College, she was a charter member of the Harlem Renaissance and an ethnographer who documented Southern black folkways on the page and on film some of that footage is seen here. She put that culture on stage as well, calling it greatest wealth of the and warning, stuff last She is described here, not necessarily by people who knew her, but people who have spent their lives coming to feel as if they did, as and (Photo- graphs show a lively, confident woman of whom this certainly could be true.) seems to have been herself all the says one commentator. A woman whose early hero was Hercules, Hurston was independent even to a fault, and though she was passionate about her roots, she was not political about her race.

am not tragically she wrote. do not weep at the world. I am too busy sharpening my oyster Enthusiastic talking heads include Alice Walker, who placed a headstone on unmarked grave Genius of the it read and helped revive interest in the author. Maya Angelou sings two styles of blues. There are residents of Eatonville, the all-black Florida town where Hurston grew up, and Dorothy West, who knew Hurston in Harlem.

(West died in 1998: Producer Kristy Andersen worked on the film for 18 years.) The seemingly ubiquitous Henry Louis GatesJr.for once appears as the literary theorist he is: For Gates Eyes Were Watching is novel about the capacity of the Afri- canAmerican vernacular to narrate a novel, to tell a That use of vernacular, and its apolitical story of a self-discovery, put it out of favor with African American critics of the time though it was praised by the white press. Richard Wright, not yet the author of was particularly dismissive, and even old mentor, Alain Locke, termed it (She called Locke a little in return. will send my toenail to debate him on what he knows about Negroes and Negro As the century wore on, Huston fell out of fashion, and further out of step. A she found forced desegregation insulting to black culture, which she regarded asself-sufficiently rich and varied. She published her last novel in 1948, wrote more novels she get published, and died in 1960 with her books out of print.

But they are all back now. robert.lloyd@latimes.com TELEVISION REVIEW Her eyes were watching Corbis OBSERVANT: Zora Neale Hurston wrote novels (including Eyes Were Watching nonfiction works and more. Zora Neale Hurston, literary ethnographer of black life, proves a feisty subject for By Robert Lloyd Times Television Critic E10 CALENDAR LOSANGELESTIMES TIMES FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2008 ALL DIGITAL PRESENTATION ISLAND (11:15, 1:55, 7:15, 9:35 THE RUINS (11:35, 2:30, 7:45, 10:15 RUN FAT BOY RUN 7:10, 9:45 SUPERHERO MOVIE (11:55, 2:10, 7:35, 9:55 DRILLBIT TAYLOR (11:40, 2:25, 7:50, 10:20 SHUTTER (11:00, 1:15, 3:30, 8:00, 10:10 DR. HEARS A WHO! A (11:45, 12:30, 2:05, 2:50, 4:35, 7:30, 9:50 NEVER BACK DOWN 7:00, 9:40 10,000 B.C. (11:50, 2:45, 7:55, 10:30 THE BANK JOB (11:30, 2:20, 7:40, 10:25 COLLEGE ROAD TRIP A (11:20, 2:15, 4:45) THE BUCKET LIST (11:25, 1:50, 7:20, 10:05 LEATHERHEADS (11:10, 2:00, 7:25, 10:00 (35MM) ALL DIGITAL PRESENTATION ISLAND (11:20, 1:50, 7:00, 9:30 THE RUINS (12:15, 2:35, 7:25, 9:55 21 (11:00, 1:55, 7:55, 10:50 SUPERHERO MOVIE (12:10, 2:30, 7:15, 9:40 DRILLBIT TAYLOR (11:30, 2:10, 7:20, 10:05 SHUTTER (12:20, 2:40, 7:45, 10:10 DR.

HEARS A WHO! A (11:45, 12:30, 2:05, 2:50, 4:35, 7:30, 9:50 10,000 B.C. 7:10, 10:00 LEATHERHEADS (11:10, 2:00, 7:40, 10:30 (35MM) UNDER THE SAME MOON (11:15, 1:55, 7:35, 10:15 (35MM) ALL DIGITAL PRESENTATION ISLAND (11:15, 1:50, 7:10 THE RUINS (11:40, 2:10, 7:20 21 (10:50, 1:45, 7:35 SUPERHERO MOVIE (11:30, 1:55, 7:30 DR. HEARS A WHO! A (11:35, 2:05, 7:00 LEATHERHEADS (11:10, 2:00, 7:40 (35MM) SAN CLEMENTE SANCLEMENTECINEMA6 641-B Camino De Los Mares 949-661-SHOW (7469) DOWNEY DOWNEYCINEMA10 8200 3rd Corner of 3rd St. and New Ave. 562-622-3999 CHINO CHINOSPECTRUM MARKETPLACE12 3750 Grand Avenue 909-628-1500 LEATHERHEADS (10:40, 11:25, 1:30, 2:15, 4:20, 7:10, 7:45, 10:00, 10:35 DRILLBIT TAYLOR (11:00, 11:55, 2:00, 2:45, 4:35, 7:25, 8:25, 9:40, 10:40 SHUTTER (11:10, 1:45, 6:50, 9:00 TYLER MEET THE BROWNS (11:40, 1:05, 3:30, 7:20, 8:20, 10:45 FUNNY GAMES (10:50, 1:30, 7:40, 10:15 PENELOPE (11:20, 1:55, 7:05, 9:30 BE KIND REWIND (11:05, 1:45, 7:35, 10:30 VANTAGE POINT (11:00, 1:00, 7:00, 9:35 DEFINITELY, MAYBE (10:50, 1:45, 7:30, 10:25 GOLD (12:10, 2:50, 8:10, 10:45 IN BRUGES (10:55, 1:35, 7:20, 10:20 27 DRESSES (11:15, 1:50, 7:15, 9:50 THERE WILL BE BLOOD 9:50 ALL DIGITAL PRESENTATION ISLAND (11:45, 2:10, 2:50, 4:35, 7:00, 7:40, 9:25 THE RUINS (12:20, 2:40, 7:30, 9:50 21 (11:00, 1:05, 1:45, 4:05, 7:10, 7:45, 10:00, 10:35 RUN FAT BOY RUN STOP-LOSS (11:20, 2:05, 7:35, 10:15 SUPERHERO MOVIE (12:30, 2:45, 3:30, 5:05, 7:20, 8:00, 9:35, 10:15 DRILLBIT TAYLOR (12:05, 2:35, 7:55, 10:25 SHUTTER (10:50, 1:00, 3:05, 7:25, 9:40 DR.

HEARS A WHO! A (11:05, 12:00, 1:15, 2:15, 7:05, 9:15 10,000 B.C. (11:15, 2:00, 7:20 THE BANK JOB LEATHERHEADS (11:00, 11:45, 1:45, 2:20, 4:25, 7:15, 7:50, 10:00, 10:40 (35MM) UNDER THE SAME MOON (11:10, 1:40, 6:45, 9:15 (35MM) VISTA METROPLEX15 25 Main Vista Village Dr. Exit, off Hwy 78 760-945-SHOW (7469) CORONA KRIKORIANTHEATRES15 ATDOSLAGOS 2710 Lakeshore Drive Exit Weirick Road off the I-15 951-667-4242 ALL DIGITAL PRESENTATION ISLAND (11:20, 12:20, 2:00, 3:00, 4:35, 7:10, 8:10, 9:35, 10:35 THE RUINS (11:50, 2:50, 7:50, 10:45 21 (11:00, 1:00, 1:55, 4:00, 7:00, 7:45, 10:00, 10:40 RUN FAT BOY RUN 7:40, 10:15 STOP-LOSS (11:45, 2:25, 7:55, 10:35 SUPERHERO MOVIE (12:25, 1:15, 2:45, 3:30, 5:00, 7:15, 8:00, 9:30 DRILLBIT TAYLOR (11:40, 2:20, 7:50, 10:30 SHUTTER (11:15, 1:30, 6:05, 8:15, 10:25 DR. HEARS A WHO! A (11:30, 12:15, 1:50, 2:35, 4:10, 7:00, 9:10 10,000 B.C. LEATHERHEADS (11:10, 2:05, 7:35, 10:20 (35MM) UNDER THE SAME MOON (11:25, 2:10, 7:30, 10:10 (35MM) ALL DIGITAL PRESENTATION ISLAND (12:00, 2:30, 7:30, 9:55 THE RUINS (11:40, 2:20, 7:25, 10:00 21 (11:00, 1:10, 1:50, 4:00, 6:50, 7:40, 10:05 RUN FAT BOY RUN STOP-LOSS (11:10, 2:00, 7:35, 10:20 SUPERHERO MOVIE (10:55, 1:10, 3:25, 7:55, 10:10 DRILLBIT TAYLOR (11:15, 1:45, 7:00, 9:40 SHUTTER (11:55, 2:15, 7:10, 9:30 TYLER MEET THE BROWNS 7:50, 10:25 DR.

HEARS A WHO! A (11:45, 12:30, 2:05, 2:50, 4:35, 7:15, 9:35 10,000 B.C. (11:05, 1:45, 7:20, 10:15 LEATHERHEADS (11:00, 11:50, 1:40, 2:40, 4:20, 7:05, 8:00, 9:50, 10:40 (35MM) UNDER THE SAME MOON (11:25, 2:10, 10:30 (35MM) REDLANDS REDLANDSCINEMA14 340 N. Eureka St. 909-793-6393 PICO RIVERA PICORIVERAVILLAGEWALK15 8540 Whittier Blvd. 562-205-FILM (3456) ALL DIGITAL PRESENTATION ISLAND (11:40, 12:25, 2:05, 2:50, 4:30, 6:55, 7:40, 9:20, 10:05 THE RUINS (11:00, 12:05, 1:10, 2:25, 3:25, 4:45, 7:05, 8:05, 9:25, 10:25 21 (11:15, 1:20, 2:10, 4:15, 7:10, 7:55, 10:05, 10:45 RUN FAT BOY RUN 7:55, 10:40 STOP-LOSS (11:30, 2:15, 7:45, 10:35 SUPERHERO MOVIE (12:00, 12:45, 2:15, 3:00, 4:30, 6:45, 7:30, 9:40, 10:25 DRILLBIT TAYLOR (12:25, 2:55, 8:00, 10:30 SHUTTER (12:25, 2:55, 7:25, 9:40 TYLER MEET THE BROWNS (12:20, 9:50 DR.

HEARS A WHO! A (11:05, 12:00, 1:20, 2:20, 3:25, 4:40, 7:00, 9:20 10,000 B.C. (11:50, 2:30, 7:50, 10:30 COLLEGE ROAD TRIP A 7:35 LEATHERHEADS (11:05, 11:55, 1:50, 2:40, 4:35, 7:20, 8:10, 10:05, 10:50 (35MM) UNDER THE SAME MOON (11:15, 1:55, 7:15, 9:55 (35MM) ALL DIGITAL PRESENTATION LEATHERHEADS (11:00, 11:45, 1:45, 2:30, 4:20, 7:00, 7:55, 9:45, 10:35 (ON2SCREENS) ISLAND (11:15, 1:50, 7:10, 9:35 THE RUINS (11:35, 2:25, 7:45, 10:15 21 (11:10, 1:10, 1:55, 4:05, 7:05, 7:40, 9:55, 10:30 (ON2SCREENS) RUN FAT BOY RUN 8:00, 10:40 STOP-LOSS (11:30, 2:10, 7:50, 10:20 SUPERHERO MOVIE (11:40, 2:35, 7:35, 9:50 DRILLBIT TAYLOR (11:20, 2:20, 7:25, 10:05 UNDER THE SAME MOON (11:25, 2:15, 7:30, 10:10 DR. HEARS A WHO! A (11:05, 11:50, 1:15, 2:05, 3:25, 4:25, 7:15, 9:30 (ON2SCREENS) MONROVIA MONROVIACINEMA12 410 S. Myrtle Avenue 626-305-SHOW (7469) BUENA PARK METROPLEX18 8290 La Palma Avenue 714-826-SHOW (7469) LEATHERHEADS 1130 1255 215 340 500 620 745 905 1030 (PG) NIM'S ISLAND 1200 110 225 335 450 600 710 825 940 (R)1155 THE RUINS 100 215 320 435 540 655 800 915 1025 10,000 B.C. 200 440 715 950 1250 21 150 245 345 445 540 645 740 835 935 1030 DRILLBIT TAYLOR 1145 220 455 730 1000 DR.

SEUSS' HORTON HEARS A WHO! (G) 1205 115 220 330 440 550 700 920 MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY 1215 235 500 720 945 RUN FAT BOY RUN 200 430 705 930 SHUTTER 325 535 755 1010 (R)155 STOP-LOSS 435 725 1005 SUPERHERO MOVIE 335 545 755 1005 THE BANK JOB (R) 1210 250 525 800 1035 VANTAGE POINT 805 1020 LEATHERHEADS 1120 200 440 720 1000 (PG) NIM'S ISLAND 1130 1245 150 305 410 525 630 745 850 1005 (R) THE RUINS 1250 310 530 750 1010 10,000 B.C. 1200 235 510 740 1025 21 1135 100 230 400 520 700 830 955 DRILLBIT TAYLOR 1125 155 430 715 950 DR. SEUSS' HORTON HEARS A WHO! (G) 1140 105 200 320 425 540 645 755 905 1020 NEVER BACK DOWN 135 415 655 940 RUN FAT BOY RUN 1155 220 445 710 935 SHUTTER 115 330 545 750 1000 (R) STOP-LOSS 1135 215 450 730 1015 SUPERHERO MOVIE 1120 130 340 550 800 1010 (PG) NIM'S ISLAND 1025 1245 305 525 745 1005 (R)1055 THE RUINS 110 325 540 755 1020 10,000 B.C. 1110 150 425 700 935 130 21 420 710 1015 COLLEGE ROAD TRIP (G) 1210 450 940 DRILLBIT TAYLOR 220 705 DR. SEUSS' HORTON HEARS A WHO! (G) 1030 1240 255 520 735 950 SHUTTER 1035 1250 300 510 725 945 SUPERHERO MOVIE 115 330 535 750 1000 LEATHERHEADS 1105 1225 155 320 445 615 735 900 1015 (PG) NIM'S ISLAND 1100 1215 130 245 400 515 630 745 900 1010 (R) THE RUINS 1230 300 530 800 1030 10,000 B.C.

1115 150 435 715 955 21 1155 125 255 425 550 720 855 1015 DOOMSDAY (R) 1125 455 1010 DRILLBIT TAYLOR 1150 225 500 730 1005 DR. SEUSS' HORTON HEARS A WHO! (G) 1130 1240 150 300 410 520 630 740 850 1000 MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY 1200 220 440 705 940 NEVER BACK DOWN 1115 200 445 730 1010 RUN FAT BOY RUN 1150 220 450 725 955 (R) STOP-LOSS 1135 215 500 750 1035 SUPERHERO MOVIE 1120 1220 140 240 355 510 620 725 840 945 THE BANK JOB (R) 1155 235 505 750 1030 THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL 1110 200 450 735 1020 MEET THE BROWNS 215 740 UNDER THE SAME MOON 1145 105 225 345 505 625 745 905 1020 VANTAGE POINT 1205 230 455 715 935 (PG) NIM'S ISLAND 1150 1250 220 320 440 540 705 805 925 1025 (R)120 THE RUINS 335 600 815 1030 10,000 B.C. 1155 230 510 750 1020 1220 21 215 315 500 555 745 845 1030 DRILLBIT TAYLOR 1135 200 430 700 930 DR. SEUSS' HORTON HEARS A WHO! (G) 1130 1230 145 245 405 505 720 930 MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY 1200 235 450 710 935 RUN FAT BOY RUN 225 445 730 955 SHUTTER 600 810 1015 SUPERHERO MOVIE 305 525 740 945 THE BANK JOB (R) 1140 215 445 725 1000 THE BUCKET LIST 715 940 VANTAGE POINT 1210 250 515 735 950 LEATHERHEADS 105 405 655 945 (PG) NIM'S ISLAND 1210 230 450 715 935 (R)1220 THE RUINS 240 500 720 950 400 650 950 21 DRILLBIT TAYLOR 225 730 DR. SEUSS' HORTON HEARS A WHO! (G) 1205 220 445 705 925 MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY 1155 215 440 700 920 RUN FAT BOY RUN 455 1000 SUPERHERO MOVIE 255 515 735 955 THE BANK JOB (R) 100 415 710 940 UNDER THE SAME MOON 410 645 930 150 435 720 1005 LEATHERHEADS (PG)1250 305 525 740 950 NIM'S ISLAND (R)1125 135 350 605 815 1030 THE RUINS 10,000 B.C.

200 445 730 1015 145 430 715 1000 21 DRILLBIT TAYLOR 205 450 735 1020 DR. SEUSS' HORTON HEARS A WHO! (G)1105 1235 120 245 330 455 540 705 750 910 955 140 420 710 935 RUN FAT BOY RUN SHUTTER 155 405 615 825 1035 150 400 610 820 1040 SUPERHERO MOVIE MEET THE BROWNS 1245 210 310 425 535 700 800 925 1025 UNDER THE SAME MOON 155 440 725 1010 Times Valid For Wednesday, April 9, 2008 Only ProgramNet- work Viewers ProgramNet- work Viewers 1 American Idol 2 American Idol 3 CSICBS20.58 4 Dancing With the Stars (Mon.) ABC20.56 5 Dancing With the Stars (Tue.) ABC17.28 ------------------------------------------6 CSI: Miami 7 Without a TraceCBS15.20 8 Two and a Half MenCBS14.50 9 Basketball: CBS14.43 10 CSI: Miami ------------------------------------------11 Survivor: MicronesiaCBS12.87 12 CSI: NYCBS12.85 13 Criminal MindsCBS12.81 14 Old ChristineCBS12.57 15 Cold CaseCBS11.93 ------------------------------------------16 KitchenFOX11.85 17 Basketball CBS11.26 18 Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (9 p.m.) FOX10.41 19 Moment of TruthFOX10.16 20 Deal or No Deal ------------------------------------------21 Numb3rsCBS10.00 22 NCISCBS9.97 23 60 MinutesCBS9.92 24 Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (8 p.m.) FOX9.88 25 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition ABC9.73 ------------------------------------------26 to Be 27 MediumNBC9.65 28 Deal or No Deal 29 How I Met Your MotherCBS9.50 30 Big GiveABC9.42 ------------------------------------------31 Ghost WhispererCBS9.06 32 Price Is Right Prime Time CBS8.63 33 The Big Bang TheoryCBS8.43 34 Biggest Loser 5NBC8.17 35 Funniest Home Videos (Sun.) ABC7.70 ------------------------------------------36 Bachelor: London Calling ABC7.67 37 Here Come the Newlyweds ABC7.66 38 My Name Is EarlNBC7.53 39 HouseFOX7.50 40 Law Order: SVU (Sun.) NBC7.12 ------------------------------------------41 DexterCBS7.03 42 Dateline: NBC 43 New AmsterdamFOX6.59 44 Law Order 45 Big Brother 9 ------------------------------------------46 Family GuyFOX6.19 47 Big Brother 9 48 LawFOX6.06 49 Law Order 50 Most WantedFOX5.98 ------------------------------------------51 Funniest Home Videos (Fri.) ABC5.97 52 Big Brother 9 53 SupernannyABC5.89 54 Law Order: SVU 55 MonkNBC5.74 ------------------------------------------56 Wife SwapABC5.69 57 The SimpsonsFOX5.58 58 Cops (8 p.m.)FOX5.50 59 Just for Laughs (8:30 p.m.) ABC5.48 60 Men in TreesABC5.45 ------------------------------------------61 Al Diablo con los Guapos (Mon.) UNI5.40 62 Just for Laughs (8 p.m.)ABC5.32 63 Al Diablo con los Guapos (Tue.) UNI5.30 64 King of the Hill (8:30 p.m.) FOX5.28 65 Eli StoneABC5.15 ------------------------------------------66 Law and Order: Criminal Intent NBC5.12 67 The Office (9 p.m.)NBC5.09 68 Al Diablo con los Guapos (Wed.) UNI5.05 Network averages Here is the number of viewers (in millions) that each network averaged per hour of prime time, for last week and for the season. Network Last week Season to date FOX9.6211.07 ABC7.618.84 NBC6.298.06 UNI3.763.53 CW2.152.46 Here are the rankings for national prime-time network television last week (March 31-April 6) as compiled by Nielsen Media Research. They are based on the average number of people who watched a program from start to finish. Nielsen estimates there are 286 million potential viewers in the U.S.

ages 2 and older. Viewership is listed in millions. CBS ended 11-week winning streak in the weekly prime-time ratings race last week with 11 of the 15 most- watched programs, according to figures released Tuesday by Nielsen Media Research. CBS averaged 11.53 million viewers for its22 hours of prime-time programming from March 31 through Sunday, the first time a network other than Fox finished first among total viewers since began its season Jan. 15.

The only non-CBS programs to crack the top 15 were the two episodes on Fox, which were one and two, and two With the episodes, fourth and fifth. Leading the way for CBS was the first post-strike episode of Crime Scene which was third with 20.58 million viewers. CBS was also bolstered by a two- part episode of CBS also had the most- watched comedy, and a Half eighth overall with 14.5 million viewers, more than the previous week. CBS stops run by Fox From City News Service Prime-Time TV Rankings Masters: Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Where: KCET When: 9 tonight Rating: TV-PG (may be unsuitable for young children).