Tube Notes
By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service
Today's Must-See
News coverage, all day (check ocal listings). A year ago today, the world was stunned as terrorists launched an assault on the United States. Appropriately, all of the networks will devote coverage to the anniversary of those attacks. The morning shows begin at 4 a.m. ABC, CBS and NBC will start coverage marking the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks with only a few breaks — usually for local newscasts. The cable channels — CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and Court TV — have similar plans. Memorial events will be covered live with features and interviews. There also are related specials, especially in prime time (see below).
"Portraits of Grief," 5, 8 and 11 p.m., Discovery Channel. To outsiders, the people at the World Trade Center might have seemed interchangeable. Many were money managers and business people wearing serious clothes and diligent expressions. At home, however, they were wonderfully individuals. This film, based on a New York Times series, gently portrays many of them. One man pulled out his guitar each night and wailed rock tunes. Another was a swirl of fun. His wife says he whisked her to Italy so he could propose. A man was diligent at work. At home, his gay lover recalls, he loved fulfilling the three D's — dancing, diva and drama queen. These people and others have nothing in common — except that they were richly human, and their lives were ended on Sept. 11.
Of Note
"Visions from Ground Zero: Reel Life," 5 a.m., Cinemax. This is a package of short documentaries.
"America Remembers," 8 a.m., CNN. Aaron Brown and Paula Zahn anchor from New York.
"9/11 Remembrance" 8:30 a.m., HGTV and Food Channel. For the next two hours, both channels will offer gentle words and images.
"In Memoriam: New York City, 9/11/01," 5 p.m., HBO. This documentary was expertly assembled from work by many professional and amateur cameramen on Sept. 11 and the days afterward.
"Investigative Reports: Anatomy of September 11th," 5 and 9 p.m., A&E. This reruns a report done with the New York Times. It offers some dramatic survival stories interspersed with glimpses of mistakes that may have cost lives. Also at 5 p.m., "The Day the Towers Fell" (History Channel).
"ABC News: 9/11," 6 p.m., ABC. Charles Gibson's report will be a reconstruction of the attacks and how the government reacted. Peter Jennings' report, a joint venture with USA Today, views what happened inside the towers between the first attack and the collapse of the second tower.
"Love's Legacy: The Babies of 9/11," 6 p.m., ABC Family. This report, like Sawyer's on ABC, views babies born after their mothers were widowed on Sept. 11. Also at 6 p.m., "After 9/11: Rebuilding Lives," Discovery Channel; "World Trade Center: Rise and Fall of an Icon," History Channel.
"60 Minutes II," 7 p.m., CBS. Scott Pelley interviews President Bush about Sept. 11 events.
"Dateline," 7 p.m., NBC. Tom Brokaw interviews air traffic controllers.
"9/11: The Day America Changed," 7 p.m., Fox. Brit Hume anchors with Shepard Smith at Ground Zero, Linda Vester in Shankesville, Pa., Greta Van Susteren at the Pentagon, Geraldo Rivera in Afghanistan; David Lee Miller in Baghdad and Tony Snow in Norfolk, Virginia.
"Rebuilding Ground Zero," Discovery; "Minute by Minute: Attack on the Pentagon," A&E 7 p.m.
"Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero," 8 p.m., PBS. We meet people whose faith was deepened by the attacks and some whose faith was shattered.
"9/11," 8 p.m., CBS. This rerun, originally scheduled for Sunday, offers a detailed look at Sept. 11. A French film crew that happened to be following New York firefighters that day filmed it.
"Concert For America," 8 p.m., NBC. This concert, taped Monday, offers great voices from popular and classical genres.
"World Trade Center: Anatomy of a Collapse," 9 p.m., The Learning Channel.
"Pentagon Under Fire," 10 p.m., The Learning Channel.
"Inside Flight 93," 11 p.m., The Learning Channel. This recreates the perspective of passengers aboard doomed United Flight 93.
