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Sunday

Racial Diversity Grows On Network Television, But Will Quality Lag Behind?

Ken Jeong, right, stars in the new ABC series Dr. Ken. Jeong appears with, from left, Kate Simses, Tisha Campbell-Martin and Jonathan Slavin. Danny Feld/ABC hide caption

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Danny Feld/ABC

Analysis

Code Switch

Racial Diversity Grows On Network Television, But Will Quality Lag Behind?

Network TV's fall schedule has a lot of new shows with non-white stars and casts. But NPR television critic Eric Deggans wonders if those series will explore race and culture as well as current shows.

Friday

CBS' Bob Schieffer Retires Sunday As Last Of The Old-School TV Anchors

Bob Schieffer on the set of Face the Nation in September. Chris Usher/CBS hide caption

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Chris Usher/CBS

Analysis

The Two-Way

CBS' Bob Schieffer Retires Sunday As Last Of The Old-School TV Anchors

Bob Schieffer, anchor of CBS' Face the Nation, retires Sunday after 46 years at the network. NPR TV Critic Eric Deggans says Schieffer is the last among a vanished breed of traditional news anchors.

CBS' Bob Schieffer Retires Sunday As Last Of The Old-School TV Anchors

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Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Tomorrowland,' The Future And The Past

Casey (Britt Robertson) in Tomorrowland. Film Frame/Disney hide caption

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Film Frame/Disney

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Tomorrowland,' The Future And The Past

On this week's show, we tackle Tomorrowland and consider pop culture looks at both the future and the past. And as always, we chat about what's making us happy this week.

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'Halt And Catch Fire' Explores What It Was Like For Women In '80s Tech

Actress Mackenzie Davis plays an '80s punk software developer in AMC's Halt and Catch Fire. The second season premieres May 31. RIchard DuCree/AMC hide caption

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RIchard DuCree/AMC

Television

'Halt And Catch Fire' Explores What It Was Like For Women In '80s Tech

Mackenzie Davis, lead actress in the AMC show, says she's more interested in the story of an underdog woman than of a "damaged, white, middle-class male figuring out his dreams."

'Halt And Catch Fire' Explores What It Was Like For Women In '80s Tech

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Wednesday

Veep's Anna Chlumsky On Youth, Television And Tolkien

Actress Anna Chlumsky attends the Los Angeles premiere for the second season of HBO's series 'Veep' at Paramount Studios. Angela Weiss/Getty Images hide caption

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Angela Weiss/Getty Images

Ask Me Another

Veep's Anna Chlumsky On Youth, Television And Tolkien

Ophira Eisenberg talks to this week's VIP, Anna Chlumsky, who plays Chief of Staff Amy Brookheimer on HBO's Veep.

Veep's Anna Chlumsky On Youth, Television And Tolkien

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Tuesday

Sunday

Post-Ron Swanson, Nick Offerman Has The 'Gumption' To Be Himself
Courtesy of Dutton

Author Interviews

Post-Ron Swanson, Nick Offerman Has The 'Gumption' To Be Himself

"I've never accused myself of being manly," Offerman says, noting his real-life persona is different from his Parks and Recreation character. His book is a set of essays about people who inspire him.

Post-Ron Swanson, Nick Offerman Has The 'Gumption' To Be Himself

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Long-Time Actress And Comedian Anne Meara Dies

In this Nov. 6, 2003, file photo, Jerry Stiller and his wife Anne Meara pose on the set of The King of Queens, at Sony Studio in Culver City, Calif. Meara, whose comic work with Stiller helped launch a 60-year career in film and TV, has died. She was 85. Jerry Stiller and son Ben Stiller say Meara died Saturday, May 23, 2015. Stefano Paltera/Associated Press hide caption

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Stefano Paltera/Associated Press

Culture

Long-Time Actress And Comedian Anne Meara Dies

Meara, who was married to Jerry Stiller and mom to Ben Stiller, had roles on Rhoda, Alf, Sex and the City and The King of Queens.

Saturday

Alfonso Ribeiro Wants To Let 'Funniest Home Videos' Shine

Alfonso Ribeiro, best known as Carlton Banks from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air will host America's Funniest Home Videos for its 26th season starting in the fall. Sam Diephuis hide caption

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Sam Diephuis

Television

Alfonso Ribeiro Wants To Let 'Funniest Home Videos' Shine

Ribeiro will take over as host for the 26th season of America's Funniest Home Videos in the fall. He says he'll add his energy and flavor, but "the videos are truly the stars of this show."

Alfonso Ribeiro Wants To Let 'Funniest Home Videos' Shine

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Friday

For 'Mad Men' And Letterman, A Week Of Goodbyes

Jon Hamm as Don Draper. Michael Yarish/AMC hide caption

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Michael Yarish/AMC

Pop Culture Happy Hour

For 'Mad Men' And Letterman, A Week Of Goodbyes

Mad Men just ended after seven seasons; David Letterman is done with late-night TV after 33. The gang discusses both farewells, both legacies, and What's Making Us Happy this week.

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Thursday

Letterman's Executive Producer: 'He's Meant A Lot To A Lot Of People'

David Letterman taped his final Late Show with David Letterman on Wednesday. Jeffrey R. Staab/CBS via AP hide caption

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Jeffrey R. Staab/CBS via AP

Television

Letterman's Executive Producer: 'He's Meant A Lot To A Lot Of People'

Fresh Air

Rob Burnett started working with David Letterman as an intern in 1985. He talks with Terry Gross about the absurd and somber moments of his three-decade tenure with the Late Show.

Letterman's Executive Producer: 'He's Meant A Lot To A Lot Of People'

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Small Batch: 'Mad Max: Fury Road'

Tom Hardy as Max Rockatansky and Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa. Jasin Boland/Warner Bros. hide caption

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Jasin Boland/Warner Bros.

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Small Batch: 'Mad Max: Fury Road'

Glen Weldon and Chris Klimek discuss Mad Max: Fury Road, director George Miller's cinematic return to a post-apocalyptic wasteland that boasts a weirdly thriving car culture.

Small Batch: 'Mad Max: Fury Road'

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What Anti-Domestic Violence Advocates Are Saying About The WNBA Suspensions

Phoenix Mercury's Brittney Griner stops to sign autographs for fans before a WNBA basketball game against the Seattle Storm in 2013 in Seattle. Elaine Thompson/AP hide caption

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Elaine Thompson/AP

Code Switch

What Anti-Domestic Violence Advocates Are Saying About The WNBA Suspensions

The league handed seven-game suspensions to stars Brittney Griner and Glory Johnson after their arrests for domestic violence. The unprecedented penalties came just a week after the couple's wedding.

Letterman Leaves Late-Night TV With A Near-Perfect Final Show

David Letterman hosts his final Late Show episode on Wednesday. Jeffrey R. Staab/CBS hide caption

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Jeffrey R. Staab/CBS

Analysis

Television

Letterman Leaves Late-Night TV With A Near-Perfect Final Show

Late Show host David Letterman said goodbye Wednesday night with his trademark self-deprecating sarcasm. He left as he had arrived: with a hilarious show made on his own terms.

Letterman Leaves Late-Night TV With A Near-Perfect Final Show

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