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Tuesday

Pop Culture

New Host Trevor Noah Puts His Own Spin On 'The Daily Show'

Fresh Air

Last night, seven weeks after Jon Stewart stepped down as the host of The Daily Show, the new host debuted. Critic David Bianculli says Trevor Noah "gave viewers plenty of reasons to tune in again."

New Host Trevor Noah Puts His Own Spin On 'The Daily Show'

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'The Daily Show' Introduces A New Host — And A Familiar Feel

Comedian Trevor Noah hosts his first episode of The Daily Show on Sept. 28. Brad Barket/Getty Images hide caption

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Brad Barket/Getty Images

Pop Culture

'The Daily Show' Introduces A New Host — And A Familiar Feel

Longtime viewers didn't know what to expect of Trevor Noah's debut Monday night. What they got resembled the old show, perhaps because it kept a lot of writers and producers from Jon Stewart's era.

'The Daily Show' Introduces A New Host — And A Familiar Feel

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Saturday

Remember 'Beakman's World'? The Wacky Scientist Is Still Big In Latin America

Beakman, played by performance artist Paul Zaloom, was on TV in the U.S. 20 years ago, but is still beloved in Latin America, where it plays in reruns. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Television hide caption

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Courtesy of Sony Pictures Television

Remember 'Beakman's World'? The Wacky Scientist Is Still Big In Latin America

The children's TV show ran for just five years in the U.S. in the 1990s. But it's still hugely popular in Latin America, and a stage version of the show attracts audiences in the thousands.

Remember 'Beakman's World'? The Wacky Scientist Is Still Big In Latin America

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Friday

Pop Culture Happy Hour: The Toronto International Film Festival And Our Fall TV Pool

Linda and Glen look forward to watching Supergirl, the new CBS series starring Melissa Benoist. Darren Michaels/CBS hide caption

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Darren Michaels/CBS

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop Culture Happy Hour: The Toronto International Film Festival And Our Fall TV Pool

This week, a big fall movie update from Toronto, plus our annual futile effort to predict the future of fall shows.

Pop Culture Happy Hour: The Toronto International Film Festival And Our Fall TV Pool

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Thursday

Comic Jim Gaffigan On Stand-Up, Faith And Opening For The Pope

Jim Gaffigan is the author of Dad is Fat and Food: A Love Story. The Jim Gaffigan Show, which airs on TV Land, was recently renewed for a second season. Brad Barket/Invision/AP hide caption

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Brad Barket/Invision/AP

Pop Culture

Comic Jim Gaffigan On Stand-Up, Faith And Opening For The Pope

Fresh Air

On Saturday, Gaffigan will perform for an audience that may include Pope Francis. A practicing Catholic, the comic says faith is a central part of his humor.

Comic Jim Gaffigan On Stand-Up, Faith And Opening For The Pope

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Wednesday

Sonia Manzano: I Met A Girl Named Maria

Sonia Manzano and Emilio Delgado rehearse for Ask backstage at The Bell House in Brooklyn, New York. Denny Shin/NPR hide caption

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Denny Shin/NPR

Ask Me Another

Sonia Manzano: I Met A Girl Named Maria

The actress best known for playing Maria on Sesame Street reflects on 44 years of being on the show, and leads a game for mother-and-son contestants on their Sesame Street expertise.

Sonia Manzano: I Met A Girl Named Maria

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Remember When You Had To Flip To The Back Page Of 'Jet' To Find Black People On TV?

Viola Davis accepts the award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for How to Get Away With Murder at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 20. Alex Berliner/Invision for the Television Academy/AP hide caption

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Alex Berliner/Invision for the Television Academy/AP

Code Switch

Remember When You Had To Flip To The Back Page Of 'Jet' To Find Black People On TV?

This year's Emmy broadcast highlighted some big demographic and technological shifts staring everyone in the face — and encapsulated how much the centers of gravity in the TV landscape had shifted.

The Tao Of Cookie: Behind The 'Empire' Character's Many-Layered Persona

Taraji P. Henson's Cookie refuses to be marginalized or dismissed. Chuck Hodes/FOX hide caption

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Chuck Hodes/FOX

Code Switch

The Tao Of Cookie: Behind The 'Empire' Character's Many-Layered Persona

Brash, biting Cookie Lyon is arguably the most compelling character on Fox's hit show Empire. The show's co-producer and writer Attica Locke says that's because we've all got a bit of Cookie in us.

The Tao Of Cookie: Behind The 'Empire' Character's Many-Layered Persona

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Tuesday

Obituaries

'Fresh Air' Remembers: Jack Larson, Who Played Jimmy Olsen On TV's 'Superman'

Best known as the oft-kidnapped cub reporter on the original Superman TV show, Larson was also a poet, playwright and librettist. He died at his home Sunday. Originally broadcast in 1993.

'Fresh Air' Remembers: Jack Larson, Who Played Jimmy Olsen On TV's 'Superman'

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5 TV Shows To Watch In An Otherwise Uninspiring Fall Season

ABC's The Muppets is a faux-documentary about the making of the late night talk show Up Late with Miss Piggy. Eric McCandless/ABC hide caption

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Eric McCandless/ABC

5 TV Shows To Watch In An Otherwise Uninspiring Fall Season

The networks mostly played it safe — and boring — this year. But critic Eric Deggans found a few shows you shouldn't miss: The Muppets, Supergirl, Grandfathered, The Grinder and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

5 TV Shows To Watch In An Otherwise Uninspiring Fall Season

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Monday

Obituaries

Jack Larson, Who Played Jimmy Olsen In 'Superman' TV Series, Dies

Actor Jack Larson has died at the age of 87. He was best known for playing cub reporter Jimmy Olsen in the TV series, The Adventures of Superman. Larson went on to become a playwright and librettist.

Jack Larson, Who Played Jimmy Olsen In 'Superman' TV Series, Dies

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'Olive Kitteridge' Emmy Wins Follow Debate On Roles For Women

The HBO miniseries won six Emmys Sunday. Lead actress Frances McDormand explains how the show brought a complex, ordinary woman to life in a year of debate about roles for women in Hollywood.

'Olive Kitteridge' Emmy Wins Follow Debate On Roles For Women

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There's A Story There: Why The Emmys Rocked Even As HBO Rolled

Viola Davis poses with her Emmy on Sunday night. Mark Davis/Getty Images hide caption

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Mark Davis/Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

There's A Story There: Why The Emmys Rocked Even As HBO Rolled

Despite single-network dominance that could seem a little dull, Sunday's Emmys brought great stories and some very stirring speeches.

There's A Story There: Why The Emmys Rocked Even As HBO Rolled

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