TV

The characters in "Star Trek" get to wield all kinds of high-tech gadgetry. Some of these gizmos are purely science fiction. What technologies have actually come to pass?

By Josh Briggs

The pickup truck in this commercial climbs an 80-foot steel corkscrew to the sky, then drives through a tunnel of fire. Is this for real, or is your TV playing tricks on you?

By Charles W. Bryant

Let's say Ronald McDonald is running for president. In this commercial -- where he hopes to gain the golfer vote -- he needs to include a voice-over: "I'm Ronald McDonald, and I approved this message." Why?

By Charles W. Bryant

One new baby at a time is a handful for most parents, so the thought of bringing home six infants -- when you already have twin toddlers -- is downright terrifying. But for Jon and Kate Gosselin, it was a reality.

By Gerri Miller

The sci-fi phenomenon that began more than 30 years ago with a movie about a galaxy long ago and far, far away has expanded once again with "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," the story of the galactic civil war that takes place between Episodes II and III.

By Gerri Miller

When "Knight Rider" premiered 26 years ago, the idea of a talking car was preposterous, outrageous and completely cool. Now "Knight Rider" is back with a new star, a new car and a new set of stunts to blow you away.

By Gerri Miller

If you started watching "The Simpsons" when it took to the airwaves in 1989, you may have been annoyed when Fox moved it to the same time slot as another popular show -- "The Cosby Show." Who decides how to schedule network TV shows, and how much do timeslots really matter?

By Dave Roos

Don't think the cameramen who film "Deadliest Catch" aren't as gritty and daring as the show's subjects. When 800-pound crab pots are swinging onto a tilting and slippery deck, there's no time to baby-sit the Hollywood rookie.

By Charles W. Bryant

Many people enjoy watching "MythBusters" find out whether cockroaches can survive a nuclear holocaust and other urban myths. But who are these cast members and have they ever been wrong?

By Charles W. Bryant

Oscar the Grouch and Elmo are some of the popular children's television characters featured in this collection of images. See these and other popular characters.

We've all seen sitcoms, laughed with them and probably even sung along to their theme songs. But why are we so partial to these half-hour television shows and what is their history?

By Winifred Fordham Metz

The first rule of Fight Quest is -- well there are no rules. Discovery puts two fighters to the test as they travel the world and learn some pretty brutal fighting techniques -- and try them out on each other.

By Charles W. Bryant

Planet Earth captures images of the Earth that no one has ever seen before, from a super slow-motion shot of a great white shark killing a seal, to footage of the deepest cave in the world. Go behind the cameras to find out how you make a show about the entire planet.

By Charles W. Bryant

The term "reality tv" may be new but the concept dates back for decades. Where did it begin and how did it come to captivate so many viewers? Get the history and low down on this incredibly popular television phenomenon.

By Winifred Fordham Metz

Jackpot! A network has bought the TV show script we've been following. Now it needs producers, directors, writers, actors and a production crew ... and to actually make it into the fall lineup.

By Winifred Fordham Metz

You've read How TV Writing Works and now it's time for step two -- pitching your new show to the television networks. We'll tell you how to get a meeting, how to prepare your pitch, and how to sell it to the executives who make the final decision.

By Winifred Fordham Metz

TV and film writers may be on strike, but there's no reason you can't go ahead and prepare your great idea for production. Learn all about how to write a TV show, including understanding characters, treatments, and loglines.

By Winifred Fordham Metz

The allure of the television game show has reigned on the airwaves since the 1950s. Some of these games shows managed to find success and remained on the air for a decades and decades. See our list of television's 11 longest-running game shows.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Some TV shows are lucky to stick around for just one season, but these did that and then some. In fact, they're the longest-running dramas and comedies in television history.

By Jesslyn Shields

Since the beginning of television, puppets have had a special place on the airwaves. Many television shows featured ventriloquist dummies, hand puppets and marionettes, which have since been replaced by animation. Learn about 10 puppets that made it

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

For more than 50 years, soaps have entertained daytime audiences with captivating story lines. Soap operas got their name from the sponsors, such as Proctor & Gamble, who produced the shows. See our list of the 11 longest-running daytime soap operas.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

A hit TV show is not complete without a memorable theme song. In fact, you probably know all the words to the theme songs included on this list. Read our list of 18 memorable TV theme songs, including the theme from 'Happy Days.'

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

"Heroes" got Americans -- and fans in nearly 150 countries -- hooked on the adventures of an indestructible cheerleader, a Japanese time-traveler and an exotic dancer with a very split personality. And that was just the first season.

By Gerri Miller

The NBC Tonight Show debuted in 1954 with Steve Allen as the show's first host. Learn more history of the NBC Tonight Show, how it changed over the years, and its infamous hosts, from Allen to Jack Paar, Johnny Carson and Jay Leno.

By John Fuller

In Hollywood shorthand, what "Lost" is to "Survivor," "Drive" is to the "Amazing Race," but with much higher stakes. Learn about this new series that follows a diverse group of people coerced into competing in a secret, illegal cross-country road race.

By Gerri Miller