PBS series on 1930s presents context for today's recession

How does this recession compare with the Great Depression? We've got it much easier. But there are enough similarities to learn from looking back.

Check out the new five-part PBS series "The 1930s" debuting at 9 tonight on WEDU, Channel 3. The first episode recounts the stock market collapse in 1929. The series will continue over the next four Monday nights.

History documentaries can be as dry as, say, the Dust Bowl, but this American Experience production looks back on how the country survived high unemployment, Wall Street's financial ruin and a drought that threatened the nation's food supply.

In the 1920s, Wall Street's leaders manipulated the stock market and grew wealthy off the economic boom. That unraveled when the market collapsed, taking everyone down with it.

The second episode covers the rise of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who took office facing a 25 percent unemployment rate.

His stimulus package included the Civilian Conservation Corps, which put more than 3 million young men to work planting trees, building flood barriers, fighting fires and maintaining roads and trails. The government gave them shelter in camps and paid them $30 a month, $25 of which they had to send to their families.

Other episodes cover the Hoover Dam project near Las Vegas, the drought that turned wheat fields into dust bowls and how people sought escape from the depressing times through heroes such as the racehorse Seabiscuit.

THE QUEST: Tampa Tribune reporter Ray Reyes will recount his experiences as a contestant on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" in Tuesday's edition of the Tribune.

The episodes he taped in New York began airing at 4:30 p.m. Friday on WTSP, Channel 10. He continues in the hot seat at 4:30 p.m. today.

STORM CLOUDS: Holy downpour, Batman! The Weather Channel is going to start showing movies for the first time in its 27-year history. The network is launching a Friday night movie series this week with "The Perfect Storm."

The George Clooney-Mark Wahlberg thriller about a storm off New England airs on the 18th anniversary of the storm. Other titles in the series include "March of the Penguins" and "Deep Blue Sea." No word on when "Twister" will air.

VIDBITS: Former "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul will be the guest on NBC's "The Jay Leno Show" on Friday.

Good news for "Castle" fans: ABC has ordered nine more episodes of the Monday night mystery-romance-drama. That brings it to a full season of 22 episodes.

"Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as glib crime novelist Richard Castle and Stana Katic as no-nonsense NYPD Detective Kate Beckett.

It could be a meeting of the minds: Oprah Winfrey meets Sarah Palin in what Oprah's people are calling "a world exclusive." The queen of talk will interview the former Alaska governor for an episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" that will air Nov. 16.

Teen country star Taylor Swift, who is playing the St. Pete Times Forum in March, hosts "Saturday Night Live" on Nov. 7.

TUNE IN TONIGHT

"How I Met Your Mother," at 8 on CBS

When the gang suspects that Barney has a girlfriend after he mysteriously leaves MacLaren's, they decide to follow him. Frances Conroy guest stars as his mother.