BY CLIF GARBODEN

THURSDAY 4

9:00 [2] THE SID CAESAR COLLECTION | Highlights from the dominant Saturday-night comedy shows of the 1950s, Your Show of Shows and Caesar’s Hour, with commentary from the all-star team of writers and producers who revolutionized the medium. | Until 9 pm

FRIDAY 5

8:00 [44] SUPER TROUPERS: 30 YEARS OF ABBA | WGBH needs money, and so Abba, Judy Garland, Dean Martin, Harry Chapin, Bruce Springsteen, Roy Orbison, and all the other musical mainstays of public-TV fundraising efforts are back. Also on hand is Dr. Christiane Northrup, who writes and lectures on mother-daughter relationships. Whatever she has to say struck a nerve or two among the moms and daughters of America, because when some oldies concert isn’t on public television this week, she is. But we digress. These lovable Swedes made inane, catchy music for 10 years and then refused to be forgotten for the next 30. Learn everything there is to know about Agnetha, Benny, Björn, and Anni-Frid. See excerpts from the 1977 movie Abba: The Movie, which follows the group on their first Australian tour. See the partial reunion in London on the stage of Mamma Mia! And then see it all again tonight at 10:30 pm on Channel 2, and throughout the week. | Until 9:30 pm

9:00 [2] JUDY GARLAND — DUETS | Garland herself was in physical/emotional/vocal decline during her early-1960s TV show, but the gal could still carry a tune, and she attracted the very best of guests. See Judy sing along with Frank Sinatra, Mickey Rooney, Lena Horne, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, an incredibly young and overpoweringly talented Barbra Streisand, Bobby Darin, Peggy Lee, Ethel "Just a Little Bit Softer, Now" Merman, Jack Jones, Mel Tormé, and (at age 17) Liza Minnelli. These are clips from the famous video tapes that were "rescued" from a "damp New Jersey basement," where they festered in perfect condition for decades before being remastered in climate-controlled Hollywood. To be repeated tonight at 9:30 pm on Channel 44 and, no doubt, anon. | Until 10:30 pm

SATURDAY 6

NOON [44] BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND LIVE IN NEW YORK CITY | A concert film from two 2000 shows at Madison Square Garden that reunited Bruce with Roy Bittan, Clarence Clemons, Danny Federici, Nils Lofgren, Patti Scialfa, Garry Tallent, Little Stevie Van Zandt, and Max Weinberg for the first time in 10 years. Featuring all the usual high-voltage material. To be repeated tonight at 6 pm, and at 10:30 pm on Channel 2. | Until 2 pm

1:00 [64] BASEBALL | The Chicago Cubs versus the New York Mets.

1:30 [2] DAVID BOWIE: REALITY TOUR | A 2003 Bowie all-the-hits concert from the Point in Dublin. | Until 2:30 pm

2:00 [44] MOTOWN — THE EARLY YEARS | Even if you don’t know the difference between a Marvelette and a Velvelette, this might be a treat. We say might because, in addition to some vintage Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, and Stevie Wonder clips, we get the current line-ups of classic groups doing the original groups’ greatest early-’60s hits. In addition to the aforementioned "ettes," Supreme Mary Wilson and Four Top Abdul Fakir and Vandella queen Martha Reeves host the Contours and Brenda Holloway. To be repeated tonight at 8 pm on Channel 2, and later this week. | Until 4:30 pm

8:00 [6] BANDITS | movie | Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton rob banks and kidnap Cate Blanchett. Oh, and they fall in love with her. From 2001, and directed by Barry Levinson. | Until 11 pm

12:30 AM [2] PATSY CLINE — SWEET DREAMS STILL | She had the best voice in country or pop, and she died too young — but not too young to be legendary and influential. This special includes her life story, her last-known (1963) Nashville recording sessions, and full-length presentations of "Crazy," "Walkin’ After Midnight," "I Fall to Pieces," "Lovesick Blues," and more. | Until 1:30 am

SUNDAY 7

3:30 [2] HARRY CHAPIN — REMEMBER WHEN | The unabashedly corny music of the late Harry Chapin offered in vintage concert clips. Plus commentary from the singer/songwriter/humanitarian’s wife, Sandy, and children, Jennifer and Josh. Chapin died in a car crash in 1981 on his way to play a benefit for the World Hunger Fund, which he pretty much spearheaded. WGBH credits him with being a "poet laureate to dry cleaners." The one and only. | Until 4:30 pm

6:30 [2] DEAN MARTIN: GREATEST HITS | Old Rat Packer Dino Crocetti: was he drunk or just lazy? Nobody ever really knew, but Martin’s idea of acting cool definitely involved allusions to substance abuse. We suspect this collection of vocal clips was culled from his TV variety show. If you can croon it, Dean Martin did. | Until 8 pm

9:00 [12] DEEP IMPACT | movie | Look out! There’s a comet heading for Earth! With an unusually rich cast, including Robert Duvall, Téa Leoni, Elijah Wood, Vanessa Redgrave, Morgan Freeman, and Maximilian Schell. Directed by Mimi Leder; from 1998. | Until 11 pm

MONDAY 8

8:00 [6] FOOTBALL | The Chicago Bears versus the Miami Dolphins in pre-season play.

1:30 AM [2] FUNKY SOUL SUPERSTARS | Like you, we were hoping for Funky Soul Superstars on Ice, but it’s just not to be. Nevertheless, this is an action-packed show. Patti LaBelle does "New Attitude"; Isaac Hayes conducts the theme from Shaft; Richard Roundtree reminisces about that film; the Temptations offer "Papa Was a Rolling Stone"; Cuba Gooding Sr. and the original Main Ingredient sing "Everybody Plays the Fool"; and A Taste of Honey reunite for a little "Sukiyaki." Hosted by LaBelle, Hayes, and Vivica A. Fox. | Until 4 am, which would be a very long concert — do you suppose they’re taking pledge breaks in the middle of the night?

TUESDAY 9

9:00 [10] I WANT TO BE A HILTON | The finale. Just in case you were wondering who won. | Until 10 pm

9:30 [2] MYTHIC JOURNEY WITH JOSEPH CAMPBELL: SUKHAVATI | Sanskrit for "place of bliss" — but knowing that does not help one understand the thrust of this posthumous (1997) Campbell documentary, which was assembled with material he collected toward the end of his life. (He died in 1987.) It’s about universal symbols and stories that emerge, more or less in common, from societies and cultures all around the world. We go everywhere from Stonehenge to New York City looking for signs, and we delve into the mythologies of Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, the Celts, the Greeks, and the Romans. Fascinating. What it has to do with bliss is anybody’s guess. To be repeated on Wednesday at 7:30 pm on Channel 44. | Until 11:30 pm

WEDNESDAY 10

7:30 [2] BROADWAY’S LOST TREASURES 3: THE BEST OF THE TONY AWARDS | All three editions of this special have claimed to include the "best." Whatever. Carol Channing, Robert Goulet, Harvey Fierstein, and the ever-disturbing Tommy Tune host clips from old Tony programs — Julie Andrews (My Fair Lady and Camelot), Ethel Merman (Gypsy and Call Me Madam), Jerry Orbach (Promises, Promises), and Zero Mostel (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum). | Until 9:30 pm

8:00 [10] THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS MOMENTS ON LIVE TV | Lots of stuff that’s gone wrong, including some clips of our president. | Until 8:30 pm

8:30 [10] UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS IN TELEVISION ENTERTAINMENT | Larry "Who Shot J.R.?" Hagman, Bob "I Just Had the Strangest Dream" Newhart, Cybill Shepherd, Donald Trump, and more host a Museum of Television and Radio collection of video landmarks. | Until 10 pm

1:00 AM [44] AMERICAN MASTERS: HANK WILLIAMS: HONKY-TONK BLUES | A totally worthwhile profile of the troubled hillbilly star whose music stands every chance of outliving the Bible. Lots of good ol’ clips of the good ol’ boy, whose real name was Hiram. Plus interviews the Hank Jr. and Hank III. To be repeated tonight at 4 am on Channels 2 and 44. | Until 2 am

THURSDAY 11

7:30 [2] ROY ORBISON: LIVE FROM AUSTRALIA | Poor Roy’s not alive — except in spirit — on any continent, alas. But here he’s featured in a just-released DVD of a 1972 Down Under concert. Until 8:45 pm

8:45 [2] ERIC CLAPTON: SESSIONS FOR ROBERT JOHNSON | Clapton’s tribute to blues master Johnson, filmed partly on tour in London and Dallas. Including some Clapton acoustic duets with Doyle Bramhall II. | Until 11 pm