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TUNE IN TONIGHT MONDAY, MAY 12, 2008 'The Revolution' has been televised By Kevin McDonough Offered in a rough chronological order, "Sex: The Revolution" (10 p.m., VH1, TV-MA) will cover four decades of shifting attitudes toward sex and the resulting cultural, social and political tumult, from the 1950s (tonight) to the 1980s on Thursday. Rich in archival clips and interviews with authors, experts and quip-meisters from John Waters to Bruce Vilanch, "Sex" begins in the late 1940s with the release of the controversial "Kinsey Report," a scientific tome that quantified the sexual histories of thousands of Americans. It made the shocking argument that premarital sex, adultery, homosexual relations and other unmentionables were a whole lot more common than generally assumed. Like many documentaries of its kind, "Sex" is both predictable and contradictory. We're told that America careened from "Ozzie & Harriet" repression to the excesses of "Deep Throat" in the space of two decades and has been freaking out about it ever since. But the 1948 Kinsey study suggests that things may not have been as buttoned down as that picture implies. If anything, "Sex" is not so much about shifts in sexual behavior but about its depiction in movies, magazines, books, television and the news. As such, a discussion of the end of the Hollywood Code, and the rise of the movie-ratings system, would be helpful. "Sex" makes much of the political dimensions of its subject. "Revolution" discusses women's liberation and gay liberation before giving way to the backlash against abortion and pornography of the 1970s and the so-called "culture wars" of more recent decades. The hot-button politics surrounding the subject still obscures questions of personal inclination. One man's liberation may be another man's bad taste. By the early 1980s, even a subversive midnight-movie comedy like "Eating Raoul" could depict suburban hot-tub swingers as oppressive and boring. Do I recoil from "Flavor of Love 3" (8 p.m., r and 9 p.m., VH1) because I'm some kind of "conservative" or because I think it's witless, vulgar and sad? "Sex" will also air on Sundance on May 19 and May 20 at midnight. ?TONIGHT'S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS — At a time when most series are winding down, "American Gladiators" (8 p.m., NBC) enters its second season. — An aspiring music star finds murder on "Bones" (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14,L). Former "Idol" contestants Ace Young and Brandon Rogers guest star. — Competition continues on "Dancing with the Stars" (8 p.m., ABC). — "Celebrity Expose" (8 p.m., MyNetwork) profiles Janet Jackson. — A violent bus accident puts House's memory on hold on the first of a two-part season finale of "House" (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14,L,V). — "American Experience" (9 p.m., PBS, check local listings) continues its series of presidential biographies with part 1 of a 1994 profile of Franklin Roosevelt. — Barbara Walters appears on "Larry King Live" (9 p.m., CNN). — Allison suffers nightmares about a couple's "dream house" while Joe pursues a business venture on the season finale of "Medium" (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14). — A proposal is made as the season ends on "The Bachelor" (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14). — "REAL Sports with Bryant Gumbel" (10 p.m., HBO) investigates the slaughter of racehorses, profiles Venus Williams and Danica Patrick and looks at the political campaign of NBA star Kevin Johnson. CULT CHOICE Spectacularly miscast, Katharine Hepburn plays an Ozark tomboy faith healer in the forgotten 1934 curiosity "Spitfire" (8:15 a.m., Eastern, TCM). SERIES NOTES A surprise party-pooper on "Big Bang Theory" (8 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) ... Georgina becomes obsessed on "Gossip Girl" (8 p.m., CW, TV-14) ... A disturbed celebrity impersonates a normal person on "How I Met Your Mother" (8:30 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) ... Charlie falls for an author on "Two and a Half Men" (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14,D) ... Brooke's baby needs attention on "One Tree Hill" (9 p.m., CW, TV-14) ... A clash with the co-op board on "Rules of Engagement" (9:30 p.m., CBS, TV-PG,D) ... Sam suspects that Chloe may be lying on the season finale of "Samantha Who?" (9:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) ... An investigation takes its toll on Horatio's team on "CSI: Miami" (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14,V). LATE NIGHT Shia LaBeouf and N.E.R.D. appear on "Late Show with David Letterman" (11:35 p.m., CBS) ... Jay Leno hosts Jack Black and Clay Aiken on "The Tonight Show" (11:35 p.m., NBC) ... Robert Downey Jr. and Lyfe Jennings appear on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (12:05 a.m., ABC, r) ... William Shatner and Gary Vaynerchuk appear on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (12:35 a.m., NBC) ... Craig Ferguson hosts John Stamos, Judith Smith-Levin and Jaymay on "The Late, Late Show" (12:37 a.m., CBS). Kevin McDonough can be reached at kmcdonough@unitedmedia.com Copyright 2008, United Feature Syndicate, Inc.
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