TV TALK: Craig Eliot returning to the air

After nearly three months away from the station, KOAA/Channels 5&30 morning meteorologist Craig Eliot is hoping to be back on the air Wednesday.

Back in February, Eliot felt stiffness in his left knee. He'd had surgeries in both knees, so at first he thought nothing of it. When it swelled up, he went to his doctor, but still wasn't particularly worried. Nor was his doctor - until he stuck Eliot's knee with a needle and found it badly infected with a hard-totreat staph infection.

Three surgeries, three weeks in the hospital and a month of round-theclock antibiotics later, Eliot said his doctors finally think he's on the mend. And, he says, the forced time off has actually been good for him.

"I spent a lot of time with my wife and my daughter," Eliot said. "It's taught me to do a little less and enjoy it a little more."

So, he's not eager to get back to work and the 2:30 a.m. alarm, but Eliot said he has missed the morning crew at KOAA.

"They have been amazing. We're really, really close on the morning crew."

Take your stinking paws off me!

Charlton Heston fans can catch a full day of the late actor's work Friday on Turner Classic Movies. The actor died Sunday at 84. Beginning at 12:30 p.m., the cable channel will air its interview, "Private Screenings: Charlton Heston," then kick into "The Buccaneer," "The Hawaiians," "Private Screenings" again, "Ben Hur," "Khartoum," and, at 1:30 a.m. Saturday, "Major Dundee." I say, without "Planet of the Apes" it's not really a tribute, is it?

GSN will pay tribute by playing a 1956 episode of "What's My Line?" featuring Heston at 1 a.m. Sunday. Whoa - 1 a.m., they're sacrificing some prime TV turf for that tribute.

Prime time is once more prime

TV shows have been trickling back to the air for the last few weeks, now that the writers strike is over and Hollywood has had time to ratchet up production again. Things really pick up in the next three weeks.

Tonight, NBC's comedy block of "The Office," "30 Rock" and "Scrubs" returns, followed by a new "ER."

"Desperate "Housewives" is back Sunday, "Bones" Monday, "One Tree Hill" Monday, "Rules of Engagement" Monday, "Law & Order: SVU" Tuesday, "Smallville" April 17, "Gossip Girl" April 21, "Reaper" April 22, "Law & Order" April 23, "Supernatural" April 24, "Lost" April 24, "Grey's Anatomy" April 24, "Moonlight" April 25 and "House" April 28.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0275 or awineke@gazette.com  

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