Weekend TV : ‘Malathion Crisis’ Examines Medfly History; ‘Phantom’ Revived for the Small Screen

Malathion, phantoms and the revival of one of the most-beloved shows in television history should make this weekend a memorable one for anybody held captive by the small screen.

Tonight at 10 p.m., KCBS-TV Channel 2 will air “Malathion Crisis,” a live, one-hour broadcast that will examine the history of California’s Medfly infestation and whether the pesticide used to control it puts humans at risk. The program will include a panel discussion featuring politicians, public health officials and community activists.

The newest version of Gaston Leroux’s “Phantom of the Opera” haunts Channels 4, 36 and 39 Sunday at 9 p.m. The four-hour musical drama, starring Burt Lancaster, Charles Dance and Teri Polo, concludes Monday at 9 p.m.

And Marshall Matt Dillon rides back into Dodge City Sunday at 9 p.m. on Channels 2 and 8, when James Arness reprises his most famous role in “Gunsmoke: The Last Apache.” In this installment, which also stars Michael Learned and Richard Kiley, the retired lawman receives a letter from a long-lost love and discovers that he has a daughter who has been kidnaped by an Apache warrior.