With the Writers’ Guild strike putting a crimp in the current TV season, PBS is instead taking viewers back to the medium’s beginnings.

“Pioneers of Television,” debuting at 8 tonight on the stations of the Maine Public Broadcasting Network, is an informative, four-part documentary series which shows TV’s origins.

Tonight’s episode focuses on five key sitcoms: “I Love Lucy,” “The Honeymooners,” “Make Room for Daddy,” “The Andy Griffith Show” and “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” It intersperses clips from them and interviews with Joyce Randolph, Marlo Thomas, Andy Griffith, Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke.

Next Wednesday features “Late Night,” looking at pioneers Steve Allen, Jack Paar and the man thought of as the king of late night, Johnny Carson. Interviewees include Merv Griffin (his last interview before his death), Regis Philbin, Dick Cavett, Arsenio Hall and Sigourney Weaver, whose father Pat created “Tonight.”

A currently dead format, the variety show, is the focus on Jan. 16, with looks at Ed Sullivan’s “Toast of the Town,” Milton Berle’s “Texaco Star Theater,” “The Carol Burnett Show,” “Smothers Brothers” and “Laugh-In.” Among the clips are interviews with Sid Caesar, Tim Conway, Jonathan Winters, Tommy Smothers and Tony Orlando.

Game shows are the topic of the last episode Jan. 23, with studies of Bob Barker’s long career, Griffin talking about the creation of “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy,” Monty Hall and “Let’s Make a Deal” and Chuck Barris’ shows “The Dating Game” and “The Newlywed Game.”

The series, a sequel to the 2005 PBS special “Pioneers of Primetime,” does a wonderful job in showing how a medium that we take for granted today first grabbed ahold of the national consciousness. It also showcases talented performers in their prime, some of whom are winning new generations on DVD.

“Pioneers of Television” also makes one wonder what of today’s TV will stand the test of time.

TUNE IN tonight

?Pioneers of Television,? a four-part documentary series, airs at 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Jan. 23 on Maine Public Broadcasting Network.

Here is the lineup:

Jan. 2 ? ?Sitcoms?

Jan. 9 ? ?Late Night?

Jan. 16 ? ?Variety?

Jan. 23 ? ?Game Shows?