Specials, Series Kick Sweeps Into Gear

The May ratings sweeps are in full swing this weekend, so get your VCRs ready to tape all the special programming.

Peter Funt, the son of “Candid Camera” creator Allan Funt, and Lorianne Crook are the hosts of CBS’ “Candid Camera Across America,” airing Friday at 8 p.m. on Channel 2. The one-hour special was filmed in 16 states and features such crazy stunts as informing motorists entering Texas that the state is closed for that day.

John Ritter and Leanza Cornett host “Ordinary Extraordinary,” Friday at 9 p.m., also on Channel 2. The CBS program spotlights average people who have done amazing feats.

Get out your box of chocolates. Tom Hanks, Sally Field, Robin Wright and Gary Sinise star in the enormously popular, Oscar-winning 1994 film “Forrest Gump,” Sunday at 8 p.m. on Channel 7.

Chuck Norris, Tess Harper and John Amos star in a two-hour “Walker, Texas Ranger” installment, “Walker, Texas Ranger: Sons of Thunder,” at 9 p.m. Saturday on Channel 2. Walker helps one of his former “Kick Drugs Out of America” students complete the transition from childhood to manhood and find his mission in life. Wilma Knight, Norris’ mother, has a cameo role.

Luke Perry heads the cast of NBC’s four-hour sci-fi thriller “Invasion,” airing Sunday at 9 p.m. on Channel 4. The “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”-esque thriller concludes Monday at 9 p.m.

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Elsewhere this weekend:

Today

Fox’s sitcom “Martin” says farewell after five seasons. The one-hour finale, airing at 8 p.m. on Channel 11, finds Martin Payne (Martin Lawrence) and his wife (Tisha Campbell) leaving Detroit and moving to Los Angeles. Lou Rawls and Tommy Hearns are among the guest stars.

Saturday

Robert Urich hosts “Boatworks,” which sets sail at 9:30 a.m. on KCET-TV Channel 28. The new series, which examines life at the sea, was filmed in numerous locales, from Alaska to Wisconsin.

They’re off! ABC presents live coverage of the 123rd running of the Kentucky Derby from Churchill Downs in Kentucky, at 1:30 p.m. on Channel 7.

The Independent Film Channel premieres “Stars Under Palms: 50 Years of the Cannes Film Festival,” at 7 p.m. The documentary focuses on the stars and lore of the famed festival.

Sunday

Bravo’s “History of Talk Radio,” airing at 4 p.m., explores the fast-growing radio format.

James Brown hosts Fox’s “World’s Greatest Animal Outtakes: Unleashed 2,” airing at 7 p.m. on Channel 11.

James Burke hosts the third installment of his popular science-fiction history series, “Connections 3,” airing Sunday at 5 and 8 p.m. on the Learning Channel. The series uses sophisticated graphics, computer imagery and historical reenactments to see how the pathways of history collide. Ten hourlong episodes of the series will air over the next two years.