Los Angeles — "Neither one of us is a Senator today. But I wouldn't expect you to know that, sitting out there in California." — Former Senator Warren Rudman to a TV critic who said Rudman and ex-colleague Gary Hart should do more in Congress about homeland security.

Ah, Lotus Land. As if the tendency to vote ex-movie actors into political office isn't enough, the entertainment media are considered too dumb to find Washington, D.C., on a map unless Martin Sheen is holding the pointer.

To be sure, Rudman's retort was embarrassing for the critic that invited the exchange. But it came at the end of an exhausting two-day stretch of watching previews about earthquakes, global warming, genocide and sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.

Covering TV isn't always a giddy whirl of towel-dropping housewives. At the risk of overcompensating, here are a few of the superior and somewhat apocalyptic programs en route, including several Seattle-linked projects:

"Dirty War," 9 p.m., Jan. 24, HBO. I hate unfinished anecdotes: Back to Sen. Rudman, R-N.H., who several years ago teamed with former Sen. Gary Hart, D-Colo., on an independent task force examining the dire state of national security.

Their resulting study was virtually ignored. Then 9/11 happened. Now, convinced the government still isn't doing enough, Rudman and Hart have lent their support to HBO's gripping film "Dirty War," which imagines the effects of a biological attack on London.

Presented with the BBC, "Dirty War" focuses on the aftermath of a radiological "dirty bomb," including the activities of an antiterrorist squad and the terrorists they are pursuing, as well as politicians, civilians and those on the front line. Top to bottom scary.

"National Geographic's Strange Days on Planet Earth," April 20 and 27, PBS. Paul Allen's real estate, museums and stadiums tend to get more print than Seattle-based Vulcan Productions, his television and film enterprise.

I'm going to fix that, because Vulcan is compiling an impressive track record ("Evolution," "Far from Heaven," "The Blues") and because "Strange Days," a co-production with National Geographic and WGBH-TV in Boston, looks pretty terrific.

The four-part documentary examines a series of phenomena transforming the planet, with ominous implications: the impact of alien plants and animals on their environments; climate change; the loss of predators; and the toxicity of waterways.

While tackling these issues in an earnest manner, "Strange Days" hasn't stinted on style. The program has the still, over-bright look of a David Lynch film and the host is actor Edward Norton, whose father runs a number of conservation organizations.

As "Evolution" did, "Strange Days" will invite debate. Richard Hutton, head of media development for Vulcan, said Allen's topic selection is guided by his interest in scientific issues and a simple imperative: "If I don't do it, nobody will."

"Deadliest Catch," April (date to be determined), Discovery Channel. This time, the deadly action shifts to the frigid Bering Sea, where Discovery and BBC follow the world's most dangerous job: fishing Alaska crab.

Already a frenzied occupation, the excursion filmed last October was more so because the harvesting season was only three days long. It also marks the end of an era; after this year, Alaskan authorities will establish a slower, quota-based season.

The resulting 10-part series has astounding footage of the sea's fury. After seeing the travails of the crew, half of whom hail from Seattle, you'll understand their proud-if-grim adage: "There are men that fish, and there are crab fishermen."

"Our Fathers," May (date TBD), Showtime. Based on a bestseller by Newsweek's David France, this original film is about the heroic individuals who admitted their abuse and the crusading lawyers that took on an all-powerful institution.

The result was a scandal that shook the foundations of Boston's Roman Catholic diocese and forced Cardinal Bernard Law to step down. In the role of Law is the iconic Christopher Plummer; co-stars include Ted Danson, Daniel Baldwin and Brian Dennehy.

"Trippin'," March 28, MTV. There are disasters, and there are disasters.

The premise of "Trippin' " is to watch Cameron Diaz visit exotic places with celebrity friends and thereby convey her message that, "Human beings need the planet. There are no other Earths." And there's nothing like sand-surfing the dunes in Chile to signal conservation.

A critic holds off until the final cut. Still, I began suspecting this might not be the right adventure documentary for Northwest travelers when Diaz named her most uncomfortable moment: "The car ride in Bhutan."

Kay McFadden: kmcfadden@seattletimes.com