WEEKEND TV : First Salvo of ‘Civil War’ on Sunday

The first shots of the “The Civil War” ring out this weekend.

Ken Burns’ 11-hour documentary on the war between the North and South begins Sunday at 8 p.m. on Channels 28 and 24, 9 p.m. on Channel 50. Five years in the making, the series interweaves interviews, newsreel footage, live cinematography of the battlefields and more than 3,000 archival photographs to chronicle the epic battle. Narrated by historian David McCullough, the program continues nightly Monday through Thursday.

Earlier Sunday, Monty Hall and Fritz Coleman headline a host of celebrities at the six-hour “Variety Club Telethon,” beginning at noon on Channel 9. The program is designed to raise funds to benefit 64 separate children’s programs.

And CBS News’ “48 Hours” begins a new season on its new day tonight at 10 p.m. with a snapshot look at Americans’ obsession with staying young. Other prime-time series rolling out season premieres tonight include “The Young Riders” at 8 p.m. (7)(3)(10)(42) and the heart of NBC’s (4)(36)(39) powerful comedy lineup: “The Golden Girls” at 9, “Empty Nest” at 9:30 and “Carol & Company” at 10 p.m.