WEEKEND TV : A VARIETY OF EASTER OBSERVANCES

From church services to parades, from cartoons to comedy specials, television will be observing Easter this weekend in a variety of ways.

Even public television’s “Nature” series takes note of the theme with a visit to “The Holy Land: A Wilderness Like Eden.” The program airs today at 2 p.m. (15), 6 p.m. (50) and 6:30 p.m. (28), and again Sunday at 7 p.m. (50) and 8 p.m. (15).

Other Easter programs today include “The Seven Last Words,” featuring a visit to the Vatican Museum (9 a.m., Channel 9), and a cartoon for children, “A Chucklewood Easter” (noon, Channel 2).

On Easter Sunday, there will be religious services from the United Methodist Church in Houston at 9 a.m. (7), and a broadcast of the Papal Mass from Rome at 9:30 a.m. (34).

If it’s an Easter parade you want, CBS (Channels 2 and 8) will be covering two at 9 a.m., from New York and Tacoma, Wash., and ABC will be televising the festivities at Walt Disney World at 10 a.m. (7)(3)(42) and 12:30 p.m. (10).

For children, Sunday will bring an animated special, “The First Easter Rabbit,” at noon on Channel 11, while movie fans can choose between “Godspell” (2 p.m. on Channel 28), “King of Kings” (3 p.m. on Channel 13) and “The Ten Commandments” (7 p.m. on Channels 7, 3, 10 and 42).

The diversity of Easter programming continues Sunday night. On NBC, Bob Hope hosts an Easter comedy special (9 p.m., Channels 4, 36 and 39) with Vanna White, Stepfanie Kramer, Lynda Carter, Gloria Loring and Jack Carter.

KCET Channel 28, meanwhile, will be broadcasting a program at 10 p.m. about religion in the Soviet Union, “A Glimpse of Heaven: Easter in the Soviet Union.”

Here are other weekend programs.

TODAY: “Teen Talk” questions what schools of the future might be like, 8 a.m. (9). . . .

The construction of the Watts Towers in Los Angeles forms the backdrop for “Daniel and the Towers,” tonight’s story on “Wonderworks,” 7 p.m. (50)(15), 8 p.m. (28). . . .

“At Issue” spotlights a campaign to discourage teen-agers from drinking alcohol, 2:30 p.m. (2).

“Plea Bargaining: Is It Justice?” airs at 7:30 p.m. on KCET’s “California Stories” (28). . . .

John Larroquette of “Night Court” hosts “Saturday Night Live,” with musical guest Timbuk 3, 11:30 p.m. (4)(36)(39).

SUNDAY: “Sunday Morning” reports on a battle between oilmen and environmentalists in Alaska and explores the origins of gospel music, 7:30 a.m. (2)(8). . . .

West Hollywood Mayor Stephen Schulte fields questions on “Channel 4 News Conference,” 9 a.m. (4). . . .

“Meet the Press” discusses arms control and U.S.-Soviet relations with assistant Secretary of Defense Richard N. Perle, Rep. Jim Wright (D-Tex.) and Georgy A. Arbatov, director of the U.S./Canada Institute of the Soviet Union, 9:30 a.m. (4)(36)(39). . . .

“The McLaughlin Group” debates current affairs at 10 a.m. (4). . . .

Arms control is the topic on “This Week With David Brinkley,” with Rep. Les Aspin (D-Wis.), U.S. arms adviser Paul H. Nitze and Soviet arms negotiator Viktor P. Karpov, 11:30 a.m. (3)(10)(42), noon (7). . . .

Texaco chairman Alfred C. DeCrane Jr. visits “Business World,” 11:30 a.m. (7), 12:30 p.m. (3)(42).

“Silver Linings,” an upbeat Southern California magazine series hosted by KNBC weatherman Christopher Nance, debuts at 12:30 p.m. (4). . . .

Cliff Robertson hosts “A Very Special Arts Story,” about artists with disabilities, 1:30 p.m. (7). . . .

“Face the Nation” asks whether John Hinckley Jr. should be released from prison. The guests include U.S. District Judge Barrington Parker, attorney Joseph DeGenova, Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz and psychiatrist William Carpenter, 3:30 p.m. (2), 11:30 p.m. (8). . . .

“Newsmakers” is scheduled at 4 p.m. (2). . . .

“60 Minutes” investigates claims that many Americans have shocking misconceptions about current events, history, culture and geography, interviews Donny and Marie Osmond and reports on a controversial forest development project in Brazil, 7 p.m. (2)(8). . . .

Robert Conrad stars in “High Mountain Rangers,” a new TV movie 9 p.m. (2)(8). . . .

“This Is Your Life” returns in an hourlong special, with Ralph Edwards surprising two celebrities, 10 p.m. (4)(36)(39).