Elaine Liner
is Caller-Times' media critic. Her columns are published Tuesdays, Thursdays,
and Sundays. She has been known to occasionally gossip with her readers in the
Elaine
Liner Forum. Elaine can be reached at linere@caller.com
Thursday, February 3, 2000
Blockbusters abound during Feb. sweeps
High- and lowlights: Steamy 'Madame Bovary' two-parter and tepid 'Mary and Rhoda' movie
Hard to say which sweeps extravaganza is built around the bigger fairytale: NBC's "The 10th Kingdom," which takes a young New York woman into an underground land populated by Snow White, Cinderella and various Princes Charming; or "Perfect Murder, Perfect Town," a miniseries based on writer Lawrence Schiller's theory that the Ramseys didn't kill JonBenet.
Those are just two of this month's blockbuster shows designed to rack up optimal ratings so local stations can raise their ad rates (the purpose of TV sweeps months).
Here are some other highlights (and a few lows) to watch for in the next few weeks:
"The Others," 9 p.m. Saturday, NBC. New series about a group of psychics who help the living receive messages from the recently departed. Definitely plays into "The Sixth Sense," but the pilot glowed with good acting by lead actor Bill Cobbs (most recently seen as minister on "The Sopranos") and good writing.
"The Good Book of Love: Sex in the Bible," 7 p.m. Sunday, A&E. Song of Solomon isn't the only spicy source in the Good Book. Or so this cable special claims.
"Madame Bovary," 10 p.m. Sunday, PBS. Flaubert's novel becomes a steamy two-parter for "Masterpiece Theater." How steamy? KEDT is delaying the episodes past the family hours of prime time. Francis O'Connor and Greg Wise lead the cast.
"Mary and Rhoda," 7 p.m. Monday, ABC. The queens of '70s sitcoms try to turn the world on with their smiles again. Too bad the script works against them in this tepid TV-movie that will make fans of the old "MTM" want to throw their hats at the screen in frustration.
"The West Wing," 8 p.m., Feb. 9, NBC. Oscar winners Karl Malden and Marlee Matlin guest star, followed on Feb. 16 by Edward James Olmos as a Supreme Court nominee.
"Austin City Limits," 8 p.m., Feb. 12, PBS. The music series starts its 25th season with a concert featuring Garth Brooks.
"Marc Anthony: The Concert in Madison Square Garden," 9 p.m. Feb. 12, HBO. Special taped Feb. 10 allows the dramatic salsa crooner his first TV concert special.
"Homicide: The Movie," 8 p.m., Feb. 13, NBC. All the original cast members (including those whose characters died) are back together for a two-hour movie that promises to wrap up loose ends of the plot left dangling when the show was canceled last year.
"Sally Hemings: An American Scandal," 8 p.m., Feb. 13 & 16, CBS. Sam Neill plays Thomas Jefferson in this miniseries about the president's relationship with a young slave.
"The JonBenet Ramsey Story," 8 p.m., Feb. 16, Fox. First of two TV projects about the unsolved murder of the Boulder child. Presents three possible scenarios for the killing.
"Now and Again," 8 p.m., Feb. 18, CBS. John Goodman reprises his role as the original Michael (played in subsequent episodes by Eric Close).
"Flowers for Algernon," 8 p.m., Feb. 20, CBS. Remake of the book and movie about a man whose IQ is raised from 65 to genius level by an experimental drug. Matthew Modine takes the role that won Cliff Robertson an Oscar in the movie "Charly."
"The Sopranos," 8 p.m., Feb. 20, HBO. Cameos by filmmaker Paul Mazursky and bandleader Frank Sinatra Jr., mark this excellent episode that has Tony Soprano inheriting Uncle Junior's "executive" poker game. Paulie Walnuts refers to Frankie as "Chairboy of the Board."
"The Beach Boys," 8 p.m., Feb. 27, ABC. Bio-pic about the close-harmony pop icons.
"Perfect Murder, Perfect Town," 8 p.m. Feb. 27 & Mar. 1, CBS. Lawrence Schiller adapted his own book and directs this two-parter starring Marg Helgenberger as Patsy and Ronnie Cox as John Ramsey. All evidence in this one points away from the parents.
"The 10th Kingdom," 8 p.m., Feb. 27-28, Mar. 1, 5 & 6, ABC. Ten hours of computer-enhanced special effects in a fantasy about a New York girl (Kimberly Williams) transported into a magical kingdom below ground, where fairytale characters are battling for power. Co-starring John Larroquette and Camryn Manheim.
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