The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio • Page 32

C8 The Beacon Journal Friday, September 22, 1989 TELEVISION Friday, September 22 TODAY'S PRIME TIME More rookie series go on trial tonight Mark wty Dawidziak vjOT With the fall season's premiere week drawing to a close, 19 of the 26 new prime-time series have aired at least once. No, you can't have a breather. In fact, don't even blink, because four of the remaining seven rookies start tonight. Here's the rundown: 'Baywatch' a sinking flesh parade Li Jz. iLn Baywatch A waterlogged drama that has stories with less stability than water's-edge sand castles.

David Hasselhoff (Knight Rider), Parker Stevenson (The Hardy Boys Mysteries) and former Miss Universe Shawn Weath-erly (the short-lived OceanQuest) star as lifeless lifeguards dedicated to showing off their even tans while protecting Southern California beaches. If you plan to watch the 8-9 p.m. premiere on WKYC (Channel 3), WFMJ (Channel 21) or Steubenville's WTOV (Channel 9), know that there is a strong undertow of exploitation and stupidity running through this soggy series. Plenty shallow, these waters also are heavily polluted by frequent and lingering cheesecake and beefcake shots of bronzed flesh. And the jiggle content is just one reason that you're viewing at your own risk.

Dragging the surf- pm im 'ml im iui i-m wa mi iron News: An- NBC News: Hardcopy: Family Feud: Baywatch: (Season premiere) Nasty Boys ('89) The mayor and police chief form a secret team ot News: An- Anchor: Tom Madonna. Host: Ray Mitch and Craig suspect a reck- vice agents to tight Las Vegas crime. With Jeff Kaake, Benjamin chors: Bibb, Beach. Sports: Brokaw. Combs.

less jet-skier caused a Bratt, Don Franklm.g Beach. Wea- Donovan. windsurfer's drowning, ther: Browne. News: Anchor: ABC News: Wheel of For- Full House: Family Matters: Perfect iFree Spirit: 12020: Efforts to prevent the crash News: An- Ted Henry. Anchor: Peter tune: Host: Pat Host: Alex (Season pre- (Premiere) Strangers: (Premiere) A of an airliner that lost part of its chors: Smith, Sports: Nev Jennings, Sajak.

Trebek. miere) Family is (Season housekeeper is fuselage; Rolling Stones Henry. Weather: Chandler. stranded, premiere) a witch, interview; motion sickness, Webster. News: Anchors: Robin Swoboda, CBS News: An- USA Today: Snoops: (Premiere) A criminol- Dallas: (Season premiere) Sue Ellen's blackmailing enrages J.R.; News: An- Tim Taylor.

Sports: Casey Cole- Turning 40 ogy professor and his diplomat Cliff continues his quest for Afton; April gets an unwelcome visitor; chors: Taylor, LJ man. Weather: Dick Goddard. Rather, today. wife investigate crime for fun and Bobby and J.R. try to buy Weststar's leases, Swoboda.

Wea- relaxation, ther: Goddard. Praise the Lord (5:00) TBN Today DianeBlsh Frederick K. Price Praise the Lord WKRP In Barney Miller Mr. Belvedere RollerGames: Series premiere. Transylvania 6-5000 (PG, '85) Two tabloid reporters (Ed Begley Sledge Jg) Cincinnati Bad Attitude vs.

T-Birds. Musical Jeff Goldblum) go to Frankenstein-land to check on rumors of Hammer guest: Warrant. monsters running amok. With Joe Bologna. Q) News Newsg USA Today Night Court Baywatch Nasty Boys ('89) Jeff Kaake, Benjamin Bratt.g News News: Anchor: ABC News: Rockford Files: Rockford dis- Full House: iFamily Matters: Perfect IFree Spirit: 12020: Efforts to prevent the crash News: Anchor: Q) Mark Anchor: Peter covers Angel's wedding is all part (Season (Premiere) Strangers (Premiere) of an airliner that lost part of its JimKambrich.

Williamson. Jennings, of a real estate swindle. premiere) fuselage, 63 Sq.Oneg MacNeilLehrer News Business Wash'tong Moyers: Power of Word High-School Football (Tape Delay) 63 News Newsg Cosby Cheers Snoops Dallas: (Season premiere) News 69 News Newsg Wheel J'pardyig House Familyg Perfect Splrttg 2020g News Charles in Night Court Cosby: Clair's Cheers Year of the Dragon (R, '85) A Polish-American police captain News: Anchors: Bob Hethering- Crimewatch Qj) Charge: Jill is bookclub (Mickey Rourke) topples an upstart crimelord (John Lone) in New ton, Romona Robinson. Sports: Tonight offeredajob. meets.

York's Chinatown. With Ariane. Shanley. Weather: Bernier. John Adam Smith MacNeilLehrer NewsHour: The Washington Wail Street iGreat Performances: Miles Moyers: Power of the Word: Tony Brown's McLaughlin day's top stories.

Weekg Weekg Ahead: Music of Miles Davis. Poetry in the community, Journal T.J. Hooker: Hooker tracks a Streets of San Francisco: A The Harness (71) A grumpy farmer (Lome Greene) meets a 90 4 9ClubfJ Chlco4ths police-hating sniper. man is charged with murder. younger woman (Julie Sommars) who changes his lite.

Man Magnum, p.L: Thomas' aunt KateaAllie WKRP In The Lonely Lady (R, '83) A woman (Pia Zadora) wants to sell her CNN News High-School Football: arrives in Hawaii. Cincinnati movie script in the worst way, and she does. Alliance at Lake (Tape Delay) mt r. 1 m. mi im jam -mr-i WGN The Jeffersons Andy Griffith Benson If You Could See What I Hear (PG, 82) Blind composer Tom Newsg USA Tonight Tales From the 9 Sullivan goes from college to Cape Cod, falling in love.

Darkslde WhoEw New Leave It to Cosby 3 Baseball: Montreal Expos at New York Mete (Live) News WW0H Beaver urroe Beverly Andy Griffith The Jeffersons 3 Baseball: ClncinnatMeds at Atlanta Braves (Live) 3 NWA Wrestling Power Hour WTBS Hillbillies (10:20) New Profiles Chronicle World of Eaglet the Victory at Sea I A Separate Peace (PG, 72) Jealousy and World War II divide two Evening at the Wilderness Survival Bear New England prep-school roommates. Improv BET SoftNotea News Video fl Entertalnfl Places video Soul Top 20 News Vice Versa (PG, '88) Touching an old skull makes a Chicago ex- Vibes (PG, '88) Psychics Nick (Jeff Goldblum) and Sylvia (Cyndi The Blob (R, '88) Shawnee Smith, Kevin Dillon. CINE ecutive (Judge Reinhold) act like his 11 -year-old son (Fred Savage), Lauper) are tricked into flying to Ecuador to find a fabled city of gold. A teen rebel and a cheerleader fight slime oozing and vice versa. With Corinne Bohrer.g With Julian Sands.g through town engulfing locals.

chin ShowbliTo- Moneyline: Crossfire: Primenews: Bernard Shaw, Lou I Larry King Livel: Ahmad and Evening News: Patrick Emory, iMoneyllne: (5:00) day: Bill Tush. LouDobbs. Buchanan. Waters. Phylicia Rashad.

Donna Kelley. Lou Dobbs. DISC Automated Perspective Monitor J.Thompson Animal Odyssey America Coast to Coast Safartl LookingEast Gorilla dsnv D'snev ToBe The Light in the Forest ('58) An Army scout helps an The Electric Horseman (PG, 79) A newswoman and a rodeo Ozzie Harriet Presents (5:00) Announced Indian-raised white boy return to white civilization. star flee to Utah with a $1 2 million horse. 3 Home Run 3 Best of 3 tj NFL's Great Distant Replay: A reunion of 3 Great American Events: America's Wilderness 3 Horse Derby SportsLook SportsCenter Moment 1966 Green Bay Packers.

State Fair In Arkansas. Racing (Live) ETERN Lecture Domestlc Nation Closer Walk Cross Focus inFather's Rosary Responsible Abraham A Jesus fam The Last Ride of the Dalton Gang (79) The Dalton brothers (Cliff Potts, Randy Quaid, Larry Ths700ClubjD Batman man is marked for death. Wilcox) rustle horses and rob trains, leading up to their 1892 raid on Coffeyville, Kan. FNN Investment Investments America's Business Moneytalk Business Tonight Focus Donoghue Crossing Delancey (5:00) (PG, 3 Inside the NFL: Hosts: Len Phantasm II (R, '88) Two psychically linked teene (James Le Gros, American Gothic (R, '87) Ma, Pa and their back-HBO '88) Amy Irving, Reizl Dawson and Nick Buoniconti. Paula Irvine) cannot escape from the grave-robbing Tall Man of their woods brood show stranded teens some hospitality Bozyk.g nightmares.

With Reggie Bannister. and then kill them. lipe Chilean is HeartBeat: A patient sues the Haunted by Her Past ('87) A lawyer takes his wife to a Colonial Molly Doddg iMollyDoddg set tor deportation. clinic. inn, where she reflects a fatal temptress.

Hire Alien From LA. (PG, '88) Kathy Ireland, Thorn The Pick-Up Artist (PG-1 3, '87) A playboy finds Bulletproof (R, '88) The CIA sends Bulletproof (Gary Busey) to Hero and the MOV Mathews. A girl finds the lost city of Atlantis and a way to impress a girl set on getting her gambling Mexico, where his old girlfriend (Darlanne Fluegel) and a new tank Terror (R, '88) becomes beautiful. father out of debt, are property of a Libyan colonel (Henry Silva). American Magazine: Teaching a VideoCountry Top Card Exile in Concert: The band Nashville Now: Jo-El Sonnier; Minnie Pearl; Lynn ICIasslc Rock: VideoCountry NASH child how to study.

performs in Wichita Falls, Texas. Anderson; Eddie Preston. Gary Lewis Playboys. NICK Think Fast D'bleDar Gadget Looney Bewitched Patty Duke Car 54 Sat. Night SCTV Laugh-In Brothersg Can't Buy Me Love (PG-1 3, '87) A teen-ager ComedyClub SuperDaveg it's Garry Shan- Robocop (R, SHOW owner of a resort ponders its sale with her salad pays the most popular girl in school to be his Network (9:45) dling'sShowg '87)g chef and granddaughter.

girlfriend for a month.g SPTAM 3SEC 3 Bicycle Racing 3Golf 3Sports 3Nehlen Muppets: Bugs Bunny FraggleRock Bend of the River 52) A former outlaw (James Stewart) and a Canyon Passage ('46) A gambling banker TNT horse thief (Arthur Kennedy) lead a wagon train of farmers west to and his buddy love the same woman, leading to Henning' Oregon before a gold rush. murder and an Indian uprising. USA JEM He-Man Miami Vice: An East German spy Murder, She Wrote: Jessica Alfred Hitch- Ray Bradbury The Hitchhiker Werewolf iMiami Vice I seeks revenge. suspects murderous cover-up. cock Presents Theater David Hasselhoff and-sand series deeper into the murky depths of banality are silly plots, corny dialogue and laughably inept performances.

It's so bad that you shouldn't try viewing Bay watch until at least one hour after eating. Later in the season, if you see this fatuous flesh parade going down for the third time in the ratings, consider it a public service. Reids make 'Snoop a winner 3 i miff Snoops Set in Washington, D.C., this is television's latest attempt to recall the lighthearted husband-and-wife mystery formula perfected in the witty Thin Man movies starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. This one, however, stars a real husband-and-wife team, Tim Reid (Venus Flytrap on WKRP in Cincinnati) and Daphne Maxwell Reid. The Reids worked together on Simon Simon and Frank's Place, and the on-camera chemistry was delightful enough to sell CBS on Snoops, which will premiere at 8 on WJW (Channel 8), WKBN (Channel 27) and Wheeling's WTRF (Channel 7).

The network made the right decision for the right reason. The mystery plot is unexceptional. The humor is at times strained. But the Reids are charming enough to draw you back for future visits. Remember, in prime time, charm can compensate for a multitude of sins.

Look at Murder, She Wrote. Although many of the mysteries are dreadful, Angela Lansbury's appeal has kept the series in the top 10 for five years. Tim Reid plays Chance Dennis, a criminology professor at Georgetown University. His wife, Micki, is head of protocol at the State Department. Comfortable in the classroom, Tim Reid Chance is the unwilling participant in Micki's attempts to satisfy her insatiable curiosity.

With Chance along as a reluctant sleuth, the detective duo pursues perplexing cases while trading barbs. The supporting cast includes Emmy winner John Karlen (Harv on Cagney Lacey), who plays Chance's friend Stan Akers, a police lieutenant. In tonight's opener, Chance and Micki try to keep a clever student out of danger. The blend of humor and mystery works moderately well, faults and all. There is a fine line between urbane wit and cutesy shtick.

The Reids are in danger of crossing that line too often. Still, they've earned the chance to solve their series' DAYTIME TALK SHOWS LATE NIGHT Sally Jessy Raphael (9 a.m. Ch. 8, 27) Singers Phyllis McGuire, Maxene Andrews; Sylvia Syms; Helen O'Connell. Garaldol (9 a.m.

Ch. 33, noon WGN. 4 p.m. Ch. 8) Murder by family members.

Oprah Winfrey (4 p.m. Ch. 6, 21) Alcoholism in teens. Cj) Donahue (5 p.m. Ch.

8) Friends who become enemies. Donahue (5 p.m. Ch. 27) Miss America cosmetic surgery controversy. 'Family Matters' short of vision, wit TODAY'S UPDATES a thorn in Goodyear' side.

mm i mnipMmiBjatg I 1 7:00 P.M. (3) Maddona's Obsession with Marilyn Monroe Tonite on HARD COPY 7:30 p.m. Dick Cavett tSit Jose Torres, biographer of Mike Tyson. P.M. (3) It's always summer with 'BAYWATCH'-SERIES PREMIERE! JoMarie Payton-Frances Family Matters This series is sorry enough to make you suspect that it might be a parody of the Good Times type of situation comedy that enjoyed an unfortunate vogue about 15 years ago.

The talents of likable performers are wasted with an efficiency fueled by a sweeping lack of wit and vision. Tonight's premiere which will air at 8:30 on WEWS (Channel 5), WAKC (Channel 23) and WYTV (Channel 33) takes an immediate and precipitous downward turn after the theme song, Louis Armstrong's Wonderful World. The rest of this sitcomy sitcom tries to be warm, funny and cuddly, but it ends up lukewarm, crummy and sickly. A Perfect Strangers spinoff, Family Matters looks at the home life of elevator operator Harriette Winslow JoMarie Pay-ton-France) and her husband, Carl (Reginald VelJohnson), a veteran Chicago policeman. Living with them is Harriette's sister, Rachel (Telma Hopkins), a single mother and an aspiring novelist.

The domestic scene is further 1:00 P.M. (8) Meet a curious couple who can always catch the crooks in SNOOPS 9:00 P.M. (3) World Premiere Movie! 'The Nasty Boys' are cops fighting drugs! My. complicated by the arrival of Carl's mother (Rosetta Le Noire). To get through the long TV season, executive producers Thomas L.

Miller and Robert L. Boyett have stored up a surplus of hHgs, forced sentiment and feeble jokes. Rather than -give Harriette a real family, they have tossed together relatives whose prototypes can be found in dozens of assembly-line sitcoms. This character-ization-by-the-numbers approach is what's the matter with Family Matters, a series crammed full of empty writing. The Tonight Show: Guest host: Late Night: Melissa Ethridge.

Friday Night Jay Leno. Guests: Timothy Bus- Videos: Hosts: field; Paul Reiser; actor MykelT. Penn Teller. Williamson. Divorce Wars: A Love Story ('82) A Seattle divorce lawyer Entertainment (Tom Selleck) goes sailing with an infatuated law student (Mimi Tonight: (1 :35) Rogers), then to divorce court with his wife (Jane Curtin).

Danny Glover. Newhart: All but St. Elsewhere: Fiscus must vol- Arsenio Hall: Jill Eikenberry; Dick think a unteer time for elderly patients; Richard Grieco; rap group E.U. witch haunts the John Doe No. 6's kin arrive, inn.

Praise the Lord (10:00) tBN Today M. Murillo Soap: Burt is a Blood Bath (PG, 76) Elvira returns as host. Dinner guests regale hero. their horror-film director host (Harve Presnell) with tales of the macabre. With P.J.

Soles, Doris Roberts. Q) The Tonight Show Late Night Friday Video Nightline: An- The 700 Club: President Bush After Hours Just Tell Me ff) chor: Ted and the Middle East. You Love Me Koppel. (PG.79) 3 SJH.S. Football (10:00) MacNeilLehrer News Off the Air Pat Sajak: Betty White, Eric Dickerson, Rain Pryor.

Twilight Zone: The Movie (PG) Nightline ArsenloHall Hardcopy Off the Aif Cheers: Woody Twilight Zone: One Step Barefoot in the Park (G, '67) (Q gambles on A dog protects a Beyond Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, football. wife. EastEnders Off the Air The The Untouchables: Nitti houses A Clear and Present Danger t3 Honeymooners beer-brewers. (70) Hal Holbrook. 3 High-School Football: (1 0:30) Alliance at Lake (Tape Delay) Off the Air pm rTl.rmfcr...:Aitl.t.iil ITS Magnum, p.l.: Lily did not die in She's Dressed to Kill (79) Fashion models are WGN the explosion.

(Part 2) stalked by a shadowy killer. Crimewatch Arsenio Hall: Jill Eikenberry; Twilight Zone Benny Hill WW0" Tonight Richard Grieco; rap group E.U. Night Tracks: Power Hits (11 :20) The Ice Pirates (12:20) (PG, '84) Space raider WTBS Jason helps a princess find her father. Evening at Eagle the Victory at Sea A Separate Peace (PG, 72) Improv (11:00) Bear JohnHeyl, BET Entertain rj Midnight Love Videos Video Soul Top 20 The French Woman (11:35) (R, 77) Francoise Sex Appeal (1:1 5) (R, '86) CINE Fabian, Dayie Haddon. Snapshots threaten U.S.

Louie Bonanno, Tally Brittany. security and a call-girl service. Sports Tonight: Newsnight: Patrick Emory, Crossfire: NewsNight CNN Nick Charles. Donna Kelley. Buchanan.

Update DISC Gorilla Safari I jWildlife Monitor Celebrate ncuv Wnat's UP 0007 (G' 72 A music Pressor You Ruined My Life (1 :1 5) ('87) 0SN" meets a kooky woman. Soleil Moon Frye. 3 0 Horse Auto Racing NASCAR Grand National Peak ESPN SportsCenter Racing Performances 200 From Dover, Del. (Tape) ETERN Nation Blackness My Father Lllt Heart WayHome Batman Lone Ranger: Justice of the West ('55) Masked man recovers FAM stolen gold and saves an Innocent man from hanging. FNN Money fj Business Tonight Focus One-Night Kids in the Playing the Nutroll: Robert Grandview, HBO Stand Hall: Comic Townsend i His Partners in Crime U.S.A.

(R, '84) satire, IV Spenser: For What's Up, Dr. Easy Street I Self-Improvement LIFE Hire (11:00) Hero and the Terror (1 1 :00) (R, '88) A Los Ange- She-Devils on Wheels ('68) MOV les policeman searches an old theater for an Betty Connell, Christie Wagner, escaped killer hulk called the Terror. Crook Nashville Now: Jo-El Sonnier; Minnie Pearl; Lynn Classic Rock: NASH Chase: Singer Anderson; Eddie Preston. Gary Lewis SkipEwmg. Playboys.

NICK My 3 Sons D. Reed Daddy Bewitched Mr. Ed Robocop (1 1 :00) (R, '87) Peter Weller, Nancy Liz (R, 79) Elona Glen, Ulf SHOW Allen. Corporate scientists turn a dead policeman Brunnberg. into a cyborg SPTAM 3Horse Ej H.S.

Football: Maytield (Ky.) at Paducah (Ky.) Tllghmiinlgj Canyon Pas- The Lusty Men (12:05) ('52) A faded rodeo champ (Robert TNT sage (10:00) Mitchum) eyes the wife (Susan Hayward) of a rodeo rider (Arthur ('46) Kennedy) he coaches to fame. Miami Vice It's Alive (PG, 74) A couple's first baby emerges with fangs, USA (11:00) wrecks the delivery room and then goes after a truck. 7:00 a.m. CBS ThisMorningOffllTOlHurricane watch: Kathleen Sullivan in Charleston, S.C.; Harry Smith in Wilmington, N.C.; Mark McEwen in Savannah, Ga. 8:00 a.m.

Journalists' Roundtable Viewer Call-In IfflBil The Week in Review. 9:30 a.m. National Press Club ICTPH Industrialist J. Peter Grace, chairman of Commission on Federal Cost Control. 10:00 a.m.

Regit Kathie Lee Danny Aiello; actor poet Jimmy Stewart 11:00 a.m. Home Co-host: Actress Morgan Brittany. Tips for football Miss Universe 1989 Angela Visser; fall TV season. Joan Rivers WE Comedian Bob Hope: wom- en who peddle pornography. GoH 531 Ryder Cup, First Round.

From Sutton Coldfield, England. 9 Noon Sonva Live in L.A. PH Miss America 1990 Debbye Turner; chef Jeff Smith; marriage after adultery; possible new AMA policy on removal of life-support systems. 12:30 p.m. Weekday Oak Ridge Boys.

(TV Stereo) 1:00 p.m. Everyday WHH How to choose day-care; actor Jon Voight seeks help for the homeless. 2:15 p.m. Baseball Pirates at Chicago Cubs. Golf IRfU Senior PaineWebber Invitational, First Round.

From Charlotte, N.C. 5:00 p.m. Horns See 1 1 a.m. Evening Newt TJ1 New York Stock Exchange chairmanchief executive officer John J. Phe-lan October 1987 crash, policing the market.

5:30 p.m. A Current Affair Actress Linda Evans. 6:00 p.m. Tonight's Play List HJV Richard Marx: Right Here Waiting; Jeff Healey Band: Angel Eyes: Great White: Once Bitten Twice Shy; Paula Abdul: Cod Hearted; Bobby Brown: On Our Own. 6:30 p.m.

Adam Smith's Money World CD British corporate raider James Goldsmith, who was 9:00 P.M. (8) DALLAS 2 hour Season Premiere Tonight! Nothing magical about 'Free Spirit' i 9:00 p.m. CNBC Live 0rjt Animal rights. Rj 10:00 p.m. Safari Livel Africa Watch Seven cameras will scan Kenya's Masai Mara Game Reserve in a 30-minute live telecast of the annual migration (at 5 a.m.

Kenya time). Coverage will resume at a.m. 11:00 p.m. Tony Brown's journal (S CD First AIDS Whistle Blower. Dr.

Robert Strecker, (Part 1 of 5) 11:30 p.m. Horse Racing ISPICW From Turfway Park. 1:00 a.m. McLaughlin ICHiCI A. Haeworth Robertson of the Retirement Policy Institute.

El 1:30 a.m. Friday Night Videos S) Hosts: Penn Teller. Videos: Janet Jackson (Miss You Much), Prince (Partyman), Madonna (Cherish), Elton John IHealing Hands). (TV Stereo) mi 4 5 lull Free Spirit The last and least of tonight's starters, the ABC comedy will get a special preview at 9:30 before moving into its regular time slot on Sunday. You may be assaulted by repeated waves of deja vu during tonight's opening episode.

That's because Free Spirit has freely borrowed elements from such series as Bewitched, Hazel and Nanny and the Professor. Corinne Bohrer stars as Winnie Goodwin, a young witch who becomes the housekeeper for divorced lawyer Thomas Harper (Franc Luz) and his three children. The premise may be magical. The results aren't. This is the type of old black magic that will have you in its smell a noxious odor caused by rotten gags, sloppy direction-and dusty plots.

The witch hunt- Corinne Bohrer WEDNESDAY'S NIELSEN RATINGS (m percent otiv homes) 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 flDP 18.1 Grow- 13.7 1 4.4 Doo- 14.4 nuu ing Pains The Young Riders IgieHower China Beach pno 7 1 1 4.0 NA (Not available; com- UP Peaceable Kingdom Jake and the Fatman Wiseguy puter glitch) MRP 19.2 15.8 9-7 llDli Unsolved Mysteries The Nutt House Ouantujnjjgag ers of Salem would have come up with a punishment worse than burning at the stake for this comedy. Low ratings should set Free Spirit free from the ABC schedule. Be ready to cue the Munch-kins for their Ding-Dong the Witch Is Dqad number. Beacon Journal.