Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut • Page 84

THE HARTFORD COURANT: Sunday, Septtmb 1, 1996 07 THE HARTFORD COUXANT: Sunday, September 1, 1996 SESIEnlllSjM 1 Fall lineup reflects networHEV in disarray II and laugh. designed to make yu ednge Jamie (Schneider) unempioyepTrtwtogrftpnei can't hate him for it. Is, simply put, a fMBytyou. It's in his genetic His roomrnate-Klin is 6tigmiy more evoivea. Continued from Page Gl year-old daughter.

CBS hasn't offered much more than a few overheated clips for review. Maybe it's trying to save us all frm a terrible mistake. PUBLIC MORALS (CBS) (Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. Premiere: TBA.) This is hubris in the first degree. If what happens when egos in this case, those of producers Steven Bochco and Jay Tarses ('The Days and Nights of Molly are allowed to run amok.

The sitcom follows the misadventures of a New York City vice squad that's really more like the gang that couldn't shoot straight. It's crude, rude, an insult to viewers and the medium, and borderline immoral. We're sorry, too, qysee Bill Brochtrup and his character John Irvin dragged into this mess from "NYPD Blue." Keep your kids, your pets heck, your plants away from the screen when this one hits the air because It's toxic. MR. ft MRS SMITH (CBS) (Fridays at 9 p.m.

Premiere: Sept. 20.) Some fans of television will watch Scott Bakula in just about anything. Well, here it is: just about anything. For an hour every week. Your show, should you decide to watch It, is an "espionage- hoIcM down job and holding on At least he's comedy-drama" about two spies in competition and, based on.JJe pilot, in heat.

Bakula is "Mr. Smith," and Maria Bello, a poor man's Sharon) Stone, is "Mrs. Smith." He works for "The Factory," a company specializing in industrial sneak-peeks. She works for the highest bidder. )t It borrows liberally from James Bond, "True Lies," andffti nicely into CBS's Friday night schedule.

It's the kind of show you'll watch because you're too lazy to reach for the remote. TI COMMON LAW (ABC) (Saturdays at 9:30 p.m. Premiere: Sept. 21 .) Greg Giraldo is a Hispanic Harvard Law School graduate whos stopped practicing law after being recruited by a top Manhattan law firm to become a stand-up comedian. This is no joke.

It must have been a good career move because Giraldo nowi'S a stand-up comedian playing a Hispanic, Harvard-trained lawyeP' named John Alvarez, working for a top Manhattan law firm. This is where you do the double take. From the producers who gave you "The Golden Girls," the, show's about lawsuits, culture clashes and attorney love, a politically corrective comedy. Continued from Paged OoWeject kind of way. "You could end up in a Calvin lein ad," he warns a student.

Getting to the core of 1)0 character Silas Mamer, he remarks, "He was 'lummln." To quote one of his chief critics on the show, histo-y teacher Ronald Felcher (Ron Glass), "Don't go fiere, dude." PROMISED LAND (CBS) (Tuesdays at 8 p.m. Preview: Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. as Touched by an Angel" Premiere: Sept. 17.) They've all gone to look for America in this areachy Touched by an Angel" spinoff that might as well be called "Major Dad Salutes God and Country." "Gerald McRaney and Wendy Phillips are the God-fearing Greenes, Russell and Claire, a couple way down on their luck and trying to turn adversity into a life-affirming road trip.

They're taking everybody with them, too their on, their daughter, Russell's mom (Celeste Holm) and his newly discovered nephew. It sounds like hell over the long haul. But it's 1 probably the drama a lot of America has been waiting for. The rest of us will shudder slightly and wonder when Pat Robertson, or maybe even Pat Buchanan, shows up for a "very special" episode. to a girlfriend Jjatk.Bateman) the metaphysi al me us, won- cal depths; of life dering, forexami ou can still be after your partner having consensuarpex has fallen asleeo.

We're atarosreraarrassed kf' X. a if" 7 in -I, iiiiTlnMWiiBH'Trll- to say It: We love this show PARTY GIRL (Mondays ar9pw Premiere: Sdjpt the movie. Next to -nobody. aw HE jM I J' I til Maybe they'll lke the sitcom. Christina-Taylor yoa know her, press corps, is a lot sharper, leading to the inevitable political Marcia, Marcia, you loved heT as NBC Marcia In'TheBn 'ally Bunch It's "sophisticated," as in sometimes adult.

now the big job she's been waiting for assistant state's attorney In Baltimore. How will she Juggle it all? We're guessing it's gonna take a lotta love and one-liners. LOVE AND MARRIAGE (Fox) (Saturdays at 9:30 p.m. Premiere: Sept. 28.) Meet April and Jack Nardinl (Patricia Healy and Tony Denlson).

They're a blue-collar couple, too. High school sweethearts. Married 17 years. Living in New York. They've got three kids, one of them heavily into body piercing, but OK.

Mom and dad are just barely getting by, working different shifts, getting together for a few seconds on the fire escape every night. Then, suddenly, the Beggs of Westchester, Trudy (Meagen Fay) and Louis (Michael Mantell), move into the apartment next door with their over-protected little boy and their Martha Stewart ways, and the Nardinis start to see things a little differently. And there you have it. The question is: Can you take it? LUSH LIFE (Fox) (Mondays at 9:30 p.m. Premiere: Sept.

9.) Two flat-broke bimbos try to live it up. All right, that's a little harsh. Actually, Lori Petty and Karyn Parsons Fresh Prince of have a decent comic chemistry in this series about two friends sharing an apartment in Venice. (California, not Italy. There is a difference.) What Petty and Parsons (co-producers and co-writers as well as stars) need to do now is forget they're on Fox and rein this show In.

Petty is particularly sharp as Georgette "George" Sanders, an artist with a pointed point of view is for people who can't get dates," she says.) Parsons as former actress and former rich girl Margot Hines more or less repeats the role she played on "Fresh Prince." We don't hold out too much hope. MEN BEHAVING BADLY (NBC) (Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. Premiere: Sept. 18.) Rob Schneider Night and Ron Eldard give single men the bad name they so richly deserve in a half-hour Prime-time television is a messy business. As a rule, more goes awry than right.

The beauty is you never know what's going to work. How else to explain the following? BIG DEAL (Fox) (Sundays at 7 p.m. Premiere: Sept. 1.) Realizing that "L.A. Firefighters" (which is changing its name) hasn't sparked the imagination of America or generated much heat In the Nielsen ratings, Fox is giving "Big Deal" an updated version of "Let's Make a Deal" a five-week shot in the "Firefighters" time slot.

Mark DeCarlo, best known for his fatuous work on that sleazy dating game "Studs," is your host. The show is driven by how-low-will-you-go antics like "Pick Your Pet," in which contestants must find Fido in a lineup of look-alikes after the pooches have been clean-shaven. All this, special guests and fabulous prizes, too. Somebody call the fire department. CLUELESS (ABC) (Fridays at 9 p.m.

Premiere: Sept. 20.) "Clueless" without Alicia Silverstone? What-EVER! ABC has corralled a significant portion of the supporting cast from the hit movie, hoping to prop up series star Rachel Blanchard You Afraid of the Stacey Dash is back as Dionne. Donald Adeosun Faison is at her side as Murray. Elisa Donovan is Amber anew. They no can do.

Blanchard is the one that counts here, and her -Cher is an uninspired knockoff. Besides, "Clueless" is so 1995 already. DANGEROUS MINDS (ABC) (Mondays at 8 p.m. Premiere: Sept. 30.) Annie Potts substitutes for Michelle Pfeiffer here.

Reporting for duty as ex-Marine Louanne Johnson (whose real-life story inspired the movie), Potts plays a high school teacher bringing peace, love, understanding and higher education to a racially diverse California classroom. WiererarKer Movie" picks upi With a fine ensemble cast, it a welcome addition witn vir Continued from Page 1 work It out at work, "even though Carrie is Jack's boss. Talk about a credibility problem. The original pilot, which was supposedly set in a '90s newsroom but featured "Front Page" era equipment, was unimpres' indepen- no chance of failure it's scheduled after ABC's still charge hi tesj year's Posey lefroff dent film. Home improvement.

has Our merry Mary (Taylor) in life. On the quite contrary goal on growing intent sive at best, with Danson taking a sheepish back seat to his Oscar-winning wife. The prognosis for "Ink" stinks. one hand; she jo! job and acting up, getting a deceri art thiotfieM nana, responsible. On p- i I the time.

she wants to party Mt hi best to So Mary does schedule and C-- 2 i rearrange'her-soci gets a job'working It -f' Is. bhergodmoth- Rob Schneider, left, and Ron Eldard truly are "Men Behaving Badly" on NBC. Teach has a real battle on her hands, with the administration as well as with the students. No sweat. She's on a mission.

After all, a mind is a terrible thing to waste. So is spending an hour watching this pretentious piece of tripe. Rent the movie Instead. LIFE'S WORK (ABC) (Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. Premiere: Sept.

17.) There's still no sign of a pilot. That means there's trouble behind the scenes. What's clear is ABC has high hopes for stand-up star Lisa Ann Walter Wildest According to her bio, Walter is "a classically trained actress, singer and comedienne who brings a special mix of sex appeal and rough-and-tumble humor to her role as a working mom." (Whew.) Cast as Lisa Hunter, she's a dedicated, middle-class mom with two kids, a loving husband who's a basketball coach (Michael O'Keefe) and Kurtzlias a clerk at the er (Swoosie New York Publiotlmry.i- It's more relatively compliment). (that' He hailing a cao Detore next SUDDENLY SUSAN (NBC) (Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. Premiere: Sept.

If Firstvthere was a "Suddenly Susan" pfcji suddenly there wasn't. Critics are still waiting for the revamped 4it opener. All we can tell you is that, based online first go-round, Brooke Shields surprise, surj prise! has comic chops. You could have knocked us over with a feather when we saw her doing Lucy-style pratfalls and found our- selves laughing. Here's what we know about "Suddenly Susan" to date.

Shields portrays a beautiful (natch) albeit sheltered magazine columnist" named Susan (natch) who dumps her rich fiance when she realizes life has more to offer. So what's she going to write about in hej new job as columnist? The single life. Brat-packer Judd Nelson Breakfast does the honors as Susan's boss, Jack, at the with-it San Francisco magazine The Gate. Jack, by the way, just happens to be'trfe brother of Susan's ex-fianc6. It's in a honey of a time slot: Thursday nights at 9:30, between "Seinfeld" and "ER." "Party Girf'will season dawns.

I PEARL (CBS) (Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. Preview: Sept. 16 at 8:30 p.m. Premiere: Sept. 18.) The stan Rhea Periman.

The other stars: Carol Kane and Malcolm McDowell. The gist of lb "Hy, look: It's Caria Tortelli in 'The Paper The plot Blue-collar widow Pearl Caraldo (Periman) wants to be an Intellectual contender, the first in her neighborhood to go '1o a college that didn't have the word 'beauty' In it." She's smart, so she gets Into a big-deal Eastern university where she meets up with this series' version of John Houseman, a know-it-all humanities professor named Pynchon (McDowell). The action: Pearl goes shot-for-shot with Pynchon and ping-pongs between family and school chums, books and the loading dock. The chances: OK. The way we realty feel: It's got its moments as well as a couple of questionable jokes.

Blanchard ABCpkkdd Battel versiMAf for the TV' "Cludew." ABC NBC NBC hopes Brooke Shields gives "Suddenly Susan" a leg up. TOWNIES (ABC) (Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. Premiere: Sept. 18.) Speaking of brat-packers, remember "Pretty in Pink" Molly ji Ringwald? She's the lead in this sitcom about "a close-knit group of New Englanders." (Isn't that a contradiction in terms?) know, friends? The ones we're supposed to care about are Carrie (Ringwaldfc Shannon (Jenna Elfman) and Denise (Lauren Graham), a trio of Gloucester girls still living near their high school, breathing in.the fishy air, reliving glory days, waitressing in the local restaurarit and loving it. Ringwald's engaging not engaging enough, alas, to save this show, which is from the people who gave you "Roseanne" and "Grace Under Fire." SPIN CITY (ABC) (Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m.

Premiere: Sept. 1 7.) If this one doesn't make it, nothing will. Why? It's just so dam hard not to like Michael J. Fox. His new comedy, his first since "Family Ties," reunites Fox with that show's creator, Gary David Goldberg.

There must be something to the partnership because "Spin City" is this year's favorite among critics. Fox slips effortlessly into the part of New York City Deputy Mayor Michael Flaherty. He's the guy who's really pulling the strings in the mayor's office a necessity because the mayor (Barry Bostwick acting like Alan Thicke) is so clueless. Flaherty's girlfriend Ashley (Caria Gugino), a member of the CBS Gerald McRaney's values-laden dan hits the road in CBS's "Promised Land." RELATIVITY (ABC) (Saturdays at 10 p.m. Preview: Sept.

24 at 10 p.m. Premiere: Sept. 28.) Touchy-feely producing team Marshall Herskovitz 1 and Edward Zwick So-Called Life" and get romantic in this drama about two Los Angelinos who meet and fall In love in Rome. Kimberly Williams of the and newcomer David Conrad are the lovers: Isabel, 24, and Leo, 26. "You have the most incredible flume," he tells her, pointing to a ravine on her upper lip.

Naturally, with a line like that, she falls for him and gives the boyfriend-she-might-have-married the old heave-ho. Now all they have to do Is get to know one another and their very different families. For saps, not kids. SABRINA, THE TEENAGE WITCH (ABC) (Fridays at 8:30 p.m. Premiere: Sept.

27.) Wiggle your nose, and you're there: "Bewitched: The Early Years." KMMelissa Joan Hart of Nickelodeon kid fame 'Clarissa Explains It should fly in this TGIF entry about a 16-year-old going through some natural and supernatural growing pains. )9 If based on the Archie Comics heroine Sabrina. there's nothing to see yet beyond the perfectly pleasant Showtime made-for-TV movie broadcast in. April. If family fare with special effects.

The star's mom Is the executive producer. Other than that, we see no signs of trouble. The show should hold a respectable audience in its spell. SOMETHING SO RIGHT (NBC) (Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. Premiere: Sept.

17.) Because something's so wrong with the American family, "Something So Right" can pass for funny instead of sad. If all about blended families, a natural for a show because everybody either knows one or has one. Mel Harris and Jere Bums star as New York newlyweds dealing i with their ongoing extended-family crises. 1 Mice Parkar rAnrlrfifl vr; r--. I 8:30 "S-OO.

10:00 11:00 AKJ America's Funniest Home Videos Lois Clark: The New Adventures of Superman ABC movie CBS 60 Minutes Touched by an Angel CBS movie 3 FOX Big Deal LA. Firefighters The Simpsons Ned and Stacey TheXftSesr NBC Dateline NBC 3rd Rock From the Sun Boston Common c. NBC movie i ADC Dangerous Minds ABC Monday Night Football "cE Cosby Ink Murphy Brown Cybill Chicago Hope FOX 7" Melrose Place Party Girl 7 Lush Life t--" NSC The Jeff Foxworthy Show Mr. Rhodes NBC movie ABC Roseanne Life's Work Home Improvement Spin City NYPD Blue CBS Promised Land CBS movie i 5 i 1 FOX Fox movie I i mil rim i inn in iiw- iiSC Mad About You Something So Right Frasier Caroline in the City Dateline NBC ABC Ellen Townles Grace Under Fire The Drew Carey Show PrimeTime Live ut CBS The Nanny Pearl Almost Perfect Public Morals EZ Streets ui i i FOX Beverly Hills, 90210 Party oTi Five 5 mi Wings The John Larroquette Show NewsRadio wVf. Men Behaving Badly Law Order i High Incident Turning Point CBS Diagnosis Murder 48 Hours AF0X Martin Living Single New-YocklMercover i 1 11 NEC Friends The Single Guy Seinfeld Suddenly Susan ER ABC Family Matters Sabrina, the Teenage Witch Clueless Boy Meets World 2020 CBS Dave's World Everybody Loves Raymond Mr.A?Ai&.&mUtn Nash Bridges ex 11 1 it 4 i 5 FOX '-h i.

Sllctere Millengf-rniV KSC Unsolved Mysteries DateJiaeBCLS'j Homicide: Life on the Street ABC Second Noah Coach Common Law Relativity CSS Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Early. Editions I Walker, Texas Ranger 2 FOX Cops Cops With Children Love and Marriage NSC. Dark Skies Profiler Parker), who wants brain I boy back at the Centre. While on the run, the I childlike Jarod grows vp', helps the neipiess and, looks for his parents.

Continued from Page Gl a man with a special talent. Black sees things, the kinds of things killers see, which is why he's so good at what he does. "I become the thing we fear the most," he tells an associate. "It's my gift. If my curse." Regrettably, he has seen too much, 'That's why I retired," he says.

Now he works out of Seattle for the Millennium Group an organization of law enforcers who take Nostradamus and all those end-of-the-century, prophecies seriously- Megan Gallagher co-stars as the wife and mother. This Is deeply disturbing, for adults only. Be there. V4 PROFILER (NBC) JL. I A.

11 (Saturdays at 10 p.m. Premiere: Sept. 21.) What's the difference between "Millennium" and stars a woman. And nobody talks about Armageddon. Like Frank Black of "Millennium," forensic-psychologist Sam Waters (Ally Walker) knows what terror lurks in the minds of serial killers and assorted sociopaths.

She, too, has tried to distance herself from what she does best, but the good guys need her. She resists. She's already lost a husband to a maniac a killer named Jack who's still obsessed with her. And she's got a daughter whom she has tried to squirrel away In semi-isolation. But her one-time mentor, FBI man Bailey Cany (Harris), for example, has a 14-year-old son with a major crush on his 16-year-old stepsister.

"She's your stepsister not your girlfriend, you big $icko," cries his 11 -year-old sister, who threatens to move In with her biological dad and his second family. "So we're not the Waltons," Carly concludes. Depressing, don't you think? It's an Intriguing concept, but it should have been scheduled later in the evening. 1 I New shows are in boM. I Local network affiliates: ABC (WTNH; Channel eft CBS (WFSB, Channel 3); NBC (WVIT, Channel 30); Fox Broadcasting (WTIC, Channel 61 Malone (Robert Davi), appeals to her heroic instincts.

Not everyone is happy to have her on the big team, though particularly hunky and competitive detective John Grant (Julian McMahon). It doesn't matter much. The show will be dead before season's end. I si Don't sell The WB and UPN short just because they're not as big as the Big Four. They're aggressive: All of the new shows at The WB and most of UPN's are already up and running.

They've got vision: They're addressing the needs of African American viewers by offering shows (albeit no dramas) instead of lip service. must be a little slow. But guess what? Roger, an idiot savant of sorts, ends up saving Jason from "a fate worse than death" marrying the wrong woman. Where these guys are going nobody knows, but they may be worth following. For a little while.

NICK FRENO: LICENSED TEACHER THEE0ISCNG2CKE Sept. 3.) "Outbreak-rrtests That's-the'tiasiCT'WIecular structure of this Impressive elite squad of virologists and government's best weapon in.thrwaragamst Infectious dis I WW THE PRETENDER (NBC) (Saturdays at 9 p.m. Preview: Sept. 19 at 10 p.m. Premiere: Sept.

28.) Poor little genius boy Jarod Russell OK, so they need to work on programming some more. "The Jamie Foxx Show" on The WB will play up the antics of its star. ThWB is In the house, and nothing much has changed. He's still operating at full-tilt-boogie power. This time he's Willie Goode, a con man on parole, serving out his house arrest (electronic ankle bracelet included) with his estranged son, Franklin (Dorien Wilson of "Dream a son he hasn't seen In 1 5 years.

Naturally, there's plenty of friction between shady father (he still hasn't quite learned his lesson) and fussy, professorial son. A sitcom for hard-core Hemsley fans only. HOKEBOYS IN OUTER SPACE (Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. Premiere: Aug. 27.) Say what, brother? Stand-up comedian Flex (you can sit down now, Flex) and Darryl M.

Bell Different are the homeboys lost in space. They fancy themselves 23rd-century soldiers of fortune, but everyone can see they're bumbling space gophers. Give the producers points for talking James Doohan (cir beloved Scotty of "Star Trek" fame) into joining the series Please see 'Malcolm Page G8 THE JAMIE F0XX SHOW (Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. Premiere: Aug. 28.) It's very broad, very loud and not very entertaining.

Jamie Foxx Living stars as Jamie King, a man with a walk-of-fame dream. Realizing his big break won't come Overnight, he decides to chill with his aunt (Ellia English) and uncle (Garrett Morris), working, living and just generally acting crazy In their Los Angeles hotel. He's auditioning, but it's mostly for the affections of the hotel's marketing whiz Fancy (Garcelle Beauvais). She's a tough audience. And so are we.

The talent is here. The show is nowhere. LIFE WITH ROGER (Sundays at 9:30 p.m. Premiere: Aug. 25.) an odd couple.

But Roger (Mike O'Malley) and Jason (Maurice Godin) are no Oscar and Felix. Maybe they'll grow on us. Jason Is the supposedly normal guy. Roger is the borderline wacko. When the friends-to-be first meet, Roger is thinking about jumping off the 59th Street Bridge.

Jason thinks Roger eases. Set in the presariCThe Burning Zone" liberally mixes science. fictian with off today's headlines as well as-urdarkesr-fears. Jeffrey DearrMorflarr stars as Dr. Edward Marcasr.

tie's one-of the best in the bio-crisis biz, a man with-- mystical point of view who lost his vtrus. (Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. Premiere: Aug. 28.) If age were based on emotional development, Nick Freno wouldn't have a license to drive, much less teach. Lucky for him, he's on television, where the standards are really low.

Stand-up comic Mitch Mullany is the freaky Mr. Freno, an out-of-work actor who is taken from his parents, kept under wraps and exploited by a bunch of sidkos in a place called the Centre. All grown up now as series star Michael T. Weiss, he breaks out and uses his comput er-like mind to do any job, any time, anywhere. He's a world-record quick study.

One day he's a surgeon in the operating room, the next an airline pilot. Billed as a "humanistic thriller," the hour has loads of built-in appeal, even if Weiss takes some getting bed to as the leading man. Sticking close but always one step behind is the intriguing, albeit dangerous, r.t j- i is a I ft Megan IV Ward and Eric Ctoso I I know too 1 I much on wbI. I i NBC's "DarHj If I 1 I Skies." II i NBC i LJ takes a job as a substitute teacher and finds it's the role he was meant to play. LJiVn rA immali trex atan frr tha ft is I 1(7 a iaj ii i ii i luiui ovoii ivi mo jr It's a Grade AproaucKon, even witn u-ievei stars and performances.

We've got the fever. (Mondays -at 9p.irc Premiere: Aug. 26.) He's movin! on tack. Shermari Hemsley educationally challenged Gerald R. 11 I Ford Middle School, which is why Please see Good, Page G8.