The Courier-News from Bridgewater, New Jersey • Page 121

Page A December 14 20, 1997 "OM ml cOV "Mad About You" attempts episode without commercials this Tuesday BY NANCY MCALISTER ad About You" is no stranger to inno- Ivation. The Tuesday night series I caused a stir two seasons ago with a finale that tested the strength of the Buchman marriage. It also tested the viability of a situation comedy venturing into drama. Critics and viewers gave a thumbs up. This week's edition of the NBC show is billed as yet another special episode.

Filmed like a one-act play, the 22 minutes are minus commercial interruptions. Breaking form, the program is an up-close look at a couple whose ups and downs have made "Mad About You" a top 20 show this season. As the tide song says, "Tell me why I love you like I a chance, as we jump into the final frontier." "The Conversation" begins at the doorway of the Buchman bedroom, which is also where their infant baby Mabel sleeps. Jamie (Helen Hunt) informs Paul (Paul Reiser) that, for the first time since her arrival, they will allow Mabel to cry herself to sleep. "So this is it," a reluctant Paul responds.

"She needs to learn how to comfort herself," says Mom, whose outward resolve masks her own misgivings. What follows are timed intervals suggested by a current popular philosophy about how long a baby should be allowed to wail before a parent offers comfort. As Mabel persists in crying tensions rise. "The only reason we're outside is that this sadistic man from Columbia University said we have to," Dad protests at one point. Later, he laments, "That's the worst sound I've ever heard." But "The Conversation" is about more than Mabel's tears.

As the minutes wear on, Jamie and Paul realize some of their differences in parenting styles. When Paul displays his willingness to spoil their daughter, his wife attributes it to how he was raised. "I wonder if my parents ever did this to me?" he asks. "I don't think they did," Jamie replies. "They went into your room if another child was crying." They also discover that where they raise Mabel in the suburbs or in the city is a point of contention.

"We disagree on everything," Jamie finally concludes. But more pressing is who will finally give in to the urge to rescue their firstborn. Preparing for Tuesday's show required more than the usual run through. Because it was filmed in one single take with only one camera, "The Conversation" plays out in real time. Everyone involved had to know the length of the piece so there was no running short or long, said executive producer Victor Levin.

"We had to make sure the script was extremely, accurately timed out," he said. "We had to know how long every line took. The worst thin in the world would have been if it was too long. The fact the show starts and continues without commercials also had writing considerations. Although it's one scene, it has a beginning, middle and end and the feel of a real story, said Levin, who wrote the episode.

"It had to be as impactful and big feeling as a show with many scenes." TKR Warrenr Comcast Comcast PTTANNKL, GUIDE p-riin' TKR cbteo XJrt.11Ti l-'U UUUU VCR The Hills Metuchen PlainfieU RCN NJ WCBS CBS New York 3 2 2 2 2 2 i 1 WNBC NBC New York 4 4 4 4 4 4 WNYW FOX New York 5 5 5 5 VI WABC ABC New York 7 7 7 7 7 7 ELI WWOR IND Secaucus 9 9 9 9 9 9 CI WCAU NBC Philadelphia 10 10 I WPIX IND New York i 11 11 11 11 11 Oa WHYY PBS Philadelphia 16 12 EH WNET PBS New York 13 13 13 13 13 13 WPHL IND Philadelphia 17 17 1 WLIW PBS Long Island 21 10 10 21 WNYE PBS New York 25 I WTXF FOX Philadelphia 29 16 WBIS PBS New York 31 70 70 24 15 31 FH WXTV IND Paramua 12 41 35 12 21 41 CI WNJU IND NewYork 27N 27 36 20 47 EM WNJN PBS Trenton 56 23 8 22 23 "EH WNLX lillll 28 piiilil 58 rH WHSE IND Newark 2SL 26- 15 Arts Sl Entertainment 39 i 35V 44 29 4140 29 EL 1 American Movie Classics 3S 21 61 22 5453 43 I Black Entertainment S7 37 37 35 39ff? 46 E3 Comcast Network 20 8 Cable News Network 42 14A 17 3 5049 33 ESI Consumer News EBusiness Channel 23 35V 45 23 4443 67 tTl Comedy Central 26 23J 32 49 House of Representatives 6 46 32 33 37 HSenate liPS plliiil 20 E5H court TV Ipjfl IPllf lllfll f-j Lw.l Cable Network New Jersey 14 38 i 53 59 The Disney Channel 53 79 73 25 29 98 The Discovery Channel 37 16C 19 31 S3S2 28 I 1 El Entertainment 63 22 27 36739 44 EL, I Encore 92 80 80 38 Entertainment Sports Network 34 221 47 10 4645 3 ETl Entertainment Sports Network 2 88 33T 43 S2S1 38 Eternal Word Network 29P 29 54 ESI Faith and Values Network 29P 29" EL, 1 Family Channel 47 68 68 18 31 19 TjTheFood Network 7 71 71 6955 72 IFX 74 32 4848 Office 33 17D 1S 17 25 14 History Channel 7 76 76 26 TEL. Lifetime 46 32S 40 34 3837 27 Cy 1 Headline News 26M 41 25 5554 ELi 1 Home Shopping Network I II 23 1623' T-fyfCinWax "45 82 82 58 26 95 LL-1 Madison Square Garden 19 15B 18 23 4746 20 TOL-fMUiic'TV 48 30Q 52 21 4544 22 ESfNickeTodeon 38 36w 42 28 4039 6 CZ'j Nostalgia Channel 64 22 EE 1 Playboy Channel 71 56 96 E. Quality Value Convenience 8 8 8 6 12 1 Request TV 57 57 5SL5I Request II 58 58 ITT fRequest 28Q fc. I Sports Channel 7059 39 30 27' 4847 99 ET. The Sci-Fi Channel 89 74 74 34 50 Showtime 41 19F 14 19 28 18 kmm rm z-.

P58' 73 I Turner Broadcasting IND Atlanta 43 20G 21 16! 18 45 Ell pIp 77 The Learning Channel 51 21H 43 57 51 XZ 1 The Movie Channel 58 61 EnJI The Nashville Network 49 35 48 Turner Network Television 52 18E 20 6 5150 15 I 1 67 67 fi The Travel Channel 41 The Weather Channel 31 49 14 4241 2 te 1 The USA Network 44 34UT 50 26 4342 24 Video Hits One 24K 24 33 36 42 55 19 C-TEC Looal OrfglnatlonNwport (overflow gwMt) 8 7 C-TEC Clnama C-TECT Cinema 2430 Ed Local AccasiLocal Public Access Ortglnallon 12 12 20 14 Pravt-wChannl 3 WfMWij 26 PPV InloSportsMSO 2 6020 KV3aW TKR Cable Company 6 6 TV-Asia 38' 38' 28' Sharad Cham PubMahed By TV Update 14 TV Update, Inc..