Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • Page 2-11

11 MWCHICAGO TRIBUNE TEMPOMOVIES SECTION2 I hopes of capitalizing on the success of its critically adored series the newly ascendant AMC unveils 9 p.m. Sunday A new drama from a boutique cable network in these strike-depleted times? A masterful performance by a lead actor in an (apparently) unconventional show? Given all that, a hearty recommendation for should be a slam dunk. Yet my recommendation and I do think the show is worth checking out is not as hearty as like it to be. reminds me of another cable series that started strong then began to fizzle soon after its promising premiere. likewise starts out strong then loses steam, especially in its unevenly paced third episode.

Yet willing to give this promising show a chance, in the hopes that it will give Bryan Cranston, who plays desperate chemistry teacher Walt White, a more substantial showcase for his skills. Cranston in the does a wonderful job of depicting the small humiliations that fill humdrum life. One day Walt snaps and tells one of his bosses exactly what he thinks of him. This uncharacteristic show of defiance is driven by some bad news that Walt received earlier (and exit the review now if you want to know what it was). Walt finds out early in the first episode that he has inoperable lung cancer.

He has only a year or two to live, but he also has a family to support a wife, a teenage son and a baby on the way. Hence his decision to go into business with a former student who deals in crystal meth. got the skills to make the stuff and make it well though it becomes apparent that his new partner, Jesse (Aaron Paul), as tough and savvy as he tries to sound (on his Web page, he lists his education as streets, By this point, some cable fans might be saying, this show sounds like Show- Yes, it does. Broken down to its basic components, could function as a periodic table of the cable elements: It boasts a terrific actor as a rebellious lead character, lots of naughty if not evil shenanigans, a visually compelling location (Albuquerque), plus the usual mix of sex, drugs and interesting supporting characters. Except the people surrounding Walt nearly as interesting as they could be.

often demonstrates its characters using chemistry to solve problems, but the show, so far, have quite the right ingredients it could use something more combustible in the mix. However, tremendous performance and the affinity for melancholy, weird and funny moments are enough to keep me interested for now. better TV through chemistry? In on AMC, Bryan Cranston plays a chemistry teacher who turns to making crystal meth with a former student. Friday evening KEY: (N) denotes new programming; denotes closed-captioning; denotes high definition television; shading denotes movie. BROADCAST 66:3077:3088:3099:301010:30 CBS News (N) Entertain (N) Ghost Whisperer (N) Moonlight (N) NUMB3RS: (N) News (N) Late (N) NBC News (N) Hollywood (N) 1 vs.

100 (N) Friday Night Lights (N) Las Vegas (N) News (N) Tonight (N) ABC News (N) Fortune (N) Anatomy Desperate Housewives (9:02) (N) News (N) Nightline (N) WGN MenFamily GuyWWE Friday Night SmackDown! (N) WGN News at Nine (N) Family Men PBS News-Lehrer (N) Chicago TonightCheck PleaseMexico: PlateWash Wk (N) Bill Moyers Journal (N) Globe (11:30) WOCK Que Viva la de la Liga Mexicana: Veracruz vs. Monarcas (Diferido) NoticiasNoticiero (N) WYCC 4 BBC WorldInside Wash.Antiques RoadClassicalAustin City Limits (N) Omara PortuondoBBC WorldTavis Smiley WWME 7 Cosby ShowCosby ShowDick Van DykeTaxi Cheers Cheers Sanford SonJeffersonsCosby ShowDick Van Dyke WCIU George LopezKingBernie MacBernie MacOne on OneHalf HalfFrasier Frasier KingGeorge Lopez FOX The SimpsonsSeinfeld Bones House: to Fox News Chicago at Nine (N) News (N) Simpsons WWTO BibleKingdomBehindHal LindseyJoel OsteenPriceJesus of Nazareth Jesus is crucified. Christ (11:30) WCPX Assignment Berlin Sammi Davis, Dominic Raacke. Bird of Prey Jennifer Tilly, Boyan Milushev. Firebrand (N) WSNS 12 CorazonesMadre LunaVictoriaPecados AjenosEn ContextoTitulares WPWR Scrubs TMZ (N) Bad Girls Madeleine Stowe.

ShowStill StandingLaw Order: Criminal Intent WYIN PlaceReal MomsThe Legendary Victor Borge FocusNews (N) American Soundtrack: This Land (11:30) WXFT Dice la GenteBoxeo Jesus Soto-Karass vs. Germain Sanders, Peso Welter. Es la VidaContacto (N) (12:30) WJYS PriceBill WinstonChristianLove a ChildJoyce MeyerMetropolitanPaula WhiteSteve MunseyMedina Min.Salem Baptist WGBO Yo Amo a Juan sin Univ. BASIC CABLE CSI: Miami: CSI: Miami: CSI: Miami: CSI: Miami The Sopranos: AMC (4:30) Heartbreak Ridge Death Wish The Face of Death Charles Bronson. Death Wish The Face of Death Charles Bronson.

ANIM Big Cat Diary: Most ExtremeOrangutan IsleOrangutan (N) The A-List (N) Animal Precinct (N) Most ExtremeOrangutan Isle AZNTV Music BangMusic BangMusic BangMusic BangCoffee PrinceLove Truly BBCA BBC World News AmericaCoupling (7:40) Coupling Tate (N) BBC World News AmericaCoupling Coupling BET 106 Park (N) Boycott Jeffrey Wright, Terrence Howard. Girlfriends Girlfriends Hell Date Hell Date BIO City Confidential Notorious: Killer Biography: Yorkshire Ripper Crime Stories (N) Case Crackers: BRAV Make Me a Supermodel Gangs of New York Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis. Gangs NY CLTV Evening (N) EveningMetromix WkdEveningMetromix WkdEveningMetromix WkdEveningNews (N) News (N) CMT Home VideosHome VideosHome VideosHome VideosVideos (N) Redneck (N) Redneck Mom. (N) Mobile Home Disaster CNBC Kudlow Company Fast MoneyNet WorthThe Suze Orman Show The Big Idea With DeutschMad Money CNN Lou Dobbs Tonight CNN Election CenterLarry King Live Anderson Cooper 360 COM Scrubs Scrubs Daily ShowColbert ReportFuturama Futurama Presents (N) Presents (N) CSNCH Tribune LiveSportsNite FSN Pro Football PreviewBulls PregameNBA Basketball Golden State Warriors at Chicago Bulls. (Subject to Blackout) CSP Tonight From WashingtonPresidential Libraries: History UncoveredTonight From WashingtonPresidential Libraries (12:00) CSP2 Tonight From WashingtonCampaign 2008 TonightCapital News Today (1) DIS Han.

MontanaHan. MontanaHigh School Musical 2 Zac Efron. DerekZack CodyHan. Montana DIY Home AgainThis Old Hse.This Old Hse.Sweat EquityYankee ShopWood WorksGarage Mahal (N) Home AgainThis Old Hse. DSC How MadeHow MadeSurvivorman Man vs.

Wild Fight Quest: (N) Fight Quest Kyokushin karate. DSCH Trauma: Life in the ER Diagnosis Mystery ER Skeleton Stories Diagnosis News (N) Daily 10 (N) KardashiansKardashiansSnoop FatherSnoop FatherThe Soup (N) Girl Next DoorE! NewsChelsea (N) ESPN NBA Basketball Portland Trail Blazers at Miami Heat. (Live) NBA Basketball Golden State Warriors at Chicago Bulls. (Live) ESPN2 Boxing: 1998 Gatti vs. Robinson Boxing Friday Night Fights.

(Live) Tennis Australian Open Early Round Day 6. (12:30) ESPNC Missing LinkMissing LinkBoxing60 Min.60 Min.On the Block (N) Bull Riding: Ride Hard Tour EWTN Daily Mass: Our LadyThe World OverWorth LivingHoly RosaryDefending LifeReasons HopeHuman Sexuality FAM Bring It On Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku. Bring It On Again Anne Judson-Yager. The 700 Club FNC Fox Report-Shepard SmithThe Factor Hannity Colmes On the Record-Van SusterenThe Factor FOOD Emeril LiveGood EatsTasty TravelsDiner, Drive-InDiner, Party (N) Good EatsUnwrapped FOXM (5) Cinderella Liberty (R) Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould. Elliott Gould (12:00) FX (5) Like Mike Rebound Martin Lawrence.

(11:02) GOLF PGA Tour Golf: Champions MasterCard Championship PGA Tour Golf Bob Hope Chrysler Classic Third Round. From Palm Desert, Calif. GSN Weakest Link Be a MillionaireHow MuchFamily FeudFamily FeudChainLingo Whammy HGTV House HuntersDesigned-SellSave My BathMy KitchenFind StyleHouse HuntersHouse (N) Get It SoldParents House HIST Modern Marvels: Modern Marvels: Shockwave Dirty Harry Clint Eastwood, Harry Guardino. HMRK Walker, Texas Ranger Walker, Texas Ranger Miss Congeniality Sandra Bullock. Murder, She Wrote IFC (6:15) Gerry Casey Affleck, Matt Damon.

Grand Theft Parsons IFC NewsFramed Witchblade (N) LIFE Still StandingStill StandingReba: Reba Naked (N) Matched (N) Top Party (N) Party (N) Will GraceWill Grace MSNBC Hardball Countdown-OlbermannLockup: RawDateline NBC Why They RunWhy They Run MTV Next Top Next Top Next Top ModelLife of RyanLife of RyanNextNext NGEO Is It Dog Whisperer (N) DogTown: (N) Dog WhispererDog Whisperer NICK Zoey 101 SchoolBarnyardAvatarTigre: RiveraTak, PowerGeorge LopezGeorge LopezHome Imp.Home Imp. Wonder CluesWow! SpiderLittle Bear Franklin Oswald Little Bill Miss SpiderMax Ruby OXY (4:30) Center Stage Center Stage Amanda Schull, Zoe Saldana. Bad Girls ClubBad Girls ClubBad Girls Club QVC Jewelry ShowcaseStained Glass ArtistryNorthern NightsSteel by Design Jewelry SCIFI Haunted: Flash Gordon: (N) Stargate Atlantis Stargate Atlantis (N) Flash Gordon: SPK CSI: Crime Scene Invstgtn.CSI: Crime Scene Invstgtn.Shocking MomentsMost Amazing Videos (N) Disorderly Conduct: Video SUN Clean Maggie Cheung, Nick Nolte. Iconoclasts Jon Krakauer. H.

KrumpetIn Between Days Jiseon Kim. TBS RaymondRaymondRaymondRaymondCheaper by the Dozen Steve Martin. Sex and-CitySex City TDIS Superman Batman OverdriveDigimon Chaotic Pinky BrainDigimon Jackie ChanRangersRangers TCM Secrt Life-MittyThe File on Thelma Jordan Barbara Stanwyck. Johnny Eager Robert Taylor, Lana Turner. TLC Home Chef (N) Home Chef (N) What Not to Wear: What Not to Wear: (N) Miss America (N) What Not to Wear: TLN The 700 Club Xtreme MystOn ScreenChicago WorshipBalanced Health: Your BodyLife TodayLifeLine TNT Law Order: No Stealth Josh Lucas.

Three pilots combat artificial intelligence. Stealth Josh Lucas. (12:00) TOON Chowder (N) George (Series HomeChowderGeorge-JungleGeorge-JungleFamily GuyVenture Bros. TRAV KnowLatin AmericaLatin AmericaMysterious Journeys Most HauntedWeird Travels TRU Cops Cops Most Shocking Forensic FilesForensic FilesPower, Privilege Justice (N) The Investigators TVL Andy GriffithAndy Fletch Chevy Chase, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson. USA Monk Law Order: SVUMonk (N) Psych (N) House: VH1 (5:30) Ghostbusters Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd.

Best Week (N) CelebrityRock of Love-Bret MichaelsBest WeekCelebrity VS EscapeWinchesterWhitetail Rev.BucksTred BartaDangerousHuntley WayQuest for OneWhitetail Rev.Bucks WE (4:30) French Kiss Ugliest House on the BlockUgliest House on the BlockUgliest House on the BlockJohn Edward Cross Country WEA Abrams BettesEpicWeather Vent.Weather: Evening Edition EpicWeather Vent. PREMIUM CABLE ENC (5:15) Death Becomes HerThe Benchwarmers Tomcats Jerry Poetic Justice (R) (12:05) HBO Inside the NFL The Wire Borat: Cultural Learnings of AmericaCountdownReal Time With Bill Maher HBO2 (4:45) Lethal Weapon 4 Boxing From March 1, 2003. (N) Boxing (N) Final Destination 3 Real Sex Xtra HBO-FAM How to Eat Fried Worms An American Tail An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (G) MadeIn MAX (5:40) The Professional Dead Silence Ryan Kwanten. Three Kings George Clooney. SHO (5:45) One Tough Cop (7:15) Richard T.

Jones, Blair Underwood. The Word Jackass No. 2 (11:30) STRZ (6:15) Annapolis James Franco. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Chest Johnny Depp. Rush Hr TMC (5:20) Tender Mercies Election Matthew Broderick.

Failure to Launch Shadowbx 1. It 6 p.m., Family Channel Cheerleading squads face off in this spirited 2000 comedy. Kirsten Dunst (left in photo with Gabrielle Union) does some image-breaking as Torrance, the new captain of one of the teams. While trying to prove herself worthy of being a leader, she must clear herself of allegedly stealing the routines of a rival squad. Eliza Dushku the Vampire and Jesse Bradford costar.

2. 8 p.m., WBBM-Ch. 2 dream of becoming a real boy came true, so why not (Alex left) dream of becoming human again? In this new episode, he learns a secret from Coraline (Shannyn Sossamon) that could transform him back to human status but cost him big. Beth (Sophia Myles), still on the outs with Mick, gets some upsetting news that she must deal with on her own. Jason Dohring also stars.

3. Night 8 p.m., WMAQ-Ch. 5 The Taylors (Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton) find it difficult to put Gracie in day care. Matt (Zach Gilford) falls for his home-care nurse.Lyla (Minka Kelly, right) gets a gig at a Christian radio station. 4.

9 p.m., WBBM-Ch. 2 The team tries to solve a case in which a serial rapist uses his position as a police officer to ensnare his victims. Starring Rob Morrow, David Krumholtz and Judd Hirsch. Compiled by Barbara Schaffner from Tribune wire reports Shows to watch Maureen Ryan The Watcher BASIC CABLE Secret Life of Walter 5 p.m., TCM a brave, much-admired hero but only in his own mind, at least for starters. Walter Mitty (Danny Kaye) actually is an accountant whose rich fantasy life is his only escape from his doting mother (Fay Bainter).

imagination becomes reality, though, when an enigmatic beauty (Virginia Mayo) involves him in a hunt for coveted jewels. Boris Karloff plays the chief villain in this 1947 comedy- adventure classic. No MPAA rating Compiled by Tribune Media Services Movies Product: CTTEMPO PubDate: 01-18-2008 Zone: MW Edition: HD Page: ATVGRID-11 User: cci Time: Color:.