Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • 80

18 Section 3 Chicago Tribune, Friday, April 29, 1983 Television Give NBC's a 'C' for concept, an 'F' for fiction and a 'B' for boredom By Marilynn Preston TV critic WHEN I WATCHED the first two-hour installment of the two-part NBC science-fiction film that airs Sunday and Monday I really did feel my body being overtaken by alien forces. Boredom feels that way sometimes. "E.T., phone home," I heard myself saying. "Ask for Brandon Tartikoff. Tell him his taste is slipping." And that, plus a "Where is Ray Bradbury when TV really needs him?" ho-hum, pretty much sums up my feelings about this new NBC mini-series, set for launch at 8 p.m.

Sunday and Monday. It comes highly touted. Kenneth Johnson, whose creative credits include "The Six Million Dollar Man," "The Bionic Woman" and near-total responsibility for "The Incredible Hulk," also is the powerful force behind He wrote it, he produced it, he directed it and he sees it as a "contemporary retelling of the Nazi story." "I wanted to show America under occupation," he says in the press packet, "and how various people react in various ways to a massive invading army that disrupts almost every aspect of American life as we know it today." He' DESERVES high marks for concept; low marks for storytelling. In trying to do so much, Johnson failed at the most basic task of any storyteller to engage" the viewer's imagination, intellect, curiosity. In my view, doesn't work as video science-fiction, doesn't involve us, because the people we're supposed to care about, the resistance fighters to whom the film is dedicated, all appear to be clumsy, cardboard characters.

They talk in standard TV cliche. may be visually exciting and inherently fascinating, but the flow of the show is so sophomoric and heavy-handed, it undercuts the entire project. The story begins with 50 alien spaceships hovering over 50 major cities of the world. "We have come in peace," the Visitors say. The Visi tors lie.

They want to take ovci un planet, and focuses on a of brave individuals who decid tu stand in their way. Pear Abby It's beneficial to know your Social Security status loads of guys, but there's something wrong with every guy I go out with. They're too short or I don't like the way they dress or look. The one I'm going with now is French and Indian. He's real sweet and good to me, but he's short and I don't like short men.

Most of my girlfriends go with tall guys, but for some reason I always wind up with the short ones. I'm 5 feet 5 inches myself. If I wore heels I'd be taller than some of the guys I date. I'd like to marry again. I've been married twice to guys who were taller than I am, and it didn't work out.

Am I too picky or what? I'm not looking for a real handsome man just a tall one. Like Them Tall eligible for these benefits but are not aware of it. Your letter will not only make their day, but their week, their month and their year. Thanks for writing. DEAR ABBY: What should be done about the following? A man drops his wife off in front of a cafeteria that is filling up fast with the dinner crowd.

He drives off to park the car while his wife gets in line. The man comes back about 15 minutes later. By then his wife is at the head of the line yelling, "Yoo hoo, Honey I'm here." The husband squeezes in ahead of somebody to pick up a tray and silverware, then goes to the head of the line explaining to everybody, "Excuse me. We're together." Is it fair to people who have had to wait their turn in line? And is it worth making a stink about? Battle-Ax From Baytown, Tex. Dear Battle-Ax: It's something like filing a joint tax return a break for a married couple.

It's not fair. But who said life was always fair? Forget it. DEAR ABBY: How can I find the perfect guy? I'm 31, single, not bad looking and I've dated By Abigail Van Buren DEAR ABBY: This is in response to the lady signed herself "Dallas." She was divorced "after 28 years of marriage, and though her ex-husband had remarried, she never had. Now her ex-husband is dead, and she wanted to know if she was considered a widow. Society may not look on her as a widow, but the Social Security Administration could.

To be eligible for widow's or widower's benefits, one must be at least 60 years of age, or between 50 and 60 and disabled, and have been married to the insured number holder for at least 10 years. He or she must also be unmarried or remarried after age 60. Of course, as with any Social Security benefit, there is a limit on how much a beneficiary can earn each year, but I know there are many elderly men and women out there struggling along financially who are unaware of this resource available to them. Spouse's benefits also are available to people who are divorced after 10 or more years of marriage. -Social Security Employee Dear Employee: I am sure many readers are Dear Like: There are no perfect guys or gals.f Since "tall is so important to you, don waste your time on men who don't qualify.

Do I think you're too picky? Yes. You struck out with two tall guys. Doesn't that tell you something? Every teenager should know the truth about drugs, sex and how to be happy. For Abby's booklet, send $2 and a long, stamped 37 cents, addressed envelope to Abby, Teen Booklet, P.O. Box 38923, Hollywood, Calif.

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Get the most complete cove' from Chicago's most experiei during the Inauguration of Harold Washington. INAUGURAL '83-LIVE AT 2 P.M. Anchors Walter Jacobsor i and Harry Porterfield cover the hist( swearing-in ceremony at Navy am: 115 Jill AFFASH ClsTVSEIl TYGEIl THE MAN it AND THE MANDATE' WW 7 Is it jnftl nr is if Vioranco joass Ir--- Larry was paid 1 to seduce Tyger? SPECIAL AT 10:30 P.M. A personal profile of the man, ar a look at the challenges he now faces. Don't miss this half-hour i the private and public sides of Chicago's new mayor, reported Don Craig, Walter Jacobson ai Harry Porterfield.

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