The Ottawa Citizen from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • 138

FALL PREVIEW 1990 MICHAEL CUNLIFFE A fresh hit is needed at NBC A ing man his conference the of last NBC mantle official before of Entertain- press Chair- assumment, Brandon Tartikoff was confronted by over 100 television critics wearing Bart Simpson masks. "Oh, that's ugly," he groaned. "Oh, that is very ugly. This is what I dream about at night, really. This is what it looks Those dreams about Bart Simpson could become horrible nightmares before this new season is two months old.

In a daring move that surprised some industry insiders, the Fox Network has decided to move their giant hit series, The Simpsons, from Sundays to compete directly against Cosby on Thursday night. While it may not beat the venerable Cosby, The Simpsons should put a huge dent in NBC's ratings. There's no doubt that NBC desperately needs a hit, a breakout series that will pull in a large audience. And they think they may have found it in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Fresh Prince stars 21-year-old Will Smith as, surprise, Will Smith, a hip, streetsmart rapper from Philadelphia.

In a great rap theme song, we discover that Will's mother doesn't like the company he's running with and sends him off to live with her relatives in Bel Air, a ritzy section of Los Angeles. The pilot episode of Fresh Prince was extremely funny and if the writers can continue in a like manner, then the series will be the huge hit that NBC wants it to be. Of course, viewers may not care at all for Fresh Prince and they may end up making a hit out of one or more of the other new series NBC is offering. Ferris Bueller (Mondays). One of three new series from the networks that are spinoffs from theatrical movies.

Charlie Schlatter (18 Again) plays the obnoxious title character in this decidedly unfunny sitcom. Ferris and his computer can, it seems, do just about anything imaginable from changing courses in high school to altering (to a higher amount) his sister's bail money. Give me a break. This high school horror gets a failing grade. Law and Order (Tuesdays).

This hour-long drama is really two shows in one. In the first half-hour, we see the cops chase and apprehend their suspect and, in the second half, we see the suspect brought to trial. The series stars George Dzundza and Christopher Noth as the cops, and Michael Moriarty and Richard Brooks as the lawyers. The Fanelli Boys (Wednesdays). This series could be the sleeper hit of the season.

Ann Guilbert (Millie on The Dick Van Dyke Show) plays Theresa Fanelli, a widow with four grown sons, who is planning on moving to Florida. That plan changes when, for various reasons, the sons end up living with Mama. An unlikely premise but there are plenty of laughs. Parenthood (Saturdays). Another spinoff from the movies but in this case it seems to work.

Ed Begley Jr. takes over the Steve Martin role and does an admirable job. If they can tone down the tensions that dominate and at times threaten to explode all over your living room, viewers should stick around. Working It Out (Saturdays). Jane Curtin returns to prime time but this series seems to be more of an extension of her Allie Lowell character than an attempt at something fresh.

Curtin plays Sarah Marshall, a divorced mother of one, who meets up with David Stuart (Stephen Collins) at a cooking class. Call it When Sarah Met David and hope they work it out. American Dreamer (Saturdays). This half-hour sitcom is Robert Urich's eighth series and if things don't improve from the pilot, he'll be looking for his ninth before Christmas. Urich's character, a former network news journalist who has quit the big time to live in a small town in Wisconsin, talks directly to the audience at times and this wears thin after a while.

Urich is one of those actors more comfortable doing dramatic roles than comedic ones. It's not that he's painful to watch but he just seems out of his element. Carol Kane is along for the ride as Urich's secretary. Hull High (Sundays). If this hour-long series finds the right audience it could be a big hit.

The series is an amalgam of drama, comedy and musical numbers played out against a backdrop of student and teacher angst. Lifestories (Sundays). This is a one-hour anthology medical series narrated by Robert Prosky (Hill Street Blues). It looks at how people respond to their physical and emotional illnesses and will feature various guest stars each week. Don Ohlmeyer, executive producer of the show, says that, "it is, quite possibly, the only show on TV that can save your life." Heavy duty words indeed.

Cuffaro Chris Prince: Fresh Jo photo Cover The Fanelli Boys.