Daily News from New York, New York • 515

NEWC -U. I hi I 1 Katharine Hepburn made her TV debut this day in 1973 in "The Glass Menagerie" (which Tennessee Williams adapted for ABC). Joanna Miles, Sam Waterston and Michael Moriarty co-starred. 3 IMS TJM kmk VQ)Qfl9 a moD IF a slhidDn 1 Kudos for nonstop crying-baby episode THE primary NBC selling point for tonight's special episode of "Mad About You" is that there are no commercial interruptions: Ads are presented in clusters at the start and finish, so that the body of the show (except for a postscript) can be presented i nonstop. impresses me, though, isn't the restructuring of commercial spots.

It's MAD ABOUT YOU. Tonight at 8, NBC. or perch outside her door, entering only at ever-increasing intervals first five minutes, then 10, then 15 in hopes of outlasting her cries for attention. Yes, this TV show features more nonstop baby-crying sounds than any DAVID BIANCULU Ur IlltflTll It' 1 TfVl I point), this episode would sink, rather than soar, if not for the talents of Reiser and Hunt Reiser, over the years, has turned into quite a clever actor, something Jerry Seinfeld has never tried to approach. And Hunt, here as in the new movie "As Good As It Gets," is simply amazing.

For "Mad About You," this is the Emmy show to submit- It's worth noting, by the way, that the superb "As Good As It Gets" owes a lot to television: Writer-director James L. Brooks came from TV, and both Hunt and co-star Greg Kinnear honed their skills on the small screen. (The movie's other star, Jack Nicholson, despite some early TV work, is a film guy all the way.) The point is, the barriers are breaking down. Many of today's biggest box-office film stars, like Will Smith, Robin Williams and just about the entire cast of "Scream 2," came from TV. Meanwhile, many of today's TV shows are stretching their muscles more artistically, as in the season-opening live "ER" and the recent subway episode of "Homicide: Life on the Street," which was staged more like a play than a standard TV show.

that the action is presented in one nonstop camera I take, with no edits, and that the direc i tor, script and i stars are all up to the task. Basically, tonight's "Mad About You" is shot the way Alfred Hitchcock shot hunks of thing since 1980's ABC telemovie version of "The Women's Room," but "Mad About You" is a lot easier to sit through. "Clearly, it goes a lot faster if we talk," Paul says to Jamie and so they talk. And talk, and talk, and talk, trading everything "Rope," his 1948 thriller: fluidly, EASY DOZE IT: Paul Reiser Helen Hunt train the baby to sleep. trom snappy one-liners to gasps of anguish.

This "Mad About You" is directed without a false note by Gordon Hunt, who frames the action, and occasionally changes the single-camera vantage point, without ever intruding. Yet, even with the strong script and gifted direction (not to mention a risky, very funny pet trick at its mid demanding that his actors hit all their marks and lines without stopping, as in a stage play. Victor Levin's script, called "The Conversation," is all about the efforts of Paul and Jamie Buchman (Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt) to train their baby daughter to sleep through the night. They pace "Mad About You" is one more indication that if the '50s were the Golden Age of TV, the '90s are the Platinum Age. I'm very impressed that the show's collaborators were able to pull this off at all.

To do it so seemingly effortlessly, and without sacrificing any of the integrity or consistency of the characters, makes it a total success. urst out of file picture at Ch. 7 news By RICHARD HUFF Daity News Staff Writer FTER eight years as an- 15 chor of WABCCh. 7's p.m. newscast, Greg Ch.

7 news director Bart Feder yesterday told The News that Hurst and station brass had been talking for some time about his role. The anchorman's contract still had more than three years remaining. "We had actually been in discussions with Greg about his long-term future and how that might mesh with the station's long-term plans," Feder said. "He had some other goals he wanted to pursue." Feder said Hurst had some reservations about possibly having to anchor the 11 p.m. newscast if and when station legend Bill Beutel decides to retire.

(Feder stressed there are no plans for a change in Beutel's status.) Feder added that there was no acrimony on either side and that the decision to close Hurst's deal was a mutual one. However, a source close to Hurst disputed Ch. 7's version of the situation, saying, "They didn't want him on the air anymore because they felt he wasn't a draw." According to another source, Hurst "decided that the opportunities at WABC are not right. But, he wants to continue as an anchor." With "Oprah" Winfrey's talk show airing at 4 p.m., Ch. 7's 5 p.m.

news has been virtually unbeatable the last 12 years. During the November sweeps a quarterly ratings period used to set future advertising rates Ch. 7's 5 p.m. news beat No. 2 WNBCCh.

4 by more than a ratings point (a local ratings point represents 67,000 TV homes). Hurst left the station Friday. Hurst's slot opposite co-anchor Roz Abrams on the top-rated newscast is being filled by Robb Hanrahan, who has been anchoring Ch. 7's early morning and noon newscasts. Hanrahan will retain the morning assignment, where he's paired with Nancy Loo, but he has turned over his noon duties to David Ushery.

(1 a ANCHOR A WEIGH! Greg Hurst TONIGHTS BIG spe cial event, and spe cial treat, is a new "Mad About You" episode taped with version not only fails to replicate the success of the TV show, it also defiles its memory. Jim Vamey as Jed Clampett isn't as bad as the concept sounds on paper but Cloris Leachman as Granny sure is, and so is "Baywatch" babe Eri-ka Eleniak as Elly May. This Jethro, though, has gone on to better things: Diedrich Bader plays one of the Cleveland cronies on "The Drew Carey Show." 8:30 (NBC) "NewsRadio." Continuing the story line that has Matthew (Andy Dick) angling to get his job back, the boss at WNYX finally opens a window of opportunity. He'll give Matthew his job back, if, this year, a staff member wins the local talent show. Kevin McDonald, one of Dave Foley's comedy partners on "Kids in the Hall," guest-stars this week.

9:00 (A E) "Cracker: Best Boys." Yes, "Cracker" the ABC spinoff series starring Robert Pastorelli is getting stronger and more involving, but there's nothing like Robbie Coltrane in the original British series of telemovies. This one from 1995 has Rtz (Coltrane) having to crack a case in which the serial killings are the work of more than one person. 10:50 (TBS) "Goldfinger." No matter how many James Bond films they make, and no matter how many different James Bonds there are, this 1964 movie, for my money, remains the all-time best in the series. Sean Connery stars. out an edit or camera change, and presented without commercial interruption.

8:00 p.m. (NBC) "Mad About You." See preview, above. 8:00 (5) "The Beverly Hillbillies." One of the stranger phenomena of TV history, "The Beverly Hillbillies" is the most instantly popular sitcom of all time, and still holds more positions on TV's all-time Top 50 than any other. (Hard to believe, but true.) But this 1993 movie LA. 'HILLBILLY': Diedrich Bader.