Daily News from New York, New York • 65

i i Pililli i v. 01 TV PREVIEW 97 In NBC's Monday gal-axy, the stars are shining dimly lades' GUDgButt: big BtmSss btcrt ffcr CDS' South' I it 12 Tonight at 10 nni OULD I like to spend an evening I with NBC's Ladies of Monday WWl Night? In person, sure. Brooke Shields, Sharon Lawrence, Lea Thompson and Tea Leoni the actresses behind the four sitcom characters are attractive, intelligent young women, with senses of humor to match their senses of style. But as a TV viewer, similarly themed comedies but what it does, instead, is underscore by close comparison just how undistinguished, and undistinguishable, these shows have become. "Suddenly Susan," now in its second season, returns tonight at 8 with Shields' Susan torn between two lovers one of whom is her boss (Judd Nelson), who secretly loves her.

An hour later, "Caroline 3 I. 1 1 But KBC's r.lucfrOho TV lineup hco DAVID BIANCULU in the City" returns for its third season with Thompson's Caroline torn between two lovers one of whom is her employe (Malcolm Gets), whom she secretly loves. These were the only two Monday season premieres provided for preview by NBC, and neither "Suddenly Susan" nor "Caroline in the City" really gets off to a good start "Susan" showcases spending Monday evenings with the sitcoms starring these women is another question entirely. And the answer (to the question about wanting to spend the night with them), for the most part, is: No, thanks. On Monday nights, I've already got two other women on my mind: "Ally McBeal," newly arrived on Fox, and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," again making littlO pSP New Ladies Night stars (from left) Tea Leoni, Brooke Shields, Sharon Lawrence and Lea 2 m.

Thompson. Shields in some film-parody fantasy sequences, but while she's good in them, they're badly written and edited. And while "Caroline" delivers a truly surprising plot twist, and the better-written season premiere of the two, it's not close to being a triumph, either. NBC has noted, during the summer, its intention to tone down Lawrence's character in "Fired Up," while "The Naked Truth" has been retooled yet again, dropping some cast members (George Wendt, for example) and adding others (Tom Verica and Chris Elliott). The plan was to play up the show's tabloid origins but post-Princess Diana, that'll be a very tricky line to tread.

The network has been promoting this new ladies night of programing as "Must See Monday." We'll See but I'm doubtful. for interesting viewing, on WB. NBC's quartet of leading ladies all started out on TV with the biggest advantage imaginable in the '90s: setting up shop, at least initially, on the most popular network's most popular night of television. Shields in "Suddenly Susan," Lawrence in "Fired Up," Thompson in "Caroline in the City," Leoni (after one season on ABC) in "The Naked Truth" all of them got sampled, and got top ratings, as part of NBC's so-called Must-See TV Thursday lineup. If any one of those sitcoms had delivered quality comedy to match the quantity viewership, it would be on Thursdays still.

Instead, NBC has assembled the quartet of comediennes as a package deal. On Monday nights. It's a move intended to appeal chiefly to female viewers with two hours of 'f C- iV f'''l t'V A I Unfazed producer says eight rehearsals should be enough PreppBiiigff it a Mdvy opsirattDon: A live 'ER By RICHARD HUFF CO CD ST 3 cr CD productions and the 1992 season of Fox' sitcom "Roc," none has been the massive undertaking of "ER." All totaled, 11 cameras and 120 people will crowd onto the set about double the usual. Indeed, prop managers, set designers and others who normally work behind the scenes will be dressed in scrubs and appear on air as they go about their work. "All of what's going on has to be choreographed," Wells said.

"The entire background has to be rehearsed." Wells won't be in that background. "I was very tempted to put on scrubs," he said. "Unfortunately, I'll be pretty much like any expectant father in the delivery room standing aside and giving advice." later for the West Coast) "The process we're going through is very similar to staging a play," Wells said. "There are extensive rehearsals and then the performance." That's about where the stage comparison ends. Before a show opens on Broadway, it has usually played in front of audiences on its way to Gotham.

But for "ER," there is no out-of-town tryout Not that they'll be working completely without a net One of the rehearsals will be taped and simultaneously aired in case the live signal from Los Angeles is lost during the 10 p.m. telecast "ER" will be the first hour-long drama series ever to air live. While long ago there were live telecasts of such shows as "Playhouse 90," various stage Daily News Staff Writer flAMlTH the historic live telecast of 17 NBC's "ER" just days away, exit ecutive producer John Wells is remarkably calm. "The whole process has been more exciting than daunting," Wells told The News. The episode, titled "Ambush," will revolve around a documentary crew filming in the emergency room.

The presence of the crew, and the resulting nervousness on the part of the doctors, should help cover any on-air flubs. Full rehearsals, usually a rarity, began last week. By 10 p.m. Thursday, the cast will have done the entire show eight times. (And after doing it live for the East Coast, they'll do it again a little Xi CYj DOC-UDRAMA: "ER's" cast is ready for upcoming live episode.

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