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Given an inch, she took 'Six Feet' BEST BETS deal. "Six Feet" creator-executive producer Alan Ball loved your character, and he wants to write you in for the Walking into an established and award-winning ensemble can be daunting, but Holmes says the cast made her feel less like the new kid in school. "There wasn't the kind of hierarchical expletive that you feel sometimes, like, 'There's the producer's chair, and you better not sit in From the first episode, it was clear that you're welcome to sit at the monitor. I would sit and watch Frannie Conroy do one amazing take after another and get to really soak it in." Aside from Conroy, and Cromwell, with whom she shares most of her scenes, Holmes says she enjoyed working with Rachel Griffiths, who plays Brenda. "You know that stupid old thing about when you play tennis with people that are really good, it lifts your game.

The entire cast is filled with wonderful actors," she says. Many of her past characters have been sad and small, and Holmes longs for the meatier, larger-than-life parts she can sink her teeth into. A step in that direction is her upcoming role as a recovering crack addict in "Half Nelson," the feature version of writer-director Ryan Fleck's 2004 Sundance Best Short winner "Gowanus, Brooklyn," which will star Ryan Gosling. "This role on 'Six Feet' has obviously done a lot for my confidence, and I have the feeling that I can play with the big boys," Holmes says, smiling. "If I want to, I can hold my own with someone like Frances Conroy.

That's a big step for me to have that kind of experience. I just want to be able to keep growing and push out against the fears that I have. I'm not one of these people who are super-extroverted. It's not easy for me to show who I am, and, for whatever reason, I have a huge desire and need to do that. Acting is all worth it, because it makes me feel more alive than anything else." By CASSIE CARPENTER BACK STAGE WEST This year Tina Holmes achieved what most actors can only dream: She has taken her "Six Feet Under" character, Maggie Sibley, from one-day guest star to series regular on the fifth and final season of HBO's Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning hit series.

And, evidently, the Fisher family will never be the same. Holmes' character, SIX FEET the daughter of James UNDER Cromwell's George, is 9 p.m. embroiled in an intense Sunday P0 ne; ans are wa nnn ing for the other shoe to drop after last Sunday's cliffhanger, in which Nate collapsed after sleeping with Maggie. Web site message boards have been abuzz for weeks with death scenarios, ranging from Nate's to Ruth's to Claire's or Billy's, to the entire dysfunctional family perishing in its own house. In one particularly ambitious scenario, the family realizes it's dead while patriarch Nathaniel is alive, "Sixth Sense" -style.

"That's funny. I haven't heard that one," Holmes says with a laugh. "In Episode 9 a lot of big stuff happens in the show for everybody. It was interesting how they took their time with a slow buildup, and then suddenly it's, like, and the season just explodes." Holmes can relate to going from slow burn to explosive, in part because of this season; by the series' close, she will likely be presented with new, exciting opportunities. Already the actor has several supporting roles in edgy indies such as "Keane and Fixed." Coming up is "Pretty Persuasion," in which she plays a silly TV reporter's (Jane Krakowski) lesbian lover and photographer.

She has also appeared in Steven Spielberg's 2002 miniseries "Taken" and Todd Solondz's "Storytelling." With roles ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT NIGHT Give Fox credit for not giving up on this one. With four episodes being shown tonight and four more next Friday, perhaps new fans will be attracted. (8 p.m., Fox) THAT'S SO RAVEN Nineteen year-old comedic actress Raven plays four characters in an ambitious production. The double episode finds Raven venturing to the countryside, in an attempt to reconcile her side of the family with her cousins. She uses prosthetic makeup to play multiple characters: elderly Auntie Faye, cantankerous Delroy and the not-so-sweet Baby G.

(8 p.m., Disney Channel) BACK TO THE '80S Slowly but surely, that often-maligned decade has been fading into history. And yes, it really has been 20 years since "Back to the Future" (starting at 8) hit the theaters. Those not overcome with nostalgia can stay tuned for "Batman" (1989, starting at 10). (8 p.m., TCM) WEEKENDS AT THE D.L Leno, Letterman and the like not your style? Or you can stay up late watching TV only on weekends? Check out this new late-night offering featuring comedian and former sitcom star D.L. Hughley.

It airs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and is produced by Hughley. (11 p.m., Comedy Central) Compiled by Raymond A. Edel Tina Holmes plays Maggie Sibley, who has become crucial in "Six Feet Under." like these, Holmes is proving her mettle as a below-the-radar, vocally gifted actor. Holmes originally auditioned for the daughter of Kathy Bates' character, a small role in one episode. She was disappointed when she didn't get it, but then she was called back to play Maggie, George's jet-setting, pharmacy-rep daughter.

She never thought she'd get to reprise it until one rainy New York day last October. "I had actually been going through a really bad period where I felt very frustrated and really stuck," Holmes explains. "I wasn't auditioning much, and I was just feeling really discouraged. So, I went, is too I was ready to move back and throw in the towel, and I was walking down Second Avenue, and I got this phone call. It was my agent saying, 'Are you sitting down? HBO just called to make you a Evening July 29 Shows That's So That's So Raven Raven tries to "The Cheetah Girls" (2003) Raven.

Four teens aim to take the KJcl Raven (CC) Raven (CC) placate her family. 145691 world by storm with their music. (CC) 155078 ll'il ill I ni I mil 1 1 1 1 I "Con Air" (1997, Suspense) Nicolas Cage. Violent criminals Pirates of the Caribbean: The USB R' (CC) 57626146 hijack a prison transport plane. R' (CC) 9828252 Curse of the Black Pearl (CC) "Up Close Personal" (1996) Robert The Comeback The Comeback The Comeback Six Feet Under (CC) 618436 jRedford.

'PG-13 1 (CC) 99944875 647813 982523 976097 "Stuck on You" I "50 First Dates" (2004) Adam Sandler, Drew (9:45) "Patriot Games" (1992, Suspense) mfU(2003) 'PG-13' 7676165 Barrymore. 'PG-13' (CC) 3596962 Harrison Ford. 'R' (CC) 6378788 HRPJIH1 "Children of a Lesser God" (1986) William Hurt. Ateacher Sex and the City (Part 2 of 2) I 'Troy" (2004, Action) Brad UjSjWries t0 reacn a Proud deaf former student- 8406349 (CC) 7688900 Pitt. 'FT (CC) 91667146 I "Carlito's Way" (1993, Drama) Al Pacino, Sean Penn.

An ex-con finds it hard 'The Last Samurai" wm2- 394639 to escape his former life of crime. 'R' (CC) 349287 (2003) Tom Cruise. 29914455 sHMRH(i A "Cheaper by the Dozen" (2003, Comedy) Steve Mar- I "Shaun of the Dead" (2004, Comedy) Si- iNightcap: For-jlJtin, Bonnie Hunt. 'PG' (CC) 83114417 mon Pegg, Kate Ashfield. 'FT (CC) 1235233 bidden Lust BMBIjll Godsend I Barbershop: 1 "Sexual Life" (2004, Comedy-Drama) Eion WEEDS iPenn Teller Penn Teller j(CC) 2145097 Off the Top Bailey.

iTV. 'FT (CC) 694941 7 Added Value HRJHhi I jj A A "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White Blonde" (2003, Com- "The Punisher" (2004) Thomas Jane. An FBI agent seeks re-KUSUaedy) Reese Witherspoon. 'PG-13' (CC) 83116875 venge for his family's murder. 'R' (CC) 22612287 "G.I.

Jane" (1997) Demi Moore. Awoman undergoes "Duplex" (2003, Comedy) Ben Stiller, Drew The Village Hljjjjjthe rigors of Navy SEALs training. 'FT 12743829 Barrymore. 'PG-13' (CC) 87231 65 1 34361 46 PWPBl1' 1 1 Mi i'iiiiiI MhiiIi i "Ghoulies" (1985, Horror) Peter Liapis, Lisa "Dolls" (1987, Horror) Carrie Lorraine, Car-(2003) 'R' 88680726 Pelikan. 'PG-13' 708225 olyn Purdy-Gordon.

'FT 369504 WB11 MORNING NEWS WITH TIFFANY MCELROY AND CRAIG TREADWAY fQ 6 a.m. 41726 THE EARLY SHOW Actress Kelly Preston; actor John Cusack. (CC) 7 a.m. 46184 GOOD MORNING AMERICA Clay Aiken performs; movie report. (CC) 7 a.m.

86726 TODAY Destiny's Child performs; summer pastries. (CC) 7 a.m. 849946 THE LARRY ELDER SHOW Parents ask Larry to help them gain forgiveness from their children. (CC) 9 a.m. 73829 LIFE STYLE Singer Gladys Knight discusses her career; the hosts take a quiz; a 10-year-old musician performs; a 37-year-old woman, who lost her home to a fire and her youngest child in the course of two months, receives a makeover; tips from teens.

(CC) EE 9 a.m. 75271 LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY Guest co-host Joy Philbin; actor Andy Dick chef Ted Reader's burger recipe. (N) (CC) 9 a.m. 26981 MONTEL WILLIAMS Updates on memorable guests who faced daunting obstacles in their lives. (N) (CC) 9 a.m.

31813 THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART Actress Maggie Gyllenhaal. (CC) COMD 10 a.m. 89504 THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW Actress Debra Messing Wedding actor Thomas Haden Church (CC) 10 a.m. 23287 MAURY Former geeks show off their new looks to the people who taunted them in high school. (N) (CC) fD 10 a.m.

18349 THE VIEW Actress Diane Lane; the View Bar Grill; Summer in the City Sweepstakes; guest co-host Melania Trump. (N) (CC) 11 a.m. 85097 OPRAH WINFREY A country where beautiful women do not diet or exercise; a government that pays people to get married; the mecca for plastic surgery; a country where celebrities only make $23 a month. (CC) 4 p.m. 38078 REAL LIFE Gay in the military.

CN8 6 p.m. 8436.