Santa Cruz Sentinel from Santa Cruz, California • Page 89

I ZD Maggie Winters proves Ford can step up to series stardom BY SUZANNE GILL Faith Ford never intended to jump from the last season of "Murphy Brown" right into another series. The actress, who played beauty queen-tumed-correspondent Corky Sherwood for 10 seasons, explains it this way. "I wasn't really looking forward to much, other than just maybe a little time off when I finished 'Murphy Ford says. "I had hopes of doing another show, but I had no idea something like this would come along this quickly and be this good." That's a bit of an understatement, actually. As "Murphy" wrapped up, Ford was planning her June wedding, to be followed by a lifetime of happily ever aftering and possibly another series, sometime in the future.

Then her agent slipped her the script for "Maggie Winters." The comedy premieres Wednesday, Sept. 30, on CBS. "(My agent) was saying, 'You have to read this script. I've been reading a lot of scripts, and this is the So I didn't actually read this until -1 think it was close to a week after I finished taping the last episode (of "Murphy And I was very impressed and called him and said, It's no news that Ford, a five-time Emmy nominee, can create a sidekick character for comic relief, but viewers will be pleasantly surprised to see how easily she slips into a leading role. Maggie is a small-town Indiana girl who tries to sneak back home to get her bearings after leaving a philandering husband and a tumultuous life in the big city.

But it's hard to avoid being noticed when your first weekend back in town coincides with your 15th high-school reunion. And in typical pick-up-where-you-left-off fashion, everybody wants to know if she'll be getting back together with her old boyfriend, Bobby (Vincent Ventresca), who's still single. Shirley Knight (The Group," "Playing for plays Maggie's widowed mom, Estelle, who welcomes her daughter back with a mixture of bewilderment and doting sympathy. Maggie's two best buddies from high school are Robin Foster (Jenny Robertson, "The Boys Next a breathy and bliss ful stay-at-home mom; and Lisa D'Angelo (Alex Kapp Homer), still on the prowl for Mr. Right.

Former football hero Tom Vanderhulst (Brian Haley, is tending bar and still trying to pick up chicks with his tales of glory days gone by. Clea Lewis is a delight as Rachel Tomlinson, the most developmental-ly arrested of them all. In high school, Rachel was the mousy girl no one noticed, yet she had a vivid fantasy life imagining herself as the focus of the cool kids' pettiness and now she wants justice. The part started as a cameo in the pilot, till the producers decided Rachel was a character they couldn't do without. "Clea took this character and turned it into a three-dimensional human being who slayed us, frankly," says series creator Kari Lizer.

Lizer moved from acting into writing after one season as law clerk Cassie on "Matlock." Work on "Boston Common" and "For Your Love" prepared Lizer to create her own ensemble comedy with a romantic twist. The writing isn't heavy-handed; beneath the laughs is an optimistic message based on Lizer's own experience of changing course in midlife. "Maggie Winters" is familiar territory for viewers of a certain age who are world-weary, whether they've left home and old chums behind or never strayed more than 1 0 miles from their old lockers. The essence of the show is summed up at the reunion dance. "You know what makes me happy?" Maggie demands.

"Milk Duds," chirp Robin and Lisa. "And anything with Robby Benson," Bobby adds. The fact that you guys know that makes me happy!" Maggie cheers. Worlds ahead of its lead-in, "The Nanny," in taste and deportment, "Maggie Winters" is a clear alternative to the competition in its time period, which caters to teens and young singles. If it continues as it has begun, "Winters" should provide many seasons of content.

Faith Ford ('Murphy Brown') stars in her own sitcom, 'Maggie Winters debting Wednesday on CBS. Ford plays a 30-something divorcee who returns to her hometown to make a fresh start. dak? star 1hr Processing Much More 1 ft1 Dff 12 Exd 2nd SET Frames and Film Prints from Digital File to Photo Paper Ihr Processing Enlargement Digital Restoration $2 Off 24 Exp $3 Off 36 Exp a Santa Crul 42S-1B44 Shui see eotox nit no, 3sm osp onii ho mhos eoton me no, mmm omt, no pahos I 4 until si mm Atrtnt 4Ut Ave 42-846 Scottt Valley LHU VVV fjnrt vim urrtm Lnui vvv rrun Vint urrtK E. Santa Cri 425-1100.