So what's new?

E-mail this article Print this article Search archive Most read articles Most e-mailed articles

Other links Search event listings Search movie listings Sign up for Movies e-mail

Tuesday

"Father of the Pride," 9 p.m., NBC. Great voice cast (John Goodman, Cheryl Hines, Carl Reiner), good animation and intriguing Siegfried & Roy backdrop lead to just another smarmy NBC sitcom, only with cartoon critters instead of people joking about sex and their butts.

Wednesday

"Hawaii," 8 p.m., NBC. Limp action-adventure about two buddies busting bad guys on the Big Island will make you long for the days of "Book 'em, Danno." Crudely presented crimes and dialogue (four heads in a trunk, dead female body) make NBC 0-and-2 on prime time for kids.

Sept. 9

"Joey," 8 p.m., NBC. Not as good as we hoped or as bad as we feared. Irresistible Matt LeBlanc elevates a mediocre pilot that includes many jokes about the "boob job" performed on his sister, played by Drea de Matteo. But she and LeBlanc are convincing siblings and the show will soothe, if not thrill, "Friends" fans.

"Medical Investigation," 10 p.m. preview; airs 10 p.m. Fridays, NBC. Cross "ER" with "CSI" and what do you get? Just more time in the lab. Silly premise of stopping epidemics and other bio-threats on the fly is somewhat offset by brilliant Neil McDonough of the late, lamented "Boomtown."
 
Sept. 12

"Jack & Bobby," 9 p.m., The WB. Not that Jack and Bobby, although it clearly co-opts the Kennedy legend of two ambitious and competitive young brothers. Still, it's the brilliant Christine Lahti commanding focus as an overprotective mother trying to let go. The dialogue tips into melodrama, but the sincerity and performances shine through.

Sept. 13

"LAX," 10 p.m., NBC. Heather Locklear is game as she plays rival to Blair Underwood in this struggle for the soul of a large airport. That's right; a soaper about problems and a place we'd all rather not think about. Can't see folks giving up "CSI: Miami" for this.

Sept. 16

"Drew Carey's Green Screen," 8:30 p.m., The WB. What do we know — we thought "Blue-Collar TV" would flop. Now that it hasn't, maybe even this thinly gussied-up version of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" will wow midlife males. But it wasn't funny.

Sept. 17

"Commando Nanny," 8:30 p.m., The WB. Producer Mark Burnett is the antithesis of the Scarlet Pimpernel; he's here, there and everywhere. But not all his shows are hits, including this weak, generic sitcom based on his past life as a Beverly Hills kid-keeper.

Sept. 20

"Listen Up," 8:30 p.m., CBS. The "Seinfeld Curse" or Jason Alexander's limitations as a main character? Either way, this loud, one-note series spun from sports columnist Tony Kornheiser's real life may snap CBS' winning string of family sitcoms on Monday nights.

"Second Time Around," 9:30 p.m., UPN. A stylish, wispy romantic comedy about two former spouses giving their married life another try. Held together by the chemistry between co-stars Nicole Parker and Boris Kodjoe, albeit just barely.

Sept. 21

"Rodney," 9 p.m., ABC. Networks have addictions, and ABC's is the Heartland Everyhubby. But all this dumb domestic sitcom did was make me wonder why IQ points must plummet when TV moves to the center of the country. Nice plugs for Wal-Mart and "Good Morning, America," though.

Sept. 22

"Lost," 8 p.m., ABC. J.J. Abrams is a TV auteur who gets automatic respect (Joss Whedon's another), so we'll tolerate this somewhat baffling action-drama about passengers stranded on an island by a plane wreck. Until Episode Three, that is; then something better happen.

"Veronica Mars," preview 9 p.m., airs 9 p.m. Tuesdays, UPN. Despite its debt to "Alias," I liked this drama about a socially outcast teenager forced to grow up early and help her private-investigator dad. The class distinctions ring true, the back story is surprisingly gritty and young Kristen Bell casts a memorable spell.

"The Mountain," 9 p.m., The WB. The over-hyped ski and snowboarding scenes will amuse Northwestern viewers, while the histrionic plot about a family dynasty's battle to control some business empire creates a show worthy of airing at 1 p.m. weekdays.

"CSI: NY," 10 p.m., CBS. Not to go all Zen, but it is what it is. Except instead of looking dark like "CSI" or pastel like "CSI: Miami," it's blue — as in NYPD. In the ceremonial handoff pilot where David Caruso meets Gary Sinise, Sinise fits the part and the crime gets solved. Whether this'll tear a chunk out of loyal "Law & Order" viewers is a bigger question.

Sept. 24

"Complete Savages," 8:30 p.m., ABC. Based on executive producer Mel Gibson's slap-happy life as the father of multiple sons, and possibly the most unconvincing role of Keith Carradine's career. What the housekeeper does with the laundry is what I wanted to do with this pilot.

"dr. vegas," 10 p.m., CBS. A weak time slot any show can win. But as well-cast and compatible as Joe Pantoliano and Rob Lowe are playing the owner of a casino and its staff doctor, this has gotta be fall's goofiest premise. Don't they have hospitals in Sin City?

Sept. 26

"Clubhouse," 8 p.m. preview, airs 9 p.m. Tuesdays, CBS. Despite the old baseball-as-life-metaphor, this fine drama about an adolescent who becomes bat boy for a major-league team proves emotional integrity cuts deeper than a hip attitude. Impressive group includes Mare Winningham as an imperfect single mom, Dean Cain as team star and young newcomer Jeremy Sumpter.

Sept. 29

"Center of the Universe," 9:30 p.m., CBS. Solid actors (the busy John Goodman, Jean Smart, Olympia Dukakis, Ed Asner), but you can't believe they're related in this shrill, unconvincing sitcom composed of one-liners. No heir apparent to the departing "Everybody Loves Raymond."

"Kevin Hill," 9 p.m. UPN. Taye Diggs is steeped in charisma, so who cares if the plot is very familiar? As a slick lawyer and ladies' man compelled to do diaper duty when he inherits a niece, Diggs proves smart and luscious. The gay nanny who turns up is a nice touch; clearly, UPN aims for a wide viewership.

Oct. 3

"Desperate Housewives," 9 p.m., ABC. Don't be fooled by the pretty suburban setting. This soap/drama/satire is the edgiest show of the season and an absolute howl. "Desperate Housewives" picks up where "Sex and the City" left off and tells what happens when women get what they thought they wanted. Great cast led by Teri Hatcher and Felicity Huffman.

"Boston Legal," 10 p.m., ABC. David E. Kelley tries to get one last spin out of his ossifying lawyers-are-quirky concept, to no avail. James Spader and William Shatner certainly are odd, but the sophomoric emotional behavior is passé and legal dramas currently rate next to medical dramas on the weary scale.

Oct. 7

"life as we know it," 9 p.m., ABC. Three teenage boys provide the male-adolescent perspective on sex, girls and growing up. The series tries to be thoughtful, but the execution falls short. It's also hard to imagine such distinctly different stereotypes being pals. Set in Seattle, nominally.

Nov. 16

"House," 9 p.m., Fox. Surprise! A grown-up drama on Fox, best known for reality shows and off-the-wall comedies. "House" is Dr. House, a brilliant, misanthropic doctor who has to be persuaded to treat patients. The characterization rang true and star Hugh Laurie's superb, but can we abide another lifesaving medical story?