'TREMORS' LABORS UNDER SHAKY PREMISE.Byline: David Kronke TV Critic FUNNY, THE life span of certain entertainment franchises. ``Tremors: The Series'' comes 13 years after ``Tremors,'' the cult movie about killer desert worms, which was largely stupid fun, and two direct-to-video sequels (another may be forthcoming depending on the new show's success). Judging from the ``Tremors: The Series'' two-hour premiere tonight, there's little apparent reason for the franchise's robust health. The wit, always on the dodgy dodgy - Synonym with flaky. Preferred outside the US side (basically a recycling of B-movie cliches), is more tenuous than ever, a bit of a problem for a show about small-town yahoos battling giant worms. Perfection, Nev., is ironically named - it's a tiny town that by now has grown used to the menaces called Graboids (who look not a little like the sand worms of ``Dune''), born of nuclear testing, that burrow through the surrounding miles of sand. Longtime gun nut Burt Gummer (Michael Gross, who in 1990 was spoofing his role as the liberal father in ``Family Ties'') runs a survival school (his wife, played in the film with comic spunk by Reba McEntire, is long forgotten, as are characters played by Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward). Outsiders now intrude frequently to upset the carefully calibrated cal·i·brate tr.v. cal·i·brat·ed, cal·i·brat·ing, cal·i·brates 1. To check, adjust, or determine by comparison with a standard (the graduations of a quantitative measuring instrument): gestalt Gestalt (gəshtält`) [Ger.,=form], school of psychology that interprets phenomena as organized wholes rather than as aggregates of distinct parts, maintaining that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. established by man and Graboid alike. Tyler (Victor Browne) has reopened a tour-guide operation, a developer wants to gentrify gen·tri·fy tr.v. gen·tri·fied, gen·tri·fy·ing, gen·tri·fies To subject to gentrification: gentrify a row of Victorian houses. the environs into yuppie domiciles and, of course, the government - personified by W.D. Twitchell (Dean Norris) - is likewise meddling med·dle intr.v. med·dled, med·dling, med·dles 1. To intrude into other people's affairs or business; interfere. See Synonyms at interfere. 2. To handle something idly or ignorantly; tamper. : Twitchell is charged with protecting the endangered Graboids. Other local eccentrics include New Age souvenir hawker Nancy (Marcia Strassman of ``Welcome Back, Kotter''), former showgirl Rosalita (Gladise Jimenez) and Jodi (Lela Lee), a marketing expert running a general store. Those last two will vie for Tyler's attentions. How the producers will make this ragtag rag·tag adj. 1. Shaggy or unkempt; ragged. 2. Diverse and disorderly in appearance or composition: "They're a small ragtag army of racketeers, bandits, and murderers" bunch's battles with the Graboids fresh week in and week out is anyone's guess, but it'd sure help if they'd do it with more panache and humor than they do in tonight's first two installments. Gummer's act, for one thing, has gotten a little old. Those worms probably should have been left buried in the sand. TREMORS: THE SERIES - Two stars What: The cult film about killer worms terrorizing a rural community goes weekly. Where: Sci Fi Channel Sci Fi Channel may refer to:
When: 9 tonight. In a nutshell: Not much in the laughs department, which is sort of deadly for such a silly premise. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) Michael Gross reprises REPRISES. The deductions and payments out of lands, annuities, and the like, are called reprises, because they are taken back; when we speak of the clear yearly value of an estate, we say it is worth so much a year ultra reprises, besides all reprises. 2. his role in the ``Tremors'' movies for a Sci Fi Channel series. |
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