BUOYANT, WITH A CAPITAL 'B'.Byline: David Kronke TV Critic CONSIDER for a moment the rubes Rubes is a syndicated newspaper single panel cartoon created by Leigh Rubin in 1984. Leigh Rubin began making and distributing his own greeting cards in 1979 through his company Rubes. of River City, that early-1900s Iowa town immortalized in Meredith Willson's ``The Music Man'' for its gullible populace. One moment they're shuddering in horror at the prospect of a pool table within their borders; the next, they're clamoring for a tin-eared marching band, which they're suddenly convinced is the only possible thin blue line separating them from complete anarchy. They're the sort of dupes that contemporary advertising lives for - they'll be like Mike, save a buck or two on long-distance phone calls, smile as they ingest fast food and not have a clue why they're doing any of it. In short, they're network TV's dream audience. And they'd never vacillate to the sacrilege Sacrilege Sadness (See MELANCHOLY.) abomination of desolation epithet describing pagan idol in Jerusalem Temple. [O.T.: Daniel 9, 11, 12; N.T. of TiVo. No wonder ABC ABC in full American Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. television network. It began when the expanding national radio network NBC split into the separate Red and Blue networks in 1928. celebrates them. In ``The Music Man's'' original Broadway incarnation and 1962 movie, Robert Preston, playing con artist extraordinaire ex·tra·or·di·naire adj. Extraordinary: a jazz singer extraordinaire. [French, from Old French, from Latin extra Harold Hill, blew his way through the town like a hurricane - those poor River City-zens (as the burg's numskull mayor likes to call them) never had a chance against the likes of him. In Disney's sprightly spright·ly adj. spright·li·er, spright·li·est Full of spirit and vitality; lively; brisk. adv. In a lively, animated manner. spright remake, Matthew Broderick - whose voice thankfully doesn't blare as insistently as one of the 76 trombones he sings about - plays Hill as a more wily, insinuating in·sin·u·at·ing adj. 1. Provoking gradual doubt or suspicion; suggestive: insinuating remarks. 2. Artfully contrived to gain favor or confidence; ingratiating. character. This makes his softening in the arms of the prim, upright local librarian named Marian (Tony winner and professional dazzler Kristin Chenoweth) less of a stretch, if still terribly formulaic. Willson's story is and always has been sheer thimblerigger thim·ble·rig n. 1. See shell game. 2. One who operates a thimblerig. tr.v. thim·ble·rigged, thim·ble·rig·ging, thim·ble·rigs To swindle with or as if with a thimblerig. (Willson's word). But his music is and always has been a real spellbinder spell·bind·er n. One that holds others spellbound, especially an enthralling speaker or a particularly interesting book. Noun 1. (also his word). ``Music Man'' boasts such great, catchy tunes as ``Ya Got Trouble,'' ``Goodnight My Someone,'' ``76 Trombones,'' ``Marian the Librarian,'' ``Gary, Indiana,'' ``The Wells Fargo Wagon'' and ``Till There Was You'' - go ahead, just try to think up a recent musical with that many memorable numbers. Joining Broderick and Chenoweth are Victor Garber as River City's buffoonish mayor and Molly Shannon as his equally pusillanimous wife. Together, they make River City seem a deeply dopey point on any map, but one you'd be foolish to avoid visiting. THE MUSIC MAN - Three stars What: Remake of the classic musical about a con man (Matthew Broderick) who turns a small Iowa town upside-down and still manages to find love (with Kristin Chenoweth). Where: ABC (Channel 7). When: 7 tonight. In a nutshell: A great score, a handsome production and a bouncy cast ready for some unpretentious fun. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) Kristin Chenoweth and Matthew Broderick lead the big parade in ABC's new version of ``The Music Man,'' airing at 7 tonight. |
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