THE DAILY NEWS WATCH-O-RAMA HIGHLIGHTS AND LOWLIGHTS OF THE COMING TV WEEK.Byline: David Kronke ``The Office'' (BBC America; 6 and 9 tonight) Think: Season finale of the acclaimed workplace comedy. Things end up pretty miserably for just about all involved at the mediocre British paper company. Don't think: Golly gol·ly interj. Used to express mild surprise or wonder. [Alteration of God.] golly interj an exclamation of mild surprise [originally a euphemism for , maybe NBC NBC in full National Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. commercial broadcasting company. It was formed in 1926 by RCA Corp., General Electric Co. (GE), and Westinghouse and was the first U.S. company to operate a broadcast network. can do a remake of this British comedy as terrific as the one they did of ``Coupling.'' In a nutshell: As usual, the cringe factor is (hilariously) off the charts as buffoonish middle manager David Brent (series co-creator Ricky Gervais, pictured) manages his most pathetic behavior to date. ``The Simpsons'' (Fox, Channel 11; 8 tonight) Think: In a takeoff of the musical ``Evita,'' Lisa runs for student-body president and discovers the corrupting nature of power. Before she knows it, she's unwittingly rubber-stamped the elimination of all athletic and fine-arts programs. Almost like the LAUSD LAUSD Los Angeles Unified School District (Los Angeles, CA) . Don't think: Lisa's ``like a female Eleanor Roosevelt,'' as Principal Skinner declares. In a nutshell: More entertaining than an Andrew Lloyd Webber Noun 1. Andrew Lloyd Webber - English composer of many successful musicals (some in collaboration with Sir Tim Rice) (born in 1948) Baron Lloyd Webber of Sydmonton, Lloyd Webber musical, but then, so is ``10-8'' (if just barely). Typically inspired, with sage commentary hidden amid the absurdity. ``Cold Case'' (CBS (Cell Broadcast Service) See cell broadcast. , Channel 2; 8 tonight) Think: Lilly (Kathryn Morris) and her colleagues investigate a 40-year- old gay-bashing incident that ended in murder, one in which police of the era may have been complicit com·plic·it adj. Associated with or participating in a questionable act or a crime; having complicity: newspapers complicit with the propaganda arm of a dictatorship. . Don't think: I'm watching this just so I can get to that swell miniseries on the Reagans at 9 p.m. In a nutshell: Effective enough, though flashbacks are shot in high- contrast black-and-white, like a lurid noir potboiler pot·boil·er n. A literary or artistic work of poor quality, produced quickly for profit. [From the phrase boil the pot, to provide one's livelihood. . It gets even campier when ``Town Without Pity'' plays over a scene of cops trashing a gay bar, and its finale steps over the line into mawkish mawk·ish adj. 1. Excessively and objectionably sentimental. See Synonyms at sentimental. 2. Sickening or insipid in taste. cliche. ``Inside the Actors' Studio'' (Bravo; 8 tonight) Think: The self-righteous baritone of one James Lipton welcomes onto his humble show celebrating the finest of the thespian arts the cast of the frequently over-the-top sitcom ``Will & Grace.'' Don't think: Is there some medication available for Lipton? Or: Synergy between NBC and Bravo (both owned by GE) hasn't gotten too pronouncedly cynical. In a nutshell: After introductions that are uncommonly pompous - ``Where to begin?'' Lipton ponders aloud; ``I'll start with Will and the actor who inhabits him so effectively, Eric McCormick'' - one quickly realizes that a sitcom like ``Will & Grace'' just doesn't stand up to Lipton's self- parodying pretentiousness. ``Gilmore Girls'' (WB Channel 5; Tuesday at 8 p.m.) Think: Against her better judgment, Lorelai (Lauren Graham) accompanies her parents (Edward Herrmann and Kelly Bishop) and Rory (Alexis Bledel) to the Yale-Harvard football game and discovers a side of her parents she never knew existed. And she finally goes on a date with her father's colleague (Chris Eigeman). Don't think: If they all didn't talk so fast, every episode could be two hours, which would eliminate the need for that lame ``One Tree Hill'' show that follows. in a nutshell: One of the funniest episodes of a series that seems to coast from highlight to highlight, with a surprise ending, to boot. People who kvetch kvetch Slang intr.v. kvetched, kvetch·ing, kvetch·es To complain persistently and whiningly. n. 1. A chronic, whining complainer. 2. about shows getting snubbed by the Emmys are usually way too involved in those programs, but in this case they're right. ``Sister Helen'' (Cinemax; Tuesday at 8 p.m.) Think: Sundance award-winning documentary on the Judge Judy of Benedictine Sisters, right, who runs a home for substance abusers in the South Bronx. Don't think: Do I sense the makings of another bad NBC sitcom? In a nutshell: The film shows how the 69-year-old's toughness - regarding drug testing, she barks at her clients, ``When I say you (have to) p-ss, you p-ss!'' - derives from her own tragedies. A unique portrait. ``All of Us'' (UPN UPN User Principal Name (Microsoft Windows 2000) UPN United Paramount Network UPN Unión del Pueblo Navarro (Navarrese People Union) UPN Umgekehrte Polnische Notation , Channel 13; Tuesday at 8:30 p.m.) Think: Series co-creator Will Smith guest-stars as a friend of Robert's (Duane Martin) who begins dating his ex-wife Neesee (LisaRaye). Complications ensue. Don't think: What would Freud make of this: Will Smith is playing a character who is dating a character based on his ex-wife, making life uncomfortable for the character based on Smith himself. In a nutshell: There's a fairly amusing scene in which Smith confesses his attraction toward Robert's ex while rapping, but Smith's a little off his game. And if you find it really annoying when a studio audience whoops Whoops Slang for the Washington Public Power Supply System (WPPSS), which made the record books with the largest municipal bond default in history. Notes: During the 1970s and 80s, the WPPSS financed the construction of five nuclear power plants through the issuance of salaciously sa·la·cious adj. 1. Appealing to or stimulating sexual desire; lascivious. 2. Lustful; bawdy. [From Latin sal when a couple kisses, you'd do well to watch something else. ``Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' (NBC, Channel 4; Tuesday at 10 p.m.) Think: The series' 100th episode guest-stars Jacqueline Bisset and Samantha Mathis and concerns, as it usually does, an insidious rape case, and opens, as it sometimes does, with a castration castration, removal of the sex glands of an animal, i.e., testes in the male, or ovaries and often the uterus in the female. Castration of the female animal is commonly referred to as spaying. . Don't think: This might be more arresting to watch if it wasn't about what it's always about. In a nutshell: While the other ``L&Os'' rip stories glibly from the headlines, this series, under the thoughtful supervision of Dr. Neal Baer, explores issues both disturbing and psychological in an intelligent, unflinching manner. ``Eloise at Christmastime'' (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. , Channel 7; Saturday at 8 p.m.) Think: The surprisingly charmless brat (at least, as essayed by Sofia Vassilieva, left) of Kay Thompson's children's books is still terrorizing New York's swanky swank·y adj. swank·i·er, swank·i·est Swank. swank  i·ly adv.swank Plaza Hotel, this time threatening to upend a holiday wedding. Don't think: Planned Parenthood could successfully use these ``Eloise'' movies to encourage birth control. In a nutshell: Max the Elevator Man seems to have the right idea: He ignores Eloise. David Kronke, (818) 713-3638 david.kronke(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Sofia Vassilieva (2 -- color) Ricky Gervais (3 -- color) Judge Judy of Benedictine Sisters |
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