THE HYPE: HERE AND NOW.

All about Eve: After dodging a nasty mitochondrial infection in her first adventure, stylish detective Aya Brea is back for more mayhem and menace in Parasite Eve 2, a gorgeously wrought PlayStation adventure videogame hitting store shelves this week.

The original Parasite Eve was much lauded for its cinematic look and noirlike sensibilities as players tried to stop the spread of a horrific killer creature that infected people's cells.

Now, Brea has left the NYPD and come to Los Angeles as part of a special FBI task force fighting the Neo Mitochondrion Creatures (if you skipped biology that week in high school, mitochondria are the little energy factories in every cell; scientists have theorized they once were separate creatures that merged in symbiotic relationship with human ancestors).

The only knock on the original Parasite Eve was that the fun ended too quickly, after about only 30 hours of gameplay. SquareSoft, best known for its Final Fantasy role-playing games, seems to have taken care of that concern with a two-disc sequel big enough for all of the gamemaker's great cinematic cut scenes, along with a nifty new battle system that's more realistic. You might say this game has an infectious quality to it.

- David Bloom

'SKY' KING: Sidney Sheldon would probably prefer to be known as the best-selling author of such pulse-pounding novels as ``The Other Side of Midnight'' and ``Bloodline.'' But he will always have on his resume that he created that landmark event in the history of female empowerment, ``I Dream of Jeannie.''

His 17th novel, ``The Sky Is Falling'' (William Morrow, 369 pages; $26), hits bookstores this week. The story revolves around Dana Evans, a TV newscaster introduced in Sheldon's ``The Best Laid Plans.'' Our Heroine is seemingly the only person in the free world to find it odd that five members of a powerful, regal American family (think ``Kennedys'') have died mysterious deaths within the space of one year.

When Dana investigates further, she discovers that she, too, has been marked for death, and she races to discover who is behind the conspiracy. Oh, my!

- Rodney Richey

QUOTABLE 

``I read for the part of vice president. They said, 'too Jewish.' '' - Garry Shandling, the show's host, quipping about NBC's ``The West Wing'' in a reference to Democratic vice presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman.

< WATCHABLE 

A CHICKEN COUP! Will they or won't they? Over the weekend, the six remaining housemates in the ``Big Brother'' compound in Studio City agreed to walk out during tonight's 8 p.m. live show (taped delayed on the West Coast). CBS reportedly has contingency plans if the chickens bolt the reality-show coop, including replacing part or all of the group or canceling the program altogether. The plot was hatched by George, ``the chicken man,'' after hearing that his wife was behind efforts to have the others voted out of the house so he could win the half-million bucks. But as the time nears, however, it's looking like these sheep just might chicken out.

SHOW STARTERS

POP GO THE NEW STARS: They're calling it a reality show, but it probably will feel more like some kind of dream to the participants of the WB's ``Popstar.'' The network is looking to put together a new girl group from a nationwide talent search aimed at finding five women over 18 who ``can sing, dance and handle the pressure of instant celebrity.'' Los Angeles auditions will begin at 7 a.m. Thursday at the downtown Hyatt Regency hotel, 711 S. Hope St. Wanna-bes, seen on a first-come, first-served basis, should warm up their vocal cords but don't need sheet music or tap shoes. Singers may choose from five numbers and will be given a chance to rehearse before singing a few bars for the talent scouts. Dance auditions come later for those who make the first cut. The whole thing is being taped for the new series, debuting mid-January, so anyone who tries out may get a moment on network TV - even the really bad ones.

- Valerie Kuklenski

CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo:

(1) no caption (Aya Brea)

(2) no caption (book cover ``The Sky is Falling''

(3) no caption (Garry Shandling)

(4) GEORGE