WATCH-O-RAMA HIGHLIGHTS AND LOWLIGHTS OF THE COMING TV WEEK.Byline: David Kronke ``The Animal Planet Puppy Bowl'' (Animal Planet; 3, 6, 9 p.m. and midnight today) Think: The next best thing to a network giving up opposite the Super Bowl: Three plotless hours of cute dogs frolicking on a miniature football field. Don't think: Beware the halftime ``collar malfunction.'' In a nutshell: Head-scratchingly pointless, but no one in their right mind will deny that the pups are adorable. Could become video wallpaper for kids who don't have pets; no paper training necessary. ``American Dad'' (Fox Channel 11; tonight after the Super Bowl - approximately 7:30 p.m.) Think: Sneak preview sneak preview n. A single public showing of a movie before its general release. Noun 1. sneak preview - a preview to test audience reactions of the new series from ``Family Guy'' creator Seth McFarland; basically ``Family Guy'' meets ``Sledge Hammer!'': Civil-liberties-loathing Fed/family man Stanley Smith Stanley Smith (born September 29 1949) is a retired NASCAR driver and dirt-track racer from Chelsea, North Carolina. At the 1993 DieHard 500 at Talladega, Smith nearly died from a basilar skull fracture in a massive crash -- the same type of injury that later killed Dale fights crime and random toasters and hosts an alien (if Focus on the Family founder James Dobson looks askance a·skance also a·skant adv. 1. With disapproval, suspicion, or distrust: "The area is so dirty that merchants report the tourists are looking askance" Chris Black. at ``SpongeBob SquarePants,'' he'd burst a blood vessel blood vessel n. An elastic tubular channel, such as an artery, a vein, a sinus, or a capillary, through which the blood circulates. blood vessel(s), n the network of muscular tubes that carry blood. over this thing) and talking goldfish at his home. (The series won't return until May 1.) Don't think: Hilary Duff gets her just dues (no, it's not pretty, but no, it's not nearly as bad as it could've/should've been). In a nutshell: The characters aren't as stupid as those on ``Family Guy'' (granted, few can compete with Peter Griffin's epic idiocy IDIOCY, med. jur. That condition of mind, in which the reflective, or all or a part of the affective powers, are either entirely wanting, or are manifested to the least possible extent. 2. Idiocy generally depends upon organic defects. ), but that also diminishes the comic consistency. Tonight, Stan's nebbishy son Steve wrests control of his high school in order to impress a girl; you can reasonably assume the gambit fails. Hit and miss, with an amusing throwaway throwaway See for your information (FYI). gag here and there. ``The Simpsons'' (Fox Channel 11; tonight after ``American Dad'' - approximately 8 p.m.) Think: Homer choreographs showboating victory dances for athletes Tom Brady, LeBron James, Warren Sapp, Yao Ming and Michelle Kwan, then produces the Super Bowl halftime show. Meanwhile, Ned Flanders gets in touch with his inner Mel Gibson and starts producing violent biblical epics. Don't think: This may be a first: Homer not only manages to avoid doing the crassest thing imaginable but dials it back numerous notches ... In a nutshell: ... which makes for a curiously muted finale in an otherwise amusing episode. ``Gilmore Girls'' (The WB Channel 5; 8 p.m. Tuesday) Think: After a year of bickering bick·er intr.v. bick·ered, bick·er·ing, bick·ers 1. To engage in a petty, bad-tempered quarrel; squabble. See Synonyms at argue. 2. , Richard (Edward Herrmann) and Emily (Kelly Bishop) renew their wedding vows as romantic confusion ensues for Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory (Alexis Bledel) on the occasion of the series' 100th episode. Don't think: We share Luke's (Scott Patterson) chagrin at learning heretofore lovable Lorelai is a ``Cop Rock'' junkie junkie Popular health A popular term for a person, usually an IV narcotic abusing addict, whose life is disorganized vis-á-vis family and societal structure, whose existence revolves around obtaining–often through theft, prostitution or other illicit . In a nutshell: OK episode with a few laughs and a disquieting dis·qui·et tr.v. dis·qui·et·ed, dis·qui·et·ing, dis·qui·ets To deprive of peace or rest; trouble. n. Absence of peace or rest; anxiety. adj. Archaic Uneasy; restless. plot twist at the conclusion. ``Slavery and the Making of America'' (KCET KCET Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo (Japan) KCET Kamaraj College of Engineering and Technology ; 9 p.m. Wednesday and Feb. 16) Think: Without slavery driving our early economy, America would not have become the powerful nation it is today, this four-hour documentary ruefully rue·ful adj. 1. Inspiring pity or compassion. 2. Causing, feeling, or expressing sorrow or regret. rue demonstrates. Narrated by Morgan Freeman, it explores slavery as it existed far beyond what most of us understand of it in the South, beginning with the purchase of the first 20 slaves in Virginia in 1619, continuing to when blacks were differentiated from early white indentured servants and the Revolutionary War, in which more blacks fought for the British than for the colonists, continuing through the Civil War, Reconstruction and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan Ku Klux Klan (k  ' klŭks klăn), designation mainly given to two distinct secret societies that played a part in American history, although other less important groups have also used and other
anti-black organizations.
Don't think: Hold this truth to be self-evident: ``The value of slaves was greater than the dollar value of all America's banks, all of America's railroads, all of America's manufacturing put together,'' as noted by historian James Horton. In a nutshell: If you thought you've heard enough about slavery and the moral quandaries it created in early America, this absorbing, polished and valuable film - combining both the big picture and intimate personal stories - may enlighten you more than you considered possible. ``Lackawanna Blues'' (HBO Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) A form of oxygen therapy in which the patient breathes oxygen in a pressurized chamber. Mentioned in: Ozone Therapy ; 8 p.m. Saturday; also Feb. 15, 20) Think: An all-star cast - including Louis Gossett Jr., Delroy Lindo, Ernie Hudson, Mos Def, Jimmy Smits, Jeffrey Wright, Rosie Perez, Henry Simmons, Liev Schreiber, Macy Gray and Patricia Wettig - appear in this adaptation of Ruben Santiago-Hudson's off-Broadway valentine to his ``mentor,'' known as Nanny (played by ``Law & Order's'' S. Epatha Merkerson), who inspired all who lived in her boardinghouse. Don't think: In the theatrical version, Santiago-Hudson performed all the roles. When one considers how awful most autobiographical one-man shows would be (mine especially), it's a wonder any get made at all. In a nutshell: Earnest, schematic stuff - Nanny is fairly idealized i·de·al·ize v. i·de·al·ized, i·de·al·iz·ing, i·de·al·iz·es v.tr. 1. To regard as ideal. 2. To make or envision as ideal. v.intr. 1. beyond rational thought - but thanks to colorful period details and Merkerson's solid performance (and Marcus Carl Franklin as the young Santiago-Hudson), affecting nonetheless. ``Sucker Free City'' (Showtime; 8 p.m. Saturday) Think: Spike Lee abandons his New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of milieu to essay the lives of San Francisco gangbangers. Don't think: This was originally produced as a pilot for a prospective Showtime series. Given how badly the network wants to work with name talent, wouldn't they have grabbed this in a heartbeat immediately. See also: heartbeat if it were remotely decent? In a nutshell: Strives for grit but comes off like a hip-hop soap opera. And shouldn't Spike abandon that stylistic conceit of people sailing along on sidewalks like they're riding Segways, already? ``Save Our History: Voices of Civil Rights'' (History Channel; 8 p.m. Saturday) Think: Snapshots and anecdotes from the civil rights movement, shared by ordinary people, black and white, who lived through the era. Don't think: In 10 or 20 years, we'll likely be watching documentaries like this on the gay-rights movement. In a nutshell: Familiar stories given renewed power by alternative perspectives. ``Slipstream'' (Sci Fi; 9 p.m. Saturday) Think: Sean Astin - whose ``Lord of the Rings'' involvement ensures eternal adoration from geeks everywhere - stars in this yarn about an inventor whose time-travel device falls into the wrong hands. Our future, naturally, hangs in the balance. Don't think: His invention allows its user to go back 10 minutes in time. Ten minutes? That's it? Just because the film is low-budget doesn't mean the gizmo Slang for any hardware device. See gadget. has to be. In a nutshell: Astin's initial monologue about what would happen if time didn't exist makes no sense whatsoever if you try to think about it. So quit thinking and you'll ride this out just fine. David Kronke, (818) 713-3638 david.kronke(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) no caption (puppy) (2) ``AMERICAN DAD'' |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion