Maybe Dick Clark has been around long enough to qualify as an American institution, but there's more than a touch of hubris to his involvement in this new series, for which he's an executive producer and iconic presence. What does the ageless one have to do with a drama about a Catholic family of six coping with the social changes of the 1960s? The biggest news in the Pryor clan of Philadelphia is that 15-year-old Meg (bubbly Brittany Snow) has landed a spot as a regular dancer on Clark's American Bandstand. And to hear her talk in the Sept. 29 pilot, that's the American Dream in a nutshell. Each week she'll rock on with her brash friend Roxanne (Vanessa Lengies) and the other Bandstanders while Clark (seen in old clips) keeps the hits coming.
Outside the TV studio, life has its cares. Helen Pryor (Gail O'Grady) tries to convince her hard-headed husband, Jack (Tom Verica), that four kids are enough. And to his dad's outrage, high-school star JJ (Will Estes) may quit the football squad because...well, because "Kennedy says it's time for new dreams and New Frontiers." The premiere ends with JFK's assassination, packaged as just another '60s nostalgia item.
There's some improvement in the third episode, which gingerly takes up racism. But Bandstand should be pushed to the background.
Bottom Line: Good beat, weak drama
CBS (Fridays, 9 p.m. ET)
He was bounced from the Philadelphia police force for corruption. He's struggling to eke out a living as a cabbie. His estranged wife has another man. His young son treats him like a leper. Not far into this drama's Sept. 27 premiere, beleaguered protagonist Mike Olshansky (David Morse) is asking God how much worse things can get.
While I admire any show that dares to be depressing at the outset, I can't view Hack with much optimism. The pilot gives Mike a new mission as a two-fisted urban knight errant, fighting crime without concern for legal niceties. He'll be assisted by Marcellus Washington (an underemployed Andre Braugher), his former police partner, and advised by Father Tom Grzelak (George Dzundza), his conscience and drinking buddy. Morse's morally compromised character might be interesting in a movie, but do we need a series about a self-pitying action hero?
Bottom Line: Not worth the fare
CBS (Sun., Oct. 6, 9 p.m. ET)
Show of the Week
Satire has a regular home on Saturday Night Live, but it's a pleasant surprise to see it in CBS's Sunday movie slot. Starting with an attention-grabbing sequence that parodies Citizen Kane, this film takes an aggressively irreverent view of the real-life business battle between cosmetics empress Mary Kay Ash (Shirley MacLaine), who died at 83 in 2001, and Jinger Heath (Parker Posey) of BeautiControl Inc., seen here as an upstart outdueled by the foxy old lady.
Though the visual gimmickry is overdone and the script makes a years-long competition seem like a matter of months, funny scenes redeem the flaws: Mary Kay's appalled reaction to a Russian sales recruit's underarm hair; Jinger turning boardroom cheerleader when corporate spirit is low; Lexy (Shannen Doherty), a fanatical Mary Kay disciple, whipping up a yucky chicken cordon bleu for her neglected hubby. At the center of things is MacLaine's strong, sly performance as a woman who will not be denied.
Bottom Line: Sales pitch you can't resist
[1 Star]
Starting with an attention-grabbing sequence that parodies Citizen Kane, this film takes an aggressively irreverent view of the real-life business battle between cosmetics empress Mary Kay Ash (Shirley MacLaine), who died at 83 in 2001, and Jinger Heath (Parker Posey) of BeautiControl Inc., seen here as an upstart outdueled by the foxy old lady.
Though the visual gimmickry is overdone and the script makes a years-long competition seem like a matter of months, funny scenes redeem the flaws: Mary Kay's appalled reaction to a Russian sales recruit's underarm hair; Jinger turning boardroom cheerleader when corporate spirit is low; Lexy (Shannen Doherty), a fanatical Mary Kay disciple, whipping up a yucky chicken cordon bleu for her neglected hubby. At the center of things is MacLaine's strong, sly performance as a woman who will not be denied.
Bottom Line: Sales pitch you can't resist
NBC (Thursdays, 9:30 p.m. ET)
This uninspired new sitcom from the creators of Will & Grace provides a textbook example of poor career planning. Mark Feuerstein stars as Jake, a sought-after TV producer who impulsively agrees to take over a hopeless Miami morning show after falling in love at his first sight of Dylan (Ashley Williams), the staff hairstylist.
The Sept. 26 premiere sets the pattern: The nutcases at his new workplace behave outrageously; Jake starts to rue his decision; then Dylan renders him tongue-tied and googly-eyed. She's cute, all right, but not enough to make a man tolerate the severely neurotic station manager (Jere Burns), the arrogant anchor (Matt Letscher), the dumb-diva coanchor (Tessie Santiago) or the wacky nun (Brooke Dillman) who forecasts the weather. Each of these characters sounds one note—loudly and often.
Jake's grandma (Suzanne Pleshette) is so hip, she mocks oldsters for watching CBS. But if she were wise, she'd tell him to kiss off the job and let the anchorman have the hair gal.
Bottom Line: Good morning and goodbye
WB (Fridays, 9:30 p.m. ET)
At the start of this series' second episode (airing Sept. 27), Elizabeth Tiant (Rebecca Creskoff) wants her daughter Maria (Aimee Garcia) to dine at home, but the teenager prefers to eat out with friends. Mom's jesting suggestion: Have the home-cooked meal first, then "throw it all up." Mmm, sounds like a good time to reach for the remote.
In fairness, most of the show's material is not gross. Greetings from Tucson is just a family sitcom that neglects to be funny. Joaquin (Julio Oscar Mechoso), of Mexican heritage, is a father who thinks he's never wrong, though he's hardly ever right. Elizabeth, his Irish-American wife, is generally more reasonable—when she's not doing vomit jokes. David (Pablo Santos), their 15-year-old son, tries to ward off Dad's discipline and older sister Maria's ridicule. Joaquin's brother Ernesto (Jacob Vargas) is a thrice-divorced sponger whom David sees as cool. The actors are likable enough, even if Santos does seem in need of more rehearsal. But the entire cast desperately needs lines worth learning.
Bottom Line: Don't wish you were here
Sunday, Oct. 6 THE FORSYTE SAGA PBS (9 p.m. ET) Masterpiece Theatre launches a new seven-week series based on John Galsworthy's classic.
Monday, Oct. 7 EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND CBS (9 p.m. ET) Ray recalls a long-ago day when his crusty pop (Peter Boyle) was actually nice.
Tuesday, Oct. 8 JUST SHOOT ME NBC (8:30 p.m. ET) Finch schemes to make Vicki (Rena Sofer) look bad.
Wednesday, Oct. 9 BIRDS OF PREY WB (9 p.m. ET) Three sexy superheroines carry on the Batman legend in the premiere of this action series.
Thursday, Oct. 10 ER NBC (10 p.m. ET) After an addict pulls a gun on staff members, Dr. Carter (Noah Wyle) leads a walkout to demand better security.
Friday, Oct. 11 MONK USA (10 p.m. ET) The sleuth can't believe it when Willie Nelson (guest-starring as himself) is suspected of murder.
Saturday, Oct. 12 THE DISTRICT CBS (9 p.m. ET) Mannion turns to the Attorney General (Ving Rhames) for help in fighting child pornography.
Saved by the Bell Reunion
The hookups, the meltdowns, the memoires
The case reveals what was really going on what they think of each other now!
