Tuesday's flood of good shows will force viewers to make hard choices

San Jose Mercury News - October 3, 2000

BY CHARLIE MCCOLLUM
Mercury News

Tuesday night is the poster child for too much choice on television.

8 p.m.? "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "That '70s Show" and "Titus," "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire."

9 p.m.? "Angel," "Frasier" and the new "Dark Angel."

10 p.m.? "Once and Again," "Judging Amy."

Even if you crank up the VCR, you're not going to totally unblock that logjam.

The easiest call is "Buffy," a series that for the past four years has been the coolest show on television. Loaded with smart dialogue and knowing pop culture references, "Buffy" has actually gotten better with time, and last year it had the single best episode of any series: the critically acclaimed, Emmy-nominated "Hush."

"Buffy" even has spawned a series almost as good as it is. "Angel" -- which airs right after its parent -- went through some tentative moments in terms of tone during its first season. But by the end of the season, it was nipping at "Buffy's" heels in terms of quality.

The other must-see of the evening: "Once and Again," which will air Tuesdays until mid-season, when it moves to Mondays and "NYPD Blue" takes over the time slot.

In a good year for freshman dramas, "Once and Again" was the best in terms of dealing with the American family. It started out focusing on the love affair involving Lily (Sela Ward) and Rick (Billy Campbell), then quickly expanded its dramatic view to encompass their kids, their ex-spouses and even their friends and relatives. The result was a rich, complex series that deserved more Emmy nominations than it received.

With "Millionaire" opening the evening and "Once and Again" closing it, ABC has a good thing going Tuesdays, although the two sitcoms airing in the middle have some problems. "Dharma & Greg" started to show serious signs of age last season, recycling plot lines and jokes. And the new "Geena Davis Show" needs good writing to go with its good cast. Davis, Peter Horton, Mimi Rogers and John Francis Daley of "Freaks and Geeks" are having to work way too hard for laughs.

Looking for a night other than Sundays to make a ratings impact, Fox may have found it on Tuesdays.

"That '70s Show" was a surprise hit in its second season, and "Titus" -- a sharp if sometimes dark comedy that made its debut in mid-season -- pulled surprisingly good ratings. And now the network has "Dark Angel," a sci-fi drama that not only looks good but also could put up some serious viewership numbers. At the very least, it has a star -- Jessica Alba as Max -- who could give Sarah Michelle Gellar of "Buffy" serious competition in the coolness category.

CBS is sticking with a Tuesday night lineup that did very well for the network last season, starting with the inexplicably popular "JAG" and "60 Minutes II," the less-intelligent younger brother of the original. Its best offering is "Judging Amy," a drama that actually beat both "The West Wing" and "Once and Again" in terms of viewers. The writing may not be the best, but the series' lead actresses -- Amy Brenneman and Tyne Daly -- are so good that most weeks you don't notice.

And then there's the plight of "Frasier" on NBC.

You really have to feel sorry for this classy comedy that once anchored the network's Thursday lineup but was unceremoniously bounced to make room for "Will & Grace." Now, the series is stuck in sitcom hell, surrounded by "The Michael Richards Show," a deeply troubled series; the aging (badly) "3rd Rock From the Sun"; and "D.A.G.," a witless sitcom that makes poor use of both David Alan Grier and Delta Burke.

Not even the witty and beautifully acted "Frasier" can make that lineup float.

Appointment TV: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Once and Again." Two of TV's best dramas.

Set the VCR: A tough call at 9 p.m. Make your choice from among "Angel," "Dark Angel" and "Frasier," then tape one of the others. You can't have everything.

Fresh air: "Dark Angel." Could be a hit.

Skip it: The entire NBC comedy lineup, with the exception of "Frasier."


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