‘Most Dangerous’ Will Be Hard To Resist
What makes you slow down when you pass an auto accident? Why do you drop what you’re doing to watch graphic disaster footage during the evening news?
It’s morbid curiosity, and very few people can honestly say they can resist.
That’s why it’s easy to get hooked on “The World’s Most Dangerous … ” (CBS at 8), an hourlong special that offers “danger” from a variety of perspectives.
The most spectacular and terrifying segment is on the most dangerous stunts. You’ll see sky surfers and wing walkers.
In both instances, there’s videotape of performers who perished while attempting feats they had done dozens of times before.
Other categories include the most dangerous jobs (volcanologists and convenience-store clerks); most dangerous animal (the taipan, the world’s most deadly snake); most dangerous food (the “death cap” mushroom); and the most dangerous place (the death chamber in the Huntsville (Texas) Prison).
A highlight is a profile of a most dangerous man, the defending champion in the no-holds-barred Ultimate Fighting Championships. But he turns out to be a devoted family man who works with his father in a home for boys.
Stacy Keach narrates the telecast, which provides an escape from prime-time sitcoms and dramas.
Highlights
“Roseanne,” ABC at 8: Dan (John Goodman), home from the hospital following his heart attack, begins cheating on his diet. The resulting fight with Roseanne threatens their marriage - and creates the reason why Goodman won’t be around much next season.
“3rd Rock From the Sun,” NBC at 8: Dick (John Lithgow) finally has a dream date with Albright (Jane Curtin), a riotous evening at a Japanese steakhouse. But the laugh-filled series finale ends in a cliff-hanger when a new alien replaces Dick as head of the Earth expedition.
“Striking Distance” (1993), FOX at 8: Bruce Willis is a Pittsburgh cop who stalks a serial killer he’s convinced took his father’s life. This movie, D.O.A. at the box office, is barely watchable unless you’re a die-hard Willis fan.
“Frasier,” NBC at 9: The series finale flashes back to Frasier’s (Kelsey Grammer) first day as a radio shrink. There are some knee-slapping moments at the station, but the best laughs come on the homefront as Frasier reunites with brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce) and father Martin (John Mahoney).
“Home Improvement,” ABC at 9: Al (Richard Karn) stands to strike it rich with his “Tool Time” board game until Tim (Tim Allen) discovers that the manufacturer’s shoddy work makes the game a fire hazard.
“Dateline NBC,” NBC at 10: We’ve seen this one on local TV news. The honesty of everyday people is tested by planting “lost” wallets and intentionally undercharging restaurant customers.
Cable Calls
“Ralph Emery: On the Record,” TNN at 5 and 9: Assuming he shows up (don’t worry, the telecast was taped earlier), George Jones tells all in an interview in conjunction with his new book, “I Lived to Tell It All.”
Jones, a country bad boy notorious for last-minute concert cancellations, has hit bottom several times only to rebound. In 1995 he reunited with partner Tammy Wynette for an album and their first tour in 17 years.
A Grammy winner with two platinum albums, Jones is always full of surprises, and there are bound to be a few in this hour.
Talk Time
“Tonight,” NBC at 11:35: Magician Ricky Jay.
“Late Show With David Letterman,” CBS at 11:35: Journalist Walter Cronkite and singer Patty Loveless.
“Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” NBC at 12:35 a.m.: Leeza Gibbons (“Leeza”) and comedian Mario Joyner. xxxx ‘Ruby Ridge’ conclusion “Ruby Ridge: An American Tragedy,” (1996), CBS at 9: In Part 2, federal agents open fire on the Weavers. Bo Gritz (Bob Gunton) shows up as a negotiator, and lawyer Gerry Spence (Joe Don Baker) mounts a legal defense. Parts of the second half of this movie drag on. The trial of Randy Weaver (Randy Quaid) is so condensed it’s hard to tell what truths came out. But overall, this is a compelling and disturbing account of the deadly siege, particularly well-acted by Quaid and co-star Laura Dern.