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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Not Everything On Cbs Fails

John Martin New York Times Syndicate

CBS’s “Almost Perfect” returns for a second season at 8:30. This might be last fall’s most underrated series. Things were going so poorly for CBS a year ago that this perky comedy may have been unfairly dismissed with the rest of the network’s failed efforts.

Nancy Travis has a refreshing glow as the series star and I was happy to see her again. She’s splendid opposite colorful co-stars Matthew Letscher, Chip Zien and David Clennon.

Travis plays Kim Cooper, head writer of the action television drama “Blue Justice.” Her wacky writing staff consists of comically neurotic Gary Karp (Zien), young and naive Rob Paley (Letscher) and my favorite, cynical burn-out Neal Luder, played to deadpan perfection by Clennon.

Kim spent most of last season trying to balance the demands of a network television career and a relationship with mild-mannered - make that boring - police detective Mike Ryan (Kevin Kilner). That changes after tonight’s episode, in which the personal relationships of Kim and two of her co-workers take a new course.

Kilner exits the series after a bitter showdown between Kim and Mike (not a laugh to be had) that spells an end to their relationship.

Highlights

“Vice-Presidential Debate,” at 6; ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, C-SPAN, MSNBC, FNC and PBS: Candidates Al Gore and Jack Kemp face off in St. Petersburg, Fla.

“The Nanny,” CBS at 8: Something good happens anytime Rosie O’Donnell shows up, and opposite Fran Drescher she should be dynamite.

Fran gets a regular child-care spot on O’Donnell’s talk show. Ironically, the nanny becomes such a hit that she has no time to spend with the Sheffield children. Donald Trump has a cameo.

“Baseball,” FOX at 5: The National League Championship Series gets under way with Game 1.

“Grace Under Fire,” ABC at 8: It turns out that Libby (Kaitlin Cullum) has been corresponding with her sailor pen pal (Scott Paetty) posing as her mom, Grace (Brett Butler). Now he’s coming ashore. It’s a familiar scenario, but Butler is bound to give it a new spark.

“The John Larroquette Show,” NBC at 10:30: Dexter (Daryl “Chill” Mitchell) mounts an autobiographical play about his tortured childhood. Jimmie Walker (“Good Times”) guest stars as Dexter’s estranged father, “Slippery” Slyde Wilson, who accepts his son’s invitation to see the play.

Cable Calls

“John Lennon: Live in New York,” VH-1 at 7 and 10: On what would have been the singer’s 56th birthday, VH-1 presents a four-hour tribute that begins with the 1972 concert film. At 8, “Archives,” presents Lennon and Yoko Ono’s 90-minute 1971 appearance on “The Dick Cavett Show,” followed by another 30 minutes Cavett taped off-air after the show ended.

Take a half-hour break and you can switch over to The Disney Channel, which airs “John & Yoko’s Imagine” at 11:30. At times painfully self-indulgent, it is otherwise an intimate collection of home movies and other rare footage.