Stars Light Up ‘The Nanny’
Two great entertainers light up a romantic episode of CBS’ “The Nanny” at 8.
Lainie Kazan and Donald O’Connor guest star as Fran (Fran Drescher) takes yet another turn at being a matchmaker.
After being evicted from her apartment, Fran’s Aunt Freida (Kazan) moves into the Sheffield mansion. Desperate to get her out as soon as possible, Fran decides that marriage is the solution.
She need search no further for a mate than Freida’s friend Fred (O’Connor). He’s in love with Freida, but she won’t have him because he doesn’t know how to dance. It’s Fran to the rescue with personal dance lessons and a good nudge or two.
Kazan and O’Connor are practically in a class by themselves. They were great in their song-and-dance heyday, and today their vitality and energy are an inspiration to anyone who thinks you have to slow down at a certain age.
Highlights
“Baseball,” If Game 7 of the New York-Baltimore series is necessary, it will air on NBC at 8.
“Presidential Debate,” ABC, CBS, NBC (if no baseball), CNN, FNC, MSNBC, C-SPAN and KSPS at 6: Dole and Clinton meet in a town meeting at the University of San Diego. PBS’ Jim Lehrer moderates the 90-minute session.
“Genesis: A Living Conversation,” KSPS at 7: Bill Moyers hosts a 10-part chat with a collection of writers who find modern wisdom in the Bible’s Book of Genesis. Mandy Patinkin and Alfre Woodard begin weekly discussions with a dramatic reading.
The series unfolds with a discussion of the story of Cain and Abel. It’s thoughtful, though sometimes tedious conversation. “Genesis” will air Sundays at 6 beginning this weekend.
“Ellen,” ABC at 8: In a wonderfully wacky outing (Did I say outing?), Ellen (Ellen DeGeneres) celebrates her parents’ honeymoon in Cuba by recreating the romantic getaway in her apartment living room.
Eddie Fisher (father of the cast’s Joely Fisher) guest stars, and David Anthony Higgins is hilarious as Joe who fills in as Fidel Castro.
“The Drew Carey Show,” ABC at 8:30: Norm MacDonald (“Saturday Night Live”) guest stars as Drew’s (Drew Carey) one-time nemesis who seems so unlike the bully that he once was that Drew gives him a job at the store. Wrong. This is a battle of two great droll wits.
Cable Calls
“We the Jury” (1996), USA at 9: The formula for this made-for-cable movie is transparent. It combines the sensational O.J. Simpson double-murder case with the jury-room drama of “Twelve Angry Men.” The result is a drama so painfully slow and mind-dulling that all concerned should be charged with conspiracy to commit boredom.
Kelly McGillis stars as that one juror who defies her peers; Lauren Hutton is the celebrity on trial for murdering her husband and Christopher Plummer heads the defense.