Abc Takes ‘Step’ Back Into Lineup
ABC’s “Step By Step” (at 9:30) returns to prime time after a long hiatus.
What’s new is that Bronson Pinchot (“Perfect Strangers”) joins the cast as Carol’s nutty beauty-salon partner Jean-Luc. Also new is a startling romantic development: Love blooms between Dana (Staci Keanan) and JT’s best friend, Rich (Jason Marsden).
That two such bitter, cynical enemies should find a passion that comes only when opposites attract should be good for plenty of mileage.
Dana may be in love, but she hasn’t lost her superior, controlling personality. Rich has his hands full, and the differences in their demeanor evoke a chuckle.
I’m not so sure about Pinchot. He’s the master of obnoxious characters, and Jean-Luc is as obnoxious as they come.
But he works better opposite more grounded characters than Frank and Carol (Patrick Duffy, Suzanne Somers) and certainly in situations of more substance than this airy “TGIF” comedy.
Tonight’s big disappointment is an overused story line. Frank and Carol attempt a romantic weekend getaway and - surprise - it doesn’t work out as they planned.
Highlights
“Sliders,” FOX at 8: This series never fails to put a provocative spin on its premise. This week the sliders land in a parallel world where a runaway virus is turning people into flesh-eating zombies. One of them takes a bite out of Quinn (Jerry O’Connell).
“JAG,” CBS at 9: Harm (James David Elliott) goes undercover as a Marine sergeant to get the goods on a captain (Phil Morris) whose unorthodox training procedures endanger the lives of his recruits.
“Sabrina, The Teenage Witch,” ABC at 9: Sabrina (Melissa Joan Hart) uses her powers - which always backfire - to persuade classmates to join an adopt-a-grandparent drive. But the silly laughs come from her witchy aunts: Zelda (Beth Broderick) considers dating a centuries younger man, and Hilda (Caroline Rhea) and Salem, the cat, overdose on a hair-growing potion.
“Dateline NBC,” NBC at 9: He’s everywhere. Howard Stern drops in to talk about his autobiographical film.
“Crisis Center,” NBC at 10: Kathy (Kellie Martin) assists a 10-year-old (Vanessa Zima) disturbed by her socialite mother’s alcoholism. Linda Purl guest-stars as a woman whose drinking is rooted in abuse from her newspaper-publisher husband (Charles Frank).
Cable Calls
“Dead Man Walking” (1995), SHOW at 8: Among the many good things about this riveting movie is that it sets aside altruisms and lands you dead square in the middle of the death-penalty debate. Susan Sarandon, in an Oscar-winning performance, plays a Louisiana nun who counsels a racist doublemurderer (Sean Penn) awaiting execution.
Written and directed by Tim Robbins, it is a painfully stark film that does justice to the topic - making a case that there are no pat answers to the death-penalty question.
“Tonya and Nancy: The Inside Story” (1994), LIFE at 9: Revealing, profound, funny, cynical, self-deprecating, self-righteous and, it seems, consciously hypocritical, NBC’s “skategate” movie was a pleasant surprise.
Although it may not register as clearly as it did when it was rushed, fresh from the headlines, onto the air in April 1994, it’s certainly worth revisiting. Alexandra Powers is Tonya Harding. Heather Langenkamp, uncanny in her vacuous portrayal, plays Nancy Kerrigan.
Talk Time
“Tonight,” NBC at 11:35: Radio personality Howard Stern, political strategist James Carville and singer Jewel.
“Late Show With David Letterman,” CBS at 11:35: Ted Danson (“Ink”), actress Famke Janssen and comedian Mitch Hedburg.
“Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher,” ABC at 12:35 a.m.: Cancer expert Stanislaw Burzynski and performance artist Karen Finley.
“Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” NBC at 12:35 a.m.: Suzanne Somers (“Step By Step”), comedian Rich Hall and musical guest Luscious Jackson. Repeat.