Abc Looks At America’s ‘Pot Of Gold’
“Peter Jennings Reporting: Pot of Gold” (ABC at 10) takes an eye-opening look at America’s No. 1 cash crop.
A Georgia grower tells Jennings that he will make $2,500 for each plant he harvests. If he grew corn instead, he’d make $50 an acre.
No wonder he chooses to grow marijuana.
Says the farmer: “I don’t worry about the illegal part. There are certain chances every fellow takes in life. And you’ve got to decide what chances you’ll take.”
Jennings makes a convincing point that all kinds of people are growing the weed to meet the demands of a marijuana-hungry public.
In some states, getting caught leads to serious trouble. But in many places it will get you a slap on the wrist.
In the hour’s best moment, Jennings nails a Georgia county sheriff who apparently was elected on the promise that, unlike his opponent, he wouldn’t go after growers.
It’s a fascinating topic. Some, however, may wonder why Jennings’ report includes what amounts to a primer on setting up a marijuana business right in your own home.
Highlights
“Basketball,” CBS at 4:30: College basketball’s “March Madness” is in full swing as CBS’ daylong coverage rolls into prime time with three more first-round contests.
“Friends,” NBC at 8: Monica (Courteney Cox) goes on a date with a guy (Jon Favreau) who turns out to be a millionaire. And Chandler (Matthew Perry) tries to stop smoking with the help of a self-hypnosis tape that triggers some unexpected - and very funny - behavior.
“High Incident,” ABC at 8: Bronson Pinchot (“Perfect Strangers”) - who’s turning up everywhere lately - guest-stars as one of two ruthless sports agents trying to get their hooks into a naive young athlete (Marcus Mitchell). Also, officers face suspicion when $50,000 is stolen from the property room.
“Suddenly Susan,” NBC at 8:30: A three-part tale begins with Susan (Brooke Shields) meeting a man (Brett Cullen) she’s crazy for until she finds out he has two kids. And the series’ dullest character, Jack (Judd Nelson), stands up to his demanding wife (Lisa Howard).
“New York Undercover,” FOX at 9: The series offers a different look in an episode in which Moreno and McNamara (Lauren Valez, Jonathan La Paglia) infiltrate a huge corporation after a racist top executive is killed by a letter bomb.
“Seinfeld,” NBC at 9: Lloyd Bridges brings his comedy skills to television’s most-watched comedy as Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) inadvertently gets involved in a weightlifting competition with one of his parents’ neighbors. And when a beautiful woman (Chelsea Noble) accidentally mistakes George (Jason Alexander) for her old boyfriend, he’s determined to figure out how someone who looks like him could have a prayer with someone who looks like her.
“Law & Order,” NBC at 10: The outstanding crime series moves into the “ER” time slot for four weeks, beginning with a three-week “trilogy” that takes detectives Briscoe and Curtis (Jerry Orbach, Benjamin Bratt) to Los Angeles in pursuit of a murder suspect who flees New York City. Typically, both cops and prosecutors tread through tricky legal waters. Janeane Garofalo guest-stars.
Cable Calls
“The Unexplained,” A&E at 7 and 11: “Exorcism” examines the true story that inspired the book and movie “The Exorcist.” Authorscreenwriter William Peter Blatty is interviewed.
Also, the hour includes a never-before-broadcast tape of an alleged African exorcism in which three women were believed to be possessed by the spirit of a lion, and exorcisms by an evangelical minister.