Cbs’ Competitors Planning To Counter Olympics Coverage

Consult CBS about its February sweeps plans and you get a triumphant one-word answer: “Olympics!”

The other networks may not have a sporting chance during this key ratings period used to help set local advertising rates. NBC’s 1996 summer Olympics coverage, remember, gave it TV’s seven most-watched shows for two weeks.

But CBS’ competitors aren’t surrendering without a fight.

To counter Winter Olympic events such as figure skating, which tends to attract more female viewers, NBC is offering tough-guy films like “Under Siege 2” on Feb. 8 and “Crimson Tide” on Feb. 22. NBC will be home to five Olympics starting in 2000.

Third-place ABC offers a heavy schedule of specials and TV movies. There’s a film produced by Oprah Winfrey and a show pairing the kid-fave Muppets with Cindy Crawford and Tyra Banks.

Fox has an episode of “The X-Files” co-written by horrormeister Stephen King.

CBS plans a sprinkling of sweeps programs following the Feb. 7-22 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. Cable channel TNT will offer 50 hours of Olympic coverage, mostly during weekday non-primetime hours.

Here’s what’s in store:

Pass the popcorn

“The Lake,” 9 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 1, on NBC, stars Yasmine Bleeth as a nurse who returns to her hometown and finds terrible goings-on. Marion Ross and Linden Ashby co-star.

“Target Earth,” 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, on ABC, an alien-invasion drama starring Dabney Coleman, Christopher Meloni, Marcia Cross and Chad Lowe. A 6-year-old girl may be the only one who can save the Earth.

Robin Williams is in full Genie voice for the animated “Aladdin and the King of Thieves,” 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8, on ABC. Aladdin is set to marry Princess Jasmine, but the Forty Thieves are in the way.

“Bad as I Wanna Be: The Dennis Rodman Story,” promises the private man behind the flamboyant NBA star, 9 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8, on ABC. Newcomer Dwayne Adway stars; the real Rodman also appears.

Shelly Fabares and Lisa Dean Ryan star in “Playing to Win,” about a teenage girl sucked into the world of adolescent gambling. The film, co-starring David Lascher, airs 9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, on NBC.

“Skyjacked” stars Antonio Sabato Jr., Kelly Rutherford and Adrian Pasdar in the tale of a helicopter pilot ensnared in a convict’s getaway scheme, 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, on ABC.

“The Garbage Picking Field Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon,” 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, on ABC. Tony Danza stars as a garbage collector who gets a shot at NFL fame.

“Oprah Winfrey Presents: The Wedding,” 9 p.m. Sunday and Monday, Feb. 22-23, on ABC, with Halle Berry, Lynn Whitfield and Carl Lumbly. Adapted from Dorothy West’s novel about an affluent black family on Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.

“The Long Way Home,” 9 p.m. Sunday, March 1, on CBS, stars Jack Lemmon and Betty Garrett. A man rediscovers life’s possibilities on a cross-country journey with a young woman.

Grab bag

Novelist Stephen King and Chris Carter, creator of “The X-Files,” co-wrote the 9 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8, episode of the Fox series, about a New England village facing a bizarre terror. Sci-fi writers William Gibson and Tom Maddox wrote the following week’s episode.

Amanda (Heather Locklear) and Kyle (Rob Estes) are at the altar in a two-hour episode of Fox’s “Melrose Place,” 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9, but don’t expect a worry-free wedding.

“1998 UPN alt.games,” 9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, on UPN, features ordinary people competing in such everyday tasks as uncorking wine bottles or opening a shrink-wrapped CD. It’s listed as a comedy special.

“Motown 40: The Music is Forever,” on ABC 9 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, and Thursday, Feb. 19, celebrates the 40th anniversary of Motown Records. Diana Ross is host, with Little Richard, Smokey Robinson, James Taylor and Mariah Carey among those featured.

“Elmopalooza!” at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, on ABC is a musical tribute to 30 years of PBS’ “Sesame Street” and its denizens, including Elmo and the Cookie Monster. Also appearing: Jimmy Buffet, En Vogue, and models Crawford and Banks.

“Will You Marry Me?” 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23, is the fourth installment of a special featuring out-of-the-ordinary marriage proposals. Daisy Fuentes is host on ABC.

The Grammy Awards ceremony is 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, on CBS, with Kelsey Grammer as host.

The 14th Annual Soap Opera Awards honors the shows and stars of daytime serials, 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, on NBC.

Famous guest stars

Charlton Heston plays himself in the 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, episode of NBC’s “Friends.” Joey (Matt LeBlanc) gets caught trespassing in Heston’s dressing room.

Ted Danson reunites with “Cheers” co-star Kirstie Alley on “Veronica’s Closet,” 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, on NBC.

Director Sydney Pollack plays a marriage counselor on NBC’s “Mad About You” in an 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, episode.

Kathie Lee Gifford and Regis Philbin are guest stars in the 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, episode of CBS’ “Diagnosis Murder.” They play bickering talk-show hosts; he kills her on camera - accidentally, he claims. Sure.