Brooks Takes Country To Land Of Shamrock
Garth Brooks, who has blown audiences away with supersize concert specials, returns with another high-voltage performance in NBC’s “Garth Brooks: Ireland and Back” at 8.
The two-hour broadcast, parts of which were taped last spring in Ireland, includes highlights of sold-out concerts in Dublin, plus one-of-a-kind encounters with Irish fans.
You’ll see Brooks and fiddle player Jimmy Mattingly perform “That Ol’ Wind” on the waterfront in the fishing village of Howth, about 30 minutes outside the city. Brooks also sings during what publicists say was an impromptu jam session in a Dublin pub that reportedly lasted nine hours.
Appearing with Brooks are Trisha Yearwood and Susan Ashton, a leading vocalist in contemporary Christian music.
In the “And Back” portion of the special, Brooks plays songs from his latest album, “Sevens,” before an intimate gathering at Sony Studios in Culver City, Calif. Yearwood and Steve Wariner join Brooks for the session, which includes his hit single, “Longneck Bottle.”
The size and scope of Brooks’ outdoor concerts rival and often surpass rock superstar “megashows,” and the Dublin gig was no exception.
It’s something that country die-hards find to be excessive. But most of them watch just the same.
Highlights
“The Nanny,” CBS at 8: At long last, Fran (Fran Drescher) and Maxwell (Charles Shaughnessy) get engaged. But it’s no surprise that finally popping the question doesn’t come easy.
“Dharma & Greg,” ABC at 8:30: A household emergency forces the perfectly mismatched couple to move in with Greg’s overstarched parents. Meanwhile, Dharma’s hippy-dippy folks shock their daughter when they say they want to get married - after 28 years.
“Cybill,” CBS at 8:30: The comedy returns to the schedule with Cybill (Cybill Shepherd) off to Bakersfield to track down a man (William Biff McGuire) she believes to have been her late mother’s secret lover.
“Party of Five,” Fox at 9: In a pivotal episode, ailing Charlie (Matthew Fox) waits for test results that may tell if he will live or die. He’s joined by Baily and Julia (Scott Wolf, Neve Campbell) at the family’s winter cabin, where they pass the anxious hours reminiscing.
The episode includes flashbacks from the Salingers’ childhoods.
“Michael Hayes,” CBS at 9: For the first half hour, this looks like an open-and-shut case based on the Unabomber terrorist, right down to the serial bomber being turned in by his sibling.
But looks are deceiving. The series moves to a new night with a real potboiler, a two-parter that concludes next week.
Chris Mulkey guest-stars as a tough FBI agent who invades Hayes’ (David Caruso’s) turf.
“Ellen,” ABC at 9:30: Ellen DeGeneres’ real-life girlfriend, Anne Heche, guest-stars.
When Laurie is in a car accident, Ellen rushes to the hospital, where she waits it out with Laurie’s former lover (Heche), who, unknown to Ellen, was with Laurie at the time of the accident.
Cable Calls
“The Con” (1998), USA at 9: Rebecca De Mornay stars as a con artist indebted to the mob who romances a nerdy Mississippi auto mechanic (William H. Macey) set to inherit $100,000.
Macey (“Fargo”), who co-wrote the cable movie, plays one of those pitiful characters who is not as dumb as everyone thinks. This might have worked, but for a meandering script and De Mornay’s ineffective portrayal of the criminal who goes soft before she can go through with the con.
It’s a less-than-ordinary yarn that rings hollow from start to finish.
Talk Time
“Tonight,” NBC at 11:35: Actor Jeremy Irons, tennis player Martina Hingis, and “Got Milk?” boys William Kern and Anthony Rank.
“Late Show With David Letterman,” CBS at 11:35: Actress Helena Bonham Carter, actor Peter Fonda and singer Loreena McKennitt.
“Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher,” ABC at 12:05 a.m.: Janeane Garofalo, Larry Gelbart and Greg Louganis.
“The Late Late Show With Tom Snyder,” CBS at 12:35 a.m.: To be announced.
‘Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” NBC at 12:35 a.m.: Actress Kathleen Turner.