Cbs’ Desperate Fling With Taylor Falls Flat
It was symbolic of the kind of season troubled CBS was having.
With great fanfare, the network last February promoted an evening of comedy in which Elizabeth Taylor would appear on four Monday night comedies.
CBS didn’t make the Liz-o-rama available for review. When I tuned in, I could see why.
On “The Nanny” (repeated tonight at 8), Taylor visits Maxwell (Charles Shaughnessy) to discuss appearing in a play. Fran (Fran Drescher) loses Liz’s priceless black-pearl necklace and, in the tradition of “I Love Lucy,” buys time to recover the jewelry before the actress knows it’s missing.
So far, so good. Taylor plays a couple of amusing scenes while Drescher and other cast members scramble to keep the disappearance a secret.
The story spilled over into “Can’t Hurry Love,” “Murphy Brown” and “High Society.”
But Taylor was reduced to laughless cameos in the subsequent three shows. It failed so miserably that one suspects the star lost some enthusiasm for the idea some time after it was too late to bail out entirely.
More to the point, CBS canceled both “Can’t Hurry Love” and “High Society.” Consequently, tonight you get “The Nanny” and “Murphy Brown” episodes an hour apart and only half of the original tale.
Will CBS get it together this season? It’s too early to say.
But having seen the fall pilots, I can’t say I’m ready to predict a comeback.
Highlights
“Friends,” NBC at 8: On the first night following the Olympics, NBC goes with its best stuff in a night of comedies. In a “Friends” repeat, Monica’s parents dig out an old prom-night home movie that shows Monica and Rachel primping and reveals a secret Ross has kept for years.
The peacock network rounds out the evening with past episodes of “Mad About You,” “Seinfeld,” “3rd Rock From the Sun” and “Frasier.”
In a first-run “Caroline in the City” at 10:30, Caroline and Del (Lea Thompson, Eric Lutes) decide to lay off lovemaking for a week and focus on their relationship problems.
Brooke Shields will make several appearances to plug her fall comedy, “Suddenly Susan.” I speak for many, I think, when I say I got more than enough of Shields during coverage of the Atlanta games.
“NFL Football,” ABC at 5: A sure signal that summer is slipping away is this first Monday night exhibition game. The Super Bowl Champion Dallas Cowboys take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Monterrey, Mexico.
“Evening at Pops,” KSPS at 8: John Williams returns to the podium to conduct a tribute to Hollywood musicals. Also featured is a salute to the Olympics.
“Calendar Girl” (1993), FOX at 8: Jason Priestley (“Beverly Hills, 90210”), Jerry O’Connell (“Sliders”) and Gabriel Olds (“Andersonville”) play three recent high school graduates who set out for Los Angeles with the goal of meeting Marilyn Monroe.
The ‘60s comedy, DOA at the box office, makes its broadcast premiere. Tune in and you’ll see why the networks weren’t exactly fighting over who would be first to air it.
Cable Calls
“Pentathlon” (1995), HBO at 8: Are you in Olympic withdrawal? Think twice before choosing this violent action flick starring Dolph Lundgren as a former Eastern bloc Olympian stalked by his maniac ex-coach (David Soul). Sorry Dolph, no medal here.
“CMT Presents Monday Night Concerts,” TNN at 5 and 9: Shelby Lynne, Sam Moore and Leon Russell perform in an entertaining evening of rhythm-and-blues classics.
Talk Time
“Tonight,” NBC at 11:35: Actor Robin Williams and music group Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
“Late Show With David Letterman,” CBS at 11:35: Actor Danny DeVito and music group Hootie and the Blowfish.
“Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” NBC at 12:35 a.m.: Actor Chazz Palmenteri and music guest Cracker. Repeat.