‘Dateline’ Focuses On Child-Abuse Death
“Dateline NBC” (NBC at 9) examines one of the most disturbing child-abuse deaths in New York City history.
Prepare yourself to be sickened by the details of 6-year-old Elisa Izquierdo’s physical and sexual abuse and angered by the total failure of New York’s child welfare system.
Awilda Lopez, a former crack addict, obtained custody of the child after Elisa’s father died of cancer.
Elisa was a happy little girl who attended a Montessori school. Her tuition was paid by Prince Michael of Greece, who visited the school and volunteered to sponsor a child.
Stone Phillips reports on how Elisa “slipped through the cracks,” of an overtaxed and antiquated welfare agency.
“The same city that registers its cars and drivers on computers tracks its children at risk on index cards,” he tells viewers.
In fact, Elisa Izquierdo is only one of 27 children who died while under watch by New York City child welfare workers.
This is not the first time television has told the Izquierdo story. (“Dateline” relied on a “Rolanda” interview with Lopez.) And to his credit, Phillips never implies that this is an exclusive “Dateline” investigation.
It’s not the first, nor will it be the last story of its kind. But it’s a story that needs repeating until people in New York and the rest of the country get the message that we need to do more to protect children at risk.
Highlights
“Diagnosis Murder,” CBS at 8: Before the series, there were three Mark Sloan movies, the third of which was 1993’s “A Twist of the Knife.” It gets a replay tonight with Sloan (Dick Van Dyke) investigating an old med-school flame (Suzanne Pleshette) who is linked to the death of a powerful politician.
“Unsolved Mysteries,” NBC at 8: The hour includes a curious report on the disappearance of photos of Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination taken by Scott Enyart, a teenager at the time. Were they stolen in a petty theft or secretly confiscated in some kind of cover-up? Little evidence of the latter is provided.
“Family Matters,” ABC at 8: In a wild and entertaining half-hour Urkel and Laura (Jaleel White, Kellie Shanygne Williams) attend the prom together. The R&B band Immature makes a cameo appearance. Repeat.
“The X-Files,” FOX at 9: Mulder and Scully (David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson) investigate the wreckage of a World War II fighter plane recovered by the crew of a French ship, all but one of whom is suffering from radiation sickness. Was the plane abducted by a UFO? The two-parter concludes next week. Repeat.
Cable Calls
“Destiny Turns on the Radio” (1995), MAX at 8: This movie’s trailer promises that it’s no ordinary flick. Dylan McDermott plays an escaped bank robber named Julian who shows up at a shabby Las Vegas, Nev., motel to meet his former partner (James LeGros).
Julian finds out that the bank haul has been stolen by a mysterious stranger (Quentin Tarantino), and his old girlfriend (Nancy Travis) is making time with a casino owner (James Belushi).
The muddled script gets no help from drecky performances by all, especially Tarantino, who is better behind the camera (he directed “Pulp Fiction”) than in front of one, at least if it’s playing a character of this sort. Turn this one off.
“Crossing Delancey” (1988), LIFE at 9: Amy Irving is delightful in the story of an 1890s New York City woman whose Jewish grandmother (Reizl Bozyk) fixes her up with a pickle merchant (Peter Riegert). It’s a stylish slice of life directed with a gentle touch by Joan Macklin Silver.
“Disclosure” (1994), HBO at 9:50: There’s nothing wrong with this movie except that it’s been on just about every night for a month - or so it seems. It’s smart enough to be challenging and rewarding, but haven’t we had enough of Douglas in roles like this?
Talk Time
“Tonight,” NBC at 11:35: LL Cool J (“In the House”).
“Late Show With David Letterman,” CBS at 11:35: From separate 1993 shows, radio personalities Howard Stern and Rush Limbaugh.
“Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” NBC at 12:35 a.m.: Robin Givens (“Sparks”) and reptile expert Clyde Peeling.