‘Love Of Nancy’ Suffers Plot Starvation
It’s hard to work up an appetite for the 1994 ABC movie “For the Love of Nancy” (Sunday at 9), which offers a superficial and bland view of the eating disorder anorexia nervosa.
Tracey Gold, an admitted anorexic who starred in the ABC sitcom “Growing Pains,” uses her personal experience to portray a stubborn young woman who’s suffering from the psychological disease. The reason why Nancy Walsh (Gold) in the tale develops the disease is because of growing pains. (I’m not joking.)
Nancy is so depressed about having to graduate from high school, and that her mom made an appointment for her wisdom teeth to be pulled the day after prom night, she decides to starve herself. It seems that simple, which is why this movie has problems.
“Love” portrays the serious disease as akin to getting the common cold. And if parents (such as Nancy’s, played here by William Devane and Jill Clayburgh) take charge of their kid’s medical care, then the eating disorder will clear up in no time.
Don’t you wish life were so simple? I sure wish this movie had more bite.
Highlights
“Second Noah,” ABC tonight at 8: The sentimental family show that tries to be a throwback to family dramas of the ‘70s gave viewers a treat when Lloyd Bridges guest-starred. He played Jesse’s (Betsy Brantley) father, who resented Noah (Daniel Hugh Kelly) for not being able to produce children of his own.
“U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials,” NBC tonight at 8: Who will go to the Olympics this year? The athletes good enough to make our team will be determined in the next week as NBC, ESPN and ESPN2 cover the Olympic trials.
On NBC tonight you can catch the men’s 100m, which includes Carl Lewis, and the women’s 100m featuring Gwen Torrence.
“Kelsey Grammer Salutes Jack Benny,” NBC tonight at 10: Consider tuning in this rerun. What’s not to like about Jack Benny (1894-1974)?
Grammer hosts 60 minutes of clips displaying Benny’s broad range of comedic genius during his 1950-65 TV series. Too bad it doesn’t include his movies or other television appearances. Then the hour would be irresistible.
Jay Leno, Dan Aykroyd and Phil Hartman offer brief tributes. Leno’s participation is a thinly veiled network cross-promotion ploy.
“Bad Dads,” FOX Sunday at 7: Father’s Day gets a nod in this 60-minute special from Arnold Shapiro, the creator of “Scared Straight!” In 1978, “Scared” won an Oscar for its depiction of a program in which convicts exposed delinquent teens to prison life.
In this documentary, the tables are turned. Angry teens confront less-than-average dads who are inmates at a federal prison in the hopes of frightening some bad dads into becoming good ones.
“The Simpsons,” FOX Sunday at 8: In the repeat of “King Size Homer,” the laziest dad on Earth, Homer, believes if his weight reaches 300 pounds, he can work at home.