‘Grace’ Reveals Sensitivity To Blue-Collar Living

Wed., Nov. 13, 1996

John Martin New York Times Syndicate

I can’t think of a comedy on television that is more apt to surprise viewers with its sincerity and poignancy than ABC’s “Grace Under Fire” at 9.

From its debut, this show has never been shy about depicting Grace Kelly (Brett Butler) in a way that can get your attention, win your affection and still make you laugh. Grace, a recovered alcoholic and former abused spouse, is unique in the history of television comedy.

This is the one sitcom that takes blue-collar living seriously. (To me, “Roseanne” takes too many cheap shots at working-class living to qualify.)

Tonight’s half-hour offers an example of the show’s sensibilities when Grace gets her ex-husband Jimmy (Geoff Pierson) a job at the refinery. Things do not go well at work and even worse at home when Jimmy overhears Grace’s friends Wade and Nadine (Casey Sander, Julie White) bad-mouthing him.

You see, all of Grace’s friends despise Jimmy for his abusive past. Thinking they have her best interests at heart, they would undermine Jimmy’s attempt at sobriety and becoming a responsible father.

Pierson’s rough-hewn Jimmy is a fascinating character whom writers have introduced effectively on several occasions. This episode, which ends on a sweet note, is as entertaining as it is compassionate and thoughtful.

Highlights

“The New Explorers,” KSPS at 7: Host Bill Kurtis explores clues to the disappearance of the Anasazi, Southwestern cliff dwellers who vanished around 1300.

“Ellen,” ABC at 8: When her mom (Alice Hirson) starts dating a hunk (guest-star Lyle Waggoner), Ellen (Ellen DeGeneres) is determined to break them up and follows them on a date to a country dance club. Trisha Yearwood also guest-stars.

“NewsRadio,” NBC at 9: Funny how some of the best comedy writing stems from banal scenarios. See what happens when the thermostat breaks down at WNYX.

Jimmy (Stephen Root) gets off some good laughs as the heat makes his ratings schemes even crazier than usual.

“A Tangled Web” (1996), CBS at 9: Cheryl Ladd is an ex-con who marries an upstanding citizen (Mike Farrell), much to the chagrin of his best friend (Nick Mancuso), a cop who doubts the woman’s intentions.

Ladd delivers a strained performance as the bad girl who spends her way through most of hubby’s cash assets and then tries to collect on his life insurance policy. If this were a book, it would have large type and wide margins.

“Men Behaving Badly,” NBC at 9:30: When a drunk Kevin (Ron Eldard) proposes marriage, Sarah (Justine Bateman) decides to teach him a lesson by pretending to plan a wedding.

“PrimeTime Live,” ABC at 10: Diane Sawyer interviews Sarah Ferguson, who talks about her marriage to Prince Andrew and life in and out of the royal family.

Cable Calls

“The NBA at 50,” TNT at 5, 7 and 9: You want goose bumps? Check out this fast-break celebration of the NBA’s 50th anniversary hosted by Denzel Washington. The spectacular two-hour-long special is must-see TV for all hoop fans.

Tape it and keep it. It’s a collector’s item.

“The Larry Sanders Show,” HBO at 10: Back for another season is Garry Shandling’s delicious parody of late-night television. In the premiere, Larry fears that guest-host Jon Stewart is being groomed to replace him and that “X-Files” star David Duchovny wants to be more than just his buddy. Elvis Costello and Charles Nelson Reilly also guest-star.

“The High Life,” HBO at 10:30: The 1950s series, in its time-period debut, rolls out plenty of laughs as Earl (Mark Wilson) and Emmitt (Robert Joy) try to make a quick buck selling cheapo Davy Crockett hats smuggled from South America.

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