Give Us ‘Naked Truth’ With Moore, Segal
NBC airs a “The Naked Truth” two-parter (at 8:30 and 9:30) that features the return of Mary Tyler Moore and George Segal as Nora’s (Tea Leoni) parents, Catherine and Fred.
Moore as Nora’s mother is comedy casting genius. First of all, the slender actress looks the part. And she’s at her best when she’s playing someone who’s wound a bit too tightly. (Is she really acting?)
The foundation of this series is that Nora, though bright and extremely beautiful, is an emotional wreck. Wouldn’t being raised by Moore and nutty Segal make you a little, uh, unsteady?
This time, they arrive unannounced when Fred gets a chance to audition for “Jeopardy.” Catherine, overwhelmed with a premonition that Nora is in mortal danger, mounts a kooky, smothering campaign to protect her daughter from any threat.
Meanwhile, Les (George Wendt) gets an unexpected visit from his father (David Huddleston), the sausage-king owner of the Comet, who has come to town to downsize the magazine staff.
It’s chaos, as usual. And that doesn’t always work so well for this show, which can become simply silly.
With Moore and Segal on hand, however, it succeeds with a flair.
Highlights
“High Incident,” ABC at 8: March (David Keith), who has a history of trouble with women, resists the advances of a woman being held in protective custody. Also, Mike (Blair Underwood) is torn when he is in a position to save the life of the gang member who killed his fiancee.
“Diagnosis Murder,” CBS at 8: The crime series continues its relentless pursuit of murder-mystery cliches. This time it’s a “fatal attraction” scenario when the hospital’s new chief of staff (played by Scott Bryce, remembered as Corky Sherwood’s first husband, Will Forrest, on “Murphy Brown”) is stalked by an ambitious and deadly suitor (Alla Korot).
When the doctor’s wife is found murdered, the Sloans (Dick and Barry Van Dyke) step in to nail the real killer.
“Live from Lincoln Center,” KSPS at 7: Kurt Masur leads the New York Philharmonic and Westminster Symphonic Choir’s performance of Debussy’s “The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian.”
“Martin,” FOX at 8: John Amos guest-stars as Tommy’s (Tommy Ford) father, an ex-Marine obsessed with showing up his son at every opportunity.
“Moloney,” CBS at 9: Stepfanie Kramer (“Hunter”) plays a prison inmate who is a model of good behavior. Matty (Nestor Serrano) finds the convict irresistible when he escorts her to a hearing.
But their dangerous liaison leads to a bittersweet end.
“Turning Point,” ABC at 10: A compelling report on surrogate motherhood follows a woman who is carrying the child of an infertile couple, as well as the notorious case of a couple’s search for a surrogate mother to be implanted with their dead daughter’s eggs.
Cable Calls
“Stephen King’s ‘The Tommyknockers”’ (1993), USA at 9 and Friday at 8: Jimmy Smits (“NYPD Blue”) and Marg Helgenberger (“China Beach”) star in this so-so adaptation of King’s thriller about a strange underground force that takes control of the folks in a small town.
It’s easy to guess that what’s down there is unworldly. The payoff comes in the form of a horrifying monster - horrifying by television standards but nothing extraordinary compared to what you routinely see in the movies.
This is hardly worth the five-hour investment.
Talk Time
“Tonight,” NBC at 11:35: Actress Elisabeth Shue, NBC-MSNBC newsman Brian Williams and musical group The Wallflowers.
“Late Show With David Letterman,” CBS at 11:35: Actor Jean-Claude Van Damme, Brad Garrett (“Everybody Loves Raymond”) and comedian Chris Fonseca.
“Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher,” ABC at 12:35 a.m.: Kadeem Hardison and commentator April Lassiter.
“Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” NBC at 12:35 a.m.): Pauly Shore (“Pauly”), actress Margaret Colin and musical guest Steve Earle & the V Roys.
xxxx WENATCHEE REPORT “48 Hours,” CBS at 10: An intense hour examines the case of a Wenatchee teenager whose parents have been convicted of sexually abusing her sister. She insists her parents are not guilty.