Flaws Bounce Back To Haunt ‘Echo’

The network movies on Sunday are not about to set any ratings records. All three have one thing in common: They supply a cure for insomnia.

The worst of the lot is Jack “Melrose Place” Wagner’s dual role in ABC’s psychological thriller “Echo” at 9. The plot holes and implausibilities loom beyond common sense, leaving the viewer to wonder if the thriller is actually a comedy in disguise.

Wagner plays twin brothers Max and Steven. Max is the good twin who believes his evil twin Steven died in a car accident.

It turns out that the bad twin was rescued from the accident, and a series of operations saved his life.

In “Echo,” Steven kidnaps Max and assumes Max’s identity.

Max’s wife (Alexandra Paul) is supposed to be a sophisticated career woman. Yet she’s not smart enough to notice the switch until it’s too late.

And what about the scars on Steven’s body from all the operations following the car accident? She doesn’t see them during the many lovemaking scenes (and there are many).

The inconsistencies only get worse as the tale drones on with Steven running amuck and murdering people close to Max. No one suspects Steven.

Over on NBC, the peacock network serves up another in its “In the Line Duty” fact-based police dramas. “Blaze of Glory” at 9 features Lori Loughlin and Bruce Campbell as happy-go-lucky bank robbers. (They fancy themselves a yuppie version of Bonnie and Clyde.)

Brad Whitford plays the FBI agent using old-fashioned investigative methods to find these robbers. He consults his retired cop dad who solved a similar case years ago.

The scenes with father and son are charming. Also the police work involved in catching the thieves gives insight into the day-to-day drudgery of police work.

After awhile, “Duty” gets bogged down with showing bank robbery after robbery. After the third one, the movie starts to play out like a broken record.

The best of the three is CBS’ “Keeping the Promise” at 9. It’s set in the 18th century and centers around a young boy’s efforts to guard his family’s land claim all alone in a remote region of Maine.

The boy (Brendan Fletcher) befriends Native Americans and is soon learning how to survive in the wilderness. This is a solid story about friendship, commitment and family values.

Highlights

“Too Hot to Skate,” CBS tonight at 8: The usual skating stars - Scott Hamilton, Katarina Witt and Viktor Petrenko - take to the ice to dazzle with triples and fancy footwork. This one was taped in Las Vegas, Nev., in October.

“Masterpiece Theatre,” PBS Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at 8: The place to turn for high adventure, political intrigue, fantastic scenery, great acting and a solid story is this adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s “Nostromo.”

The political thriller, set in a fictitious South American country in the 1890s, traces the tug-of-war among bandits, political factions and businessmen over a silver-rich province.

At the center of the controversy is an Englishman, Charles Gould (Colin Firth), who has reopened his family’s silver mine.

In Part 1, Nostromo (Claudio Amendola), a local leader, helps with the start-up of the mine. He agrees to help Gould protect the silver from warring factions.

Parents’ Pan

“Whiskers” (1996), SHOW Sunday at 6: A young boy (Michael Caloz) wishes his pet cat could be human. Before you can say “that darn cat,” Whiskers is a 30-year-old male (Brent Carver) with a taste for sardines. He also likes to mark territory and climb walls.

Keep in mind, this is not a Disney fantasy. If you’re looking for laughs, you will not find them here.

Cable Calls

“Lost on Earth,” USA tonight at 7: This new sitcom is best described as grotesque Muppets colliding with “3rd Rock From the Sun.” Tim Conlon plays a troubled newscaster relegated to appearing in a kids puppet show after he angers his boss by saying “humping” on the air.

The puppets turn out to be wisecracking aliens full of one-liners about bodily functions, body parts and cleavage.

“Duckman,” USA tonight at 7:30: A fourth season kicks off with Duckman becoming a Hollywood mogul. The power goes straight to his head (or, in this case, his webbed feet). This satire of the movie business delivers some clever impersonations of Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“Broken Arrow” (1996), HBO tonight at 8: John Travolta and Christian Slater star in this actioner. Travolta is a renegade Air Force pilot out to steal nuclear weapons. Portions will have you biting your nails.

“Bogart: The Untold Story,” TNT Sunday at 5: Lauren Bacall and Bogart’s son, Stephen, provide some insights in this documentary featuring home movies and a slew of interviews, including comments from the late John Huston.