Avoid reruns with Six Feet Under’
Another bleak summer weekend for TV. Even Fox, which promised us more or less year-round new shows, is hitting us with nothing but reruns. So bless HBO for putting on “Six Feet Under” and giving us something to look forward to on Sundays at 9 p.m.
The family funeral home series is a lot like “The Sopranos,” in that lively stories of sex and death lead the characters, consciously or not, to existential questions. And as with “The Sopranos,” the cable network is cagey about giving out details in advance. But this weekend’s episode is called “Parallel Play,” perhaps suggested by Nate’s involvement with Maya’s play group. Let’s hope he meets a hot mama there, because Nate the dutiful, depressed daddy is really a drag. Peter Krause is a more interesting actor when his character is knowingly doing the wrong thing.
I am, however, really looking forward to seeing what the Fishers offer at their yard sale — half-empty cans of wound filler? The occasional leftover limb? Remember that when Nate went to pull the old switcheroo with his wife’s body, an urn of unclaimed remains came in mighty handy.
In other story lines, David is trying to find a new role for Arthur, while Keith adjusts to his new La La Land gig, and Claire makes a new friend.
Highlights
“A.I.: Artificial Intelligence” (2001), ABC tonight at 8: Steven Spielberg makes the movie that Stanley Kubrick didn’t live to direct, with Haley Joel Osment as the high-tech boy android who wants to know what life is all about.
U.S. Olympic gymnastic trials, NBC tonight at 8 and Sunday at 7: Live from Anaheim, Calif.
“Crime & Punishment,” NBC tonight at 10: A case of domestic violence escalated to murder.
“Saturday Night Live,” NBC tonight at 11:30: Repeat. Janet Jackson hosts, and she plays Condoleezza Rice in a “wardrobe malfunction” on Capitol Hill.
“60 Minutes,” CBS Sunday at 7.
“Oliver Beene,” Fox Sunday at 7: Repeat finds Oliver and Ted clashing over the Swedish exchange student across the hall, and Mom and Dad hitting a beatnik nightclub.
“King of the Hill,” Fox Sunday at 7:30: Ben Stiller provides the voice of a creepy new employee at Strickland Propane. Repeat.
“The Simpsons,” Fox Sunday at 8: Homer lies, and Marge ends up in rehab. Bottoms up! A rather dark repeat.
“Cold Case,” CBS Sunday at 8: Disco-era death is reinvestigated. Shake your booty! Repeat.
“Arrested Development,” Fox Sunday at 8:30: Prison visits, including one conjugal, fail to resolve anything. Repeat.
“The Soul Collector,” CBS Sunday at 9: With a title like that, you might hope for a nice zombie movie. But, alas, it stars Melissa Gilbert, Bruce Greenwood and Ossie Davis, and it’s all about angels or something. A repeat TV movie from 1999.
“Malcolm in the Middle,” Fox Sunday at 9: Hal, Lois and the boys return home early from their vacation and learn that their neighbors “coincidentally” hold an annual block party while they are away. Repeat.
“Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” NBC Sunday at 9: Foul play at a pharmaceutical firm. Repeat.
“Masterpiece Theatre,” KSPS Sunday at 9: Check local listings, but it appears many stations will show an episode of “Foyle’s War” called “Eagle Day.”
“Quintuplets,” Fox Sunday at 9:30: Repeat of this week’s flu epidemic in the household.
Family Fare
“Freaky Friday” (2003), Starz tonight at 9: Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan are the mother and daughter who exchange bodies in one of last year’s surprise hits.
“Nick News Special Edition,” Nick Sunday at 8:30: “Look Before You Eat” addresses the growing problem of childhood obesity, and Emeril cooks up some healthy dishes.
Cable Cast
“Primary Colors” (1998), Bravo tonight at 8: With Bubba Clinton back in the news lately, you might want to revisit this Mike Nichols flick with John Travolta and Emma Thompson as a thinly disguised Bill and Hill.
NASCAR racing, FX tonight at 6: The Busch Series 250 live from Wisconsin.
“Decoys,” Sci Fi tonight at 9: A college student believes two hot young things are the ones committing a string of campus killings. Hmm, I think he’d better investigate. Repeats at 1 a.m.
Baseball, ESPN Sunday at 5: Interleague subway series finds the New York Mets venturing onto hostile turf in Yankee stadium.
“Stealth and Beyond,” History Channel Sunday at 8: A look inside the Stealth fighter.
“The Celebrity Hot 100 of Forbes,” A&E Sunday at 10: Remember when A&E used to be a serious network? I hear William Hung is on the list.