Expect self-absorption on ‘Chasing’
With its new reality series “Chasing Farrah” (10 p.m., TV Land), the nostalgic network appears to be chasing a younger, hipper audience. Good luck to them, and to anybody of any age trying to make sense of “Chasing.”
The good news is that “Chasing Farrah” is not entirely vulgar or completely depressing like the car-wreck vanity vehicles featuring Anna Nicole Smith or the Gastineau, Gotti and Grubman entourages.
The bad news is that this leaky Fawcett feature leans toward the baffling and pretentious.
Like every show of its kind, “Chasing” invites us into Farrah’s “real” world, the life of a celebrity best known for a pinup poster popular during the Ford administration. Accosted by fans and photographers at every turn, Farrah decides that a reality-show camera crew would be but one more layer of media interference.
But, since Fawcett considers reality shows “phony,” she insists that there be a camera crew to document the camera crew. And she often points her digital camera at the dueling crews just for good measure.
The proliferation of lenses provides the producers and editors with a wealth of footage for a show within a show about not much at all. The narrative of “Chasing” does not flow but jerks along in fits and starts with a tendency to accentuate the less-than-articulate nature of a star who has all but trademarked her scatterbrained reputation.
The fractured scenes of Ms. Fawcett trying to conduct a simple conversation with her once and future love interest Ryan O’Neal are particularly painful and confusing. If either of them is still capable of finishing a sentence or forming a coherent thought, we’re not allowed to find out.
“Chasing” takes celebrity self-absorption to new and unexpected places. Presenting a dizzying cascade of shattered and disjointed reflections, it unfolds like a shootout in a mirror factory between armed gangs of narcissists and voyeurs.
But for all its pretensions, “Chasing Farrah” is not without art. In the end, this exercise in frenetic editing culminates into a cubist nightmare, collapsing past and present, myth and nostalgia into a single sad experience – the sunlit moment when the eternal sex symbol stumbles toward senility.
Combining elements of “That ‘70s Show” and “Quintuplets,” the new sitcom “Life on a Stick” (9:30 p.m., Fox) follows the travails of teens working at a fast-food restaurant. “Stick” does little but provide one more powerful argument for pulling the plug on the traditional three-camera sitcom format.
If you’re looking for an excuse to waste time on this, I suggest you marvel at how much Matthew Glave (who plays the hapless dad) tries to imitate Andy Richter. There’s not much else to watch here.
Rita Moreno narrates “The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo” (8 p.m., KSPS), a 90-minute look at the life and art of the influential Mexican painter. While many films (including the impressive 2002 biography starring Salma Hayek) have emphasized Kahlo’s remarkable life story, her many loves, her political radicalism and her relationship with muralist Diego Rivera, “Life and Times” stresses the enduring influence of Kahlo’s art.
This fascinating documentary features a wealth of contemporary footage of the painter and her circle.
Other highlights
It’s always March Madness on “Survivor” (8 p.m., CBS).
Jack worries about his brother on “American Dreams” (8 p.m., NBC).
Secrets revealed about Boone and Shannon on “Lost” (8 p.m., ABC).
Church attendance becomes a campaign issue on “The West Wing” (9 p.m., NBC).
Somebody goes home on “American Idol” (9 p.m., Fox).
Nadia finds herself in peril on “Alias” (9 p.m., ABC).
The head of an anti-corruption task force is found slain on “CSI: NY” (10 p.m., CBS).
A weapons sting costs two officers their lives on “Law & Order” (10 p.m., NBC).
Time-sharing takes on a whole new meaning on “Vacation Swap” (10 p.m., ABC).
Series notes
Kelso’s choice on “That ‘70s Show” (8 p.m., Fox) … Tyra Banks hosts “America’s Next Top Model” (8 p.m., UPN) … Lex creates a Superfund site on “Smallville” (8 p.m., WB) … Interns out of control on “The Simple Life” (8:30 p.m., Fox).
Casino cheats roll their last dice on “CSI” (9 p.m., CBS) … A shrink takes legal heat from his patient’s parents on “Kevin Hill” (9 p.m., UPN) … Bobby has his doubts about Tom on “Jack & Bobby” (9 p.m., WB).