‘Fathers’ created around priestly abuse
How do you turn the ugliest news story of our era into a two-hour movie?
“Our Fathers” (8 p.m. tonight, Showtime) tackles the Boston Catholic Church’s sex abuse scandal and features fine performances by Ted Danson and Christopher Plummer. But eventually the scale of the crime and the sprawling cast of heroes and villains prove too large and ungainly for a single film. “Fathers” easily could have inspired a miniseries.
Mitchell Garabedian (Danson), a “nobody” lawyer, takes on the case of Angelo DeFranco (Daniel Baldwin), an emotional wreck of a blue-collar Boston guy who claims to have been abused as a child by his parish priest and family friend, Father John Geoghan. While investigating DeFranco’s claims, Garabedian uncovers a series of similar stories, and encounters an embittered mother, Mary Ryan (Ellen Burstyn), who says she wrote to Boston Cardinal Bernard Law (Plummer) when she discovered that Geoghan had abused all seven of her sons.
From here the story (and the movie) spreads all over the place like a wild virus.
Based on David France’s book “Our Fathers: The Secret Life of the Catholic Church in the Age of Scandal,” the film was completed before the Vatican named Law to a ceremonial position in Rome.
What a difference a hit makes. Last year on the last Sunday of May sweeps, ABC had room on its Sunday schedule to fit in a repeat of “The Nick & Jessica Variety Hour.” This year, the season finale of “Desperate Housewives” (9 p.m. Sunday, ABC, TV-14) is being treated like a major TV event on the scale of the Super Bowl.
Both CBS and NBC are scheduling only repeats against the “Housewives” finale, which introduces Alfre Woodard as a new neighbor the block.
In honor, or perhaps in fear, of the power of “Housewives,” the WE network has dedicated an entire day of “we are not worthy” programming to honor the ladies of Wisteria Lane. It has scheduled a “Before They Were Desperate” minimarathon of movies starring “Housewives” cast members, including Marcia Cross in “Always Say Goodbye” (7 a.m., Sunday, WE); “A Slight Case of Murder” starring Felicity Huffman (9 a.m.); “Somebody’s Daughter” (11 a.m.) with Nicollette Sheridan; and “Dead in the Water” (2 p.m.) with Teri Hatcher. Apparently the rights to Eva Longoria’s direct-to-video opus “Senorita Justice” weren’t available.
Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman star in the 2002 fantasy “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones” (7 p.m., Sunday, Fox), the second in a series of three prequels to a set of three movies released nearly 30 years ago in an entertainment galaxy far, far away.
The crime drama “Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye” (9 p.m. Sunday, Pax) wraps up its final season. Tonight’s installment features an appearance by the real Sue Thomas, the F.B.I.’s first deaf operative, whose story inspired the series.
Tonight’s highlights
A serial killer returns after a four-year hiatus on “Crossing Jordan” (8 p.m., NBC).
The mysteries of the island are explained in the clip-show retrospective of “Lost” (8 p.m., ABC).
“Homecoming” (8 p.m., CMT) profiles singer Toby Keith.
A teen needs protection from a hostile mother on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (9 p.m., NBC).
On two repeat episodes of “Desperate Housewives” (ABC), George remains in Bree’s life (9 p.m.), and Susan and Mike’s plans shock the neighbors (10 p.m.).
Scheduled on “48 Hours Mystery” (10 p.m., CBS): A beloved professor’s murder leaves an odd trail of clues.
A celebrity chef lands in hot water on “Law & Order” (10 p.m., NBC).
Lindsay Lohan hosts the season finale of “Saturday Night Live” (11:30 p.m., NBC), featuring musical guests Coldplay.
Sunday’s highlights
The discovery of nine skulls recalls a serial crime from 1972 on the season finale of “Cold Case” (8 p.m., CBS).
The biggest movie star to come out of Neptune, N.J., is profiled on “Jack Nicholson: True Hollywood Story” (8 p.m., E!).
The family of a soldier killed in Iraq gets a new home on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (8 p.m., ABC).
Hosted by Linda Ellerbee, “Nick News” (8:30 p.m., Nickelodeon) looks at pressures to lose weight.
Someone will rue a murder in the morgue on “Crossing Jordan” (9 p.m., NBC).
The profane antics wrap up on the second-season finale of “Deadwood” (9 p.m., HBO).
There’s something catching on the season finale of “Grey’s Anatomy” (10 p.m., ABC).