Tube Notes
By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service
Tonight's Must-See
"Bernie Mac," 8 p.m., FOX. In its first season, this series has drawn praise, solid ratings and an Emmy nomination for Mac as best actor in a comedy. Alongside its humor, it has provided a distinctive view of family and parenting. This rerun offers an example: Bernie's youngest niece Bryanna (Dee Dee Davis) overhears something she wasn't supposed to hear. But when she repeats it at school, there are repercussions for Bernie.
"First Knight" (1995), 9 p.m., TNT. When Jerry Zucker co-wrote and co-directed "Airplane," people assumed he was just another comic goofball. Instead, he's gone on to direct two great movie romances. First was the Oscar-award winning 1990 film "Ghost." Then came this lush and lovely retelling of the Camelot myth. William Nicholson wrote a terrific script. Then Zucker gave it sweeping visual splendor, plus great casting. Richard Gere is adequate as Lancelot, but Sean Connery and Julia "rmond are magnificent as King Arthur and Lady Guinevere. They are so good that we skip past the age difference — Connery was 65 then, Ormond was 30 — and savor the warmth.
Of Note
"Breaking News," 2 p.m., Bravo. Jamie (Rowena King), the field reporter, faces heavy pressure on both sides when covering the small-town murder of a gay man. Meanwhile, Janet (Myndy Crist) has a painful piece on child-labor abuse and a glamorous romance in Washington, D.C. Peter (Clancy Brown) must convince his star (Tim Matheson) to accept a co-anchor and must deal with a finicky consumer reporter (guest star Bronson Pinchot). This hour is busy but beautifully acted and filmed.
"My Wife and Kids," 7 and 7:30 p.m., ABC. In the first rerun, Lou Rawls guest stars in an episode involving colon cancer. In the second, there are repercussions when one of the kids eats Michael's pie.
"30 Second to Fame," 7 p.m., FOX. There's something joyous about this show with performers getting a half-minute to entertain us. Tonight, they include fire dancers and a contortionist.
"The West Wing," 8 p.m., NBC. Here's a third chance to see the pivotal episode in which the president prepares to end the cover-up of his medical problems just as a tropical storm nears Washington.
"American Idol: The Search for a Superstar," 8:30 p.m., FOX. The field gets trimmed to six.
"ABC News Special," 9 p.m., ABC. Researchers discuss whether differences in brain activity can explain contrasts between men and women.
"Law & Order," 9 p.m., NBC. In this rerun a stock analyst's body is found near a ferry terminal.
