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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, March 25, 2002

Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

Tonight's Must-See

• "Masterpiece Theatre: A Death in the Family," 9 p.m., PBS. James Agee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel has been adapted into a film that's elegantly directed (by Gilbert Cates) and acted. Still, we're not really sure the story is complete. The setting is Knoxville, Tenn., in 1915. Rufus, age 7, is being raised by a conservative mom (Annabeth Gish) and a buoyant, cheerful dad (John Slattery). Life is comfortable, especially with his grandfather (James Cromwell) owning a thriving business. Then comes a tragedy. People react and adjust; the story ends. Agee was still writing this when he died of a heart attack in 1955, at 45. Editors finished the book, which drew praise. The movie seems richly crafted, but incomplete.

• "Gentle Ben," 3, 5 & 7 p.m., Animal Planet. Here's a well-meaning movie, reworking the 1967 CBS series about a boy and his bear. This time, he's a city kid who moves to the wilderness home of his uncle (Dean Cain), the local lawman. He meets a cute girl, a crabby sheep rancher (Corbin Bernsen) and a bear. There are no plot surprises here, but the settings are pretty and the people are pleasant.

Of Note

• "Boston Public," 7 p.m., FOX. Here's a quick rerun of the controversial episode in which students and teachers debate use of the "n" word.

• "Bachelor" premiere, 8 p.m., ABC. Think of this as "Chains of Love" meets "Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire?" Tonight, 25 women meet one wealthy guy. In the weeks ahead he's supposed to trim that down to one woman to propose to.

• "The Lost Battalion," (2001), 7 & 11 p.m., History Channel. Beautifully filmed, this tells the true story of an American unit — reluctantly led by a lawyer-turned-officer (Rick Schroder) — that was surrounded in a crucial World War I battle.