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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, November 11, 2002

Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

Tonight's Must-See

"Crossing Jordan," 9 p.m., NBC. No mere procedural tale, solving a crime a week, "Jordan" sometimes goes for more. This episode begins with an early-morning bombing, killing hundreds. Jordan (Jill Hennessy) must comfort a lone survivor who might not get out. Those are strong scenes. Even better are the ones in which her boss (Miguel Ferrer) compassionately deals with his staff and with an odd bystander. There are flaws here: Jordan's scenes are similar to a classic "Homicide" episode; some of the plot points are wildly unlikely. Still, it's easy to forgive that. This hour has strong surprises, great acting and powerful emotions.


Of Note

"American Experience: Jimmy Carter," 9 p.m., PBS; concludes Tuesday. As the Bicentennial neared, the unknown Jimmy Carter was the kind of man Americans yearned for. "He offered a biography we wanted to hear — a farmer, Plains, Main Street values," historian Douglas Brinkley says here. His straight-ahead morality propelled him through the election, the human-rights campaign and the Middle East peace talks; it left him helpless against inflation and Iran. Tonight's opener captures the complexities, going from his childhood in segregated Georgia to his first year in the White House.

"Third Watch," 8 p.m., NBC. Caught in a grocery-store fire with his mother, Bosco can only help some people.

"Antony and Cleopatra: Passion For Power," 7 & 11 p.m., A&E. This documentary tells a much richer story about the classic couple. Cleopatra was an intellectual, well-read and articulate and a gifted administrator. She had average looks, but used her smarts to snag the bright Julius Caesar and his thicker-headed general, Marc Antony. She maneuvered brilliantly but went too far, taking Egypt to the edge of ruin.

"CSI: Miami," 9 p.m., CBS. A blood-soaked toddler may be the only survivor of a multiple murder.