Tube Notes
By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service
Tonight's Must-See
"Biography," 5 & 9 p.m., A&E. Few childhoods were as middle-of-the-road and middle American as Jane Pauley's. In her average Indianapolis house, her parents (Dick and Mary) had two daughters (Jane and Ann) and a dog. Pauley's lone setback came when she failed to make the cheerleader squad. By 25, Pauley was on the "Today" show. She would stay with NBC for 30 years. After retiring from "Dateline," she agreed to let NBC syndicate her non-network talk show in September of 2004.
This terrific hour has only two flaws: Her publicity-shy husband ("Doonesbury" cartoonist Garry Trudeau) doesn't appear and everyone else tends to gush. Making up for that is a superb use of clips that predate her "Today" appearances. We see Pauley in a TV world that didn't take women seriously. She and television matured admirably.
Of Note
"I Love the '70s," 3 & 6 p.m., VH1. The 1970s was a silly kind of decade, you know. It's appropriate that this series (continuing through Friday) takes a light approach. The opener flashes images — from little Michael Jackson to "The Newlywed Game" — and gets appropriately disrespectful comments from Mo Rocca, Michael Ian Black, Hal Sparks and pop-culture figures.
"Searching for Debra Winger" (2002), 5 p.m., Showtime. Many Hollywood people have accepted the notion that there are few good roles for women over 40. In this documentary, Rosanna Arquette (now 44) pursues the matter. She interviews young actresses and veterans. Winger, now 48, retired in 1996. Except for a small film directed by her husband, Arliss Howard, she's avoided acting. "Whatever it is that keeps you soft and keeps you open, that's what you should follow," she tells Arquette. "Show business just made me rough and hard."
Football, 6:30 p.m., ABC. Crushing defense meets high-octane offense when the Tampa Bay Bucs visit the St. Louis Rams.
"The O.C.," 7 p.m., Fox. If you missed Tuesday's episode catch this rerun. It's a good one, adding depth to the characters. On the eve of being sent to the foster home system, Ryan walks away. Seth finds a place for him to hide and Marissa helps out.
"Everybody Loves Raymond," 8 p.m., CBS. In a rerun, Debra's friends seem to have been helped by therapy. Now she wants the same.
