Tube Notes
By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service
Tonight's Must-See
"Bill Maher: Victory Begins at Home," 7 p.m., HBO. In a time filled with the pat and predictable, the world needs Bill Maher. Now HBO is delivering a double shot. First is this standup special. It's live from the Hudson Theatre in New York. Then comes the return of his "Real Time With Bill Maher." A fresh batch of 10 episodes begins on Friday.
"Bowfinger" (1999), 8 p.m., NBC. Three major comedic talents combined for this film: Steve Martin wrote and co-starred with Eddie Murphy. Frank Oz (the voice of Miss Piggy of the Muppets and Yoda of "Star Wars" fame) directed. Murphy plays both a dashing movie star and a bumbling lookalike. Martin is a Hollywood lowlife with a scheme to include the star in a movie without letting him know it. It's an odd plot but critics tended to think "Bowfinger" had some good moments.
Of Note
"The Untouchables" (1987), 5 & 8:30 p.m., Bravo. The old TV show became a taut, terrific movie. Kevin Costner stars as crimebuster Eliot Ness with great support from Robert De Niro (as Al Capone) and — in an Oscar-winning performance — Sean Connery.
"Krippendorf's Tribe" (1998), 7 p.m., ABC. Richard Dreyfuss plays an anthropology professor who has spent all his money but still hasn't found a lost tribe in New Guinea. Naturally, he creates a fake tribe, starring his kids in their own back yard.
"Just Shoot Me," 7 and 7:30 p.m., NBC. Two new episodes air back to back. In the first, Jack and Finch try to work on a charity project with a hated rival. Things go bad when Finch falls for the guy's assistant. In the second, Nina is all set to marry her rock-star boyfriend — except she hasn't told him she has a current husband, played by Jon Lovitz.
"Hack," 8 p.m., CBS. In a rerun, the cop who got Mike (David Morse) thrown off the force now wants him to help bust his former partner (Andre Braugher).
"The District," 9 p.m., CBS. Someone is killing people who have interracial relationships. This is a rerun.
"Saturday Night Live," 10:30 p.m., NBC. Here is a rerun of the season opener. Matt Damon hosts. Bruce Springsteen is the musical guest.
