Posted on: Friday, August 13, 2004

Tube Notes

Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

Tonight's Must-See

Olympics opening ceremony, 6 p.m. to midnight, NBC. The pageantry and spectacle comes before the sweat and the strain begins. Tonight, the parade of nations reaches the Athens stadium. The torch returns to Greece, where the Olympics began so long ago. Expect NBC to make rich use of the Greek settings and history. Bob Costas, whose grandparents emigrated to America from Greece almost 90 years ago, will be the host.

Of Note

"Send Me No Flowers" (1964), noon, Turner Classic Movies. Doris Day and Rock Hudson had a pleasant string of romantic comedies, each with a sharp script and nimble direction. Here are three of them, as part of a 24-hour Doris marathon. The talented Norman Jewison directed "Flowers." "Lover Come Back" (2 p.m., 1961) has great support from Tony Randall. "Pillow Talk" (1959, 4 p.m.) has an Oscar-nominated script.

"Cop Land" (1997), 5, 9 p.m., Bravo. This intense, well-acted film is set in a New Jersey town where many New York City policemen live while claiming New York residences. It's a testosterone-filled place where the local sheriff (Sylvester Stallone) is overwhelmed. Now an Internal Affairs cop (Robert De Niro) investigates. The superb cast also includes Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta, John Spencer, Janeane Garofalo and Annabella Sciorra.

"Nighty Night," 7 p.m., Oxygen. There is a thin line between great humor and going too far. This episode skids back and forth as Jill (Julia Davis) keeps abusing the wheelchair-bound Cath, so she can spend time with her husband. It's beautifully played and sometimes, quite funny.

"AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Songs," 7 p.m., CBS. As the Olympics begin, other networks are stepping aside. Here is a rerun from earlier this summer. Experts selected the 100 best songs in movie history. John Travolta hosts.

"A Bug's Life" (1998), 8 and 9:40 p.m., Disney Channel. While the grown-ups are watching the Olympics or "Cop Land," their kids can rewatch this animated delight. Dave Foley voices the mild-mannered hero who must save his ant colony. Kevin Spacey is the villain, Julia Louis-Dreyfus is the romantic interest and Richard Kind brings strong comedy moments.