Posted on: Saturday, July 24, 2004

Tube Notes

Mike Hughes,
Gannett News Service

Tonight's Must-See

"Trading Spaces: Raising the Roof," 9,10 and 11 p.m., TLC. This popular show does its good deed tonight. It focuses on two houses built by Habitat For Humanity in Pennsylvania. For each, the remodeling and home-decorating budget has been nudged up to $12,500. Expect a happy ending.

"Chicken Run," (2000), 7 p.m., NBC. For years, British animator Nick Park has pleased audiences and won awards with the droll delights of his "Wallace and Gromit" shorts. Here he has tackled a movie-length story, drawing favorable reviews.

The setting is a barnyard where the animals plot their escape. That's done in Park's understated manner, voiced by British and Australian actors who understand his humor. They include Mel Gibson, Julie Sawalha (the "Absolutely Fabulous" daughter), Miranda Richardson and Jane Horrocks ("Little Voice").

Of Note

"Tremors 4: The Legend Begins," 6 and 10 p.m., Sci Fi Channel. Michael Gross, who was in the first three "Tremors" films, stars in this prequel. This time he's Hiram Gummer, an ancestor of his usual character. In the 19th century, he tries to stop giant worm creatures.

"Unbreakable," (2000), 7 p.m., ABC. With writer-director M. Night Shyamalan's next movie ("The Village") coming next weekend, ABC offers one of his previous films, with Bruce Willis as the lone survivor of a violent train crash. A stranger (Sam-uel L. Jackson) keeps trying to tell him there is more to this than he realizes.

"The Amazing Race," 7 p.m., CBS. CBS has decided to rerun this excellent reality show leading into a new "Big Brother" at 8 p.m. At this point, there are nine amazing-racer duos left, dashing across the globe.

"Missing," 7 p.m., Lifetime. After starting the season with two entertaining episodes, "Missing" changes pace with a tough, tense hour. It's an interesting try but a flawed one. The problem starts when a judge gets a note: Her daughter has been kidnapped and will be killed if a defendant isn't freed.

"Crime of Passion," (2003), 8 p.m., Pax. A fairly well-crafted mystery set in wine country. Cynthia Gibb tries to hold the family business together while probing a murder.

"Without a Trace," 9 p.m., CBS. A 14-year-old violinist disappears shortly before her big concert.