Posted on: Friday, July 30, 2004

Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

Tonight's Must-See

"Evel Knievel," 5, 7 p.m., TNT. For some kids, motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel was a bigger-than-life hero. "He represented the ultimate manhood and courage," recalls George Eads, who portrays him in this movie. "I wanted to be like him as a kid ... I had Superman, I had Spider-man, I had Evel Knievel." On a tangible level, Knievel showed skills. "Every kind of sport that he ever tried, he was really good at," says director John Badham ("Saturday Night Fever"), who researched and directed this film. Still, he added something else. "The athletic aspects of Evel are certainly there, but also, he had the chops as a showman," says actor Beau Bridges. "He really knew how to put on an event." Bridges, who has portrayed master showman P.T. Barnum, plays Knievel's father-in-law. Jaime Pressly plays his wife. The real-life Evel wasn't involved with the film but his son has endorsed it. "I think the whole family is really going to like it," Robbie Knievel says.

Of Note

"Joan of Arcadia," 7 p.m., CBS. When God tells her to join the chess club, Joan fears she's losing any chance to seem cool.

"Dateline," 7 p.m., NBC. Scheduled — barring a late change for news — is a two-hour look at the death penalty, including the controversial decision by George Ryan to commute the sentences of 171 death row inmates — on one of his last days as governor of Illinois.

"Stargate Atlantis," 7, 9 p.m., Sci-Fi. The little "puddle-jumper" ship is trapped in the Stargate. That is, presumably, even worse than being stuck in an elevator.

"The Jury," 8 p.m., Fox. Jurors tackle a complex murder case, possibly centering on control of an American Indian casino.

"Hope & Faith," 8 p.m., ABC. Here's a much lighter view of jury duty. Hope (Faith Ford) gets jury duty; Faith (Kelly Ripa) is bitter about being rejected.

"Real Time with Bill Maher," 8 p.m., HBO. Back for the election season since going on hiatus in March, Maher continues hosting duties for his contentious, no-holds-barred, and often quite funny roundtable yak-fests. With the Democratic Convention over, expect a few body blows thrown at the Kerry/Edwards ticket.

"Biography," 7, 9, 10 and 11 p.m., A&E. First are profiles of the Osmond family and of David Cassidy. The final hour profiles "The Partridge Family," the comedy that helped turn Cassidy into a pop star.