Posted on: Monday, June 7, 2004

Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

Tonight's Must-See

"5 Days to Midnight" debut, 6 and 8 p.m., Sci-Fi Channel. J.T. Neumeyer (Timothy Hutton) is a physics professor, a smart and somber widower. He loves his 10-year-old daughter (Gage Golightly), likes his new lover (Kari Matchett) and is wary of his new discovery — a briefcase made of futuristic material. Inside are news and police reports about his death, five days in the future. He considers it a cruel prank — as smart guys always do. Then he wonders if it might be true. What emerges is a surprisingly solid, well-made drama. Once you accept the premise — this is Sci-Fi after all — there's a logic here. Hutton is terrific, as are Golightly, Matchett and (as a hyper grad student) Hamish Linklater. Each of the days unfolds as a TV hour through Thursday. This will hook you in.

Of Note

"Perfect Romance," 6 p.m., Lifetime. Here is a delightful twist on the old Cyrano de Bergerac tale. When her attractive daughter (Lori Heuring) is in the doldrums, a mom (Kathleen Quinlan) decides to find her a boyfriend. She pretends to be her daughter, writing warm messages to a guy on the Internet. This clever film may not surprise you, but it will please you.

"South Pacific," 7 p.m., ABC. Here is a chance to savor some lush entertainment. It is a beautifully filmed 2001 remake of the musical about love, prejudice and danger in a tropical paradise darkened by World War II. Glenn Close, who was then 54, was miscast as a wide-eyed newcomer. You'll soon forgive that, however, because she and the others — including Harry Connick Jr. and Robert Pastorelli — are so good.

"Everybody Loves Raymond," 8 p.m., CBS. As Robert and Amy return from their honeymoon, his mom is at her most extreme. Unlike Debra, this may be one daughter-in-law she can manipulate. Then Debra intervenes, in an episode that is darkly hilarious.

"For Love or Money" season opener, 8 p.m., NBC. This show seems in a hurry to wrap itself up. In a furious, two-hour opener, it narrows the field from 16 to six. That's fine, because this bachelor (a pleasant-faced chap named Preston) seems generic and boring. Many of the women show a coldness that makes them tough to care about. This isn't a place for warmth, anyway: There are varying amounts of money at stake — semi-secret ones ranging from $1 to $1 million — depending on his choice and what she decides.