Posted on: Friday, October 15, 2004
Tube Notes
By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service
Tonight's Must-See
"Thoughtcrimes," 9 p.m., USA Network. While at her prom, a sweet teenager reaches information overload. She can hear everyone's thoughts. It is a cacophony that leaves her institutionalized. Years later, scientists show up. Maybe this ability, if channeled, could be used to catch bad guys. That plot could have been cheesy. Fortunately, "Thoughtcrimes" was in good hands; it has an intelligent script by Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer and sharp direction by Breck Eisner. Instead of using connections (his dad, Michael, runs Disney and ABC), Eisner has made it on his own. He directed beautifully with the right mix of chaos and clarity.
The lead role goes to Navi Rawat, who is partly of Indian descent and played the Iranian daughter in "House of Sand and Fog." It's a skillful and understated performance. "Thoughtcrimes" looks like a rejected pilot. Joe Flanigan, one of the stars, has since been cast in "Stargate: Atlantis." Maybe USA could re-think its rejection. Of Note
"Joan of Arcadia," 7 p.m., CBS. Cloris Leachman shows up as the eccentric aunt of Joan's mother. Also, Annie Potts joins the cast as the new boss of Will's father. "Hope & Faith," 8 p.m., ABC. Having been thrown out by her brother-in-law, Faith (Kelly Ripa) is still searching for an apartment. That's difficult because she has a bad credit rating. "Third Watch," 8 p.m., NBC. Yokas is just starting her new life as a single person and a police detective. Her partner is a veteran (Aidan Quinn) and their case involves an apparent suicide, with a videotape left behind. Meanwhile, Charles Haid ("Hill Street Blues") plays a rookie's father, a police captain whom Sully hates. "Medical Investigation," 9 p.m., NBC. When tough college football players come down with a nerve disease, the doctors are perplexed. That gets even more confusing when some sorority sisters have the same disease. "Dr. Vegas," 9 p.m., CBS. A dying man wants to spend his last days in a Las Vegas casino. That experience causes Billy (Rob Lowe) to rethink his relationship with Alice, his medical colleague.
