Posted on: Friday, September 3, 2004

Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

Tonight's Must-See

"Who Framed Roger Rabbit" (1988), 8 and 10 p.m., Disney Channel. On a weak night for the networks, this is a good time to revisit this delightful film. A human detective (Bob Hoskins) visits Toon Town, which is filled with the great cartoon characters. That was done so seamlessly that there were Academy Awards for the special effects and the animation. Still, technical tricks never are enough. Great animation can soar with a good script ("Toy Story," for instance) and sag with a so-so one ("Father of the Pride"). Fortunately, "Roger Rabbit" ripples with wit and talent. Robert Zemeckis ("Forrest Gump") directed skillfully. Steven Spielberg produced, and his ex-wife, Amy Irving, provided the singing voice of Jessica Rabbit; Kathleen Turner creates Jessica's sexy speaking voice.

Of Note

"Save the Last Dance" (2001), 6, 8 p.m., TNT. In his TV days, Thomas Carter was the brilliant director of the pilots for "Miami Vice," "St. Elsewhere" and more. In this movie, he took a so-so plot and made a richly textured film. Julia Stiles plays a white, teen dancer who moves from a small town to the city; Sean Patrick Thomas is a black teen who shows her hip-hop moves and romance.

"She's Too Young" (2004), 6 p.m., Lifetime. Alexis Dziena plays a sweet girl in a high school with sexual expectations. Terrific performances by her and by Marcia Gay Harden, as her mom, make up for a relatively one-note script.

"Joan of Arcadia," 7 p.m., CBS. God tells Joan to go to a dance with a tough guy. That upsets her parents and her own love life.

"The George Lopez Show," 7 p.m., ABC. George's mom is accused of vandalizing the factory.

"8 Simple Rules," 7:30 p.m., ABC. There is a new principal at the girls' school. The problem is that their mom used to date him.