Posted on: Wednesday, September 22, 2004
Tube Notes
By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service
Tonight's Must-See
"Lost" debut, 7 p.m., ABC. As a man regains consciousness, he's lying in a jungle, wearing a suit jacket. He's trying to remember who he is and how he got there. From that first, fascinating moment "Lost" has our attention. This is from J.J. Abrams, the "Alias" producer and it has his touches.
The two-hour opener (continuing next week) has great visuals, strong stories and good actors inside compelling characters. They're survivors of a plane crash. Especially interesting are Matthew Fox ("Party of Five") as a doctor, Dominic Monaghan (the "Lord of the Rings" movies and Hetty Wainthropp mysteries) as a fading pop star and Evangeline Lilly as a mysterious beauty. Now they have to build a society. This could be a terrific series. Of Note
"Dr. Phil: Family First," 7 p.m., CBS. Phil McGraw talks about the families of celebrities and regular people. He even puts cameras in people's homes so you can see what they're doing wrong. "Smallville" season opener, 7 p.m., WB. This might be the busiest hour of the season. Lois Lane, the Metropolis reporter, visits Smallville. Dr. Swann, played by Christopher Reeve, is back. Clark, Lex and Pa Kent have medical crises. Clark also finally learns he can fly. "Law & Order," 8 and 9 p.m., NBC. Jerry Orbach is gone now, working on a midseason spin-off. Dennis Farina, a former Chicago cop, is the new police detective. The first hour — rather extremely ripped from headlines — involves a female Army reservist involved in a prison-abuse scandal; the second involves a ferry crash. "The Bachelor" season opener, 8 p.m., ABC. This show is 0-for-5 in making marriages, so it's changing. The people involved are a little older. There are two men, with the 25 women choosing one tonight and ousting the other. The chosen one will live in the same mansion as the women, possibly getting a better idea of who these women are. "The Mountain" debut, 8 p.m., WB. Oliver Hudson — Goldie Hawn's son and Kate Hudson's brother — plays a playful guy who is suddenly in charge of the family's ski resort. It's a sweeping story that may need a while to engage us. "The Question of God," 9 p.m., PBS. Here's the second half of an interesting, four-hour series, examining faith through the opposite views of Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis. "CSI: NY" debut, 9 p.m., CBS. The forensic detectives take New York in the smart "CSI" spin-off It has strong actors — Gary Sinise, Melina Kanakaredes and Hill Harper — in charge.
