Posted on: Saturday, June 4, 2005

Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

Tonight's Must-See

"Bambi" (1942), 7 p.m., ABC. Maybe summer TV won't be so bad if the broadcast networks occasionally revisit the great films. Here is a cartoon that dares to do it all. It's funny, moving, even upsetting. It doesn't coddle viewers (young or old), but gives them a rich experience. The story follows a young deer. There are memorable moments — the humor of Thumper on ice, the tragic death of Bambi's mother, the triumph of Bambi's father. These are moments that stick with people long after the newer and blander cartoons are forgotten.

Of Note

"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" (2004), 5 p.m., HBO. The third Harry Potter film, starring Daniel Radcliffe in the title role. Here, the young wizard-in-training and his friends, Ron and Hermione, face a killer.

"Crimson Force" (2005), 6 p.m., Sci-Fi Channel. Sometime in the future the Earth's resources are dwindling rapidly. A expedition is sent to find out what's available on Mars. What it finds is an old civilization, wrapped up in a civil war. C. Thomas Howell stars, with David Chokachi and Steven Williams.

"The General's Daughter" (1999), 7 p.m., NBC. This complex murder story from a Nelson DeMille novel has been drastically trimmed to fit a two-hour slot. John Travolta plays an Army investigator who proves the murder of a captain, whose father is a general. He soon finds that there are seedy things, most of which are being covered up. The supporting cast includes Madeleine Stowe, James Woods and Clarence Williams III.

"Cold Case," 7 p.m., CBS. This case flashes all the way back to 1943, when a shy factory worker was killed. Lilly learns that the victim had secrets.

"Without a Trace," 8 p.m., CBS. This reruns an episode that was a favorite with fans. Tony Goldwyn plays twins. One of them — but which one? — may be guilty of murder.

"America's Funniest Home Videos," 9 p.m., ABC. The show, which pops around the schedule lately, pops up on a Saturday. It has a not-too-timely look at videos dealing with Thanksgiving.