Posted on: Wednesday, March 9, 2005

Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

Tonight's Must-See

"CBS Evening News," 5:30 p.m.; "Dan Rather: A Reporter Remembers," 7 p.m.; both CBS. For decades, Dan Rather has been the face of CBS news. He's been strong, smart, quirky, relentless and (occasionally) flawed. Now is his last day as anchor and managing editor of the newscast. It's also the 24th anniversary of the day he started those jobs. At 73, he'll work for "60 Minutes" and other projects, including tonight's special, which views 50 years of history in his words.

"American Dreams," 7 p.m., NBC. After nurturing "Dreams" on Sundays, NBC has dispatched it to a tough Wednesday slot. "American Dreams" is a hugely ambitious effort, viewing the 1960s through one Philadelphia family. It does that with an endless flurry of bite-sized scenes. Tonight, Meg gives the high school graduation speech on the same day that black activist Stokely Carmichael (played by R&B singer Brian McKnight) speaks. Racial issues swirl in her own life while her dad has trouble on the City Council. All of this is interesting. None — in these tiny morsels — is compelling.

Of Note

"Lost," 7 p.m., ABC. This reruns the episode flashing back to the past of Jack (Matthew Fox), an earnest doctor who struggled under his father's shadow.

"The Matrix" (1999), 6, 8:30 p.m., TNT. Keanu Reeves ends up in an alternate universe in a movie that dazzled with its special effects.

"School of Rock" (2004), 6 p.m., Showtime. This fun little movie manages to please kids and adults with its mixture of wit and music. Jack Black stars as a loud rocker who becomes a music teacher almost by accident. Mike White, who co-stars as his roommate, wrote the clever script. Richard Linklater ("Before Sunset") directed crisply.

"The West Wing," 8 p.m., NBC. "Super Tuesday" is near with many of the presidential primaries. First, Santos (Jimmy Smits) faces a tough question. Should he support controversial California legislation that would give drivers' licenses to illegal immigrants?

"American Idol," 8 p.m., Fox. Four singers will be eliminated. That cuts the field to its final 12 moving the show to its next phase.

"King of Queens," 8 p.m., CBS. In a rerun, Doug refuses his wife's suggestion that he attend a group for overeaters.

"South Park," 8 p.m., Comedy Central. Who would have thought this nasty, yet funny show would last? Tonight, it starts its ninth season.

"Chapelle's Show," 8:30 p.m., Comedy Central. This reruns the episode in which comedian Dave Chappelle envisions what America would be like if President Bush were black. Jamie Foxx does a hilarious turn as the black British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Mos Def puts in an appearance, too.