Posted on: Saturday, March 19, 2005

Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

Tonight's Must-See

"Sometimes in April," 6 p.m., HBO. The horrors of the Rwanda genocide are impossible to grasp. In just 100 days, in a small country, 800,000 people were killed. For most, their only sin was belonging to the tribe not in power. There's no way to convey that, so writer-director Raoul Peck has focused on one fictional family. Augustin Muganza (Idris Elba) should be comfortable. A member of the ruling Hutu tribe, he's a captain in the Army. His brother is a popular radio figure, steeping verbal hatred at the minority Tutsi. But Muganza is married to a Tutsi. She's in danger. So are their sons and their daughter, who is at a Catholic boarding school. Desperate escape plans are needed. It also looks at the U.S. government's failure to help. Filmed mostly in Rwanda, it has beauty — visual, musical, emotional — amid great waves of pain. There are moments of brutal violence. More importantly, there's the shadow of bias and indifference.

Of Note

Basketball, all day, CBS. The second round of the NCAA tournament begins. Details may vary (check listings), but CBS expects to have games at 8 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.

"McLeod's Daughters" season-opener, 5, 8:30 p.m., WE (Women's Entertainment). This first-rate show. is set on a modern Australian ranch, co-owned by half-sisters. Claire is a lifelong rancher, Tess is a city kid, still learning.

"The Ten Commandments" (1956), 6 p.m., ABC. Many people consider this Cecil B. DeMille film, starring Charlton Heston, to be a masterwork. An alternative view is that it's stiffly acted and filmed and doesn't hold up well.

"LAX," 7 p.m., NBC. Airport managers (Heather Locklear and Blair Underwood) disagree as a plane prepares to take an African dissident back to his country, where he'll be executed.

"Saturday Night Live," 10:30 p.m., NBC. Ashton Kutcher hosts, with Gwen Stefani as musical guest.