Posted on: Friday, May 2, 2008
Tube Notes
By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service
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Former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, photographed in Liverpool, England, in January. Starr talks about the good old days, at 8 on HBO.
AP library photo
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TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE
"Gulliver's Travels" (1996), 6 p.m., Ion (formerly Pax).
At a time when TV had lost interest in miniseries, Robert Halmi produced this epic. It has the perfect mixture of whimsy, special effects, lush filmmaking and quality actors.
Yes, the story (from the classic novel) is too episodic. Still, some episodes - especially a satire of academia - are brilliant; they let director Charles Sturridge ("Brideshead Revisited") briefly insert top stars.
Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen play the traveller and his stunned wife. In support are Peter O'Toole, John Geilgud, Alfre Woodard, Omar Sharif, Kristin Scott Thomas and more.
TONIGHT'S MIGHT-SEE
"Ringo Starr: Off the Record," 8 p.m., HBO.
Gently coaxed by musician Dave Stewart, Ringo Starr recalls the early Beatle days. He speaks fondly of people who lived, wrote and recorded in close quarters, molding a unified and joyous sound.
OF NOTE
"Ghost Whisperer," 7 p.m., CBS. Professor Payne (Jay Mohr) has woman troubles. His former girlfriend (Nikki Cox) is back; so is his wife's ghost.
"Are We There Yet?" (2005), 7 p.m., Fox. Mohr is in this one, too, but the star is Ice Cube. He plays an overwhelmed guy, taking his family on a road trip.
"The 40-Year-Old Virgin" (2005, USA Network), "The Incredibles" (2004, Disney Channel), both at 8 p.m. and "Jurassic Park" (1993, AMC), at 5 p.m. Here are three popular movies cable viewers will turn to before the Fox film. There's a Steve Carell comedy, a Pixar animated tale and a Steven Spielberg adventure.
"Man vs. Wild" season-opener, 6 p.m., Discovery. Just in case we need to know, Bear Grylls shows how to survive in the Zambian jungle and how to survive enormous rapids.
"Moonlight," 8 p.m., CBS. A starlet wants a bodyguard.
"Numb3rs," 9 p.m., CBS. After a poisoning at a cult compound, the survivors don't want medical attention.
"Battlestar Galactica," 7 p.m., Sci Fi. Amid the search for the Earth that Kara claims she's seen, there's tension between her and her crew.
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