New on the tube

The Oblongs Airs: 7:30 p.m. Sundays, WB (Channel 62); episodes this Sunday only at 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. Stars: Voices of Will Ferrell, Jean Smart, Randy and Jason Sklar, Jeannie Elias, Pamela Segall Adlon, Billy West, Lea DeLaria. In brief: Animated tales of a freaky family from cartoonist Angus Oblong. But is it any good? There is a certain ghoulish purity to Oblong's work. Every character is drawn in a uniquely hideous way. There are dad (Ferrell), an armless, legless Fred MacMurray type; Mom (Smart, see interview with her on today's Showtime page), a willowy chain-smoking boozer who wears ill-fitting wigs; the boys, Siamese twins joined at the buttocks (the Sklars), a problem child with the dimensions of a newborn (Adlon), and so on. The writing made me chuckle twice (I watched three episodes), but I'm not the target audience. The show's outlook is sophomoric and nihilistic - it's the old gross-out Mad magazine of the '50s, slickly packaged for TV. Is it a survivor? The WB's first animated try, "Mission Hill," sank like a stone. If this sort of thing appeals to you, catch it while you can. >>>

Take note

Pax alert For Pax TV fans who are tired of seeing the ghost of Larry Moore flickering in the background, good news: Time Warner Cable is moving KPXE off cable Channel 9, where many customers reported seeing interference from KMBC, the over-the-air Channel 9. KPXE can now be seen on cable Channel 16. The two channels will simulcast until Friday; then Time Warner will shut off Channel 9. Time Warner Cable is also introducing a new "Faith and Values" package Friday with six new religious and family-friendly networks joining Catholic channel EWTN. Existing digital customers will be upgraded at no cost; others wanting just these channels can get them for $2 a month plus normal cable fees. - Aaron Barnhart/The Star Still Monkee-ing around "StarGazing" coverboy Davy Jones had some additional quips during that interview in Florida. First, the 55-year-old is single again after ending a four-year relationship this winter. "It's a bit of a heartache to me, but I'll get through it." He's still friendly with both his ex-wives, the mothers of his four daughters, who range in age from 12 to 32. "The best thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." And he still thinks he can do it. Rock, that is. "I'm the only good-looking aging rock star left from the '60s." Jones, whose Monkees are touring again, said he's still amazed at the depth of fan passion for himself and the new breed of teen stars. He recently talked with Lou Pearlman, who developed 'N Sync, the Backstreet Boys and Natural, a boy band that's opening for the Monkees. "So, I'm talking to Lou about these kids, Natural, and the incredible phenomenon that was the Monkees, that is 'N Sync and the Backstreet Boys, and I say to him, 'Lou, when will all this end?' "And Lou says, 'When they stop making little girls.' " Flying machines The history of America's aviation pioneers has proved a durable subject. William Braznell looks at his father's history and the emergence of the airlines as commercially viable companies in An Airman's Odyssey: Walt Braznell and the Pilots He Led Into the Jet Age, a 229-page volume of text and photos published by the University of Missouri-Columbia and priced at $34.95. It's an interesting story of how air travel has evolved from the most dangerous to the safest form of mass transit. -John Mark Eberhart/The Star >>>

New on the tube

My Wife and Kids Airs: 7 p.m., ABC (Channel 9) with back-to-back episodes Stars: Damon Wayans, Tisha Campbell-Martin, George Gore II, Jazz Raycole, Parker McKenna Posey. In brief: Upwardly mobile couple teach their kids the darndest things. But is it any good? D.L. Hughley was right: This show is "The Hughleys" all over again. Wayans is passable as a grumpy dad, but the story lines are overly familiar, and the writing makes "The Cosby Show" seem like word-jazz. Is it a survivor? Considering that this is the network that brought us "Home Improvement" and "TGIF," it's sure been a long time since ABC had a hit family comedy. Don't look for that to change. Boot Camp Airs: 8 p.m., Fox (Channel 4), for eight weeks Stars: Four Marine Corps-trained drill instructors and 16 (why is it always 16?) everyday folks in fatigues. In brief: Reality show. You know the drill. A few days of simulated excitement, then the lowliest recruit is voted off. (The twist: Loser will choose another player to leave with him or her.) But is it any good? Dunno. Fox didn't send a tape. I'm confident, however, that "Boot Camp" will aspire to the same high standards of that last Fox reality series, "Temptation Island." Is it a survivor? It certainly won't disgrace the network on Wednesday nights, where ratings have been not great for Fox. Whether it disgraces the good name of the Marine Corps is another story. @ART CAPTION:Damon Wayans @ART:Photos (3, color and b/w) >>>

What about Joan

Airs: 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays, ABC (Channel 9) Stars: Joan Cusack, Kyle Chandler, Donna Murphy, Jessica Hecht, Wallace Langham, Kellie Shanygne Williams In brief: Chicagoans fall in and out of love. But is it any good? Certainly one of the louder sitcoms of recent years. Cusack's character yells, carries on and generally teeters on the edge of a breakdown. But after a while she starts to grow on you. The writing crackles. Chandler, who apparently didn't leave Chicago after "Early Edition" folded, is merely OK as the Greg to her Dharma. Is it a survivor? As I just hinted, "What About Joan" is a natural to follow "Dharma & Greg." Whether audiences follow depends on how much sustained wackiness they can take. @ART CAPTION:Cusack @ART CREDIT:ABC @ART:Photo (color) >>>

Well, excuse him ... Martin can't pump life into a slow Oscar show

Blame Billy Crystal. This year the seven-time Academy Awards host excused himself from the job that has practically become a tenured position for him, leaving the emceeing chores up to Steve Martin. Crystal had set the gold standard for Oscar night - as Bob Hope and Johnny Carson did in generations past. Because of that, the academy apparently felt free to let the running time of the awards extend deeper and deeper into the night. Last year's Oscarcast was clocked at well over four hours. After all, if three hours of Billy is a gas, four hours of Billy is a riot. Not so with Martin, a comedian with impeccable taste and exquisite manners, whose specialty is telling screamingly funny self-mocking jokes. Even though it was his first time as host, Martin has presented the gold statuette eight times and is no stranger to live television, having been host of "Saturday Night Live" more times than anyone else. Yet by the halfway point of the 73rd annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles, it was clear he could do nothing to keep the show's built-in bloat from overwhelming viewers. Crystal, somehow, knew how to pump life into the broadcast. Martin, for all his charm and comedic prowess, did not. He tried gamely. After being introduced by NASA astronauts in a video shot aboard their spacecraft, Martin joked, "By the way, that introduction cost the government 1 trillion dollars, so there goes your tax cut." Some jokes were not so innocent, as when Martin undressed Penelope Cruz with lines I don't even dare summarize here. You heard them. You wish you hadn't. But that's OK. Martin, who killed in another emcee gig last November - at the National Book Awards - is just getting started at the Oscars. Bring him back next year. Considering shows before the broadcast, ABC had the time to air Barbara Walters interviews with movie stars Ben Stiller and John Travolta as well as that noted movie legend Faith Hill. (Hill has starred in several short live-action features that you can see around the clock on Country Music Television.) At least Hill - with her slightly racy descriptions of how she and her superstar hubby Tim McGraw plan to keep the spark in their marriage - had something to say. The segment with Travolta felt more like a "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" piece, while Stiller followed in the tradition of David Letterman, Carson and other comics who are deadly in the interview box. With each passing year, Joan Rivers becomes increasingly irrelevant to Oscar night. For her special on cable's E! channel this year, she opened with a monologue in which she cracked one lame Hollywood joke after the next. She tried something fashionable - using the movie "Dude, Where's My Car?" as a punchline - but alas, poor Joan called it "Dude, Where Is My Car?" instead. This woman is the arbiter of what's up-to-date? "We are live," squawked Rivers, "which means anything can happen, but in my case, it rarely does." I couldn't have said it better. You can reach Aaron Barnhart through the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com. >>>

Bookish Martin's comic sense was fine enough for Oscar

You realize why the Academy Awards host has virtually become a tenured position for Billy Crystal. When he takes a sabbatical, things just don't quite seem the same. It's not that Steve Martin was a disappointment during his first turn as Oscars emcee. A couple of his early jokes probably weren't what the academy had in mind, but overall he was in fine comic form, playing the droll, self-mocking Hollywood snob he's perfected over the years in appearances on talk shows and "Saturday Night Live." But Crystal has a knack for knowing when to pump up a sagging broadcast with an improvised line or a little slapstick. Martin, however, rarely seemed to deviate from his well-stocked arsenal of prepared gems. And though his cool, urbane demeanor was reminiscent of two great Oscar hosts of the past - Bob Hope and Johnny Carson - it felt slightly out of place in the hype-charged spectacle that the Oscars have become. You could almost see the celebrities cringing in their close-up shots as Martin made them the butt of jokes during a name-dropping monologue. Today Martin is probably regretting the dagger he casually threw at one of the night's honorees, 81-year-old producer Dino De Laurentiis. "Or," Martin said, "as Anna Nicole Smith calls him, fresh meat." Just then, director Louis Horvitz cut to a close-up of De Laurentiis sitting next to a young blond woman. His wife. The broadcast clocked in at a speedy 3 1/2 hours. Acceptance speeches were short and to the point. Even the annual musical tribute to the movies had a certain minimalist charm. Violinist Itzhak Perlman and cellist Yo-Yo Ma serenaded the audience with a medley of music from the five nominees for Best Score. And there were other highlights: Randy Newman's performance of Best Song nominee "A Fool in Love" from "Meet the Parents," an Oscar-sized production that nonetheless was carried along by Newman's singular sparkle. Cinematographer Jack Cardiff receiving a career achievement award for 70 years in the business - then chewing out Dustin Hoffman for not handing him his trophy. "Can't take him anywhere!" Cardiff harrumphed. Hong Kong natives Peter Pau and Tan Dun, for their exuberant acceptance speeches for "Crouching Tiger." There were a few low moments, too. Like when Martin undressed Penelope Cruz with jokes I don't even dare summarize here. You heard them. You wish you hadn't. Martin's wit is almost stealth these days. Quite a contrast to his wild-and-crazy-guy persona in the 1970s. A few years ago he started contributing to the New Yorker. Last year he published a novella and, for the second year in a row, emceed the National Book Awards. Maybe that explains why he came off just a tad bookish last night. But he did fine for a first go-around. Billy Crystal should graciously find another "scheduling conflict" next year and let Martin try again. You can reach Aaron Barnhart through the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com. @ART CAPTION:Steve Martin delivers his opening monologue at the 73rd Annual Academy Awards show Sunday night. @ART:Photo (color) @ART CREDIT:KEVORK DJANSEZIAN/The Associated Press >>>

Grading the Oscar cast

First-time host Steve Martin was no Billy Crystal, but overall he was in fine comic form Sunday. Martin's urbane demeanor was reminiscent of past Oscar hosts Bob Hope and Johnny Carson, although it felt slightly out of pace with today's hype-charged Academy Awards. The show was rolling the credits by 11 p.m. - a speedy (by Oscar standards) 3 1/2-hour telecast. Acceptance speeches were short - well, except for Julia Roberts'. @ART CAPTION:Steve Martin was host of the Oscars for the first time. @ART:Photo (color) @ART CREDIT:KEVORK DJANSEZIAN/The Associated Press >>>

KCTV goes to Hartford for new anchor

Twenty years later Hartford, Conn., finally has repaid Kansas City for stealing Gayle King. KCTV, Channel 5, announced this week that the anchor chair formerly occupied by Tracy Townsend has been awarded to Dee Griffin, currently an anchor-reporter at WFSB-TV in Hartford. Griffin joins the station April 16; she'll work opposite Russell Kinsaul on KCTV's 6 p.m. newscasts and Wendall Anschutz at 10 p.m. It was WFSB that in 1981 called King, then a rising anchor-reporter at WDAF, Channel 4, and asked if she'd like to become a full-time anchor. In Hartford, King became a star; later, she landed her own syndicated talk show and then a daily news-talk program on the Oxygen channel. WFSB is the same station sending Griffin to KCTV. She worked there 3 1/2 years, most recently in the steppingstone position of reporter and weekend anchor. Before that, the Augusta, Ga., native worked at stations in her hometown and in Tupelo, Miss. "Dee has been a very active member of the Hartford community," said KCTV news director Don North. "She is looking forward to doing the same right here in Kansas City," where, North added, her father and other family members now live. The move didn't surprise insiders. For weeks it had been rumored that the two top contenders for Townsend's old job were Harris Faulkner and someone from WFSB (which, like KCTV, is owned by Meredith Corp.). Faulkner, now in the Twin Cities, flatly denied she was considering a move. That left Griffin. Also joining KCTV next month is Teri Schaefer, who joins her husband, political reporter Dave Helling, in making the jump from Channel 4 to Channel 5. Schaefer will start her general-assignment reporter duties April 9. Channel 5 is venturing once more into the dusty realm of local programming with "KC-B2B," a half-hour show focusing on area entrepreneurs. Former CBS producer Mark Honer created the show. The pilot episode, airing 11:30 a.m. March 31, will profile three local businesses: software company Raviant Networks, the Board of Public Utilities in Kansas City, Kan., and Event Management International, an up-and-coming corporate hospitality firm. Though a preview wasn't available, a press release promised that these businesses would "get the recognition they deserve" on the program. And Honer said that after the program airs the companies could get copies of their profiles to show to prospective clients. So viewers shouldn't expect hard-hitting investigative journalism out of "KC-B2B." But then, who ever accused CNBC or "Moneyline" of being hard-hitting? Not much changed ratings-wise during the February "sweeps," though KSHB, Channel 41, is coming awfully close to claiming third place in the crucial 10 p.m. news derby. As usual, KMBC, Channel 9, won every time period in which it aired newscasts - including the 1 a.m. repeat of its 10 p.m. news, according to Nielsen Media Research. KCTV finished a solid second at 5, 6 and 10 but fared poorly in the morning. At 9:30 p.m., the height of prime time, KSHB was the most-watched station in town, with Channel 5 (CBS) running second and Channel 9 (ABC) third. By 10:15, however, many of those NBC and CBS viewers were watching KMBC news. KSHB lost a third of its viewers in those 45 minutes - but that was a big improvement over a couple of years ago, when the station was lucky to hold onto half of the NBC audience. And its ratings came within a whisker of third-place WDAF at 10 p.m. There was better news for WDAF in late nights, where Channel 4's lineup of "Friends," "3rd Rock" and "M*A*S*H" soundly beat Channel 9's once-formidable 10:30-to-midnight block. So weak was KMBC that at 12:05 a.m., Ted Koppel's "Nightline" was beaten by another "M*A*S*H" repeat. Nielsen notes from Kansas City's smaller stations: KMCI, Channel 38, also known as "38 Family Greats," pulled in its highest ratings whenever it aired repeats of that family-friendly program "The Simpsons." KPXE, Channel 50, was the top-rated independent station in Kansas City from 9 to 10 p.m. with its nightly repeat of "Diagnosis Murder." No one can say for sure, however, that viewers weren't using the show as a sleeping aid, much as Uncle Junior on "The Sopranos" did. KCWE, Channel 29, ran an outdoor sign campaign for "Entertainment Tonight," now seen at 6:30 p.m. (as well as 11:35 p.m. on sister station KMBC). The hype worked: "ET" was the UPN affiliate's biggest non-network show in February. KSMO, Channel 62, drew its best numbers with two "Frasier" repeats at 10 p.m. And though they're non-commercial, the folks at public TV station KCPT, Channel 19, surely know that their highest number of the whole day came at 5:30 p.m., when kids flocked to the animated show "Dragon Tales." You can reach Aaron Barnhart through the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com. >>>

New on the tube

First Years Airs: 8 p.m., NBC (Channel 41) Stars: Samantha Mathis, Mackenzie Astin, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, James Roday, Ken Marino, Eric Schaeffer In brief: Five first-year lawyers share the same office and the same house! But is it any good? This show with a simple premise starts confidently in midstream, but viewers will catch up to it in no time. Spare, brisk writing moves the story along, and most importantly, I found myself caring about one or two of the characters. (Considering that they're lawyer-yuppies who can afford a big house in San Francisco, that's saying something.) If the show has a breakout star, it'll be Sidney Poitier's daughter. Is it a survivor? Mondays have not been kind to NBC, although the network seems to excel in lawyer shows ("Ed," the "Law & Orders"). To succeed against "Ally McBeal," "First Years" will have to dial down the sexual interplay and tell compelling legal stories like the ones in tonight's episode. >>>

New on the tube

Airs: 8:30 p.m., ABC (Channel 9), replacing "Spin City" for six weeks Stars: Denis Leary, Bill Nunn, Lenny Clarke, Diane Farr, Adam Ferrara, John Ortiz, Julian Acosta In brief: Leary plays a pill-popping, womanizing cop whose buddies at work help him stay sane - barely. But is it any good? Sharply written by "Larry Sanders" writer Peter Tolan. And though it's filmed in the style of "NYPD Blue" (with no laugh track), no one should confuse this with reality TV. At least we'd better hope the cops don't get confessions out of people the way they do on "The Job." The first episode also features a very funny, very incorrect riff on racial profiling. Is it a survivor? Shifting the "Larry Sanders" mindset from pay cable to network TV is tricky, but using the familiar cop genre will help. ABC has scheduled "The Job" after "Drew Carey," one of the few shows that can match it insult for insult. But for viewers expecting "Spin City," Leary's foul mouth and mordant cynicism may be too much to take. You can reach Barnhart through the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com >>>

Top of the week

TODAY Same song, different verse The third season of "The Sopranos," TV's most compelling drama series, begins with back-to-back episodes at 8 p.m. tonight on HBO. Creator David Chase's hunger for stories and different ways to tell them has distinguished this series from the start. Tonight's first episode is highlighted by a brilliantly edited cat-and-mouse game between the FBI and Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini). Later episodes will focus on Anthony Jr. as he attempts to step out of his father's mob-boss shadow; and daughter Meadow as she heads to college, where she is matched with a troubled roommate and a handsome black boyfriend. - Aaron Barnhart/The Star WEDNESDAY More Russians are coming The Cold War is officially over. But it has been a "Russian season" in Kansas City, what with the Stravinsky Festival and performances by a whole passel of orchestras, choirs and ballet companies. The outpouring continues when the Kamchatka Vocal Ensemble of the Russian Far East performs at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Liberty United Methodist Church, 1001 Sunset Ave., Liberty. This amazing choir's repertoire includes not only Rachmaninoff but also folk songs and sacred music. Tickets cost $5 at the door, and reservations are recommended. Call Bryan Taylor at the church, (816) 781-4554. - Paul Horsley/The Star FRIDAY Splatter flick In the late '40s and early '50s Jackson Pollock revolutionized art by dripping, pouring and splashing paint directly onto the canvas. But even as his artistic reputation was growing, his personal life was in disarray thanks to alcohol, ego and ambition. Actor Ed Harris has wanted to make a film about Pollock for more than a decade; now he has given us "Pollock," which he directed and for which he earned a Best Actor Oscar nomination (co-star Marcia Gay Harden is in the running for Best Supporting Actress). It opens Friday at the Tivoli Manor Square Theatre. - Robert W. Butler /The Star Plaid attack The American Heartland Theatre continues its season with "Forever Plaid," a whimsical piece about a 1964 guy-group that reunites in the afterlife after being run over by a busload of Catholic schoolgirls. The cast includes Matthew Fletcher, Don M. Simmons, Joel Morrison and Seth Golay. Performances continue through April 29. Tickets range from $14 to $27.50. Call (816) 842-9999. - Robert Trussell/The Star >>>

The Lone Gunmen

Airs: 8 p.m. Sunday for three weeks, then 8 p.m. Fridays starting March 16 on Fox (Channel 4). Yes, this means the final Sunday airing will be after the first Friday broadcast. Confused? Well, it is an "X-Files" spin-off Stars: Bruce Harwood, Tom Braidwood, Dean Haglund, Zuleikha Robinson In brief: Klutzy conspiracy buffs hack their way to the highest echelons of global terrorism - then jump in their old VW bus to chase the bad guys. But is it any good? Computer geeks will howl at the lame attempts at cybercool (a "top-secret" password, for instance, that can be found in the dictionary). And the idea that these three goofs could even arrest their own development is a stretch. Still, there were enough story twists in the two episodes I saw to keep me interested. The visual aura of "The Lone Gunmen" is "X-Files" creator Chris Carter and his production team at their cloak-and-dagger best. Is it a survivor? Launching in the "X-Files" time period for three weeks won't hurt. But then "The Lone Gunmen" moves to Fridays, where many a Fox show has mysteriously vanished. @ART CAPTION:Bruce Harwood (from left), Tom Braidwood, Dean Haglund, Stephen Snedden and Zuleikha Robinson star in "The Lone Gunmen." The "X-Files" spin-off airs at 8 p.m. Sunday. @ART:Photo @ART CREDIT:Fox >>>

'The Sopranos' so far

1999 season So there was Tony Soprano, a powerful underboss in a North Jersey crime syndicate. Tony had the love of his good-hearted wife, Carmela, and some other women too, but mostly Carmela, although she felt some guilt about raising their children, Meadow and Anthony Jr., in a mob household. Tony started passing out, just like that, so, taking the advice of his neighbor/doctor, went to see a pyschiatrist, Dr. Melfi. They talked about his feelings, making no headway despite the obvious reverse-Oedipal situation brought on by Tony's mother, Livia. She was angry at him for sending her to a nursing home, then tried to get him killed by telling Uncle Junior, her brother-in-law and the syndicate's figurehead, things that would make Junior want to kill Tony. But Tony had a loyal band of captains and in a bloody turf war they knocked off Junior's guys until the FBI collared Junior for some other misdeeds. Meanwhile word got out that Tony was seeing a shrink, and Tony told Melfi to flee for cover. Big Pussy, one of Tony's closest associates, also vanished. Was he the one wearing a wire? No one knew for sure. 2000 season Dr. Melfi moved her practice to a cheap motel and began drinking heavily. Big Pussy came back and all was well until they killed him for being a snitch. Richie Aprile, the brother of Tony's old boss, got out of prison and started muscling in on Tony's turf, hooked up with Tony's sister Janice and generally gave Tony headaches until finally he was shot dead - not by Tony but by Janice during a domestic dispute, so Tony cleaned up the mess and Janice split town. Tony made up with Junior, who was under house arrest, but he didn't make up with his mother, who was in the care of a one-legged Russian girl and acting senile so she wouldn't have to admit she'd been playing everyone like a Stradivarius. Editor's note: With all due respect to our friend Aaron, there was only so much story he could cover in the room we offered him. He doesn't even touch on nice subplots like the dynamics of Tony's lifelong friendship with the clean living Artie, whose restaurant he blew up to keep Junior from making a hit there that would ruin its reputation. (What kind of stupid idea is that you may ask? Yeah, that's what Artie asked Tony at gunpoint after Livia told him all about it. But they're still pals.) If you're still reading this we know you're intrigued and would like to know more. We recommend www.hbo.com.sopranos, a truly comprehensive official Web site with episode guides, cast information and interviews, even a trivia game for those of you in the know. On Sunday, a live chat with Jamie-Lynn Sigler (Meadow) will start at 10 p.m. >>>

Family values; Despite violence, 'The Sopranos' is an offer you can't ignore

What do you think Sen. Joe Lieberman would say if he were told that in the next few weeks a popular TV show will depict a man beating a woman to death from start to finish - every blow - using his fists and a solid object? What would be Sen. Sam Brownback's response to a program where all the women in scene after scene are degraded by men who treat them as throwaway sex toys? Of course, we couldn't cheat and tell these well-known critics of trashy TV that the show we're talking about is "The Sopranos," which begins its third season with back-to-back episodes at 8 p.m. Sunday on HBO. But chances are the senators would sniff out our little trap and sidestep it by echoing the sentiment felt by millions of loyal "Sopranos" fans: that when a TV show is as good as this, it somehow transforms even the most horrific acts of human beings into "entertainment." And if one show's smut is another show's aesthetic, then - based on four episodes sent to TV critics - "The Sopranos" this season is poised to continue its bold assault, not only on our senses but on our expectations for commercial television. What is it, though, that makes "The Sopranos" so appealing? If you went on story line alone, the show would seem little more than a soap opera with bullets, a steaming spaghetti plate of family turmoil and mob intrigue tossed with ladles of blood-red sauce. And it's not like "The Sopranos" has the cinematic pretensions of the "Godfather" trilogy. In fact, it's a lot less pretentious than other TV shows ("The West Wing" comes to mind). But that is where its charm lies. Created by David Chase, a veteran TV producer whose credits go all the way back to "The Rockford Files," "The Sopranos" is mostly about the little things in life. Collge roommates, high school football, a flooded basement, a squabble over a record collection - these are among the scintillating subplots that work their way through the first few episodes of this season. Tony Soprano occupies a realm not unlike most small businessmen. He motivates colleagues, collects revenues, pursues new ventures. Tony's wife, Carmela, is the queen of their house, where much of "The Sopranos" takes place and which looks like it could be in Leawood. Like many parents, they have two sulky teen-age children. This tableau is complicated, of course, by the fact that Tony's business is not only "waste management," as he avers, but a portfolio of bookmaking, loan-sharking and prostitution rackets. Not to mention violent turf wars and constant surveillance by the FBI. Even his legit job is propped up by rigged municipal contracts. The genius of "The Sopranos" is that it never succumbs to the allure of mob life. Instead it takes nearly every scene, even those of high drama, and mines them ruthlessly for their comic potential. In last season's final episode, for example, Tony found out that a close associate had become a government informer. He found out when a fish told him so in a dream, one of several Tony had after eating some bad mussels. It is a show driven not so much by story line as by story telling. We may never have seen a TV program so adept at painting brilliant little vignettes that have nothing to do with anything except the sheer pleasure of watching a scene unfold or hearing pitch-perfect dialogue. Several of these scenes are deftly strung together in Sunday's first hour, when the FBI tries to plant a wiretap inside the Soprano home. At the heart of "The Sopranos" is a core psychological puzzle: Why does Tony keep blacking out? You'd think the answer would be obvious. He kills people for a living; he has a formidable rival pressing down on him; and his amusingly wicked mother torments him constantly. But along the way there have been hints that something deeper-seated is gnawing away at Tony. Interestingly, two years of prodding from his shrink (herself a head case) failed to get him to talk about his dark side. This is where Chase's storytelling methods serve him especially well. That fish talking to Tony in the dream? It was Tony - a small voice he had suppressed until then. We will see that voice asserting itself some more in Season 3, as Tony recalls scenes from his childhood watching his dad carrying out his mobster chores. Chase is ably assisted in his efforts by a soon-to-be all-star cast led by James Gandolfini, whose expressions have shown us Tony's many moods, and Edie Falco, who remains a force as Carmela. This season, expect solid performances from the kids (Jamie-Lynn Sigler as Meadow and Robert Iler as Anthony Jr.) in enhanced roles. Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco) and Uncle Junior (Dominic Chianese) are never far away. It's not giving away much to reveal that mother Livia has only a brief part; Nancy Marchand, who played her, passed away during the show's hiatus. But she is artfully written out of the show. Look for Tony's sister Janice (Aida Turturro) to arrive on the scene again, picking up where Livia left off. And, of course, there's the old gang back at the Bada Bing strip club, including Paulie (Tony Sirico), Silvio (Steven Van Zandt) and Christopher (Michael Imperioli). They're foulmouthed, ruthless and lovable as ever, bonded by a powerful loyalty that, like Paulie's wardrobe, has gone out of style. Joe Pantoliano, who lit up "EZ Streets" on CBS a while back, joins the cast as a troubled wise guy. As the FBI starts to draw its noose around Tony and his men, don't be surprised if you find yourself hoping these amoral, woman-objectifying thugs elude their grasp. You can't help but root for the bad guys on "The Sopranos." I wonder what that says about us as a society. Sen. Brownback, line one. You can reach Aaron Barnhart through the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com HBO's crime-family saga begins its third season with back-to-back episodes at 8 p.m. Sunday. @ART CAPTION:Paulie; Christopher; Furio; Silvio; Tony Soprano The Boss; Livia The mom; Dr. Melfi Tony's shrink; Carmela Tough but loyal wife; Uncle "Junior" Figurehead boss; Meadow The daughter; Anthony The son; Chase @ART:Photos (12, color) >>>