'Rerun Show' is devoid of creative energy

Anyone who has attended one of Ron Megee's cross-dressing adaptations of "The Stepford Wives" or "Bonanza" will instantly recognize the appeal of NBC's latest piece of low-budget summer filler, "The Rerun Show." Airing at 8:30 Thursday on Channel 41, the program features a comedy troupe re-enacting actual scripts of not-so-classic sitcoms from the '70s and '80s. While theater companies around the country have been staging similar productions for years, this is the first instance of a television network plundering its own script archive. Sorry to say, the novelty wears off in a hurry on "The Rerun Show." To be precise, it vanishes between the clever opening sketch, adapted from a 1980 episode of "The Facts of Life," and its lifeless follow-up, in which a good-natured "Diff'rent Strokes" from 1979 is turned into an uninspired raunchfest. Each of these 10-minute mini-shows (pared down from the original 22-minute scripts) is loaded with visual gags, none funnier than Paul Vogt strutting across the screen as Mrs. Garrett, the spacy housekeeper made famous by Charlotte Rae. Vogt is one of several "Rerun Show" players in drag. Sadly, once "The Facts of Life" is over, "The Rerun Show" itself starts to drag. In the "Diff'rent Strokes" sendup, Mr. Drummond becomes a leering foster parent to two black children, the older one an oversexed teen-ager. Next week, if we can judge from the previews, we will be treated to an extremely long Sherman Helmsley impersonation during a "Jeffersons" spoof. If you're looking for the inspired lunacy of Megee or the "Real Live Brady Bunch," you won't find it here. Rather, I was reminded of countless mediocre satires of TV shows I'd watched over the years on "SNL" or "MAD TV." And that's the fatal irony of "The Rerun Show": We've seen it all before. "Sweet Old Song," this week's feature on the PBS documentary series "P.O.V." (see "Recommended Shows" for air times), revisits the life of fiddler Howard Armstrong, subject of a 1988 "P.O.V." film and the last surviving link to the all-black string bands that flourished before World War II. In this heartwarming update, filmmaker Leah Mahan looks at Armstrong, now in his 90s, through the eyes of the woman he has shared the last 20 years of his life with. Artist Barbara Ward is three decades his junior. Armstrong continues to tour and perform before appreciative crowds, as well as paint, and Mahan explores how Ward's efforts and sacrifice made it possible for a living legend to keep on living the legend to a wonderfully ripe old age. Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon finally return to ESPN's daily talk show, "Pardon the Interruption," this afternoon (4:30 p.m. weekdays). Wilbon's been on a month's vacation while Kornheiser was serving a suspension, reportedly for talking on the air about a beloved producer's recent firing. If nothing else, Tony and Mike's extended time out has settled one bet about "PTI": Is it the format or the hosts? No doubt about it, Kornheiser and Wilbon would be entertaining in many formats. But in less capable hands (and yes, the shrill Max Kellerman does leap to mind), all the omnipresent "PTI" countdown clock does is remind us how many seconds are left before the fill-ins stop murdering the current topic and move on to murdering the next topic. Surely one bit of upcoming "PTI" fodder will be "Slamball," the newest pseudo-sport to come to TV. A modified game of basketball played on trampolines - and dreamed up by two TV producers - it debuts at 7 p.m. Saturday on TNN. I mention "Slamball" only because it has so deftly and deliberately avoided making the strategic blunder of the ill-fated XFL, which tried to appeal to football purists. Slamball isn't tailored to basketball fans but to video game freaks. It has short contests (a doubleheader is played every hour), continuous play (the ball bounces off a plexiglass wall instead of going out of bounds) and lots of loopy action. Trampolines are an inspired equalizer that allow players like the 5-foot-10 Sean "Inches" Jackson to spend much of the first game dunking over the heads of his much taller defenders. Alas, the second game showed how boring Slamball can get when people stop scoring - or worse, start taking traditional 3-point shots without the trampoline. And miss. You can reach Aaron Barnhart through the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com. RECOMMENDED SHOWS TODAY: "Pardon the Interruption," 4:30 p.m. weekdays on ESPN. Reviewed in today's column. TUESDAY: "A City on Fire" (9 p.m., HBO and HBO Latino). This clear-eyed documentary recalls the uneasy relationship between the 1968 Detroit Tigers and a riot-torn city. SUNDAY: "P.O.V.," 10 p.m., KCPT (9 p.m. Tuesday on Topeka's KTWU). Reviewed in today's column.

On 'Donahue,' Phil doesn't know the drill

You may have noticed, if you are among the roughly 1 percent of Americans who actually watch MSNBC, that the show horse in cable's news derby has started calling itself "America's NewsChannel." This, I'm guessing, is because NBC executives could not summon the nerve to call it "America's Talking," which is what that channel used to be called before Microsoft and its multimillions showed up. Yet that is all anyone does anymore on MSNBC - talk, talk, talk. Unless someone in Los Angeles steals a tamale truck and gets chased by the news choppers, very little seems to get in the way of MSNBC's nonstop gabfest. Moreover, it's a peculiarly oppressive sort of gab, as Phil Donahue found out mere minutes into the premiere of his new MSNBC talk show last week. The show, airing at 7 p.m. weeknights, is appropriately titled "Donahue," but the first couple of nights might have been more appropriately titled "Hardball: Liberal Intent." It was unpleasant, and even a little sad, to see this silver-haired legend struggle with the Chris Matthews format. Here's Phil haplessly butting into the shouting matches of his guests; there's Phil, announcing the number of minutes or seconds remaining until the break. He seems more like timekeeper than moderator. Even when he does have the floor, he has a tendency to raise his voice, as if trying to talk over someone yelling in his earpiece. Hopefully, because I still find Donahue interesting after all these years, this is all just first-week jitters. What worries me watching "Donahue" is seeing the guy who reinvented daytime talk working without the interactive gimmicks that made him famous. No studio audience, no roving microphone, no phone calls - and too often, no room to get a word in edgewise. "Our America" is a feature film based on the real-life story of a white public radio producer who helped two African-American boys make a documentary about their lives in the projects of Chicago. Showtime, though not known for producing movies of distinction, felt strongly enough about "Our America" to present it at the Sundance Film Festival. Its confidence was well-placed: "Our America," premiering at 10 p.m. Sunday on Showtime, is a grimly effective snapshot of ghetto life. It's also an honest portrayal of first-time storytellers and their struggle to tell the truth, the whole truth, factually and emotionally. Brandon Hammond and Roderick Pannell are Lloyd and LeAlan, two boys who dream of radio stardom like their hero, black talk show host Graham Ellis (Mykelti Williamson). But producer David Isay ("Sports Night's" Josh Charles) has unusual plans for them. He wants them to carry tape recorders around, making audio diaries that capture their lives as accurately as possible. The boys succeed beyond all expectations. The outside world applauds their documentary, with its cold-blooded tales of chaotic schools, violent neighborhoods and dysfunctional families. But inside the black community, opinion is split. No less than their idol Graham chides them on the air for not telling "positive stories" about their community. The young documentarians are torn by self-doubt - until a terrible event compels them to dust off their recorders and head out in pursuit of another story. The film is beautifully and evocatively shot in color and black and white under the direction of Ernest Dickerson. Be warned: Showtime is promoting this as a "picture for all ages" and giving it a TV-PG rating. But there is strong language throughout "Our America" and situations sometimes turn violent. A Showtime spokesperson said an advisory will urge parents "to watch with their children and discuss." - To reach Aaron Barnhart, phone (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com

And the Emmy nominations go to...surprise

This was supposed to be the year of Emmy surprises - and the judges who selected the nominees for the 54th annual prime-time Emmy Awards didn't disappoint. The nominations announced Thursday morning included an impressive 23 picks for HBO's "Six Feet Under," key nominations for Fox's "24" and FX's "The Shield," the resurgence of "Friends" and the disappearance of "NYPD Blue" and "ER." In the Best Drama category, "Six Feet Under," a show created by Oscar-winner Alan Ball ("American Beauty") about a family-run funeral home, was joined by NBC's "The West Wing" (the two-time champion in this category), CBS' "CSI," NBC's "Law & Order" and the surprising "24." The latter wowed TV critics with its fast-paced action but failed to draw large audiences during its inaugural season. This year "Six Feet Under" essentially took the place of HBO's "The Sopranos," which did not air a single episode during the 2001-02 season. Last year at this time, "The Sopranos" collected 22 Emmy nominations. HBO led all networks with 93 nominations, followed by NBC (89), CBS (50), ABC (35), Fox (33) and PBS (11). Emmys are handed out in 86 categories. Tom O'Neil, who wrote the book The Emmys and now manages the GoldDerby.com site, notes that "Law & Order," with its 11th consecutive nomination for Best Drama series, matches the mark set by "M*A*S*H" and "Cheers," which were each nominated 11 straight times as Best Comedy. "Friends," meanwhile, has been left out of the Best Comedy category over the years nearly as often as it was left in. But TV's top-rated sitcom returned to the list of five after being snubbed in 2001. It joins last year's winner, HBO's "Sex and the City"; another HBO comedy, "Curb Your Enthusiasm," from "Seinfeld" co-creator Larry David; CBS' "Everybody Loves Raymond"; and NBC's "Will & Grace," which received more nominations than any other comedy with 13. The Emmys will be Sept. 22 in Los Angeles and broadcast on NBC. Bryce Zabel, who heads the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, told E! Online there would be "no cancellations," referring to last year's twice-delayed ceremony. The drama category proved that high ratings do not necessarily command the academy's respect. Though the top-rated drama, "CSI," was nominated, longtime audience favorite "ER" fell out of the list of five. Moreover, the academy chose to reward the edgier performances of Michael Chiklis, who plays a ruthless cop on "The Shield," and Kiefer Sutherland as secret agent Jack Bauer on "24" rather than William Petersen's character on "CSI." Michael C. Hall and Peter Krause of "Six Feet Under" and President Martin Sheen of "The West Wing" also were nominated. Conspicuously missing: best-actor perennial Dennis Franz of "NYPD Blue" and anyone from "ER." It was the same story on the Best Actress side. "CSI's" Marg Helgenberger, a nominee last year, was passed over in favor of two more "Six Feet Under" players (Rachel Griffiths and Frances Conroy) and ABC's "Alias" babe Jennifer Garner. Amy Brenneman of CBS' "Judging Amy" was again nominated for Best Drama actress, as was Allison Janney of "The West Wing," who had won for the same role as Best Supporting Actress. Janney wasn't the only one who upgraded her ticket. On the comedy side, the cast of "Friends" asked to be nominated in the Best Actor and Actress categories instead of supporting roles, as had been their tradition. The Emmy judges rewarded them with nominations for Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc and - in a mild shocker - Jennifer Aniston instead of Lisa Kudrow, the only friend to have taken home a trophy, in 1998. More surprises: Comedian Bernie Mac took his place alongside perennial favorites Kelsey Grammer ("Frasier") and Ray Romano ("Raymond") in the Best Comedy actor list. And "Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher," after having the year from hell - its host was widely condemned for his post-9/11 comments and the show was later canceled - made the short list of Best Variety Shows. Another notable omission from the Best Comedy list is "Frasier." O'Neil notes that "Frasier" has won 27 Emmys in eight seasons, and it seemed to be knocking on the door of the all-time mark of 29 Emmys won by "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." The Oscarcast has won 28 Emmys and is nominated again this year for Best Special. "The West Wing" has already won 17 Emmys and must be considered the front-runner in all categories this year, especially Supporting Actor and Actress, where it garnered seven of the 11 nominations. O'Neil, however, said Thursday that the Emmys are anyone's race and will hinge on how shrewd nominees are in choosing their best work. Emmy rules require most nominees to submit just one episode to judges. "When we see Patricia Heaton two years in a row beating the sexy, glamorous Sarah Jessica Parker, then you know it all came down to episode selection," O'Neil said. To reach Aaron Barnhart, phone (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com The short list Best Drama: "The West Wing," "CSI," "24," "Law & Order," "Six Feet Under" Best Comedy: "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Friends," "Everybody Loves Raymond," "Sex and the City," "Will & Grace" Best Actress in a Drama: Rachel Griffiths and Frances Conroy, "Six Feet Under"; Amy Brenneman, "Judging Amy"; Jennifer Garner, "Alias"; Allison Janney, "The West Wing" Best Actor in a Drama: Michael Chiklis, "The Shield"; Peter Krause and Michael C. Hall, "Six Feet Under"; Martin Sheen, "The West Wing"; Kiefer Sutherland, "24" Best Actress in a Comedy: Jennifer Aniston, "Friends"; Sarah Jessica Parker, "Sex and the City"; Debra Messing, "Will & Grace"; Jane Kaczmarek, "Malcolm in the Middle"; Patricia Heaton, "Everybody Loves Raymond" Best Actor in a Comedy: Matt LeBlanc and Matthew Perry, "Friends"; Bernie Mac, "The Bernie Mac Show"; Ray Romano, "Everybody Loves Raymond"; Kelsey Grammer, "Frasier" More Emmy nominations More nominees in major Emmy categories announced Thursday by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences: Miniseries: "Band of Brothers," HBO; "Dinotopia," ABC; "The Mists of Avalon," TNT; "Shackleton," A&E. Made-for-TV Movie: "Dinner With Friends," HBO; "The Gathering Storm," HBO; "James Dean," TNT; "The Laramie Project," HBO; "Path to War," HBO. Variety, Music or Comedy Series: "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart," Comedy Central; "Late Show With David Letterman," CBS; "Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher," ABC; "Saturday Night Live," NBC; "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno," NBC. Variety, Music or Comedy Special: "The 74th Annual Academy Awards," ABC; "America: A Tribute to Heroes," various networks; "The Carol Burnett Show: Show Stoppers," CBS; "Cirque Du Soleil's Alegria," Bravo; "The Concert for New York City," VH1; "Opening Ceremony Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games," NBC. Supporting Actor, Drama Series: Victor Garber, "Alias," ABC; Dule Hill, "The West Wing," NBC; Freddy Rodriguez, "Six Feet Under," HBO; Richard Schiff, "The West Wing," NBC; John Spencer, "The West Wing," NBC; Bradley Whitford, "The West Wing," NBC. Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Lauren Ambrose, "Six Feet Under," HBO; Stockard Channing, "The West Wing," NBC; Tyne Daly, "Judging Amy," CBS; Janel Moloney, "The West Wing," NBC; Mary-Louise Parker, "The West Wing," NBC. Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Peter Boyle, "Everybody Loves Raymond," CBS; Bryan Cranston, "Malcolm in the Middle," Fox; Brad Garrett, "Everybody Loves Raymond," CBS; Sean Hayes, "Will & Grace," NBC; David Hyde Pierce, "Frasier," NBC. Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Kim Cattrall, "Sex and the City," HBO; Wendie Malick, "Just Shoot Me," NBC; Megan Mullally, "Will & Grace," NBC; Cynthia Nixon, "Sex and the City," HBO; Doris Roberts, "Everybody Loves Raymond," CBS. @ART CAPTION:Bernie Mac (right) in "The Bernie Mac Show" was nominated for an Emmy as best actor in a comedy. One of his young co-stars is Dee Dee Davis (left). @ART CREDIT:File photo @ART CAPTION:Top, Best Actor nominee Michael Chiklis, 'The Shield.' Above, 'Six Feet Under' nominees Peter Krause and Rachel Griffiths. @ART:Photos (3, color and b/w) @ART CAPTION:More Emmy nominations @ART:Graphic @ART CREDIT:The Associated Press

Lifetime's 'For the People' is for you

Two more cable series premiere this week. One should be the people's choice, while the other is already yesterday's news. In recent years the Lifetime assembly line has been rolling out female-friendly shows like "Any Day Now," about women's relationships; "Strong Medicine," about women doctors; and "The Division," about women cops. What's next? Surprise - a show about women lawyers. "For the People" (9 p.m. Sunday, Lifetime), set in the Los Angeles district attorney's office, isn't the most daring drama on TV, but for what it's worth, this atypical Lifetime viewer - a guy - enjoyed it. "For the People" admirably steers clear of both the self-important bombast of "West Wing" and the self-absorbed specialness of "The Practice." Who'da thunk that Lea Thompson, the petite bore who headlined the comedically inept "Caroline in the City," would be a terrific dramatic lead? But she is, as a hard-charging liberal D.A. who juggles two high-profile cases while finding the time to drive out to sister's house and help her say yes to sobriety. The show opens, though, with Thompson talking about her departure. That's because her Republican successor, played by Debbi Morgan, is expected to replace her in the traditional post-election shake-up. We know that Morgan is going to ask Thompson to stay on - they share top billing in the credits, after all - but in TV land, what usually happens first is a trumped-up spat that creates tension, so that it can be defused later in the episode. Here, however, the two women have a disagreement over a perfectly plausible legal dilemma, they hash it out, they keep it professional, and in the end nobody's intelligence is insulted, including the viewer's. Rounding out the cast are Cecilia Suarez as the exquisite prosecutor and Michael Olivas as a public defender and Thompson's ex. As with all its previous shows, Lifetime makes diversity look easy. Even a gay-hating radio host, on trial for her views, is allowed to have her say. (You'd never see that on "The West Wing.") It ain't the stuff of HBO, but "For the People" should help Lifetime remain cable's top-rated network in prime time. (Season premieres of "The Division" at 7 and "Strong Medicine" at 8 precede "For the People.") The story behind the making of "Breaking News" is more interesting than the show itself, so how about I tell you that instead. Once upon a time - actually, mid-2000 - there were these executives at TNT, who were looking for new shows to add to their lineup of NBA games and twice-daily screenings of "The Shawshank Redemption." One day, somebody pitched them a show. It would be called "Breaking News" and would take place at a fictitious 24-hour news channel. Wonderful! cried the suits, who told the producers to go off to Canada to make their show. A few months later, a new suit arrived on the scene. He became the boss of all the other TNT bosses, and he did not like "Breaking News." Some people said it was because this executive also had oversight of CNN and was concerned that any comparison with "Breaking News" might result in some undesired publicity for CNN. Whatever! At any rate, TNN dropped "Breaking News," even though 13 episodes were almost completed. Meanwhile, at another channel called Bravo, another set of suits read about "Breaking News" in Variety. They heard more about it from some TV critics who had seen bootleg copies of the show. The critics liked the show. The Bravo suits liked the show. They decided to pick "Breaking News" off TNT's discard pile. And that is how it came to premiere this week with episodes airing at 7 and 8 p.m. on Bravo. I watched these episodes. I didn't like them. The fake news stories weren't very compelling, the ethical dilemmas faced by the fake newscasters were hokey, the up-close-and-personal moments from their lives even hokier, and I think I'd rather endure an all-day "Three's Company" marathon than watch one more minute of John Ritter playing a wigged-out Stan Cramer type. So the moral of the story is: Know when to cut your losses. Of course, if that were as easy as it sounds, that wise TNT executive would also have spared us the second season of"Witchblade." To reach Aaron Barnhart, phone (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com RECOMMENDED SHOWS SUNDAY: "For the People," 9 p.m., Lifetime. Reviewed in today's column. WEEKNIGHTS: "Nightline Up Close," 12:35 a.m. (early Tuesday through Saturday), KMBC, Channel 9. The "Nightline" spinoff's first week included Ted Koppel's tender-hearted interview with David Letterman and a revealing two-part interview with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. In a terrific upcoming episode, a former "Nightline" staffer tells of his drug addiction and recovery. Tape this unique show while you can; ABC is replacing "Up Close" in January with comedian Jimmy Kimmel.

An obsessive-compulsive detective: Sounds like something you'd see on PBS, doesn't it?

Adrian Monk is the germ-dodging, pillow-fluffing worrywart who somehow keeps his many neuroses at bay long enough to solve baffling crimes on "Monk," which has its premiere at 8 p.m. Friday on USA Network. Yes, Adam Sandler's favorite cable channel, the onetime home of professional wrestling and "Silk Stalkings," is muscling in on "Mystery!"-A&E turf with an old-fashioned whodunit. Too bad for USA, but "Monk" has more problems than a clean freak on a crowded school bus in flu season. Let's leave aside the show's low-grade sleuthing (think of those Encyclopedia Brown books you read as a kid). The more pressing problem is that "Monk" can't decide whether its lead character's medical condition should be played for laughs or empathy. The two-hour premiere begins with Monk at a murder scene, trying to concentrate. He can't, though, because he thinks he forgot to turn off the gas stove at home. Even though solving this case would get him reinstated to the police force, he keeps stopping to say things like, "I think I smell gas." Some people might find this offensive. I just find it annoying. Presenting a whimsical hero with psychological problems requires a light touch. This show's touch is leaden. Tony Shaloub, a familiar actor in broad comedies ("Wings," "GalaxyQuest"), seems unable to wring the required pathos from his sad plight (the OCD, we're told, came about after Monk witnessed his wife being killed by a car bomb). His emotions are sublimated in one general-purpose expression of vague discomfort, as though he was constipated. Monk's sidekick is his "nurse," Sharona (Bitty Schram), who no longer seems to provide any actual nursing care to him. At times she seems thrilled to be playing his girl Friday, so it's odd when, at other times, she's ready to dump him and go back to wearing scrubs. (An undiagnosed bipolar disorder, perhaps?) Inevitably, their relationship reaches a Dramatic Impasse, the kind one sees only on TV. Now, if USA brings back reruns of "Murder, She Wrote," PBS and A&E might have something to worry about. I'm about to reveal an extremely well-kept secret: Jeff Cesario, one of America's funniest human beings, appears on national television for several hours every week. Cesario is co-host, along with wisecracking columnist Norman Chad, of "Reel Classics," ESPN Classic's version of the "Million Dollar Movie" (8 p.m. Sundays). If you watch the main ESPN channel, you are regularly bombarded with promos touting the next "Reel Classic" movie, which sometimes is a classic ("Raging Bull"), often is just old (1942's "The Pride of the Yankees") and occasionally is an outright stinker ("Rocky V"). Most of these "Reel Classics" would be unwatchable if not for Cesario and Chad bantering after the breaks. Yet this dynamic duo never appears in the promos. Odd. "Tell me about it!" Cesario griped to me recently. "I've been on the gig 15 months now and I'm still trying to get them to use our freakin' names in the promos. Any promos. Anywhere." This week: Norm and Jeff get out their hankies for "Pride of the Yankees," with Gary Cooper in a sentimental role as ballplayer Lou Gehrig. "Big Brother" returns for a third season this week (8 p.m. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays, CBS, Channel 5). In a conference call, the show's co-producer Arnold Shapiro vowed he would keep a stricter eye on the house liquor cabinet, so that "people play the game as themselves and not who they become when they drink." Shapiro, however, did not attempt to discourage viewers from drinking heavily while they watched "Big Brother." And now, you can vicariously experience the excitement of living in the Big Brother house. No, not by sitting on your couch all day - you already do that! I'm referring to the "Big Brother Fantasy League" at www.cbs.com. Players pick a four-person "team" from among the housemates, who will earn points in 10 categories during the game. CBS will post a "leader board" of the top fantasy players on its Web site. You think I'm making this stuff up. To reach Aaron Barnhart, phone (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com. RECOMMENDED SHOWS "Nightline Up Close," 12:35 a.m. Tuesday (late Monday), ABC, Channel 9. Ted Koppel interviews David Letterman on the first night of "Nightline's" new six-month spinoff. Definitely a VCR special. "NOW With Bill Moyers," 9 p.m., KCPT, Channel 19 (5 p.m. Sunday on Topeka's KTWU). This edition, "Islam v. Islam," includes a fascinating discussion among Middle East experts about the Sept. 11 attacks. "Children Underground," 5 p.m., Cinemax (8 p.m. Cinemax West). Oscar-nominated documentary on Romania's youngsters who live in subway stations, begging for money and sniffing spray paint out of bags. A disturbing snapshot of post-Communist Europe.

Hip to be square; National Geographic Channel is cable's newest gem

The Hallmark Channel, the network owned by Crown Media Inc., announced Monday that it had obtained exclusive cable TV rights to the ageless sitcom "M.A.S.H." Industry reports say the multiyear deal with Crown Media, which is two-thirds owned by Kansas City, Mo.-based Hallmark Cards Inc., was worth at least $60 million _ not bad for a show that signed off the air 19 years ago. "M.A.S.H.," which ran 11 seasons on CBS, will begin airing in fall 2003 on the Hallmark Channel. The show now airs up to eight times a day on the Fchannel, which like Twentieth Television, the studio that produced "M.A.S.H.," is owned by media giant News Corp. The cable rights to all 255 episodes will not affect the show's syndication package with broadcast stations. Only a few programs have stood the test of time and become classic TV shows. "M.A.S.H." occupies a unique place in that pantheon. Viewership eventually drops off sharply for nearly every off-network program, but "M.A.S.H." is an evergreen that just keeps pulling in viewers and making money. David Kenin, executive vice president for Crown Media United States and Hallmark Channel's top programmer, said he was thrilled to win the rights to "M.A.S.H." "This is a show that has enduring equalities, genuine moments, genuine characters," Kenin said Monday in a telephone interview. "Somehow it continues to be relevant to new generations of audiences." Though Kenin would not confirm dollar amounts, the Hollywood Reporter stated that Hallmark Channel agreed to pay $250,000 to $300,000 an episode. By comparison, "Will & Grace," a much fresher sitcom that has never aired in repeats, begins its off-network run this fall on Lifetime, which is paying $400,000 an episode. David Lee Smith, a media analyst with RBC Capital Markets, said that on the surface, the deal appeared to be a good move. "I think it's probably positive, and it's popular programming, and they're building up a pretty good repertoire of such programming," Smith said. "At initial glance, the price looks about right." Crown Media's stock, which is traded on the Nasdaq market under the ticker symbol CRWN, closed Monday at $6.80, off $1.09. Kenin, who joined Crown Media in January, pioneered the acquisition of off-network properties for cable television. At USA Network in the late 1980s and early '90s, he built a successful lineup of reruns, including "Murder, She Wrote," "Miami Vice" and "MacGyver." At first glance, "M.A.S.H." may seem an odd match for the Hallmark Channel, a network that prides itself on family-friendly entertainment. Most episodes carry a "TV-PG" rating. But Kenin noted that the show's strong, sometimes preachy, messages and the camaraderie among the staff of the fictional 4077th mobile Army hospital were an excellent fit for Hallmark. "It is a show about values and about family _ not a traditional family in the sense of mother and father and children in a home, but a show about relationships that serve as a surrogate family," Kenin said. "I can't think of a show we'd rather be associated with." Industry sources agreed that "M.A.S.H." was a good acquisition for Hallmark, though it would appeal mainly to older viewers. "Is it going to get a younger audience? Probably not," said Tim Brooks, senior vice president of research for Lifetime. "But will it retain that classy image that the network wants? Probably it will." ___ Jennifer Mann contributed to this report. ___ (c) 2002, The Kansas City Star. Visit The Star Web edition on the World Wide Web at http://www.kcstar.com/
JOURNAL-CODE: KC

'Boomtown' continues another ambitious season of 'P.O.V.'

Public television's summer documentary showcase, "P.O.V.," inaugurated its 15th season last week. The films, most of which run about an hour, are seen in Kansas City at 10 p.m. Sundays on KCPT, Channel 19. Topeka's KTWU airs the "P.O.V." films five days earlier, at 9 p.m. Tuesdays. Here are the films for the rest of the season, with their KCPT air dates: "Boomtown" (tonight): This story about Native American sovereignty profiles the Suquamish Nation near Seattle, which thrives off the sale and detonation of fireworks that are illegal off the reservation. "Hybrid" (July 14): A very odd film, featuring crude black-and-white animation, about the life of Milford Beeghly, a forward-looking Iowa farmer who championed hybrid corn at a time when it was highly controversial. His grandson, Monteith McCollum, made the film. "Refrigerator Mothers" (July 21): In the 1950s the medical establishment believed that children whose mothers were emotionally cold were likely to be autistic. This film explores the legacy of that myth on a generation of guilt-ridden women. "Fenceline: A Company Town Divided" (July 28): One small town, one large oil company, two racially separate neighborhoods - one white, one black - and their very different responses to charges that the oil company has been polluting the area. "Sweet Old Song" (Aug. 4): A 91-year-old fiddle player (no, not Claude Williams), the 60-year-old love of his life, and their contrarian approach to growing older. "Mai's America" (Aug. 11): A Vietnamese girl immigrates to America, winds up in rural Mississippi and wonders if this is as good as it gets in the land of opportunity. "My American Girls: A Dominican Story" (pledge week, air date TBA): One year in the topsy-turvy life of the Ortiz family, newly immigrated here from the Dominican Republic. "Senorita Extraviada" (Aug. 25): This unsparing account of the disappearance of more than 200 young women and girls from the border town of Juarez, Mexico, has been riveting film festival audiences all year (including Kansas City's). Filmmaker Lourdes Portillo, aided by some very brave locals, exposes the official corruption that has kept these horrifying serial crimes from greater scrutiny. "Escuela" (TBA): This sequel to a previous "P.O.V." film, "La Boda (The Wedding)," reunites us with the Luis family, Mexican-Americans who toil in the migrant labor fields and dream of a better life. During the 2002-03 season "P.O.V." will present three more films, including the acclaimed "Two Towns of Jasper," about the 1998 dragging death of James Byrd Jr., and "Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin," a biography of the oft-overlooked luminary of the civil rights movement. Broadcast dates for these films have not been scheduled. "P.O.V." is broadcast at 10 p.m. Sundays on KCPT, Channel 19, and at 9 p.m. Tuesdays on KTWU in Topeka.

Take note

A&E show covers Hyatt disaster Tonight's broadcast of A&E's "Minute by Minute" will document the events of the Hyatt Hotel collapse that occurred 21 years ago this month. The program, airing at 9 tonight, has interviews with eyewitnesses, media and officials who covered the Hyatt disaster. Among those interviewed are KMBC-TV's Micheal Mahoney and architect Jack Gillum, who lost his professional license as a result of the investigation into the collapse. - Aaron Barnhart/The Star More 'Sordid' for you Tonight's closing presentation of the 2002 Kansas City Gay & Lesbian Film & Video Festival - the comedy "Sordid Lives" - is sold out. But fear not. Because of the demand for tickets for the cult favorite - which has built an underground reputation after playing for months at several small theaters around the country - the GayFest has added an additional screening of "Sordid Lives" for 3 p.m. at the Tivoli Manor Square Theatre in Westport. - Robert W. Butler/The Star @ART CAPTION:Mahoney in 1982 when he reported on the Hyatt walkway collapse @ART:Photo

Hallmark buys 'MASH' reruns; Cable channel will begin airing show in fall 2003

The Hallmark Channel, the network owned by Crown Media Inc., announced Monday that it had obtained exclusive cable TV rights to the ageless sitcom "MASH." Industry reports say the multiyear deal with Crown Media, which is two-thirds owned by Hallmark Cards Inc., was worth at least $60 million - not bad for a show that signed off the air 19 years ago. "MASH," which ran 11 seasons on CBS, will begin airing in fall 2003 on the Hallmark Channel. The show now airs up to eight times a day on the FX channel, which like Twentieth Television, the studio that produced "MASH," is owned by media giant News Corp. The cable rights to all 255 episodes will not affect the show's broadcast rights. WDAF-TV (also owned by News Corp.) airs "MASH" repeats at 11:30 p.m. weeknights in Kansas City. Only a few programs have stood the test of time and become classic TV shows. "MASH" occupies a unique place in that pantheon. Viewership eventually drops off sharply for nearly every off-network program, but "MASH" is an evergreen that just keeps pulling in viewers and making money. David Kenin, executive vice president for Crown Media United States and Hallmark Channel's top programmer, said he was thrilled to win the rights to "MASH." "This is a show that has enduring equalities, genuine moments, genuine characters," Kenin said Monday in a telephone interview. "Somehow it continues to be relevant to new generations of audiences." Though Kenin would not confirm dollar amounts, the Hollywood Reporter stated that Hallmark Channel agreed to pay $250,000 to $300,000 an episode. By comparison, "Will & Grace," a much fresher sitcom that has never aired in repeats, begins its off-network run this fall on Lifetime, which is paying $400,000 an episode. David Lee Smith, a media analyst with RBC Capital Markets, said that on the surface, the deal appeared to be a good move. "I think it's probably positive, and it's popular programming, and they're building up a pretty good repertoire of such programming," Smith said. "At initial glance, the price looks about right." Crown Media's stock, which is traded on the Nasdaq market under the ticker symbol CRWN, closed Monday at $6.80, off $1.09. Kenin, who joined Crown Media in January, pioneered the acquisition of off-network properties for cable television. At USA Network in the late 1980s and early '90s, he built a successful lineup of reruns, including "Murder, She Wrote," "Miami Vice" and "MacGyver." At first glance, "MASH" may seem an odd match for the Hallmark Channel, a network that prides itself on family-friendly entertainment. Most episodes carry a "TV-PG" rating. But Kenin noted that the show's strong, sometimes preachy, messages and the camaraderie among the staff of the fictional 4077th mobile Army hospital were an excellent fit for Hallmark. "It is a show about values and about family - not a traditional family in the sense of mother and father and children in a home, but a show about relationships that serve as a surrogate family," Kenin said. "I can't think of a show we'd rather be associated with." Industry sources agreed that "MASH" was a good acquisition for Hallmark, though it would appeal mainly to older viewers. "Is it going to get a younger audience? Probably not," said Tim Brooks, senior vice president of research for Lifetime. "But will it retain that classy image that the network wants? Probably it will." To reach Aaron Barnhart, call (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site, www.tvbarn.com. The Star's Jennifer Mann contributed to this report.

Chung's 'Tonight' is the right show for her done all wrong

I have no idea how Connie Chung, a pleasant and likable news "personality" who seems to have been on TV all my life, got herself attached to the screaming dud that is her new CNN show, "Connie Chung Tonight" (7 p.m. weekdays). After all these years, you just sort of assumed that this was the kind of show she was meant to do. Yet so far, she looks like she hasn't a clue how it's meant to be done. Last Monday's debut of "Connie Chung Tonight," in fact, will occupy a cherished spot in my video collection, right next to the opening night of "The Chevy Chase Show" on Fox and the pilot episode of "Emeril." The show was so bad that, in a sick way, it was kind of entertaining. Afterward CNN producers scurried to tone down the PlayStation sound effects and the schmaltzy voice-over guy (who sounds like the same schmaltzy voice-over guy they had doing the teases on "SportsCenter" before someone at ESPN wised up). But those were cosmetic fixes. Deeper problems remain. In the questions she asks of her guests, Chung has started to exhibit a new and embarrassing tone-deafness I don't recall from her before. It may just be first-week jitters. Or it may be that in the past a network editor was always there to clean up her segments. At any rate, during her opening-night talk with "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart, Chung pressed the comedian - more insistently than she should have - about whether he had ever considered a career as a news anchor. The usually unflappable Stewart, who of course had never considered that career path, was momentarily flapped. Then Wednesday, in a needlessly combative interview with atheist Michael Newdow, who had just won an important legal victory against the Pledge of Allegiance, Chung asked such penetrating questions as, "Are you proud to be an American?" So far CNN seems to be spending more time promoting the exclusive interviews Chung gets than figuring out what to do once she gets them. The net result is a program that suggests not so much a work in progress as a work that has no idea where it is going. Chung is blessed with a precise and distinctive newsreader's voice. Her show has its own fancy set and on-screen graphics. Beyond those three things, however, there's nothing that sets her apart from, say, Leon Harris or any of the other reliable newsreaders in CNN's stable. Seems to me there are cheaper ways for CNN to get its bucket kicked by Bill O'Reilly. The five-sided beehive that forms the nerve center of our nation's military is the focus of a balanced documentary, "Inside the Pentagon," airing at 7 p.m. Thursday on the always-engaging National Geographic Channel. (Look for my profile of the channel in this week's Sunday Arts.) The Pentagon's bigness is well-known: three times the floor space of the Empire State Building, 17 miles of corridors traversed by 23,000 employees. But that's not why this building rates a two-hour cable special. It's the horrific events of Sept. 11, 2001, that explain "Inside the Pentagon" and form much of the program's story line. We meet survivors who miraculously walked out of the flames and carnage after an airliner rammed one side of the building. We meet the man who's overseeing the effort to have the Pentagon rebuilt by Sept. 11, 2002 (he's well ahead of schedule and way under budget, which must not endear him to his fellow defense contractors). We meet a steelworker who came down from New Jersey to work on the renovation; nearly every day he walks past the spot where his son died. The cameras capture a couple of other small dramas that unfolded during shooting of "Inside the Pentagon," including the nervous response to an envelope suspiciously discarded a few hundred feet from the entrance. Perhaps the most surprising thing you learn about the Pentagon is that people actually enjoy working there. "It's not like jumping out of airplanes with the soldiers," says the Army's Vice Chief of Staff John Keane. "I miss that association, no doubt about it. But being here is the right thing to do." Keane feels a sense of mission in his Pentagon job because it helps ensure that the bureaucracy reflects the needs of the rank and file. As the film explains, this crucial esprit de corps was missing during the dark days of Vietnam. To reach Aaron Barnhart, phone (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com. RECOMMENDED SHOWS WEEKNIGHTS: "Daria," 9 p.m., Noggin. MTV's sardonic cartoon teen-ager returns for an encore run on "The N," Noggin's evening lineup for "tweens." THURSDAY: "Inside the Pentagon," 7 p.m., National Geographic Channel (76 on Time Warner Cable). Reviewed in today's column. SATURDAY: "Dream Chasers," 7 p.m. on A&E. Everyday people pursue extreme dreams in this smartly done hour. This week a man who enjoys parachuting goes to Norway and hurls himself off the tallest cliff I've ever seen.