New on the tube

'Still Standing' Airs: 8:30 tonight, CBS (Channel 5) Stars: Mark Addy, Jami Gertz Nutshell: Another forgettable but can't-miss comedy aimed squarely at the CBS Monday night crowd. Think of this one as "Yes, Dear," where the kids have speaking parts. Bill and Judy Miller (Addy, Gertz) have weathered 15 years since marrying out of high school. He's reckless, she's responsible, and between them there's nothing you haven't seen on a prime-time sitcom before. See Dad fret about his nerdy, trouble-free teen-age son. Watch the middle child call Mom and Dad uncool for saying no to a piercing. Look at the cute talking tyke who can barely get out her lines. I'm sorry to see "Becker," the show this one is replacing, get kicked over to Sunday nights. But given the incredible ratings of these cookie-cutter household shows, you can't blame CBS for wanting more. (And just wait until midseason brings us the return of "Baby Bob"!) To reach Aaron Barnhart, phone (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com. @ART CAPTION:Mark Addy (top left) and Jamie Gertz, star as the parents of three kids in "Still Standing." @ART:Photo (color)

New on the tube

'Boomtown' Airs: 9 p.m. Sunday, NBC (Channel 41) Stars: Donnie Wahlberg, Mykelti Williamson, Neal McDonough, Gary Basaraba, Jason Gedrick, Nina Garbiras, Lana Parrilla Nutshell: Engaging procedural crime drama shows you the dirty deed and investigation from various points of view. This one is not like the others. Yes, there's a dead body or two, a perp on the loose and detectives in various states of rumple. But there's also a passer-by with a sweat shirt that reads "Doofus," a deputy district attorney whose personal life is even more complicated than his cases, an exotic dancer and an enraged husband ... at least I think it's her husband ... What makes "Boomtown" so immediately interesting is that each of these people is treated like a main character, at least for a few moments. Rather than the standard objective, all-seeing-all-knowing camera, this show teases the viewer by using several highly subjective cameras, including some trained on bit players. I've seen this verite approach in documentaries, but this is the closest any fictional drama has come to approximating the effect. Of course, the result is the same as other crime shows - case closed by the final act. But along the way, lots of smaller mysteries are raised and resolved (like, what's the deal with the dancer and her husband, or why we were looking at a guy with "Doofus" on his chest). It's a gimmick, but as "CSI" and "Law & Order" have taught us, one show's gimmick is another show's time-tested format. 'American Dreams' Airs: 7 p.m. Sunday, NBC (Channel 41); repeats 7 p.m. Saturdays on VH1 beginning Oct. 5 Stars: Brittany Snow, Gail O'Grady, Tom Verica, Vanessa Lengies, Will Estes, Ethan Dampf, Sarah Ramos Nutshell: Uncomplicated if nicely done family drama nostalgically re-creates the 1960s in Philadelphia. Meg Pryor (Snow) has a dream. It's not the one articulated by Martin Luther King Jr., earlier that year during the March on Washington, but it's her dream. She wants to be a dancer on "American Bandstand." The challenge is not so much charming her way onto the set - her savvy high-school chum Roxanne (Lengies) sees to that - as it is convincing her Catholic parents to give her their blessing. Mom and Pop (O'Grady and Verica) appear strict and reverent on the surface, but as becomes clear by the end of the second episode, that's a cliche headed for a collision with another cliche - those turbulent '60s! Obvious attention has been paid to the show's production details, right down to the cleverly simulated "Bandstand" appearances by the Beach Boys and others. My concern is that the same care isn't being given to story and character. The jury's still out on that. That said, Snow is perfectly cast as a teen to whom the whole world opens up in all its wonder. If you want some innocent fun from a prime-time network show that doesn't, as the kids used to say, "go all the way," then watch "American Dreams." To reach Aaron Barnhart, phone (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com. @ART CAPTION:Donnie Wahlberg @ART:Photo (color)

New on the tube

'Hack' Airs: 8 tonight, CBS (Channel 5) Stars: David Morse, Andre Braugher, Matthew Borish, George Dzundza Nutshell: Tedious story of ex-cop forced to drive cab and solve crimes incognito while dealing with personal problems. The ongoing mystery of Andre Braugher's career continues on "Hack," where he plays the former partner of ex-detective Mike Olshansky (Morse). (Speaking of mysteries, what persuaded the brilliant minds at CBS to call this show "Hack"? Even "Olshansky" would've been better.) Last season Braugher had to compete with a cattle call of supporting actors even though his character's name was in the title of ABC's "Gideon's Crossing." Here, the supporting cast is just three, Morse's lead is drab, almost lifeless - and Braugher still can't buy a scene. Perhaps the new producer will change that. Yep, they've already switched show runners on "Hack," usually a sign of imminent cancellation but maybe not. (The previous show runner was working on two series; a CBS spokesman said the network wanted someone dedicated to "Hack." For more, see StarGazing in Preview.) Anyway, it's a low-risk Friday night series, so CBS will probably give it some time. Check back in a month; maybe things will have perked up. "Robbery Homicide Division" Airs: 9 tonight, CBS (Channel 5); episodes repeat 10 p.m. Saturday, USA, starting Oct. 5 Stars: Tom Sizemore, Barry "Shabaka" Henley, Klea Scott, David Cubitt, Michael Paul Chan Nutshell: Violent, stylized cop drama set in L.A. I guess I expected more from Michael Mann, now a high-powered Hollywood director who in the 1980s gave detective shows a shot in the arm with "Miami Vice." This show could make a small-screen star out of Sizemore, a well-traveled film actor who gets in your face as effectively as he does the people he's grilling. Guest star Mario Van Peebles is thrown in to give tonight's premiere added kick. But the gunplay and murder scenes - stretched out with slow-motion and instant replay - are much too much. I sure hope all the critics who are currently clucking their tongues at Fox's "Fastlane" aren't giving Mann a pass because he has "Ali" and "The Insider" on his resume. This is "Fastlane" in the slow lane, "Miami Vice" for a more bloodthirsty age, high-definition savagery turned into exquisite music video. Perhaps if there were some dialogue to go with all the killing, "RHD" would feel more worthwhile. Occasionally Sizemore breaks out of the "CSI" procedural banter and flexes his acting muscle. Not often enough, though. "That Was Then" Airs: 8 tonight, ABC (Channel 9); episodes repeat 9 p.m. Saturday on cable's ABC Family Stars: James Bulliard, Tyler Labine, Kiele Sanchez, Brad Raider, Tricia O'Kelley, Andrea Bowen, Bess Armstrong, Jeffrey Tambor Nutshell: The second of two new series about 30-somethings transported back to teen-agerhood takes itself too seriously. There is a very intriguing twist to "That Was Then" that makes it unlike any other time-travel show I've seen. I almost feel like divulging it now, because I doubt you're going to stick around for 55 minutes of the first episode to see it revealed. Especially if you've already seen the WB network's lighter, more charming "Do Over" (7:30 Thursdays, Channel 62), you'll find Travis Glass (Bulliard) too earnest, the friends and family who surround him too dreary and the story twists just not amusing enough. Like I say, the plot twist at the end may wind up redeeming future episodes of "That Was Then," but for now you may find yourself wishing afterward that you could travel back in time and get that hour back. To reach Aaron Barnhart, phone (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com. @ART CAPTION:David Morse (left) and Andre Braugher star in "Hack." @ART:Photo (color) @ART CREDIT:CBS

'Good Morning' needs to say good night

'Good Morning, Miami' Airs: 8:30 tonight, NBC (Channel 41) Stars: Mark Feuerstein, Ashley Williams, Matt Letscher, Jere Burns, Tessie Santiago, Constance Zimmer, Brooke Dillman, Suzanne Pleshette Nutshell: Do I even have to tell you how despicable this show is? You likely figured it out yourself from watching that promo - over and over, during NBC's Emmys telecast - in which characters on the show misuse the word "boink," producing roars of prerecorded laughter. A show is not its promo, of course, but the unfunny "Good Morning, Miami" spot captures its cringe-worthy humor all too well. The sitcom revolves around a young producer (Feuerstein) trying to turn around an unpopular morning show. He is hobbled every step of the way by an entrenched staff and feckless station manager (Burns). It's kind of quaint to think of a time when last-place TV stations could afford to hang onto all this deadwood instead of having security escort it out the door. (For that matter, it's extremely quaint to have a last-place TV station with a cue card person, a touch that reminds me of that Ted Danson sitcom about a 1990s newspaper where everyone used manual typewriters.) The joke, I think, is supposed to be that the morning show is so bad it's good. Maybe it is, but I couldn't get anywhere near it to be sure - that's how much this sitcom stinks. Kansas City native Brooke Dillman plays an unnaturally chirpy weathercaster-slash-nun on the show. It's a role that might fly on a Saturday night sketch show but here seems destined to trigger a fax campaign by the Catholic League. Don't blame Dillman - blame the creators of this mess, David Kohan and Max Mutchnick. How these two could produce something as sparkling as "Will & Grace" and then turn around and churn out this ... well, the Lord does work in mysterious ways. "Without a Trace" Airs: 9 tonight, CBS (Channel 5) Stars: Anthony LaPaglia, Poppy Montgomery, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Enrique Murciano. Nutshell: Intriguing show solves missing-persons cases the way "CSI" solves murders. Intended to supply the third hit hour for CBS on Thursdays, "Without a Trace" is unambitiously - but understandably - modeled on the show that is its lead-in, "CSI." Crucial scenes are imagined and then replayed, over and over, as the diligent detectives comb the evidence and ask for just the facts from those who knew the missing. It's all pretty familiar territory, right down to LaPaglia's and Montgomery's resemblance to "CSI" leads William Petersen and Marg Helgenberger. "Without a Trace" has a built-in time element - the trail of a missing person supposedly goes cold after 48 hours - and the victim not being necessarily dead supplies added suspense. On top of that, the first episode has a woman-in-danger story, which suggests this show is aimed squarely at the Lifetime crowd. To reach Aaron Barnhart, phone (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com. @ART CAPTION:Kansas City native Brooke Dillman is a nun and weathercaster in "Good Morning, Miami." @ART:Photo

'MDs' revives memories of 'M*A*S*H'

'MDs' Airs: 9 tonight, ABC (Channel 9) Stars: William Fichtner, John Hannah, Leslie Stefanson, Aunjanue Ellis, Jane Lynch, Robert Joy, Michaela Conlin Nutshell: Promising attempt to re-create "M*A*S*H" in a modern managed-care hospital. TV is lousy with heroic doctors, yet for every "ER" it seems there are five "Gideon's Crossings." You'll recall that was the Wednesday-night series on ABC last year in which Andre Braugher played an earnest, idealized cancer healer. Braugher's aloof Hippocratic zen wasn't much of a viewer magnet. So this year in his place - same date, time and channel - comes Gideon's temperamental opposite: "MDs," a medical comedy about two hot-blooded heroic surgeons who, when they aren't saving lives, are either chasing skirts or skirting the bureaucratic meddlers who run their hospital. Their names aren't Hawkeye and B.J., but Kellerman (Fichtner) and Dalgety (Hannah) are plainly modeled on them, though they're less inclined to leave socks in other doctors' coffeepots so much as to conduct unauthorized medical procedures that are in their patients' best interest. Sounds preachy, I know, but the first two "MDs" I saw kept the action humming and the tone light. In tonight's episode, the docs conduct an autopsy on somebody who's not dead to avoid an HMO charge. I don't know if this actually circumvents California malpractice law, but who cares? To reach Aaron Barnhart, phone (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com To read previous "New on the Tube" reviews, visit www.kansascity.com @ART CAPTION:William Fichtner (left) and John Hannah star in "MDs." @ART:Photo (color) @ART CREDIT:ABC

'Ed' findsits Foo again

Fans of the NBC show "Ed," which begins its third season at 7 p.m. Wednesday on NBC (Channel 41), will be pleased to learn that an old favorite is returning to the show: the original theme song. "Next Year," performed by Foo Fighters, perfectly captured the youthful ambition and sentimental longings of the show's main character, Ed Stevens, played by Tom Cavanagh. But Viacom Productions, the studio responsible for producing "Ed," has a corporate policy about owning the songs on its shows. It didn't own "Next Year" but gave the song a one-year pass because the show's creators, Jon Beckerman and Rob Burnett, loved it. And from the moment many viewers heard it, they did, too. "The first season went so well, we decided we needed to handicap ourselves," Burnett joked last week from the show's New Jersey production offices. "Turns out we handicapped ourselves too much." After the first season, "Ed" substituted a theme song from indie rocker Clem Snide. The arrangement suited the Viacom suits and nobody else. Internet boards lit up with angry messages from viewers who were willing to fight for their Foo. They weren't the only ones. Burnett said he and Beckerman "fought long and hard last season" to reinstate the song. Finally the company relented. A Viacom spokesman said "an accommodation" was made to bring back "Next Year." "Everyone missed the song," the spokesman said, shrewdly. Hearing it had a magical effect on me. My interest in "Ed" flagged sometime last season - I think during the 14th or so misadventure involving Warren, the Goofy Teen-ager - but that theme song actually made me want to like the show again. Happily the season premiere episode does not disappoint. For starters, Danny DeVito has a terrific guest turn as a psychologist who enjoys scamming people. But it's the addition of a cast member that will have fans chattering online. When Kenny (Mike Starr) quits his bowling-alley job, in to take his place rolls - literally - an effervescent, fast-talking kid in a wheelchair named Eli. Cocksure and opinionated, he makes everyone aware that he would be the best thing ever to happen to Stuckey Bowl. He's certainly one of the best things to happen to "Ed." It happens that Eli is played by Daryl "Chill" Mitchell, a fast-talking actor in a wheelchair, the result of a motorcycle accident last year. Burnett and Beckerman were leaning against replacing Kenny until Mitchell wheeled into their offices. "He's incredibly inspirational," Burnett said. "He left the room and three seconds later Jon and I look at each other and say, 'Well, that guy's in the show.' " Beckerman added, "This is the first time we've gotten to create a character for an actor. The way television pilots go through the system, you write it, then you cast it. ... I don't think we ever would've sat down and said, 'Let's have the guy who replaces Kenny be an African-American in a wheelchair.' " Kismet is like that. If you don't believe me, ask Foo Fighters. "NYPD Blue," 9 tonight, ABC (Channel 9). In a sea of procedural cop shows, where cold fish nibble wearily on their corpses, Dennis Franz's Det. Andy Sipowicz is a killer whale, an aging, warm-blooded giant to whom attention must still be paid. Franz is in fine form tonight when a drug dealer makes a death threat on his character. When you've been through all that Andy's been through the last nine seasons, some things that are meant to frighten you only make you mad. Alas, compared with Franz the supporting cast seems to be going through the motions. This is "Blue's" 200th episode, and ABC is marking the occasion with a special at 8 p.m. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," 7 tonight, UPN (Channel 29). Hard to say whether this will be the season when "Buffy" jumps the shark, but it can't be a good sign that Sarah Michelle Gellar is back in high school. This time she's accompanying Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) around the newly rebuilt Sunnydale High. While Dawn goes to class, Buffy improbably strolls around the hallways, as though waiting for demons to attack. Halfway around the world, Willow (Alyson Hannigan) is listening in, using the Earth like a shortwave radio. Men? I think I saw one or two of those in the background. To reach Aaron Barnhart, phone (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com.

New on the tube

'Haunted' Airs: 8 tonight, UPN (Channel 29) Stars: Matthew Fox, Russell Hornsby, Lynn Collins, John Mann, Michael Irvy Nutshell: Nice set-up, but how far can they go with it? For two years ex-cop Frank Taylor (Fox) has been looking for his missing son. It has cost him his job, his marriage and possibly his sanity. But those voices in his head aren't schizophrenic demons of despair - they're the voices of other missing people, calling out to him to come find them. With his transistor seemingly tuned to those in distress, Frank finds meaning to his life even if the people around him think he's dialed to station KNUT. This isn't the only new missing-persons show on the fall schedule: the procedural drama "Without a Trace" is another. In "Haunted," however, our hero is led not by forensic clues, but paranormal hunches. To look at it another way, "Profiler" would fall somewhere between these two shows. I was intrigued by the first "Haunted" episode, but it felt like a closed case, a movie-of-the-week. Can this guy really hold us for 21 more brain spells? 'Hidden Hills' Airs: 8:30 tonight, NBC (Channel 41) Stars: Justin Louis, Paula Marshall, Dondre T. Whitfield, Tamara Taylor, Stacey Galina Nutshell: Comedy about suburban couples borrows from "Malcolm in the Middle" and "Ally McBeal," with limited success. "Hidden Hills" turns out to be better than the dreary preview I saw at the NBC presentation in May (the five-minute trailer revolved around Louis getting smacked in the family jewels with a softball). It's a by-now familiar mixture of dream sequences, voice overs and comedy unburdened by the demands of a laugh track. And some of it works, like a jealous dream Doug (Louis) has in next week's episode about his wife (Marshall) and the hunks working on his water main. But as a couple, they have little personal chemistry to go with their sparkless marriage. In tonight's episode, they have a ridiculous spat over sex, and you sit there waiting for someone to say something genuine, or believable, and no one does. Even "Ally McBeal" never had that problem. 'In-Laws' Airs: 7 tonight, with back-to-back episodes tonight only, NBC (Channel 41) Stars: Dennis Farina, Elon Gold, Jean Smart, Bonnie Somerville Nutshell: In this uninteresting sitcom, domineering dad squashes meek son-in-law like a bug. Perhaps if we had Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller here instead of Farina and Gold - or at least the twisted minds that wrote "Meet the Parents" - then "In-Laws" would amount to something. As it is, the show's middle-class setting belies its "Married ... With Children" sophistication. There is a funny sequence in tonight's second episode when Farina's Fleetwood goes to the body shop. But of the four cast members, only "Frasier" veteran Smart consistently rises above the stock roles. Worse, each of tonight's episodes resorts to a gimmick at the end (one involves cumin, the other uses Farina's watering hole for a one-time-only punch line). Such contrivances are a sure sign that the show's characters have worn out their limited comic potential - and to think the season is still young. 'Presidio Med' Airs: 9 tonight, CBS (Channel 5); moves to regular time period 9 p.m. Wednesday Stars: Dana Delany, Blythe Danner, Anna Devere Smith, Sasha Alexander, Julianne Nicholson, Oded Fehr Nutshell: Lifeless cast can't resuscitate umpteenth medical drama. "ER" show-runners Lydia Woodward and John Wells have clearly tired of the fast-and-furious, people-in-motion hospital show. Been there, done that. So now they've fashioned one in which people stop and (cue camera one!) talk to each other in (cue camera two!) isolated shots. At "Presidio Med," crises are accompanied not by the cacophony of people and ringing telephones, but the soothing accompaniment of guitar and piano. Throw in a quirky doctor or two - like the plastic surgeon who sings "I've Got You Under My Skin" during liposuction - and you have a show not unlike "Chicago Hope," the very program that "ER" demolished on Thursday nights eight years ago. But at least "Hope" had Mandy Patinkin. The best "Presidio Med" can do is Dana Delany. She's always a welcome sight, but she can't pull this heavy load herself. To reach Aaron Barnhart, phone (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.comBonnie Hunt, David Letterman's funniest guest, after two failed comedies on CBS? I couldn't help but be charmed. The show is aptly named: It's a scripted comedy that unfolds like a day-in-the-life documentary. The action, and there is a lot of action, moves between Bonnie's home, which she shares with her husband, two kids and a housekeeper; and the set of "Morning Chicago," her live morning show. The "Morning Chicago" scene, which ate up a third of the episode, had a loose, unscripted quality. (The worst you could say about the cooking segment, which Bonnie plays for laughs, is that it seemed like something Letterman would do.) Back home, Bonnie and hubby (Derwin) have no chemistry, but the kids are hilarious. Anyway, they're just the supporting cast. This show will succeed only if audiences finally connect with Hunt and her down-to-earth, off-the-cuff style of comedy. 'Push, Nevada' Airs: 8 p.m., repeating 7 p.m. Thursday just before its regular time period of 8 p.m. Thursday, ABC (Channel 9) Stars: Derek Cecil, Scarlett Chorvat Nutshell: A million dollars has vanished in a strange heist in a strange town. The twist: Viewers solve the case - and one will collect the missing loot. Forget about the fact that "Push, Nevada," reminds you of a mishmosh of films you've seen on the Sundance Channel - the cockeyed camera angles, the oddly stilted dialogue, the non sequitur cutaways - and just enjoy its reckless ambition. Think about it: When this show moves to Thursdays, it will be on a suicide mission, challenging "CSI" and "Will & Grace" with a weird little whodunit that has precious few clues and even fewer suspects, so elliptically told that it seems calculated to drive away viewers. Only two things are in "Push's" favor: the immediately likable good guy, IRS agent J.A. Prufrock (Cecil), and that $1 million jackpot that some lucky viewer will win. Personally, I'd rather watch "Push" than anything else in that time period (although I do like the "Jamie Kennedy Experiment"). But my guess is that Ben Affleck and Sean Bailey, the show's creators, will be handing out the big prize on the Internet, where "Push" will be forced to run for cover after ABC yanks it. To reach Aaron Barnhart, phone (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com @ART CAPTION:Matthew Fox stars in "Haunted." @ART:Photo (color) @ART CREDIT:UPN

'Raymond,' 'Friends' win big

"Everybody Loves Raymond" finally lived up to its ambitious title, "Friends" proved it still has some inside the television academy, and "The West Wing" showed why it's king of the primetime Emmy Awards Sunday night. Television's two highest-rated comedies split the top honors. CBS' "Raymond" won three of the four acting categories, including Ray Romano's first victory as best actor. NBC's "Friends," after eight seasons, won for the first time in best comedy series and best actress (Jennifer Aniston). On the drama side, NBC's "The West Wing" took best drama series for the third year in a row and once again spoiled the night for an HBO series. This time the loser was "Six Feet Under," which took home six lesser trophies but none in the major categories. The best actor in a drama series award was the biggest shock of the 3 hour, 20 minute ceremony. Michael Chiklis, who transformed himself from the roly-poly "Commish" of the mid-1990s ABC series into a ruthless, hard-bodied LAPD cop on FX's "The Shield," walked away with the Emmy. He seemed as stunned by it as anybody. "We all have a little place inside of us," Chiklis said in a trembling voice, "that we secretly allow ourselves to dream of a moment like this." "The Shield" was a dark horse because it aired on FX, a cable network that until recently was best known for a raunchy sitcom produced by Howard Stern. One could argue that Chiklis' candidacy was aided by television critics who hoisted him up on their shoulders last winter, when "The Shield" premiered, and championed him all spring. As expected, HBO's "Band of Brothers" and "The Gathering Storm" took the Emmys for best miniseries and movie, respectively. The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences gave its first Bob Hope Humanitarian Award to Oprah Winfrey, who is normally seen on the Daytime Emmy Awards. Winfrey had told Joan Rivers on E! before the ceremony that she had been instructed to keep her remarks to 45 seconds. Instead she spoke for more than three minutes, by far the longest speech of the night. Earlier, Brad Garrett of "Everybody Loves Raymond" won his first Emmy for best supporting actor in a comedy series. Garrett submitted a tender episode in which his mother, played by Doris Roberts, seemingly undermines a job interview by ruining his lucky suit. Minutes later, Roberts followed him onto the stage to accept her third Emmy, the second as Marie Barone. "This is what happens when you're young and sexy," said Roberts, 76, upon accepting her trophy. Allison Janney won her third straight Emmy as press secretary C.J. Cregg in "The West Wing." Following "Raymond's" comedic lead, "The West Wing" swept the supporting-actor trophies in drama, with Stockard Channing and John Spencer each winning their first Emmy for portraying the first lady and chief of staff. Host Conan O'Brien would not have been an ideal choice last year, when the Emmys were postponed twice by the aftermath of the attacks on America. As the New York-based host of "Late Night" on NBC, O'Brien has seemed uncomfortable talking about the events of Sept. 11 on his show. This year, however, his demented straight-man persona wore well with the audience. Some viewers who aren't acquainted with O'Brien's mechanical setup-punchline monologue delivery may have found him a bit stiff, but that's the way he always is. He's also an irrepressible ham, as he proved during several comedy bits during the night. In the first, he pretended to be a house guest of "The Osbournes" - a bleep-filled sketch that should have scared off any viewers under the illusion that the Emmys are a broadcast for the whole family. Viewers couldn't miss one feature of the stage design: a bank of TVs on which the opening credits of old black-and-white TV shows flickered all night. "In about 10 minutes I'm going to turn all of these televisions to 'The Sopranos,' " joked O'Brien, referring to the HBO series that did not air new episodes last season - thus making it ineligible for Emmy consideration - but did air a new episode opposite the awards. To reach Aaron Barnhart, call (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com. Emmy winners Drama Series: "The West Wing," NBC. Comedy Series: "Friends," NBC. Variety, Music or Comedy Series: "Late Show With David Letterman," CBS. Miniseries: "Band of Brothers," HBO. Made-for-TV Movie: "The Gathering Storm," HBO. Variety, Music or Comedy Special: "America: A Tribute to Heroes," various networks. Actor, Drama Series: Michael Chiklis, "The Shield," FX. Actor, Comedy Series: Ray Romano, "Everybody Loves Raymond," CBS. Actor, Miniseries or a Movie: Albert Finney, "The Gathering Storm," HBO. Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program: Sting, "A&E In Concert: Sting In Tuscany ... All This Time," A&E. Actress, Miniseries or a Movie: Laura Linney, "Wild Iris," Showtime. Actress, Drama Series: Allison Janney, "The West Wing," NBC. Actress, Comedy Series: Jennifer Aniston, "Friends," NBC Supporting Actor, Drama Series: John Spencer, "The West Wing," NBC. Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Brad Garrett, "Everybody Loves Raymond," CBS. Supporting Actor, Miniseries or a Movie: Michael Moriarty, "James Dean," TNT. Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Stockard Channing, "The West Wing," NBC. Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Doris Roberts, "Everybody Loves Raymond," CBS. Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Stockard Channing, "The Matthew Shepard Story," NBC. Directing for a Drama Series: "Six Feet Under: Pilot," HBO. Directing for a Comedy Series: "Sex and the City: The Real Me," HBO. Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special: "Band of Brothers," HBO. Directing for a Variety or Music Program: "Opening Ceremony Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games," NBC. Writing for a Drama Series: "24: Midnight-1:00 a.m. (Pilot)," Fox. Writing for a Comedy Series: "The Bernie Mac Show: Pilot," Fox. Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special: "The Gathering Storm," HBO. Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: "Saturday Night Live," NBC. Governors Award: ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox for a program honoring Sept. 11 heroes. Bob Hope Humanitarian Award: Oprah Winfrey. @ART CREDIT:The Associated Press @ART CAPTION:Rudolph Giuliani, former mayor of New York City, made a special appearance at Sunday's Emmy Awards. He presented the award for outstanding drama series to stars of "The West Wing," (from left) Bradley Whitford, Martin Sheen, Richard Schiff and John Spencer. @ART CREDIT:KEVORK DJANSEZIAN/The Associated Press @ART CAPTION:Ray Romano, star of "Everybody Loves Raymond," was named best actor in a comedy series at Sunday's Emmys. The CBS show also won honors in the best supporting actor categories. @ART CAPTION:In a first for NBC's "Friends," Jennifer Aniston won an Emmy for best supporting actress. @ART:Photos (3, color and b/w)

Television picks industry favorites

'CSI' looks even better in Miami

'CSI: Miami' Airs: 9 tonight, CBS (Channel 5) Stars: David Caruso, Kim Delaney, Emily Procter, Khandi Alexander, Adam Rodriguez, Rory Cochrane Nutshell: Better than the original. If I were running "CSI," I'd make three fixes: one, more money in the budget so the show didn't look so cheap sometimes; two, cast some people who actually light up a TV screen; three, tell the writers that if they put any more of those macabre puns in the scripts, they're fired. Somebody at the network must have thought the same thing, because this spin-off has none of those defects. In Caruso and Delaney the murder-by-numbers "CSI" format has two leads with proven star power on the small screen. The big redhead is only slightly muted from his "NYPD Blue" days; it's great to see him back. Delaney has an intriguing dark side to her, and I liked Alexander as a coroner who talks to her corpses. The Florida location shots are dazzling, although tonight's episode opens in a swamp in the Everglades, not exactly drop-dead scenery. (Wait, was that a pun? It must be contagious.) This just feels like the show "CSI" should have been all along. 'Half and Half' Airs: 8:30 tonight, UPN (Channel 29) Stars: Rachel True, Essence Atkins, Telma Hopkins, Valarie Pettiford, Chico Benymon Nutshell: This year's "Girlfriends." From urban-comedy impresario Yvette Lee Bowser ("Living Single," "For Your Love") comes another harmless adult romp about dating, friendship and people you can't believe you're related to. Mona (True) and Dee Dee (Atkins) are half-sisters who share a father and very little else. Mona was from the first marriage, and she's been unlucky in love and life; Dee Dee is still Daddy's little girl, and it shows. Both women have take-charge moms, and as you might guess, they don't think too highly of each other. I'm not sure how much mileage can be had from that set-up, but I found the first two episodes unexpectedly entertaining. The characters are distinct (and well cast), and the writing shows more than average insight into the human condition. To reach Aaron Barnhart, phone (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com. @ART CAPTION:Caruso at work with Khandi Alexander in the background. @ART:Photo (color)

The new fall shows; TV's freshman class, sorted by major

CRIME CSI: Miami (CBS, 9/23) Premise: Spin-off stars David Caruso as a detective named Horatio. Looks like: "CSI" on a bigger budget. Without a Trace (CBS, 9/26) Premise: Elite division solves kidnappings. Looks like: "CSI" without corpses. Boomtown (NBC, 9/29) Premise: Unusual format shows manhunt from various points of view. Looks like: A winner. Hack (CBS, 9/27) Premise: Ex-cop drives cab, solves crimes. Looks like: A yawner. Robbery Homicide Division (CBS, 9/27) Premise: When homicide alone just isn't enough. Looks like: "Miami Vice" for a new millennium. WOMEN LAWYER SHOWS Girls club (Fox, 10/21) Premise: Sexy women star in producer David E. Kelley's latest legal fantasy. Looks like: "L.A. Law" goes north. Just Cause (Pax) Premise: Ex-felon solves crimes living in halfway house. Looks like: A bad Lifetime movie. MEDICAL SHOWS Body & Soul (Pax, 8 p.m. Mondays) Premise: Alternative healer meets traditional doctors. Looks like: The worst Lifetime movie ever. Presidio Med (CBS, 9/24) Premise: Women doctors. Looks like: "Strong Medicine." MDs (ABC, 9/25) Premise: Renegade doctors take on HMO and hospital establishment. Looks like: "M*A*S*H" for our times. FANTASY Birds of Prey (WB, 10/9) Premise: Three beautiful young superheroes take on the Joker and others. Looks like: "Charmed" meets DC Comics. Fastlane (Fox) Premise: Two cops forced to live like playboys to snare bad guys. Looks like: "I Spy the Fast and Furious Rush Hour." Firefly (Fox) Premise: A Western set 500 years in the future. Looks like: A Western set 500 years in the future. Dinotopia (ABC, 10/10) Premise: Series based on telepic about kids who walk with dinosaurs. Looks like: The movie, probably; Disney hasn't released an episode yet. PSYCHIC WHODUNITS Haunted (UPN, 9/24) Premise: Voice in ex-cop's head helps him solve crimes. Looks like: "Profiler" meets "America's Most Wanted." John Doe (Fox) Premise: Mystery man uses encyclopedic knowledge to solve crimes. Looks like: "Monk" meets "Pretender." 'QUIRKY' SHOWS Everwood (WB) Premise: Doctor moves kids from NYC to odd mountain town. Looks like: "Dawson's Creek" meets "Northern Exposure." Push, Nevada (ABC) Premise: Help IRS agent find missing loot in bizarro burg, win prizes. Looks like: The "Twin Peaks" scavenger hunt. COMEDIES ABOUT FAMILIES TALKING TYKES DIVISION Life With Bonnie (ABC) Premise: Local TV anchor and family live out-of-control lives. Looks like: The last two Bonnie Hunt shows, but zanier. Family Affair (WB) Premise: Swinging bachelor and English butler inherit three orphans. Looks like: The original "Family Affair" but ritzier. Still Standing (CBS, 9/30) Premise: Former high school hell-raisers now raise two kids. Looks like: Every other CBS Monday-night comedy. COMEDIES ABOUT FAMILIES TEEN-AGER DIVISION 8 Simple Rules (ABC) Premise: Dad tries to manage two teen-age daughters. Looks like: Live-action "Daria." What I Like About You (Fox) Premise: Amanda Bynes moves in with big sis Jennie Garth. Looks like: Slapsticky "Gilmore Girls." Greetings From Tucson (WB) Premise: Foibles of extended Hispanic family. Looks like: "George Lopez" from kid's point of view. The Grubbs (Fox, 11/3) Premise: Dad's on disability, a creep - and role model. Looks like: Low-rent "Unhappily Ever After." COMEDIES ABOUT FAMILIES GROWN-UPS DIVISION Hidden Hills (NBC, 9/24) Premise: Married life in the suburbs. Looks like: "For Your Love" minus the laugh track. In-Laws (NBC, 9/24) Premise: Newlyweds move in with her folks. Looks like: A younger "Everybody Loves Raymond." Bram and Alice (CBS, 10/6) Premise: Womanizing author shares apartment with daughter. Looks like: Bookish "Frasier." Half and Half (UPN, 9/23) Premise: Half sisters live in Daddy's apartment building. Looks like: A gumbo of UPN's other Monday-night comedies. WORKPLACE COMEDIES Less Than Perfect (ABC, 10/1) Premise: Temp worker becomes network anchor's assistant. Looks like: "Drew Carey" meets "Just Shoot Me." Good Morning, Miami (NBC, 9/26) Premise: Producer takes over lousy AM show. Looks like: The first cancellation of the 2002 season. VARIETY Cedric the Entertainer Presents (fox) Premise: Beer pitchman performs in sketches. Looks like: "The Flip Wilson Show," but Cedric can sing. OLD TV SHOWS BECOME NEW TV SHOWS American Dreams (NBC, 9/29) Premise: Girl in 1960s Philly becomes "Bandstand" regular. Looks like: Teeny-bopper "Big Chill." Twilight Zone (UPN) Premise: New tales from the Rod Serling storybook. Looks remarkably like: The old "Twilight Zone." THOSE '80S SHOWS Do Over (WB) Premise: Loser in his 30s gets to go back and relive teen years. Looks like: "That Was Then." That Was Then (ABC, 9/27) Premise: Loser in his 30s gets to go back and relive teen years. Looks like: "Do Over." @ART CAPTION:Newcomers ready to hit the road to prime-time stardom include (clockwise from left) "Cedric the Entertainer"; Derek Cecil in "Push, Nevada"; Kaley Cuoco and Amy Davidson in "8 Simple Rules"; Mykelti Williamson in "Boomtown"; Bill Bellamy and Peter Facinelli in "Fastlane"; and Giancarlo Esposito, Kathleen Robertson, Gretchen Mol and Chyler Leigh in "girls club." @ART:Photos (6) @ART CREDIT:Photo illustration and listings graphic by TODD RECTOR/The Kansas City Star; Photos courtesy Fox, ABC and NBC @ART CAPTION:Prime-time lineup @ART:Graphic

Barnhart's top 25; Time-tested shows dominate our critic's list of television's best

1. 24 Get ready, America - Jack's had a shower and some sleep! 2. The Sopranos Will Tony's inner circle break up before he cracks up? 3. Frontline Edward R. Murrow would be proud. 4. The Shield He's no Tony Soprano, but Vic Mackey is an antihero for our time. 5. Six Feet Under Sudsy yet serious; brilliant writing saves this show from pure camp. 6. Late Night With Conan O'Brien Catch late-night's premiere act in repeats on Comedy Central. 7. The Bernie Mac Show Twisted tribute to "The Cosby Show." 8. Ed The Foo Fighters theme is back! 9. The Daily Show Not necessarily the news, but an amazing likeness. 10. Saturday Night Live The reruns on E!, that is. 11. HBO documentaries TV's best reality series expands this winter with 13 films on HBO2. 12. Scrubs Mile-a-minute comedy has heart - also lungs, kidneys ... 13. P.O.V. PBS' documentary series gets me through the summer. 14. National Geographic Today The only cable news program that matters. 15. PTI Like sports radio, but funnier and with pictures. 16. Everybody Loves Raymond Our "Honeymooners." 17. Reba Our "Roseanne." 18. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Though only occasionally brilliant, a true original. 19. Late Show With David Letterman Dave's peaked, but he's still miles better than Jay. 20. King of the Hill Has bypassed "The Simpsons" as TV's premier 'toon. 21. Law & Order "CSI" is creepier, but this one's smarter. 22. John Doe Who is this guy? With luck, millions will soon know. 23. The Twilight Zone So far, Forest Whitaker is faithful to Serling's dark vision. 24. CSI: Miami David Caruso makes this better than the original. 25. Boomtown A different kind of whodunit has promise. @ART:Photos (7, color, uncaptioned)

Haven't I seen you before?; New TV lineup recycles familiar ideas

24. If the networks are lucky, that's how many of the three dozen or so network TV shows premiering this fall that will still be around by Christmas. The Sopranos. As the saying goes, it ain't over till they sing. By early October, though, expect to hear swansongs for some of the new shows. What does it say about the 2002-03 television season that no first-year premiere has created the same buzz as the season premieres of Fox's "24," last year's critical favorite, or other returning series like HBO's "The Sopranos"? It means, dear viewer, that this is the least ambitious network schedule in years. Derivative detective shows. Copycat comedies. Doctors and lawyers galore. Shows "from the producers of" other shows, often involving the same ideas and story lines, but with new cast members and new time slots. Sad to say, America, but you asked for it. You embraced the "Law & Order" spinoffs. So now you're getting "CSI: Miami," with former "NYPD Blue" heartthrobs David Caruso and Kim Delaney. You liked those ABC family comedies, so the network added two more this year. Fox was inspired by Bernie Mac's success to offer a show to his "Original Kings of Comedy" pal Cedric the Entertainer. Original it's not, but the fall schedule is not without its gems. "The Twilight Zone" is a highly watchable tribute to the Rod Serling original. "John Doe," which may be the most interesting new show, helps itself to ideas previously seen on "Dark Angel" and "The Pretender." To reach Aaron Barnhart, phone (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com @ART CAPTION:Larry David of HBO's 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' @ART CAPTION:Who am I? What network am I on? @ART CAPTION:I used to be 'Blue' now I'm South Beach cool @ART CAPTION:Take ratings numbers from my time slot? I don't think so, my network friend. @ART CAPTION:Yes. I'd like to place an order of mid-season replacements @ART:Photos (5, color)

Coincidence?; Amazing similarities among the new fall shows

1. "Do Over": In this WB series, a 34-year-old schlub is magically transported back to high school circa 1982. In the first episode, he hopes to redeem an embarrassing failure of his youth, when he developed stage fright while speaking to the school assembly. "That Was Then": In this ABC series a 30-year-old schlub is similarly spirited back to the '80s. He must deliver a big speech to his classmates in the first episode. 2. "MDs": ABC's Wednesday night doctor show is set in San Francisco. "Presidio Med": CBS' Wednesday night doctor show is set in San Francisco. 3. "Haunted" (UPN): An ex-detective visits his old partner at work and persuades the cop to let him walk off with evidence that will help his investigation. "Hack" (CBS): An ex-detective visits his ex-partner, whom he persuades to do a records search that will help his investigation.

Channel 41 gets a new anchorman

KSHB, Channel 41, has picked up a news anchorman as part of the restructuring at the NBC affiliate under recently hired news director Debbie Bush. Mark Clegg, an anchorman at the top-rated station in Indianapolis, will join Channel 41 in October or November. Clegg and Elizabeth Alex will be on newscasts at 5, 6 and 10 p.m. Current afternoon anchorwoman Sally Moore will move to mornings. Clegg's current employer, WTHR-TV, is "a very good station with a winning tradition," said Bush. "They used to be the worst station (in the market), and then they did everything right and became No. 1." That's the kind of turnaround Bush is trying to bring about at KSHB. Under news director Laura Clark, who resigned July 9, the station saw some improvements in its ratings, especially at 10 p.m. Still, Channel 41's newscasts remain a distant fourth in most time periods, and Clark's departure prompted speculation that Kansas City's four TV newsrooms would soon be contracted to three. The hiring of Clegg should scuttle that talk. "We're going to take a run at this," Bush said Friday. "We're going to show people some things." Bush had an ideal vantage point from which to observe Clegg: She was news director of the ABC affiliate in Indianapolis before coming to Kansas City. Clegg began his career at KXAS-TV in Dallas-Fort Worth in 1987, then worked at crosstown WFAA-TV as well as at stations in Wichita Falls and Beaumont, Texas. - You can reach Aaron Barnhart through the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com

And the Emmys should still go to HBO

Regarding the prime-time Emmy Awards, which begin at 7 p.m. Sunday on NBC (Channel 41), just one question: If America's most talked-about, most written-about TV show isn't going to be there, what's there to talk about or write about? As you may have heard, "The Sopranos," which last weekend emerged from hibernation and let out a roar, is ineligible for Emmy consideration this year because it didn't air a single episode during the 2001-02 season. HBO shrewdly inserted another high-quality drama in its place - "Six Feet Under," which actually picked up 23 nominations, one more than "The Sopranos" did a year ago. Still, holding the Emmys without "The Sopranos" feels a little like holding a World Series without the Yankees: Maybe they won't win, but it's weird not to have them there at all. Then again, not writing an obligatory pre-Emmys prediction column would be like not holding the World Series, right? Well, let's not get carried away with our analogies. On, then, to the chase. Here are the likely winners and the ones I'd like to win: Best Drama: "The West Wing" won this category its first two seasons and enjoyed a critical buzz every bit as favorable as the show it bested, "The Sopranos." That buzz has vanished. Martin Sheen, who plays the president of the United States on "The West Wing," now seems strangely superfluous in a way that he didn't before Sept. 11, 2001. With the real West Wing occupant now sounding confident and assertive, "The West Wing" has been exposed for the moralizing Hollywood liberal wish fulfillment that it was all along. With "The West Wing" fading and "The Sopranos" sitting on the sidelines, the momentum has shifted, almost by default, to my preferred show in this category, "Six Feet Under." It's considered the favorite to win Best Drama. Best Comedy: "Friends" has never won this award, and this would be a good year to start. But HBO stands in the way - not the tired defending champ "Sex and the City" but Larry David's insiderish comedy, "Curb Your Enthusiasm." (No need to even to bring up "Everybody Loves Raymond," which would win every year if I were handing out Emmys.) Tom O'Neil, the awards prognosticator for GoldDerby.com, says "Curb Your Enthusiasm" could become the third HBO series to win a Best Comedy prize ("Tracey Takes On" was the other) because David plays a character that many judges can relate to: a white, 50-something show-biz millionaire. "The Emmy voters are real elitist snobs," O'Neil said. "That's how 'Sex and the City' won last year. That's how 'Frasier' won five years in a row." Best Actor, Drama: I loved Kiefer Sutherland's grim-faced action hero, Jack Bauer, from Fox's "24." But there's little doubt that this category belongs to Peter Krause, who plays Nate on "Six Feet Under." O'Neil knows what episodes were submitted to the Emmy judges, and he says that Krause was helped not only by his own strong entry but also by that of his co-star and fellow Best Actor nominee Michael C. Hall. The episode Hall submitted happens to include another sterling performance by Krause, which all but ensures that he will defend HBO's honor in this category until James Gandolfini (aka Tony Soprano) returns next year. Best Actress, Drama: Sorry to let down all you Allison Janney fans, but "West Wing's" press secretary picked a bad time to upgrade from the Best Supporting Actress category. O'Neil says those 50-something male voters are smitten by Jennifer Garner, the feisty star of ABC's "Alias." I'd give the award to Rachel Griffiths of "Six Feet Under" for her dazzling and emotionally draining arias. Best Actor, Comedy: Bernie Mac should win this award for adapting his adults-only stand-up act into a network show that family members can watch together. Alas, insiders say that he is running a close second behind Matt LeBlanc, who is not even the best actor on "Friends." Best Actress, Comedy: "Everybody Loves Raymond's" Patricia Heaton has reached out and grabbed this prize two years running by making shrewd choices in the episodes she submitted for judging. Unfortunately, she didn't give birth in any episodes this year. Jennifer Aniston did, which gives "The Good Girl" the edge. Best TV Movie: Alfred Finney's portrayal of an interregnum Winston Churchill in HBO's "The Gathering Storm" was one of the highlights of the television season. Finney's absorbing performance felt like an intimate documentary of the Last Lion himself. Emmy voters have rallied behind quality teleflicks before, and this should be no exception. Best Miniseries: HBO's "Band of Brothers," deservedly, is the prohibitive favorite. The network is flying 35 of the Easy Company veterans involved in its production - including Paul "Cliff" Rogers of Overland Park - out to Los Angeles for what promises to be a celebratory post-Emmy party at Spago. - To reach Aaron Barnhart, phone (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com. @ART CAPTION:CBS' "Everybody Loves Raymond" is up for Best Comedy for the Emmy Awards, which will be Sunday. The five lead actors in the show have also been nominated for Emmys. Nominees include (from left) Brad Garrett for Best Supporting Actor, Ray Romano for Best Actor, Doris Roberts for Best Supporting Actress and Patricia Heaton for Best Actress. Also nominated is Peter Boyle for Best Supporting Actor, who is not pictured. @ART CREDIT:CBS @ART CAPTION:Nominees from left: Jennifer Garner, Peter Krause and Bernie Mac @ART:Photos (2, color and b/w)

All-time Emmy marks broken

Even before Sunday's prime-time Emmy Awards, "Frasier" and actress Cloris Leachman displaced two longstanding records for achievement. By winning three Creative Arts Emmys last weekend, "Frasier" established the mark for all-time awards by a single show with 30. Leachman won her eighth acting Emmy at the Creative Arts ceremony for her guest turn as the cranky grandma on "Malcolm in the Middle." That tops Mary Tyler Moore's and Ed Asner's seven Emmys apiece, most of which were won during their years together on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." It was "MTM" that held the record for most Emmys, with 29, until being passed by Kelsey Grammer and company Saturday. It took "Frasier" nine seasons to accomplish what "MTM" did in just seven seasons (1970-77). And back then networks weren't inclined to wave multimillion dollar deals under the noses of their stars to persuade them to stay on past their show's prime. Otherwise Mary and the gang might have been on TV much longer. Still, it's unlikely that "Frasier" will hold onto its mark of distinction as long as Leachman does hers. As Tom O'Neil of the GoldDerby Web site points out, the Academy Awards broadcast has won 29 Emmys so far. "Unless 'Frasier' is never canceled," says O'Neil, "one show-biz award will eventually become the biggest winner of another showbiz award." Leachman's eight Emmys suggest that the actress knows a good role when she sees one. Other than two wins while on the "MTM" cast, all her trophies have come from guest appearances or specials, including one Daytime Emmy.

New on the tube

TODAY'S REVIEWS "Firefly" "John Doe" "What I Like About You" "Greetings From Tucson" 'Firefly' Airs: 7 tonight, Fox (Channel 4) Stars: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Jewel Staite, Adam Baldwin, Sean Maher, Summer Glau, Ron Glass Nutshell: Instantly lik-able ensemble adds appeal to this sci-fi Western. From "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" creator Joss Whedon comes another self-effacing fantasy, this one revolving around a band of 26th-century mercenaries who fly around the fringes of galactic civilization, scraping by while evading the totalitarian alliance that wants them dead or alive. The show's spaghetti-western soundtrack sets a nicely ironic retro tone to the series; indeed, there's an old-fashioned train heist in the first episode. But the desperadoes aboard the spaceship Serenity are an oddly upright bunch; there's even an ascetic, conscientious-objector man of the cloth. Each person in the ensemble is distinct and intriguing. This show is loaded with possibilities. Fox hasn't had a genuine Friday-night hit since "The X-Files" six years ago; "Firefly" could be that show. (See related story on Page 4.) 'John Doe' Airs: 8 p.m., Fox (Channel 4) Stars: Dominic Purcell, Jayne Brook, William Forsythe, Sprague Grayden, John Marshall Jones Nutshell: Intense but promising drama about a polymath who appears programmed to solve crimes. One reason to root for "Firefly" is the hope that at least some viewers will stay through the break and watch this equally compelling series. When our hero (Purcell) wakes up on an island off the coast of Seattle, he is bereft of any knowledge of his past - yet has the accumulated knowledge of mankind at his fingertips. He can speak any language, recall any factoid. His deductive powers run circles around cable TV's supersleuth, Adrian Monk. But less trivial questions elude him: Why is he here? What's with that thing on his neck? And why does he see the whole world in black and white excepting certain people who, like the free spirits of "Pleasantville," stand out in color relief? Purcell's a strong drink of coffee, but I like him and can only hope other viewers agree. 'What I Like About You' Airs: 7 p.m., WB (Channel 62) Stars: Amanda Bynes, Jennie Garth, Simon Rex, Wesley Jonathan Nutshell: Goofy little sitcom is enhanced by the enthusiasm of its co-stars. You know Amanda from Nickelodeon and Jennie from "90210" - heck, you practically grew up with them! Now they're teamed as sisters. When Dad's employer transfers him to Japan, Holly (Bynes) must either follow or else convince Valerie (Garth) that she'd make a great roommate in her cool Upper West Side pad. Unfortunately, Holly's every attempt to please Big Sis ends in disaster. It's all fairly paint-by-numbers with a fair amount of physical comedy, yet I couldn't help laughing out loud at times - watching Bynes give a terrier the Heimlich manuever, for example. If nothing else, check out this episode to see Tony Hawk take a stupendous pratfall (it's actually a stunt double, but still a hoot). 'Greetings From Tucson' Airs: 8:30 p.m., WB (Channel 62) Stars: Julio Oscar Mechoso, Rebecca Creskoff, Jacob Vargas, Pablo Santos, Aimee Garcia, Sara Paxton, Bobby Chavez, Lupe Ontiveros Nutshell: Unexceptional sitcom about extended Mexican-American family benefits from strong characters. Less of a punchline parade than a lighthearted look at the foibles of family life, "Greetings From Tucson" is laced with ethnic jokes about El Caminos, pinatas and family shopping trips. The episode opens not long after the Tiants move into their new home. Finally, declares Dad (Mechoso), "we can afford to live in a neighborhood where birds are flying over us instead of helicopters." The center of the show is 15-year-old David (Santos), but the whole cast is unusually strong, especially his tart-tongued Anglo mother (Creskoff). Spanish-speaking viewers will be disappointed to learn that Channel 62 won't carry the alternate Spanish-language audio of "Greetings From Tucson" that the WB network is offering affiliates. KSMO has a shiny new broadcast tower and a digital signal - so why couldn't it pony up the relatively piddling cost of a SAP channel? - To reach Aaron Barnhart, phone (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com. @ART CAPTION:Jennie Garth stars in "What I Like About You." @ART CAPTION:Pablo Santos and Sara Paxton star in "Greetings From Tucson." @ART CREDIT:WB @ART CAPTION:Dominic Purcell, star of 'John Doe' @ART CREDIT:Fox @ART:Photos (3, color and b/w)

Rowlands flies to Channel 9 for more prominent role

Johnny Rowlands, Kansas City's best-known eye in the sky, is changing choppers. After nine years of reporting traffic for WDAF, Channel 4, Rowlands winged his way Thursday to KMBC, Channel 9. He will become the lead pilot of its NewsChopper 9 helicopter and the station's morning traffic reporter beginning Sept. 30. "This was a match made in heaven," Rowlands said Thursday. "It was serendipity." Indeed, timing was the key to KMBC's surprise talent raid on WDAF, its main rival in morning news. Rowlands, who pioneered the use of aircraft in reporting area traffic conditions in 1983, was nearing the end of his contract with Channel 4 and had not begun negotiations on a new one when the station's general manager, Stan Knott, left in July to take a position at another Fox-owned station in Florida. Hearing that Rowlands was available, Channel 9 general manager C. Wayne Godsey contacted Rowlands' boss, Ellen Kelley, the general manager at Metro Networks, which provides traffic updates to area radio and TV stations. With Kelley acting as intermediary, Godsey wooed Rowlands aggressively. Rowlands was told he would have a more prominent role in Channel 9's morning newscast than he had at Channel 4. Though the SkyFox chopper appears in the opening credits for WDAF's morning newscast, KMBC intends to feature Rowlands himself in the opening. "Johnny's going to be a part of the team, and we're going to treat him that way on and off the air," Godsey said Thursday. Adding Rowlands to his roster made Godsey seem a little like Joe Torre, the New York Yankees skipper, adding another superstar to his lineup. KMBC's newscasts are already rated No. 1 in all time periods. The station also got a shot in the arm in afternoons as the syndicated "Dr. Phil" show opened strongly this week, lifting ratings for Channel 9's news at 5 and 6 p.m. Rowlands will remain an employee of Metro Networks, a subsidiary of Westwood One, which purchased Rowlands' helicopter business in 1997. He'll continue to file traffic updates for radio stations KMBZ-AM (980) and KUDL-FM (98.1). Taunia Hottman, Channel 9's current traffic reporter, will be reassigned by Metro Networks. Though Rowlands and Cheryl Kerns McDonald, WDAF's new general manager, offered differing accounts of their negotiations, they agreed on this: Channel 4 never made a formal offer to Metro Networks for extending Rowlands' contract. "He elected not to renew his contract with Fox 4," McDonald said Thursday. "I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to work out a renewal with him." To hear it from Rowlands, WDAF never had a chance. In addition to featuring Rowlands more prominently, Godsey, who is himself an instrument-rated pilot, offered Rowlands greater responsibility in managing NewsChopper 9, which is also used to cover breaking news. "Everybody likes to feel like they belong," Rowlands said. "This is going to be a much different environment for me to be in." This is Rowlands' second tour of duty with KMBC. In 1988, after five years of covering traffic for KMBZ, he founded Airborne Traffic Net with Channel 9 and three radio stations as his charter subscribers. Rowlands used fixed-wing aircraft until 1993, when he switched to Channel 4 and a helicopter. Kelley said she was pleased to have extended her agreement with Channel 9, which, unlike Channel 4, is a Metro Networks affiliate. The new contract, including Rowlands' services, runs through March 2006. - To reach Aaron Barnhart, call (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com. @ART CAPTION:"This was a match made in heaven," Johnny Rowlands said Thursday of his move to KMBC, Channel 9. "It was serendipity." @ART:Photo @ART CREDIT:AARON BARNHART/The Kansas City Star

'Do Over' is absurd but amusing

'Do Over' Airs: 7:30 p.m., WB (Channel 62) Stars: Penn Badgley, Angela Goethals, Josh Wise, Natasha Melnick, Michael Milhoan, Gigi Rice Nutshell: Amusing if absurd sitcom about 34-year-old who is transported back to early '80s to relive his teenhood. In the battle of the back-to-the-future shows, I give the edge to WB's "Do Over" over ABC's "That Was Then" (premiere is Sept. 27) on the dubious grounds that "Do Over" is shorter. It also takes itself less seriously than "That Was Then," and that's to its credit as well. You may wonder how two networks came up with nearly identical shows about second adolescence. It was easy. After all, what network executive wouldn't jump at the chance to live in an endless loop, cycling from teen to 20-something and back again? It would eliminate so much guesswork when deciding which concepts pander most effectively to those younger audiences advertisers crave. To reach Aaron Barnhart, phone (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com. @ART CAPTION:Penn Badgley stars in "Do Over." @ART:Photo (color) @ART CREDIT:WB