Blue Glow

Salon's TV picks for
Weekend, May 21-23, 1999

Published May 21, 1999 4:00PM (EDT)

Series

Providence (8 p.m. Fri., NBC) has its season finale, as does Millennium (9 p.m. Fri., Fox). "Millennium" is most likely done for good. Also over: Homicide: Life on the Street (10 p.m. Fri., NBC), cancelled by NBC to make way for more allegedly female-friendly shows like "Providence." This week's "Homicide" was not written as a series finale, but it ties up enough loose ends and springs enough surprises to qualify as one. More season enders: The Pretender (9 p.m. Sat., NBC) -- oh, yes, NBC is keeping this one -- and Touched by an Angel (8 p.m. Sun., CBS), which features a cameo by former astronaut Sally Ride. Masterpiece Theatre (check local times, Sun., PBS) concludes its encore showing of "Moll Flanders," starring Alex Kingston. There are probably some viewers who will lament the end of Unhappily Ever After (9 p.m. Sun., WB), but do you personally know of any? Investigative Reports (9 p.m. EDT/10 PDT Sun., A&E) profiles the New York Police's Hostage Negotiation Team. Michael Moore tests the toughness of Defense Secretary William Cohen on The Awful Truth (9 p.m. EDT/10 PDT Sun., Bravo).

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Specials

Teen People's 21 Hottest Stars Under 21 (8 p.m. Fri., ABC) profiles such underexposed (ha!) celebrities as Brandy, Jennifer Love Hewitt and the Backstreet Boys. Nominee Susan Lucci puts on her game face for the 19th time on the 26th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards (9 p.m. Fri., CBS). Jane Seymour and that guy with the poodle hair and buckskins return for Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Movie (8 p.m. Sat., CBS). The new cable movie A Lesson Before Dying (8 p.m. EDT/9:30 PDT Sat., HBO) stars the super-cool Don Cheadle as a teacher who tries to restore a Death Row inmate's dignity in 1940s Louisiana. Based on the novel by Ernest J. Gaines. Will Smith, Bill Pullman and lots of stuff blowing up -- it must be the network premiere of Independence Day (7 p.m. Sun., Fox). Disney's animated Hercules (7 p.m. Sun., ABC) also has its network premiere. Battle of the cheesy biopics: The TV movie The Jesse Ventura Story (9 p.m. Sun., NBC) dramatizes the life of His Honor, the governor of Minnesota, with pro wrestler turned actor Nils Allen Stewart in the title role, while Michael Landon: The Father I Knew (9 p.m. Sun., CBS) is a rip job on the TV icon directed by his disgruntled son, Michael Landon Jr. John Schneider dons the Landon wig and leather jacket. The miniseries Cleopatra (9 p.m. Sun., ABC) stars Leonor Varela as the queen of the Nile, Timothy Dalton as Caesar and Billy Zane as Marc Antony. It ain't Shakespeare.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Sports

NHL playoffs:

Avalanche at Stars (7:30 p.m. Sat., ESPN)

Sabres at Maple Leafs (2 p.m. Sun., Fox)

Baseball:

Cubs at Braves (7:35 p.m. Fri., 7:05 p.m. Sat., 1:05 p.m. Sun., TBS)

Yankees at White Sox (7 p.m. Sat., FX)

Rangers at Orioles (8 p.m. Sun., ESPN)

NBA playoffs:

Pacers vs. 76ers (8 p.m. Fri., TNT; 12:30 p.m. Sun., NBC)

Hawks at Knicks (3 p.m. Sun., NBC)

Spurs at Lakers (5:30 p.m. Sat., Sun., NBC)

Jazz at Trail Blazers (3 p.m. Sat., NBC; 8:30 p.m. Sun., TNT)

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Talk

Rosie O'Donnell (syndicated) Natalie Portman

David Letterman (CBS) Natalie Portman, Tom Everett Scott, J. Geils Band

Jay Leno (NBC) D.L. Hughley

Charlie Rose (PBS) Ray Romano

Politically Incorrect (ABC) Emma Samms, Jarvis Cocker

Conan O'Brien (NBC) Helen Hunt, Keri Russell, Built to Spill


By Joyce Millman

Joyce Millman is a writer living in the Bay Area.

MORE FROM Joyce Millman


Related Topics ------------------------------------------

Television