Series
Michael and Heather both confront their fears of death on Now and Again (9 p.m. Fri., CBS). Garth Brooks hosts Saturday Night Live (11:30 p.m. Sat., NBC), with music from his bewigged rock star alter ego, Chris Gaines. On King of the Hill (7:30 p.m. Sun., Fox), the Hills journey to New Orleans where Hank competes in a football throwing contest and Bill visits his Aunt Esme (voice of Meryl Streep) and her three daughters (the Dixie Chicks), each of whom makes a play for him. Homer bowls a perfect game, but fame swells his head on The Simpsons (8 p.m. Sun., Fox). Ben attracts the attention of an older, married woman, while Felicity is obsessed with her new dog on Felicity (8 p.m. Sun., WB). The X-Files (9 p.m. Sun., Fox) concludes its season opener. Mulder is sprung from the hospital and in hiding, but Cancer Man is closing in.
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Specials
The new TV movie Come on Get Happy: The Partridge Family Story (9 p.m. Sat., ABC) tells the whole sordid truth about what went on behind the scenes of the hit bubblegum TV show. If the school bus is rockin,' don't come knockin.' Starring Eve Gordon as Shirley Jones, Rodney Scott as David Cassidy and Kathy Wagner as Susan Dey. The new cable film Jerry and Tom (8 p.m. Sun., Showtime) is a dark comedy about a Chicago car salesman and part-time hitman (Joe Mantegna) who grooms a protigi for rub-out jobs. Eunice Kennedy Shriver and son Bobby Shriver are the executive producers behind Mary, Mother of Jesus (9 p.m. Sun., NBC), a reverant new TV movie that nobody's going to mistake for "Dogma." Starring Pernilla August as Mary and Christian Bale as Jesus. CBS is opting for more typical sweeps fare, Aftershock: Earthquake in New York (9 p.m. Sun., CBS), a two-part miniseries in which Mayor Giuliani's efforts to clean up the streets are all for nought. Starring Sharon Lawrence, Tom Skerritt, Charles S. Dutton and Lisa Nicole Carson. For a picture of the Big Apple intact, there's Ric Burns' New York: A Documentary Film (check local times, Sun., PBS), a gorgeous 12-hour history lesson about the most romantic, inspiring, frustrating, fascinating city in the world.
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Sports
Basketball:
Jazz at Kings (8 p.m. Fri., TNT)
Football:
Panthers at Rams, Vikings at Bears, Resskins at Eagles or 49ers at Saints (1 p.m. Sun., Fox)
Browns at Steelers, Colts at Giants, Chiefs at Buccaneers, Titans at Bengals or Dolphins at Bills (1 p.m. Sun., CBS)
Chargers at Raiders or Ravens at Jaguars (4 p.m. Sun., CBS)
Packers at Cowboys (4 p.m. Sun., Fox)
Broncos at Seahawks (8 p.m. Sun., ESPN)
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Talk
David Letterman (CBS) Johnny Depp, Stupid Human Tricks, Live
Jay Leno (NBC) Jerry Springer, Courtney Thorne-Smith
Charlie Rose (PBS) Tim Burton
Politically Incorrect (ABC) Former child stars
Conan O'Brien (NBC) Jay Leno, Smash Mouth
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