Region

\'Madigan Men\'

By Eden Kerr Perkinson · Thursday, Oct. 26,2000 5:40 a.m.

Wait a second, this is too good to be true. Gabriel Byrne, as in the hottest middle-aged Irish actor to come along since Liam Neeson, has his own sitcom? There has to be a catch. Oh, here it is: the show comes on at 9:30 p.m. Friday, making it practically impossible for the average college student to catch on a weekly basis.

\'That '70s Show\'

By Kate Lewis · Thursday, Oct. 26,2000 5:38 a.m.

One of the most highly underrated shows on television, "That '70s Show" is back for its third season, and it is funnier than ever. Set in suburban Wisconsin, the show centers around the Forman household and son Eric's five friends growing up and dealing with drugs, parents, sex and life -- often with hilarious results.

\'Gideon's Crossing\'

By Kate Lewis · Thursday, Oct. 26,2000 5:36 a.m.

"Gideon's Crossing" is a testament to terrific acting and scripts that exemplify the human spirit. Led by the amazing Andre Braugher ("Homicide") as Dr. Ben Gideon, the show centers around a teaching hospital and the patients who grace its doors.

\'C.S.I\'

By Rachel Kipp · Thursday, Oct. 26,2000 5:34 a.m.

If anything, it's great that "C.S.I." answers at least one burning TV question: Where the heck did Gina, the Secret Service agent on last season's "West Wing," get off to? Her portrayer, Jorjan Fox, now toils on "C.S.I." as crime scene investigator (hence the title) Sara Sidel.

"The West Wing"

By Rachel Kipp · Thursday, Oct. 26,2000 5:33 a.m.

Last season's explosive season finale left "West Wing" fans with one burning question, as NBC relentlessly pointed out in promos: Who's been shot? The answer to this question led to an revealing two-part season premiere as the terrorist shooting plot got cleaned up, and victim Josh (Bradley Whitford) had flashbacks of President Josiah Bartlet's (Martin Sheen) rise to office.

\'The Fugitive\'

By Rachel Kipp · Thursday, Oct. 26,2000 5:32 a.m.

The biggest problem facing "The Fugitive," a remake of the 1960s series and a redux of the 1990s movie, is how to keep things fresh when the main character will pretty much be doing the same thing every week. Dr. Richard Kimble (Timothy Daly) has been wrongfully convicted of killing his wife and now spends his time running from the law and, of course, helping others.

\'Buffy, the Vampire Slayer\'

By Rachel Kipp · Thursday, Oct. 26,2000 5:31 a.m.

"Buffy, the Vampire Slayer" is still one of the more imaginative and exciting television dramas. But this year's episodes have continued the slight slump in quality the show experienced last season. Although the producers have thankfully given up on the silly military vampire-fighting battalion, "The Initiative," traces of mediocrity still remain, mostly in the persona of Riley (Marc Blucas,) Buffy's boring, puppy dog-esque boyfriend).

\'Angel\'

By Rachel Kipp · Thursday, Oct. 26,2000 5:30 a.m.

As was the case last season, "Angel" continues to be the more creative and cohesive than sister show "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer." While series creator Joss Whedon is constantly finding himself at loose ends with Buffy's plots and characters, he seems to revel in the slightly darker L.A. atmosphere of "Angel."

\'Deadline\'

By Rachel Kipp · Thursday, Oct. 26,2000 5:29 a.m.

It's really hard for a journalist to objectively view a fictional TV show about journalism. Which is why it is extremely difficult to form an untainted opinion about "Deadline." Although the general viewing public might be able to ignore gross factual errors such as Oliver Platt's Wallace Benton being allowed to interrogate an accused murderer, it's really hard to swallow for anyone remotely connected to the media.

\'Welcome to New York\'

By Rachel Kipp · Thursday, Oct. 26,2000 5:27 a.m.

"Welcome to New York" immediately catches attention by utilizing yet another catchy theme song ("New York, New York" from the musical On the Town). The show is built around the well-worn "country mouse goes to the city," as Indiana weatherman Jim Gaffigan (played by -- no joke -- Jim Gaffigan) moves to big, bad New York City.

'Monday Night Football'

By Guy Cipriano · Thursday, Oct. 26,2000 5:26 a.m.

It almost seems as if the game is a secondary concern on Monday Night Football this season. Dwindling ratings prompted producer Don Ohlmeyer to overhaul "ABC Monday Night Football's" announcing crew. There hasn't been a significant change in ratings after eight weeks, but the show does have a different feel to it.

\'Bette\'

By Rachel Kipp · Thursday, Oct. 26,2000 5:26 a.m.

With a catchy theme song and a charismatic star, "Bette" actually manages to rise above typical sitcom mediocrity. The premise of Bette Midler's star vehicle (basically she plays herself) seems very thin at first glance, but Midler's bawdy, slightly egotistical portrayal of her alter ego is actually pretty humorous.

Chan outdoes himself in \'Legend of the Drunken Master\'

By -Alec Toombs · Thursday, Oct. 26,2000 5:22 a.m.

The Legend of Drunken Master" is the latest re-release in a long string of Jackie Chan Hong Kong chopsocky flicks displaced upon American soil, and perhaps the best. Sporting fight sequences rivaled only by Bruce Lee's Kung Fu epic "Enter the Dragon" or Jet Li's "Fist of Legend," Chan's "Drunken Master" definitely earns its coveted spot amongst the very best martial arts flicks.

\'Best in show\' places

By Laura Berger · Thursday, Oct. 26,2000 5:10 a.m.

In the new mockumentary "Best in Show," the dogs deliver, but you don't need to own a pedigree to appreciate Christopher Guest's dry sarcasm. The writer and director of "Waiting for Guffman" is back, and his new target is dog shows. With the same supporting cast as "Guffman," this film explores the world of dog showing and the idiosyncrasies of each breed as well as their owners.

'Beautiful' gets ugly

By Allison M. Felus · Thursday, Oct. 26,2000 5:06 a.m.

\"Beautiful" is the story of Mona Hibbard (Minnie Driver), a woman from Naperville, Ill., obsessed with winning the fictional Miss American Miss pageant despite the threat of being disqualified for having a child (Hallie Kate Eisenberg). "Beautiful" is also actress Sally Field's first time out as director, and it's more than a little depressing that the woman who uttered the now-famous phrase "You like me -- you really like me!" should, at age 54, still be mucking about with the tiresome women's themes of acceptance and self-esteem. That she goes about doing so with a script about beauty pageants makes her work here that much more dubious.

'Girlfight' deserves praise

By Martin Tsai · Thursday, Oct. 26,2000 4:58 a.m.

Sundance winner for "Grand Jury Prize" and "Best Director" as well as Cannes winner for "International Young Cinema Award," it's no surprise that Karyn Kusama's "Girlfight" turns out to be one of the best American films this year. The biggest achievement of Kusama's directorial debut is the fact that the film is so genuine and affecting despite some really generic plot elements (for example, "Love & Basketball" meets "Rocky" and "Raging Bull"). The film also boasts an Oscar-worthy screen debut of Michelle Rodriguez.

'Pay it Forward' works better as theory than movie

By Rachel Kipp · Thursday, Oct. 26,2000 4:49 a.m.

Paying it forward -- it's such a great idea if we could only put it into practice. Help three people with something extremely difficult and ask nothing in return but that they spread the message to three different people.

Bewitching

By Jodi Miskell · Thursday, Oct. 26,2000 4:45 a.m.

Some movies are like cotton candy -- you don't expect any substance from them, but they're sweet and enjoyable nonetheless. Harold Ramis' remake of the 1967 film "Bedazzled" takes a plot that's been recycled for hundreds of years (since Goethe's "Faust," in case you were wondering) and makes it fun and playful. With two delectable stars in Brendan Fraser and Elizabeth Hurley, this is a film worth watching just for the eye candy, regardless of your preference.

Hip-hop album re-release much improved from original

By Greg Locke · Thursday, Oct. 26,2000 4:16 a.m.

The Bay Area collective, known as Anticon, has recently been blowing up in the "underground" world of hip-hop. The crew, comprised of artists from all over the United States and Canada, has been led by the thriving determination of its leading man, Tim Holland. Known as "Sole" to his fans, Tim has recently dropped his first LP for Anticon, entitled Bottle of Humans.

Latin ska band eclectic

By Kenneth Durril · Thursday, Oct. 26,2000 4:12 a.m.

\"Rude boy thing with a Latino style" makes a champion sound, according to Latin ska band King Changó. Its self-description pinpoints the strength of ska super-fusion on The Return of El Santo. The mostly Spanish language album uses elements from ska, banda, drum 'n' bass and electronica, along with other Caribbean and Spanish influences.