Elvis Shot it Out

She stayed just long enough to get covered with cat hair. And after she went, I turned on the TV and thought about what are my five favorite pictures coming from that 27" screen.....

5) The McLaughlin Group- Critics say it's a show about five blowhards screaming at each other. The host is downright goofy. Yet if you were to choose one show to watch for your political/current events information, this might not be a bad choice. The weakness of American journalism is the silly creed of trying to be "objective." On this show you get a variety of opinions and agendas thrown out (yes- often with raised voices) and you learn to pick and choose what you want to believe. The show lost a lot when Pat Buchanan chose a bigger arena to spout his views, because the current representative of the "right," Freddie "the Beadle" Barnes is just a weenie, and doesn't have Pat's articulate wackiness.

4) Savannah- It appears that the airwaves are about to be inundated with Aaron Spelling shows, and unfortunately only one can star his daughter Tori... What separates this show from Melrose Place and Beverly Hills 90210, is the location which lends a historical ambiance to the material and not the slick gloss of Southern California. The three Southern Belles and their intertwining innocence, evil and backstabbing have already made for some delicious plots. Yes ladies and gentleman, it is no longer merely Sunday, it's now SAVANNAH SUNDAY!

3) One West Waikiki- Cheryl Ladd was always my favorite Angel, and she even has a couple of LPs in our record bins. But once a minor league Farah Fawcett, always a minor league Farah Fawcett. This is a show that didn't last in CBS's prime time lineup and got banished to late night where nobody knows anything of it. Basically it's Quincy (produced by the same producer, Glen Larson) with the annoying posturing of Jack Klugman replaced by Ms. Ladd's spunky battle with middle age, while still solving all those mysterious deaths highlighted by the beauty of our 50th state. Proof of inspiration? This show is often what's playing in the background during the writing of this column. 'Nuf said.

2) The Late Show with David Letterman- Dave is now third in the late night viewing wars. The show hasn't come up with a great bit in a long long time (the Quiz Machine had potential but went nowhere fast- proving that Dave ain't a prop guy. Witness the "giant doorknob" of years back). And while the show no longer makes fun of its medium, the host, when he is on, is still the funniest man on television. The imitators have caught up and Dave has responded by getting louder and less patient. But damn it, the man has shaped so much of our current TV landscape, and night after night the show still is the most entertainment one can get from one's entertainment buck. Let Dave be Dave and people will come back.

1) Murder One- The show's premise obviously was inspired by someone's insight that America was at the very least intrigued by the day by day events of the OJ Simpson trial. The beauty of the premise is that it allows the show to do what no other one hour dramatic series has ever done- examine a single subject with depth and wisdom. What has been a pleasant surprise is that the show isn't so much about the murder case, it's the best entertainment examination of the eternal battle between good versus evil since the first Star Wars movie. On one side you have Ted Hoffman's wonderful vignettes explaining his world weary moralism. On the other side you have Richard Cross, the purest embodiment of evil ever portrayed on prime time television. The examination of the process of our justice system plays against this philosophical battle between good and evil and gives the show its wonderfully quirky spiritual undertone. It will be interesting to see if ABC allows this show to find its audience and to continue to grow into its potentially great self. Few are watching and it's not exactly a show a casual viewer can tap into without a little effort. (By the way, for those of you scoring at home, Neal Avedon will be found not guilty.)